Sitting in his sunny office on the third floor of the Pond Student Union Building, Casey Santee, manager of the Idaho State University Veterans Sanctuary, was dressed in the same olive-toned camouflage so often associated with the veterans he works with.
“We have outstanding veterans at ISU,” said Santee, who himself is a U.S. Navy veteran. “If you take a look, a lot of other universities and colleges aren’t doing for their veterans what ISU is doing.”
Santee discussed the many resources offered by the Veterans Sanctuary after explaining the ISU Armed Forces Veterans Club’s plans to honor soldiers this Veterans Day.
In 1938, Nov. 11 became legalized as Veterans Day in remembrance of a temporary wartime pause the previous year during World War II. Today, it is a day to remember the service provided by veterans in the various branches of the U.S. military, including many who attend ISU.
This year, the Veterans Club (both Pocatello and Idaho Falls branches) will honor the date by participating in The Reading of The Names, a national event in remembrance of the 58,282 soldiers who died in the Vietnam war. The clubs will be reading the 217 names of fallen soldiers from Idaho.
“This is a new thing,” said Santee. “We want all students to come out for it.”
The reading will take place at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 8, at the campus Veterans Memorial at Cadet Field.
“It was really neat, last year the Veterans Club built the memorial and we were able to dedicate it on 11/11/11,” said Santee of the site for this year’s event. “It [took] old memorials and consolidated them into one nice, new memorial for all the veterans.”
Santee said the reading will be held Nov. 8 for two reasons.
“In D.C., they start reading on Nov. 7,” he said. According to Santee, participants in Washington, D.C., have so many names to read that their ceremony lasts until Nov. 11.
“This year for the thirtieth anniversary of the Vietnam Wall in [Washington], D.C., they’re asking organizations in the different states to read the names of soldiers killed in their state,” explained Santee.
The holiday falls on a Sunday this year, which is the second reason services are being held on Nov. 8. Santee said he wanted students to be on campus during the reading, so a Sunday event was out of the question. National recognition of Veterans Day has been moved to Monday, Nov. 12.
Following the reading of names, the Idaho Falls and Pocatello branches of the Armed Forces Veterans Clubs will compete in a Military Trivia bowl. This is the third year the event will be held.
ISU students, both veterans and civilians, are encouraged to take part in these events.
“The best way to get involved is through the Veterans Club,” explained Santee. “The Sanctuary is the resources ISU provides for our veterans.”
He added that “civilians are always welcome.”
For those unable to or uninterested in attending the club’s events, Santee encouraged a bit of personal remembrance for veterans.
“The veterans served something they believed was greater than themselves and risked their lives doing it,” he said. “I think it’s important for people to remember that history.”
Santee said students can show their appreciation by “thanking a veteran for [his or her] service” or educating themselves on veterans’ issues or history. He also said that support for veterans should not hinge on an individual’s feelings toward ongoing wars.
“Whether you’re for the war or against the war, whether you’re republican or democrat, none of that really matters when it comes to supporting vets,” he said.