Clinton Community College, SUNY Plattsburgh Honor Veterans at Nov. 11 Ceremony

Members of the SUNY Plattsburgh and Clinton Community College communities came together Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. near the flagpole at Hawkins Hall to commemorate and honor those who have served and are serving in the U.S. armed forces.

Unlike Memorial Day, which honors all who have died in service, Veterans Day commemorates all servicepeople who have served in the U.S. military at any point in history.  The phrase “11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month” refers to the exact time that fighting ended in World War I on Nov. 11, 1918. It marks the signing of the armistice between the Allied nations and Germany, which took effect at 11 a.m., making the time the 11th hour, on the 11th day of the 11th month.

At that time Tuesday, SUNY Plattsburgh President Alexander Enyedi and Clinton Community Acting President Ken Knelly greeted those gathered on a cold, snowy Veterans Day to mark the day and say thank you to veterans and servicepeople for their patriotism and sacrifice.

“I also want to welcome Clinton Community College Acting President Ken Knelly for joining us this morning, as our two institutions stand together in gratitude for all who have served,” Enyedi said.

A Moment to Pause

“Veterans Day is a moment to pause, not only to look back, but to look around us. Many of those we honor today are part of our own community. They are classmates, colleagues, mentors, and friends who have brought the lessons of their service into every part of their lives,” Enyedi said. “Service, at its heart, is an act of faith. Faith in country, in one another, and in a better future. It asks ordinary people to do extraordinary things, often quietly and without recognition.”

Knelly, whose father and father-in-law both served in the military, told the some 30 in attendance that it was important to gather together, “on this day and at this time, as two campuses to honor our veterans.”

"About 8 percent of the residents in our county are veterans, or about 6,500 people. It is a higher proportion than the nation as a whole,” Knelly said. “Their service has been, is and will be important to each of us. We are thankful to them and for their dedication and sacrifice.”

He said it was also appropriate to be gathered remembering veterans on the day of the first snow in Plattsburgh, offering that “veterans served in all kinds of weather, in all conditions.”

‘Ordinary People who Step Up’

David MacAlpine, Clinton Community College human services major and U.S. Army veteran, who served from 2004 to 2013, said that veterans are ordinary people “who generation after generation step up when asked and do extraordinary things in the worst circumstances.”

“Today is the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month, The day set aside long ago for veterans, the roughly six percent of the population who have served in the military,” he said. “Eighty years ago, they left the farms, mines and factories here and went around the world to serve. They returned and became doctors, teachers and other professionals using benefits they earned.

“More recently, it was 20 years ago that students who joined the military were called to serve. People who had joined the military as a way to make their lives better after an enlistment or two were again faced with extraordinary circumstances,” he said.

Now many of them are back in school after putting their lives on hold, he said.

‘Give them a Moment’

“I ask that you remember veterans are ordinary people. They are just like you in most respects. The difference is that they went to places you will never go. They saw things you will never see and did things so you never had to,” MacAlpine said. “When you see a vet, that is why they may walk a little slower or be a little crustier sometimes.  Give them a moment and remember where they have been. That is the only difference.”

Cristian Balan, lecturer in the Center for Cybersecurity and Technology and Management, Information Systems and Analytics, explained to those gathered how difficult Veterans Day is “for combat veterans and their families.”

“Today, we should ask ourselves how we take care of those that come back from combat,” he said. “As a society, we are getting better at this. But we still have to apologize to our Vietnam veterans; we didn’t do such a good job of welcoming them back.

‘What Can We Do for Veterans?’

“Let’s ask ourselves what we can do for veterans here, at SUNY Plattsburgh. What is the one thing that will make a difference?” he asked. In a quote widely attributed to Mahatma Gandhi, Balan then said,  “’The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members.’”

It’s not difficult to recognize a veteran, he said.

“Sometimes it’s a short haircut; sometimes a patch on their jacket. Sometimes (it’s) a military backpack or a sticker on their car,” he said. “They are our students, our staff and faculty. What is the one thing we  can do to welcome them into our ranks, to recognize their service, and to help them out? What is the one thing that can make a difference to help these veterans?”

Enyedi concurred, pointing out that Veterans Day is a moment to pause, “not only to look back, but to look around us. Many of those we honor today are part of our own community. They are classmates, colleagues, mentors, and friends who have brought the lessons of their service into every part of their lives.

‘An Act of Faith’

“Service, at its heart, is an act of faith. Faith in country, in one another, and in a better future. It asks ordinary people to do extraordinary things, often quietly and without recognition,” he said. “Here at SUNY Plattsburgh, we are proud to have veterans among our students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Their perspectives and leadership enrich this campus every day. They remind us that integrity, perseverance, and commitment are not abstract ideals. They are choices made daily, in the classroom, in our work, and in how we treat each other.”

He also honored veterans’ families, thanking them for their sacrifices.

“Their quiet endurance and support sustain those who serve, and in doing so, they serve as well,” he said. “May we remember that gratitude is not passive. It is lived through action, compassion, and care for others. To every veteran and military-connected member of our community: thank you. You remind us what it means to live with courage and purpose.

“May today renew our commitment to build a campus, and a world, worthy of your service.”

Story by SUNY Plattsburgh Associate Director of Communications Gerianne Downs