The Cerritos Veterans Center started Veterans Week with the Veterans Fair and Spirit Day on Nov. 7 at 11 a.m. to show their support and gratitude to all the heroes that fight for our freedoms.
The event had around 20 to 30 students walking around, talking to the different Veteran branches and having fun with them.
Most of the ASCC members came out to support the Veterans Fair and talked with the Veterans throughout the fair.
It might seem more serious but everyone was having fun with every single branch showing their closeness as they laugh and talk to students.
You see that closeness when some of the Army members and ASCC members play against each other in Mario Kart, having fun and laughing the whole time.
The Veterans Fair gave out free hot dogs and drinks for the military and students plus the Marines had a pull-up bar and bean bags for anyone to play with.
Shedrian B. Williams II, a recruiter for the U.S. Air Force and Space Force, said that he felt touched and honored that Cerritos held this event for all the branches.
“I feel proud. Me waking up every day and putting on this uniform knowing that I’m here to protect and serve, is something you can’t match anywhere else,” the U.S Air Force recruiter said.
“For Cerritos to recognize us this week and this day and give us the opportunity to go on their campus and to open up their doors […] this is huge because you can never know who you can impact.”
Lt. Junior Gray Marcus, who’s a part of Coast Guard recruiting said he’s happy Cerritos had this event, “We’re just honored to be here and tell people what the coast guard does but also see our brothers and sisters in other services.”
The Coast Guard recruiter said that he’s going to be going to a Veterans Event at Six Flags to spread more awareness of the Coast Guard.
Petty Officer Hardy, United States Navy, was appreciative of the Faculty and Staff here at Cerritos and was happy that Cerritos booked this.
The Navy recruiter said that on Veteran’s Day, he’ll be off at his best friend’s wedding and said, “you should join the Navy because it’s the best branch […] and there’s no comradery like the Navy.”
The Deputy Director of Veteran Affairs in ASCC, Matthew Patz, said that in the future, he wishes that they could get a better turnout but said the atmosphere was good.
Patz said that this semester they’re rebuilding and there will be more fundraisers, getting more involved with the students.
“We’re really happy, we put a lot of work into this, a lot of coordination and a lot of planning and just to see it come to fruition, it looks good,” Andres Solorzano, the Director of Veterans Affairs for ASCC, said.
Solorzano said he was prior service Army and said that they’re planning on having a Military Ball in the Spring time.
Veterans Week is still going on throughout the week as the Flag Raising Ceremony is rescheduled for Thursday, Nov. 10th at 9 am.
The rest of the events are: Open House on Nov. 8 and Long Beach Veterans Affairs Hospital at 11 a.m. and Celebrating the Marine Crops. Birthday! on Nov. 10 at 12 p.m. will be on the same day so support the Veterans!
