HAPPY VETERANS DAY!

First of all….HAPPY VETERANS DAY to all of you who have served your country selflessly in the United States Armed Forces! And THANK YOU for your service!

I was invited to share my experience as a soldier in Vietnam at a special Veterans Day assembly at Sidney Glen Elementary School, where my son Pete is a 6th Grade teacher, on Tuesday, November 10th. The entire student body, Kindergarten through 6th Grade was there with their teachers, along with several other veterans from all Branches. A Captain in the US Coast Guard and a US Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer were also on the program. I put together a short PowerPoint slide presentation to show the students where Vietnam is, what kind of conditions I lived in at Phu Hiep, and lots of pictures of our airplanes. They loved the airplane pictures!

The highlight of the assembly, however, was the US Navy Band Northwest, stationed at Silverdale, WA, who played many wonderful pieces. Two of the children were invited to conduct the band because the director, Senior Chief Musician James L. Ramsey, said he was “tired and needed help since he had been waving his arms directing the band all day” (it was only 9:45am!).

At the close of the program they played the theme songs for the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard and Navy. The Sr. Chief Ramsey asked the members of the audience to stand when they heard their branch's music if a parent or other relative or they were in that particular service. Of course, I stood when “The Army Goes Rolling Along” was played. When “Anchors Aweigh” was played for the Navy, I leaned over to Capt. DJ Smith, USCG, and whispered, “I think we’re outnumbered!” He agreed. You see, Sidney Glen Elementary is in Port Orchard, on Washington State’s Kitsap Peninsula, which has many US Navy installations including the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bangor Submarine Base, NAS Whidbey, and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center at Keyport. Collectively (not including NAS Whidbey) these are now known as Naval Base Kitsap. I was correct that we were outnumbered because the majority of the children stood! What a wonderful sight!

I was humbled and very honored with the reception the other veterans and I received from the school’s Principal Jason Shdo, and Assistant Principal Laura Smith, and by the students and teachers.