Bradley County veterans were honored Friday in a ceremony held by Warren High School JROTC at Warren Cultural Center.
Cadets posted the colors and the National Anthem was sung by Raven Harris and Kailey Henry. A moment of silence was observed. Capt. (Retired) Johnny Brown gave the welcome. Cadet 1st Lt. Cody Weatherspoon gave the opening prayer.
Warren ABC preschool students sang three songs.
Cadet Capt. Ariya Williams gave the main speech, focusing on four local veterans:
- Alton Richards served 23 years in the military, including during the Vietnam War. He also served in Alaska and remembered seeing the Northern Lights.
- Wendell Wilson joined the National Guard at 17 and served until he retired at age 58. He enjoyed helping new soldiers meet their full potential.
- Clifford Clayton joined the Air Force and played the bugle in the Drum Corps. He served for 20 years and retired in 1997.
- Jimmy Thornton served in the Air Force and served in the dog corps, training dogs in Vietnam and other stations. His first dog, Gunner, saved his life several times.
- Floyd Brown served in Germany during the Vietnam War. He served three years.
Williams thanked all veterans for their service and dedication.
An EAST video was shown, noting that between 10,000-12,000 veterans have served in the military from Bradley County.
JROTC instructor 1st Sgt. (Retired) Chad Greenwood asked veterans present to stand so they could be honored. He remembered his first deployment was in Hawaii.
“A lot of veterans don’t feel they have a support channel,” he said. He urged veterans to contact Bradley County Veteran’s Museum or himself if they need help. He also said military families were the “backbone” of veterans while they serve.
