Meridian Community College honors veterans during ceremony.

In Honor of Veterans Day, Meridian Community College personal expressed their appreciation to veterans and their families during a ceremony today.

“We heard a number of great presentations; we got to hear from our students, we got to meet people in the community; in fact, we even had a couple of World War II Veterans who came, and that’s obviously very moving and inspirational.”

Antonio Marquez was the keynote speaker for the Veterans Day program at Meridian Community College and adds that members of the arm forces appreciate when colleges acknowledge military members that served.

“There are a lot of Military members who one, they use the service as a stepping stool to go to college; we have a great GI Bill that pays for a lot of college, so service members that get out and go to college they’re part of the community as well. They’re trying to make themselves better, and I think the colleges understand that because when you go to most colleges, you’ll see they have a number of veterans programs, and you know; it really helps when they assist those veterans.”

Jerome Miller not only serves as a religious program specialist at the Naval Air Station Meridian but also is a student enrolled at Meridian Community College and can attest what it is like as a service member and a student at the same time.

“Being a student here and to be able to share that as well, that Military experience, I have to know how to put on not only the Military cloth but also the civilian side, so it's able to share both worlds and you know just making sure I’m doing what I'm supposed to do.”

Marquez also says that he will never forget all that M-C-C does for service members.

“To see that we’re getting a thanks, it just means a lot to service members, and it’s very emotional, it’s hard to keep everything in because you start thinking about things and you start thinking about old friends and times, and it’s a very emotional time.”