GMC News

The Honorable Brian Kemp, Governor of Georgia, Delivers Keynote Address at Georgia Military College Patriot Day Ceremony

The Honorable Brian Kemp, Governor of Georgia, accompanied by First Lady Marty Kemp, served as the honored guest speaker at the Georgia Military College (GMC) 10th Annual Patriot Day Ceremony.

This significant event took place on GMC’s Main Campus in Milledgeville, GA, on Monday, September 11, 2023, at 7:45 a.m. and promises to be a touching occasion for our entire institution and community.

This ceremony served as a poignant reminder of the strength that emerges from unity in times of adversity. It’s a time to honor the memories of those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, and to express our gratitude to the service members who protected and served our nation in the Global War on Terror that followed.

Outline of events:

7:45 a.m. – Patriot Day Ceremony on Grant Parade Field

8:15 a.m. – GMC Preparatory School Art Presentation and First Responder Coffee Bar in the Bulldog Room                                                           

8:46 a.m. (When the first plane struck the North Tower)

• GMC’s WWII 75mm Pack Howitzer will fire.

9:03 a.m. (When the second plane struck the South Tower)

• GMC’s WWII 75mm Pack Howitzer will fire.

9:37 a.m. (When the third plane struck the Pentagon)-

• GMC’s WWII 75mm Pack Howitzer will fire.

10:03 a.m. (When the fourth plane, Flight 93, crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania)

• GMC’s WWII 75mm Pack Howitzer will fire.

At Georgia Military College (GMC) we come together as a family to remember and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, and the loved ones they left behind. This solemn occasion provides us an opportunity to reflect on the profound impact these Patriots have had on our lives and our nation.

Within our own GMC family, we have two students, Kade Horne and Madison French, who have experienced the deep loss of their fathers in service to our country.

Kade Horne’s father, Senior Chief Petty Officer Terrell Horne, dedicated his life to protecting our shores as a member of the U.S. Coast Guard.

Madison French’s father, Staff Sergeant Alex French, IV, proudly served our nation in Afghanistan as a member of the Georgia Army National Guard’s 48th Brigade.

On September 11^th, we had the privilege of honoring these courageous fathers and all Patriots at our Patriot Day ceremony with Governor Brian Kemp and the First Lady, and our two Gold Star family children. As a symbol of our respect and gratitude, we laid a wreath in their honor, and for all Patriots, reaffirming our commitment to never forget.

To gain a deeper understanding of the emotions and significance behind this ceremony, we invite you to watch a brief 5-minute video that captures the essence of our moving Patriot Day ceremony: https://youtu.be/EgFf_WY1JPo

Last year, FOX News covered how GMC supports Gold StarFamilies: https://www.foxnews.com/video/6312742385112

After the ceremony, throughout the school day, GMC Prep Students, GMC faculty, staff and community members participated in the tradition of writing names on our campus bricks of the citizens that perished in the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, and the service members that made the ultimate sacrifice in the Global War on Terror, totaling to over 10,000 names.

This act is both significant and sobering as we remember not just what happened that devastating day in 2001, but we remember the events that unfolded thereafter.

We will never forget September 11, 2001 at Georgia Military College.