VIDEO: Veterans Day Observed at ODU
November 03, 2017
Old Dominion's annual Veterans Day observance was held in Webb University Center's North Mall on Thursday, Nov. 9.
The observance featured remarks from Old Dominion president John R. Broderick, Rear Adm. Jesse A. Wilson Jr., Chaplain David B. Thames and a student speaker, staff Sgt. William P. Reckley.
Bob Clark, director of ODU's military activities liaison & special projects, wa the event's emcee. Student veteran groups and the University's Army and Naval ROTC Units also participated.
More on the Veterans Day Speakers:
Rear Adm. Jesse A. Wilson Jr., a native of California, serves as the commander of the Naval Surface Force Atlantic.
Wilson holds a B.S. in mathematics from the U.S. Naval Academy; an M.S. in operations research from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, and an M.A. in national security and strategic studies from Naval War College in Newport, R.I.
Some of Wilson's prior roles include deputy executive assistant to two chiefs of naval operations and interim deputy director of the 21st Century Sailor Office.
Chaplain David B. Thames is from Austin, Texas. He serves as deputy fleet chaplain for the U.S. Fleet Forces Command.
Thames holds two master's degrees, one in organizational leadership and ethics from Duquesne University and the other in divinity from Virginia Theological Seminary. He served as a parish priest in the Episcopal Diocese of Texas until 9/11, after which he accepted a call to return to uniform in the U.S. Navy Chaplain Corps.
Staff Sgt. William P. Reckley is an active-duty U.S. Marine serving in the Marine Enlisted Commissioning Education Program hosted at Old Dominion. He is a sophomore majoring in English and will commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps upon graduation.
