VFW Honors Vets Friday

WATER VALLEY – As the nation prepares to honor its Veterans Friday, a national winner in the VFW Voice of Democracy essay contest said that the nation’s current generation of young people has a responsibility to protect our country as one of their roles in America’s future.
Daulton Newman, a senior at Eupora High School and the son of Water Valley native Mark Newman, read his essay Saturday morning during a special program held at Water Valley’s VFW Post 4100. The weekend gathering honored the families of the local National Guard unit, the 289th Vertical Construction Company that is about to deploy to Afghanistan.
Newman, who won the state essay competition and then went on to place 13th in the nation, said that if the younger generation needs examples, all they have to do is look to the men and women who have served. “They gladly bore the burden placed on them and did not stop until their job was completed.”
“They were all American heroes and they valued our country more than themselves,” he continued. “They did not just think this country was worth fighting for – they believed it and proved it.”
“Veterans and the military are a big part of what makes America how great it is today. I understand that without what they did, we wouldn’t be sitting here right now. We probably wouldn’t be speaking English. I understand that young people are going to have to follow their example.”
Newman’s essay was based on the broad topic, “Does my generation have a role in America’s future?” provided by the VFW. “It’s great that the VFW allows kids to take a broad question and go where they want to go with it,” he told the Herald before the program.
Although Newman plans to continue his education after high school, he said that he has friends who plan to join one of the military services. “It makes me very proud of them. I understand how important it is to be in the military.”
The full text of his winning essay is below.

On Friday morning beginning at 11 p.m. the VFW will host a Veteran’s Day observance at the Veteran’s Monument in Railroad Park. The organization sponsors this event each year, and serves a free meal to all attending at the Post, located at 11535 Highway 315, west of Water Valley, following the ceremony.
In case of inclement weather the ceremony will also be held at Post 4100’s Home.

My generation, as each generation before us, will affect our country in a number of ways. The effect of our actions has already begun and will continue all our lives. It is vital for us to have a positive impact on this great land we call home. I believe there are three keys to make this wish a reality: of equal importance are the responsibility to protect our country, the right to vote, and the education we have to better ourselves and complete our tasks and challenges in life.
One key factor in the role our generation will play in America’s future is the responsibility to protect our country. If we need an example, all we have to do is look to the men and women who have served us so well in the two World Wars and the conflicts that followed. They gladly bore the burden placed on them and did not stop until their job was completed. They were all American heroes and valued our country more than themselves. They did not think this country was worth fighting for-they believed it and proved it. My generation must be ready to serve and protect this country. We have to do so with the same qualities shown by our veterans.
My generation is rapidly approaching the age when we can vote. If we realize the sacrifices made by previous generations of Americans just to have this privilege and right to vote, we should all view voting as a solemn practice. When my generation votes, I hope we remember the people who gave their lives so we can vote. I pray we honor them with each and every one of us voting at every opportunity. This is our ultimate voice in our democracy.
Our education will also have a significant impact in our ability to have a positive role in America’s future. We must be prepared to meet the challenges that will face us.
These challenges will not only test our character but will also test our ability to think, to improvise, and to solve problems. In the past, one of America’s greatest attributes was the intellectual ability of her citizens. The advances made in healthcare, communications, transportation, construction, and agriculture are unequaled by any other nation in history. We stand on the shoulders of giants, but we must provide broad shoulders for future generations to stand on. The single path to this goal is education.
My generation will have a role in America’s future. I pray it will be a positive one. If we remember our country’s great past, we will certainly have a road map to success. We must take pride in what our country stands for. We will defend our country against any threat when we remember how our country has been defended. We will vote our beliefs and convictions when we remember the price paid to vote by our forefathers. We will arm ourselves with the best education possible to have a positive impact on this country. These tasks plus many more will be achieved by our generation to make for a better, more prosperous America.