Skip to main content

Appalachian Today

News and events at Appalachian State University
  • Subscribe
  • For the media
  • Contact
  • Events
  • Webcams
  • Podcasts
  • In the News
  • Research & Arts
  • Awards
  • Experts
  • All News
  • Topics
  • Accolades
  • Alumni
  • Arts and Humanities
  • Athletics
  • Awards and Honors
  • Community Engagement
  • Diversity
  • Events
  • Faculty and Staff
  • Gifts and Grants
  • Global
  • Health and Wellness
  • Publications
  • Research and Creative Works
  • Safety
  • Scholarships
  • Students
  • Sustainability
☰ Menu
  • Events
  • Webcams
  • Podcasts
  • In the News
  • Research & Arts
  • Awards
  • Experts
  • All News
  • Topics
  • Subscribe
  • For the media
  • Contact

App State Community honors military Mountaineers, hears military family perspective

View larger image

More than 100 people gathered at Appalachian State University’s Veterans Memorial for the university’s 2021 Veterans Day Ceremony. The event featured remarks by App State Chancellor Sheri Everts and keynote speaker Barbara Ashley, a military spouse and former App State student. Photo by Chase Reynolds

“By recognizing this important occasion, we are expressing gratitude to all veterans, and especially to our campus heroes.”

App State Chancellor Sheri Everts

By Megan Bruffy
Posted Nov. 17, 2021 at 10:55 a.m.

BOONE, N.C. — Standing beside the Veterans Memorial on Appalachian State University’s campus, former student Barbara Ashley recounted one of her earliest memories — standing in her front yard at Fort Bragg as she watched soldiers, including her father, jump out of airplanes.

Barbara shared her recollections and insights about the experiences of military spouses and families at the university’s 2021 Veterans Day Ceremony, where more than 100 people gathered to honor and commend those who have served in the armed forces.

“By recognizing this important occasion, we are expressing gratitude to all veterans, and especially to our campus heroes.”

App State Chancellor Sheri Everts

The ceremony included remarks from Chancellor Sheri Everts and Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs J.J. Brown.

“By recognizing this important occasion, we are expressing gratitude to all veterans, and especially to our campus heroes,” Everts said, noting that App State employs 76 staff and faculty veterans and enrolls 384 student veterans and nearly 750 military spouses and dependents.

Veterans Day Ceremony 2021

App State observed Veterans Day 2021 with remarks by Chancellor Sheri Everts, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs J.J. Brown and special guest Barbara Ashley, an entrepreneur and military spouse who is married to App State alumnus Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Robert “Bob” Ashley '84.

Transcript

[“The Star-Spangled Banner” plays throughout video]

App State Chancellor Sheri Everts: For more than 100 years, this day has been set aside to honor and commend those who have served our country in the armed services.

SE: Today, we have the privilege of hearing about the experiences of military families from Barbara Ashley, an entrepreneur and 35-year active-duty military spouse.

Barbara Ashley: I stand before you today as a daughter, a wife, a niece, a cousin, a daughter-in-law and sister-in-law of veterans.

BA: I was an active-duty spouse for 35 years. In that time, I learned a lot about our veterans.

BA: We have military members stationed on every continent, sailing on every ocean and working 24 hours a day to make us proud.

BA: When you do this, you miss out on the fun stuff. You miss birthdays, anniversaries, births of children, family trips, soccer, baseball games with your kids ... this is what our veterans do.

BA: This is why we celebrate veterans: to recognize and say "thank you" for the sacrifices they are willing to make.

BA: I think being a military family member ... it's important to support your soldier no matter, you know, the difficult circumstances you're in. And I always tried with our children ... because they serve and they're not asked to serve; it just happens. I always tried to stay positive, because I knew in my heart if I stay positive, the kids stay positive.

Robert Ashley: Having the support of your family is everything, and you ask them to give so much. And I often get asked the question, you know, because my boys now are 32 and 33, "Did your kids serve?" and I go, "Yeah, they did serve."

RA: They didn't raise their hand, they didn't necessarily put the uniform on, but with all the moves, all the stress, all the deployments ... and the same thing for Barbara. I mean, they don't raise their hand. The don't take an oath, but in a way they have done that. And they served the nation just as much as a service member.

Barbara, an entrepreneur, spent 35 years as an active-duty military wife to Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Robert “Bob” Ashley — recipient of App State’s Distinguished Alumni Award and former director of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency.

During the ceremony, cadets in App State’s Army ROTC presented the colors, and Brent Bingham, arts production specialist and lecturer in App State’s Hayes School of Music, performed the national anthem.

Tradition of military support

Brown said the university has been nationally recognized for its work to support veterans.

On Veterans Day in 2016, the university opened the Major General Edward M. Reeder Jr. Student Veteran Resource Center. This center gives military students access to mentoring, tutoring and support designed for their distinct needs, according to Brown.

View larger image

Appalachian State University Chancellor Sheri Everts, far right, thanks all veterans and active-duty military members for their service during App State’s 2021 Veterans Day Ceremony. Photo by Chase Reynolds

View larger image

During Appalachian State University’s 2021 Veterans Day Ceremony, Barbara Ashley, far right, speaks about the experiences of military families and spouses. Ashley is an entrepreneur, former App State student and wife of Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Robert Ashley. Photo by Chase Reynolds

View larger image

Barbara Ashley, left, and her husband, Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Robert Ashley, are pictured near Appalachian State University’s Veterans Memorial. At the university’s 2021 Veterans Day Ceremony, Barbara shared insights into the experiences of military families and spouses. Photo by Chase Reynolds

App State has been designated a Military Friendly® School since 2010, he added, and this year, U.S. News & World Report ranked App State second for Southern universities in the Best Colleges for Veterans category.

Perspectives from a military spouse

“Our veterans are a representation of all the goodness in this country. They are selfless heroes who put the needs of our nation before themselves and their families.”

Barbara Ashley, a former App State student and the keynote speaker for App State’s 2021 Veterans Day Ceremony

Barbara thanked the audience for taking time to “pause and remember the significance of this day” and offered insights into her life as a daughter, wife, niece, cousin, daughter-in-law and sister-in-law of veterans.

“Our veterans are a representation of all the goodness in this country. They are selfless heroes who put the needs of our nation before themselves and their families.”

Barbara Ashley, a former App State student and the keynote speaker for App State’s 2021 Veterans Day Ceremony

“My first hero, like many girls, was my dad,” she said, explaining that her father was a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division at North Carolina’s Fort Bragg.

She said her second hero is her husband, who, like many service members, spent his military career working “16-hour days, seven days a week, and sometimes longer.” Due to these extended hours, Barbara said veterans “often miss things that many of us take for granted” such as “birthdays, anniversaries, births of children ... and App State football.”

“Our veterans are a representation of all the goodness in this country,” Barbara said. “They are selfless heroes who put the needs of our nation before themselves and their families.”

View larger image

Appalachian State University Army ROTC Cadet Battalion Commander Samuel Bourne, far left, stands at attention alongside fellow ROTC cadets during the presentation of the colors at App State’s 2021 Veterans Day Ceremony. Bourne is a senior criminal justice major from Wilmington. Photo by Chase Reynolds

View larger image

Brent Bingham, arts production specialist and lecturer in the Hayes School of Music, left, performs the national anthem during Appalachian State University’s 2021 Veterans Day Ceremony. Photo by Chase Reynolds

She shared stories of military families she has met over the last three decades, including “dual military” families, in which both partners are actively serving. At the end of one of Bob’s deployments, she witnessed one of her most prominent reminders that veterans and their families serve together: Barbara went to welcome home the soldiers and saw a banner at headquarters that read, “Welcome home, mommy and daddy! Love, Julianna.”

She challenged each person in attendance to consider the sacrifices of veterans and to find ways to show appreciation for their service.

View larger image

Appalachian State University’s Austin Reed, a senior criminal justice major from Jefferson, carries the flag for the presentation of the colors at the university’s 2021 Veterans Day Ceremony. Reed is part of the App State Army ROTC’s Pershing Rifles, the university’s drill and ceremony organization. Photo by Chase Reynolds

About Barbara Ashley

Barbara, a native of Raleigh, attended App State from 1979–82. There, she met Bob, whom she married in 1985. She spent the next three decades as an active-duty military spouse, completing more than 17 relocations throughout Bob’s military career.

She graduated from the ATI Career Training Center in 1990 with an associate degree for travel agents. Since 2011, she has owned Where in the World Vacations, a home-based travel agency. Barbara and Bob have two children, Sean and Justin, and two grandchildren, Arthur and Keaton.

What do you think?

Share your feedback on this story.

Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley receives Appalachian Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumni Award
Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley receives Appalachian Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumni Award
Oct. 11, 2018

The director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) was recognized during Appalachian’s Homecoming Week 2018 for his work, service and philanthropy.

Read the story
Student Veteran Services
Student Veteran Services

Student Veteran Services at Appalachian State University is dedicated to helping the university’s military-affiliated students thrive on campus and in the Boone community. The unit does so by connecting student veterans and military-affiliated students with services and resources that are commensurate with their needs, capabilities and contributions. These resources and services include the Major General Edward M. Reeder Jr. Student Veteran Resource Center, priority registration, scholarship opportunities, a Student Veteran Association and others.

Learn more
App State earns 2nd consecutive Top 10 Military Friendly School designation
App State earns 2nd consecutive Top 10 Military Friendly School designation
March 30, 2021

App State has earned the No. 6 spot among large public schools receiving the Top 10 Military Friendly® Schools honor for 2021–22. This designation, awarded by VIQTORY, recognizes U.S. higher education institutions for their support of and resources for student veterans and active-duty military members. App State has been named among the nation’s Military Friendly Schools for more than a decade.

Read the story
App State ranks among ‘Best’ schools in US, Southeast for 2021 and 2022
App State ranks among ‘Best’ schools in US, Southeast for 2021 and 2022
Sep. 17, 2021

App State ranks among the nation’s “Best” and “Top” colleges for 2021 and 2022, according to U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review and Forbes magazine. The national publications recently recognized App State for its academics, innovation, benefits for student veterans, programs to enhance the first-year experience and other aspects.

Read the story
Appalachian State University marks Veterans Day with grand opening of Student Veteran Resource Center
Appalachian State University marks Veterans Day with grand opening of Student Veteran Resource Center
Nov. 11, 2016

Appalachian State University, bolstering efforts to help veterans succeed in its classrooms and beyond, marked Veterans Day with the grand opening of the Major General Edward M. Reeder Jr. Student Veteran Resource Center.

Read the story

A Military Friendly® School since 2010

Since 2010, VIQTORY (formerly known as Victory Media), the premier media entity for military personnel transitioning into civilian life, has awarded Appalachian the designation of Military Friendly® School. The designation places Appalachian in the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools in the country that are doing the most to embrace military students, and to dedicate resources to ensure their success in the classroom and after graduation. In addition to a number of existing services, the university opened the Major General Edward M. Reeder Jr. Student Veteran Resource Center in November 2016.

About the Department of Military Science and Leadership

One of seven departments housed in the College of Fine and Applied Arts, Appalachian’s Department of Military Science and Leadership is home to the Mountaineer Battalion. Established in 1969, the program provides students with training to develop self-discipline, physical stamina and poise, as well as the organizational and motivational skills that contribute to success in any career. Students who complete the ROTC program earn credits for a minor in military science and leadership and are commissioned as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army, Army Reserves or Army National Guard upon graduation. Learn more at https://rotc.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.

“By recognizing this important occasion, we are expressing gratitude to all veterans, and especially to our campus heroes.”

App State Chancellor Sheri Everts

Student Veteran Services
Student Veteran Services

Student Veteran Services at Appalachian State University is dedicated to helping the university’s military-affiliated students thrive on campus and in the Boone community. The unit does so by connecting student veterans and military-affiliated students with services and resources that are commensurate with their needs, capabilities and contributions. These resources and services include the Major General Edward M. Reeder Jr. Student Veteran Resource Center, priority registration, scholarship opportunities, a Student Veteran Association and others.

Learn more

“Our veterans are a representation of all the goodness in this country. They are selfless heroes who put the needs of our nation before themselves and their families.”

Barbara Ashley, a former App State student and the keynote speaker for App State’s 2021 Veterans Day Ceremony

Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley receives Appalachian Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumni Award
Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley receives Appalachian Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumni Award
Oct. 11, 2018

The director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) was recognized during Appalachian’s Homecoming Week 2018 for his work, service and philanthropy.

Read the story
App State earns 2nd consecutive Top 10 Military Friendly School designation
App State earns 2nd consecutive Top 10 Military Friendly School designation
March 30, 2021

App State has earned the No. 6 spot among large public schools receiving the Top 10 Military Friendly® Schools honor for 2021–22. This designation, awarded by VIQTORY, recognizes U.S. higher education institutions for their support of and resources for student veterans and active-duty military members. App State has been named among the nation’s Military Friendly Schools for more than a decade.

Read the story
App State ranks among ‘Best’ schools in US, Southeast for 2021 and 2022
App State ranks among ‘Best’ schools in US, Southeast for 2021 and 2022
Sep. 17, 2021

App State ranks among the nation’s “Best” and “Top” colleges for 2021 and 2022, according to U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review and Forbes magazine. The national publications recently recognized App State for its academics, innovation, benefits for student veterans, programs to enhance the first-year experience and other aspects.

Read the story
Appalachian State University marks Veterans Day with grand opening of Student Veteran Resource Center
Appalachian State University marks Veterans Day with grand opening of Student Veteran Resource Center
Nov. 11, 2016

Appalachian State University, bolstering efforts to help veterans succeed in its classrooms and beyond, marked Veterans Day with the grand opening of the Major General Edward M. Reeder Jr. Student Veteran Resource Center.

Read the story

Share

Topics

  • Community Engagement
  • Diversity
  • Events
  • Faculty and Staff
  • Students

What do you think?

Share your feedback on this story.

Archives

Appalachian Today is an online publication of Appalachian State University. This website consolidates university news, feature stories, events, photo galleries, videos and podcasts.

If you cannot find what you're looking for here, please refer to the following sources:

  • Podcasts may be found at Appalachian State University Podcasts
  • Stories and press releases published prior to Jan. 1, 2015 may be found in University Communications Records at the Special Collections Research Center.
  • A university-wide Google Calendar may be found at Events at Appalachian

Share

Topics

  • Community Engagement
  • Diversity
  • Events
  • Faculty and Staff
  • Students

Other Recent Posts

  • Student research and creative projects spotlighted at App State’s annual showcase
    Student research and creative projects spotlighted at App State’s annual showcase
  • Will Sears appointed vice chancellor of university advancement at App State
    Will Sears appointed vice chancellor of university advancement at App State
  • N.C. Governor Josh Stein to address graduates at App State commencement
    N.C. Governor Josh Stein to address graduates at App State commencement
  • App State honors 29 students, faculty and staff with 2025 Awards of Distinction
    App State honors 29 students, faculty and staff with 2025 Awards of Distinction
  • App State to offer AI concentration in master’s programs [faculty featured]
    App State to offer AI concentration in master’s programs [faculty featured]
    WFDD
  • Campus emergency siren test to be conducted May 7
    Campus emergency siren test to be conducted May 7
  • App State students help restore national wildlife refuge as part of Alternative Service Experience
    App State students help restore national wildlife refuge as part of Alternative Service Experience
  • Dr. Neva J. Specht appointed App State executive vice chancellor and provost
    Dr. Neva J. Specht appointed App State executive vice chancellor and provost
  • $2 million grant funds scholarships, supports STEM education for over 50 App State students
    $2 million grant funds scholarships, supports STEM education for over 50 App State students
  • App State named Military Friendly School for 16th consecutive year, ranked a top 10 institution for 2025–26
    App State named Military Friendly School for 16th consecutive year, ranked a top 10 institution for 2025–26
  • Explore the future of business with new AI master’s degree tracks at App State
    Explore the future of business with new AI master’s degree tracks at App State
  • 12th annual iBackAPP Day of Giving draws over 3,100 App State supporters worldwide
    12th annual iBackAPP Day of Giving draws over 3,100 App State supporters worldwide

Archives

Appalachian Today is an online publication of Appalachian State University. This website consolidates university news, feature stories, events, photo galleries, videos and podcasts.

If you cannot find what you're looking for here, please refer to the following sources:

  • Podcasts may be found at Appalachian State University Podcasts
  • Stories and press releases published prior to Jan. 1, 2015 may be found in University Communications Records at the Special Collections Research Center.
  • A university-wide Google Calendar may be found at Events at Appalachian
  • Events
  • Videos
  • Galleries
  • In the News
  • Research & Arts
  • Awards
  • Experts
  • All News
  • Topics
  • Subscribe
  • For the media
  • COVID updates
  • Contact

App State

Copyright 2025 Appalachian State University. All rights reserved.

University Communications
ASU Box 32153
Boone, NC 28608
828-262-6156
[email protected]

Abouts

Disclaimer | EO Policy | Accessibility | Website manager: montaldipa (beltmr) .. | Website Feedback

Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram LinkedIn Snapchat