Partnership of patriotism
PennWest pays tribute to veterans at annual celebration
Patriotism is a partnership of those who serve and those who support the ones who serve.
Those were the words Tuesday of James Martin 无毛视频淢arty无毛视频� Coode, the keynote speaker at PennWest California无毛视频檚 52nd annual Veterans Day celebration, held in the school无毛视频檚 Convocation Center.
无毛视频淲e无毛视频檙e here about patriotism today,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淢ost people are patriots. It is a partnership between veterans and nonveterans. It is a partnership between civilians and active duty. When they say, 无毛视频楾hank you for your service Marty,无毛视频� I say thank you for your service, because you keep the faith with the veterans.无毛视频�
Coode is a 1998 California University graduate and U.S. Marine Corps veteran. After graduating from Carmichaels Junior Senior High School, he enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1980 at age 17 and served with Marine ground forces in Guam and later in Beirut, Lebanon. He was honorably discharged in 1983.
无毛视频淭oday is about the veterans,无毛视频� Coode said. 无毛视频淲e无毛视频檙e not men or women. We无毛视频檙e not gay or straight. We无毛视频檙e not white or Black. We无毛视频檙e not Republicans or Democrats. We无毛视频檙e all American citizens, and we无毛视频檙e here to quietly and succinctly recognize the veterans, most of whom have volunteered.
无毛视频淓verybody who wants to suit up, should be able to suit up,无毛视频� he continued. 无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 your right as an American citizen to serve your country as you want, including joining the military. There should be no disqualifier for gender, sex, sexual preference. There无毛视频檚 space out there for everybody.无毛视频�
Following his military service, Coode earned his bachelor无毛视频檚 degree in history from the California campus, graduating magna cum laude, and went on to support fellow veterans as a peer support specialist with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Coode grew up in a military family. He, along with his three brothers, served, as well as his father, Dr. Thomas H. Coode, a former Cal U. professor, along with his five brothers.
While at California, Marty Coode received many academic awards including the Arthur M. Bakewell Veteran无毛视频檚 Scholarship in 1985. Coode referred to his time at Cal U. as 无毛视频渢he best time in my life.
无毛视频淚 remember going to the Legion, which is gone now, and just listening to the World War II veterans,无毛视频� he recalled. 无毛视频淚 just sat there and listened to them tell stories. Those were really the best years of my life. I无毛视频檝e always had something for this town.无毛视频�
Coode无毛视频檚 professional journey included work in education, addiction recovery and veterans services. He said his story is not complete without mentioning alcoholism.
无毛视频淚 was with the Marine Corps and the CIA,无毛视频� Coode said. 无毛视频淣o, not that CIA, the Catholic Irish Alcoholics. It defines my life as much as anything else.无毛视频�
After achieving sobriety in 1999, he dedicated his career to helping others overcome substance abuse disorders, serving as a counselor, educator and advocating for veterans.
无毛视频淗e无毛视频檚 right,无毛视频� said Dr. Susan Rutledge, professor of middle/secondary education and U.S. Army veteran who served as master of ceremonies for the event. 无毛视频淚t is truly a community effort between what we do in the service and what you all do in the community to support us.无毛视频�
Ava Pizii, of West Chester, was awarded the 41st Col. Arthur L. Bakewell Scholarship, which is awarded to a veteran who demonstrates a high level of academic achievement and service to the community.
The scholarship has been presented at the school无毛视频檚 annual Veterans Day celebration since 1984. Made possible through the Veterans Scholarship Fund 500 Club, the scholarship honors the memory of Bakewell, the campus无毛视频� first director of military affairs.
From 2024 to 2025, Pizii served in Guantanamo Bay in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Pizii, 21, is a junior at PennWest California, majoring in criminal justice and criminology with a concentration on forensic investigation and cyber forensics. Upon graduation, she hopes to attend the Pennsylvania State Police Academy.
There also was an unoccupied table set aside in honor of fallen and missing members of the service.
无毛视频淭he chair is empty, they are no longer with us,无毛视频� Rutledge said while explaining each detail of the table. 无毛视频淭he lighted candle reflects our hope for their return, alive or dead.无毛视频�
PennWest President Dr. John Anderson signed a proclamation designating this week as Military and Veterans Appreciation Week at Pennsylvania Western University.
无毛视频淲ith this proclamation, we honor the extraordinary sacrifices of veterans and military families 无毛视频� and we also recognize the important role they play in the future of PennWest,无毛视频� Anderson said. 无毛视频淭heir courage, resilience and experience enrich our university every day, and our commitment to supporting them extends well beyond this week of recognition.无毛视频�