November 9, 2005

Ceremony at Purdue to honor veterans

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A special Veterans Day ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. Friday (Nov. 11) in the Great Hall of the Purdue Memorial Union.

Army veteran Fred Wittmeyer and Purdue instructor Buddy Howell will speak during the ceremony.

Wittmeyer is an Army veteran from Cincinnati, Ohio, who served from 1968-70 in the Vietnam War. His stint in the military was cut short by a spinal cord injury. Since then, Wittmeyer has dedicated his life to helping other veterans. The title of his presentation is "The Forgotten Veterans: Paralyzed Veterans of America." Wittmeyer also has been active in the National Veterans Wheelchair Games.

Howell is an instructor of communications in Purdue's College of Liberal Arts who teaches and studies presidential foreign policy rhetoric related to international policy and war. He is the son of a U.S. Air Force veteran who served in the Korean War. Howell's speech is titled "The Importance of Remembering."

The event will include the presentation of colors performed by the Air Force ROTC; a brief history of Veterans Day and the Union by Bob Mindrum, director of the Union; and a table of remembrance and veterans memorials. The Purduettes also will perform.

Around 11:30 a.m., a 21-gun salute will be fired to honor the nation's veterans.

Refreshments also will be available after the ceremony.

The Purdue Student Union Board is sponsoring the event.

Writer: Christy Jones, (765) 494-1089, christyjones@purdue.edu

Source: Margie Stoltz, Purdue Student Union Board program adviser, (765) 494-8907, mcstoltz@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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