On November 12, the students at Hilltop convened in the gymnasium for the annual Veteran’s Day Assembly. The assembly was highlighted musical performances from the first, second, third, and fourth grade, poetry readings about military service, and guest speaker Lynn Thompson.
The assembly started with technical difficulties involving the sound system; the National Anthem wouldn’t play, but that didn’t stop Mrs. Schaeffer and the rest in attendance from singing the National Anthem sans musical backup. It was a very natural and moving way to start the ceremony.
Mr. Thompson told the story of his service and how his supply transport was the last one due to start the Iraq War. He carried missiles and other things through the desert to a unit that had no definite location. His unit rode through the only lightning he saw there during his service while toting a large store of rocket fuel and explosives. Mr. Thompson said, “I didn’t fire my weapon or throw a hand grenade, but I brought all my men home safely and that was pretty cool.”
At the end, veterans from all branches of the military, retired or still serving, stood and were applauded, as they should be every day. It’s always nice to see the community and the school doing things like this, honoring those who have provided so vital a service and given so much so that we may live as we do. Thank you again to all veterans from all branches, living and dead, active and retired.