Liberty to honor nation’s heroes during Military Emphasis Week

Military Emphasis Week is marching in at Liberty University with a range of events this week, and extending into next week (Nov. 7-14), that show the university’s year-round commitment to honoring the heroes of freedom.

A highlight will be Lynchburg’s annual Veterans Day Parade, that runs through campus on Saturday morning. Earlier in the day, runners can navigate Liberty Mountain in memory of a Liberty hero at the Valley View Mike Donahue Memorial Five Miler.

On Friday night, the Flames ACHA Division I men’s hockey team will celebrate those who fight for freedom. A pre-game military ceremony begins at 6:45 p.m. Free tickets for service members and veterans are available upon request.

Events also include communal gatherings, such as a Veterans Appreciation Reception (Nov. 12, 11:45 a.m.-1:45 p.m.) and an #HonorThem Night of Gratitude (Nov. 14), where people are invited to share their stories of being impacted by a veteran through a gathering on campus, live-streamed, and across social media.

A special Convocation on Wednesday, Nov. 14, in the Vines Center will feature a patriotic celebration and an inspiring message from guest speaker and former White House press secretary Sean Spicer. Convocation is open to the entire campus and also live streamed. (Visit Liberty OSD on Facebook to tune in.)

Military Emphasis Week is sponsored by Liberty’s Office of Military Affairs, which offers a variety of educational resources and special events for military students and their families. For the full schedule of events, visit Liberty.edu/MEW.

Liberty enjoys a community of tens of thousands of service members, veterans, and military spouses, many of whom study from their military installations or homes around the world through Liberty’s online degree programs. Liberty was recently recognized as the No. 1 Best for Vets: Colleges 2019 Online and Nontraditional Schools by Military Times. To ensure that the entire Liberty family is able to connect during Military Emphasis Week, several events include opportunities for online student participation.

Other Liberty Athletics programs will also honor the military with games later in the month. Flames Football will host its annual Military Appreciation Football Game on Nov. 24, including a spectacular patriotic halftime show with fireworks and the Spirit of the Mountain marching band. During the show, Liberty will present its 2018 George Rogers Champion of Freedom Award, honoring a retired service member who went above the call of duty, displaying extraordinary heroism and continuing to serve as an outstanding ambassador in their community. Discounted tickets for military members are available with the promo code “MILITARY.”

Liberty’s men’s basketball team will offer free admission to its Nov. 23 and Nov. 25 home games for guests who bring a Military Appreciation Football Game ticket.

Visit Liberty.edu/Military for more events, resources, and a community network for military students, as well as information on tuition discounts, scholarships, and fee waivers.

(Liberty University is not affiliated with the Department of Defense or any military service.)