DBU Honors Men and Women Who Gave the Ultimate Sacrifice

This past week, Dallas Baptist University hosted its 22nd annual Memorial Day Service to honor the men and women who have given their lives for our country. Before the service, a reception was held for veterans allowing those in attendance to thank these individuals for their service.

At the start of the Memorial Day Service, attendees were welcomed by DBU President Dr. Adam C. Wright and led by Dr. Bob Brooks, Dean of the Graduate School of Ministry, and Army Maj. Dave Martin, DBU Alumnus, in the National Anthem and Pledge of Allegiance, respectively. Retired Army Col. Dr. Tom Vann, Program Director of the Master of Arts in Chaplaincy and Pastoral Care, provided the opening prayer. The time continued as Assistant Director of the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery Doug Maddox provided greetings from the National Cemetery and spoke about the cemetery’s work caring for members of the armed forces and their families. Tyler Riddle, current DBU ROTC student, followed with reading Scripture.

Laura Leppert, President and Co-Founder of The Daughters of World War II and current member of the DBU Board of Trustees, recognized the veterans present at the event alongside the families of those who served in World War II. The keynote address was provided by Captain Lee Bratcher, U. S. Army Reserve, who also serves as DBU’s Program Coordinator for ROTC. Bratcher paid tribute to the men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice while also calling those in attendance to action to come alongside our veterans.

“Memorial Day exists to honor fallen heroes from our nation’s wars who paid the ultimate sacrifice, and we must remember them,” Bratcher explained. “But we must also stand alongside those who have returned. By honoring our fallen, we honor their fellow soldiers who returned, and by supporting veterans and their families we honor the fallen.”

To close the service, everyone stood in silent reflection remembering the great sacrifice of so many as Taps was played by Tim Anderson.