The University of Iowa Veterans Association and Reserve Officer's Training Corps honored Iowa's veterans on Tuesday morning with a reveille ceremony on the west lawn of the Pentacrest, accompanied by raising the U.S. flag over the Old Capitol.
There are more than 600 students who identify as veterans on the University of Iowa campus.
Behind the ceremony, nearly 6,000 tiny U.S. flags—each of which honor a veteran connected to the university or community in some way—waved in the wind, forming the letter "I."
The flag display and ceremony are part of a series of events organized by the UIVA to honor veterans in the community. The flags were placed on the west lawn of the Pentacrest on Nov. 8 by the UIVA, with the help of high school students from the Upward Bound program.
After the reveille, UI President Sally Mason thanked those present for their service.
"We honor those of you who have served today, and we say thank you as well. We can't say thank you enough, because what you do for us is something that no one else steps up and does," Mason said.
"We are proud to have all of you here as our students, we are proud of what you have accomplished and what you will do, and, to our veterans, let me say once again how proud we are to have you here and how honored we are that you've served our country, and thank you for all you continue to do."
The Veterans Day events will close at 5 p.m., with a retreat ceremony and lowering of the flag.
