The number of people in attendance was intentionally small, but the meaning of the event was in no way diminished when Arkansas Tech University observed Veterans Day 2020 on Wednesday, Nov. 11.
The ATU U.S. Army Color Guard participated in a ceremonial raising of the American flag outside Tucker Coliseum in Russellville at 11:11 a.m. in honor of the annual date for Veterans Day.
Once the national anthem was complete, the flag fluttered above a monument to the Arkansas National Guard members from batteries D and F of the 206th Coast Artillery Regiment who were mobilized for service at Arkansas Tech’s Stroupe Armory on Jan. 6, 1941.
“It’s important to me to honor those who are in service now, those who have served in the past and those who didn’t make it home,” said ATU sophomore and U.S. Army ROTC cadet De’Marco Britton of Arkadelphia, who was a member of the color guard at the ceremony. “Now I am taking that step in the military, and it’s a blessing to be in these shoes.”
Britton was joined on the ATU U.S. Army ROTC color guard by Seth Cates of Center Ridge, Luke Thompson of Benton and Ethan Williams of Ozark.
Attendance for the ATU Veterans Day 2020 event was limited to members of the U.S. Army ROTC program, representatives from the ATU Office of Veteran Services and a small number of family supporters due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Learn more about the ATU U.S. Army ROTC program at www.atu.edu/rotc.
Learn more about the ATU Office of Veteran Services at www.atu.edu/veterans.
