For some, Nov. 11 is a time to reflect on those who served in the armed forces. But for those who have served, Veterans Day provides personal reflection of time spent in service to the United States.The University celebrates Veterans Day every year with the LSU Salutes program, put together by the University’s corps of cadets and the Cadets of the Ole War Skule, a non-profit organization whose mission is to foster the University’s military heritage.The event, which originated during the ’70s, will be held Saturday, Nov. 14 at 9 a.m. on the Parade Ground. LSU Salutes is a way for the University to commend its men and women who went through the student cadets program, according to Lt. William T. Conger, LSU Army ROTC recruiting operations officer and assistant military science professor.”I think it’s an incredible program,” Conger said. “To have the young men and women, as well as the old, come and to be able to be together says a tremendous amount about the University and the corps of cadets.”Veterans Day was originally known as Armistice Day and was celebrated on Nov. 11, the anniversary of the armistice ending World War I on that day in 1918. The federal legal holiday was observed on the fourth Monday of October during the ‘70s but reverted back to Nov. 11 in 1978. As a veteran and member of the infantry division of the armed forces for 21 years, Conger said Veterans Day holds a special meaning to him.”When people say thank you, it means more than you could ever know,” Conger said. “It’s important for people to know that’s what carries us on — the support from our country.”Conger said he typically takes the day off and visits his friends who have passed away if he is not attending a community event.”I use it as a day to reflect in my own way,” Conger said.VETERANS ON CAMPUSThe University’s campus is filled with military monuments and memorials that tell a story. The LSU War Memorial at the base of the flagpole on the Parade Ground is dedicated to University alumni, faculty, staff and students who died in service, and the Memorial Tower commemorates Louisianian soldiers who died during WWI. But none can paint a better picture than a veteran. Master Sgt. Wayne Lawrence, senior military science instructor, said he likes to spend the holiday with other veterans.Lawrence was stationed in Afghanistan between July 2002 and January 2003. He also served in Iraq in September 2003 until March 2004. He served as an infantry platoon sergeant in the 82 airborne division.Lawrence said his platoon in Iraq was hit with daisy chain IEDs — improvised explosive devices strung together to detonate at the same time.”The concussion just blew me out of the truck,” Lawrence said. “I’ve never seen anything like that before.”However, Lawrence, who returned home in December 2008 from a 15-month deployment in Iraq, said he prefers to focus on the progress military presence has made. “The difference between being there in 2003 and going back in 2007 … it was kind of odd to see the transformation that our presence had done for their country,” Lawrence said.Simple things like building schools and getting the police back on the streets made a significant difference in the lives of the locals, who were no longer afraid to interact with the soldiers, Lawrence said.”It was a big shock for me to see that the majority of the people actually appreciated our help,” he said.Lawrence said the biggest thing he’s taken away from his military service is recognizing the underlying commitment that part of the U.S. has for its own way of life. “Our country is worth putting my life on the line for, and our way of life is important,” he said. CHANGING RECEPTIONSThe way Americans receive veterans has changed over time, according to Stanley Hilton, U.S. military history professor. “No generation will see what the World War II generation saw,” Hilton said.Hilton said during WWII, Americans were unified as victims of attack, the objectives of the war were clear and the nation was grateful. Hometown parades were held in honor of the veterans. “Today, civilian attitudes have become more complex,” Hilton said. “The nation doesn’t have a lot of patience.” Hilton said if a war drags on, support typically diminishes. “Bipartisanship has disappeared,” Hilton said. “Political ‘leaders’ pay lip service to supporting the troops, but their actions undermine the morale of the troops.” Hilton said people owe an enormous debt to the veterans, and Veterans Day should be a time of reflection and gratitude. “We have every reason to stop and think about them,” Hilton said. “They are the guarantors of everything we hold dear.”  THE NEXT GENERATIONThe University has contributed thousands of soldiers to the U.S. Army and Air Force, and the Army ROTC currently has around 160 student cadets, according to Conger.He said there is a misconception that all the cadets will be deployed after graduation. In reality, some will continue education or pursue training in a specific field, he said. Because the nation is at war, 75 percent of the cadets selected for active duty will be deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq in the first year, according to Lt. Col. John Wright, military science professor, veteran and University alumnus. “They understand that,” Wright said. “I don’t soft sell the program to them.” – – – -Contact Sarah Eddington at [email protected]