The Georgetown University community honored veterans and service members with a Veterans Day service that included speeches, an invocation and a military ceremony Nov. 11 in Gaston Hall.
The event featured a keynote address from Gen. Mark Milley, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States Armed Forces, a council of the most senior members of each military branch. The ceremony was hosted by the GU Student Veterans Association (GUSVA), an organization in which students support veterans; GU Military and Veterans’ Resource Center (MAVRC), a university-sponsored organization for military-affiliated support; and the Office of the President, and commemorated the sacrifice of veterans to the country and celebrated veterans who are part of the Georgetown community.
Milley said veterans at Georgetown and across the world are united by their service to their country.
“All of us should be forever grateful that our nation produced men and women of courage and skill who were willing to go into harm’s way, like so many of you did,” Milley said at the event. “Each of our veterans are true heroes, and more importantly, their families are true heroes, for they all — families and veterans — serve a cause much greater than ourselves. We do so without expectation of reward, and we do so in complete humility.”
Bryan Eddy (GRD ’25), who is a veteran of the U.S. Army and Work-Study Program Coordinator for MAVRC, also presented Milley with the American flag that Georgetown has flown for the past year in recognition of his service.
“This flag represents the passing of the accumulative body of knowledge gained by veterans on this ground over the past year,” Eddy said at the event.
Eddy added that the families of veterans should also be recognized on Veterans Day.
“As those of us who have served in uniform are all too well aware, it is often the sacrifices made by the family members of those in uniform that go unnoticed,” Eddy said at the event. “It is only right, therefore, that on the day that we honor our veterans, we also recognize the sacrifices of those closest to us.”
Milley said veterans secure fundamental civil rights and freedoms in the United States, adding that they should be remembered for their sacrifices.
“Go to a courtroom this afternoon and watch lawyers argue the case of the accused for innocence and guilt, and recall how due process of law and judgment by jury of our peers was earned by a marine in some far off battlefield — it wasn’t earned by the lawyer or the judge,” Milley said.
“Think about attending a peaceful rally, for this cause or that, and remember that our freedom of assembly, our right to protest is paid for by an airman or a guardian, not the protestor,” Milley added.
Eddy said Veterans Day encourages the greater public to remember their commitment to the ideals of freedom.
“It’s an opportunity to look forward, to strive to be a country worthy of their service,” Eddy said. “Each of us has a part in ensuring that our government receives the support, respect and recognition they simply deserve.”
“As we are gathered here today, let us remember that our freedom is built on the courage of those who served and the sacrifices they made. Let us honor not only their history, but also their legacies,” Eddy added.
Joseph Ferrara, vice president and chief of staff at Georgetown, said veterans represent the ideals of Georgetown, centered around engagement and service in the world.
“This commitment to the common good, to service, comes alive in each of you — our veterans, active duty and military-connected students, faculty and staff,” Ferrara said during the event. “Your talents and perspectives, your experiences, make us better, and we’re committed as a university to supporting you as you discern your next call to service.”
Eddy said Georgetown’s Jesuit history and its location in Washington, D.C., gives the university a unique connection to the veteran community.
“Looking at the cura personalis of Georgetown and developing that ‘whole person’ is something that appeals to veterans and active-duty servicemembers,” Eddy told The Hoya. “Georgetown fosters that idea of continued service, and I think that’s one of the reasons it makes it an appealing place.”
Milley said Veterans Day should inspire people to reflect on their own service to the country and their commitment to freedoms and ideals within the U.S. Constitution.
“Today, remember our veterans, for they will pave the way for national unity and healing,” Milley said. “Reflect on our freedoms, for it’s our freedoms that give us purpose and resolve, yet again, to protect and defend our Constitution and this experiment of liberty, this experiment of e pluribus unum, for that is our north star and our moral core.”
