Salute to Veterans

Friday was Veterans Day. I attended my first elemetary school dedication and got all choked up. It was a replacement school for an older one called McCoy Elem. McCoy was an Air Force colonel who did big things in his career. The school's nickname is the Jets. The nearby high school wind ensemble played patrotic numbers. The K-5 kids all wore red, white or blue shirts. The choral group kids sang patriotic songs and the 75-year old daughter of Col. McCoy was there with her family. She capped the ceremony by donating her dad's collection of military medals to the principal for permanent display in the main office.
After that I went as someone's guest to a Republican Women's Club luncheon where they were honoring vets (I will refrain from commenting on how I fit in with that crowd). There was an 82 year old who jumped on D-Day, a colonel who set the free fall record of 4 minutes and something and who broke the speed of sound before popping his chute, a major general, assorted others and an Army major who just came back from Iraq. He was asked to give a report on how things are over there. I couldn't believe he kept the appointment because his wife was in the delivery room across town waiting for him.
I also called my son who is sitting in his barracks at West Point and thanked him for his service in Iraq two years ago. He said, " Yeah. Sure. Did you see how Army beat Air Force in football last week?" With that I knew the Black Knights will beat Navy this year and that all will be right with the world.