Veterans Day
The school history department took (practically the whole school) their students to see Flags Of Our Fathers as part of a lesson on Veterans Day. Since the students know I was a veteran their teachers asked me to come along and help chaperon.
At first I wasnt' sure I wanted to go. I mean, why go watch a war movie? But they talked me into it and so I went. I am glad I did. Not for the movie, but the way the students were.
There were not problems. They were very well behaved, and it seemed to me, very attentive to the movie.
I heard giggles in the funny parts, gasps at the bad parts, comments about the racial slurs toward one of the soldiers and sniffles at the sad parts. Some said they enjoyed it, some said they didn't understand the plot (a lot of back and forth scenes).
We had discussed in my anatomy class some stress indicators to look for and a couple students remarked that they did notice how it was portrayed in the movie. All in all a good trip.
And then on the bus home they started asking me questions. What was it like? What did you do? And I answered them, in a way. I told them about what I did as we rolled outside the wire. about getting ready, all the things we did.
I really think veterans need to visit these young people and tell them what they experienced. I think they really want to know. They really pay attention when I talk to them about this.
I now that veterans are known not to talk about their experiences. I think that is not a good idea. No matter how hard the experience is, I think generations now want to know. We are at war and these very young hearts want to know all about it.
They watch youtube videos. The boys go all right, the girls go ohh gross , but they really, really, want to know.
So if your are a veteran, and are reading this. Go visit a high school. Ask to drop in someday and talk about your experience. You don't need to give an explaination for/against the war (only adults ask me that), just talk about what you did.
Lastly, I think about my three uncles who went to WWII. I know very little about what they did. I would really like to have known. They would never talk. And I wouldn't ask.
The next time a young person asks you, "Daddy what did you do in the war?" or "Sir, what did you do?" Sit down and tell them. Keep your history alive.
At first I wasnt' sure I wanted to go. I mean, why go watch a war movie? But they talked me into it and so I went. I am glad I did. Not for the movie, but the way the students were.
There were not problems. They were very well behaved, and it seemed to me, very attentive to the movie.
I heard giggles in the funny parts, gasps at the bad parts, comments about the racial slurs toward one of the soldiers and sniffles at the sad parts. Some said they enjoyed it, some said they didn't understand the plot (a lot of back and forth scenes).
We had discussed in my anatomy class some stress indicators to look for and a couple students remarked that they did notice how it was portrayed in the movie. All in all a good trip.
And then on the bus home they started asking me questions. What was it like? What did you do? And I answered them, in a way. I told them about what I did as we rolled outside the wire. about getting ready, all the things we did.
I really think veterans need to visit these young people and tell them what they experienced. I think they really want to know. They really pay attention when I talk to them about this.
I now that veterans are known not to talk about their experiences. I think that is not a good idea. No matter how hard the experience is, I think generations now want to know. We are at war and these very young hearts want to know all about it.
They watch youtube videos. The boys go all right, the girls go ohh gross , but they really, really, want to know.
So if your are a veteran, and are reading this. Go visit a high school. Ask to drop in someday and talk about your experience. You don't need to give an explaination for/against the war (only adults ask me that), just talk about what you did.
Lastly, I think about my three uncles who went to WWII. I know very little about what they did. I would really like to have known. They would never talk. And I wouldn't ask.
The next time a young person asks you, "Daddy what did you do in the war?" or "Sir, what did you do?" Sit down and tell them. Keep your history alive.
posted by our family | 9:19 AM
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