CLARION, Pa. (EYT) — To honor the military members for their service, Clarion High School social studies and civics teacher Rob Sintobin organized an hour-long Veterans Day program that featured special guest speaker Dr. David Hartley and performances by members of the high school chorus and concert band.
Sintobin began things by leading the Pledge of Allegiance, then the choir sang the National Anthem and “America the Beautiful.”
The band followed by playing the Armed Forces Marches. Veterans and family members stood as the Marines, Army, Coast Guard, Air Force, and Navy were honored.
Sintobin — whose father served in Vietnam and brother who served in Iraq — shared stories of veterans who have suffered war-time injuries and from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, as well as talking about veterans, including Clarion High School graduate Brandon Phillips, a member of the U.S. Air Force, who helped those at the Las Vegas shooting tragedy.
Speaker Dr. Hartley, a distinguished professor at Clarion University, is an Army Special Forces veteran. His career in the military has taken him all over the world, and he shared some of what it’s like to be a member of the Armed Forces.
He first thanked members of the high school cross country and football teams for taking part in the 22-Pushup Challenge that is meant to bring awareness to the issue of suicide among veterans of the armed services.
Hartley then talked about “A Different Normal” that exists for a young serviceman.
“They believe in ‘Service before Self,’ they believe leadership is sacrifice not a privilege, they see service as an honor not an unfortunate circumstance of their employment or something to be pitied,” Hartley said. “They know how to administer a tourniquet and give an IV. They run toward, not away, from gunfire, there is no race, just performance, and they can sleep and eat anywhere, anytime.”
“For people in the service, things get narrowed down quickly when you are in a life and death situation,” Hartley said.
Hartley then posed the question to the audience of why those in the military do what they do.
“It’s because 0.6 percent of Americans believe what they are protecting is that important and because you are worth it.”
Sintobin (pictured below) was pleased to be able to host the program for the fifth year and help young people understand why service to their country is so important.
“As a social studies teacher, I believe it’s critical that the kids don’t ever forget the sacrifices that are made and why they were made. Our freedom depends on it,” he said.
