City of College Station

Veterans Day Ceremony & Light of Freedom Activation

Posted on 11/06/2020

VETERANS DAY CEREMONY
The public is invited to join the Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial Board for their annual Veterans Day Ceremony on Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 5:30 p.m. in the Louis L. Adam Memorial Plaza of Veterans Park and Athletic Complex. Activities will commence with the “Honor Wall Roll Call,” a reading of military veteran names recently added to the memorial’s Wall of Honor. Musical renditions, remarks and presentations to follow include: National Anthem and Texas Our Texas, special recognition of Brazos Valley Heroes (Service Medley), Rifle Salute by the Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets Ross Volunteers, Taps and more. This year’s guest speaker is U.S. Representative Bill Flores. The ceremony is free and open to the public. Masks and social distancing are required.

LIGHT OF FREEDOM
The Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial Board will also activate and dedicate a newly installed vertical light beam named the “Light of Freedom” during the ceremony. The Light of Freedom will shine nightly into the sky from the top of the Wall of Honor to pay tribute to all of our nation’s veterans and be a beacon to attract visitors to the memorial. The beam’s light will shine more than six miles high and be seen from miles away. Approval of this unique feature was graciously granted by the Federal Aviation Administration.

WALL OF HONOR
As of today, the Wall of Honor includes the names of 6,160 military veterans. If you have a veteran that you’d like to add to be recognized for next year’s ceremony, apply today at bvvm.org/wall-of-honor. The cost is $150 per name to cover the cost of engraving and lifetime maintenance. The deadline is Aug. 15 each year.

2021 EVENTS
Southwest Asia (Gulf War) Statue Dedication Ceremony
Sunday, Feb. 28 at 3:30 p.m. (30th anniversary of the war’s end)

War on Terror Statue Dedication Ceremony
Saturday, Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. (20th anniversary of 9/11)
Adding statues of a firefighter, police officer and special ops solider to go along with the steel relic from the Twin Towers.

Veterans Day Ceremony
Thursday, Nov. 11 at 5:30 p.m.


ABOUT THE BRAZOS VALLEY VETERANS MEMORIAL
Tucked away in College Station’s Veterans Park and Athletic Complex at 3101 Harvey Road is a hidden gem – the 12-acre Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial (BVVM). The revered site includes life-sized statues, a Wall of Honor, interpretive panels, and a memorial site representing every major war from our nation’s past. Of the 18 memorial sites along the half-mile Lynn Stuart Pathway, 13 have been completed with life-sized, bronze statues designed and sculpted by Navasota’s J. Payne Lara. The pathway also features interpretive panels with historical background for each conflict, granite markers, and steel benches adorned with donor plaques.

Chartered on July 17, 2000 as a non-profit corporation, the BVVM is supported by generous community residents, organizations, and partners, including Brazos County and the municipalities of Bryan and College Station. The BVVM’s all-volunteer board of directors proudly contributes their time and resources to salute our veterans. Their mission is to proactively pay tribute to veterans through an educational venue where future generations can learn that freedom comes with a heavy price. Donations are welcome and can be towards a specific memorial or for the memorial grounds in general.

Stay informed by following the BVVM on Facebook.com/bvvets or by visiting bvvm.org.