Liberty to celebrate veterans
What began as a one-day event at Liberty University is now a celebration that lasts an entire month. During the month of November, Liberty University honors veterans by holding its annual Military Appreciation Month event.
The goal of Military Appreciation Month, according to Emily Foutz, the director for the Office of Military Affairs at Liberty, is to bring greater visibility, support and recognition to the United States military
and veterans.
One way Liberty chooses to honor veterans is by hosting a variety of events across campus throughout the month, such as the Veterans Appreciation Reception, which takes place Nov. 8 from 12-2 p.m. in the Hancock Welcome Center Ballroom. All Liberty faculty, staff and students who have served or are currently serving in the U.S. armed forces are invited
to attend.
The Military Appreciation Convocation on Nov. 11 will honor veterans and service members on the Convocation stage in Vines Center at
10:30 a.m.
Liberty University is also a designated Purple Heart University. Liberty was the first to receive this designation in Virginia due to the university’s support of military members and their families. Reserved Purple Heart parking spaces can be found across campus for veterans who have received the Purple Heart award or are
wounded warriors.
Liberty athletics will hold various military appreciation games throughout the month, which include the women’s volleyball game Nov. 11 at 6 p.m., the Liberty men’s hockey game Nov. 12 at 7 p.m., the women’s basketball game Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. and the football game Nov. 26 at a time yet to be determined.
Halftime at the military awareness football game is one of the highlights of Military Appreciation Month. The halftime show will feature performances from the Liberty Marching Band honoring each branch of the military, a large flag that spans the width of the field and a reenactment of the planting of the flag at Iwo Jima. Robert Goodman, the associate athletics director for marketing and ticket sales, said the halftime show is one of the biggest things the program
puts on.
“The halftime show during the military appreciation game is a big thing,” Goodman said. “We’ve got the most special halftime events I’ve been to in my athletic career.”
The George Rogers Champion of Freedom Award recipient will also be announced at halftime of the football game. The award’s namesake, George Rogers, was a prisoner of war who was one of the lone survivors of the Bataan Death March. When Rogers returned home, he made a miraculous recovery from poor health and later went on to work for the “Old Time Gospel Hour” and Liberty as the chief financial officer. Beginning in 2010, the George Rogers Champion of Freedom Award honors his legacy by awarding a veteran who went above and beyond in the call of duty, displaying extraordinary heroism and returning to serve their communities after serving the country in the military. A bust of Rogers with the names of award winners is on display inside the main gate of Williams Stadium.
Veterans Day takes place Nov. 11, 2022. Information on how to honor veterans can be found here.
Rolfsen is a news reporter for the Liberty Champion. Follow him on Twitter