October 24, 2024 – This year’s annual installment features guest speaker U.S. Navy Chief Gunnersmate Vic Tornero (Ret.)
COMMERCE, TX, October 24, 2024—Texas A&M University-Commerce continues its tradition of honoring our nation’s veterans with the 34th installment of the Veterans Vigil, scheduled for Friday, November 8 at the Rayburn Student Center (RSC) on the university campus. The public is encouraged to attend.
Schedule of Events
The vigil will begin with a light breakfast reception at 10 a.m. before the opening ceremony begins in the RSC’s 2nd-floor conference rooms at 10:30. The A&M-Commerce Chorale will perform, and the Princeton High School Naval JROTC will provide color guard duties.
The ASTP Memorial Scholarship, which is given each year to an A&M-Commerce student veteran, will also be awarded during the opening ceremony. This year’s recipient is Melody Carmack, a U.S. Army veteran.
The opening ceremony will conclude outside of the RSC with the lighting of the vigil flame by Dr. Chris Myers, U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) and A&M-Commerce professor of marketing and business analytics. The flame will burn until the closing ceremony at 4:30 p.m. that day. The closing ceremony will also feature a 21-gun salute by the Hunt County Veterans Honor Guard.
Vigil Guest Speaker
This year’s guest speaker is U.S. Navy Chief Gunnersmate Vic Tornero (Ret.). A native of El Paso, Texas, Tornero graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso, earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a minor in geology. Tornero proudly served two tours in Vietnam and was released from active duty in June 1968. After a break in service, he re-affiliated with the Naval Reserve program in September 1968. He drilled at the reserve center in El Paso until May 1980, when his civilian job transferred him to Fort Worth, Texas.
His assignments while in the Naval Reserve included Navy counselor, Navy instructor, reserve recruiter, petty officer indoctrination team leader and reserve retention officer. As a reserve retention officer, he conducted all-hands career information seminar briefings to more than 1,500 personnel at the Fort Worth NAS/JRB base theater.
Tornero’s unfailing team spirit led to his selection as the nation’s “Recruiting District Assistance Council Chairperson of the Year” in 1999. He credits this honor to his fellow RDAC members, who supported him during his tenure.
He has received numerous other awards, including the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (two awards), the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (two awards), the Vietnam Service Medal (two awards), the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, and several other Navy service awards and ribbons.
Other Veterans Activities
Other activities surrounding the vigil include a free lunch for veterans at the A&M-Commerce Lions Mane Cafeteria the following Monday, November 11, with the presentation of a military ID, DD214, veteran’s card, or VFW or American Legion card.
In addition, from November 8 to 11, veterans will receive a 10% discount on all items at the University Bookstore.
Learn more about Veterans and Military Services at A&M-Commerce.
