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Veterans representing various branches of service and Litchfield's American Legion and VFW posts salute the flag and recite the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of a Veterans Day program Friday at Lake Ripley Elementary School.
Capt. Brandon Bostic, commander of the Minnesota National Guard Litchfield unit, explains the various badges on his uniforms to students after the Veterans Day program.
Veterans representing various branches of service and Litchfield’s American Legion and VFW posts salute the flag and recite the Pledge of Allegiance with students at the beginning of a Veterans Day program Friday at Lake Ripley Elementary School.
Dave Higgins shakes hands with students following the program.
Veterans representing various branches of service and Litchfield's American Legion and VFW posts salute the flag and recite the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of a Veterans Day program Friday at Lake Ripley Elementary School.
The energy level reaches top of the scale when the student body at Lake Ripley Elementary School fills the gymnasium, regardless of the program.
It was no different Friday afternoon as the students filed in to see a platform filled with uniformed men on one side of the gym, as the volume level climbed.
But the students slowly quieted as Principal Chris Olson introduced the men to kick off a Veterans Day observance. It was one of several visits the veterans made Friday, along with stops at the high school and middle school, School of St. Philip, and senior residences around town.
Veterans, Olson said, “are teachers, custodians, post office workers, doctors and store clerks, and we can thank them personally every day, and especially on Veterans Day.”
With that, the panel of veterans introduced themselves, giving a brief history of their service and what they do now. Among the panel were Marines, Army, National Guard members, all of whom also are members of local veterans organizations such as the American Legion and VFW.
Featured speaker Capt. Brandon Bostic gave Lake Ripley students an abbreviated version of a speech he gave earlier to older students before opening the floor to students’ questions.
“I want you guys to know that the reason that we do what we do is so that you guys can do what you do,” Bostic said. “We serve and we carry out the missions that we’re asked to do so that you guys can continue to have some of the same cool things that you can do on a daily basis.
“But you’re always in our minds when we’re gone,” Bostic added. “And even though you guys might not right now understand everything that we’re asked to do, understand that we’re doing it for your guys’ behalf. We’re doing it for the freedoms that we have, the freedoms that we enjoy as a nation and everybody on this panel, we all volunteered to do it, and we were happy to do so.”
Bostic and his fellow veterans then fielded several questions, most of them having to do with why their uniforms looked the way they do and what the various patches and pins mean.
As the program closed, Olson stepped to the microphone again with a simple reminder for students.
“Always be very, very thankful to our veterans, and to all our servicemen and women, not just today but every day,” Olson said.
