- U.S. Rep. Blake Moore and Gold Star wife Jennie Taylor share Veterans Day messages with K-8 students at Box Elder County school.
- Promontory School of Expeditionary Learning also participated in service project benefitting homeless vets transitioning into new housing.
- Several Utahns who served in combat participated in Monday's Veterans Day gathering.
Utah Rep. Blake Moore has an ongoing “Step out of your Comfort Zone” challenge for his four school-age sons.
Whenever they are outside their home and pass a person in uniform — a military member, a police officer or any other first responder — the Moore boys are encouraged to approach that person, offer a handshake and then thank them for the service they are providing.
The congressman extended that same challenge Monday morning to hundreds of K-8 students observing Veterans Day a day early at Promontory School of Expeditionary Learning.
“Try and find a way to always thank somebody that’s serving,” said Moore to his young audience in Perry, Box Elder County. “You might be in that situation one day. I hope some of you are thinking about serving in our military or serving in law enforcement.”
Moore was joined Monday at the public charter school’s annual Veterans Day Program by fellow Utahn Jennie Taylor — a Gold Star wife whose husband, Utah National Guard Maj. Brent Taylor, was killed while deployed in Afghanistan in 2018.
The Promontory students also welcomed several military veterans from the community to Monday’s event and performed several patriotic musical numbers. The school is located just a short drive from Hill Air Force Base and several of the school’s administrators, faculty and students have direct ties to the military and veterans.
As part of an ongoing veterans service project, Promontory students also presented donations benefiting 20 homeless veterans transitioning into new housing.
A congressman’s challenge to Utah students: Never forget military families
Moore called it an honor to be joining his friend, Jennie Taylor, on Monday’s programs before sharing Maj. Taylor’s heroic story with the students.
When Maj. Taylor was killed, he was teaching Afghan soldiers how to protect their own country. “One of the neatest things that you can do ever is to help teach another military person how to defend their own country,” Moore said.
Veterans Day, the congressman added, offers young people opportunities to reflect on the nation’s history and present-day circumstances — while making decisions about how they will best serve the country in the future.
Since America’s founding in 1776, women and men have worn their country’s uniform in freedom’s defense, said Moore. “The intent of us going to war, every single time, has been to preserve freedom and make something better.”
Ensuring that the U.S. Armed Forces has the proper funding, he added, “has been the single most important thing that I (have done) in my five years in Congress. ... Our job, first and foremost, is to make sure that we have the support that our military families need.”
He encouraged the Promontory students to always remember the sacrifices that many Utah military families are making at this moment. Each sacrifice represents service to others.
“So as you’re thinking about Veterans Day this year, I want you to think about how much those families are going through — and why they’re going through it.”
Take pride in the selfless actions of America’s veterans, Moore concluded.
“Think about something you can do today and going forward — and be very grateful for all that’s been done for us.”
Veterans Day: ‘A birthday of peace’
Taylor began her enthusiastic remarks Monday by saluting the U.S. Marine Corps on its 250th birthday, Find a neighbor who served in the Marines, she added, “and tell them ‘Happy Birthday.’”
A veteran, she explained, is a person who served in the military — perhaps a Marine, a soldier, a sailor, an airman or a Space Force guardian.
They are people “who keep us safe and they keep us free and they go to war if they have to,” she said. “They try really hard not to have to go to war. Nobody wants to go to war — but they are willing. Those are our veterans.”
Taylor offered a quick lesson on the history of Veterans Day and its beginnings commemorating the end of World War I on Nov. 11, 1918.
It is, she added, “a birthday of peace.”
“Now, fortunately, most of us in this room don’t have to fight anymore,” said Taylor. “I did not have to wake up this morning and go to war. I did not have to worry, while driving to your school, that I would be hit by a bomb. I did not have to get my gun and my grenade and go look for the bad guys.
“And you know why I didn’t have to? Because (veterans) were willing to do it for me — and they’re willing to do it for you.”
Veterans Day, she added, is not a celebration of war.
“We’re celebrating the willingness of the warrior to fight for peace and to fight for freedom and to fight for hope and opportunity.”
Honor America’s veterans, she concluded, by deciding to “do a good job living” by being hopeful, kind, respectful and a friend to all.
Utah vets honoring fellow vets
Several veterans such as Air Force veteran and Brigham City native Rew Wiley said Monday that they were uplifted seeing young Utah kids honoring their country’s veterans.
“Today’s event was very fun,” he said. “I enjoyed it because it helps reinforce to the young people that the military is an important part of our society. During Vietnam, when I first enlisted, I don’t think the military was much appreciated, but since 9/11 it has picked up a lot.”
Vietnam War veteran Sid Bodily added he wasn’t always treated well during his years in uniform.
“But I try to not spend a lot of time on that,” said Bodily.
“I try to look at the brighter part of it. And being with these kids today was great. They were so into it … reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and all that stuff. It just gives you a good feeling to know that since 9/11 the whole thing’s changed. It’s a whole different atmosphere.”
Army veteran Steve Greer is the commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Brigham City. He’s a busy man — but attending Monday’s school event in Perry was a priority.
“I wanted to show my respect for our fellow veterans,” he said.
Greer especially enjoys speaking with young people and answering their questions about their military service. “We were at a school last week and the kids wanted to know if we fought in the Civil War,” he said, laughing.
Greer said he hopes veterans are treated well and looked out for every day of the year. “It’s an honor for me to be able to do this service.”
