Sisters honors its veterans

Sisters schools go all-out to honor the community's military veterans. For years, the leadership group at Sisters High School has hosted veterans for breakfast to commemorate Veterans Day, following that informal event with an assembly. Sisters Middle School also holds an assembly honoring veterans, and Sisters Christian Academy and Sisters Elementary School host their own events.

The object is both to show respect to generations of men and women who served their country in the armed services, and to educate students on the service ethic and the sacrifices it entails.

This year, a Sisters veteran was also honored in Bend's observances. Col. John Turner, a World War II veteran, was grand marshal of Bend's Veterans Day parade.

In launching the SHS Veterans Day observances, Principal Joe Hosang, himself a U.S. Marine, noted that veterans "possess courage, pride, selflessness - all the qualities needed to serve a cause that is greater than themselves." He noted that he is "proud that our students ware willing to put on such a great event."

The choir and jazz choir offered up their traditional, well-rendered service anthems and patriotic songs as a lead-up to a keynote speech by a relatively recent Sisters resident - Jim Horsley.

Horsley had a remarkable career as a Navy pilot and a member of the elite Blue Angels demonstration team. Post-military, he started his own commercial real estate company, and has devoted himself to worldwide humanitarian work. He is currently developing his talents as an artist.

Horsley flew 200 combat missions as a Navy pilot stationed on an aircraft carrier off the coast of Vietnam.

"The best part of my aviation résumé is that I have an equal number of takeoffs and landings," he told the students.

Horsley noted that "all veterans have memories" from a time in their life that may be the most intense experience they have ever had. It is hard to recreate the camaraderie that comes with working together with a group of people for a purpose greater than self, especially when that work is conducted in an atmosphere of shared adversity, sacrifice and danger.

"On any given day, they were going to be better than they were ever going to be - and they did it for each other," he said of his shipmates.

Horsley, like many veterans of his generation, needed time to fully process the experience of Vietnam. After 15 years or so, he "began a journey to reconcile some of the emotions of that experience."

He noted that many veterans of America's most recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will, likewise, have a great deal to process. Many served in as many as five deployments, sometimes more - entailing separation from families and a great deal of strain. The effects of that, and of combat experiences, will linger.

"In reality, that war is going to be with us for a long time," he said.

At Sisters Middle School, Jay Wilkins told youngsters about a vow he and his friends took when they were just little kids that they would all join the military. They all did. Wilkins entered the Army, where he served on active duty for six years. He went to Ranger School and earned the coveted Ranger Tab. He became an Apache attack helicopter pilot.

In a lively Q&A exchange, he gave the young teens a glimpse of military life.

He noted that he prepared for military life by staying fit - and working hard in school, even in subjects he didn't like.

"I wasn't very good at math when I was your age," he said. But being an Apache helicopter pilot required math skills. "By then, I needed it. If any of you don't think math is important, trust me - it's very important."

He also noted that good communication skills are vital for a soldier. Wilkins said that military service provides skills and qualities that are beneficial in civilian life - discipline and an early experience of serious responsibility.

In response to a question about his favorite part of the service, Wilkins echoed Horsley's remarks: I think it was the camaraderie with the people I flew with," he said.

Wilkins urged the young people to "spend time talking to a veteran. Ask them their story. Sit down and talk with them."

On November 12, the Sisters Kiwanis Club devoted its monthly meeting to observance of Veterans Day.

Air Force veteran Dave Huni recounted his trip to Rwanda just after the genocide in the 1990s, working as a general's aide. Dave Cox recounted of a post-war return to Vietnam, which triggered an unexpectedly powerful emotional response in him.

Cox remarked upon the remarkable number of Kiwanians who had served in the military.

"I am stunned ... at how many of us are veterans," he said. "It does say something about the veteran mentality."

An ethic of service was evident both in the memories of veterans, and in the efforts the students made to honor them. And it was summed up in a remark made by Horsley: "Each of you has the opportunity to be of priceless value to another."

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

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