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Veterans Day has routinely been about honoring those who have served in our nation’s military, sacrificing their time for a greater calling.

Monday was no different as Pacelli Catholic Schools held its annual Veterans Day program and while the morning was dedicated to honoring our military’s veterans, there was also something of a past and future thread that ran through the program.

There was the traditional recognition of veterans through our nation’s conflicts as well as a question and answer portion with United States Army veteran Derrick Brooks, who served from 2000 at the age of 21 to his leaving the branch in the latter portion of 2004.

There was also a representative of the new generation in Pacelli senior Lexi Lewis, who intends on joining the National Guard after she graduates and leaving in June for basic training. 

Lewis presented the colors at the start of the ceremony and said afterwards that being able to participate carried with it a profound meaning.

“I feel like it meant a lot more now that I’ve decided to join,” said Lewis, who follows her grandpa, mom and uncle into service. “It’s a respect for veterans too.”

Lewis added that ceremonies like the one she took part in also brings serving her country much closer to home.

“To see the sacrifice people made for us, you understand how big of a deal it is,” she said.

The program started off with a presentation by Pacelli Social Studies Teacher Nick McGrath. As in years before, he used the time to lay the groundwork for just how important Veterans Day is. 

“Today we gathered here because this is important. It’s important work,” he said. “We come together as a great combination. Veterans are gathered here today to focus their attention on the present world that they have helped to shape, and we, the grateful citizens, who live in that world, gather here with them for the express purpose of saying, ‘thank you.'”

That notion came with an even heavier notion of the price of war and that so many paid this price for the freedoms we enjoy today.

“It is a big deal to go to war, and an even bigger deal to end one,” McGrath said. “To allow peace to prevail, to lay down arms, to make an effort for change and attempt not just to go back to ‘normal’ but to go back to better. Wars ending are a big deal-especially to the families of the soldiers who fight them.”

Following his presentation, McGrath held a sit-down with Brooks, who recounted some of his time in the military having served in South Korea as well as Iraq, where a part of this time was spent searching for “high value targets” wanted by the government. 

He told students and guests that his time serving wasn’t easy, but it also came with respect for duty.

“I got to witness the worst of humans, but I also got to witness the best of mankind,” said Brooks, who served eight months in Iraq.

However, he also said there were challenges and one of the most horrific was being injured after being blown off a roof.

Brooks, with students helping lay out the scene, also demonstrated a moment in his service that was nothing short of miraculous. 

Setting up the students as if they were riding in a military transport vehicle, Brooks laid out the scenario of being fired on by the enemy they were chasing, who unloaded a full clip of his AK-47 into their vehicle. 

Not one person was injured.

“I really wanted to figure out a way to get to students,” Brooks said, indicating that telling the story meant as much for him as the students. “It’s more for me. Mathematically, I don’t know why I’m here. By the grace of God.”

However, Brooks also said being able to talk with students and tell his story is a way to bring them into his world for just a little bit more understanding.

“I feel Veterans Day and stuff like this is a chance to teach the younger generation,” Brooks said. “I feel the more they know about service men and service women the more I can explain what they do.”

“I’m blessed to have served,” he later added.