It is my privilege to be the Veterans in the Classroom contact for our District. This provides me with the opportunity to meet and talk with living history – our Veterans from
World War II through
Operation Iraqi Freedom. These veterans bring their sense of duty, their experiences, their patriotism, and their sense of character into our classrooms, K – 12. Some of these individuals are still on active duty – usually in the National Guard.
What a wonderful opportunity it is for our children to see these men and women – from all five branches of our armed services – and to hear them relate personal stories of sacrifice in all parts of the world, serving this nation. Some were drafted, some volunteered. Some made a career of the armed services; some went back into civilian live as soon as their commitment to Uncle Sam was over. But all are willing to share their experiences with our young folks – a much more accurate story than the media usually portrays.
Best of all, the kids get to honor the veterans, to thank them for service done to preserve this nation and its fundamental liberties that we all should appreciate. Over 150 classrooms were visited in our District by veterans during the first two weeks of November. There was also coverage in a
newspaper.
My high point of this two-week exercise came yesterday when I visited the classroom of a teacher at one of our middle schools invited a young Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran into her classroom to speak to all six of her classes. I was able to watch only a few minutes of the presentation by this young man, but was able to see the connections being made between the kids and the soldier. With artifacts, souvenirs, pictures, and words, he described the events that he saw in
Iraq – from the boredom of guard duty, to the sandstorms and 140 degree heat, through the privations, and the danger of convoy duty. The students were attentive, questioning, understanding, and appreciative, and – when the class bell rang for dismissal – could be heard telling the incoming class that ‘they have a good speaker that’s funny’ – setting the stage for the next session.
This veteran – who is also my #2 son – did his duty in Iraq with the
4th Infantry Division, and continues to do so here at home in the
National Guard. Thank you, Carol, for inviting him to your class and for giving him time to share with your students.
Question of the day: Were you able to recognize the veterans in any way in your classrooms, whether you had speakers or not?
James Gordon Meek has completed his series on How the FBI Broke Saddam in the New York Daily News “Mouth of the Potomac” blog.
