By Charles Romans
Carter County Times
East Carter Middle School hosted a Veteran’s Day event on Monday, to honor all who have served. The guest speaker for the event was Jimmy Kozee, who served in the United States Marine Corp from 1992 until 2004. Kozee shared some of his experiences from his time in active military duty, and what Veteran’s Day means to veterans.
“The military has been a big thing for me,” Kozee said. “I served a couple of years in Japan, Somalia, and Iraq. I got to travel all over the world, and it has been a very special part of my life. But not only that, I started a family while I was in the Marine Corp. My wife is probably one of the best-looking gunnery sergeants you’ll ever see. And my son was born in Camp Lejeune.”
“We live in the greatest country in the world,” Kozee told the audience. “And there is no question about that whatsoever.”
Kozee said that because of that, the students assembled there and all across the country can be whoever they choose to be.
“There is nothing that can stop you except yourself. You have the freedom to do that, and we have the freedom to have ceremonies like this. We have freedom to worship and freedom to vote.”
“Other countries do not have this,” he continued. “I have been in several countries where they don’t get to make their own choices. They are told what they have to do. And they are forced to do what they are told to do. So, count your blessings.”
Kozee said that at one point all of the veterans at the event had stood in front of a recruiter not knowing what the future held.
“But they signed a piece of paper that said whatever did come they would be there to defend freedom. And I’ll bet if you put us all on a bus right now, we would still be ready to defend freedom. That’s the culture we live,” Kozee said.
It is that dedication, he explained, that willingness even after the enlistment period is over, that makes veterans who they are. It is also what makes veterans appreciate the support that their community, friends, neighbors, and other Americans in general give to them.
“I want to thank everyone for this ceremony,” Kozee said. “I want to thank the staff and faculty of East Carter Middle School for everything you have done.”
Kozee added that the best way to thank a veteran is to take full advantage of the freedoms for which they fought. That and to perpetuate the values of courtesy and respect which come with a dedication to the ideals upon which the United States was founded.
During the ceremony honoring veterans, members of the Carter County Quilts for Veterans presented two veterans with handmade quilts. Sue Tackett and Cozetta Bond from that group spoke, and the two veterans presented with quilts at the ceremony were Jene Manley (Navy 1967 to 1971 stationed on Carriers in Europe) and Richard Dallaire (2006 to 2008 Army National Guard – Army Global War on Terrorism).
Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com
Marine Corp Veteran Jimmy Kozee was the guest speaker at East Carter Middle School on Veteran’s Day. (Photo by Charles Romans, Carter County Times) 
Veterans Jene Manley (Navy) and Richard Dallaire (Army National Guard) receive handmade quilts from the Carter County Quilts for Veterans Group (Photo by Charles Romans, Carter County Times)
