Eyes of Freedom Memorial Arrives at Casper College

CASPER, Wyo. (Wyoming News Now) - Saturday June 18, a special traveling memorial titled “Eyes Of Freedom” was escorted into Casper. The memorial was met in Cheyenne by representatives from the Casper College Veterans Program and escorted into Douglas where they were met by the American Infidels Motorcycle club. They were then escorted into Casper where local police departments rode with them on the last leg of the journey to Casper College, where the memorial will be in place until Sunday June 26.

The college hosts a different memorial every year but this year is special because the “Eyes Of Freedom” has already visited the College once before. In fact it was the first memorial that the College’s Veterans Program ever hosted in 2018.

“It was such a special day, and bringing these escorts in is always special but today in particular because we’re bringing back the memorial that started it all, and if you can look around you and see a hundred American flags flying in the wind and 200 patriots bringing this thing in it’s just, it’s very very special and such a cool thing to have here,” said the Veteran Student Services Coordinator Nick Whipps.

The memorial itself honors 23 fallen vets who gave their lives in the Iraq War and is brought around the country by one of the men who served with the fallen heroes. “To have these riders wrap their arms around us when we come to town, and make sure everyone knows we’ve arrived is pretty special. We wouldn’t have the turnout that we do without that big rumble into town,” said Mike Strahle who is the Executive director of the memorial.

The memorial also is meant to help remember others who served and bring light to the number of veteran suicide in the US. “It brings a lot of awareness to veteran suicides, and that’s our main goal this upcoming academic year but also just this whole thing to bring attention to veteran suicide,” said Casper College Vet Program President Caleb Lindsay.

The memorial will be on the third floor of the Walter H. Nolte Gateway Building from Saturday June 18, until Sunday June 26. It is free to view and it will be open from 8:00am until 9:00pm each day.

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