Veterans Day: A time to remember and honor all who have sacrificed before us

Veterans are everywhere. They are in our towns, grocery stores, familial ties, American history and in our hearts. A question that concerns our community is: Will the next generations hold the same appreciation for these veterans as the effects of time blur the importance of what they have sacrificed for our country? This is why the Holyoke Re-1J School District and the Veterans of Foreign Wars presents the community with an annual Veterans Day program. 

Last Thursday, on the morning of Nov. 10, the annual Veterans Day program was held in the Holyoke JR/SR High School. Veterans were invited to attend a breakfast cooked and served by the community’s high school students as a way of showing gratitude for their service. Pancake batter was provided by Village Inn, and the bacon was provided by Seaboard Foods and cooked by Rich Cummings from The Golden Mug.

At the conclusion of the veterans’ breakfast, people began to fill the rows of the auditorium. The room was filled with Holyoke’s veterans, families and students of all ages. Prior to a warm welcome and introduction of the program from veteran Steve Millage, the band began to play a patriotic medley. 

Succeeding the medley, Millage began to introduce the district’s Voice of Democracy speakers, first inviting Ben Kleve to take the stage. Kleve depicted the characteristics of veterans in his speech. He reflected on how veterans make amazing friends due to the high amount of instilled loyalty these war heroes possess. 

After Kleve’s speech, Millage welcomed to the stage the first-place district winner of the Voice of Democracy speech contest, Leah Struckmeyer. In her speech, she claimed that, “Life in America would be drastically different without veterans. For that reason, our veterans hold the utmost importance and deserve our greatest respect.” After Struckmeyer’s speech, Millage reflected on both speeches and commended them for their appreciation and respect toward veterans like himself. 

The junior high and high school choir performed a tribute with the “Armed Forces Medley.” Maury Kramer directed the choir, with Marcia Bernard providing piano accompaniment. Millage invited the veterans, along with their families and loved ones, to stand when their military branch’s song was played. The auditorium was filled with applause and admiration in respect for the veterans and their families. 

Afterward, Millage invited the guest speaker, veteran Rodger Bernard II, to the stage. He opened his speech by stating his appreciation for Struckmeyer’s and Kleve’s speeches, and further discussed how important it is for the next generation to remember our veterans. Later in his speech, he claimed, “There is a lot to learn about the generation of veterans that come before us.”

Bernard began his journey in the military right after completing high school. He stated that right after boot camp, he began to go to a school of infantry, which he defined as a “run-of-the-mill infantry unit.” In his speech, he said he did not necessarily want to talk about war stories. “I think what I would rather talk about in my combat experience is the camaraderie.” In remembering his training experience, he further claimed, “I got to train side by side with some truly inspirational people.”

Bernard later discussed how he wants to talk about his generation of war veterans. He feels it is his responsibility to tell his story. The opportunity to tell that story, he said, made joining the Veterans of Foreign Wars important to him. He concluded that “Veterans Day is not a time to buy a cheap mattress or get a new car. It is a time to remember and honor all who have sacrificed before us.” 

The end of the Veterans Day program was finalized with the playing of “Taps.” As people began to file out of the auditorium, there was a newfound respect for veterans found in the hearts of all who attended. The next day, Veterans Day, many took the time to remember and honor all who have sacrificed before them.