UCA and the City of Conway hosted the 14th annual Veterans Day Celebration on Nov. 11 at the football practice field next to Estes Stadium on the UCA campus.
Wes Craiglow, an adjunct instructor in the Master of Science in Community and Economic Development, and Lt. Col. John Tate, with the Arkansas National Guard, were the guest speakers. Craiglow is a captain in the Army Reserves and serves as the deputy director of development for the City of Conway. Tate is a logistics branch officer with the Arkansas National Guard Joint Force Headquarters. His military assignments include two company commands and first battalion command.
More than 100 balloons were released in honor of each Arkansan who died in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Since 1996, the university has acknowledged the contributions of service men and women. Jeff Pitchford, vice president for University and Government Relations, said it is important to recognize veterans for their sacrifice.
“The UCA community and the Conway community have a lot of ties with veterans,” he said. “They make up our students, faculty, staff and citizens and it is an honor to work with them and be a part of a community with them. Our freedoms have not come cheap and we want them all to know how much we appreciate their sacrifices and service to our country.”
The following are just a few of the faculty and staff at UCA who have served:
Phillip Arnold, Air Force, 20 years; Michael S. Mills, Army, 6 months; Bill Johnson, US Army Reserve, 6 years; Mary Jackson, Army, 7 years; Anthony D. Sitz, Air Force, 4 years; Stephanie Pickens, Air Force, 4 years active, Arkansas Air National Guard, 10 years; Tracy Koivisto, Army, 17 years; Kaye McKinzie, Army, 23 years; Paul Young, Navy, 30 years;
Keith Atkinson, Air Force, 3 years; Bill Russell, Army, 2 years; David Zehr, Army, 2 years; Ryan L. Veneberg, Army, 9 ½ years; Matthew Lichty, U.S. Marine Corps, 4 ½ years; Scott Nadler, Army, 4 years; Roy Whitehead Jr., U.S. Marine Corps, 20 years; Brent Herring, Arkansas Air National Guard, 24 ½ years; Stephen Lunk, Army, 20 years;
James Thurman, 5thSpecial Forces, 3 years; Phillip G. Melton, Army, 7 years; Ellen C. England, Air Force, 21 years; David Stearns, United States Navy Reserve, 2 years; Dennis Strom, Navy, 5 years; David R. Harvey, Air Force, 19 years; Louie L. Wooten, U.S. Marine Corps, 3 ½ years; Jerry Reynolds, Army, 2 years; Jim Downey, Navy, 24 years; Allan E. Roisen, U.S. Marine Corps, 6 years;
Tom Pilgreen, Army, 31 years; Steven Schoenhut, United States Army Infantry, 3 years; Tony Guanella, Arkansas Army National Guard, 14 years; Paul Crosmer, Navy, 10 years active, 12 years as a Naval Reserves; Angel Sumowulu, Army, 8 years; William A. Polk, Army Corps of Engineers, 3 years; Laurence Dilday, Navy, 8 years active; Mark M. Mize, Army, 2 years, National Guard, 1 year;
David W. Horton, Navy, 21 years; Summer E. Bartczak, Air Force, 21 years; Douglas Puttock, Navy, 4 years active, 2 years reserve; Rick Scott, Navy, 1 year; Wes Craiglow, Army, 10 years; Ray Sturgeon, Navy, 3 Years; Nathan Riddle, U.S. Marine Corps, 7.5 years of service in the reserve; and Vernessa Harvey, Army Reserves, 6 years.