(November 20, 2009 Stillwater, OK) The Oklahoma State University Center for Veterinary Health Sciences dedicated its newly constructed Military Veterinarian Honor Court yesterday in Stillwater. On hand for the ceremony were Dr. Michael Lorenz, professor and dean of the veterinary center, the OSU Army ROTC Cowboy Battalion, LTC Will Beck, Commander of the Army OSU ROTC detachment; MG James Sholar, Deputy Commanding General of the U.S. Army Reserve; Gerald McClain, Commander of the Hanner-Sharp American Legion Post 129 in Stillwater and veterinary center alumni, faculty, and staff.

Major General Sholar noted that since the veterinary college opened its doors in 1948, OSU has graduated 400 service members of the armed forces with 30 Cowboy veterinarians currently serving.

The Military Veterinarian Honor Court was constructed to recognize the many OSU veterinarians who serve in the military at one point in their veterinary medicine career. Here people can purchase an inscribed brick in memory or in honor of an OSU veterinarian who has served or is serving in the military.

“We are extremely proud and grateful to the OSU veterinarians who serve our country,” said Lorenz. “Military veterinarians are responsible for ensuring public health, safe food, biomedical research, caring for military working dogs, and developing animal health programs for foreign countries.

Approximately 50 people attended the dedication ceremony in recognition of OSU Cowboy veterinarians including LTC Daniel Holland, Class of 1988, who was killed by a roadside bomb near Baghdad while serving his country in Iraq. (watch video)

The Oklahoma State University Center for Veterinary Health Sciences is one of 28 veterinary colleges in the United States and is fully accredited by the Council on Education of the American Veterinary Medical Association. The center’s Boren Veterinary Medial Teaching Hospital is open to the public and provides routine and specialized care for small and large animals. It also offers 24-hour emergency care and is certified by the American Animal Hospital Association. For more information, visit www.cvhs.okstate.edu or call (405) 744-7000.

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