November 11 is Veterans Day. Veterans Day dates back to the late 1910s and became a federal holiday in 1938. Many people tend to confuse the intent of Memorial Day with that of Veterans Day, but the difference is that Memorial Day commemorates service members who died fighting for our country, while Veterans Day commemorates every service member who served our country. We want to take the time to honor and thank our veterans for their service, including Charles Barnes, Student Success and Development coordinator, who joined SUNY Empire in September. You can read about Charles’ time in the military below. 

I count myself among the service members because I served in the U.S. Navy for eight years and the U.S. Army for three years, for a total of 11 years in the military. I served aboard the USS ARCTIC as a helmsman, controlling the direction and speed of our ship. I was also a journalist, who wrote articles about the endeavors of our ship during the War on Terror (2001) and the Iraq War (2003). I composed the ship’s cruise book, which detailed our adventures traveling around the globe. I was also responsible for the ship’s radio station. 

My time in the Navy was thrilling and eventful; there never was a dull moment. We traveled to 12 countries through various bodies of water including the Atlantic Ocean, the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Aden, and the Mediterranean. At times, we’d travel to two or three countries within a week. 

I recall a time when our captain told me to set a course for Cannes, France. When we got there, someone asked me if I was sure we were in France because the area had a tropical vibe. At that point, I too was unsure if we were in France, so I asked the captain. The captain said Cannes has a subtropical Mediterranean climate, and as such, the weather was warmer in the summer and winter compared to other parts of France. I thought to myself, “Thank goodness I didn’t make a navigational error!” 

After my years on ARCTIC, I was assigned to a second vessel, the USS GUNSTON HALL where I worked in the supply department. I mainly worked in the ship’s store managing purchases by sailors and Marines, conducting inventories, and managing supply relations with other country’s navies. Sales transactions on our ship became so high that we broke records and received an award from the admiral of the fleet. 

After my time on GUNSTON HALL, I joined the US Army as a 92Y supply specialist and was assigned to Fort Benning, Georgia. There, I worked as head of unit supply and was responsible for the purchasing and maintenance of combat vehicles and supplies that totaled tens of thousands of dollars in accountability. There were numerous inspections and audits of equipment and files; each time, we passed with flying colors. 

My time in the US military was amazing and I’ll never forget it. This experience made me into the person that I am today and reinforced my continued desire to collaborate and work with others. 
 

Thank you Charles and all our veterans for your service.