Community celebrates Veterans Day

American Legion Post 18 Vice Commander Eddie Dean rang a little bell for each of the 186 local veterans that have died this year as their names were called off Friday during the annual American Legion Veterans Day ceremony at the Monroe County Courthouse. \nVeterans were honored for their service during activities in Bloomington and around Monroe County all day Friday, from a country-style breakfast at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall to a beans and cornbread lunch at the American Legion Hall and a Veterans Day program and flag retirement ceremony at the Monroe County Fairgrounds. \nObserved Nov. 11 each year to memorialize the end of World War I, Veterans Day is a time to pay tribute to the men and women who have served in our nation's armed forces, during peacetime and war. \nTwo local Army veterans who were honored during a ceremony at Friday night's Pacers game in Indianapolis said they felt appreciated.\n"To feel the energy in the stadium from the crowd and other soldiers that were there, it was awesome," said Sgt. 1st Class Vernard Roundtree, an Army ROTC instructor at IU. "The pride I feel on Veterans Day is enormous. And to see the recognition the American people have for us is just great." \n"It really isn't about any of us particularly, it's about veterans in general, that's the way I took it," added IU sophomore and ROTC Cadet Mitch Shackle. "It was a real honor to represent the whole service that night." \nShackle, 24, is a former Army Specialist and paratrooper who enlisted a week after Sept. 11, 2001. He was deployed to Afghanistan and returned to IU in 2003 as a double major in political science and history. \n"When I think of Veterans Day, I think of the people I served with -- the senior (non-commissioned officers) and officers that make a career out of it," Shackle said. "I'm very proud of the time I spent in the service, but I think of the other ones that have spent their entire careers doing it. I think of the ones that came before me, that served in the past, and I respect their service." \nRoundtree, 37, is one of those career service members with 17-and-a-half years in the Army. Enlisting in 1988 as an artilleryman, he has served in various posts in the United States, Germany, Korea and Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. His thoughts were also with others on Veterans Day. \n"I was in charge of about 30 soldiers," he said. "I did everything I could to make sure that they'd all get back, and feel secure, and let their family members know that they'd be taken care of. Unfortunately I lost one soldier, due to a vehicle-borne (improvised explosive device)." \nIU student and mathematics major Matthew Rybka, 25, also served in Iraq as a Marine with the 9th Communications Battalion.\n"When I think of my time in the Marine Corps, serving in Iraq is the thing I'm most proud of," he said.\nRybka is currently the president of the IU Veterans Club. The aim of the club is to help veterans transition to college life by providing a social network and education regarding veterans' benefits. There are currently 60 members in the club. \nThere is a great divide in experience between older veterans from past conflicts and today's crop. But the theme of remembering comrades is constant.\nAmerican Legion Post 18 Commander Jerry Prevatt served in the Army's 1st Cavalry Division as a tank driver in Korea from 1964 to 1965.\n"Veterans Day to me is recognizing the ones that aren't here to enjoy it, the ones that paid the ultimate sacrifice," he said. "I'm not too thrilled with the Cindy Sheehans and the Jane Fondas of the country that enjoy their freedoms and expect not to pay anything for it. I think we need to counter their position with lots of troop support ... visible support. Our living veterans and deployed troops need all the support we can give them"