On November eighth, York High School hosted an assembly for the observation of Veterans Day. This tradition began last year with Senora Caraballo’s initiative which is due to her personal connection with the holiday, being that her husband was in the military for twenty years. In class, she has mentioned the profound impact this has had on her family, which highlights how it’s not just the enlisted that make a sacrifice but their families as well. This connects to one of the points made by keynote speaker Major General Thomas Spencer at the assembly, stating how, through his voluntary enlistment, he drafted his family and his community. Senora Caraballo’s dedication to the purpose of the holiday culminated in a great celebration for the veterans and a great learning opportunity for students.
The assembly included a speech from Major General Thomas Spencer, a slideshow honoring the veterans that people from our school know personally, the national anthem sung by York Chamber singers, and recognition for each branch of veterans in attendance. While the ceremony was a great dedication to our veterans, creating a sense of community to honor them, the greatest learning opportunity for students came after. A breakfast was held for the veterans in attendance, with students having the chance to pop in and talk with them. When asked why it was important for high school students to celebrate veterans day, one veteran said “It’s important they they learn why they have the freedoms that they have”, while another Veteran spoke that it is hard for people to realize the true capacity of the sacrifice veterans make, and the difference between a civilian and military environment.
On the topic of civilian versus military life, the transition from one to another is a point of inquiry. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, “Almost 70,000 veterans were treated for opioid use disorders in 2016. Opioid-related mortality, abuse, and overdose rates are all significantly higher among veterans”. This is due to the physical state of many veterans upon return, which can lead to many surgeries for which veterans are prescribed painkillers for. Additionally, PTSD in veterans is a popular topic as well being portrayed in various media forms and a subject of public concern. In contrast to this, veterans at the breakfast stated that the transition was not overly difficult for them, attributing it to their branch. According to them, certain branches such as the Coast Guard offer a sort of hybrid civilian-military life, making the eventual transition easier, however the veterans also acknowledged how the transition is harder for some than others.
Connecting to the aforementioned transition, the veterans mentioned the importance of community. Accordingly, York High School is not the only school that hosts a Veterans Day celebration. In fact, one veteran shared their experience being invited to Marshwood for a similar event. This type of community based celebration is important, seeing as, mentioned earlier, in their enlistment, they are also drafting their community. Therefore, community support is crucial for both active duty and retired soldiers. Fortunately, it was agreed that York was supportive to our Veterans during and after their service.
Lastly, the Veterans had a range of answers when asked the importance of Veterans day to them and the impact of their service on them. One veteran stated “Our country is a result of our ability to support our citizens”. In the context of this quote the military is part of the support/protection. He expresses gratitude to live in our country, resulting from seeing less stable countries during his deployments. Another veteran interpreted the impact of the military on soldiers as a whole, stating that while the military doesn’t always result in good people, it makes you feel like you are part of something, and gives you something to hold on to.
Overall, the Veterans day assembly was a great opportunity to honor and learn from the veterans who have made great sacrifices. We thank them for their service, as well as Senora Caraballo for her dedication to the event.
