College of the Ozarks hosts annual Vietnam War Veterans Day Observance, Monday March 30, at Patriots Park. Many guests attended, including Veterans, College of the Ozarks staff and faculty, students, and members of the community.

College of the Ozarks hosted the annual Vietnam War Veterans Day Observance, Monday March 30, at Patriots Park.

James Schreffler, vice president for patriotic programs, gave the opening address, honoring the Vietnam Veterans for their service and welcoming them home.

“As we celebrate the 250^th anniversary of our country’s independence this year, let us not forget the tremendous sacrifice it took then, and still takes today, to obtain and preserve that freedom,” Schreffler said. “Veterans, rest assured that C of O will never forget you or your sacrifice and will continue to honor your service to our country. Welcome home and thank you for your service.”

James “Dan” Bunch, a Vietnam Veteran and 2025 participant in the Patriotic Education Travel Program trip to Vietnam.

James “Dan” Bunch, a Vietnam Veteran and 2025 participant in the Patriotic Education Travel Program trip to Vietnam, gave the remarks at the Vietnam Veteran ceremony and reflected on his journey back to Vietnam with the College this past December.

“The Veterans who traveled together formed a brotherhood, one built not only on shared memories from long ago, but on the experiences of returning together,” Bunch said.

Bunch with his “student family” from the Patriotic Education Travel Program Trip to Vietnam in Dec. 2025. (Pictured left to right: senior Allen Marx, senior Bella Mohler, James “Dan” Bunch, senior Erin Tierney, and senior Maddox Nosari.)

“A lot of us stepped off those planes quietly, carrying memories that we didn’t talk about," Bunch said. "We were expected to simply pick up life where we left off. When I returned to Vietnam with the students and fellow Veterans, I found myself gathering a second story. Not one that erased the first, but one that added to it. A story of seeing the country differently with these eyes. A story of peace instead of conflict. A story of young Americans honoring the past with humility and respect. A story of connection, understanding, and gratitude. Both stories matter. Both are true, and both are a part of who I am.”

For additional information, contact Public Relations Director Valorie Coleman at (417) 690-2212.