Veteran grateful for treatment, respect shown during event
Letter to the Editor,
On behalf of Mr. Ed Croucher, Mr. Jim Shadle and myself, I wish to express our sincere thanks to the Libby High School administration, faculty, staff and students for affording us the opportunity to represent our respective branches of service and address your assembly at your recent Veterans Day Program at the Ralph Tate Gymnasium.
It was truly an honor to be asked to be a part of the program. The reception time with punch, coffee and a specially decorated cake donated by Rosauers was a special treat.
While waiting for the program to begin I was particularry impressed with all of the students. My wife, youngest daughter and I found them to be friendly, cheerful and well-behaved while milling around the halls.
Posters drawn by students adorned the hallway leading to the main auditorium, each one depicting a military theme, they were all creative and well done. During our presentations to the assembly and throughout the program the students remained quiet and very attentative.
The announcers did a great job. Pastor Matt Warner gave the Invocation and the Benediction for the program.The symphonic band, concert choir and the Cabinet Mountain Singers made wonderful presentations of patriotic music and songs.
The program was truly well organized and choreographed as were the stage and setting for the band and the singers.
During the program, Senior Barak Lapka presented a plaque to his grandmother honoring her for her service to her country.
A poignant and memorable moment for me was during the reading of the names of Libby Gold Star Veterans, veterans from WWI, WWII and the Vietnam War who had lost their lives in the service for our country. As the program came to a close, the auditorium lights were dimmed and after each of their names was read, a chime sounded. “Taps” were then played by Juan Rios.
Who cannot become emotional by the haunting sound of “Taps”?
Thanks for all the kind remarks and comments made in their school newspaper, The Tamarack by the students in response to the program. Thanks also to all of you who were able to attend the program, especially all you veterans who were there for “OUR DAY.” Thanks for your service.
I would be remiss if I did not take this opportunity to also give recognition and offer sincere thanks to all at the Kootenai Valley Christian School for their many years of honoring our local veterans at their Veterans Day program. Their contribution is truly appreciated.
The ranks within our older military veterans is slowly dwindling and a new, younger generation of veterans are coming home from the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, many suffering the after-effects of consecutive tours of duty to our country.
During my remarks to those in attendance I read the following quote made by Father Dennis Edward O’Brien, U.S. Marine Corps.
“It is the soldier...not the reporter who has given us freedom of the press.”
“It is the soldier....not the poet who has given us freedom of speech.”
“It is the soldier...who salutes the flag...who serves beneath the flag.
And whose coffin is draped by the flag....who allows the protester to burn the flag.”
President Theodore Roosevelt has said: “A man good enough to shed his blood for his country is good enough to receive a square deal from his country.”
My prayer is that our government will continue to honor President Roosevelt’s quote as our government is now considering drastic cuts in our military defense budget.
Let us never forget the sacrifices made by our U.S. servicemen and servicewomen to our country. Let’s insist that our government take care of our Veterans.
— John Alex
Senior Master Sgt,USAF (Ret.)