The University of Utah will honor 11 Utah veterans at its 20th annual Veterans Day Commemoration Ceremony, Friday, Nov. 10, 2017, in the A. Ray Olpin Union Building ballroom. The annual tribute is part of a series of events throughout the week, including a panel discussion, a film screening, full dress military ceremony and a Veterans Day football game.
The panel discussion, “Identity and Service: The Experiences of Unexpected Minorities in the U.S. Military,” will be held at noon on Wednesday, Nov. 8, in the Hinckley Institute Caucus Room. This is located in the old Moot Court Room in Building 73, 332 S. 1400 East. A film about war’s after-effects on veterans and their families called “When War Comes Home” will be shown at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 9, in the Fort Douglas Post Theatre and will include commentary from a producer and the U’s National Center for Veterans Studies.
The annual commemoration ceremony will be held on Friday, Nov. 10, at 11 a.m. It will be preceded by a bagpipe procession from the Marriott Library to the Union at 10:30 a.m. Nominations came from across the state, and the 11 veterans chosen to be honored will receive a commemorative medallion onstage at the ceremony. The ceremony will conclude with a 21-cannon salute around noon.
The annual Utah National Guard Veterans Day concert, begins at 7 p.m. in the Tabernacle and features the 23rd Army Band and Granite School District High School choirs performing an array of patriotic songs.
The week concludes with a Veterans Day football game against Washington State at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 11, at 3:30 p.m. During the game, a U student veteran, selected by peers, will be recognized as the 2017-2018 Student Veteran of the Year.
Tickets are required for the football game, but all other events are free and open to the public.
For a complete list of honors and events, visit veteransday.utah.edu.
The following veterans will be honored:
- David A. Dungan, pilot, Navy, Vietnam
- Quayle W. Dutson, infantry officer, Army, Vietnam
- James R. Fowler, flight surgeon, Navy, Vietnam
- Ronald C. Fry, infantry officer/Special Forces, Army/UT ARNG, Kosovo, Afghanistan
- Edwin “Jake” Garn, pilot, Navy/UT ANG, Vietnam
- Deena D. Haag, apache pilot, UT ARNG, Afghanistan
- John “Nick” Hansen, explosive ordnance disposal tech, Navy, Iraq
- Robert A Lilly, Jr., pilot, Air Force, Vietnam
- Christian A. Nelson, Jr., engineman, Navy, Vietnam
- Verne T. Nelson, wireman, Marine Corps, Korea
- Gayle B. Stewart, administration, Army, Vietnam/Korea
