UWT honors veterans with 1,642 flag display
This Veteran’s Day, all three University of Washington campuses reflected on the 100 years since the end of World War I and honored the lives that have been lost in service to our country. In remembrance of those lives, UW Tacoma displayed 1,642 American flags along the Prairie Line Trail.
“Our flag display of 1,642 American flags remembers those Washington men who served during WWI in the Army, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard who made the ultimate sacrifice during their time in service,” Rosalynn Johnson, the associate director of the Veteran and Military Resource Center, said.
Veterans Day began as Armistice Day Nov. 11, 1919 — one year after World War I ended. This holiday was created to remember the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, which is the date and time of the signing of the Armistice to end WWI. After World War II, the United States began to recognize Nov. 11 as Veterans Day — a day to remember veterans of all conflicts.
“Since I’m a veteran,” Johnson said, “It’s very humbling to reflect on those who served before and after me and to remember the hardships endured by all veterans in conflict, whether it be veterans from WWI, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the current War on Terrorism, and all the other conflicts that our men and women are called upon to serve in.”
The Veteran and Military Resource Center — located in TLB 307A — is known to predominantly serve students with a military connection, with the exception of the entrepreneurship program which is available to everyone on campus and in the community. The Center has two staffs — Veteran and Military Services staff and the Veterans Incubator for Better Entrepreneurship — that help military students access their VA educational benefits and state tuition waivers. They also provide an applied training environment that supports military veterans’ entrepreneurial aspirations and understanding of the modern startup lifecycle.
The Center hosts events in appreciation for Veterans Day, and many others throughout the year. The next event is a TEDx Tacoma that will be held at the American Lakes Conference Center on Joint Base Lewis-McChord Nov. 16 5–8 p.m. The talk, “Transitions: Bridging the Gap,” focuses on transitions throughout different moments of life. TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share TED-like experiences. Tickets for current military and spouses are $15 each and 28 UWT students can get half off general admission through a limited sponsorship by Chancellor Pagano.
Nov. 16, members of the UW Tacoma Veteran and Military Resource Center will also be volunteering at the Veteran Stand Down event put on by the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs at the Olympia National Guard Armory. It will start at 7 a.m. and run until noon. Volunteers of the event will assist homeless veterans to gain access to local resources, pass out winter supplies and personal hygiene products, and help serve breakfast and lunch.
To learn more about the Veteran and Military Resource Center, visit:
tacoma.uw.edu/veteransmilitary/veteran-militaryresource-center
To register for the sponsored TEDx discount, visit:
www.eventbrite.com/e/tedxtacoma-transitions-bridging-thegap-tickets-50766266269
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