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Williamstown students honor veterans with assembly

By Douglass Huxley 3 min read

WILLIAMSTOWN -- "We must never forget to honor those that serve our country, because we are free, because of the sacrifice of their bravery," Superintendent of Wood County Schools Christie Willis told those gathered in the Williamstown Middle/High School auditorium Wednesday during the school's Veterans Day assembly.

"Thank you for your courage. Thank you for your sacrifice. Thank you for your unselfishness," Willis told the veterans in attendance. "Freedom is never free, and today we honor you, and celebrate you, and thank you for your service."

The morning began with the Colorguard provided by the Parkersburg South High School JROTC and the playing of the Star-Spangled Banner by WMHS Director of Bands Jed Corra and the strings of the WMHS band.

WMHS Principal Jason Ward told students the veterans in attendance were the embodiment of their DASH (Discipline Achievement Service Honor) saying.

"These are the type of role models you want to look towards and see how you want to carry yourself as a young man or woman going forward in whatever endeavor you do in life," Ward said.

Guest speaker Lt. Col Alejandro Cantu, USAF retired, talked to the crowd about his past saying he joined the Air Force in 1989 and that his career field was space and missile operations.

"Those jobs are in two kinds of places," Cantu said. "There's the nice spots like California, Hawaii, Florida, Colorado where the skiing is pretty great. But also in the middle of nowhere like Montana, the Dakotas and Wyoming. Guess which ones I got?"

Cantu said his job was to be responsible for the readiness, safety and security of up to 50 LGM-30 Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missiles. He said that job showed him how much stress he could handle and how much is placed on young people in the armed forces.

"We trust some of our youngest people with tremendous responsibility," Cantu said.

Cantu told students Veterans Day wasn't just about a day off of school but about a way for Americans to recognize the 6%, or 1 in 120 people they meet who are, or have, served in the armed forces.

"Please take the time to thank every veteran you meet, no matter how uncomfortable it makes us," Cantu said. "And spend Veterans Day , and every other day, remembering that there are some awesome men and women, most of them very young, who right now as we speak, are sacrificing a great deal so we can enjoy the freedoms that we have."

Douglass Huxley can be reached at dhuxley@newsandsentinel.com

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