Veteran’s Day is one of the most important holidays in the United States, but each area around the country celebrates differently. Veteran’s Day is celebrated every year on November 11, which falls on a Monday this year.
At Foran specifically, there are many students whose family members serve(d) our country.
Both of Senior Ava Jaquez-Munroe’s parents are military veterans, with her mom serving 21 years and her dad serving nine years. Her mom served in the Special Forces Command as a Psychological Operations (PSYOP) officer. She held the rank of Sergeant First Class and was a Jumpmaster.
She served seven deployments in Iraq, Somalia, Turkey, Jordan, and Afghanistan.
Her dad served nine years before retiring as a Quartermaster in Logistics with the 82nd Airborne Division. He completed three deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Jaquez-Monroe recounts an experience of her parents’, “When walking on base in the midst of deployment, they were stopped by their commander to ask about raffle tickets they were handing out for a fundraiser. These raffle tickets ended up saving their lives because a few minutes later, a missile flew and blew up the building they were walking to. The building was only a couple of hundred yards away.”
In addition to students who have parents who served in the military, there are members of the Foran staff who have served valiantly in the military. This includes Mr. Paul Grillo and Mr. Tom Dillon.
For Grillo, he comes from a family of people who served in the military, specifically his brothers and cousins. He felt that he should do his part and serve as well.
Grillo states, “Veterans Day is of course one day provided to reflect on the sacrifices of our military members. When you are a military member out in the community, just thank them for their service and tell them they are appreciated for their commitment to keep us free.”
For Dillon, the motivation was very similar.
Dillon states, “A big part of what made me want to serve was that most of my family served. My father, uncle, and cousin served in the Marine Corps, my mother served in the Navy, and my brother served in the Air Force.”
Dillon himself was part of the Army National Guard and was the first member of his family to become a commissioned officer.
Both Grillo and Dillon agree on the importance of celebrating our veterans to amplify freedom of speech and diverse perspectives across the country.
Grillo adds, “Celebrations are a great way to make people realize that [the] job of defending freedom is a constant. It makes me feel good that I was able to contribute to that cause.”
All in all, veterans contribute heavily to the Foran community, and inspire all who are a part of it.
