On Veteran’s Day, the ROTC units at The University of Memphis will honor those who have served in the Armed Forces, died in combat, been prisoners of war and those who are missing in action.
Beginning at 6 a.m. Monday, there will be two cadets from either the Air Force, Army or Naval ROTC units who will stand guard outside the Administration Building. They will hold a changing of the guard ceremony every half hour until 4 p.m.
The cadets will set up a table with informational literature on POW/MIA organizations.
The cadets will hold a ceremony in the atrium of the Administration Building at 4:30 p.m., and Dr. Glenn Fuller, retired lieutenant colonel, USAF, will speak.
Fuller is a former assistant professor of aerospace studies from 1969-1972 at then Memphis State. He is a 25-year Air Force veteran and as air force meteorologist served several overseas assignments that included Korea, the Azores and Vietnam.
In Vietnam, Fuller was the operations officer/deputy squadron commander for the 30th Weather Squadron and special assistant for meteorology to the Military Assistance Group, Vietnam. He retired from the air force in 1972 as the assistant director of operations for communications at the Air Force Global Weather Center at Offutt Air Force Base, Omaha, Neb.
Fuller received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with two clusters during his service.
Cadet Vice Wing Commander, Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Aaron Huffman, who is coordinating the event with cadets from all the ROTC units, said: “We believe it helps promote the awareness of the veterans who have served this country. We are hoping for a really good student turnout.”
The turnout was minimal last year, according to Maj. T.J. Downing, commander of the Air Force ROTC unit. Downing hopes that the turnout will at least double for this ceremony.
“We really want to raise the awareness of these people who went into combat and never came back home,” Downing said. “Lest we forget.”
Captain Doug Ferguson, an assistant professor of military science with the Army ROTC at the U of M, said: “Everyone must remember that freedom isn’t free. Veteran’s Day is not just for the military. Everyone should take time to remember those that paid the ultimate price for our freedom.”
