Monmouth College honored local veterans Monday night with a public Veterans Day program led by Illinois State Rep. Dan Swanson, an Iraq War veteran and chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. The event, held in the Veterans Memorial Great Room of the CSB, featured six speakers whose service spans across multiple generations and branches of the U.S. military.
The ceremony opened with remarks from Monmouth President Patricia Draves and patriotic selections from members of the Fighting Scots Marching Band before Swanson guided a wide ranging discussion with the panelists. Swanson, a retired lieutenant colonel in the Illinois Army National Guard who earned the Bronze Star, emceed the event and offered reflections drawn from his own 30+ years of service.
Panelists included Navy veteran and 2012 Monmouth graduate Ryan Bronaugh, current student and ROTC cadet Alfonso Mares ’28, Monmouth Police Chief and Army master sergeant (ret.) Joe Switzer, former Navy air traffic controller Cheri Stanton, Gold Star Mother Rita Cross, and retired Army first sergeant Andy Davis. Their stories covered service from the Vietnam era through Iraq and Afghanistan.
Mares, the youngest panelist, said he was honored to be invited by Swanson after meeting him during a class trip to Springfield. “I thought, you know what, this is a good opportunity. I can’t pass it up,” he said. “It gives me an opportunity to speak about something I’m interested in.”
He said hearing from older veterans made the evening especially memorable. “The gentleman from the Second World War was very interesting to listen to. Definitely some very captivating stories,” Mares said. He also praised Bronaugh’s reflections on remembrance and the struggles many veterans carry, “I thought that was very powerful and very interesting to hear about.”
Mares, who plans to pursue an Army commission after graduation, said events like this help raise the profile of Monmouth’s small but dedicated ROTC program. “We’re very glad to get our standing out there. It’s how we can make our presence known,” he said.
Dan Swanson and President Draves with veterans in attendance. Photo by Madison Springer.
The program took place one day after the 250th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Marine Corps, underscoring the long tradition of military service represented by the panelists and community members who gathered to recognize Veterans Day.