Celebrating Veterans Day: “Change begins with me and you”

Trinity Gruenberg

trinity@inhnews.com

The Verndale School celebrated Veterans Day with a program and a guest speaker, Navy Veteran Petty Officer Second Class Mark Anson.

Anson served in the Navy from 2010 to 2016. He grew up admiring veterans and wished to serve his country by enlisting. He became a helicopter rescue swimmer, jumping out of helicopters into the water to help save lives.

“I was the guy in the back. In war movies I’m the guy that gets shot,” he chuckled.

He served most of his time stationed in San Diego. He was deployed to the Persian Gulf on the USS John C. Stennis for eight months. The Navy gave him opportunities he wouldn’t have had before from working with Seals to using night vision goggles.

“How many of you can say you have done a backflip out of a helicopter? I can,” he smiled.

At right, Navy Veteran Petty Officer Second Class Mark Anson of Wadena delivered the Veteran’s Day message at the Verndale School on November 11. He discussed the beauty in service as well as adding some humor along the way.

Anson said Veterans Day is a reminder for those who served. He shared the quote “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

“Our country exists today along with all its freedoms because great men asked themselves, if not me, who? And if not now, when?” he said.

We celebrate the men and women who answered the call. . .

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