On Friday and Monday, students heard from Veterans during their Titan Times. Mr. Rick Atkins spoke on Friday and Mr. James Crisman spoke on Monday.

Even though other counties have the day off on Veterans Day, the Veterans of Loudoun County decided to have school be held on because they fought for that freedom and they want students to exercise their right to an education. That is why we go to school and hear a Veteran speak about their time in service.

Friday’s assembly began with a video of all of the family members and alumni who are or have been in service. Then the training assistants Victoria Palmer and Ivana Bermejo introduced their mentor, Mr. Atkins.

Atkins began with an overview of his time in service and what inspired him to be in the military. Most of his family was in service and he had the flags he had been given at the funerals of his parents and his brother and sister with him during Friday’s assembly.

The main reason he gave was because he needed the money for education however he did say that his time in the military was great and he would not trade it for anything. He also spoke of his favorite and least favorite moments in the military and gave stories about his time in service.

To conclude the assembly, he answered questions from students and told a story about a Gameboy that he had been given as a present.

The Gameboy was given to him by a few college friends and he coveted it so much that he actually ran to retrieve it before heading to a bunker while a safety alarm was going off.