CFCC celebrates veterans with Veterans Day ceremony

WILMINGON, NC (WWAY) — Today, Cape Fear Community College held a celebration to honor veterans. A crowd took part in CFCC’s veteran’s day ceremony, including student and non-student veterans, local government leaders, and residents.

The ceremony kicked off with a welcome from the school’s veterans services coordinator and the pledge of allegiance led by a marine corps veteran, accompanied by children in the college’s child development center.

Poems were recited, veterans were recognized, and speakers thanked veterans. Marine corps veteran Caroline Burten is a student at CFCC. She says the ceremony is a great chance to share her military experience.

“Coming out and getting to share my experience about my time in the marine corps and my decision to pursue further education, it really impacted people. You know, I was approached, and told that it impacted people, and that’s just incredible to me. That our lives, and our stories, and our experiences can impact other people’s futures,” said Caroline Burten, marine corps veteran and CFCC student.

CFCC Board of Trustees member Deborah Dicks Maxwell, who is also an army veteran, says she believes many who attended of the ceremony were moved by the event.

“I think they will feel proud of those they know or will know who have served this country. you hear the beautiful music, the honor guard, children with the flags, it’s just a multigenerational celebration,” said Deborah Dicks Maxwell.

Veterans services coordinator and navy veteran Jason Bocchino says the college wants to ensure its veteran population knows they are well appreciated and celebrated.

“So our veteran students here, we have over 500 veterans students that attend the school here. So to just be able to celebrate our veteran students, in a ceremony like this is great. We also have many faculty and many staff that are all veterans,” said Jason Bocchino, CFCC’s veterans services coordinator.

Burten said she believes ceremonies like CFCC’s gives veterans a chance to enjoy the comradery as they are celebrated.

“We often forget that there are veterans who are still here, who got out, that have experienced things and are struggling, and to be able to come together and celebrate, you know our shared experiences is pretty awesome,” said

CFCC’S Veterans Day ceremony also included a display of honor flags, recognizing students and staff members who are veterans, and their loved ones.