University pays tribute

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley will honor veterans Wednesday with two events, Remembrance Day National Roll Call at 8 a.m. and the 16th annual Veterans Day Ceremony at 11 a.m.
The Office of Student Involvement will host the national roll call at the Commons on the Edinburg campus and in the Main Courtyard in Brownsville. The Veterans Day Ceremony, hosted by Veterans Upward Bound, will follow on the Main Building lawn.

“I think that any type of celebration or ceremony that recognizes both the accomplishments and the sacrifices that service members make are always a good idea,” Veterans Service Center Program Coordinator Frank Martinez said about Remembrance Day. “Our goal for this year is to do just that.”

Communication Lecturer Frederick Mann served as a major in the Infantry branch of the U.S. Army Reserve and is an active video public affairs officer for the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary on South Padre Island.

“To me it’s a sacred day,” Mann said. “I don’t know, it always gets me choked up. These guys risk their lives and, you know, we have to wish them the best.”
The university is looking for 40 volunteers at the Brownsville campus to read the names of those who have fallen during the event.

Keynote speaker for the Veterans Day Ceremony will be Nursing Professor and U.S Army veteran Eloisa Tamez.

Student Development Specialist Lizette McNain said Veterans Upward Bound will accept items for care packages during the ceremony.

“We’re going to have a booth on that day,” McNain said. “[We’re] going to be giving out information on how the community can help in making care packages for the veterans.”

Items for care packages can be dropped off in Student Union 2.28 on the Brownsville campus. Some of the items include 2-in-1 toothbrushes, Ramen soup, mouthwash and deodorant.

For more information about National Roll Call Day, call the UTRGV Veterans Service Center at 882-8980 in Brownsville and 665-7934 in Edinburg.

–Oscar Castillo and Jesus Sanchez contributed to this story.