WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.000 Tanner Watson: Good evening ladies and gentleman, welcome to the 2022 Memorial Day banquet. 00:00:04.000 --> 00:00:08.000 We invite our civilian guests to stand and remove any head coverings. 00:00:08.000 --> 00:00:12.000 Military guests, please follow suit and stand at attention. 00:00:12.000 --> 00:00:15.000 commands 00:00:23.000 --> 00:00:28.000 commands 00:00:45.000 --> 00:00:52.000 present arms 00:00:52.000 --> 00:00:58.000 quarter arm 00:00:58.000 --> 00:00:67.000 commands 00:01:07.000 --> 00:01:11.000 port arms 00:01:11.000 --> 00:01:14.000 forward march 00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:23.000 Tanner: As you may know, our government loves to turn anything it can into an acronym, 00:01:23.000 --> 00:01:30.000 but two that we wanna focus on today are POW and MIAs, commonly referred to as, "POWMIA." 00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:35.000 These stand for, "Prisoners of War and those Missing in Action." 00:01:35.000 --> 00:01:39.000 The next two ceremonies are dedicated to them. Please, have a seat. 00:01:40.000 --> 00:01:44.000 As you entered the room, you may have noticed a special table. 00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:48.000 It is reserved to honor our missing men and women. 00:01:48.000 --> 00:01:55.000 The chair is empty. It represents Americans who served. Who were or are missing. 00:01:55.000 --> 00:01:60.000 Some here were very young or not yet born when the Vietnam War began. 00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:04.000 However, all Americans should never forget the brave men and women 00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:10.000 who answered our nation's call and served the cause of freedom in a special way. 00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:15.000 Let me explain this table and then join me of a moment of silent prayer. 00:02:15.000 --> 00:02:19.000 The table is round to show our everlasting concern. 00:02:19.000 --> 00:02:25.000 The cloth is white, symbolizing the purity of their motives when answering the call to serve. 00:02:25.000 --> 00:02:27.000 The single red rose 00:02:28.000 --> 00:02:35.000 reminds us the lives of these Americans and their lived ones and friends who keep the faith while seeking answers. 00:02:35.000 --> 00:02:39.000 The yellow ribbon symbolizes our continued uncertainty. 00:02:39.000 --> 00:02:43.000 Hope for their return and determination to account for them. 00:02:43.000 --> 00:02:49.000 The slice of lemon reminds us their bitter fate, captured or missing in a foreign land. 00:02:49.000 --> 00:02:55.000 A pinch of salt symbolizes the tears of our missing and their families. 00:02:55.000 --> 00:02:59.000 The lighted candle reflects our hope for their return. 00:03:00.000 --> 00:03:05.000 The Bible represents the strength gained through faith to sustain us and those lost from our country, 00:03:05.000 --> 00:03:09.000 founded as one nation under God. 00:03:09.000 --> 00:03:15.000 The glass is inverted to symbolize their inability to share a toast. 00:03:15.000 --> 00:03:18.000 The chair is empty. They are missing. 00:03:18.000 --> 00:03:22.000 moment of silence 00:03:22.000 --> 00:03:27.000 Let us raise our glass in a toast to honor America's POWs and MIAs 00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:31.000 to the success of our efforts to account for them 00:03:31.000 --> 00:03:35.000 and the safety of all now serving. Here's to them. 00:03:40.000 --> 00:03:46.000 I'd like to invite Jack Frauendiener to the stage to perform the POWMIA Pledge of Allegiance together. 00:03:46.000 --> 00:03:50.000 Jack is a Vietnam veteran with prestigious awards 00:03:50.000 --> 00:03:58.000 which includes three Purple Hearts, two Silver Stars, and a Bronze Star with, "v" device for valor. 00:03:58.000 --> 00:03:60.000 Jack Frauendiener 00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:04.000 applause 00:04:04.000 --> 00:04:07.000 Tanner: I pledge allegiance to the flag 00:04:07.000 --> 00:04:12.000 I am an American. I was a Prisoner of War. 00:04:12.000 --> 00:04:18.000 I have served my country, I need no one to tell me what allegiance I owe. 00:04:18.000 --> 00:04:20.000 Tanner: Of the United States of America 00:04:20.000 --> 00:04:28.000 Jack: This is my country, I have fought for it, I have been in prison for it, I have died for it. 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:32.000 Tanner: And to the Republic for which it stands 00:04:32.000 --> 00:04:35.000 Jack: This flag stands for me. My love. 00:04:36.000 --> 00:04:40.000 My love for my family, my love for my friends. 00:04:40.000 --> 00:04:46.000 I did not forsake it when I was beaten, when I was starved, when I was killed. 00:04:46.000 --> 00:04:50.000 Tanner: One nation, under God, indivisible 00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:55.000 Jack: I am one man, I have one country, I worship one God. 00:04:55.000 --> 00:04:63.000 Under God I was captured, under God I was saved, under God I have no fear. 00:05:03.000 --> 00:05:06.000 Tanner: With liberty and justice for all. 00:05:06.000 --> 00:05:12.000 Jack: My allegiance is to liberty, to justice. My flag represents the best of myself, 00:05:12.000 --> 00:05:20.000 my effort, my home, my country. I will pledge allegiance to the flag. 00:05:20.000 --> 00:05:27.000 I will pledge under the love of God. It is my right, my privilege, my duty. 00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:34.000 I have earned it. Tell me not how I have given you much. 00:05:34.000 --> 00:05:38.000 I'm a next Prisoner of War, take nothing more from me. 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:42.000 Tanner: I pledge allegiance to the flag. 00:05:42.000 --> 00:05:49.000 While your dinner is being served, this may be a good time to learn the stories of some of America's POWs and MIAs. 00:05:49.000 --> 00:05:53.000 Six brave men's stories can be found on this wall. 00:05:53.000 --> 00:05:57.000 Their names are: Corporal Jacob Deshazer, 00:05:57.000 --> 00:05:60.000 Seaman Douglas Hegdahl 00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:03.000 Corporal William G. Lawson 00:06:03.000 --> 00:06:06.000 Tech Sergent William B. Lybarger 00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:10.000 Major Corbin B. Willis, Jr. 00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:15.000 and finally, Private First Class Henry E. Merk. 00:06:15.000 --> 00:06:17.000 Thank you. 00:06:17.000 --> 00:06:22.000 As you already know, Memorial Day is a solemn recognition of those who cannot be with us today. 00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:30.000 In 1868, General John A. Logan, called for the nation wide remembrance of the fallen Civil War soldiers. 00:06:30.000 --> 00:06:33.000 This day was then called, "Decoration Day," 00:06:33.000 --> 00:06:38.000 born from the tradition of decorating soldiers headstones with flowers. 00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:43.000 It wasn't until 1933, that Congress would recognize the last Monday of May 00:06:43.000 --> 00:06:47.000 as a federal holiday that it is today. 00:06:47.000 --> 00:06:52.000 Over time, the name, "Memorial Day" was adopted. 00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:56.000 We honor this tradition with our Memorial Day banquet. 00:06:56.000 --> 00:06:62.000 Thank you everyone for participating and remembering Americans fallen and missing warriors. 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:07.000 I have the privilege of introducing our guest speaker this evening. 00:07:07.000 --> 00:07:11.000 He is a business owner and an Army National Guard combat veteran 00:07:11.000 --> 00:07:14.000 who served just down the road in Corvallis. 00:07:14.000 --> 00:07:20.000 During his service, he was recognized and earned accolades such as the Combat Infantry Badge 00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:27.000 and the Excellence in Calvary award over the course of his 8 year tenure. 00:07:28.000 --> 00:07:32.000 In 2011, he established 4 Spirits Distillery in honor of the 00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:36.000 four combat veterans he served beside who lost their lives in Baghdad. 00:07:40.000 --> 00:07:47.000 and helping veterans and their families through education, mental health, and social support. 00:07:47.000 --> 00:07:52.000 One such example of that support is the 4 Spirits Veterans endowment here at Western 00:07:52.000 --> 00:07:58.000 which has raised over 18,000 dollars so far from their selfless efforts. 00:07:58.000 --> 00:07:63.000 Please, give a big round of applause for our guest speaker, Dawson Officer. 00:08:03.000 --> 00:08:08.000 applause 00:08:08.000 --> 00:08:11.000 Okay so Memorial Day, what does it mean, right? 00:08:11.000 --> 00:08:16.000 One day Memorial Day happens and we have events like this. 00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:20.000 I was kind of thinking about it earlier and kind of going, "man, it's 00:08:20.000 --> 00:08:24.000 different for everybody and we say these words and that's great and everything, 00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:30.000 but there's some that live it every single day, right? Memorial Day. 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:38.000 People pass away and give us our freedoms. This is all good. So what does it mean for, it means something different for everybody. 00:08:38.000 --> 00:08:45.000 For me, it means guys didn't make it back. I did. 00:08:45.000 --> 00:08:50.000 There's a lot of guilt with that kind of stuff that people deal with. For me, it's 00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:57.000 I hope I do good by them. I guess that's a good example. 00:08:57.000 --> 00:08:63.000 They didn't make it back, I did, so whatever I do. I get up in the morning, slap my hands together, and hope to God 00:09:04.000 --> 00:09:09.000 that I do something great that day or somehow memorialize these guys 00:09:09.000 --> 00:09:18.000 that pass away. I mean, that's the best thing you can do. We have one life, we have one life, and they're not coming home. 00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:25.000 Nothing can change that. It is done and over with and the only thing that's there is the people that made it back 00:09:25.000 --> 00:09:30.000 and then we kind of do our best to honor them, right? 00:09:30.000 --> 00:09:39.000 So that's the way I see it is that if I'm not doing something great every single day, I'm kind of failing, right? 00:09:39.000 --> 00:09:43.000 Anyway, of course if you've been in the military, don't fail. 00:09:44.000 --> 00:09:48.000 They take soap and they hit you with it and this kind of stuff. No, they don't do that kind of stuff, but 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:56.000 they'll definitely let you know and so I just try and do my best every single day. Hopefully everybody else does, 00:09:56.000 --> 00:09:63.000 but it kind of puts things into perspective when we're talking about bigger things, right? The universe. 00:10:03.000 --> 00:10:08.000 We are small carbon based forms in a big universe, right? 00:10:08.000 --> 00:10:10.000 We're insignificant. 00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:16.000 However, the people that you're sitting next to, you have profound impact on those people. 00:10:16.000 --> 00:10:19.000 So that makes you extremely significant. 00:10:19.000 --> 00:10:23.000 It's a strange idea to think that you could be 00:10:23.000 --> 00:10:27.000 significantly insignificant all at the same time, but 00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:32.000 that's the way it goes so be significant, that's the idea. 00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:33.000 So I wasn't sure who was gonna be here 00:10:33.000 --> 00:10:40.000 and I was kind looking at, where are the young leaders? Young leaders? Everybody at that table, don't raise your hand, great. 00:10:40.000 --> 00:10:47.000 And then there's the elder leaders and all of that kind of stuff. It's almost like this room is divided or something like that. 00:10:47.000 --> 00:10:51.000 So when we have this thing and we talk about Memorial Day and our goals 00:10:51.000 --> 00:10:55.000 we talk about goals and how to get there, right? I told you I was gonna bring this up. 00:10:56.000 --> 00:10:64.000 Goal making is huge thing in order to do this and live your best life because other people didn't come back. 00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:10.000 So small, achievable goals, right? Set out some kind of big thing in front of you, 00:11:10.000 --> 00:11:13.000 it's a big goal that you wanna obtain and what do you do? 00:11:13.000 --> 00:11:19.000 You make small goals to get to that larger goal. 00:11:19.000 --> 00:11:24.000 That's the big thing there, but whenever you're making these goals, you have things like 00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:29.000 I don't know, self doubt, indecision, stuff like that, maybe confidence issues, right? 00:11:29.000 --> 00:11:31.000 So the biggest thing when you're talking about goals is 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:35.000 be confident in yourself, please, be confident in yourself. 00:11:35.000 --> 00:11:40.000 You have paths, you're going down this road, you're going down this river, 00:11:40.000 --> 00:11:45.000 and there's a path and you gotta choose this and you're gonna be 00:11:45.000 --> 00:11:48.000 ping ponging off of rocks left and right. 00:11:48.000 --> 00:11:52.000 I guess you have to choose a path, whatever it may be. 00:11:52.000 --> 00:11:56.000 You're gonna go down a path and it might not be the best path and you're gonna figure it out down to road 00:11:56.000 --> 00:11:60.000 and then you're gonna figure out, "I need to make a change," and that's okay. 00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:08.000 Some people say, "fake it until you make it." Everybody heard that? I just say fail until you make it. 00:12:08.000 --> 00:12:14.000 So going down there, you're ping ponging down the path and all that kind of stuff, the worst thing you could ever do is 00:12:14.000 --> 00:12:17.000 be indecisive, that's the worst thing you can do. 00:12:17.000 --> 00:12:21.000 Some of the best advice I ever got from some of my military leaders was, 00:12:27.000 --> 00:12:30.000 but just make the decision. You're gonna figure out down the road, 00:12:30.000 --> 00:12:33.000 but the worst thing you can do is sit and spin and not do anything." 00:12:33.000 --> 00:12:40.000 So that's kind of how I go. If we're living this life for others, we wanna charge ahead. 00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:43.000 Whenever you're floating down this river 00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:49.000 and there's rocks in the way and you make that wrong turn and you ping pong off a rock, 00:12:49.000 --> 00:12:56.000 those are called, is there kids in here? They're called, "shit sandwiches," can I say that out out loud? 00:12:56.000 --> 00:12:57.000 laughter 00:12:57.000 --> 00:12:60.000 They're shit sandwiches, right? 00:13:00.000 --> 00:13:03.000 So if you've ever been in the military, you get served these all the time. 00:13:04.000 --> 00:13:08.000 When you're in life, you get served these all the time, right? It's just the way it goes. 00:13:08.000 --> 00:13:14.000 My advice about, I'll switch it over to, I see a young person back there right now, 00:13:14.000 --> 00:13:17.000 to poo poo sandwiches 00:13:17.000 --> 00:13:19.000 laughter 00:13:19.000 --> 00:13:21.000 So the poo sandwiches you get, 00:13:21.000 --> 00:13:27.000 the biggest thing you do is embrace the poo sandwiches, embrace those sandwiches, right? Because that's just the rock. 00:13:27.000 --> 00:13:32.000 So embrace those and take as much as you can because you'll learn from it. 00:13:32.000 --> 00:13:35.000 And the idea there is that there's 00:13:36.000 --> 00:13:40.000 people that want the easy way, there's some people that take the hard way. 00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:47.000 My advice is do the hard way. Get some calluses on you, build some resistance up. 00:13:47.000 --> 00:13:52.000 You're driving around in a parking lot and you're waiting for the first spot to open that's closest to the store. 00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:56.000 Maybe don't, maybe park in the back, walk in. 00:13:56.000 --> 00:13:59.000 Something like that. The idea is just to 00:13:59.000 --> 00:13:65.000 build up a little bit of resistance. You have to sign up for a license or something like that. You can have 00:14:05.000 --> 00:14:10.000 a lawyer do it, not to diss on lawyers. Is there any lawyers in here? No? 00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:14.000 Or you can do it yourself and then all of a sudden, you start learning 00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:20.000 how to do this and that journey that you're taking and that's kind of the whole point, right? Is the journey that you're taking. 00:14:20.000 --> 00:14:25.000 When somebody comes up and asks you about it, you don't have to be like, "I don't know, a lawyer did it for me." 00:14:25.000 --> 00:14:29.000 You can be like, "this is what happened. This the pitfalls. This is how it all works out." 00:14:29.000 --> 00:14:33.000 So eat those sandwiches. 00:14:33.000 --> 00:14:38.000 Eventually you're gonna be at a dinner and somebody is, like life is gonna give 00:14:38.000 --> 00:14:42.000 you these sandwiches whether you want them out so you're gonna have to figure that stuff out. 00:14:42.000 --> 00:14:47.000 When you're at a dinner and the sandwiches are, you know, set out on the table, 00:14:47.000 --> 00:14:51.000 the person who always took the easy road will not know what to do. 00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:56.000 They will have a very disgusting sandwich in front of them. 00:14:56.000 --> 00:14:61.000 You will be on the other side of the table with a knife and fork so 00:15:01.000 --> 00:15:05.000 just take those sandwiches and use them. 00:15:05.000 --> 00:15:10.000 Moving into that is the biggest thing I could ever give advice, especially to young leaders out there, is purpose. 00:15:10.000 --> 00:15:15.000 Find purpose people, that is the best thing I could ever give you. 00:15:15.000 --> 00:15:21.000 If you wake up and you're not really sure what you're gonna do, where you're gonna go, all that kind of stuff, 00:15:21.000 --> 00:15:25.000 you have to find purpose in life. 00:15:25.000 --> 00:15:29.000 And you have to do that especially if you went over seas and you 00:15:29.000 --> 00:15:32.000 got shot at every day and you weren't sure if you were gonna make it back 00:15:32.000 --> 00:15:36.000 that day. Every single day was a gamble. You might as well just be rollin dice. 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:40.000 Som guys rolled dice and they did not make it back so find that purpose. 00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:45.000 Please, that's the best thing you can do. And with that, you can be an effective 00:15:45.000 --> 00:15:48.000 human and you can go out and make changes. 00:15:48.000 --> 00:15:55.000 I don't mean like take a change and change the world, change somebody else. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about 00:15:56.000 --> 00:15:61.000 if you wanna make a difference, start by changing yourself. 00:16:01.000 --> 00:16:05.000 That's the biggest thing you could do is change yourself first. 00:16:05.000 --> 00:16:08.000 For me to change a situation is extremely difficult. 00:16:08.000 --> 00:16:13.000 Change yourself, lead from the front, be an example. 00:16:13.000 --> 00:16:17.000 Stuff like that and then it'll work out and maybe your example, 00:16:17.000 --> 00:16:23.000 somebody else will see and all of a sudden, change happens. 00:16:23.000 --> 00:16:27.000 That's the biggest thing I see. I see 00:16:27.000 --> 00:16:32.000 two sets of leaders in here. We're all leaders, right? That's why we're here, right? 00:16:32.000 --> 00:16:35.000 Are we all leaders? We're all leaders. Yup. 00:16:35.000 --> 00:16:38.000 So there's young leaders and there's the old leaders, right? 00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:43.000 The best thing I can say for the young leaders is, watch the old leaders 00:16:43.000 --> 00:16:47.000 and the best thing for the old leaders I could say is, groom the young leaders. 00:16:47.000 --> 00:16:54.000 However, there's caveats because there's really, really not good leaders and there's great leaders. 00:16:54.000 --> 00:16:59.000 There's leaders that should not be leading and then there's non leaders that should be leading. 00:16:59.000 --> 00:16:64.000 So we have all this kind of stuff. I will say as a young leader and you're looking up to everybody else in the world, 00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:09.000 whether it's your mentor, your parents, your whoever that may be, 00:17:09.000 --> 00:17:14.000 know that your bad examples and your good examples are equally important. 00:17:14.000 --> 00:17:19.000 Please know that. That you will learn equally from both of those things 00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:24.000 and take that and run with your purpose 00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:32.000 and your goal setting and your lack of indecision and you can change the world. 00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:37.000 Isn't that right? I feel like that's correct. Did I miss... 00:17:37.000 --> 00:17:39.000 Other than that, I mean, 00:17:39.000 --> 00:17:47.000 do I have anything? How much...? Well, actually, I will say never ever, whatever you do, 00:17:47.000 --> 00:17:51.000 under any circumstance, this is the best advice I could ever give you, is never... 00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:55.000 How much time do I have? 00:17:55.000 --> 00:17:57.000 Nope, I'm out? Okay, never mind. 00:17:57.000 --> 00:17:63.000 That's it for me guys. I appreciate it. If you have any questions let me know, but that's all the time I have. I appreciate it. 00:18:03.000 --> 00:18:08.000 If there's any questions, I like the interactive crows, so if you have any questions, 00:18:08.000 --> 00:18:09.000 please raise your hand ask. 00:18:09.000 --> 00:18:12.000 Speaker: Never, ever what? 00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:15.000 Speaker: I cannot 00:18:15.000 --> 00:18:19.000 laughter and applause 00:18:19.000 --> 00:18:26.000 Tanner: Again, thank you Mr. Officer for everything today. We'd like to move on to the next round of events here. 00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:30.000 Next, we're going to take a few minutes to step away from the purpose of the day 00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:37.000 in order to recognize two individuals in our community for their actions over the past academic year. 00:18:37.000 --> 00:18:43.000 These two awards will be explained in more detail by the Director of the Veteran Resource Center, Logan Doerfler. 00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:46.000 Logan, could you please join me up here today? 00:18:46.000 --> 00:18:48.000 Give him a round of applause! 00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:50.000 applause 00:18:50.000 --> 00:18:56.000 Logan: Again, thank you Tanner, it's a privilege to be here with everyone and have the opportunity to talk about on of the VRC's 00:18:56.000 --> 00:18:60.000 traditional awards as well as a new one we're starting this year I'm very excited to share with y'all. 00:19:00.000 --> 00:19:03.000 So starting with the first one, the Student Veteran of the Year award. 00:19:03.000 --> 00:19:10.000 Student Veteran of the Year award is for demonstrated exemplary performance, mentorship, and academic excellence. 00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:15.000 This award was first awarded in the 2017 '18, academic year 00:19:15.000 --> 00:19:20.000 and has been ever since so that makes this the fifth iteration of this award. 00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:24.000 Beyond the text of the award, the recipient really has demonstrated much more, though. 00:19:24.000 --> 00:19:28.000 They demonstrated leadership and cared for their peers here at Western, 00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:33.000 and generally that is observed through the Student Veterans of America club. 00:19:33.000 --> 00:19:39.000 The Student Veterans of America here at WOU, you actually met a few of our members here earlier today so 00:19:39.000 --> 00:19:44.000 you saw them working will call outside, you saw them working the entrance door 00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:49.000 you had Garza on the spotlight which we ultimately didn't use too much, but 00:19:49.000 --> 00:19:53.000 yeah, they are here in our midst right now. And finally, 00:19:53.000 --> 00:19:57.000 your host, Tanner, is one such Student Veterans of America leader as well. 00:19:57.000 --> 00:19:62.000 So a little bit about this year's recipient. 00:20:02.000 --> 00:20:07.000 This student advised over 75 individual student veterans 00:20:07.000 --> 00:20:12.000 through the PAVE program here at Western. That stands for, "Peer Advisors of Veterans in Education." 00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:15.000 It's for our new incoming veterans at Western. They get 00:20:15.000 --> 00:20:19.000 linked up with a mentor. They can ask any questions to, "where's the chow hall? 00:20:20.000 --> 00:20:24.000 I need a gym partner," etcetera, etcetera and we make sure to take care of them. 00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:30.000 So this individual has served 75 of those student veterans originally as a peer mentor 00:20:30.000 --> 00:20:33.000 and finally as the team leader for the program itself. 00:20:33.000 --> 00:20:40.000 Secondly, he is a graduating student of a Master's program with a 3.7 GPA. 00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:46.000 Over the last 5 years, he held 3 positions within the Student Veterans of America club here at Western. 00:20:46.000 --> 00:20:49.000 And is currently serving as the president of the club. 00:20:49.000 --> 00:20:55.000 And yeah, I am super proud, super proud to give the 2022 Student Veteran of the Year award to 00:20:55.000 --> 00:20:57.000 Jake Sutherbee, come on up Jake. 00:20:57.000 --> 00:20:59.000 applause 00:20:59.000 --> 00:20:61.000 Logan: There you go, stud 00:21:01.000 --> 00:21:02.000 Logan: Congratulations, man 00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:04.000 Jake: Thank you, it's awesome 00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:06.000 Logan: Thanks, Tanner 00:21:06.000 --> 00:21:11.000 Alright, Jake, you have an opportunity to say anything you'd like to all these good folks here. 00:21:11.000 --> 00:21:12.000 laughter 00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:15.000 Jake: First off, thanks for attending this wonderful event. 00:21:15.000 --> 00:21:20.000 This is our first in person event since 2019 and we greatly appreciate this. 00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:25.000 This year, we wanted to go out with a bang and have it a little bit more casual and 00:21:25.000 --> 00:21:30.000 everybody in the VRC as well as Logan had worked hard to make this a possibility. 00:21:30.000 --> 00:21:35.000 First off, I'd like to thank my family. My wife Katie and my son Calvin for 00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:38.000 helping me get through these last two years of grad school. 00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:45.000 And secondly, I would not have made it through these two years of grad school without 00:21:45.000 --> 00:21:51.000 the Student Veterans of America club and the Veteran Resource Center. They were outlets for me. 00:21:51.000 --> 00:21:57.000 I had friends that were already in the Veteran Resource Center and being able to come back and be an employee in there 00:21:57.000 --> 00:21:60.000 and just have that camaraderie was a great opportunity. 00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:05.000 And then to come back and join the Student Veterans of America again and go to a 00:22:05.000 --> 00:22:09.000 NatCon which is the national conference for student veterans. 00:22:09.000 --> 00:22:14.000 It was just a great experience for me my second time coming to college as a grad student. 00:22:14.000 --> 00:22:17.000 And I wouldn't be here without everybody in the team 00:22:17.000 --> 00:22:23.000 and I just can't say enough how great the Student Veterans of America club and the Veteran Resource Center here at Western. 00:22:24.000 --> 00:22:27.000 We're rebuilding and we're trying to get more involvement, but it's an 00:22:27.000 --> 00:22:34.000 excellent place for military connected and student veterans to go for an outlet for people to talk to 00:22:34.000 --> 00:22:36.000 just for anything. 00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:41.000 It's just a chill spot and coffee and I just wanted to thank everybody. Thank you. 00:22:41.000 --> 00:22:45.000 applause 00:22:45.000 --> 00:22:50.000 Logan: Alright, moving forward, the Veteran Resource Center this year started a new award 00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:55.000 with the input and help of its student veterans that come into the VRC regularly. We kind of just pooled ideas 00:22:56.000 --> 00:22:61.000 asking, "what should we name this award? What should the criteria be?" We really constructed it together which is a 00:23:01.000 --> 00:23:02.000 was great experience. 00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:06.000 We landed on the name, "The Veteran's Community Recognition" award. 00:23:06.000 --> 00:23:12.000 It is given for outstanding dedication, care, and honoring the veterans of Western Oregon University. 00:23:12.000 --> 00:23:15.000 This award, though, unlike the Student Veteran of the Year, 00:23:15.000 --> 00:23:21.000 is open to anyone at Western or in our community. They don't have to be a veteran, don't have to be military connected. 00:23:21.000 --> 00:23:26.000 Just really anyone that's going above and beyond to serve our student veteran population here at Western. 00:23:27.000 --> 00:23:33.000 Yeah, it's good stuff. Let's see here, awesome, this is why I should stay on script. Told you. 00:23:33.000 --> 00:23:38.000 Alright, that said, the individual who earned this award 00:23:38.000 --> 00:23:43.000 had proven dedication to the welfare and the wellbeing to our student veteran population here at Western. 00:23:43.000 --> 00:23:47.000 She's a staff member here at WOU who consistently shows care for our veterans 00:23:47.000 --> 00:23:51.000 and is well loved by the veterans who have the privilege of knowing her. 00:23:51.000 --> 00:23:58.000 Lastly, in an act of selfless service, she filled in for the Director of the Veteran Resource Center when there was a vacancy. 00:23:58.000 --> 00:23:63.000 She dedicated time and energy into continuing the daily operations of the Veteran Resource Center, 00:24:03.000 --> 00:24:08.000 sought to meet student needs, and operated on the search committee for the current director. 00:24:08.000 --> 00:24:13.000 It is a privilege for myself, I'm very honored, to award the first ever 00:24:13.000 --> 00:24:18.000 Community, excuse me, Veteran's Community Recognition award to Sarah Lockwood. 00:24:18.000 --> 00:24:20.000 Sarah, could you please come on up? 00:24:20.000 --> 00:24:28.000 applause and cheering 00:24:33.000 --> 00:24:38.000 Congratulations, Sarah, is there anything you'd like to say to our esteemed guests? 00:24:38.000 --> 00:24:41.000 Audience: Speech! 00:24:41.000 --> 00:24:48.000 Sarah: Unlike Jake, I had no idea this was happening so I don't have a speech, 00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:55.000 but it has been my privilege to work with these students, staff, and 00:24:56.000 --> 00:24:62.000 I really appreciate having not had the military experience myself 00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:08.000 being welcomed into their place. 00:25:08.000 --> 00:25:13.000 They, see I'm shaky and I'm gonna cry and this is not... 00:25:13.000 --> 00:25:17.000 Thank you, this is a great honor 00:25:17.000 --> 00:25:27.000 as it was when I was asked to help between directors so thank you for letting me be this person. 00:25:27.000 --> 00:25:30.000 applause 00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:36.000 Tanner: I ask, again, of our civilian guests to please stand and remove any of their head coverings. 00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:40.000 Military guests, please follow suit and stand at attention 00:25:40.000 --> 00:25:44.000 as we retire the colors and we play taps. 00:25:44.000 --> 00:25:96.000 trumpet playing "Taps" 00:26:36.000 --> 00:26:43.000 commands 00:26:48.000 --> 00:26:53.000 present arms 00:26:56.000 --> 00:26:62.000 quarter arm 00:27:08.000 --> 00:27:15.000 post 00:27:15.000 --> 00:27:18.000 forward march 00:27:26.000 --> 00:27:29.000 halt march 00:27:35.000 --> 00:27:39.000 color guard halt 00:27:40.000 --> 00:27:42.000 Tanner: We appreciate everyone joining us this evening 00:27:42.000 --> 00:27:47.000 and we want to give out a special thanks to all those that donated their time and resources to support this event 00:27:47.000 --> 00:27:50.000 as seen on the back of your programs. 00:27:50.000 --> 00:27:52.000 Speaker: Thank you! 00:27:52.000 --> 00:27:60.000 applause