Cal State San Bernardino’s Veteran Success Center will celebrate Armed Forces Day and the Yellow Ribbon Campaign with the United States Army Golden Knights Parachute Team Wednesday, May 18.
“Some of us at times forget how this country is developed and how we keep the peace in our country,” said Jaime Espinoza, veterans’ success adviser for the Veterans Success Center. “During this event, all participants get to reflect and recognize some of the deployed military members within the CSUSB community and their family.”
The Golden Knights are scheduled to parachute on the John Pfau Library Lawn at 11:45 a.m. and 1 p.m. Students and staff are encouraged to come out and help decorate the trees across campus with yellow ribbons while watching the Golden Knights land on campus. Parking at CSUSB is $6.
Yellow ribbons tied around trees are a symbol of remembrance for the men and women who are currently serving in places far from home. The color yellow symbolizes never forgetting, like a yellow rose on the grave of a fallen soldier. The ribbon represents a will to not let go, a bond tying together the two parties: ribbons tie together objects and hold them close together.
“Every year the VSC looks for sponsors to participate in the Yellow Ribbon Campaign,” said Espinoza. “The purpose of this event is to bring awareness across the CSUSB community, students, faculty and staff to reflect on military service members who are deployed outside of the U.S.”
The U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team members are soldiers first, but they also have a unique history and creed that sets them apart. In 1959, 19 airborne soldiers from various military units formed the Strategic Army Command Parachute Team. Brig. Gen. Joseph Stilwell Jr. gathered the soldiers with the intent of competing in the relatively new sport of skydiving. By 1962, the team earned the nickname the “Golden Knights.”
“Golden” signified the gold medals the team had won, while “Knights” alluded to the team’s ambition to conquer the skies. Since then, the Golden Knights have performed in more than 16,000 shows in 50 states and 48 countries, reaching an average of 60,000 people per show.
The university’s Veterans Success Center provides support services focused on the special needs and requirements of today's military veterans, service members and dependents to assist them in transitioning to the university environment and achieve their academic and personal development goals.
The center offers dynamic programs that are comprehensive in scope and sensitive to the unique needs of service members to include new student veterans' orientation, monthly seminar series, a weekly mental health support group, tutoring in science, technology, engineering and mathematics courses, and advocacy and referral services.
The VSC has built a strong reputation throughout the Inland Empire for offering innovative leadership opportunities and education programs. CSUSB was ranked No. 9 among four-year colleges by Military Times, “Best for Vets: Colleges 2015” and as the top public university in the state for services it offers to military personnel and veterans, according to Military Advanced Education's 2015 Guide. The university also was named by G.I. Jobs magazine as a Military Friendly School, placing CSUSB in the top 20 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools in the nation working with veterans.
To become a sponsor or for more information on the event, contact Jaime Espinoza at (909) 537-7196 or by email at jespinoza@csusb.edu.
Visit the CSUSB Veterans Success Center website for more information on its programs.
Set in the foothills of the beautiful San Bernardino Mountains, CSUSB is a preeminent center of intellectual and cultural activity in inland Southern California. Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2015-2016, CSUSB serves more than 20,000 students each year and graduates about 4,000 students annually.
For more information about Cal State San Bernardino, contact the university’s Office of Strategic Communication at (909) 537-5007 and visit news.csusb.edu.