Veterans sign a contract to lay down their life for you
By Ginna Young Showing what veterans mean to them, the Cadott School Veterans Day program, Nov. 11, was standing room only, as the students, staff and members of the community honored their local heroes.
“These men and women have made sacrifices that allow us to pursue an education, dream big and to live freely in the land of opportunity,” said district administrator Josh Spaeth. “They serve to protect ideals and values that we teach, and uphold every day, here at our school.”
It was a banner day for the program, as they welcomed back two Cadott High School graduates and sisters – Col. Jeannie Jeanetta, Chief of Staff-Joint Staff at Joint Force headquarters-Wisconsin, and Chief Master Sgt. Lindsay Rykal, medical group chief of the Medical Group, 133rd Airlift Wing, Minnesota Air National Guard.
Jeanetta coordinates and directs staff work of the human resources office, intelligence, operations, logistics, strategic planning, communications, cyber, budget, public affairs, state partnership program and service members support division, coordinating across the Army, Air and Joint Staffs. She has deployed in support of contingencies to include Operations Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and New Dawn.
For Rykal, she acts as the senior enlisted leader, ensuring the commander’s directions and policies are carried out, and to guide and mentor airmen, playing a key role in the professional development and proper utilization of the group’s enlisted force. She has been deployed to the Hague Embassy Netherlands, Operation Enduring Freedom in Kandahar, Afghanistan, and Operation Noble Eagle at the Joint Air Defense Operations Center at Bolling Air Force Base.
For both of the women, it’s meant being away from family, friends and the places they know as home, which is often the lot of a veteran.
“It comes at a cost,” said Rykal.
For elementary principal Brad Rogers, service is something he’s familiar with, as his father served, as well as his two sons. When gazing at the veterans present, Rogers requested the students turn their eyes to them.
“Do you know anybody in your life right now, who will sign up to put their life on the line for you?” asked Rogers. “You’re looking at all of them.”
Photo by Ginna Young
Photo by Ginna Young Co. Jeannie Jeanetta (left) and Lindsay Rykal swore that it seemed like just yesterday that the sisters were sitting in the crowd, watching Veterans Day programs, but each has had an illustrious career in armed forces. The duo was happy to be back on their old stomping grounds and happy to honor their fellow veterans. (To the right) Regardless if they haven’t been in active duty for 40 years, or more, it doesn’t matter to a veteran, as evidenced at the Veterans Day program in Cadott, Nov. 11. While many were in uniform, many others dressed as civilians, but still leapt to their feet to salute the flag.
After singing a patriotic song of thanks, the elementary students held up photos of veterans with connections to the school, which surprised some, as they recognized loves ones.
Photo by Ginna Young
