Gallery • 14 Photos

Priya Maraliga

Army Command Sergeant Major Anthony Pittman talks about his military experience at the Veterans Day Assembly, which was hosted by Operation Enduring Freedom.

Veterans, including retired Army Command Sergeant Major Anthony Pittman and Marine Gunnery Sergeant Andrew Roberson, spoke about their military experiences and why Veterans Day matters to an assembly of students and teachers on Nov. 10. 

During the assembly, which was hosted by Operation Enduring Freedom, Pittman and Roberson gave speeches followed by a Q&A session with the audience members.

Pittman, Roberson, Staff Sergeant Wesley Ratliff, Operation Enduring Freedom leader senior Jaclyn Faulconer and various audience members reflect on the meaning of Veterans Day and the assembly itself.

Army Command Sergeant Major Anthony Pittman

What does Veterans Day mean to you?

 “It’s a day to celebrate those who sacrificed for our country.”

What do you hope students took away from the assembly?

 “I hope the students took away the experience that our country is always worth giving back to.”

Marine Gunnery Sergeant Andrew Roberson

What does Veterans Day mean to you?

“It’s a time to pause and reflect on past wars.”

What do you hope students took away from the assembly?

“I want to be a part of the next generation’s success.”

SSGT Wesley Ratliff

What does Veterans Day mean to you?

“It’s a remembrance of the ones serving for you.”

What do you hope students took away from the assembly?

“Service members are normal people.”

Senior Jaclyn Faulconer

What does Veterans Day mean to you?

“Giving thanks to those who served and are serving our country.”

What do you hope students took away from the assembly?

“ I hope the students realize what the veterans do for us.”

Senior Madeline Faucher

What does Veterans Day mean to you?

“Veterans day is a time for me to step back and remember people like my grandfather who served for our country.”

What did you take away from the assembly?

“That every veteran’s story is very different, but all of their experiences and memories are priceless.”

Freshman Simon Linden

What does Veterans Day mean to you?

“It’s a great day to celebrate and honor veterans in our community.” 

What did you take away from the assembly?

“A lot of people have different experiences. The variety is really cool.”

Freshman Cara Leonard

What does Veterans Day mean to you?

“I respect Veterans Day as a day to thank people for their service. My grandfather served in the Vietnam War.” 

What did you take away from the assembly?

“Joining the military is a very opening experience but it’s also very dangerous.”

Junior Yahya Ibrahimi

What does Veterans Day mean to you?

“Veterans Day means a day of reflection where we should honor and respect veterans and what they went through.”

What did you take away from the assembly?

“From the assembly, I took away that these people who served have been through actual war and suffered since they had to do really crazy things. One of the veterans said they ate bats once, and that really blew my mind.”

Senior Sania Hasan

What does Veterans Day mean to you?

“I don’t celebrate it, but I admire what they do to defend our country.”

What did you take away from this assembly?

“I learned that veterans experience more than what we just think of. There’s more to being a veteran than just being in the military.”

Senior Nina Viswanathan 

What does Veterans Day mean to you?

“To me Veterans Day is a day to remember and honor the people who served in the armed forces.” 

What did you take away from this assembly?

“From the assembly, I took away that serving in the armed forces is not an easy job and it takes a lot of training and hard work.” 

Junior Josh Colebourn

What does Veterans Day mean to you?

“It is a day where we honor past military servicemen and women.”

What did you take away from this assembly? 

“I left with a lot of respect for our veterans. I learned what they had been through, and I’m really appreciative of it.”

Senior Rebecca Dillon

What does Veterans Day mean to you? 

“It didn’t really mean much to me until I went on the eighth grade D.C. trip and realized these people really contribute to our community and let us have the rights that we do”

What did you take away from this assembly? 

“I took away that each person has a unique story and has their own pathway to serving in the armed forces. I thought it was really interesting to learn about their history.”

Sophomore Eva Gulbankian

What does Veterans Day mean to you?

“Veterans Day is a day to appreciate, honor and respect veterans who have passed and are still here with us.”

What did you take away from this assembly? 

“I took away that you can grow and learn a lot from the military and being a veteran.”