Members of the University’s Army, Naval and Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps dressed in uniform lined up in traditional military formations at the Armory for a ceremony honoring veterans on Sunday afternoon.

The students joined forces for the Tri-Service ROTC Veterans Day Ceremony. The event featured a color guard, a wreath-laying ceremony by senior cadets and midshipmen and a 21-gun salute by seven Naval ROTC midshipmen.

Jack Dempsey, executive director of Facilities & Services and a veteran of the United States Naval Engineering Corps, presented a speech at the ceremony. He talked about a brief history of the Armory as well as the ROTC programs’ contributions to military services. Dempsey thanked the University for providing resources and services to veterans and members of the armed forces in Champaign-Urbana. He also addressed the importance of honoring veterans.

“These are people who are primarily motivated not by money and prestige but rather by a sense of patriotism, people who are willing to make sacrifices at times in dangerous situations in order to protect the interests of the United States and the freedoms we all enjoy,” Dempsey said.

Military instructor and Master Sgt. Jason Staub, who has been serving the United States Army for 21 years, said the ceremony brings the whole community closer to military services, whose service members are often ignored because people enjoy freedom and peace in their everyday lives. Gunnery Sgt. Michael S. Hnyla, assistant Marine officer instructor of the Naval ROTC, also said he appreciates this aspect of the ceremony.

“I think it’s really easy for people to be comfortable with their freedom, especially when, unlike other countries, our freedom is not so much challenged as much as it is in other countries,” Hnyla said.

Hnyla said, as an ROTC instructor, he thinks the ceremony can drive people’s awareness back to veterans.

“We are here because of our veterans,” he said. “We have these freedoms because of our veterans. I think that’s the least we can do.”

Capt. J.D. Haugen, commanding officer and Naval Battalion, said the ceremony also offered an opportunity for midshipmen in the ROTC to learn from veterans of their respective forces.

“It’s also an opportunity for the veteran students to come out and visit with the midshipmen, give them some guidance and hopefully some mutual understanding of what they can expect when they are actually out serving in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force,” he said.

Veterans in the audience of the ceremony were also applauded and thanked for their service.

Staub said he thinks it is important to reflect on and learn from the veterans’ service.

“More and more of the veterans from World War II and even the Korean conflict are passing away as years go by,” he said. “It’s very important not to forget the lessons of the past as we move forward in the future.

Zike can be reached at [email protected].

Editor’s Note: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated the University has a Marine Corps Reserve Officer Training Corps. The program is titled the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps. The Daily Illini regrets this error.