Honoring its Heroes: Liberty celebrates Military Appreciation Month

Liberty University has a longstanding tradition of honoring the brave service of its military students, spouses, and veterans. Every year, the university designates November as Military Appreciation Month, when it holds multiple events to recognize their sacrifice and engage the campus and local communities.

On Saturday, as Flames Football fans joined to watch the team take on Missouri State, they also honored our nation’s heroes. From a spectacular patriotic halftime show, to special recognition of service members, and the presentation of the 2025 George Rogers Champion of Freedom Award, the annual Military Appreciation Day game was a powerful remembrance of those who have given everything to protect the freedoms of Americans.

Liberty student Army Chaplain Candidate 1st Lt. Sean Beck, who is pursuing his Master of Divinity in Military Chaplaincy and serves as a graduate assistant for Liberty’s Center for Chaplaincy, opened the game in prayer. During the second quarter, Donna Kerelejza, supervisor of the Veterans Center, presented National Center for Healthy Veterans (NCHV) at Valor Farm with a $5,000 grant funded by Operation Hat Trick, a social impact organization dedication to supporting the recovery of wounded service members and veterans. Liberty University was a finalist in the Operation Hat Trick Excellence in Service competition in May, which donates funds to organizations on behalf of winners and finalists.

Mike Braham, member of the NCHV board, and his wife, Lisa, accepted the grant on behalf of NCHV and retired Army Maj. Gen. Bob Dees, who started NCHV.

After the first quarter, the audience was directed to watch six students enlist in the Virgina National Guard as they took an Oath of Enlistment to defend the U.S. Constitution and obey military law. The stadium burst into cheers, each student chanting USA.

At the start of halftime, Liberty presented U.S. Army Staff Sgt. David N. Harker (Ret.), a local veteran, with its 2025 George Rogers Champion of Freedom Award. The award is given annually to a man or woman who served in the United States Armed Forces and went above the call of duty, displaying extraordinary heroism while in the service and continuing to serve as an outstanding ambassador in their community.

Harker served with the 196th Infantry Brigade in Vietnam, where he was captured on Jan. 8, 1968. He spent the next three years in prison camps in the mountain jungles of South Vietnam, and in 1971, he was marched to Hanoi and spent an additional two years in captivity. In total, Harker spent 1,884 days as a Prisoner of War before his release during Operation Homecoming on March 5, 1973. Upon returning home to Lynchburg, he was greeted at the airport with a hero’s welcome and a crowd of 10,000. He received the Bronze Star Medal for his steadfast resistance in captivity. Harker went on to complete a B.S. in Business Administration from Virginia Tech and served the Commonwealth of Virginia for three decades as a probation and parole officer, parole examiner, and vice chairman of the parole board, later supporting veterans with the Virginia Department of Veterans Services. A man of faith, family, and country, Harker serves as an elder at Rivermont Evangelical Presbyterian Church and with Gideons International, and he continues to speak in schools, churches, and civic venues about the faith that sustained him in captivity and his enduring commitment to American ideals.

The award is named after the late WWII veteran George Rogers, who narrowly survived the Bataan Death March after being held captive as a prisoner of war by the Japanese. The Purple Heart and Prisoner of War Medal recipient went on to work for Liberty in various roles, including CEO for the “Old Time Gospel Hour” and as vice president of finance and administration.

Harker told Liberty News it was an honor to receive an award that recognizes a veteran he himself has long admired and to also join the ranks of previous recipient patriots, including Steve Bozeman, Otto Davis, David Stokes and Gary Witt.

“Knowing George Rogers lived for and served Jesus gives true meaning to this award bearing his name,” he said. “As a fellow Christian, I hold him in high esteem and admire George’s sweet, humble spirit and service to God and country. Thank you, Liberty University, for being a place where Christ is preeminent and the flag of freedom flies high.”

Halftime continued with the Spirit of the Mountain Marching Band’s medley of U.S. military service songs representing the Coast Guard, Space Force, Air Force, Navy, Marines, and Army. Veterans in the crowd were asked to stand as their anthem was played. The 250-member band — many of whom have family members who have served or are currently serving — brought these tributes to life through intricate field animations designed by Assistant Director of Athletic Bands Josh Detwiler. The band portrayed Coast Guard ships moving on the waves, the Space Force insignia, an Air Force jet trailing smoke, Navy ships rocking at sea, the U.S. Marine Corps initials, and an Army tank with moving treads. The medley concluded with “America the Beautiful” and a celebratory spelling out of the word “freedom” on the field. The music was written exclusively for Liberty’s band by renowned military band arranger Douglas Richard.

The crowd was asked to observe a moment of silence in honor of all servicemen and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. Three solo trumpeters played “Taps” and the band performed “God Bless America,” spelling out “USA” as a massive American flag was stretched across the field by 300 volunteers and families of service members.

The show culminated with a performance of “God Bless the USA” by Thomas Road Baptist Church Teaching Pastor Charles Billingsley and the annual Iwo Jima reenactment in the middle of the field — remembering the iconic moment when the U.S. flag was raised on Mount Suribachi during the battle and serving as a tribute to those who have lost their lives in sacrifice to our nation. A fireworks display closed the powerful and memorable finale to the patriotic celebration.

Saturday’s football game was one of three events this weekend — and many more throughout the month of November — to honor and thank the men and women who have served their country. On Friday, Liberty’s ACHA DI men’s hockey team had their own military appreciation game (sponsored by the Virginia Army National Guard), and the annual Mike Donahue Memorial 5-Miler was held on Saturday morning at Liberty’s Hydaway Outdoor Center to commemorate the life of military hero and former Liberty professor Mike Donahue.

On Tuesday, Veterans Day, Liberty President Dondi E. Costin, former Air Force Chief of Chaplains and retired Major General, will be the keynote speaker at a commemoration event at Valor Farms in nearby Altavista, beginning at 5 p.m. Registration is required for participants. On campus, Liberty’s Veterans Center (Montview Student Union, Suite 2770) will offer refreshments.

On Wednesday, Nov. 12, military-affiliated Liberty students, faculty, and staff will attend the annual Military Appreciation Reception in the Montview Student Union, Alumni Ballroom, where they will celebrate the 250^th Anniversary of the U.S. Armed Forces and honor the service members and veterans of all branches.

Liberty University Air Force ROTC will be holding a 24-hour vigil on Thursday and Friday (Nov. 13-14) on the Montview Student Union steps to remember our nation’s prisoners of war and those missing in action.

A Military Appreciation Convocation will be held on Nov. 14, featuring Costin and a panel of guests: Graham Allen, Army combat veteran, entrepreneur, and host of Dear America podcast; Chadd Wright, retired Navy SEAL, motivational speaker, and entrepreneur; and Nick Freitas, Virginia State Delegate, former Green Beret.

Also on Friday, at 6 p.m., fans are invited to attend a Military Appreciation Volleyball Game in Liberty Arena, where the Lady Flames will take on Western Kentucky.

On Nov. 15, a team of students will host the annual Liberty University Murph Challenge at the Liberty Intramural Sports Complex Indoor Track from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The student-led, veteran charity event focuses on faith, fitness, and remembrance of our nation’s heroes through physical competition, military traditions, and veteran-centered ceremonies. Robichaux, Wright, and Freitas will be featured speakers. All proceeds will go toward event expenses and to raise money for the National Center for Healthy Veterans in nearby Altavista. The Virginia House of Delegates recently commended the Liberty University Murph Challenge for its service to veterans.

Liberty will also be hosting a Military Appreciation Blood Drive with the American Red Cross on Nov. 19 and 20 in the Montview Student Union, Alumni Ballroom.

Liberty University currently supports more than 40,000 military-affiliated students, including active service members, veterans and military/veteran spouses.

Liberty has ranked as a Best for Vets university.

In 2017, Liberty was designated as a Purple Heart University, making it the first college or university in Virginia to receive the honor from the Military Order of the Purple Heart in recognition of a university’s support for service members and their dependents.

The Office of Military Affairs and the Veterans Center offer a variety of educational resources, support, and special events for military students and their families. To learn more, visit Liberty.edu/Military.

For more information on Military Appreciation Month events, email MilitaryOutreach@liberty.edu.