Armed Forces Day has
special meaning to veterans
CASSIE HULTMAN

Armed Forces Day on May 17 has a very special meaning to six staff members at Yosemite High who served in the military. They all say that it’s a day to give respect and recognition to all the people who served in the military. The day brings back memories of the days they were in the service. Some memories bring tears and some bring happiness.

Ellen Peterson served in the army reserves for eight years from 1980-88. Even though she never served in a war she is very glad she spent time in the military.

Her most remembered time while she was there was when she had to climb up tall poles out in an orchard and play catch while she was up there. Even though they were all hooked on at the waist, a lot of people were afraid to take their hands off the pole. There was sadness when she had to watch her friend fall to the ground off the pole. It was such an emotional pain to watch that, she recalls. She never got to see her again. Another memory she had was that she got to cook for all the men and she says that she had a great time doing that.

Peterson, who is the US history teacher at YHS, said that the easiest part while she was there was the physical part, but the hardest part was the emotions. The hard emotional part is for those who are away from their family for such a long time, and also the pressure that they are put though. Another reason Peterson found it emotional is that the drill sergeant yelled her at a lot and when she was little she never got yelled at, so she wasn’t used to all the yelling. She said that it was mentally tough.

She also said that it helped in life a lot. She said the military makes people accomplish every goal they set and this has made her never give up in life. She also learned that she can do anything she puts her mind to. She said that while she is through and she’s not going to do it anymore, she does recommend the military to all the teenagers who are really are thinking about it.

Mike Sommerfield, the YHS drafting teacher, was in the navy for 24 1/2 years. He joined the navy because it was a family tradition to go after high school. The most memorable part for him was that he got to go to different places and see different types of people. He was in Vietnam and the Desert Storm, but he was never in combat. He was glad he was in the military and he had a great time.

Sommerfield also said that the easiest part was that he was having a great time while he was there, and that he got stationed in different places, and it was neat for him. The hardest part for him was being separated from his family including 49 days he was at sea. He wishes that he were still in the navy though because he had such a great time.

It was a great learning experience for him as he learned a lot about life and about what people are like in different countries. He would very much like to recommend this to the teenagers at YHS. It made him gain maturity and he said that he would go back and do it again. It gave him a good perspective and outlook on life.

Phil Branstetter, US history, drivers’ education and geography teacher, has been in the army since 1995. Though he is a teacher he is still in it today. He joined because he thought it would be a great experience and it was. He says that people learn a lot about themself, everyday life, stress and breaking points and it helps one grow up fast. Those in the military also learn life skills and about working under pressure. He said the officers would always pressure the service men and women when they were doing things so they could see if they could work under pressure. It has helped him a lot in life and to keep going and get things done and it has helped his attitude. It also taught him that there are no excuses, just get it done. He is very glad that he is in it the military.

Branstetter says that there is no easy part about being in the army, but the hard part is being away from his family. He would like to recommend this to all the teenagers.

He says that Armed Forces Day means a lot to him because it shows a lot of respect for those who have fallen, and it also helps remember the people who survived. His memories are of all of his friends while he’s there and also all the crazy things that he and his friends did.

Science teacher Eric Hansen was in the army for two years and was never injured, but he did get malaria. He did not enlist, he was drafted. He always has believed in the draft, but he would have waited a little while. It was like a tradition though, because everyone in his family joins. His dad served in that navy the World War II. At some points in time he misses being in it and wants to do it again.

Eric Hansen handing out candy to children inVietnam

Armed Forces Day means a lot to Hansen, because it reminds him that there are people who have died serving their country. It also helps him remember all the days that he was in the army. He is very glad he served his country.

Being in the army helped him learn a lot in life. It has helped him to learn that a person has to take care of himself and he learned about discipline. It helped him become very independent and helped him realize what Americans have and that the rest of the world isn't like America. “You are very free in America,” he says. He learned to get along with others and to work as a team.

He says that America doesn’t come cheap. He got to learn about other countries and he went to Europe and the Philippines. He also got to cross America 10 times. He stayed at sea for 23 days and was in Vietnam for 13 months.

The easiest part about being there in the army was traveling and not knowing what was going to happen next. The hardest part while he was there was being away from his family and also was when he was in Vietnam for six months knowing that he still had seven months to go. He recommends the military to teen-agers.

Gael Irizarry, a YHS math teacher, was in the army security agency for three years. She graduated and there was no teaching job available where she lived and she didn’t want to waste her time so she joined the army.
Armed Forces Day means a lot to Irizarry because it makes her think of all the soldiers who are serving their time and also makes her think of when she was there and what she did for her country.

Being in the army helped her to learn to adapt to different places around the world. Irizarry does not wish that she were still in the army. She is glad she served and it was enough. The easiest part while she was there was the day-to-day activities and the hardest part was that she was away from her family for that time.

Joining the army is an option for students. It’s a good way to learn skills, and also to pay for education, she says. One of her memories is that while she was in Turkey and the president was flying to a location in Europe. They thought that bombers were coming to attack the president, but it happened to be another city giving an escort. Another memory is when the Cypress war broke out and Turkey was under blackout and they could have been evacuated at any time.

YHS Counselor Bob Yohn was in the army from 1968-1970. He was drafted at the end of his first year as a teacher. He spent 18 months in Darmstadt, West Germany as a company clerk. While there he was able to travel to many exciting places in Europe.

Armed Forces Day reminds him of his two years in the service and it especially reminds him of those who lost their lives in service to their country.

One of his most vivid memories is when his advanced training unit received their orders. Everyone was nervous and worried about going to Vietnam. Fifty percent went to Vietnam, 25 percent went to Korea and 25 percent, including Yohn, went to Germany.

Besides being able to travel many places, Yohn says another great benefit he received from the military was the GI Bill that allowed him to complete his master’s degree in secondary education at the University of Southern California and another master’s degree in counseling from Fresno State.

“The military is not for everyone,” he says, “but many young people would benefit from the discipline, hard work, and the chance to ‘find themselves’.”

He said it was a great learning experience and the main thing he learned was that he didn’t want to stay in the military.

Return to Blue Print index