Staff, student veterans honored at UTC's Veterans Day Luncheon

Staff photo by Tim Barber/ Christopher Weiss, second from right, is draped in a Quilt of Valor by Linda Hinkle, left, a former Army combat medic, Haley Sebastian, behind, and Dan Tarafa at Monday's Veterans Luncheon in the Tennessee Room at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
Staff photo by Tim Barber/ Christopher Weiss, second from right, is draped in a Quilt of Valor by Linda Hinkle, left, a former Army combat medic, Haley Sebastian, behind, and Dan Tarafa at Monday's Veterans Luncheon in the Tennessee Room at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Chris Weiss, a maintenance supervisor at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, served four years as a young man with the U.S. Coast Guard.

He said it sounds cliche, but joining the military two years after graduating from high school really helped him grow up.

And often, when people find out he is a veteran, they think the loss of his right arm must have happened during his service. But he actually lost it to cancer in 2012.

On Monday, Weiss was invited to UTC's annual Veterans Day Luncheon, which honors students, university employees and even community members who are veterans. But he was somewhat surprised to see his family - parents, wife and daughters, Natalie and Emilie - there.

Little did he know that he was going to be among those recognized during the ceremony.

"I'm very proud to be a veteran, but it's not out there all the time," Weiss said. " ... I really went into it for the experience and it helped me learn what I was good at and what I could do."

UTC VETERANS WEEK EVENTS

- Wednesday from 9-11 a.m.: Military Appreciation Breakfast for UTC veterans in the University Center's Chickamauga Room - Friday from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Thank You for Your Service: Note-Writing Event in the University Center, Second Floor Lobby - Saturday starting at 11 a.m.: Military appreciation game and tailgate at First Tennessee Pavilion at Finley Stadium: UTC's Mocs face the Citadel with kickoff at 2 p.m. at Finley Stadium.

As part of the ceremony, he was presented with a "Quilt of Valor," quilts created by a national nonprofit of the same name that are given to veterans as a token of appreciation for their service.

"Quilts of Valor has one mission, and that is to put a quilt around every single veteran that has ever served in every branch of the United States military. No small mission," said Linda Hinkle, coordinator for veteran student services at UTC. "I've been told, 'They'll stop stitching when we stop serving.'"

Weiss, who served from 1994-1998, was also a member of the Coast Guard's Ceremonial Honor Guard, which participate in parades, funerals, visits to the White House and other events where the American flag and colors are presented.

"I was a combat medic in the U.S. Army," Hinkle said, noting her 20-year experience. "During my service, the worst thing that could happen was to lose one of our own. As a combat medic, you rail against that in every way. But at the end of the day, you knew there were going to be men like Chris waiting to give those who passed an honorable laying to rest. So I can't thank Chris enough for his service to the United States and for his work here at UTC."

During Monday's luncheon, retired Maj. Gen. William B. Raines, chairman of the Charles H. Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center set to open in Chattanooga next February, urged people to not only thank veterans and the families that support them, but to reflect on the significance of their sacrifice and how each person can uphold the same values.

photo Staff photo by Tim Barber/ Christopher Weiss, second from right, is draped in a Quilt of Valor by Linda Hinkle, left, a former Army combat medic, Haley Sebastian, behind, and Dan Tarafa at Monday's Veterans Luncheon in the Tennessee Room at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

"As we celebrate Veterans Day, think about its impact on you, your children, your way of life and think about how you can help perpetuate it and ensure that this experiment continues forever and we continue to be the greatest country in the world," Raines said.

Raines said he hopes that Chattanooga's Medal of Honor Heritage Center not only will commemorate the sacrifice soldiers have made over the years, but will educate children and others and teach them the values of courage, citizenship, commitment, sacrifice, integrity and patriotism. "It's up to us to pass that torch to the next generation."

Also Monday, Trevor Payton was named this year's recipient of the Sgt. David Alex Stephens Memorial Scholarship Fund, which is awarded annually to a student veteran who has been honorably discharged from the military and meets academic and service requirements.

David "Alex" Stephens graduated from UTC in 2002 and joined the U.S. Army in March 2005, where he served as a combat medic and was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team. On April 12, 2007, he and a fellow soldier were killed in a bombing in Afghanistan.

Payton was not present at the luncheon - he didn't want to miss class, Hinkle said.

Contact Meghan Mangrum at mmangrum@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6592. Follow her on Twitter @memangrum.

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