Sisters salutes its veterans

With Old Glory proudly adorning flagpoles and lampposts in downtown Sisters, the annual Veterans Day Breakfast and Celebration assembly at Sisters High School on Thursday was met with teary eyes and warm smiles of brotherhood.

Sisters Country veterans joined friends and family for a full breakfast served up by the Sisters High School leadership group prior to the program.

Sporting an American flag tie, Principal Joe Hosang, himself a Marine veteran, greeted and welcomed veterans of all generations and thanked them for their service.

"It's a special occasion for us every year," he said. "We even dressed up a bit more today to add some extra respect for our veterans. The younger generation really honors and appreciates our veterans here in Sisters and it's not necessarily the vivid war stories but their service and patronage too."

A full house sat down for scrambled eggs, sausage and home fries on the home front, a mix of old and young all sharing the heroism and the heartbreak of war amid those who knew it best. Five World War II veterans, Harold Mulligan, Cecil Hector, Spud Halsten, Doug Blair and Marvin Emmarson conversed with a band of brothers spanning conflicts across the decades in places like Vietnam, Korea, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Korean War veteran Jim Clark finished off his eggs and looked around the room at the assemblage.

"I haven't missed this day in Sisters since 1997," he said. "I wait all year for this event; it's one of my favorites and it's so nice to see such a good turnout. I do kinda miss Bob Macauley though."

Robin Benson is a former Marine and combat engineer stationed in South Carolina and California attending her very first Veterans Day breakfast.

"This is amazing," she said. "I can't believe these students can pull off something so big. It's incredible to speak to a Pearl Harbor survivor like Harold Mulligan. Our family just took a trip to the Pearl Harbor memorial last year and saw all that history, and to be here with him in person is an honor. I love hearing their stories and seeing that special camaraderie."

Autumn Saunders and Andrew Snyder were co-leaders for the day's affairs and absorbed it all with great interest and dedication.

"I've done this for the past two years, and it's a true privilege to be in the company of the ones who have protected our nation," said Snyder. "It's our small way of giving back to them for all the sacrifices they've given us. It's living history."

After breakfast, veterans were led into the auditorium where an audience of Sisters High School students joined them for the formal assembly. Boy Scout Troop 139 presented the color guard and delivered the Pledge of Allegiance before spirited musical numbers by the Sisters High School Vocal Jazz and Vocal Chorale groups.

The day's special guest speaker was Vietnam War veteran and retired F.B.I. agent Ronnie Frigulti, a last-minute addition to the program, who proved to be an engaging and capable storyteller. In addition to his tour of duty as an infantry platoon and company commander in Southeast Asia, Frigulti served 25 years as a Los Angeles field agent for the Bureau and later formed Police Training and Consultants, providing firearms and tactical instruction for all branches of law enforcement.

"You'd think as a former Marine I'd know something about volunteering," he joked. "I've never heard of high schools putting together observances like this for Veterans Day and I think it's a somewhat rare event. It speaks volumes about the type of students, faculty and community we have here, and we thank them for that."

Frigulti gave a special thanks to his friend Tom Salgado, a Sisters non-veteran, instrumental in filling the event's guest speaker role and recognizing his continuing service to area veterans in championing their rights.

"It's a constant fight and Tom knows more about that battle to retain those essential veterans' benefits and allowances than anyone. Our biggest challenge today is addressing the problems and specific cares facing returning veterans and their high rate of unemployment."

Recalling his years during the Vietnam War with color and clarity, Frigulti spoke of the courage, sacrifice and stolen youth seen so vividly firsthand.

"I've witnessed that courage by veterans as a platoon commander," he said. "All courage requires is the motivation to act or engage without consequence. The average age of those guys was barely eighteen. Their greatest loss, in addition to their injuries and scars, was the loss of their youth."

Another group he wished to draw attention to was the Merchant Marines.

"They sometimes get forgotten, but they sailed the ships that supplied our fighting forces in all arenas and paid the same price," Frigulti said.

"It gives me an enormous sense of pride and accomplishment when I think back on my military service. Without a doubt my life's greatest responsibility and privilege was to lead Marines in combat."

Following a video tribute to military personnel, a traditional moment of silence was observed and "Taps" was played by Jesse Anderson, formally ending the inspiring program. Afterwards, all veterans assembled on the commons floor for a historic group photo opportunity.