Joan Furey, a U.S. Army nurse who volunteered at age 22 and served in a post-op ICU in one of the most active areas of Vietnam’s combat zones for two years, shared vivid and emotional stories of caring for young soldiers during a special Veterans Day ceremony at Veterans Plaza.
Despite the sharp November cold settling over the plaza during Common Hour, about 60 attendees kept warmth alive – not only with hand warmers provided by faculty, but through the shared honor and admiration expressed by both veterans and civilians standing shoulder to shoulder.
Veteran: Nothing Prouder
“There is nothing in my life of almost 80 years of which I am prouder,” said Furey, as she described the overwhelming responsibility and hardship she and other nurses at the 71st Evacuation Hospital in Pleiku, where she served from 1968 to 1970, endured. She also detailed moments of terror under rocket attacks, and the lives they fought every day to protect.
Marking the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War and the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, the ceremony opened with the Presentation of Colors by American Legion Post 688. This was followed by the National Anthem, performed by student-veteran Emmanuel Malachi Vaughns, 31, an army 42A human resources specialist and casualty liaison who served from 2017 to 2022. Vaughns, a music major in both Suffolk Singers and the campus choir, spoke about how meaningful the moment was to him.
“To be able to sing this song in public for the first time … it’s very emotional,” Vaughns said. “It’s a song you want to sing to the best of your ability, knowing that you’re singing to a community.”
College Leaders Reflect on Service, Community
“Veterans Day reminds us that our freedom is safeguarded by those who answered the call to serve, often at great personal cost,” said Irene Rios, CEO and executive dean of the Ammerman campus and vice president of academic affairs. Her message highlighted the gratitude, service, and legacy veterans bring to the Suffolk community.
Rios emphasized the college’s commitment to supporting student-veterans, praising the Veterans Resource Center and the work of coordinator Shannon O’Neill and her staff for “helping our military-connected students navigate the educational process while ensuring their academic success.”
Suffolk College President Edward T. Bonahue followed and reflected on the generations of service members whose selfless sacrifices have shaped the freedoms that Americans enjoy today. He reaffirmed Suffolk’s dedication to supporting veterans, noting the college’s adoption of SUNY’s new military tuition rate for active-duty service members, reservists, and National Guard students.
‘Forever Indebted’
“It is your service and sacrifice that keeps our country safe and free,” Bonahue said. “Our veterans are citizens, students, neighbors … members of one shared community … and we are forever indebted to you.”
Returning to the podium later in the ceremony, Furey spoke directly to the meaning of service.
“Veterans are our parents, our siblings, our neighbors … and the young men and women next door who have never been quite the same since they came home,” Furey said.
Referring to veterans, she urged civilians to “always be proud of these men and women” and to remember that “without their commitment, we would be less free and less secure as a nation.”
A Moment of Connection
For many student-veterans, the ceremony was more than a commemoration – it was a moment of connection.
“I think it’s an easy school to be a veteran at,” said Michael Santomassino, 26, an Army veteran in his first semester majoring in healthcare studies. “You feel like everyone here helps you get back to that sense of normalcy.” He added, “Military service isn’t as common anymore, but here, you really feel valued.”
Bonahue echoed that sentiment in an interview after the event, noting that the college is home to more than 400 military-connected students – “and we should celebrate that,” he said.
Honoring Service With Challenge Coins
Following a moment of silence, dedicated to all who have served, Patty Munsch, vice president of student affairs, led the presentation of challenge coins, a commemorative award proving their military membership, honoring all who served.
While each veteran stepped forward one by one, the gesture symbolized true gratitude, achievement, and unwavering respect. The plaza fell into a quiet rhythm of pride and reflection while the flags bordering the walkway rustled in the wind, each marking a life, a sacrifice, and a story.
A Campus United in Gratitude
Veterans Day at Suffolk was more than a ceremony; it was a promise to remember, to honor, and to ensure that every veteran on its campuses is seen, supported, and welcomed home.
After her speech, Furey emphasized the importance of younger generations understanding the sacrifices that have preserved the democratic values upon which the U.S. was founded.
“I hope that students appreciate how important it is to learn about and understand the history of the wars and conflicts that so many people have sacrificed themselves for so that we can maintain our freedom,” Furey said. “That is no small thing.”
