MCC honors POWs, MIAs during campus observance
The message was simple but powerful: You are not forgotten.
Students, faculty, staff, veterans, and community members gathered Friday at Meridian Community College’s Ivy-Scaggs Circle to honor prisoners of war and service members who remain missing in action.
The Sept. 18 observance marked National POW/MIA Recognition Day, a time to remember those who were held as prisoners of war, those who never returned home, and the families who continue to wait for answers.
MCC President Dr. Tom Huebner encouraged those attending to step away from the routines of daily life and take time to remember.
“We gather today with a shared sense of duty,” Dr. Huebner said. “In a world that moves fast between classes, assignments, shift work, and the daily rhythm of our lives, it’s important that we pause.”
More than 81,000 U.S. service members remain unaccounted for from conflicts dating back to World War II. “For the families of these missing service members, time does not heal in the usual way,” Dr. Huebner said. “There’s no final chapter. There’s no grave to visit. No certainty.”
He also spoke about Meridian’s strong connection to military service through Naval Air Station Meridian and the 186th Air Refueling Wing at Key Field.
“Military service is woven into the very fabric of the place we live,” Dr. Huebner said. “Because we are a community that sends our best into the world, we bear an equal responsibility to remember those who do not return.”
During the ceremony, the POW/MIA flag was raised over campus, followed by the playing of “Taps.”
Dr. Huebner said the flag represents an enduring promise.
“It is America’s commitment that no matter how much time passes, no matter how remote the jungle, the mountain or the ocean floor, we do not leave our people behind,” he said.
Shaquita Hopson Alfonso, MCC associate director of Military and Veterans Services, also spoke about the importance of remembrance.
Throughout the week, a Missing Man Table was displayed on campus as a visible reminder of those unable to return home.
“Every item on that table carries meaning, but together, they deliver one powerful message: You are not forgotten,” Alfonso said.
She encouraged the College community to continue sharing the stories of prisoners of war and those missing in action so future generations understand their service and sacrifice.
The MCC Choir, under the direction Lydia Brand, presented patriotic music during the observance, and Daniel Boles, instrumental specialist, and Chris King, director of bands, performed on cello and trumpet, respectively.
Alfonso closed the ceremony by again emphasizing the day’s central message.
“May we always remember our prisoners of war, those still missing, and the families who continue to wait,” she said. “You are not forgotten.”
For more information about MCC Military and Veterans Services, visit meridiancc.edu/military.