Veterans teach Eagle County students cost of freedom |

Veterans teach Eagle County students cost of freedom

EAGLE COUNTY — Mark and Michael Hay stood tall and proud as they flanked their grandfather, Mike Hay, during their school's Veterans Day assembly.



It ended with "Taps," as they must.

In between the students asked great questions, like "What inspired you to join the military?"

Or, "What's the difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day?"

Or, "When were you the most scared?"

Mike Hay is a reluctant hero, and one of the members of the local Veterans of Foreign Wars post touring local schools, helping students understand that there's a price to be paid for our freedom, and that it's often paid by people they know and love.

Choosing to serve

These days, the military is all-volunteer; men and women choose to serve. It wasn't always like that.

Mike was drafted.

"The draft is like winning the lottery in reverse," he said.


"We got to go in first and come back last," Mike said.


"Everyone around me was just like I was," he said. "We were afraid of the unknown."

A few good men are sometimes women

It takes all kinds to fight for freedom.

Pete Thompson says he was in the military a long time ago. He did stuff so secret he still can't talk about.




"My dad and brothers were so proud," she told the students.




"OK," the sergeant said. "All you guys hiding in the back come down here and fill these first two rows."

When they moved down, the sergeant barked out, "Everyone in the first two rows is going to be a Marine. Congratulations!"

"I didn't join the Marine Corps. The Marine Corps joined me," Cassidy said.

Freedom worth fighting for


"We all pledged an oath to protect and defend the Constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic," Thompson said.

Thompson pointed out that the Constitution opens with "We the people … " then rolls into its seven articles and its 27 amendments, Thompson said, pointing out to the hundreds of students that it's the Constitution that guarantees the rights Americans enjoy, and that people in some countries don't enjoy anything like those rights.

Thompson acknowledged a group of women in the front row and pointed out that in some countries they're not allowed to drive. He then looked across the faces of the hundreds of bright, hopeful faces and explained that in some of those same countries girls are not allowed to attend school.



"The military has been an all-volunteer force since Vietnam," Krueger explained to a class at Eagle Valley High School. "They chose to serve, to leave their families."


Thank a vet

Veterans Day started as Armistice Day, Nov. 11, 1918, to close World War I, Halas explained. It marked the end of fighting on the Western Front between the Allies and Germany. The armistice was signed at 11 a.m., Nov. 11, "the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month."



"If you have a chance, thank a veteran," Thompson said.
