Wednesday, November 19, 2003

Veterans Day at Huddleston Elementary

By Randy Gaddo

There were thousands of Veterans Day ceremonies nation wide and probably overseas as well on Nov. 11, but none could have carried a stronger patriotic message or moved veterans more deeply than the one at Huddleston Elementary School in Peachtree City.

I salute the staff and kids at Huddleston for a world-class event.

It was obvious from the start that much preparation and care had been taken in presenting the event. The students were in place right on time and everything went off like a well-planned, well, military operation. But the level of honest patriotism and love that was intertwined into the event didn’t become apparent until the program began.

I have a son in the third grade who asked me to be there, so I marched out with his class and then tried to fade into the background. He had wanted me to put on my uniform, but I had a meeting right after the ceremony so I couldn’t do it; I regret that now and it won’t happen again.

At any rate I must have had the look of an old veteran because one of the little girl scouts who were tasked with ushering veterans to special seating came up to me. In the sweetest little voice you could imagine she asked me, a little shyly, “Excuse me sir, are you a veteran?”

“Yes, I am,” I told her. Just moments before, I had respectfully declined a request from an adult lady staffer to sit. So when the little scout asked me, “Would you like to sit down in special seating for the veterans?” I knew I’d been set up. I looked up and the lady staffer was smiling at me.

“Guess I can’t turn down that offer,” I told the little scout, and I allowed her to lead me through the throng of kids to nicely appointed pew-like seating, where other veterans were seated. Some were in uniform, most were not; some active or reserve, some retired, some who served one hitch and got out. From WWII right to the current War on Terrorism, all military branches, they were sitting a little awkwardly in the middle of all the commotion.

Then another little girl came up to me and asked, “Sir, did you sign your name in our guest veterans book?” I had not, so she led me there and I did that duty.

Then the ceremony began, and that’s where I started to lose it.

I’ve said the Pledge of Allegiance more times than I can count, but without exception, this was the most memorable. Standing in the midst of the entire student body, and hearing those hundreds of young voices raise up with the deeper tones of the veterans to pledge their allegiance to their flag, their country, under God — well, suffice it to say it was a spiritual experience, for me anyway.

Those children recited the Pledge with vigor and purpose and honesty that surpassed any recitation I’d ever before heard. I tried to blame my moistened eyes on the cool breeze, but that wasn’t it.

“American Tears,” a song made popular by singer Kristi Moore, was never sung more beautifully, more meaningfully, than by the third graders. Again, it was very clear that someone had spent an enormous amount of time preparing the young singers. Every word seemed to have deeper meaning coming from those young Americans’ mouths. Again, that cold breeze affected my eyes when they sang, “For the heroes, for the patriots, for the soldiers, for all the pioneers, I’ll always be an American, and I’ll cry American tears.”

I discovered that there were many responsible for the success of the event when I checked with principal Rebekah Maddox. She told me the chairperson and song director was Kathryn Floyd, whose husband served in the military. Linda Beaubien, the assistant principal, was also a speaker that day.

And then there was Ryan Harmon, the young student council president, who proudly and bravely stood in front of that crowd and did a fantastic job at giving the keynote address. Ms. Maddox also said that Karen Harmon, Sue Nemeth, Michael Davis, Allison Adams, Carol Funderburke, John Daly, Kelly Bomba and Janis Altizer played key roles in organizing and carrying out the mission.

To all of them, I would tell them mission accomplished, job well done! They can be proud of the job they and the children of Huddleston did, and know that veterans do appreciate it. The honor and dignity of their tribute was equal to, or surpassed, any in the country that day.

[Gaddo is a retired U.S. Marine Corps Chief Warrant Officer. He serves as director of leisure services for Peachtree City.]