Corner Middle School honors veterans with annual service

Corner Middle School hosted its annual Veterans Day celebration to honor veterans in the local community with a service, speaker, band and breakfast for the veterans and their family members.

The students presented veterans in attendance with a certificate honoring their service and lit candles to honor those who died or were listed as missing in action.

Those in attendance also had the privilege of hearing from Ron Jefferson. Jefferson, who lists a Purple Heart and Cross of Gallantry among his numerous honors, is known as the “Last Man Standing.” He is the last known Vietnam veteran who served five consecutive tours in Vietnam, first in the Navy and eventually as an Army Green Beret.

Jefferson lied about his age to enter the Navy at 17. He said he was first sent to Vietnam in late 1965 and returned to the United States in 1971.

Jefferson suffers from nerve damage and debilitating pain from Agent Orange exposure and wears extensive braces on both legs. He spoke briefly about an implanted device for pain control that helps manage his suffering through a series of electrical currents, delivered in his lower back. Despite his physical issues, Jefferson remains upbeat and proud of his service to his country.

“You owe us,” Jefferson told the students. “Every one of us out there who served, we sacrificed for your existence. And we want a return on our investment. You owe it to us to grow up. I’m tired of burying our young people.”

“Fools don’t get old, remember that. Fools die young,” Jefferson told the students. “You want to impress me? Grow up.”

Jefferson also encouraged the students to talk to the older generations and ask them about life when they were young or ask a veteran in their lives about his service. He compared the older veterans to libraries—once they are gone, the stories are gone unless the younger generation learns them and tells them.

Jefferson also honored the teachers in the audience, calling them the “new heroes” and expressing his admiration for the job they do every day.

Jefferson then addressed the division in the country, asking his fellow veterans to work together and view each other as brothers, just as they did in the service and to serve as a role model to those in the younger generations.

“We’ve got to show them we’re honorable if we want them to be honorable,” Jefferson said.

After Jefferson’s presentation and the other planned honors for the veterans who attended the event, the students, teachers and attendees gave the veterans and their families a standing ovation as a final show of support and appreciation.