On November 11, 1918, at 11 a.m., World War I had come to an end. Because of this we celebrate Veterans Day every year on November the 11th.
Last Wednesday we celebrated Veterans Day at the school. Many area businesses helped to sponsor the event. Approximately 60 veterans attended and are alumni from George County High School. 30 of them were Army (four of them National Guardsman), 14 were Navy, 10 were Airforce and six of them were Marines. Out of all of the 60 veterans, three were women and six were teachers here at the high school.
Before the assembly, a breakfast was held for the veterans. The breakfast was provided by the GCHS Culinary class.
Jimmy Vice was one of the veterans to attend. On the 20th of January, 1968, Vice arrived in Vietnam. He states that after he was drafted, he took a bus from Lucedale to Jackson and then took an airplane to Columbia, South Carolina. From South Carolina he was shipped off to Vietnam. He served a total of six years in the Army, two of them being active duty. “I feel in my heart so honored,” Vice said.
Stephen Denmark was another veteran who attended. He was involved in Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom and served in Iraq three times. He served in the National Guard for 39 years. Denmark stated that he wanted to honor the older veterans rather than himself. “I don’t want the respect, I want the others to get it,” Denmark said.
The oldest veteran to attend was 92 year old Jimmy Holland, who fought in the Korean War.
Chief Gerry Fallon and Sargent James Williams, JROTC instructors, also served in the military. Chief Fallon served in the Army for 21 years. In a single word he describes Veterans Day as “honor.” “Simply honor everyone before us,” Fallon Said.
Sargent Williams served in the Army National Guard for 25 years. “Veterans Day is a day for us to bring attention to veterans who have served,” Williams said.
Sargent Williams and Chief Fallon are now helping to prepare senior Rayne Bexley, mentally and physically, for the Army after she graduates. Bexley has already been enlisted in the Army for a year and attended basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina,over the summer. Her goal is to go to Westpoint, which was around during the Civil War and described as a “prestigious college”, and already has a full ride to Marion Military Institute and a $20,000 scholarship to Southern Miss. For Bexley, Veteran’s Day means “Pride, courage and determination.”
Senior Daniel King is another JROTC student considering the military. He was accepted into Marion Military Institute as well, but is torn between whether to go or not. Although he wants to go to become an Army officer, there are concerns, such as getting into a higher rank or just completely changing his mind.
