The Kennett Area Senior Center opened its doors to veterans, friends and family for its Veterans Day 2024 program on November 11, 2024. Once known as Armistice Day, this date is celebrated annually on Veterans Day to honor veterans who served. United States Armed Forces.

At the beginning of the official ceremony, the colors were presented at American Legion Post #491, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, the singing of the National Anthem, and a prayer. Ray Coe pointed out the Missing Men Table, which features many symbols to recognize veterans lost in combat.

Guest speaker, veteran Dale Thurman, gave a speech titled “My Family’s Synergistic Relationship with the Military.”

Dale explained that he comes from a family that not only served in the military but also benefited greatly from this investment. The purpose of his presentation was to express his appreciation for the benefits and opportunities he, his father, and his son received from their military service.

Dale’s father, who survived the bombing of Pearl Harbor, learned the metalworking trade aboard the ship and gained experience starting his own business after his discharge. He stated that his father was the best example of the “Greatest Generation.”

His son, Todd, served five years in the Army Infantry after a mediocre performance in his first two years of college. In the Army, Todd gained self-confidence and self-discipline, which led to an outstanding performance in college after his Honorable Discharge. He soon transferred to New York University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree. NYU had a Yellow Ribbon Program that capped a veteran’s tuition at the amount provided by the GI Bill.

Dale served four years in the Navy, five years in the Army, and 17 years in the Army Reserve. He told stories of the positive impacts all three generations received from military service, while also detailing the benefits of military service that changed his own life. He also struggled during his first few years of college and realized he needed a change. After discussions with his father, he joined the Navy in 1966 and volunteered for submarine duty. “I actually spent a year of my life underwater,” he said of the experience. He happily explained that our country has a massive submarine operation that can instantly respond to a covert nuclear missile attack on the United States.

To elaborate on the benefits he gained from his Navy service, Dale took advantage of the GI Bill’s opportunity to attend Oklahoma State University and become a veterinarian. During subsequent Army active duty, he became board certified in veterinary pathology.

Another highlight that Dale talked about in detail in a Power Point presentation and shared graphic photos was his time serving in Civil Affairs as part of his military reserve service. Civil Affairs soldiers serve as a liaison between our military and the fledgling foreign government they are helping to rebuild. He explained that the ideal civil affairs soldier has both civil affairs expertise and a solid military background, so most civil affairs units are found in the Army Reserves. His background in military and large animal veterinary medicine has allowed him to work effectively in foreign Ministries of Agriculture.

In 1991, his unit was sent to Kuwait to assess damage during Desert Storm and develop approaches to clean up the destruction. He said: “We were essentially problem solvers and were given the authority to explore options to help rebuild Kuwait.”

Dale talked about the horrors of war; polluted air from burning oil fields and its impact on children. He pointed out that risking his life to enter this stage is the sacrifice that military service members make to serve our country. He acknowledged that some people who serve in the military have traumatic scars that they carry throughout their lives.

Interviewing Dale’s wife of 52 years, Suzanne said: “It was in my nature to serve and support the Army mission. We traveled and lived around the world and it was always interesting. “One thing I really appreciated was Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, which provided exceptional care to our ten-year-old daughter and our family when they were diagnosed with terminal leukemia.”

The Veterans Day program concluded with Executive Director Stephanie D’Amico thanking everyone who attended and Representative Christina Sappey distributing Veteran Recognition Certificates, saying, “Freedom does not come without a cost; Sacrifice is not forgotten.”

“The Kennett Story – Shaping the future at a time” Joan Holliday and Bob George’s book about Kennett can be purchased from Amazon and Mushroom Cap. You can contact Joan at: [email protected]