Veterans Memorial Dedication - Thursday, April 30, 2009
Good afternoon!
I want to begin by applauding UF Student Government and the UF Collegiate Veteran's Society for creating this memorial.
We recently bore witness to the incalculable value of our men and women in uniform when Navy Seals rescued an American captain from pirates off the coast of Somalia. But, such an intense spotlight is rare.
American soldiers, including University of Florida students or recent graduates, risk their lives every day in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other parts of the world. They are too easy to overlook. I am very grateful to have this physical reminder of their service and their sacrifice.
It is hard to imagine, on this beautiful spring day, with the excitement of commencement so palpable across campus, that University of Florida students are fighting now, have fought in past wars, and have given their lives for their country.
In fact, military service is a campus tradition, one that dates to the early years of this university.
In 1917, when the United States entered World War I, 274 of the 434 men enrolled at what was then all-male UF, went to war.
It is estimated that as many as 10,000 UF students served in World War II. Many faculty also joined up, so the war had a radical impact on campus. By the peak year of 1944-45, UF had just 740 students, down from 3,500 before the fighting started.
The number of students who served in Korea, Vietnam and more recent conflicts is less clear. But there is no question that hundreds of UF men and women were part of those wars as well.
Some never made it back. We lost 401 students to World War II alone.
The dead included Gator football players, student government officials and other leaders. We don't always know it, but we still speak their names today. Corry Village is named after William Corry, one of two student body presidents killed.
All told, it is thought as many as 700 UF students have been lost to war.
If UF has been a ready source of men and women sent to fight overseas, it has also been a place for them to come home to.
We had so many veterans enroll after World War II that we had to build three makeshift cities containing over 1,000 residences. The Flavet Villages went up so fast, they included travel trailers and reused military barracks!
Today, we are proud to count around 1,000 veterans among our undergraduate and graduate students.
We owe a huge debt to all the brave students who gave their young lives for their country. We remember and honor them with this memorial.
But, this granite and steel is important for another reason: It serves as a reminder of our responsibilities with respect to the veterans who are current UF students.
Veterans are often older than typical students. They have been out of school longer, and many have experienced combat. Some may have to cope with physical challenges from injuries. All these factors make readjusting to civilian life difficult.
We can ease these students' paths with patience, empathy—and especially, with friendship.
As this memorial reminds us, we can also make clear that we understand and appreciate what these veterans chose to do for all of us.
Bernie Machen