Veterans are loved and appreciated all around the world. Veterans have helped people in times of need, and they have allowed American’s to live in a free country. Locally, there are many veterans we can honor on Veteran’s Day. 

In 1958-1964  Roger Douglass was one of many men who went into the Navy before the draft. In 1958, Douglass started his training. He trained as a firefighter putting out gas and oil fires. Also training with 8 inch, 5 inch, and 3 inch weapons, he had to learn how to aim, shoot, and clean properly. Douglass also has had an experience in teargas training where they wore masks through the time of training. Douglass was active in 1962 and was in the reserve in 1964. When Douglass found out there was going to be a draft so he said, “I wanted to chose where to go instead of getting drafted somewhere I didn’t want to be.” He was assigned to a ship called Canberra. On this ship, Roger and several others traveled to Cuba, California, Virginia, Italy and several other places. Douglass also had many opportunities to visit places and events  like the 1960 Rome Olympics. Douglass is now 76 years old and loves to tell his grandchildren stories about his life in the Navy.

There are also men and women who served in the Army such as Aaron Crump, age 34. Crump served from 2003- 2008. He was one of many men to train in airborne training and also ranger school. Crump was stationed in  Fort Campbell; he served in Iraq twice and Afghanistan once. Crump was one of the heroes who helped save lives in the 9/11 act in 2001. He is still helping others. For example, he lives in Texas and recently jumped in to help with the flooding. Without any thought to his own safety Crump got into his boat and went out onto the water to help save as many people as he could.