Students walking past the Guthrie Bell Tower on their way to class paused as a trumpet began to play.

The sound they heard was part of a wreath-laying ceremony to honor Veteran’s Day took place at bell tower this morning.

As the sound of the National Anthem faded, attendees sat and Lt. Col. Jason Caldwell, professor of military science and leadership, began to speak.

Caldwell welcomed the crowd and talked about how the importance of military service to our safety and why we must remember the sacrifices those serving make.

After he spoke, two soldiers carried the wreath to the front of the tower, and the trumpet played again, concluding the ceremony.

Capt. Joe Huggins, recruiting operations officer for WKU’s ROTC, said the wreath was a symbol of presenting something to the fallen soldiers and pays homage to their service.

The ceremony was attended by students, faculty and members of the Bowling Green community.

Bowling Green resident Cathy Baker attended the ceremony because she and her husband are veterans and her son is in ROTC.

“It is really important that we never forget,” she said. “Even when we aren’t in wartime, these people are making big sacrifices.”

Henderson junior Jessica Howard, a member of ROTC, said that as a veteran-to-be, services like this were important to her because they respect the people who came before.

Howard said her father was a U.S. Army veteran, which helped influence her decision to join ROTC.

“I liked a lot of the morals and values that the Army put in my father, and he taught those to me,” she said. “He really opened the door for me to serve.”