Gov. Roy Cooper proclaimed Thursday as to honor Black people who serve in the military. It was read aloud during the North Carolina Department of Military and Veteran Affairs鈥� 3rd annual ROTC RoundTable event at in Raleigh.
A panel of former and active Black military personnel shared their experiences about navigating the military as officers. Col. Wendy Rivers, the Division Chief of the Department of Army Inspector General, told the cadets that it's important to have a mentor while serving in the military.
鈥淵ou must have somebody who's going to tell you even when it gets tough, [to] keep going," Rivers said. 鈥淏ecause it doesn't matter where you come from and it doesn't matter the color of your skin.鈥�
Other leaders talked about the historic perseverance from African Americans, like and . Retired Lt. Gen. Walter Gaskin, the state鈥檚 secretary of Military and Veteran Affairs, said there are many notable Black troops in every branch that paved the way for Black people to be in leadership positions.
鈥淏ecause of the Montford Point Marines, I am able to be a Marine,鈥� Gaskin said.
The to enter the U.S. Marine Corps arrived at Camp Montford Point in North Carolina in the late 1940s.
Several universities, colleges and high schools with ROTC programs attended, including , , and . Nearly 200 North Carolina ROTC and JROTC members from those institutions showed up at Thursday鈥檚 event.
