The SCF Symphonic Band and Veteran Services Presents "Welcome Home: In Gratitude to Our Veterans" Nov. 11, 7:30 p.m. Neel Performing Arts Center

Robyn Bell: As the SCF Symphonic Band gears up to present a Veterans Day concert called Welcome Home In Gratitude To Our Veterans on Thursday, November 11th, at 7:30 PM in the SCF Neel Performing Arts Center. I have asked SCF Veteran Services, adviser, Lisa Goss, and SCF student Navy, veteran and president of our student veterans of America club Dakota Trueba to join us, to talk about the many veterans services. SCF offers the importance of veterans day to them and the emotions that patriotic music stirs up in their souls. So Lisa and Dakota, welcome to the club.

Lisa Goss: Thank you for having us Robyn. 

Dakota Trueba: Thank you 

Robyn Bell: now, Lisa, you are no stranger to the podcast I had you on last year when the SCF symphonic band did its first veteran's day concert, but in case we have some new listeners, take a second and tell us about yourself, your relationship to the military and your role here at SCF.

Lisa Goss: Well, I come to state college of Florida veteran services from Wyoming. My husband was military us army for 28 years. During that time he served in national guard reserves active duty. So we kind of have been in the gamut of services. And have a lot of different experiences with that, 

Robyn Bell: but you've lived in a lot of different places to, 

Lisa Goss: you know, to be honest, I was fortunate and I stay put with the kids and he did most of the traveling. We had family that kept us local. And we would travel to see him, but I felt that it was important to have consistency with our children. So it kept us close to family. Those were good, but we did travel with the military for. Organizations and events. During the timeframe with, veteran services, I started my career in Wyoming working with financial aid and veteran services.

Robyn Bell: Was that like a community college,like SCF yeah.

Lisa Goss: It was a community college and, we had a veteran in the. That was trying to get a point across and was speaking a lot of military term and, and the director of financial aid at the time I came up and I, I kind of helped decipher what he was talking about with his tuition assistance. And of course, in the military everything's alphabet soup, 

Robyn Bell: you were a translator. 

Lisa Goss: Um, and my director was like, you speak military, but you like a full-time job. And so that's when I started working with, veterans in addition to doing federal financial aid. So that's been almost 20 years ago, have seen the transition. The GI bill from the original Montgomery GI bill to the post nine 11 to now it's known as the forever GI bill and, completely different eligibility packets for our service men and women. Today, 

Robyn Bell: you've seen that growth or change. Are they passing out as much money as they used to through these.

Lisa Goss: I think the money is still the same. I think the integrity of the GI bill is going to more of the traditional of what the GI bill was originally, developed for to help our service men and women achieve a degree and, continue on in the career force. So the changes are allowing them to reach that goal of achieving the degree and not running out of funds doing so 

Robyn Bell: I see more focused. they've really done that for, everybody, regardless of whether they're a veteran or not. I mean, you have to finish your degree in this amount of time now. 

Lisa Goss: Exactly, exactly. So that you can reach those educational goals and in your classes can lead to employment, which is the important factor in why everybody does it, you know? Lead to something important,

Robyn Bell: as I say, we got to get you out there so you can pay your taxes so that other people can go to school on the Pell grant and on the GI bill so that they can then pay their taxes. , it's a cycle. Now, what does a typical day for you look like at SCF in the veteran services?

Lisa Goss: This time of year is crazy busy. To be honest with you here at state college of Florida, our veteran services really is here to help. The service member veteran and their family members from start to end from applying to go to college. We help them through that application process, sending their transcripts over, getting them in the right classes, so that they can graduate in a timely manner, certifying their benefits with the VA or with the department of defense. If they're using a tuition assistance and. Ultimately graduate and transfer on. I was just speaking with Dakota about that transfer process. When you're close to that graduation, you're ready to graduate. How do you go into that next step? When do you do that next step? 

Robyn Bell: Right. It's very important.

Lisa Goss: I believe national stats show. 60% of your veterans are first-time generation to go to college. So a lot of our veterans coming into college don't know the process, so we're really there to help them be guided through the college process so that they can reach that academic and career success.

Robyn Bell: And how many veterans students do we serve here at SCF? 

Lisa Goss: This fall semester, we have over 325 veterans that we're working with. Bradenton Venice and Lakewood ranch campus. 

Robyn Bell: And when we opened the parish campus, it'll be even more and more. Wow. you see, we have more veteran students attending face-to-face classes versus online classes, 

Lisa Goss: Um, Due to the benefit requirements? Veterans will be more face-to-face because they're required to be face-to-face it changes their pay drastically. If they're all online. But at the same time, most of our veterans prefer to be face to face as well. You have some that will want to do some online, but there are certain classes they want to have. Face-to-face math is one of those primary ones. They want someone hands-on, face-to-face teaching them. 

Robyn Bell: I think here in the music program this semester, this is the first semester in a very long time that I can think of that. I don't think we have a veterans. In the music program? 

Lisa Goss: Not yet this semester, I think next semester we're gearing to bring another one back.

Robyn Bell: Okay, great. Cause we love having them Dakota, first of all, thank you for your service. 

Dakota Trueba: Thank you. 

Robyn Bell: We really value our veteran students at SCF and are happy that you're taking that next step in your career. Post-military give us a little bit about your background, where you grew up, why you decided to go into the Navy and what your job was in the military. And what does life look like for you now? 

Dakota Trueba: Sure. So, I grew up in Chicago, Illinois, it was always. I suppose a dream or a fantasy of mine to serve in the military. I never had a particular, idea of where I wanted to serve what branch. I just knew that it was something that I wanted to do. so I, as soon as I graduated high school, I enlisted in the military. So I graduated about a month later. I was in bootcamp and I decided to join the Navy, specifically as a master of. 

Robyn Bell: What does that mean for like, people like me that don't know? 

Dakota Trueba: Sure. So a master at arms is kind of, they have two sectors, primarily they have law enforcement as well as anti-terrorism. So I was more so on the anti-terrorism side, doing security for a military bases. 

Robyn Bell: Wow. 

Dakota Trueba: I was stationed in Kings Bay, Georgia where I performed, Harbor security, and I also had. Security just on foot, on land, doing like vehicle patrols, foot patrols.

Robyn Bell: Okay. You are keeping the base safe. 

Dakota Trueba: Yes. 

Robyn Bell: Very cool. A lot of training for that. 

Dakota Trueba: Yes. I performed my training in San Antonio, Texas. where, we received our, essentially our basic training, to become a master at arm. When I went to Kings Bay, Georgia was where I proceeded more specialized training. So there any, how to drive the boats? Drive the armored vehicles. That's where that happened.

Robyn Bell: Okay. I see where that river walks. Nice. And San Antonio though. That's a cool town. Okay. So you finish your basic training. You get a job, you said you worked in Georgia. And how long were you in the. 

Dakota Trueba: Four years, 

Robyn Bell: four years. And that was your intention I'll go in for four years or did you ever think I can do this for life?

Dakota Trueba: My original intention was to do four years. I was open to the idea of doing more, but I decided that I wanted to leave the military and change my career. 

Robyn Bell: Okay. So what then landed you in Bradenton? Sarasota area? 

Dakota Trueba: So my family and I, we had been vacationing here in the Bradenton area since I was a child. Most of their lives, they were vacationing here. And when they retired, they decided to move. So I kind of followed them here after the military 

Robyn Bell: smart. Yeah. Yeah. I'm like, I'm leaving the military and I'm moving to Bradenton. Nice. And then, so you said, well, I'm going to start a new career. Did anything you do in the Navy, lend you to what you now want to do in your career. 

Dakota Trueba: so currently I'm studying computer science. More specifically. I want to get into cyber security, cooling from physical security to. Over the network security 

Robyn Bell: and we offer that degree here at SCF. 

Dakota Trueba: Yeah. I do plan on transferring to USF for their computer science for.

Robyn Bell: Okay. So you're getting your AA here and you're using the military benefits. So tell us, how was that process of getting enrolled here and people like Lisa able to help you? Were you kind of like, well, this is much easier than I thought it was.

Dakota Trueba: Actually, yes, I was really surprised. First day I'd come to the, veteran's service office, my advisor, Andre had helped me out. Actually he had gotten me completely, like he sorted out the whole process and had me sign up for classes. The first day I was in there, 

Robyn Bell: I 

Dakota Trueba: was expecting it to be like a multiple day process and just kind of complicated, but I was really surprised. I came out of there. I had my classes, I was signed up and I was ready. 

Robyn Bell: Really nice. Very nice. And is this your third semester? 

Dakota Trueba: I believe this is my fourth. 

Robyn Bell: Fourth. Okay. So you would have started in the spring semester then? 

Dakota Trueba: Yes. 

Robyn Bell: Okay. And how did you become the president of the student veterans of America club?

Dakota Trueba: I volunteered. 

Lisa Goss: That's often the case with our service members, ladies and men, they have the calling to serve in the military and they continue to serve even after the military. And that's such a common theme with veterans. It's, wonderful. 

Robyn Bell: You know, my dad, the army veteran, he flew helicopters in Vietnam and I see that in him. . Through his military training, he's just a leader and he takes charge of things, yeah, I think I can do that. I'll, volunteer for that. So I see that as part of the military training to be in service for.

Lisa Goss: And we're lucky to have those individuals that are willing to step up for that leadership and those callings. And I know our student leaders here with student veterans of America, Dakota and our other officers this semester have just made an outstanding job coming up with new ideas for the club and getting students engaged.

Robyn Bell: Well, that kind of leads lead to my next question. What exactly is the student veterans of America? What does it do here on campus and how does it serve. 

Dakota Trueba: student veterans of America provides a lot of resources for veterans. We also provide what I feel like is a community, for veterans to kind of stay connected with other veterans on campus, which is really important because I think we, definitely work best when we're working together.

Robyn Bell: Okay. And would all the 325 veteran students be involved in this? 

Lisa Goss: All 325 could be involved with it. If we chose you, tend to find more of your, select ones getting involved with it. So, we have, four officers that are involved with SVA. And then on average, we have probably an additional 10 volunteers. We'll come in and help out with different functions on a regular basis that show up. So you're looking at about 14 to 16 people on a, weekly basis that come out to help what the events will then depending on those events, the numbers change. 

Robyn Bell: And what kind of events let's do you guys do? What's a typical event for the SVA?

Dakota Trueba: Well, we did have our 911 ceremony where we had a guest speaker and we performed the raising of the flag. But mostly it was there to just remember that those who had died on 9/11 

Robyn Bell: and we have some trumpet players that play at that event every year. And because of that, those same two trumpet players are playing on the 9th of November for the kiwainis club. If somebody was there and said, well, they come play at our luncheon. It's one of these gifts that keep on giving, because of our relationship with you, Lisa and performing the taps for this ceremony every year, our students are getting more and more experience out in the community doing these kinds of things. So thank you for that. 

Lisa Goss: You're welcome. And thank you for your support all the time. And, those are just some of the events we also host, on November. This year, we'll host our SCF salute to veterans, which recognizes all veterans, all branches, as well as our top academic veterans that are in the salute national honor society for veterans. So it looks at veterans with above a 3.0 GPA and they'll be inducted into the. National honor society. 

Robyn Bell: And that's on Wednesday, November the 10th, 

Lisa Goss: Wednesday, November the 10th at 11:00 AM in the library forum. 

Robyn Bell: Okay. Well, I was going to ask, you know, besides our symphonic bands veteran day concert, which is actually on veteran's day, November 11th, what else do you guys have going on for veteran's day? And so that's your big event?

Lisa Goss: That's our big event. , we also have paychecks for Patriots, which is a job fair on November 15. And that is going to be here on the Bradenton campus from three to 7:00 PM. 

Robyn Bell: That's a great thing 

Lisa Goss: in the 26 west building 

Robyn Bell: very neat. I love that program. I mean, we're business leaders can come and I want veterans to work for me. And this is a specific way you can hunt them out. 

Lisa Goss: That's exactly it. We also, this year, You know, with COVID still going on and we're trying to keep numbers down. We've got three locations for that paychecks for Patriots. One of which is the Bradenton campus. A second of which is on the Venice campus on November 20th. From 11 to three, and again, it's so that they have more times and locations that might be closer to them to go for paychecks for Patriots and find that perfect employer for that. You've got the degree now let's, land you with the perfect employer.

Robyn Bell: And Lisa, do you find that a lot of employers reach out to your office specifically looking for veterans to. 

Lisa Goss: They'll coordinate with us and CareerSource Suncoast specifically. 

Robyn Bell: It's a great organization to 

Lisa Goss: exactly. And with our, continued education programs with Michelle Groves in that direction, wonderful partnership that we all work together to make. Connecting with the right resources. 

Robyn Bell: Sure. And Dakota, do you intend on taking advantage of these opportunities? 

Dakota Trueba: Yes. Yes. I'll definitely check that out. 

Robyn Bell: Now. You, said this is your fourth semester. And so when I do the math, I think you started school here during the shutdown, the COVID semester shut down. Oh my goodness. What did that look like? 

Dakota Trueba: It was very empty. The campus, 

Robyn Bell: it affected all of our clubs. I mean, thinking about your student, veterans of America club is, was really hard to stay connected with people right now. Lisa, you alluded to earlier that the government likes them to take face-to-face classes. So how did that shift? When everything went online, the government was nice about that. 

Lisa Goss: The government actually had to go into session and vote to allow veterans to receive pay when everything went online. And that will actually come to an end this December of 2021, that, special exemption to allow that we'll end this December.

Robyn Bell: Right. But you did take all your classes shifted online that semester. And then did you take classes like over the summer and the next fall online? 

Dakota Trueba: Yes, I did have, they were still offering some on campus. They were just reduced. So I did probably half of my classes on campus and half online 

Robyn Bell: and Dakota outside of school. And assistance you get from the GI bill? Do you work? I have another job. 

Dakota Trueba: I do. Yes. I have a part-time job. 

Robyn Bell: Where do you work? 

Dakota Trueba: Uh, we're going a company called integrate systems and I do officemanagement. 

Robyn Bell: And is this kind of work helping you is learning anything there that's towards your degree, I guess is what I'm asking.

Dakota Trueba: Yes. So they're an it provider for small businesses around Sarasota. 

Robyn Bell: Nice. 

Dakota Trueba: I do get to interact with some computer systems. Yes. 

Robyn Bell: And you're kind of seeing what the back end of that business is gonna look like. And if I came to see you 10 years from now, Dakota, what's your perfect job going to look like?

Dakota Trueba: I would like to be an ethical. So essentially I'll be hired by companies to attempt to hack their systems. And then I identify to them what their vulnerabilities are, 

Robyn Bell: how neat. And you were just running passwords. Like I see on James Bond movies. Yes, we have the SCF. We went for a long time with passwords, and then we had the two factor authentication and then we had the Google authentication and now we have to identify all the motorcycles in the picture. It's like crazy that the steps just to keep bad people out. Well, thank goodness. There's going to be people like you, 

Dakota Trueba: but those little things, they help a lot. Actually 

Robyn Bell: they do. Yes. I feel much more secure cyber safe at SCF than I did say three years ago. For certain, did you see? Cause they say during the COVID shut down, we advanced maybe 10 years technology-wise, you know, and maybe in one year, did you see a lot of growth in what you're learning and because of the COVID shutdown and what we had to do technology.

Dakota Trueba: One thing that happened heavily during the COVID was a large amount of cybersecurity tacks were being launched on hospitals because of their increased population. So what they were searching for was lots of identifiable information. So social security numbers, those types of things. So cybersecurity did get a. Essentially a boost in demand.

Robyn Bell: Yes. Because there was a boost in the hackers. 

Dakota Trueba: Yes. 

Robyn Bell: Because everybody's sending it home. What can I do? Oh, I'm going to pack into the computer systems. Yes. It's awful. What makes people think they have a right to something that I. 

Lisa Goss: It's crazy on how that works, but I do know that the VA is even seeing the high demand for cybersecurity and this type of, training. So they're helping colleges get programs approved so that these individuals can get their certifications and be able to go out into the workforce in these careers, because there's such a high demand for it in the change and in demand. like we said, there's more ways of doing it. So they're trying to come up with alternative education means to keep up with what's going on. 

Robyn Bell: Yeah. SCF has done a really good job of shifting that and making sure people are prepared and can get degrees quickly and good jobs. So I'm wondering as fast as technology moves Dakota you know, in 10 years, you're going to be a private hacker. What'd you describe an ethical hacker? I like that, but we wonder in 10 years, What that job may look like and look very different than what we see it as now. Yeah. It's pretty amazing. You know, it's funny how the calendar works sometimes around early February, each year, the music program, the theater program and the Neel performing arts center staff, we sit down and we look at the upcoming year's calendar and we put our performances on the schedule and we'll usually try to keep the same schedule from year to year. Program tries our best to put all of our concerts on Thursdays. So last February at that meeting, when we came to the month of November, the Neel manager said, well, if you use the same week, next year, as you did this year, the symphonic band concert is going to end up on Thursday, November 11th and that's veteran's day. And the college is closed that day. I said, That's the most perfect alignment of a calendar I've ever seen. I said, let's put a veterans day concert that night. All veterans will get in free. Every member of the audience will get a flag to wave. And as an educational moment, our symphonic band members will experience the importance of playing meaningful music and learn the historical importance of the functions of bands in our military, and to our country. So Dakota having served in the Navy and gone through probably a gazillion ceremonies in your four years, what are your memories of having patriotic music performed for you? 

Dakota Trueba: I would say the first memory that comes to mind and that will probably come to mind for any veteran would be bootcamp.

Robyn Bell: Yeah. The graduation from bootcamp 

Dakota Trueba: more specifically bootcamp graduation. 

Robyn Bell: And they had a band they're performing for you. 

Dakota Trueba: They did a very large band. Yes. That was actually the band was, members who were graduating. Wow, the band was made up of recruits 

Robyn Bell: and, when they start playing, did it kind of even make you feel more proud of yourself in that moment?

Dakota Trueba: Absolutely. Yes. Yeah, probably. The most pride that I have felt in myself before when 

Robyn Bell: you had that soundtrack behind ya. Yes. Yeah. Look what I accomplished. Cause , music and military just goes hand in hand, used to, they wouldn't even enter a battle unless the trumpets and the drums were leading them in, you know, then I was a trumpet player. I'm glad they don't do that anymore. 

Lisa Goss: Well, do you know where that history came from Robyn with your, Fife and your drum and why those. That was the orders that were given in a battle. You couldn't hear what's going around you. So the music were the orders that were being given in the battlefield 

Robyn Bell: retreat. Yeah. Taps is time to go to bed. You know, it was all signaled by music. Yeah. 

Lisa Goss: I have to wake up 

Robyn Bell: so music very, very important to every aspect of the military. So, what does veteran's day mean to you, Dakota? I mean, sometimes we think about veterans as being, you know, people from world war II and nowadays, maybe Vietnam era is because those people are kind of in their early to mid seventies, but you're a young guy I'm sitting across the table. Here. You look like you're 25. 2323. Oh my gosh. So when I think of a veteran, I have a mental image in my head of kind of an older guy, but you are in that category as a veteran. 

Dakota Trueba: Yes. And that feels kind of weird. And I think many, veterans who may have served for four years or maybe they serve for more, but they never saw combat. They may not feel like veterans day is entirely all about them. I think most of them think primarily about those who really truly suffered. For me, yes, I did serve the military and I am a veteran. I'm very proud of that. I also understand that there are people who are not as fortunate as me and that had to go through some seriously miserable expanse. That, no one should ever have to go through. And I think that that's what veterans day really? Commemorates. Yes. 

Robyn Bell: Yeah, that's a great perspective. For you, Lisa, I mean, with your husband been in the military for so long, what does veterans day mean to you 

Lisa Goss: for us and our family? And just as long as I've been working with veterans, it's very interesting to me. Often people will confuse veterans day and Memorial day. And our veterans day is to say, thank you to all the men and women who have served, who are serving. And, step up willingly to serve our great nation. And it's our time to show our appreciation for all of them, because in the military, there's no small job. Every job plays an important role. Everybody depends on each other to make that mission happen. And so it's our time to say thank you for that aspect because you can't win the battle or complete the mission if everybody's not pulling their weight. And so it's our chance of saying thank you. And, Memorial day, it's hard to remember and you never want to forget those that aren't able to be here with us, but that's really what Memorial day is for is to remember those that aren't with us. And veteran's day is that day to say, thank you for everything you do regardless of your job. And regardless if you're in battle or not, because all jobs in the military are important,

Robyn Bell: but it is a great point. One of the things that I love about knowing my dad who went through as a, helicopter pilot, cause he thought he wanted to be an airline pilot and he was going to get his training in the military. And I see that in you Dakota, you were insecurity in the Navy. You're taking that a step further. Now my dad he was never an airline pilot. He went on to sell insurance, but I see that here you have this great background and he was foundation. And what secure. How important it is, no matter if it's an in-person security, like show me your papers or the cyber security, which is becoming just so important to all of us every day.

So I think that's a great, segue for you. And I'm glad SCF can give you that foundation to take to the next level of your education. Now being in the Navy, I'm wanted to let you know, we're doing a very special piece called Elegy for the USS Arizona. And it was written to celebrate the Navy band members who were on the ship when it sank and are now entombed at Pearl Harbor. And in this piece, the band performs strains of the Navy hymn, eternal father, strong to save. And you hear it in there. It's just really moving and Dakota. I think you're going to. Enjoy that piece. If you get a chance to come to the concert, because every branch of the military kind of has their song and there's anchors away. That's kind of the fight song, but the eternal father strong to save the Navy, hymn, that's such a powerful tune. They make you kind of learn the words and all that. Or they play the music for you. 

Dakota Trueba: Yeah. Yes. Yeah. Yes we do. We learned that in bootcamp. 

Robyn Bell: I sing it for me. No. 

Dakota Trueba: Okay. It's been a little bit too long.

Robyn Bell: I'm just kidding. I would never do that to you. We're also doing Lisa some traditional patriotic marches, such as national emblem, which is of course the Eagle, the chimes of Liberty, the U S field artillery, March, which is the official March of the army and the stars and stripes forever. You can't have a patriotic concert without. But we're also playing this newer, more modern March that was written for the global war on terrorism and for the battles in the middle east called valor of the M NCI, which is the multinational core Iraq. And I have to say it's very difficult to find music written for this last war effort that we've had. But this March is very inspirational and even has a quote from John Phillips who's as March called hail to the spirit of Liberty, which is what that war effort was all about. That global war. On terrorism. So I think the audience is going to really like that March and that it's like a, like a new March, you know, it's not this old traditional style March, but something written for this generation of combat veterans that they don't really have the music that the world war two had, or even the Vietnam veterans had. So we're kind of missing music wise and military wise we're missing. The soundtrack for the global war on terrorism, you know? 

Dakota Trueba: Yes. 

Robyn Bell: I would say excited to find this piece and we have a very special guest, Lisa, I don't know if you know this, but we have a very special guest on this concert as well. It's SCF athletic director, Matt Ennis. Who, if you don't know has an incredible speaking voice, have you ever heard Matt and his talk? Yeah, he, like his radio quality. His speaking voice is amazing. And I came across this piece of music called each time you tell their story and in the middle of it, is this. Solo snare drum, military pattern. And there's this poem that is written about the sacrifice that the military men and women give. And Matt is going to read that poem in the middle of this song. 

Lisa Goss: That will be amazing. 

Robyn Bell: Yeah, you know, it's our day off veteran's day. We don't have school. And I said, man, I know it's your day off, but can you, he was all on it. He goes, yep. Send it to me. I would love to do it. So we have a rehearsal next week with him. I'm very excited. And this whole piece kind of takes the listener from the horrible human sacrifice of war to the love. A soldier must feel towards his fellow man, to be able to make such a sacrifice. It's a really powerful piece and the poem it's going to stop you in your tracks. And towards the end of the concert, this is really cool. We're playing a piece called a celebration of taps and this piece was written for the hundred and 50th anniversary of taps. And it was meant to evoke this ceremony that was done at Arlington national cemetery, where they brought 150 buglers. They spread them out all over the cemetery and they said, okay, when the clock strikes noon, you got. Just play taps in any key you want at any temple you want. And this composer was there when this happened. And he said it was like just being surrounded by these different strains of taps. And he was so inspired that he wrote this piece of music that try to make that same sound. And so we have eight trumpets in the symphonic band and we are spreading them out all over the Neel performing arts center. it will sort of create that same sound of having taps all around you at different times.

Lisa Goss: And while even with taps, when you hear that music, it just surrounds you in, in humbles you in your tracks as it is. So I can just imagine what that's going to feel like having. Surround sound with it. It's going to be amazing. 

Robyn Bell: Well, when I told the trumpet players what they are doing, they were like, whoa, because just imagining playing it that way, because the way the Neel is set up, it's just two rows on the outside. There's nothing in the middle. So literally you're going to surround everybody that's there. We are also doing some fun pieces, such as a brand new fanfare called an American fanfare that has snippets of the song, my country, TIS of thee in it. It's a great arrangement of the tune. And then this other great piece called this is my country. I don't know if you know that one. This is ma country. Oh, it's kind of a, Western themed patriotic song. It's really good. The band is enjoying learning it and then. Steven Spielberg produced a movie called 1941. That was about what was going on in Los Angeles after Pearl Harbor, because there was all these threats, you know, and it was kind of a comedy, a little bit of a spoof, but John Williams, the famous composer for star wars wrote a March called 1941 for this movie. And we're playing it. That's our favorite piece. It is so much fun. You'll love it. It's a very untraditional March, but it's really, really cool. And then we have five members of the SCF choir joining us to lead the audience in a sing along, and we're going to be playing and they're going to be singing the battle hymn of the Republic, America, the beautiful you're a grand old flag and ending with God. Bless the USA is so the audience, the singers in the band will all be singing and performing at the same time. 

Lisa Goss: What an amazing show. 

Robyn Bell: sing loud and proud. 

Lisa Goss: There's some of us that shouldn't sing 

Robyn Bell: well, it shouldn't be a rousing and stirring concert of upbeat patriotic music and emotion filled, reflective pieces that remind us the reality of military life, war, and sacrifice. I do hope all of you can join us on veterans. Thursday, November 11th at 7:30 PM in the SCF Neel performing arts center. As the symphonic band presents the concert. Welcome home in gratitude to our veterans. Tickets can be purchased by going to scf.edu/neil. N E E L they are only $15 a piece and all veterans get free tickets by using the coupon code veteran. You can also purchase tickets at the door 45 minutes before the show and veterans can get their free tickets at the door as well. Lisa and Dakota, I want to thank you for joining me today. And for all you both do for SCF veteran students, it is such an important part of the college. And we are thankful for you, Lisa, as an advisor to these fine men and women, and to you Dakota, for being the leader of our veteran students. Club. It will be fun to watch where your career goes after SCF. And I look forward to seeing you both at the concert. 

Lisa Goss: We are excited for it. Thank you Robyn, for all your support. 

Dakota Trueba: Thank you for having us.