Vet Cetera magazine 2015
Official magazine of the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences at Oklahoma State University
Official magazine of the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences at Oklahoma State University
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PHOTO / CENTER FOR VETERINARY HEALTH SCIENCES<br />
Honoring Our <strong>Vet</strong>erans<br />
RETIRED MAJOR GENERAL PAYS TRIBUTE TO THOSE WHO SERVED<br />
Retired Army Maj. Gen. James Ron Sholar<br />
spoke at OSU’s 2014 <strong>Vet</strong>erans Day event.<br />
The cold, windy weather on <strong>Vet</strong>erans<br />
Day in 2014 may not have been perfect<br />
for an outdoor event, but it worked for<br />
OSU’s Center for <strong>Vet</strong>erinary Sciences Dean Dr.<br />
Jean Sander, who noted that service members<br />
don’t always have the choice to be where it is<br />
dry and warm.<br />
Guest speaker retired Army Maj. Gen. James<br />
Ron Sholar was up for the challenge.<br />
“Any ceremony that honors our veterans —<br />
those who have served so selflessly in whatever<br />
period of time — is special to me,” Sholar<br />
told the small crowd at the Military <strong>Vet</strong>erinary<br />
Honor Court by McElroy Hall. “I am honored<br />
to be here with you.”<br />
Sholar talked about words used to<br />
describe those in a military uniform<br />
— dedication, integrity, perseverance,<br />
honor and service.<br />
“While service can be found throughout society<br />
in firefighters, policemen, nurses and even<br />
professors, I would submit to you that you can<br />
find it in greater abundance perhaps with our<br />
military men and women than in any other<br />
walk of life,” he said.<br />
<strong>Vet</strong>erans Day honors everyone who has worn<br />
the uniform of any U.S. branch of service.<br />
“Heroes from any branch and any era are<br />
all around us,” continued Sholar. “Here in our<br />
own Stillwater community, two World War<br />
II veterans were recently recognized by the<br />
French government. Both OSU emeriti professors,<br />
Ron duBois and J.Q. Lynd received the<br />
French Legion of Honor. It is so gratifying to<br />
me to know that after 70 years, the French people<br />
still appreciate what the American liberators<br />
did for them and are still honoring them.<br />
“It is not limited to World War II, though.<br />
Just today I was reading about First Lt. Nathan<br />
Peterson. I don’t know if you are familiar with<br />
Nathan. He was an outstanding football player<br />
at OSU — All Big 12. He decided to join the service<br />
and in 2008 after he graduated, he went to<br />
Marine Officer Candidate School. He was commissioned,<br />
went to Afghanistan twice and was<br />
a platoon leader. Now he’s an assistant football<br />
coach here at OSU. We are surrounded by<br />
heroes of one sort or another.”<br />
War is still fought in the human dimension,<br />
despite improving technology, he added.<br />
“We still have to send our young men and<br />
women into harm’s way and God bless them.<br />
We owe them a debt of gratitude. I’m just<br />
proud that our community has not forgotten<br />
that. I’m glad this school has not forgotten. We<br />
have not forgotten that veterinarian Lt. Col.<br />
Daniel Holland, class of 1988, gave his life in<br />
2006. We must never forget. Military personnel<br />
have acted on our behalf and we owe them<br />
a debt of gratitude that simply cannot be paid.<br />
God bless our veterans who have served and<br />
who will continue to serve.”<br />
26 Center for <strong>Vet</strong>erinary Health Sciences
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