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Wagener-Salley ROTC cadets honor veterans
11/6/2009 11:47 PM   2 comment(s) on this story E-mail this story to a friend

Wagener-Salley High School Army Junior ROTC cadets honored current and retired veterans and fallen comrades at the annual Veterans Day observance Friday.

Student battalion commander Shane McVey and cadet Sgt. Major Tevan Tyler led a ceremony for those soldiers lost or missing in battle - including the symbolic White Table. Cadets representing each branch of the military placed roses at the base of a wreath.

The guest speaker, Lt. Col. Chuck White, serves as the Columbia Recruiting Battalion commander at Fort Jackson. He described his 18 years as an opportunity to travel and meet "many great Americans and build myself as to my character, my whole person."

The Army paid for White's undergraduate degree through an ROTC scholarship and also paid 75 percent of the tuition for his master's degree.

"The Army is the greatest organization on the face of the earth," White said. "We bond together for teamwork and a common cause."

The military is often underappreciated and so are teachers, he said. People don't realize the significance of what teachers are doing to build a foundation for the nation.

"You need to ensure you are leveraging all your opportunities in academics and extracurricular activities," White told the Wagener-Salley students. "The more you become involved, the more it will make you successful beyond high school."

McVey said ROTC has taught him so much about leadership and other skills that will help him through life.

"ROTC has been one of the best programs I could have gotten into," McVey said. "I want to go into computer or mechanical engineering, but I haven't decided whether to attend college first or go into the Army or Marines."

Tyler hopes to obtain an Army ROTC scholarship to attend the University of South Carolina; two cadets received scholarships earlier this year.

"It's been a good experience, more than I expected," he said. "All the activities we do have made me a better person."

Serving as masters of ceremonies for the Veterans Day program were cadets Quantasia Ables and cadet Darrian Rivers. The JROTC chorus sang the national anthem.

Contact Rob Novit at rnovit@aikenstandard.com.


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  2 comment(s) on this story

WS ROTC :  11/9/2009

THANK YOU FOR PRINTING SOMETHING POSITIVE ABOUT TEENAGERS. ALL YOU HEAR ABOUT IS THE BAD THINGS.THE ROTC PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN POSITIVE INFLUENCES IN THE LIVES OF SO MANY CHILDREN. WE DON'T PRAISE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ENOUGH WHEN THEY DO GOOD THINGS, BUT REALLY COME DOWN HARD ON THEM WHEN THEY DO BAD THINGS. AGAIN THANKS FOR PRINTING THIS. IT WOULD BE SO NICE IF THERE WAS SOMETHING POSITIVE PRINTED EVERYDAY, BECAUSE IT'S OUT THERE.

WSH :  11/7/2009

Go WSH...Good job ROTC!!!

WSH Alumni
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