{"id":9323,"date":"2023-11-01T16:12:17","date_gmt":"2023-11-01T21:12:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nicholls.edu\/news\/?p=9323"},"modified":"2024-03-20T11:27:32","modified_gmt":"2024-03-20T16:27:32","slug":"nicholls-annual-veterans-day-ceremony-guest-speaker-2023-commandant-of-the-marine-corps-trophy-awardee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nicholls.edu\/news\/2023\/11\/01\/nicholls-annual-veterans-day-ceremony-guest-speaker-2023-commandant-of-the-marine-corps-trophy-awardee\/","title":{"rendered":"ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ Annual Veterans Day Ceremony Guest Speaker 2023 Commandant of the Marine Corps Trophy Awardee"},"content":{"rendered":"
THIBODAUX, La. \u2013 ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ and <\/span>ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ State Veterans Services<\/span><\/a> invites you to salute and honor veterans<\/span> o<\/span>n Friday, Nov. 10 at 11 a.m. during its public Veterans Day ceremony in the Quad. This year\u2019s guest speaker is Sgt. Mitch Gautreaux, 2023 Commandant of the Marine Corps Trophy Awardee. Sgt. Gautreaux will be presented this award during the football half-time ceremony of ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ vs. Lamar<\/a> at John L. Guidry Stadium on Nov. 11.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Thibodaux JROTC will present the colors and ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ mass communication major and daughter of Sgt. Charles Dalgo, Carlie Dalgo, will sing the national anthem. Bayou Community Academy students will provide patriotic musical entertainment for the veterans.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>United States Marine Corps Sgt. Mitch Gautreaux is a 25-year-old sophomore at ÐÓ°É´«Ã½, pursuing a degree in business administration. After graduating high school in 2016, Sgt. Gautreaux joined the United States Marine Corps as an Intelligence Analyst and served with the Heavy Marine Helicopter Squadron 465 in San Diego, California, conducting assault support operations. He then moved to Okinawa, Japan, with the 3rd Intelligence Battalion. He returned to Houma, Louisiana, in the summer of 2021 to start his degree at ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ and intends to use it to rejoin the Marine Corps as an officer and pilot.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Sgt. Gautreaux joined the Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class over a year ago, and during the summer of 2023, he attended Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia. During his time at Quantico, Sgt. Gautreaux exceeded every standard the course offered both physically and mentally. His efforts during his training surpassed those of his peers. For those reasons, the United States Marine Corps awarded him the <\/span>2023 Commandant of the Marine Corps Trophy<\/span><\/a>. The Commandant\u2019s Trophy was established to recognize superior academic performance, physical ability and exceptional leadership skills.<\/span><\/p>\n ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ is committed to providing outstanding services to the men and women of the United States Armed Forces both while on active duty and after separation. Members of the military and veterans enhance the campus community and provide a wealth of insight both inside the classroom and through interaction with fellow students. ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ has earned the \u201cGovernor\u2019s Military and Veteran Friendly Campus\u201d designation and has consistently been named a \u201cMilitary Friendly School\u201d by G.I. Jobs magazine. For more information about ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ Veteran Services, contact <\/span>gilberto.burbante@nicholls.edu<\/span><\/a> at 985-448-4208 or visit <\/span>https:\/\/www.nicholls.edu\/veterans\/<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cThis ceremony is important because it highlights the camaraderie that veterans have with each other. You can see some of them in the crowd during the program and see how proud they are to see other veterans surrounding them. Opening it to the community solidifies that camaraderie,\u201d said Gilberto Burbante, coordinator of Veterans Services at ÐÓ°É´«Ã½.<\/span><\/p>\n