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POW/MIA "Chair of Honor" Dedication Ceremony
In this photo: POW/MIA “Chair of Honor” Dedication Ceremony
On Campus

POW/MIA “Chair of Honor” Dedication Ceremony

11/11/2024
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Claibourne D. Smith Administration Building

We invite you to join Delaware State University for a significant moment in our ongoing commitment to honoring military service and sacrifice. During this Veterans Day event, we will dedicate a “Chair of Honor” to remember the more than 81,000 American servicemembers who are prisoners of war or missing in action.

Keynote Speakers:

  • Andre Swygert, Air Force veteran and author, Flight Training At The United States Naval Academy
  • Colonel Debbie Harrington, USARMY, Ret., 1st Vice Chair, DSU Board of Trustees

POW/ MIA Additional Resources

FAQs:

  • What is the POW/MIA chair? An unoccupied seat dedicated to the memory of Prisoners of War (POW) and those Missing in Action (MIA) The purpose of the Chair is to bring awareness to the 81,000 “still missing” men and women of our military since WW II.
  • What is the significance of the “Chair of Honor”? The chair symbolizes those American soldiers, who are unable to fill it due to their service and sacrifice. The “empty chair” serves as an ever-present, powerful reminder of their sacrifice and our commitment to never forget.
  • Who can attend the ceremony? The event is open to the public, including veterans, military families, and the DSU community.
  • Is there a cost to attend? No, the event is free of charge.
  • How can I RSVP? No RSVP is required.

Speaker Bios

Colonel (Retired) Debbie Harrington, Ed.D.
Dr. Debbie GarringtonDr. Debbie Harrington is an experienced leader, community and social justice advocate, and passionate mother. She is a highly decorated U.S. Army Colonel with 25 years of executive leadership in organizational structure and multi- national strategic planning in transportation and logistics. Her military service was recognized as a Norfolk State University ROTC Hall of Fame inductee, having been the first female graduate to achieve the high rank of Colonel and to command a battalion. She is currently the 2nd Vice Chair for Delaware Democratic Party and serves on several other boards and councils including Delaware State University Board of Trustees, Delaware Board of Examiners of Psychologists, Early College School Board of Directors, NAACP M.O.T. Chapter, and Governor’s Challenge to End Suicide Among Veterans on which, she has been able to influence stronger families. Her work was recognized by NAACP M.O.T. Chapter Lifetime Achievement Award for Community Service.  Harrington has a doctorate in education with emphasis in Innovation and Organizational Leadership. She is a wife and mother of three adult children with a significant history of foster caregiving.

Andre Swygert, Air Force veteran and author
Andre SwygertAndre Swygert is a Wilmington resident, Air Force veteran, and retired business development professional who enjoyed a successful career principally in the aerospace and defense sectors. Andre is continuing to indulge his life-long passion for aviation by embarking on a second career as an author of non-fiction material on technology, events, and people in the industry, after developing works on a part-time basis for Air & Space Smithsonian magazine and other outlets. In his new role he completed his first book, Flight Training At The United States Naval Academy, with Arcadia Publishing in 2023.

He has also maintained an interest in the history of the Tuskegee Airmen since his early teenage years, which has led him to be a long-standing member and historian in the John H. Porter – First State Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. This Dover-based group is one of over 50 chapters constituting an international organization dedicated to perpetuating the history of the men and women who served in and supported the separate black Army Air Force units before, during, and after World War II.