VMI Joins Community in Celebrating Veterans Day

Virginia Military Institute contributed significantly to honoring veterans at the City of Lexington Veterans Day parade and ceremony on an exceptionally cold Nov. 11. Led by Cadet Devin Auzenne ’26, regimental commander, a contingent of the Corps of Cadets, including members of the Pipe Band, marched from Oak Grove Cemetery down Main Street past hundreds of spectators to the old courthouse to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Veterans Memorial in Courthouse Square.

In addition to the cadets, school marching bands, members of the Lexington Police Department, Lexington Fire and Rescue, Rockbridge County Sheriff’s Office, antique Jeeps, various floats, and veterans and their families joined the parade.

Lt. Gen. David Furness ’87, VMI superintendent, was the keynote speaker at the ceremony in front of the old courthouse. Furness, a 36-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, gave a brief history of Veterans Day, originally called Armistice Day by President Woodrow Wilson at the conclusion of World War I in 1919. The idea was to commemorate those who served in the Great War, which ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day by Congress in 1954 to honor all American veterans.

In his remarks, Furness challenged his listeners to contemplate the freedoms Americans enjoy. “[We have] opportunities to gather, debate, write, and worship at any time in our great nation. We have these freedoms because men and women valued our republic so much that they stood against tyranny to defend it. Let us take a moment to pause and reflect on the lives of those Americans who, throughout our history, answered our nation’s call, and in doing so, took great personal risk with little promise of reward. Let us also thank God that we live in a country that still produces men and women willing to risk everything to keep our nation free.”

Furness added that to fully honor veterans, remembering just one day a year is not enough. “Commit to becoming a better citizen every day. Exercise your constitutionally protected right to vote. Volunteer with compassion, zeal, and purpose to make your local community a better place to live and work. However we choose to serve, we honor veterans by making America that ‘Shining City on the Hill’ once again.”