Thank you for your service

DeKALB – Charles Bennett, 88, of DeKalb traveled the world while he served in the Army from 1947 to 1967.

Bennett completed basic training in Kentucky and then his military career took him to Japan, Washington, Alaska, Illinois, Texas, Germany, New Jersey and Vietnam.

On Nov. 8, the Army veteran visited his granddaughter’s classroom at Clinton Rosette Middle School in DeKalb to talk about his military service as part of the school’s Veterans Appreciation Day.

During the half day of classes, about 15 veterans, both retired and active duty, enjoyed breakfast and visited classrooms to share about their time in the military. At the end of the school day, an all-school assembly honored the veterans for their service.

At the end of the assembly, Principal Tim Vincent reminded the students how important it is to thank veterans.

Before the more than 600 students left for the start of their four-day weekend, they formed a line snaking around the gymnasium, waiting eagerly to shake the veterans’ hands and thank them for their service.

Vincent said the second annual event was a way to honor local veterans.

“We have off on Veterans Day, and I think the kids need to know why they have the day off,” Vincent said. “It’s not just a day to sleep in. By having the event at school, they can better understand and appreciate those that served. It’s also a way to recognize veterans and make sure they feel appreciated for all they did for our country.”

For many staff and faculty at the middle school, Veterans Day is personal: John Panek, seventh-grade science and social studies teacher, served in the Army National Guard, substitute teacher Roger Fischer served in the Navy, and seventh-grade math teacher Brittany Chisamore’s husband, Michael, is a Marine Corps veteran.

“Veterans Day is an opportunity for all of us to honor veterans by remembering them and thanking them for their service,” Chisamore said. “It’s also important for the students to learn about the military and all of the careers it could offer.”

Retired Master Sgt. Robert Maciejewski of the Illinois Air National Guard and active duty Army Sgt.1st Class Gerald Regilus, an Army recruiter in DeKalb, visited classrooms together. One of the most popular questions they were asked by students was to explain their uniforms, stripes and insignia.

“I liked learning about their uniforms, what all of their badges mean,” seventh-grader Ty’Asia Banks said. “It’s nice to have them visit and to learn from them. They risked their lives for us when they served, it’s nice to hear their stories.”

Army veteran Ken Andersen of Kirkland and Navy veteran Dick Duda of DeKalb sat together and discussed the importance of their visit to the middle school.

“It’s important to tell the kids what went on, to tell them about our time in the service,” Andersen said. “It reminds everyone of the dedication that men and women gave to our country. It’s important to remember those that served honorably because they wrote a blank check to our country.”

“Veterans Day should be an important holiday to American people because it stands for everything we [as veterans] did for our country,” Duda said. “I don’t think kids realize or talk about it much. The military has a lot of learning and education in it, you get a lot out of it.”

Marine Corps veteran Robert Weber of Trenton said he hopes the one thing students learned from the school visit, it is to remember.

“If we don’t remember, we forget,” Weber said. “The way the world is now, so many things occupy your time that we just forget the everyday things, the little things that are important.”