This year’s Veterans Day Program held in the new gymnasium of East Limestone was filled with not only students but heroes from all generations and military backgrounds. Principle Dennis Black welcomed the guest and Veterans and was honored to provide recognition to those who gave so much for our freedom.

The students took over the program at this point with the invocation given by Akia Siniard, introduction of the military branches by student council president Reza Atras and taps performed by Jessica Haywood. Presentation of the military flags: Air Force – by Brandon Wharton, Army – by Steve Flora, Coast Guard – by Hannah Harris, Navy – by Reece Jernigan and the Marines – by Kaitlyn Terry.

Medal of Honor speech was read by Alexis Ellison. Music provided by the ELHS Wind Ensemble and special guest Tom McClung wrote and performed “US 1 and Donald Ross” and performed “American Soldier” by Toby Keith and “In Color” by Jamey Johnson.

SSG Walter Drysdale, US Army, presented the Art Contest Winner with a recognition certificate of achievement to Brandon McGugin. His drawing was of a fallen soldier’s grave, with the sun rising in the back ground, this very poignant image is very humbling to soldiers who have comrades that paid the ultimate price, but for others the rising sun portrays how they must continue on. McGugin was also given a Challenge Coin by SSG Drysdale. The Challenge Coin is given to individuals in the military who have demonstrated going above and beyond expectations.

Christian Manley recognized the Korean War Veterans who will be attending their memorial on November 12th in Washington DC on the Valor Flight. The Limestone County Honorees are: Donald Blackburn, Fred Clem, J. T. Collins, David Crooks, Glenn Lowery, Bobby Mefford, Henry Miller, Walt Miller, Jim Patteson, Raymond Phelps, Wendell Powers, Raymond Slaten, James Sulcer, Huston Taylor and Hoyt Williamson.

The end of the program was a portrayal of the poem, “The Monsters and the Weak” below are the words to the poem.

The Veterans were invited to stay for a group photo and for a photo in their branch of service.

Teresa Todd
AthensPlus.com
November 4th, 2011

THE MONSTERS AND THE WEAK
By Michael Marks
January 25, 2006

The sun beat like a hammer, not a cloud was in the sky.
The mid-day air ran thick with dust, my throat was parched and dry.
With microphone clutched tight in hand and cameraman in tow,
I ducked beneath a fallen roof, surprised to hear "stay low."

My eyes blinked several times before in shadow I could see,
the figure stretched across the rubble, steps away from me.
He wore a cloak of burlap strips, all shades of grey and brown,
that hung in tatters till he seemed to melt into the ground.

He never turned his head or took his eye from off the scope,
but pointed through the broken wall and down the rocky slope.
"About eight hundred yards," he said, his whispered words concise,
"beneath the baggy jacket he is wearing a device."

A chill ran up my spine despite the swelter of the heat,
"You think he's gonna set it off along the crowded street?"
The sniper gave a weary sigh and said "I wouldn't doubt it,"
"unless there's something this old gun and I can do about it."

A thunderclap, a tongue of flame, the still abruptly shattered;
while citizens that walked the street were just as quickly scattered.
Till only one remained, a body crumpled on the ground,
The threat to oh so many ended by a single round.

And yet the sniper had no cheer, no hint of any gloat,
instead he pulled a logbook out and quietly he wrote.
"Hey, I could put you on TV, that shot was quite a story!"
But he surprised me once again -- "I got no wish for glory."

"Are you for real?" I asked in awe, "You don't want fame or credit?"
He looked at me with saddened eyes and said "you just don't get it."
"You see that shot-up length of wall, the one without a door?
before a mortar hit, it used to be a grocery store."

"But don't go thinking that to bomb a store is all that cruel,
the rubble just across the street -- it used to be a school.
The little kids played soccer in the field out by the road,"
His head hung low, "They never thought a car would just explode."

"As bad as all this is though, it could be a whole lot worse,"
He swallowed hard, the words came from his mouth just like a curse.
"Today the fight's on foreign land, on streets that aren't my own,"
"I'm here today 'cause if I fail, the next fight's back at home."

"And I won't let my Safeway burn, my neighbors dead inside,
don't wanna get a call from school that says my daughter died;
I pray that not a one of them will know the things I see,
nor have the work of terrorists etched in their memory."

"So you can keep your trophies and your fleeting bit of fame,
I don't care if I make the news, or if they speak my name."
He glanced toward the camera and his brow began to knot,
"If you're looking for a story, why not give this one a shot."

"Just tell the truth of what you see, without the slant or spin;
that most of us are OK and we're coming home again.
And why not tell our folks back home about the good we've done,
how when they see Americans, the kids come at a run."

You tell 'em what it means to folks here just to speak their mind,
without the fear that tyranny is just a step behind;
Describe the desert miles they walk in their first chance to vote,
or ask a soldier if he's proud, I'm sure you'll get a quote."

He turned and slid the rifle in a drag bag thickly padded,
then looked again with eyes of steel as quietly he added;
"And maybe just remind the few, if ill of us they speak,
that we are all that stands between the monsters and the weak."