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Kansas University

ROTC students to observe Veterans Day with vigils, campus events Nov. 7-9

LAWRENCE - More than 150 student members of Air Force, Army, Marine and Naval ROTC units at the University of Kansas will participate in Veterans Day observances Nov. 7-9.

Observances are planned at several campus locations including Budig Hall, Strong Hall, along Memorial Drive and the Dole Institute of Politics. All events are free and open to the public, but reservations are required for the Nov. 9 USO-style tribute for veterans and their families at the Dole Institute.

KU's Arnold Air Society, Ennis C. Whitehead Squadron, affiliated with Air Force ROTC, is in charge of Veterans Day events this year. Lawrence Ditton, Olathe junior, is Arnold Air Society commander, and Stephanie Koenig, Ballwin, Mo., junior, is Veterans Day event coordinator. Lt. Col. Gena Stuchbery is commanding officer of KU Air Force ROTC Detachment 280, and Maj. Gary E. Marsteller is commandant of cadets.

Ceremonies will begin at 4 p.m. Nov. 7 with a flag retreat in front of Strong Hall, followed by a reception and program in Budig Hall. Guest speaker will be Adrian Lewis, professor of history and director of the Office of Military Graduate Education. He earned a doctorate in European and military history from the University of Chicago and served in the Army from 1977 to 1994, retiring with the rank of major. A military historian, he is the author of "The American Culture of War: A History of American Military Force from World War II to Operation Iraqi Freedom" and "Omaha Beach: A Flawed Victory."

Following the program, a lamp-lighting ceremony will precede 24-hour vigils beginning at 7 p.m. at the Korean War Memorial, the Vietnam War Memorial and the World War II Memorial Campanile. During the vigils, two ROTC members will stand guard for one-hour periods at each of the three locations, ending at 7 p.m. Nov. 8.

A new event this year will be the Lawrence Veterans Day 5K Run on Nov. 8 to benefit Veterans Upward Bound. Entry fee is $15.

On-site registration for the race will start at 7 a.m. at the Burge Union; pre-registration guarantees a T-shirt but runners can register the day of the race for the same price. The run will begin at 8:15 a.m. and travel through campus and surrounding neighborhoods. Awards will be presented at 9:15 a.m. to the top three male and female runners. Registration forms are available at KU's Military Science Building or online at active.com

From 5 to 8 p.m. Nov. 9, ROTC students will take part in the salute to veterans and their families at the Dole Institute of Politics. The 17-piece Moonlight Serenade Orchestra outfitted in World War II-era uniforms will perform a USO-type program of big-band-era selections from Duke Ellington, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Harry James and Glenn Miller.

KU's ROTC program also trains cadets, midshipmen and officer candidates from Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence; Baker University in Baldwin City; the University of St. Mary in Leavenworth; Washburn University in Topeka; Mid-America Nazarene University in Olathe; and Kansas City Kansas Community College. This year, Air Force Cadet Matthew Dominic Mecadon of Overbrook, a Haskell Indian Nations University student, will take part in Veterans Day color guard and posting of the colors.

More information about KU's war memorials and World War II Memorial Campanile is available on the Campus Buildings Directory, www.buildings.ku.edu.

Although not memorials exclusively, the Kansas Union and Memorial Stadium are multiuse structures that commemorate World War I veterans with ties to KU.

Student leaders in the commemorative events are listed below by hometown, major, level in school, parents' names, high school and role in the ceremonies.

BUTLER COUNTY From Andover 67002 Air Force Cadet Jaimie Christine Wappelhorst, junior in history, daughter of Ken and Dana Wappelhorst; Andover Central High School; driver.

DOUGLAS COUNTY From Lawrence 66047 Air Force Cadet Geoffrey Thomas Barnes, junior in aerospace engineering; Haldane High School, Cold Spring, N.Y.; usher.

ELLIS COUNTY From Victoria 67671 Air Force Cadet Richard Daniel Rogers, junior in political science, son of Rick and Pam Rogers; usher.

FRANKLIN COUNTY
From Princeton 66078 Air Force Cadet Nathaniel Ray Cunningham, junior in accounting, son of Steven and Laura Cunningham; Central Heights High School, Richmond; color guard coordinator.

GEARY COUNTY From Milford 66514 Air Force Cadet Bradley Alan Schmidt, junior in African and African-American studies, son of Ray and Kay Schmidt; Junction City Senior High School; usher.

JOHNSON COUNTY From Leawood 66206 and Overland Park 66210 Air Force Cadet Alexander Michael O'Neill, freshman in mechanical engineering, son of Carla Maples of Leawood and Kevin O'Neill of Overland Park; Shawnee Mission East High School; audio-visual equipment.

From Lenexa 66220 and Shawnee 66202 Air Force Cadet Cole Gregory Hanna, freshman in political science, son of Cynthia Lafferty of Lenexa and Greg Hanna of Shawnee; Saint Thomas Aquinas High School, Overland Park; color guard, flag retreat ceremony.

From Olathe 66062 Air Force Cadet Lawrence Anson Ditton, junior in aerospace engineering, son of Lawrence and Kathy Ditton; Olathe South High School; commander and master of ceremonies.

From Olathe 66062 and Shawnee 66217 Naval Midshipman Kyle R. Kurtz, junior in mathematics, son of Robert Kurtz of Olathe and Lori Newberg of Shawnee; Olathe North High School; color guard, posting of the colors and POW/MIA table.

From Overland Park 66221 Air Force Cadet Chelsea L. Ramos, freshman in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, daughter of Angeles and Jeanne Ramos; Blue Valley Northwest High School; POW/MIA table.

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY From Fort Leavenworth 66027 Air Force Cadet Cole-Christian Leo Holinaty, freshman preparing to study business, son of Francis and Sherry Holinaty; Leavenworth Senior High School; POW/MIA script reader.

SEDGWICK COUNTY From Wichita 67235 Air Force Cadet Charles Robert Hobbs, junior in history, son of Douglas and Dana Hobbs; Maize High School; usher

CALIFORNIA From Temple City 91780 Army Cadet Timothy Michael Burton, master's student in civil engineering; POW/MIA table.

MARYLAND From Lexington Park 20653 Marine Midshipman Joshua Edmund Thomas, senior in communication studies, son of Steven Thomas; Great Mills (Md.) High School; color guard, posting of the colors and POW/MIA table.

MISSOURI From Ballwin 63021 Air Force Cadet Stephanie Koenig, junior in human biology, daughter of Bob and Michelle Koenig; Parkway South High School, Manchester; event organizer.

From Kirkwood 63122 Air Force Cadet Kevin Jackson, freshman preparing to study business, son of Mark and Judy Jackson; Vianney High School; Dole Institute event.

From Manchester 63021 Army Cadet Michael Egidio Colombini, freshman preparing to study journalism, son of Kenneth and Elizabeth Colombini; Gateway Academy, Chesterfield; color guard, posting of the colors.

NEBRASKA From Mitchell 69357 Air Force Cadet Nicholas Ryan Brunkhorst, freshman in aerospace engineering, son of Mark and Paula Brunkhorst; Mitchell Junior-Senior High School; color guard and flag retreat ceremony.

From Omaha 68127 Air Force Cadet Justin Adam Sadowski, sophomore in aerospace engineering, son of Albert and Cynthia Sadowski; Ralston High School; color guard and posting of the colors.

TEXAS From Allen 75013 Air Force Cadet Alejandro E. Carrera, senior in biology and Spanish, son of Jesus and Jessie Carrera; Allen High School; color guard and flag retreat ceremony.

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