On the day of remembrance for the men and women who sacrificed to serve their country, San Jacinto College is commemorating Veterans Day with tributes scheduled across the College during Veterans Appreciation Week.

Veterans Day 2016 will kick off with the Annual Flag Raising and Appreciation Ceremony starting at 8:30 a.m. Nov. 11 on all three San Jac campuses.

Veteran Services District Manager, Eugene Bernard said in addition to raising the flag, the Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success on each campus are planning individual tributes.

“The Central Campus will host a Veteran’s Center open house on Nov. 10 inviting faculty, staff and students to attend,” he added.

According to Bernard, the open house will feature “a very special guest” who will serve as the keynote speaker.

“Central Campus will host author, James Morgan, who just released a book called ‘Not Quite Home’ which focuses on the veteran’s transition back into civilian life,” Bernard said.

Meanwhile, on the South Campus, the Behavioral/Social Science and Education Department is presenting a panel discussion featuring veteran students a few days earlier on Nov. 7.

“The week of Veterans Day, anyone and everyone is welcome to come,” South Campus Veteran’s Center employee Jose Chavez said. “We will have refreshments to those that attend it, and (we) can answer any questions or concerns anyone has.”

Likewise, North Campus will host an event Nov. 9 dedicated to sufferers of PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), a condition that may develop after a person is exposed to a traumatic experience. Common symptoms include disturbing thoughts, feelings, or dreams related to the trauma.

PTSD Awareness Event will be a fair-style setting featuring hand massages, blood pressure checks and other offerings meant to educate attendees on warning signs of the disorder, as well as available resources for treatment.

“It is a great opportunity to gather information on PTSD and where to get assistance,” Morgan Tuck, an educational planning counselor said. “It is also a way to pay homage to our SJ Veterans.”

Multiple departments including Educational Planning, Counseling, and Completion, the Center of Excellence for Veteran Student Success, and different student organizations will participate to make the event’s debut a success.

“This is the first time an event of this caliber has been done in conjunction with Veteran Success Center,” Tuck said.

Furthermore, Tuck said the fair would help educate those with a relative or friend battling PTSD adding, “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is an issue many have to live with.”

Tuck said the event is open to the entire San Jac community and was purposefully timed to coincide with tributes to those most vulnerable to the disorder.

“Many equate PTSD with veterans, and that is why I chose to do it near Veteran’s Day,” Tuck said. “Veterans are definitely a large piece of those who are surviving with PTSD.”

The Annual Flag Raising and Appreciation Ceremonies are from 8:30 a.m. until 9:15 a.m. on Nov. 11 at the flag poles on the Central Campus outside the Interactive Learning Center (C1); on the South Campus outside the Welcome Center (S6); and on the North Campus outside the Welcome Center (N6). For further information on other Veterans Appreciation Week activities, contact the campus Veteran Success Centers at (281) 998-6150.