Mason takes part in 'Remembrance Day National Roll Call,' honoring military members

(Jake McLernon)

University Chief of Staff

J. Thomas Hennessey, Jr.

Members of the Mason community gathered in the Johnson Center Friday to take part in the Remembrance Day National Roll Call, reciting the names of 6,313 military men and women who have died serving their nation.

The Remembrance Day National Roll Call joins 183 universities and colleges around the country in a “synchronized reading of all the names of the Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom Casualties,” according to an email sent to C2M.

The 183 institutions participating in the National Roll Call were responsible for reading a list of 6,313 names. The all-day event began at 9 a.m. Friday morning and is scheduled until closing remarks at 5 p.m. Representatives of the ten sponsoring organizations, including University Life and the President’s Office, were assigned time slots to read names from the list.

A “Moment of Silence” was called for by Student Body President Allyson Bowers at 11:00 a.m. on “11/11/11” to honor the sacrifices of men and women of the United States Armed Forces.

"This is a wonderful event, it needed to happen," said Walter Sweeney, Infantry Marine in the 2nd battalion, 6th Marine Regiment. “My battalion lost seventeen of my brothers. I always like to know they're being honored.”

The roll call event was held as part of a program called, “Mason Honors the Military,” remembering military men and women who have served America. The program is a series of events from Nov. 1 through Nov. 15, which has included the Remembrance Wall in the JC North Plaza area, and Toys for Tots collection at the Office of Military Services.

“Mason Honors the Military” is being sponsored by 10 different student organizations and university offices including the Office of Military Services, The Veterans Society, LEAD Scholars and L-Team, Student Government, Athletics, Higher Education Program, College Republicans, College Democrats, ROTC, and University Life.

A full list of "Mason Honors the Military" events are available on the Office of Military Services website.