By Vanessa Overholser - Staff Writer
Rowan County Senior High School students and faculty honored local veterans during the Twelfth Annual Veteran’s Day Program in the Warren H. Cooper Gymnasium Wednesday afternoon.
Wheeler Green extended a warm welcome to everyone and introduced the program. Tylar Setser, in her benediction, prayed for veterans, their families and soldiers currently serving in the military, making the ultimate sacrifice as they lay their lives down for America. She prayed for blessings upon those individuals and prayed for their safe return.
A hush fell as the Morehead State University ROTC marched in cadence toward the stage to present the colors. The veterans dressed in their navy blazers and hats and currently serving soldiers decked out in their fatigues stood in salute as Green led the crowd in The Pledge of Allegiance. Then the crowd sang The Star Spangled Banner.
RCSHS student Matt Fossett introduced the guests and guest speaker.
“I won’t bore you with the speech I did last year,” said LTC Max Ammons of MSU’s ROTC department. “But it was essentially was about knowing the freedom you have and taking advantage of it. What I am going to talk about is my experience serving in the military. I am a combat veteran. I am proud to wear this uniform and serve my country that I love so much.”
Ammons explained what it is like to be in the military and what it means to serve this country.
“An Army is a team,” Ammons said. “It lives, eats, sleeps, and breathes as a team. That is what we’re about. We’re about values, purpose and family.”
Ammons talked about a fellow soldier who was proud to serve his country.
“An IED (Improvised Explosive Device) exploded and tore through his vehicle he was in and it tore through him,” Ammons said. “He lost his legs as a result of the blast. He did not quit. He did not give up. He had values. He had purpose. This was his purpose. He still serves honorably in the military.”
Ammons spoke about how every soldier has a purpose to live and serve in the military. In conclusion, he spoke of a soldier’s love for God and country, brotherhood and sacrifice.
RCSHS coach Scott Tackett played guitar and student Corey Wright sang Alan Jackson’s song “Where were you when the world stopped turning.”
As a part of the program, students were invited to participate in an essay contest. Each year local veterans come up with a topic for the students to write about. During every Veteran’s Day program, the winning writer reads his/her essay to the crowd. This year’s essay winner is Kathy Duff.
Duff read her essay about what it is like to be a soldier who is either POW/MIA (Prisoner of War/Missing In Action).
“When a soldier is a POW, all they think about is how they’d like to be anywhere else but there,” Duff said. “They think about their family and their fellow soldiers.”
“When a soldier is MIA, they are scared,” Duff said. “They fall back on their training to survive.”
Duff explained what it is like for families to worry about their loved ones who are POW/MIA. She spoke of how they pray for their safe return.
Duff was presented an American flag and a $100 savings bond as her prize.
RCSHS student Matt Adkins called the names of all veterans and told them to stand. After the names were called, the crowd applauded as a gesture of gratitude for their service.
The RCSHS Choir sang a special salute to the veterans.
“It’s important that Americans understand why we celebrate Veteran’s Day,” said MSU President Dr. Wayne Andrews, also a veteran. “We reflect on why they fought and why they served.
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing,” Andrews said. “Veteran’s Day is for those who are still here. There are 25 million veterans in this country. Half of them are over the age of 65. They are doctors, firemen, policemen, teachers and maybe a president of a university. You name the skill, you find a veteran.”
Andrews spoke about how he came from a line of dutiful soldiers. He talked about how all soldiers have an important role to play whether they see combat or not and the pride that comes with being a soldier and a veteran.
“We veterans, soldiers who are serving and have served as seamen, Marines, Army and Coastguardsmen, we have a strong bond,” Andrews said. “That bond is love of God and country. They are unheralded men and women who serve in the military and do the job that needs to be done. Veterans understand love of country. Veterans form a bond of service.”
Andrews reminded the crowd that America’s freedom did not come easy.
“In battlefields across the country and the world, battles were fought with blood and tears,” Andrews said. “We (veterans and soldiers) are a band of brothers.”
To conclude the program, the RCSHS Band performed “Each Time You Tell Their Story.” Josh Harney played Taps and Josiah Burrows followed with the benediction.
