Friday, Nov. 11 is an annual day that we celebrate not only past heroes but current and future heroes.
Veteran’s Day was first proclaimed in 1919 by President Woodrow Wilson. The day has been marked in history as a day off for the battle fought, commemorating veterans with thanksgiving and prayer.
Asbury freshman Audrey Napah has a 99-year-old grandfather who will be 100 in January and who served in the military. Mr. James Wynn-Pow was taken prisoner by the Germans in World War ll after being drafted out of the Merchant Marines.
“My favorite thing about having a veteran relative is being able to live in the freedom that my grandfather fought for,” said Napah.
Pow was captured at the Battle of the Bulge on December 18, 1944, surviving six months as a prisoner of war. He was a personal witness to the Allied bombing of Dresden, Germany.
“Having a veteran in my family makes the war so much more personal and real when I think about the things he went through as a soldier and then as a prisoner of war,” said Napah. “He is a brilliant man, even at 100 years old, and he carries a lot of memories and knowledge.”
Napah say veterans play a vital role in our of our lives here at Asbury, even if they are not family. They still put their life on the line every day for our freedom.
“People should respect veterans and thank them for their service because our freedom was paid for with a high price,” said Napah. “So many lives have been lost for the freedom that we take for granted.”
Freshman Ivy King said her favorite part about having a veteran relative is a sense of community. “Many of my family members and friends are enlisted in the military,” said King.
“They are all fighting and striving for one cause.”
Growing up with family on a base can be difficult, having to relocate. However, King says having a sense of belonging and welcoming can be very inviting.
“Having a veteran as my dad has been a great opportunity to grow up and visit the base and going to family events,” said King. “This gave me a sense of understanding the military family. Also being called a military “brat” is funny.”
Veterans choose to fight for the United States. King said that veterans put themselves on the front lines for people’s freedom.
“This is not an easy decision, or something lightly taken,” King said. “Countless hours of training are taken place to prepare. While respect is earned, and they have earned every bit of respect that can be given.”
Another freshman student Smriti Mahendra is connected to many veterans in her community. She was able to write to some veterans while in middle school and had the pleasure of receiving letters back.
“I believe that veterans deserve a lot more respect than what they get now, because they have not just sacrificed their friends and family for duty, they have also sacrificed their mental health. that is very dangerous,” said Mahebdra.
“One of the veterans was in the second Congo war, he served from 2000-2003. He said that the only thing that kept him going was him and his friends tradition of praying together before and after battle.”
One unanimous veteran said that sunshine got him through the war. “I was eager to feel the sun on my face, just for a few minutes so that I could be reminded of my home in Florida.”
