Silence fell over the crowd of students and veterans from several branches of the United States military -- Army, Marines, Navy and Air Force -- as "Taps," played by Layton Powell, resounded through the gym Monday at the end of the Veterans Assembly hosted by students of Pea Ridge High School Monday, Nov. 11.
Annie Whitehead, joined by therapy dogs -- German shepherds Rocky, 4, and Murphy, 3, explained Project RED Friday which is designed to remember everyone deployed.
The band and choirs, both the high school and intermediate school, performed; Boy Scouts from Troop 293 posted the flags; and students presented veterans with certificates of appreciation.
Master of ceremonies was Cassidy Mooneyhan. Nalea Holliday offered the invocation and benediction. Samantha Bott explained the significance of the POW/MIA table in the foyer.
Chris Snow, commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8109, recognized John Ruddick as the grand marshal of the parade held Saturday. He also recognized the students who have already enlisted in the military.
"God bless America," Ruddick said after accepting a plaque honoring his service.
Guest speaker was Merrill White, a retired first sergeant, who said first sergeants aren't known for speaking publicly or politically correctly.
"I joined because I had a lot of family members who were in," White said, adding that his grandfather served in World War II and his uncles served in Vietnam. He said he went to Fayetteville in 1993 to join the Marines, but was married and the recruiter sent him to the Army.
In sharing his experiences, White said he made many friends in service. He said times for him were very different than for veterans from former times and there was the ability to community with family back home thanks to computers.
"They were always faithful at home," he said. "What makes you survive, keep going, is the simple things... it doesn't matter how many uniforms, guns, bullets... you have to understand there's something bigger than you out there -- the Lord, of course. Then, you've got your family, your church family ... the rest of it is pretty simple. It puts it all in context."
"I challenge the kids in the room -- at one time we were kids in a high school auditorium not listening ... how did we get veterans, they volunteered," he said, adding that some in the room didn't have that choice, as they may have been drafted, but they all served.
General News on 11/13/2019