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Veterans' Day Talks

Jay's memories of presentations to school classes on Veterans' Day


I have been asked to speak at school functions honoring veterans perhaps six or seven times. Each time I have said yes, and each time I have done three things.
  • First, I have brought out my Vietnam era fatigue jacket to wear.
  • Second, I have visited the local Army Recruiting Office and asked if they would be willing to donate some trinkets that I can give to the kids. The recruiters have been generous every time, giving me pens, pins, and lanyards.
  • Third is that I purchased some MREs, or Meals Ready to Eat, the individual field feeding packet that replaced C-rations.
Typically, I would begin by very briefly, introducing myself and then asking some type of military history question. As you might expect for an audience of 30 to 40 kids, perhaps three hands would go up. I would call on someone, get the answer, and then toss the boy or a girl a lanyard. The next time I asked a question 30 hands would go up. (I made sure everyone had an opportunity to win a trinket.)

In the background, Bonnie would be working with the teacher or an adult volunteer to prepare the MREs. I would bring them out and introduce them, usually telling the kids that soldiers often called them Meals Rejected by Everyone. And then we would have tasting, which was always highly popular. In every case, the kids would remark just how tasty they were, and my reply would always be, "Yes, but not after you eat them 40 days straight."

Obviously I enjoyed these presentations.


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