America’s veterans will receive gratitude and recognition during Washtenaw Community College’s annual Veterans Day celebration on Thursday, November 9.
The public is invited to the 7 a.m. flag-raising in front of the Student Center building at the main entrance of campus, 4800 E. Huron River Drive, as well as to the 9:15 a.m. ceremony on the second floor of the Student Center near the Wadhams Veterans Center.
WCC students Benjamin Whisman and Kolbe Watson, both veterans, will speak.
Whisman served in the U.S. Navy for six years and is President of WCC’s Student Veterans of America. He has been deployed twice to Okinawa, Japan, while conducting peacetime operations as a Hospital Corpsman and Field Medical Technician.
He has earned multiple awards, including the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, and the Fleet Marine Force Warfare device.
Watson served in the U.S. Marine Corps for four years and was deployed to Eastern Europe for seven months in 2022. He served as Vehicle Commander for a Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion.
He has earned the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, National Defense Medal, Global War on Terrorism, Arctic Service Award, and the Sea Service Department Ribbon. Watson is a member of WCC’s Student Veterans of America club and has earned a 4.0 grade point average and Dean’s List honors every semester at WCC.
The college’s Veterans Day program also features WCC President Dr. Rose B. Bellanca and Interim Vice President of Instruction Brandon Tucker, a U.S. Air Force veteran.
Nearly 500 veteran students are enrolled at WCC. The college offers comprehensive support services through the Wadhams Veterans Center to veterans and their families.