001e e e m [Applause] good morning I would like to welcome you all to our annual Brown County Schools Veterans Day ceremony in the Larry SE Banks Memorial gymnasium my name is Emily Tracy and I am honored to serve as the superintendent for Brown County Schools today we have the great pleasure of honoring our veterans both living and past who have selfless served our great nation thank you for joining us this morning I do hope that you enjoy what promises to be a very special program at this time I would like to welcome our most honored guests please join me in welcome welcoming them as Mr Brian gal introduces each era of service good morning everyone as the banners Advance please acknowledge our veterans we'll start with the World War I banner and if we
002could observe a moment of silence for the Fallen as the banner for World War II advances we want to acknowledge the spouse of one of our Brown County World War II veterans who's walking with the banner today [Applause] the veterans of Korea [Applause] the veterans of Vietnam [Applause] my the veterans of the Cold [Applause] War she's walking her do [Applause] Veterans of the Persian Gulf Iraq and Afghanistan [Applause] and the members of the Brown County honor guard [Applause] thank you veterans at this time we ask that you stand as Scout troop 190 hosts the colors [Applause] you at this time please welcome Brown County High School student Noah Lewis [Applause] please stand as you are and as able and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance I pledge of allegiance to the flag of the
003United States of America to the for stands naice say can you see by the dawn's early love [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Rock the in [Music] through the night [Music] [Applause] flag the of Thee the of the the [Applause] brave please be seated I would like to pay special recognition to any widows of veterans that have joined us today please stand where you are to be recognized thank you for your [Applause] service and now I welcome Mrs Alicia Adams and Mrs Emily Luellen to the podium good morning I'm em Emily lellan and this is my colleague Alicia Adams each year a sponsors of the Brown County High School history club we are honored to speak about an impactful initiative genes for Brown County vets this program allows teachers and staff across Brown County Schools to
004our jeans to work for a week in exchange for their donations to support our local veterans over the years this effort has grown to include contributions from community members allowing us to raise thousands I think we're almost to tens of thousands at this point of dollars for uh Nashville vfw's Post 6195 once again we invite our community to join us in supporting this important cause following the ceremony you'll find history club members stationed throughout the gym with canisters ready to accept donations for our local BFW post every contribution no matter the size makes a difference that and directly benefits Brown County and our veterans we are sincerely grateful for your generosity thank [Applause] you and now our Brown County High School band in the combined middle and high school choir will perform armed forces the
005pride of America narrated narrated by Brian G we invite our service members and attendants to stand and be recognized when their branch is named [Music] e [Music] the United States Army [Music] the United States Marine Corps [Music] first fight for and our we are proud to claim the of United States the United States [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Navy we meet [Music] the United States Coast [Music] Guard Purp [Music] the United States Air Force [Music] us for it is now my honor to welcome Mr Bill Hamilton and Mr ritesman to present the voice of democracy winners thank you everyone for being here today to honor the veterans and all our comrades their families members of the community and guests this Veterans Day we want to thank our superintendent miss Emily Tracy principles teachers staff and
006all the students who have helped make this happen my name is Bill Hamilton and I'm the commander of the Nashville Veterans of Foreign Wars BFW post 6195 it's an honor to be here today assisting me today is my junior Vice Commander Ed rman first I would like to take a moment to ask everyone here today to look at the men and women here when our country called they stepped forward to do their part some served overseas some served here at home but all have served we all have memories of those we served with some of those memories are good some are not some members would rather not remember what they experienced with or survived and others did not but a round of applause and a thank you for the serving helps with those memories today
007I would like to thank everyone for the support that Brown County always shows her veterans did you know that Brown County is home to the remains of service members dating back to the American Revolution today's Young citizens also continue to proudly serve our current veterans organization provides the flags that are placed on the graves on our military veterans every May volunteers and students have helped CL Place those flags we thank you for your assistance every may we sell buddy poppies buddy poppies Trace their history back to World War I and Flanders Field the donations we receive pay for the awards we are giving out today and our other school-based projects the patriotism and generosity of brown county is inspiring thank you for all your loyal support each year the VFW wants to recognize students and
008teachers through the Patriots pin program the voice of democracy program and the smart mayor citizenship education teacher recognition recognition program each one is judged by a panel of veterans and community members this year the voice of democracy theme is is American America today our forefather's vision students in the high school competed on the audio essay one top three winners will advance to the district level where they compete with the winners from the 15 posts in our district the district winner then advances to the state level and the state winner advances to the National level the state winners will receive a trip to Washington DC and at the national level they may receive up to a $300,000 scholarship this year we are happy to honor the congratulate and congratulate the winners of the voice of democracy
009our third place winner for the voice of democracy is Juliana Gallagher Juliana please come forward which she just did Juliana Ward is an grade medal a certificate and a monetary Award of $150 congratulations our second place winner of The Voice of democracy is Owen East On's award is an Engrade medal a certificate and a monetary Award of $200 congratulations our first place winner of for the voice of democracy is Adelaide greedy Adelaide's award is an engraved medal a certificate and a monetary Award of $250 congratulations and we also want to have ad Adelaide our first place winner share her essay with everyone here today the United States of America today stands as a global superpower where all citizens have the rights of life liberty and the pursuit of happiness our society was shaped by the
010ideals of our founding fathers the ideals of individual rights and freedom yet as our nation navigates the challenges of the 21st century it is worth asking whether our America today truly reflects what our forefathers envisioned nearly two centuries ago when trying to understand the answer to this question it becomes clear that while the foundation of their vision is still in use the evolution of the United States of America has added on to their Vision despite the fact that America Has Changed dramatically since the colonist declared independence we continue to use democracy and the Bill of Rights to reflect our forefathers ideals the Democratic principles of representative democracy where citizens elect representatives to serve their interests remain at the heart of the US political system this embodies our Founders commitment to self-governance not only do we
011still use a democratic system of government today we also still use the Bill of Rights to outline our rights as citizens of America the Bill of Rights makes it so that the people are able to have their rights of speech religion assembly and more safeguarded from being Stripped Away these rights of speech religion and assembly have been fundamental to Americans Society since the founding of the nation these rights have evolved through various interpretations and court rulings over the over the years for instance the right to free speech has expanded to include not just spoken words but also symbolic speeches such as protests and social media posts the right to practice any religion freely has been upheld but has now expanded to a broader range of beliefs and practices ensuring that all American citizens can worship
012without discrimination similarly the right to ass simple peacefully has been a Cornerstone for social movements and public demonstrations despite these changes these rights remain crucial as they Empower individuals to express their beliefs and stand up for their rights just as our forefathers intended one thing that has evolved from our founding father's vision is the love and respect we have for our veterans in the times of the Revolutionary War the Continental Congress passed legislation to provide medical care for disabled veterans they also established hospitals Medical Care Services promised land grants and promis pensions for veterans and soldiers even though the government attempted to help at the time it was considered new temporary and unable to uphold Financial stability this caused many revolutionary soldiers to struggle to receive the benefits that they were promised once the war
013was over although veterans will were still seen as Heroes back then they are now held in very high regard and are well taken care of the things we offer today for our veterans such as Veteran Affairs disability compensation pensions and support of veteran-owned small businesses are things that our forefathers wanted to see happen but could not execute in their time ultimately while the basic framework the founders created remains intact act modern interpretations of their Vision reflect the evolving needs and values of contemporary America these interpretations have made the United States a better place where all citizens can feel equally represented and cared for by our government [Applause] every year the VFW acknowledges teachers for their hard work dedication and inspiration in creating a sense of national pride in their students we are able to nominate
014an elementary middle school and high school teacher every year this year the VFW Post 6195 is recogn izing two of our teachers for their outstanding efforts at this time we would like to recognize Michelle Joy of helmsburg Elementary and Abby Magner of sprunica [Applause] Elementary yeah I got to take those back to as the teachers of year nominees thank you for supporting our students teachers and our veterans at this time I will turn the program back over to superintendent Tracy I would like to welcome Brown County High School history Club president Noah Lewis and history Club member Haley Darnell to the [Applause] podium good morning in the United States we hold profound respect for those who have served and are currently serving in the armed forces our gratitude stems for many reasons but primarily it
015is their sacrifice protect those that cherish they cherish that resents most resonates most these brave men and women have faced life-threatening situations gaining experiences that they will one day share with future Generations even if you do not personally know a veteran their courage enables all of us to build friendships take risks and grow as individuals veterans serve not only for themselves but for each and every one of us and the values our nation represents their sacrifices grant us the privilege of living securely freely and in unity this is why our veterans are invaluable they risk their lives for us all yet their dedication would not be possible without the steadfast support of loved ones left behind in recognition of this Brown County High School's history Club has created this video to honor both those who
016served and those whose unwavering support enabled them to do so we would like to extend a special thanks to the families who have filled the void left by service we express our deepest gratitude not only for your loved ones service but for the sacrifices you too have made with that we invite you to watch this tribute video thank you [Applause] my husband is Ed ritesman and my name is l and we have been married 54 plus almost 55 years I'm Benita Marshall and then who was your husband Captain Henry Clay Marshall my husband is uh first sergeant senior Master Sergeant Bill Hamilton he was in the Air Force for 33 years um and I am Judy Hamilton his spouse I'm a retired teacher um my husband is Steve Snider and we've been married for 20
01729 years in May and we met um right before I graduated high school I was 18 and he was 20 hi I'm Carin bden okay and then who was your husband my husband was Richard alen bden uh who is my husband her Ross uh when he when he was in the Navy uh I was not married to him I didn't even know him so uh then after we got married I learned all about his adventures and all the things that he done my husband is Taylor and he's the best thing to ever happened to me and such an answer prayer and I love him um and a little bit about me is uh I'm 27 and I own a coffee shop oh my husband is Kyle Miner he is the school resource officer here at
018Brown County School Corporation my name is Sterling Miner and I co-own Remax team here in Nashville we were married in June 1970 and he deployed January early January early January 1971 so we were together six months as a married couple before he was deployed we we had known each other believe it or not since he was 10 years so we've been together for 31 years and um he was deployed right after we moved down here in 99 which means we were married for eight years when he deployed I had already been I'd already served six years before we got married got like three when we met yeah yeah so she knew what she was getting into somewhat I'm eating and um I've been married to her for 42 years next week we've been together six
019seven months seven months seven months we've been together almost 10 years but we had only been together three years yes when you joined the military army US Army he served in the Army he was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam Army Army National Guard Army he was in the Air Force years did you serve 3 years and 9 months and 28 days I'm in the Indiana Army National Guard I served a year in Vietnam year stat side U I got as much training as I could so I spent most of the first year going through training so they've got them legally serving 37 1/2 years W he always said that he was the warrior in the family that way his brother didn't have to go to war um and he stationed out of balla Air Force
020Base which it was Columbus airport um he was actually stationed in Dayton Ohio and what he was was a parachute riger for equipment and for people uh I went to boot camp then went to Personnel school and went aboard a destroyer and we went to the Mediterranean when we come back from the Mediterranean the Korean war was fighting so we got ready and we went to Korea I deployed twice to Afghanistan I was deployed twice combat deployments and then I did three rotations went to Germany um and then back in 2019 yeah and then I was recently activated for the hurricane relief so were you de several times after September 11th yes uh aors Saudi Arabia two tours and Guam two assignments to Hawaii and the worst one was Afghanistan that was the worst one
021and then U that was in 2010 and uh no it wasn't it wasn't good to be at Afghanistan it was one of the worst ones I've ever been in 33 years give me hope uh something to look forward to I'm just proud of him he did what he wanted to do she was always taking care of everything while I was gone and she would send me things that I couldn't get or needed for my men because I was in charge of a lot of men yeah I learned that mail call every day was a big deal because like four guys would go with him to mail call to see what if I had sent a package and if it had arrived and what was in it for them everybody talks about veterans and what the
022veterans do and and all this but they don't talk a lot about what the wives do and and what they have to go through with I mean she's my hero because I mean it's it's really tough when I left she basically became a single parent and just in the blink of an eye like that so she had to deal with all the stuff that she would normally deal with and then all the stuff that I would deal with if I was there it's it it's hard on the on the spouse at home oh I'm very very proud of him he's very involved with the BFW he goes to their meetings every month and anything in the county he helps with the poppies he helps with any anything they ask he will volunteer um I think
023as a man it really strived me to do a lot more I know that she can handle whatever you know whatever life's going to throw at her during that time I was proud you know that he was able to represent our County uh in that respect and then he took on that responsibility and didn't walk away from it it was it takes patience it takes time and it takes talking to each other make something on yourself and don't make excuses for anything just work hard and stick to your guns and do what you need to do work hard make your foundation um you know set your foundation as to what kind of person you are and follow through with that make sure you talk to each other communicate that's important to keep a healthy relationship
024because you don't talk and you're not going to know what each is doing really communicate the open uh love each other try new things don't just stick around there's more than you're just your hometown and you just can't um give up in any relationship whether it's whether you're in high school but anytime you're in a relationship with someone else it's giving it time and talking to each other and being honest about it it's a long road like you definitely got to be able to make sure your partner is going to be there to pick up the slack and just handle everything while you're gone there's no greater honor than being you know a military wife ladies and gentlemen God Bless the USA performed by a very own Brown County High School jazz band in Rap
025City show choir soloist Caleb Clifford and Cameron Higgins if tomorrow all the things were gone you worked for all your life and you had to start all over with just your children and your wife you'd thank your lucky stars to be living here today cuz the flag still stands for freedom and it's time we stand and say and I'm proud to be an American and at least I know I'm free and I won't forget the men who died who gave that fight to me and I'll gladly stand up next to you and Defender still today cuz there ain't no doubt I love this land God Bless the [Music] USA from the lakes of Minesota to the hills of Tennessee across the plains of Texas from sea to shining sea from Detroit down to Houston and
026New York to LA there's pride in every American Heart and it's time we stand and say I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm free and I won't forget the man who died who gave that life to me and I'll gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today there a [Music] no God Bless the USA to be an American at least I know I'm free and I won't forget the men who died who gave that right to me and I'll gladly stand up next to you next to you and defend her still today there no doubt I love this land God Bless the USA [Music] and at this time I would like to welcome Brown County High School principal Mr Steve shoman good morning students faculty staff families
027and honored guests today we come together at Brown County High School school to honor the men and women who have served our military to remember their sacrifices and to reflect on the enduring courage that has shaped our nation as your principal it is a privilege to lead a school that so deeply respects and values the sacrifices made by our veterans and their families Veterans Day is a time for us to remember not just the history of our nation's military but the personal stories of sacrifice that often go Untold we live in a community that understands the true meaning of service and sacrifice for many of us this day is a chance to reflect on the impact that that service has had on others and on our lives whether it's the veterans in our families the
028young men and women who have chosen to continue this tradition of service today I want to share with you a letter that was written by a serviceman during World War II a letter that he wrote to his wife and to his children his words filled with love and longing helped carry his family through the difficult months of his deployment the soldier Sergeant John H Miller wrote to his wife Evelyn and to their two children expressing not only his love but also his hopes and promise for the future even as he faced the uncertainty of battle Sergeant Miller's letter reads as follows my dearest Evelyn I know it's been a while since I wrote the days are long here and the work never seems to end but I find peace in the thought of you and
029the kids back home I often find myself sitting on the ground looking up at the stars and wondering if you can see the same Stars I know it sounds silly but it helps me feel close to you sometimes when I close my eyes I can almost hear the sound of Little Footsteps running through the house or feel the warmth of your hand in mine there are days when the fighting seems endless and the fear is a constant companion but I remind myself of why I'm here I am here for you Edward I am here for the children I am here to ensure that you have a future a future with love and laughter and safety every day I am away from you is a day I count the moments until I can return home to
030you and I hold on to the thought as tightly as I hold on to this letter I want you to know that even though I'm not there with you I carry you with me in everything I do your love your strength and your courage are what keep me going through the hardest days and when I am back we'll make up for every moment that was lost I promise you that tell Tommy and Jenny I love them with all my heart I miss their laughter and I think of them every day today they are my reason for fighting Ed you all are the reason I fight I don't know what tomorrow holds but I know this when the war is over I will be coming home to you until then my love please know that you
031are always in my thoughts and I am counting the days until I can hold you all again with all my love John Sergeant Miller's letter is a powerful reminder of what it means to be a soldier not just in the moment of battle but in the quiet reflective moments when a soldier looks beyond the hardships of war and focuses on what he is fighting for the love of his family the hope of returning home and the promise of a better future Sergeant Miller never knew exactly when he would return home and like so many soldiers he faced the constant fear of what might happen in the days ahead but he wrote this letter filled with love because he knew it would provide Comfort to his wife and children during the difficult months it was his
032way of saying I am still here I am still with you and I will come home for Evelyn and their children this letter was not just a message from the battlefield it was a Lifeline it reminded them that even in his absence Sergeant Miller was present in their hearts and that his love for them was stronger than distance that separated them this letter is is one of thousands that were written by soldiers to their families during wartime letters that served as emotional anchors offering comfort and strength during the hardest of times soldiers wrote these letters to remind their loved ones that they were not alone that they were still loved and that the sacrifice would ultimately be worth it these letters were the quiet acts of courage that happened behind the front lines personal intimate
033and filled with hope as we reflect on these sacrifices your sacrifices I want to also take a moment to honor our seniors if you would come up please who have committed to military service after graduation Angel Cruz Vince Tom Ella Schultz and Jaden dur you have made the courageous decision to serve our nation to step forward in a tradition that is deeply woven into the fabric of this country your decision to serve just like those who are here and came before you reflects your strength your sense of Duty and your commitment to the values that we hold dear for each of you your service will mean something different it will be a different kind of sacrifice and it will challenge you in ways that you may not yet understand but just like Sergeant Miller you
034will carry with you the love love and support of your family your friends and this community and just as his letter carried Comfort to his family we hope you will always feel the strength of your community behind you encouraging you supporting you and and waiting for you to return home to the rest of us here today whether or not we choose a path in the military I ask that you reflect on the sacrifices made not just on the battlefield but by the families who wait the loved ones who kept the home fires burning the courage it takes to send someone off to war to live each day in uncertainty is something we can all learn from these families are our families and their sacrifices are our sacrifices Veterans Day is not only about honoring the
035past it's about honoring and remembering the sacrifices that continue today it's about understanding the emotional cost of service the love that drives soldiers to fight and the hope they carry with them it's about understanding that the freedoms we enjoy every day are built on the sacrifices made by men and women like Sergeant Miller and by those of you who are here with us today so to all of our veterans to the families who have supported them and to the students who are committed to serve thank you your sacrifices do not go unnoticed and we We Are Forever grateful for your service may we continue to honor and remember these sacrifices not just today but every day thank you we are fortunate today to have with us our friend Senator Eric cook to share a few
036words with our audience Senator Eric cook proudly serves the people of Indiana's 44th district representing Brown Jackson Lawrence Monroe in Orange counties a dedicated public servant Senator cook has committed himself to issues of Public Safety veterans rights and economic growth with deep roots in Indiana he's long Champion policies that support and honor our military and Veteran communities Senator Cook's commit MIT to service extends Beyond his legislative work he is a respected advocate for Rural communities and a steadfast supporter of initiatives that strengthen Indiana families we are honored to welcome Senator cook today to our Veteran Day ceremony thank you uh superintendent Tracy it's honor to be here here today as we celebrate our freedoms and recognize the veterans whose service protects our nation in some ways however today is also a solemn one as we
037honor the Fallen remember the military families now separated from their loved ones and of course never forgetting those PS and Mias represented by the draped empty chair in front of us we're also inspired this morning by our en listes Ang Vince Ella Jaden thank you for answering the call to serve you're following in the footsteps from Lexington and Conquer to Gettysburg to Flanders Field to Omaha Beach to Heartbreak Ridge to quaan to fujia and to kahar and to our veterans who we honor here today on behalf of the state of Indiana thank you for your service [Applause] God bless you all God bless our veterans and God bless the United States of America thank [Applause] you I am honored to get the opportunity to introduce our keynote speaker for today's ceremony Master Chief Chris chisolm
038Master Chief chisolm was born and raised in Garett Indiana grew up on a small farm played Sports was an FFA president graduated in 1981 went to Indiana University in Fort Wayne for two years and then joined the Navy and the coveted nuclear power program in 1983 Master Chief's career took him to many parts of the world on the five Nimitz class aircraft carriers that he served on he served three instructor tours at the nuclear power training unit outside of Saratoga Springs New York he was qualified to supervise and operate the nuclear reactors and all support equipment needed for long-term deployments Chris retired in 2011 from the US Navy after 28 years and worked as a superintendent of mechanical maintenance at the Davis Bessie nuclear power plant located on Lake Yuri about 20 miles east of
039Toledo Ohio Chris retired from there two years ago keeps busy on a small farm with a pond drives a school bus for the local school district which he thoroughly enjoys he's married to his classmate Pamela and they enjoy their pets their community and their freedom please welcome Chief chisel greetings I want to welcome all the students the administrators I want to welcome the veterans we want to welcome the faculty and Friends okay um superintendent Tracy B basically got my uh introduction out of the way I got to get to get my nerves going here because uh what started this program has just been um overwhelming with both emotion and uh and gratefulness for everybody here like uh was already previously mentioned uh I grew up in Northern Indiana a little bit north of Fort Wayne
040um I loved my community never really ventured far out of the community so after going to IPFW for a couple years and realizing that the uh economic situation in Northeast Indiana in 1983 was not very conducive uh it was time to make a change in my life and nothing better than the U Naval nuclear power plant I mean uh your parents and grandparents can tell you what 1983 was like 133% unemployment 16% interest rates and it just wasn't you know Fort wind Indiana had a place where they took 10,000 jobs out of of the town because you don't see any new international scouts out on the road do you um the Navy was great to me uh it was something I thought about doing uh I thought I needed to get into something that was
041a challenge though I just couldn't go into something and and and uh that didn't motivate me I needed to do something that was going to make a difference and um my biggest withdraw about going in was the fact that they wanted me to go in for six years I'm like oh my God six years years that's a lifetime I ended up staying for 28 my time after the Navy was spent uh in commercial nuclear power and I will tell you that commercial nuclear power is the exact 180 of Navy nuclear power and the Navy and the military in general um there was it was wasn't about family it wasn't about unity and it was there for one purpose make electricity and make money and I was kind of the round peg in a square hole
042and after 10 years we saw an opportunity to uh break away and enjoy ourselves and enjoy our life and that's what we did and I love what I do I I drive a school bus part-time and take kids to sporting events and take uh drive for other route drivers it's a small school it's uh just a little bit smaller than Brown County High School and uh it's it's a it's a pretty good uh pretty good gig why do we celebrate Veterans Day well on November 11th of 1918 we basically quit quit fighting which was supposed to be the Great War the war to end all wars World War I one year later in 1919 on the 11th Hour the 11th day of the 11th month President Wilson said this is going to be armus day
043and we take time out of our Lives to celebrate you know the sacrifices that were made it kind of stayed that way until after World War II and which was wasn't World War I obviously wasn't the war to end all wars World War II began and uh ended finally and and President Eisenhower who was a general during World War II for those that didn't know that um in 1954 made it went from Armor's day to Veterans Day and um it stayed Veterans Day since then uh there was a short period of time in the early 70s where it wasn't always celebrated on November 11th it was celebrated to coincide with three-day weekends but uh later in the 70s they decided that it will be on November 11th period but um you know this isn't more
044of a history lesson and its evolvement it's much more about the widespread recognition and celebration that Veterans Day Has Changed and evolved into the last 20 to 25 years the five words thank you for your service I don't imagine too many Vietnam veterans when they came home heard those words they they didn't hear that okay they didn't get a free meal at Applebees they didn't get a free chicken sandwich at Chick-fil-A okay there was no Fanfare there was no real appreciation so first of all thank you Vietnam veterans because I think you guys are kind of I think you guys were kind of short short changed a little bit um and then I don't maybe this is my personal opinion but a lot of others are going to align but after the unity that occurred
045after people started recognizing the sacrifices that are made I mean there's 19 million veterans in the United States right now there's 2 million active duty and reservists currently on the roles and to see four more people willing to raise their right hand and support defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies forign domestic is inspirational so [Applause] and like was already spoken by a previous speaker the recognition of the sacrifices that are made by the spouses and the families at home it's they're they're doing the dirty work while you're doing the dirty work okay um you know back to that thank you for your service there was a point where when they first started doing it I'm thinking why aren't they thanking me I mean I wasn't in a foxhole shooting a rifle
046getting shot at I was in an engine room on an aircraft carrier making steam to launch and recover aircraft that did go into foreign lands and put Warheads on foreheads okay and but uh and I this is for the for the elementary students a nimit class carrier is a 1,092 foot Naval warship it's the largest ship in the Navy it uh is nuclear powered and it has two reactors and it has four big uh propellers and it is capable of steaming for 25 years without stopping for fuel now you got to stop and get groceries obviously but uh they don't have to rely on having to be refueled and so the projection of C power is as much of a deterrent as anything and so when I say nimit class carrier I want the everybody's
047students to know that uh that's what it is it's a it's the 68 class carrier here that has uh been the Forefront of our projection of sea power for the last 50 years back to being part of something big okay Naval nuclear power school was no joke so I left IPFW and was going to dive into the Navy and uh then I found out that had a 40% failure rate for Naval nuclear power school and I'm like there is no way I'm going to fail this so studied you did six months of nuclear power school and at that time it was in Florida U no Disney World for me okay you stayed your your face was in the schoolhouse and then you went to a a land-based prototype unit where I actually was an instructor
048three times afterwards but you taught kids and I say kids young men and women how to operate a nuclear power plant safely um it was just uh it was something really I I wanted to do and I couldn't have done it without teachers you go back and you start thinking about teachers and uh the people that helped instruct you and ladies and gentlemen you have to listen to your teachers pay attention in school okay pay attention in physics class and advanced algebra and trig and chemistry because all that that I had in high school I was gave me the ability to succeed in nuclear power school you know I went in the Navy as an E3 with very limited skills and I retired as the senior nuclear propulsion operator on the East Coast um got
049to meet a lot of different people uh met two presidents uh HW Bush and Bill Clinton we had countless Sports celebrities we were in southeast Virginia so you always had NASCAR guys uh you guys may not know them but some of everybody else will they'll recognize the words Greg Biffle and Ricky Rood and Dale Jarrett okay and then while we're own deployment one we had uh one guy that's a legend was uh Mr Chuck Norris was on the ship and we got to spend some time with Chuck Norris and uh he was one of the most genuine nicest people I've ever met one of my most favorite Sea Stories was in 1994 where we were part of the 50th commemoration of the D-Day celebration D-Day is when the American forces in June 6th of 1944
050commenced the storming of the beaches on the northwest side of France to begin the liberation of Europe from the stronghold of Nazi Germany okay and we lost a lot of men that day but we had the 50th anniversary and we had the president and his wife and all the press and CNN and Bernie Shaw and Wolf Blitzer and all those folks were on board and we got off the ship and we went and saw that that uh area om Beach and Utah Beach where Americans and Canadians and British are buried and uh that was something that was pretty moving but you know going to all these places and isn't what is what I enjoyed the most about the military watching the people that you train succeed is the most rewarding thing watching them get promoted
051watching people get a college program they put in for or watching somebody advance and then obtain an officer program a master chief is not an officer a master chief is the the senior enlisted person on board the ship usually or there'll be several of us if it's a big enough ship but there's nothing that still like the tingle that you get when you take a 97,000 ton aircraft carrier that's sitting dead in the water and then within 5 minutes it's going speeds greater than 35 miles per hour shooting a rooster tail off the fan tail of the ship um that's what makes me tingle so it wasn't the 18 forign soils or my own accomplishments it's a personal relationships with all the people in 1997 we started embracing women in the combatants and um you
052know I had officers in my department and you know what everybody has a job to do so basically it's accountability and everybody qualif it was it was go as normal and it it's been really good and when I was at Schoolhouse I trained the first female officer to go to a a Navy submarine so and uh she was a top-notch sailor and I'm sure she did well so you're a blend of yourself your family your teachers your coaches your scout your 4 leaders your clergy your friends Choose Wisely Choose Wisely you'll carry it with you the rest of your life and talk about diversity the people that you meet in the military when I went to boot camp in 1983 at Great Lakes up in the north side of Chicago if anybody can recall Christmas
053of 1983 it was a coldest Christmas still on record anyways There Was 80 of us there people from New York people that were Hispanic people that were Latino people that were africanamerican people that were uh oriental people that were Indian okay we all got together and got along to accomplish a common goal my first division on Theodore Roosevelt which is my favorite aircraft carrier had people from greater than 30 States we had two guys named Brown we had two guys named green we had had two guys named gray I had a a black gentleman named white and a white gentleman named black and I had a we had our token Native American Sue Indian named Redwing so we had it we had it all that was just an M division on the Roosevelt and then
054to kick it all off a lot of kids won't know this but we also had four guys named Cosby steel Nash and Young which was hilarious um I want to tell a story about a about a count accountability and about rules and regulations every uh everybody knows that you have to keep your uniform impeccable keep your uh you know haircut shaved shoe shined it's all part of the military standards and accountability well we were once again back on the Roosevelt on my first tour and I was in charge of about eight or nine Sailors this one guy he was a good worker but he was uh you know he didn't come to work as the sharpest sharply dressed he he didn't have black socks on black socks are part of the uniform this guy had
055white socks on I kind of overlooked it the first couple of times but if I keep overlooking it then that's a reflection upon me for not enforcing standards so my boss said how come so and so doesn't his name was Tim why doesn't Tim have black socks and so finally I said well I guess I have to be the boss and I went up to Tim and I said how come you can't wear black like everybody else and this guy just got done crawling out of the build where he was working on a valve or something and he said and he was he was a a you know an E3 okay he said my wife's at home with the baby the baby's sick we don't have any more diapers she's using cloth diapers the transmission
056in my car is broke and I've been catching the bus to get to work and we don't get paid for three more days and uh we really don't have a whole lot left to eat I don't have money to buy black socks and I took a step back and I said military supposed to take care of each other so we got him some black socks we got him some groceries we got him some Pampers and when he got paid he got his car fixed so that's called taking care of people so as I close this isn't a Navy commercial um but I I'm going to ask all the students here when you're when you when you start thinking about what you want to do the rest of your life the military is a good option
057the military was great for me okay but you got to have a plan because not everybody can join the military there's things that you can't if you've had legal issues you're probably not going to get into military if you have medical issues you're not going to get in the military okay that's between you and your recruiter but have a plan you got any idea the amount of debt you accumulate going to college now um I'm pretty sure the new administration's not going to give debt forgiveness okay so um but you know what the world needs Pipe Fitters it needs Mill rids it needs welders it needs electricians it needs Heating and ventilation techs it needs people that can work on diesels God cumings is right down the street okay it needs people in the medical
058field that doesn't require a four-year agree okay just have a plan and I want to thank the uh Miss Adams I want to thank superintendent Tracy but um the students that greeted us this morning the level of professionalism was outstanding it's so refreshing to see young men and young ladies mostly young ladies in dresses nice clothes being professional and they were the ones that greeted us as we came in today and uh it's refreshing to see that thank you veterans thank you Brown County High School this has been a pleasure thank you I'd like to just take a couple more moments to thank our outstanding musicians who are assisting with our program today and our Brown County High School history club for all of their assistance we sincerely appreciate Brown County High School Brown County
059Middle School choirs led by Jackie Stewart and our Brown County High School band Led by their director Matt Finley I also want to take a minute to thank our very own Mrs Alicia Adams and Mrs Emily luellin for their Relentless pursuit to support our military families resulting in Brown County Schools receiving the purple star designation for each one of our schools in our [Applause] District Veterans when the music begins our students will greet you and will dismiss You by row to the auxiliary gym where you will have your picture taken all veterans widows and your families are invited to stay for the lunch in thank you [Applause] you [Music] want to get a picture of you and we'll a few pict e