About 300 veterans and active members of the United States armed forces crowded the Indian Creek Middle and High School gymnasium on Monday, in what has become an annual tradition in the small town.
In his keynote speech, U.S. Marine Corps veteran and keynote speaker Anthony Miele emphasized acknowledgement of the sacrifice veterans have made and appreciation for life in America.
“When I was your age, every concept like Veterans Day seemed unimportant. I didn’t understand human nature or why countries went to war,” Miele said, addressing the students.
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“Since then, I’ve been reminded many times how fortunate I was to be born in the United States, to grow up in a relatively safe community with parents and teachers that genuinely cared about the future. The list goes on and on,” he continued.
“In lots of places on Earth, the daily focus is on survival. The average life expectancy is 50 years old. People die not just from violence, but from scarcity, contamination of water, lack of heat, epidemic or starvation. Understand how lucky you are to have your health, safety, loved ones and a place you can grow and choose your own destiny.”
About 42 million troops have served since the Revolutionary War, and about 1.2 million of those troops have died in action, Indian Creek High School Assistant Principal Bill Wallace said.
“From Fredericksburg to Fallujah, we owe a great deal to those who defend our constitution and defend our republic,” Wallace said. “Let’s show gratitude, not just today, but every day. Your presence here today is a tribute to the troops and their families.”
Indian Creek Choirs and Bands performed the “Star-Spangled Banner,” “Song for the Unsung Hero,” “The Armed Forces-The Pride of America,” “United We Stand” and “Taps.” Amanda Swanson, a parent of a student at Indian Creek schools, sang “God Bless the USA.”
As veterans were introduced by service branch, they stood up in the crowd, and members of the school’s FFA chapter put the flags of those branches on their stands. Toward the end of the program, Assistant Superintendent Andy Cline read the names of veterans and active service members, along with when and where they served.
Indian Creek intends to continue the Veterans Day Event for as many years as possible, Cline said
“It’s just a yearly reminder of the freedoms we have and the freedoms we need to value and continue to share, not only with our students but with our community,” Cline said. “When I came here as assistant principal 17 years ago, that was one of the things I vowed, that this will never go away. It will hopefully go on in perpetuity.”
Hearing from veterans is key to getting a multi-generational understanding between veterans and students, Miele said.
“I feel like most people don’t get a chance to hear first-hand from veterans,” Miele said. “I feel like we have a really strong fundamental base for our young Americans to grow, and it’s important that veterans re-inject the American values back into the younger generations.”
