Bennet Academy Celebrates Memorial Day

Bennet Academy honored our military heroes with a Memorial Day assembly. Guest speaker was Major Christensen a member of the Army Reserves. Major Christensen asked all those with relatives who have served in the military to stand, and nearly the entire assembly rose.

"Everyone you see standing here sacrificed something for your freedom," Christensen said.

He was first sent to Iraq and Kuwait in 2004, to Afghanistan in 2011 and again to Afghanistan. After his first two tours, the Manchester native, said he "did some soul-searching" about how to honor friends he had lost. He said he decided not to mourn, but to celebrate their courage and sacrifice and keep their memory "bright in my heart." Christensen quoted Gen. George S. Patton, who said, "It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived."

America's military, he said, "did not fight to conquer the world, but to liberate it."

Brigadier General Vito E. Addabbo was also a guest speaker he is the Mobilization Assistant to the 20th Air Force, Air Force Global Strike Command, and Commander, Task Force 214, U.S. Strategic Command, Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo. He is responsible for assisting the commander in the management of the nation's intercontinental ballistic missile force, organized into three operational wings with more than 9,600 people.

After a slideshow was presented with pictures of military heroes from staff and students, each student then placed an American Flag in front of the building and Taps was played by Bennet Students honoring those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for the cause of freedom.