BOONE, N.C. — For Appalachian State University staff member Chuck Ford, 12 years of military service came full circle when Appalachian Chancellor Sheri Everts selected him to place an honorary wreath at Appalachian’s Veterans Memorial to commemorate Memorial Day — a day recognizing those who have died in service to their country.

“I was very honored when the Chancellor contacted me,” Ford said. “Most people who serve — and their families — have a special and personal understanding of what these occasions truly mean and represent.”

Long before Ford joined Appalachian in his current role as director of App Catering and assistant director of Campus Dining, he served two active-duty years in the U.S. Navy as a flight deck director on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, homeported in Norfolk, Virginia, and 10 years in the U.S. Navy Reserve.

He joined the U.S. Navy right out of high school, hoping to find a career path, and said the military gave him the direction he needed.

“The proudest part of my job in the military was waking up every day knowing that I was serving my country,” Ford said. “A willingness to serve has always been a core value for me and has helped me be successful in so many aspects of my life.”

A Blowing Rock native, Ford took his first job at the age of 14 as a dishwasher in a local restaurant. From there, he said, aside from his time on active duty in the Navy, he worked his way through the ranks of the food and beverage industry in various states.

“I grew up as an App State fan, so when an opportunity presented itself for my current role, I happily jumped on it!” Ford said.

In his work at Appalachian, Ford coordinates with clients across campus — from executive leadership and university administration, to academic departments, the Department of Athletics, Appalachian’s Alumni Association and student groups. He said his time in the military significantly influences his daily work.

His lifetime of service to his country and his clients has also inspired the next generation of his family: Two of his sons are currently in the armed forces. Ford admits that while he had a great experience in the military, he never thought his stories would influence his sons to volunteer.

Ford’s middle son, Chase Ford, serves in the U.S. Coast Guard and is stationed on the USCG Tahoma in Kittery, Maine, and his youngest son, Cameron Ford, serves in the U.S. Army and is stationed in Poland with the 3rd Infantry Division out of Fort Stewart, Georgia.

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‘Saint Francis’s Satyr Butterfly’

By Joseph Bathanti

“All creatures have the same source as we have.” — Saint Francis of Assisi

A reclusive small brown butterfly,
white and yellow stigmatic suns

deployed along its wing ridges,
Saint Francis’s Satyr — christened

after the 12th century Italian soldier
and POW turned mystic —

secretes itself, miraculously,
in 10 by 10 kilometers

of the 251 square mile brash
of Fort Bragg — exact coordinates classified —

beyond which — we know this much —
it has gone undetected. Shy, endangered,

preferring anonymity, it hides
in high artillery impact domains —

life often chooses death —
the fires triggered by bombardment.

It wears Marsh camouflage,
resembles in its favored habitat —

blasted sedge and beaver ruins —
a tiny standard issue

Advanced Combat Helmet.
Parsed from the chrysalis,

rent too soon from its dream of living,
the satyr blazes in desperate glory

but three or four days,
in its imaginal stage,

then tenders its life in writ sacrifice.
Its gorgeous numbers dwindle.

The caterpillar has never been seen.
We accept, on faith, metamorphosis.

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This poem originally appeared in War, Literature & the Arts: An International Journal of the Humanities, published by the Department of English and Fine Arts at the United States Air Force Academy.

A species of butterfly found only at the Fort Bragg military installation in Fayetteville inspired former Poet Laureate of North Carolina (2012–14) Joseph Bathanti to craft the poem “Saint Francis’s Satyr Butterfly,” featured in full above.

Bathanti, who is a professor of creative writing and the McFarlane Family Distinguished Professor in Interdisciplinary Education at Appalachian, is also a dedicated advocate for veterans — facilitating numerous workshops and writing projects for military veterans and their families managing the aftereffects of combat and trauma related to military service.

He has authored 17 books, served as the 2016 Charles George VA Medical Center Writer-in-Residence in Asheville and received the 2016 North Carolina Award for Literature.

He allows the reprinting of his poem at Memorial Day.

App State earns Top 10 Military Friendly® School designation for 2020–21

Feb. 27, 2020

Appalachian has sustained VIQTORY’s Military Friendly® School designation since 2010 and was recently recognized as a Top 10 Military Friendly® School for 2020–21.

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About Campus Dining

Campus Dining is owned and operated by Appalachian State University and offers dining services tailored to the campus community’s specific needs. With three dining facilities and daily catering events, Campus Dining provides opportunities for nourishment and also building and fostering relationships over shared meals and experiences. Campus Dining is committed to serving the Appalachian Community using sustainable practices such as local sourcing and contributing to campus composting and a constantly evolving partnership with the Office of Sustainability. Learn more at https://dining.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.