The WKU and Bowling Green communities gathered Tuesday morning for the university’s annual Veterans Day wreath-laying ceremony beneath Guthrie Tower.
Army Maj. Chase Atwood opened the program with a reflection on the origins of Veterans Day. Established in 1919 to mark the end of World War I, Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day in 1954 to honor all U.S. military veterans.
“Today we gather to recognize the heroes who answered the call to defend our freedom,” WKU President Timothy Caboni said. “The price of freedom is high; we will not forget those willing to pay for it.”
The morning’s invocation, given by cadet Sam Humble, thanked veterans for their courage, sacrifice and “steadfast devotion to the cause of freedom.”
“It means a lot to me,” Kent Johnson, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and director of Military Student Services, said. “That people will take time out of their day to spend some time in the cold… to honor the veterans and appreciate the ROTC always doing this ceremony.”
The ceremony was organized by WKU’s ROTC and Military Science and Leadership programs. Department Chair Army Lt. Col. David Schnaak said events like Tuesday’s show the program’s long-standing role in preparing young leaders.
“It’s a great opportunity to set up the next generation to succeed and lead America’s future sons and daughters,” Schaak said.
The wreath was laid facing the WKU Houchens Athletic District at the base of Guthrie Tower.
Guthrie Tower, dedicated in 2002 by former WKU President Gary Ransdell, was funded by local businessman Lowell Guthrie as a tribute to combat veterans and named after his brother, Robert “Bobby” Guthrie.
“I don’t think we had anything like this tower on campus… didn’t have these murals depicting heroes from Western,” retired Army Maj. Wade Tally said of his time at WKU in the 1970s. “It’s very meaningful for all veterans.”
Beyond physical memorials, WKU promotes itself as a “military-friendly” campus and is ranked No. 1 in Kentucky and No. 37 nationally on the Military Times’ “Best for Vets” list. The university offers discounted tuition for active-duty service members and support through its Military Student Services office.
“To see the administration come out in the cold for this event… we are a military-friendly school,” said Kent Johnson, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and director of Military Student Services. “It’s not just on paper that WKU cares.”
Many attendees had direct connections to WKU’s veteran community, including Tally, who completed the WKU ROTC program in 1974. He noted how far the program has come since the post-Vietnam years. “
We had a little bit of a tough time putting together the numbers,” Tally said. “But we had very dedicated staff… many were veterans of combat.”
WKU’s military traditions date back to 1917, when the campus created a Student Army Training Corps under the National Defense Act of 1916. The unit became a permanent ROTC program in early 1919 and has since commissioned officers who have served in every major conflict from World War II onward, according to WKU.
“WKU is proud to provide the education, training, and foundation you need to succeed,” Caboni said, addressing WKU’s current ROTC cadets.
