Veterans Day celebrations are planned statewide Wednesday. Most of them are taking place on college and university campuses. The University of Utah will honor 11 veterans including student Christopher Haley. He served as a US Army medic in Iraq and Afghanistan and lost a leg to an IED while coming to the aid of another soldier. Haley says even though he doesn’t consider what he did as heroic, he says veterans are men and women who should be honored for their very special qualities.
“No matter what the year is, there’s always going to be someone that answers the call and that will do what the country needs them to do,” says Haley.
An 11 o’clock ceremony to honor Haley and the other service men and women will be followed by the University’s traditional 21 cannon salute at noon.
Utah Governor Gary Herbert will honor veterans at a ceremony in the Utah State Capitol rotunda at 2pm. He will also deliver a special message at the John M. Huntsman Events Center at the University of Utah at 6pm. The will be followed by a 7pm concert featuring the Utah National Guard's 23rd Army Band celebrating its 60th Annual Veterans Day Concert. A 680-voice Granite School District combined choir will join the band. All events are free and open to the public.
