FEATURE

Beyond the Flag:HONORiNg OUR NEigHbOORS WHO HAvE SERvED

On Nov. 11, 2021, Panthers and the surrounding Pinecrest community celebrated those who have served and remembered those who have passed in serving. From teachers to administrators to school resource officers, veterans can be found all around Miami Palmetto Senior High School. Taking Veterans Day to reflect on the service of veterans, many local residents attended a ceremony at Pinecrest’s Veterans Wayside Park to pay their respects and learn more about the sacrifices that others have made for their country. In order to spotlight some of who have made the decision to serve, some Panther veterans opened up about their relationship with Veterans Day. Here are their stories.

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HONORING PALMETTO’s VETERANS

Every year during November, the nation honors those who have led lives devoted to serving their country. The U.S., a nation which prides itself on its military establishment and arms capabilities, is known for its strong sense of patriotism — especially when it comes to members of the armed forces. As described by the Department of Defense, the armed forces include six established military forces: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force and Coast Guard. Members of the local community and Panther family have chosen to make the ultimate sacrifice of joining many of these forces.

Living in a fast-paced society engrossed by day-to-day life, Veterans Day and other national holidays of remembrance allow Americans and residents of the U.S. to take a momentary pause. Taking stock of the freedoms and liberties that the U.S. provides, people across the country have the opportunity to admire and show gratitude for the great valor and bravery that members of the armed forces possess and continue to portray.

Oftentimes, many Americans, despite the knowledge that vast numbers of individuals serve, are unaware that many of their friends, family and those they interact with on a day-to-day basis have served the nation.

Six members of faculty. 31 families. These are the number of veterans and military families within Palmetto. They are our teachers, administration, security personnel, office staff and fellow students, and a sacred commitment to the protection and betterment of our nation through service lying at the center of their lives.

In the spirit of respect and honor for those who have served while trying to understand the multilayered meanings of Veterans Day, some of Palmetto veterans are sharing their experiences and relationships to the holiday.

For some at Palmetto, like School Resource Officer, Sergeant and Squad Leader in Platoon 3d Battalion, 7th Marines Nicholas Diaz, his desire to help others remains a quality he was simply born with.

“I’ve always been into the ‘wanting to help people’ role; it’s just something I like to do. When I was in 12th grade, I spoke to a Marine recruiter and it kind of just snowballed from there. I ended up enlisting right after high school,” Diaz said. “I like helping people. At the end of the day, it gives you a sense of accomplishment and gives you a sense of ‘do good, feel good.’”

While society has ingrained in our hearts and minds that the natural course of life involves matriculation to university and participation in the workforce, others seek to forge their own path through a series of alternate choices that the Armed Forces offer.

“I was motivated [to serve] once I finished my first year of college at St. Thomas University. I was bored… I said, ‘Okay, let’s see what else the world has to offer,’” Palmetto Assistant Principal and Naval Reserves 1st, E-Class 2/Storekeeper Tierney Hunter said. “I joined the Naval Reserves because I wasn’t entirely sure that I wanted to dedicate four years of active duty.”

For many, the act of serving their country remains a value instilled by family members to pursue. For Palmetto’s Drafting teacher and Coast Guard Auxiliary CS1 culinary specialist/vessel examiner David Soderholm, his father and uncle stemmed the decision to lead a life of service. Serving in a disciplined and respectful environment reminds Soderholm where he comes from and how he can continue giving back to his community in a positive way.

“I enjoy cooking. That’s my specialty with the Coast Guard. I cook on the cutters, the ships out on Miami Beach; I cooked in Opa Locka…I do it because I enjoy doing it. I love that kind of environment; I respect that kind of environment,” Soderholm said. “I think one of the things I enjoy the most is when a cutter [ship] comes in and you have to go to the grocery store to buy food for the next five days. There’s nothing better than grocery shopping with a government credit card.”

Continuing her family history of joining the military, Palmetto’s science teacher and Behavioral Health Technician/ Sergeant Danelle Juste knew she wanted to contribute towards continuing that legacy. While serving, Juste and her unit created a program called ‘Boots on Solid Ground’ to help those who find the transition back to civilian life after being surrounded in a military environment a difficult one.

CURRENT PALMETTO FACULTY HAVE SERVED IN THE military6 NAVY COAST GUARD SPACE FORCE MARINES Air Force

army Military families within

31 palmetto INFOGRAPHIC INFORMATION FROM MIAMI PALMETTO SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

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HONORING PALMETTO’s VETERANS

“We go through expectations versus reality, and what may occur once they arrive back home. We talk about resources that are available to them now that they are veterans,” Juste said. “We go through different scenarios that they may experience and how they can react to it. We also talk about how their families can be supportive during this transition, and different situations of that nature.” On Veterans Day, many vet erans and those still serving

spend their day differently, whether it is pausing to reflect, calling friends they served with or spending time with family.

No matter what one chooses to do, the day holds a special meaning to everyone.

“Usually on Veterans Day I’ll reach out to people that I served with; we’re all spread out. I’m here, one of my closest friends is in New Hampshire, I have another one in California. Usually on Veterans Day we all talk and we try to make a plan to meet somewhere in the middle,” Diaz said. “We’ll just hang out or we’ll go back to the state where we were based at, and we’ll go hang out somewhere we used to just to relieve and get that experience again.”

On Veterans Day, remembering to pause and acknowledge all that our neighbors do to protect our country remains important in appreciating their bravery. While some may spend the day reconnecting with old friends, others use the time to take care of their wellness.

“I plan to use this day [Veteran’s Day] just to relax and unwind. I feel like I’ve been going so much, and yes I just came back from a deployment, and I came straight into teaching. So I just wanted the day just for myself, just to relax and have a ‘me’ day for some self-reflection and some self-care,” Juste said.

Throughout Juste’s most recent tour and time serving overseas, Palmetto Principal Victoria Dobbs would communicate with her via text message in order to keep in touch and ensure her safety. While a few texts may be viewed as a simple act, this thoughtful gesture led to Juste’s nomination of Dobbs for the “Patriotic Employer” award, which she received from the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.

Working alongside veterans and overseeing students of military families, Dobbs tries to create an environment where members of the military and those with a military background feel supported. In doing so, she also hopes that members of the schoolhouse took Veterans day as a time to reflect and serve others.

“What you would hope that everyone would do is reflect on the sacrifices that people who have been in the armed forces have done for everyone else…The day is to honor everybody that went into the military for us,” Dobbs said.

Many students at Palmetto and members of the Pinecrest community attended the Pinecrest Veterans Day event at Veterans Wayside Park and did just that. The event honored local Veterans and Gold Star Families. Complete with an Honor Guard presentation, wreath-laying ceremony, picnic and acknowledgement and salutation to those who have served, local residents had the opportunity to acknowledge their neighbors who have given the ultimate sacrifice.

Veterans of all ages, from those having served in World War II, to the Vietnam War and the most recent war in Afghanistan, all gathered together united by their overwhelming sense of patriotism to celebrate their peers and the country they defended. For some veterans, like George Rauback, Air Force E4, the event served as a time to speak with locals about his time as a photo interpreter and air intelligence specialist in the Vietnam War.

Ceremonies like the one held in Pinecrest serve not only as opportunities to thank those who have served, but also educational ones. Even more so, the event allows the community to give thanks for the freedoms they enjoy. Uniting veterans, girl scouts, families, volunteers and public servants, Veterans Day brings everyone together — joined by the American spirit.

“We’re a great country, but you don’t get great without some struggles. These [veterans] are the ones that had the courage to go out there and do the things that are very, very difficult. A lot of the time in doing so, they didn’t come back and they did that for us,” Pinecrest Mayor Joseph Corradino said. “It takes a lot of courage to put yourself in harm’s way for people you don’t know… It’s a thankless job when you get right down to it to put your life on the line for your fellow citizens.” Angelina Astic Contents/Copy Editor a.astic.thepanther@gmail.com Samantha Elkins News Editor

s.elkins.thepanther@gmail.com DESIGN BY GIANNA HUTTON PHOTOS COURTESY OF DANELLE JUSTE AND NICHOLAS DIAZ PHOTOS BY GIANNA HUTTON, KATE STUZIN AND ANGELINA ASTIC