Veteran's Day events to honor those who served, past and present

Friday, November 5, 2004

By Ben Holman

Nevada Daily Mail

This coming Thursday is Veteran's Day, a day to recognize the contributions of all those who have served our nation in times of war.

Area groups will be conducting special ceremonies or hosting events to mark the occasion.

The Nevada V.F.W. Post 2175 will be hosting a Veteran's Day dinner at 6 p.m. on Nov. 11. According to Chet Tweten, post commander, the dinner will not be a big to-do.

Ladies from the auxiliary will prepare the meal which will consist of turkey, pork and, "real mashed potatoes -- none of that powder," said Tweten.

He said that they expect around 50 to 60 vets to be present.

"You don't have to be a V.F.W. member, it's just a nice meal to honor our veterans."

The V.F.W. will also participate in a special ceremony held earlier that day at Nevada High School.

According to Lt. Col. Pat Giunta, NHS JROTC instructor, the school will hold a ceremony starting at 10:50 a.m. in the high school gymnasium. The ceremony will feature the ringing of 11 bells at 11 a.m. to recognize the ending on fighting in Europe during World War I on Nov. 11, 11 a.m., 1918 -- the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

The ceremony will also feature a history of Veteran's Day, a dramatic reading from the NHS Drama Club, a flag ceremony featuring the history of the service flags and the high school band.

One special ceremony also being held during the event will be the presentation of an honorary high school diploma to a local veteran who went into the service instead of completing high school.

Ken Loomer, Precision Aero Services president, dropped out of high school in 1962 and joined the military.

He spent four years in the Air Force and served 18 months stationed in Okinawa during the Vietnam War. He was a mechanic and served with a support crew for aircraft used during the war.

Loomer was only 17 when he enlisted but said he didn't have to lie about his age, "I think you could go in when you were 17, my parents had to sign for me though," he said. "I just thought it was the thing to do," he said.

The diploma will be presented by Chris Ellis, school board president, and Dr. Ted Davis, superintendent. Davis said, "He's a very successful man (even though) he dropped out of school to go into the service. (After that) he got his GED and went on."

Davis said that Loomer is not the first Veteran to receive an honorary diploma from NHS.

He said that there is a program in place to honor veterans who served their country instead of finishing their education.

Bronaugh and Northeast Vernon County schools are also conducting special Veteran's Day events.

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