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by Lydia Bickham, Student Contributor

Vetrans Day

The majority of us go through each day consumed by a never-ending list of things we need to accomplish. We hardly ever stop and think about what significance each day has, unless we get something out of it. Here at Alice Lloyd College we emphasize servant leadership and we are taught to apply it in our lives and some people on campus have done just that, by sacrificing their lives for ours. There are several people on campus who have served for America and the freedom we, as a nation stand for.   

Dr. Charles Walter served in the Marine Corps and served from 1991 until 1995. He explains, “My duty station was Camp Pendleton, CA for the first three years where we would deploy on ships across the world. During this time I went to Okinawa, Japan; Singapore, in South East Asia; Somalia, in Africa; and The Persian Gulf, in the Middle East. Then the last year of my service I was stationed in Quantico, VA where I was an enlisted instructor in the infantry school where I helped train officers.”  

Dr. Norm Bishop was drafted into the Army after only six weeks into his first teaching job. He applied for officer training but due to his desire to get back to teaching he decided to pursue a different route. He was then sent to the Republic of South Vietnam where he helped enlist men to different units as they came out of training. He also spent some time being a grunt or foot soldier. Dr. Bishop was in active duty for two years and in inactive duty for six years.

Dr. Buford McWright served in the US Army from 1963 to 1966 and was honorably discharged. “While in the military, I served as an Army Bandsman in 3 different US Army Bands: The Ft. Jackson Training Band (Ft. Jackson, SC), the 323rd HQ BAMC Band (Ft. Sam Houston, Texas), and the Third Infantry Division Band in Wurzburg, Germany.” The instrument that he played was the bass horn or tuba. “The band played for medical school graduations at Brook Army Medical Ctr. in San Antonio, TX; organization days (picnics and celebrations for different units); concerts and parades in many places in TX. In Europe, we played at the 20th Anniversary of D-Day in Paris, for the Vierdaagse in Nijmegen, Netherlands for the liberation of Holland, the royal palace in Copenhagen, Denmark and many other celebrations and parades for soldiers, airmen and civilians. We were the good will ambassadors for the American Military in Europe. I was a Sp4 (e-4). That is one grade above a PFC. I served when the Vietnam War was just starting to heat up.”

Dr. Rhonda Smith-Daugherty’s husband Master Sergeant Leo J. Daugherty III, USMCR (Ret.) served in the Marine Corps. He graduated first in his class and was assigned the 0231 MOS.  He explains, “I remained with G-2 Operations, 2nd Marine Division, at Camp Lejeune, NC, and participated in Operation Ocean Venture, on Puerto Rico and in the Caribbean Sea in February 1987.” Master Sergeant Leo J. Daugherty trained in the Caribbean Sea where he participated in two non-combatant evacuation operations in Port-au-Prince Port-Haiti and trained at Rodman U.S. Naval Station in the Canal Zone in Panama.  He explains, “I was released from active duty in March 1989 a sergeant and entered the Marine Corps Reserves, Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, where I served as the Intelligence Chief. During Desert Shield/Desert Storm, my battalion was activated and participated in Operation Battle Griffin in Norway (February – March 1991) as well as training Honduran Naval Infantry.  After being released from 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines in July 1991, I remained in the Individual Ready Reserve where I participated in several Marine Expeditionary Unit Special Operations Capable Exercises at Camp Lejeune; and a Combined Arms Exercise at Twenty-nine Palms, California.”

Including faculty members who have served here on campus we have two students who are currently serving. This November 11 is not just a day that should go unnoticed and get overshadowed by our busy schedules. There are millions of individuals and families sacrificing their lives to help protect America. Thank you so much to everybody who has and is currently serving, your actions don’t go unappreciated. America would not be the place of freedom that it is today without you.