Community honors Veterans in big ways

“The best way to honor your veterans, not just today but every day, is to live life the best you can every day,” said guest veteran speaker, Honorably Discharged US Army Specialist Derek Farwell as he addressed the performing arts center crowd at the high school at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 10.

Farwell spoke about his time served in the military from Sept. 7, 2007, to Feb. 1, 2009. While serving in Iraq, he says that, “We hired locals to be interpreters because the enemy (Al Quida) could hide in plain sight because they didn’t wear uniforms. Slowly, they (the locals) had to trust us. It took some time but once they saw us actively fighting the bad guys, it became easier. During his time he said, “Both sides sustained heavy casualties.”

Farwell and his unit were impacted by not one but two improvised explosive devices. The injuries sustained in that incident would be great enough that he could not continue in combat. Instead, he spent the rest of his time in service training others to be a machine gunner, just like he was. Yet, he says, “I don’t feel any more important or special than anyone else.”

What Farwell meant in the quote in the first paragraph is that to “not live life to our fullest potential with the time we are given, would be to waste the sacrifice so many soldiers’ made.” He continued...

Read the full story and see more photographs in the 11/16 print edition of the Montgomery Messenger. Subscribe online today to not miss any more news!