The students, staff and parents of Salisbury Academy were honored to hear Major Mark Hayden, an active Army Reservist, address them during a special Veterans Day assembly.
Hayden has just returned from Iraq and shared several stories of veterans and how these “ordinary people accomplish extraordinary things.”
Hayden was introduced by Ronnie Smith, a retired Air Force captain and pilot during the Vietnam War, who got the crowd involved in a cheer of “Boy, do I feel good!” about our veterans.
Smith also encouraged the crowd to shake a veteran’s hand and thank them for their sacrifice and service.
Several veterans attended the event, invited by the students and staff.
The JROTC Color Guard from Salisbury High School presented and posted the colors at the beginning of the assembly, then retired them at the end.
Patriotic songs were sung in keeping with the patriotic theme.
The opportunity for the students to honor veterans was fitting to coincide with the academy’s character education program ó this month’s virtue is “gratitude.”
Both speakers at the event are members of Salisbury’s Military Officers Association of America. Hayden was recently elected incoming president of the organization for next year.