The Ceddia Union Building (CUB) at Shippensburg University normally buzzes like a beehive with people coming to and from the area, but on Nov. 11 at 2 p.m., a solemn silence replaced the typical clamor. More than 100 people stood at attention while a young cadet began to sing the National Anthem.

The entire amphitheater became as still and tranquil as an elegant painting. People stopped dead in their tracks, and raised his or her hand to their hearts, alongside of the SU Army ROTC, military veterans, SU administrators, students and local community members.

Harriet Leon, a junior at SU and Raider Battalion cadet, sang the National Anthem to the crowd in honor of Veterans Day.

In addition to Leon’s performance, the ceremony featured a color guard, speeches, a moment of silence, the playing of taps, a prayer and refreshments.

The SU Army ROTC Raider Battalion organized the event with the SU chapter of Student Veterans of America (SVA) to pay respects to the men and women of the U.S. armed forces.

“ROTC and the SVA have been working in hopes to create a campus-wide environment that welcomes and supports veterans,” Jay Showvaker, a senior who is the cadet battalion commander, said during his speech.

“[Soldiers] make sure when the sun rises on the eastern seaboard it will set on the western one,” Bryan Crist, president of the SVA chapter and Marine Corps veteran, said.

A red, white and blue memorial wreath was presented at the event, and it was later put on display in front of the Ezra Lehman Memorial Library.

According to ship.edu, Tyler Walker, the Raider Battalion cadet who organized the event, said the wreath is in memory “of those who dedicated their lives to serving our nation.”

SU Interim President Jody Harpster attended the ceremony and said Veterans Day was a special day for the university to recognize current students and alumni that served in the U.S. military.

More than 20 names of SU alumni military veterans that gave the “ultimate sacrifice” were read off, starting with those that fought in World War I and ending with those that fought in the most recent wars in the Middle East.

“All of those who’ve taken an oath to defend this great nation deserve to be honored and commemorated on this day,” Showvaker said.

One such person that took the oath is 71-year-old Wendy Tomczak, a veteran of the Vietnam War, Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Tomczak attended the event, wearing her military service hat. She served in the Army and the Air National Guard.

“I would do it all over again,” Tomczak said, who feels fortunate for being born in the U.S. “Somebody has to step up and defend our freedoms.”

“It’s important for them to be acknowledged for what they did for the country,” Rich Lamp, an SU graduate student, said. He said the ceremony was a good way to give back to the community.

The crowd exceeded the number of chairs set up in front of the podium, and spectators sat at the picnic tables and concrete steps around the amphitheater. The Raider Battalion stood off to one side in uniform with the color guard on the opposite side, outfitted with ceremonial rifles and flags.

“[The event] draws attention to how great of a day this is,” Shaun Weaver, a senior and Raider Battalion cadet, said.

Fellow cadet Cole Mase, a sophomore, said Veterans Day is a time for Americans to remember those who fought for us.

The history of Veterans Day began on Nov. 11, 1918 when there was a ceasefire in World War I. A year later, President Woodrow Wilson named that day Armistice Day. In 1938, it became a federal holiday, and in 1954 President Dwight Eisenhower signed a law legally changing the name, Armistice Day, to Veterans Day.

“A celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good,” is the meaning of Veterans Day, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

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