BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Telegraph Editor
Recently retired Master Chief Navy Counselor Marvin Philpot told the crowd at the Starke Veterans Day ceremony that the dictionary definition of the word veteran is a little lacking.
A veteran is more than a former member of the armed forces or someone with years of experience in a particular field, Philpot said.
“I think of the scars of sacrifice that veterans have endured over their years of service,” he said, whether it be four years or 20. Each gave something for their mission.
Veterans are loyal, committed and, he said, interesting. That last description is earned over the years they spend traveling and meeting people around the world, each one unique in their own way. This makes veterans open to accepting different people, cultures and viewpoints.
“As I served in uniform, it did not matter where you were from. What mattered the most in my eyes, are you willing to stand beside me when duty calls us to meet the mission,” he said.
In fact, Philpot said, no book could ever adequately and fully define what it is to be a veteran.
He closed with a poem.
Today is the day we honor the noble and the brave
The men and women who dedicated their lives and the sacrifices they have made.
When America had an urgent need, they were the first to raise their hand
Without thinking twice about it, they were proud to take a stand.
Some came back from war with battle scars, others in flag draped coffins
Even though their flesh may have left, their spirit will never be forgotten.
Their service and knowledge put their lives on the line
So when you see a veteran, thank them, for without them freedom would have died.
Philpot thanked all the veterans who came before him for laying the footprints he followed. His service included serving during Desert Shield, Desert Storm and Operation Enduring Freedom. His accomplishments include being selected for multiply recruitment awards as well as being selected as command’s Distinguished Senior Enlisted Leader. He has two Meritorious Service medals, six Navy and Marine Corps Commendation medals, eight Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medals, nine Good Conduct medals, and a variety of other service and campaign medals.
Philpot served in the United States Navy for 31 years until his retirement on Oct. 1 of this year.
Philpot actually began by acknowledging the number of JROTC members present in support of and to take part in the ceremony. He said when he joined the program in 1986, he had no idea it would lead him into a military career. Philpot just retired in October from 31 years of service to his country in the United States Navy. It was good to see, especially today, he said, so many young men and women in uniform. What they are doing today, he said, will become the foundation for a successful future.
The students, joined by local Boy Scouts, educated and then guided the crowd through a flag retirement ceremony. C/1st Lieutenant, Brianna Isaacs the JROTC Tornado Battalion Adjutant gave the speech as others lowered the retiring flag and prepared it for incineration, and raised the new flag, lowering it to half-mast.
“The U.S. flag is more than some brightly colored cloth,” Isaacs said, explaining the symbolism of the original colonies and the 50-state union. “The red stripes remind us of the lifeblood of the brave men and women who were ready to die for this, their country. The white stripes remind us of purity and cleanliness of purpose, thought, word and deed. The blue is for truth and justice, like the eternal blue of the star-filled heavens.”
A flag ceases to be a flag when it is cut into pieces prior to incineration, Isaacs explained. All but the blue field of stars representing the unity of the nation is cut before the pieces are burned. This is the proper way to dispose of a flag when over the years it no longer becomes a fitting emblem of display.
