Veterans, shelter dogs help each other at Heroes and Hounds
Heroes and Hounds, a program offered at The Humane Society of the Tennessee valley, gives both Veterans and shelter dogs a second chance in life.
Heroes and Hounds, a program offered at The Humane Society of the Tennessee valley, gives both Veterans and shelter dogs a second chance in life.
The National Day of Remembrance and Roll Call took place in Circle Park on Veteran's Day to honor the 141 fallen veterans and 6,830 servicemen and women who have lost their lives since Sept. 11, 2001.
Like most people on Veteran's Day, I think about veterans. My thoughts do not start with myself and how I earned that free meal at Applebee's. Along with a few doses of personal reality I am simultaneously sad and proud of the men and women serving past, present and future. No matter your stance on the foreign policy of the United States, the sacrifices are undeniable. The individuals who have served and their families have made sacrifices.
Any recruiter will be the first to tell you how polished your resume will look and how in demand you will be in the civilian world. Some of it's true, and some of it's not.
I feel I would be remiss if we didn't take a moment to reflect on the terrorist attacks of Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001. It is fair to say that day changed the world we live in for every person in this country. It changed my life for sure. I realize this column is nearly a week late from the anniversary, but it transcends boundaries. I could write about it at any time, and its connection with people would be there.
With the Medal of Honor Convention about to kick off in Knoxville I thought it to be an appropriate topic for this week's column. Rather than talk about the details of the event I would like to talk about the meaning of individual awards in the military.
Oh my! How life has changed. Going from building a stack of service ribbons to building a stack of citations from parking services comes with a bit of culture shock.
Brandon Rupert was born in Ann Arbor, Mich. on February 5, 1986. He graduated from Tecumseh High School in Tecumseh, Mich. in 2004. He then attended Washtenaw Community College and received an Associates Degree in Liberal Arts. After attending community college he worked for Balance Consulting, LLC, also in Ann Arbor, Mich. as a software salesman and consultant. In 2008 he joined the United States Marine Corps and served in Operation Enduring Freedom. He was Honorably Discharged in 2012. He now attends the University of Tennessee and is pursuing a degree in journalism.