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Friday, November 11, 2011
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Issue 60 I N D E P E N D E N T
Vol. 118 S T U D E N T
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Organization to honor fallen military heroes UT community to join colleges across nation in remembrance of US veterans Victoria Wright Staff Writer Student organization Veterans at UTK will hold the National Day of Remembrance Friday at Circle Park. The event, which runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., will remember all soldiers who died in combat since 9/11. More than 6,330 names will be called. Lt. Col. Dan Kelly will begin the readings. The president emeritus, Dr. Joe Johnson, will give a speech and continue the readings into the afternoon. Johnson, a veteran as well, served time in Korea during the Korean War. “We’re known as the Volunteer State,” Johnson said. “We have a large number of people that have gone into the military service, so I think it’s very proper and appropriate to have an event on campus for Veterans Day.” Colleges across the nation will join in a moment of silence at 11 a.m. PST to honor the soldiers. Douglas Oeser, senior in psychology and Veterans at UTK president, believes the event is much needed on campus due to the scarcity of events on Veterans Day last year. “For those of us that are service members, it’s a time to pay thanks and remember them and show that they haven’t faded away,” Oeser said. “It’s just nice to step back and say thank you.” Oeser served in the army in Afghanistan from 2007 to 2008, then from 2009 to 2010. Over 600 students and faculty have served in the military, and Oeser said the transition from combat to the academic world can be difficult. His organization often helps ease the transition of veterans on campus
returning to an academic setting. “We want to provide a social community to transition into the academic world,” Oeser said. “We try to make sure the veterans have a place of contact. It is a struggle to go into the classroom and take a class with 18-year-olds and you’re 21. It’s hard to relate. But we adapt and we overcome.” Besides helping college students, Veterans at UTK also works with veterans within the community, like Volunteers of America, which helps homeless veterans receive essential services such as health and dental care, food and proper registration. Oeser said that the homeless veteran population has decreased after 9/11 and more veterans have registered with a transition program, but there is a discrepancy in numbers between older veterans and those of the younger generation. “I think the real issue when it comes to that older generation is not having that support and service,” Oeser said. “I hope that we don’t ever go back to the way it was before.” Oeser hopes the organization will continue to help young veterans by offering support and an open environment for communication. Johnson said the event is important not only for veterans, but also for students who have not served in the military. “We’re remembering a few of those people that served in the military and given their life for those in this country to exercise our freedoms,” Johnson said. “(They’re George Richardson • The Daily Beacon helping) to keep my freedoms as an American citizen. I am eternally grateful for UTK ROTC presents the colors during the Veterans Day Parade on Nov. 11, 2010. Veterans at UTK will hold a remembrance of soldiers who lost their lives in combat that.” since 9/11. The event will take place at Circle Park from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
SGA calls for everyday civility
Madeline Brown • The Daily Beacon
The five-member panel discussed political civility and improving civility on campus in Baker Center on Oct. 8. They discussed how, as the university works to get closer to the top-25 mark, the students need to look at diversity and understand its importance to campus. stressed the importance of broadening the term’s universal definition. Deborah Ince Attendees and panelists agreed that diversity does not just relate to Staff Writer race or ethnicity, but extends to ideas, beliefs, opinions, sexual orienSGA Government Affairs hosted a Civility Panel Tuesday night as tation, socio-economic classes and various other sectors. Many stupart of its “Strive for 25” week. The committee hosted a five-person dents also shared their stories about their experiences with diversity panel that paced the night’s discussions, all of which focused on polit- on campus, relating them back to the display of civility at UT. The second civility topic examined was dialogue and improving ical civility and improving civility on campus. “The slogan for our civility campaign is ‘One campus. One com- communication across all peoples and groups. All panelists and attenmunity. Celebrate the differences,’” Avery Howard, who facilitated the dees agreed that engaging in courteous discussion and productive debate would improve civility on campus. forum, said. “That’s how we move forward,” Gardial said. “You take away that Attendees to the forum in the Baker Center were educated on the principles of civility and how to combat negativity and close-minded- ‘me versus you’ mentality. How do we engage in civil debate?” The panelists also discussed how important it was for individuals ness in civil discussion and everyday interaction. Vice Provost Sarah Gardial — one of the five panelists — stressed to feel comfortable about speaking out about their opinions and beliefs. They also urged everyone to approach different ideas with the importance of civility on campus. “There is room for improvement,” Gardial said. “We’ve done the open minds, stating that understanding and accepting alternative research, we’ve talked to faculty and staff, and we all agree that this is viewpoints is key to civil discussion. “If we reignite positivity,” Reid said, “then problems can be solved.” an important issue.” Panelists urged students to voice any concerns regarding uncivil The forum is one of the many strides UT is making to improve civility on campus, as such improvement would also help better UT’s conduct to professors, department heads and other college officials, stating that being aware of the problem helps UT search for ways to chances of breaking into the top-25 lineup of U.S. institutions. “We’re trying to see what we can do to make this university better,” address and correct it. “I thought it was a great discussion to have,” Carrera Thibodeaux, Taelor Olive, co-chair of Government Affairs, said. Featuring Anderson Olds from the NPHC, Vice Provost Sarah senior in political science, said. “It was a much-needed discussion. Gardial from the Student Affairs Office, Erin Reid from LGBT, Bobby There was a lot to touch on and not enough time. Hopefully the right Patton from College Democrats and Tyler King from College people were here to make a change.” SGA Government Affairs continues its “Strive for 25” week this Republicans, the panel represented a wide array of campus viewpoints and discussed the importance of inclusivity, diversity, dialogue and week with a letter-writing campaign and a Top 25 Forum on Thursday, as well as a Veterans Day Remembrance event on Friday. “collegiability” — all of which were named as top civility principles. As the panelists and students discussed, they reached the consen- Flyers can be found in HBB and the UC, and Government Affairs sus that throughout communities across the globe there is a lack of urges for everyone to get involved. In terms of the Civility Panel, all attendees welcomed increased understanding on what civility really means. “Having a civility statement here on campus is good,” Gardial said. efforts to improve civility on UT’s campus. “Civility is an ongoing journey instead of a concrete destination,” “We need it.” The forum also urged attendees to really think about diversity and Gardial said. “It’s an act you work on.”
Hero awarded Silver Star for actions The Associated Press FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. — In his final actions before being shot down by a gunman in Afghanistan, Sgt. 1st Class Barry Jarvis protected the life of his platoon leader by pushing him out of the line of fire. Jarvis posthumously received the Silver Star during a ceremony Thursday at Fort Campbell, Ky., with his family accepting the military's thirdhighest combat decoration in his place. In all, six soldiers from the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division were killed by the rogue Afghan policeman on Nov. 29, 2010, in Nangarhar province along the border with Pakistan during a routine partnering mission with the Afghan National Army and the Afghan Border Police. The 39-year-old career soldier from Lewisport, Ky., had joined the Army in 1999 and was the oldest and the highest ranking of those killed that day. His job as the platoon sergeant for 2nd Platoon, Bravo Troop, 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment was to set an example for younger soldiers and protect them, said Col. Sean Jenkins, the brigade commander. “An additional duty of the platoon sergeant is to train and mentor young lieutenants as they prepare to lead soldiers,” he said. “He not only did this, but on that November day, pushed his young platoon leader out of harm’s way, sacrificing his live to save another.” The young lieutenant he saved, 25-year-old 1st Lt. Will Janotka, said Jarvis was an inspiring leader to everyone in the unit. “We went through a lot together, not just myself and Sgt. Jarvis, but the whole platoon,” he said after the ceremony, standing next to a photo of Jarvis. “Just having him there made it a lot easier. He was the epitome of what a platoon sergeant was supposed to be like.” That day, Bravo Troop was observing the firing of 155mm
rockets from a border patrol outpost in Pachir Wa Agam district. Part of its mission was to build relationships with the Afghan security forces and help train and assist them. As the first artillery round impacted, one of the border policemen turned his weapon on the American troops, according to the military citation. Janotka said he was standing nearby with Jarvis when they heard the shooting and both men started running to the scene. The citation said as Jarvis came into view of the attack, he realized they were both in the gunman’s line of fire. Jarvis shoved the young officer aside and as he was turning to face the gunman, he was mortally wounded. The gunman was later killed by other soldiers, according to the military. Janotka said it happened quickly, but he remembers Jarvis pushing him. “I felt something, but honestly bullets were flying and my adrenaline was up,” he said. “I was concerned about my soldiers.” Maj. Gen. James McConville, commander of the 101st Airborne Division, said the platoon sergeant’s quick actions to save another instead of himself reflected the history of the unit known as the Band of Brothers. “On that day, Sgt. 1st Class Jarvis could have dived for cover, he could have yelled for his platoon leader to do the same, but he did the thing that all heroes do — he put others before himself,” McConville said. “His actions define what kind of man he was.” His wife, Tina, cried as McConville presented her with the Silver Star along with his brother, Johnny Jarvis; his father, William Jarvis; and stepmother, Beth Jarvis. He had two daughters, Kitaira and Aleesha, and two sons, Donovan and William, all of Clarksville, Tenn. Janotka said he was honored to meet his platoon sergeant’s family and relatives of the other soldiers who died that day.