GR students honor veterans at program

In a packed Lincoln Middle School auditorium, residents and students honored local veterans.

Once again, Monroe Intermediate School students gathered for a common goal -- to honor local veterans. Students in MIS's morning choir sang four songs, while the LMS band performed three songs.

During the program, Green River Mayor Hank Castillon read the President's Veterans Day proclamation, followed by a skit by MIS students called "Who is a Veteran?"

Guest speakers Chief Gene Bates of the United States Marine Corps and U.S. Navy and Lee Bartolotta of the U.S. Air Force addressed the crowd.

Bates said he avoided the draft by deciding to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps.

"For me military service was a way for me to leave my home, Bridger Valley," Bates said.

Bates said he just didn't think he would fit in at the mines or at college.

"I wanted to find my own way and experience the world," Bates said. "I saw first hand what I had only read about of experienced on TV."

After retiring from the Marines, Bates said he started to feel a void in his life and that is when he decided to enlist in the U.S. Navy, where he remained until 2009, for a total of 24 years in the military.

Bates said he is still friends with those he made in the military, but he considers all veterans his friends.

"I look out here and I see a group of veterans and I know they are of the same caliber as those I served with," she said.

Bartolotta was proud to share her female perspective of the military. She was in the military police on security duty.

"It was the toughest, most rewarding job I ever had," she said.

Bartolotta said whenever people would ask her why she joined she would always hesitate and they say "to make my family proud." After completely her training, her attitude changed.

"I know I didn't have to make anyone proud of me. I am proud of me," Bartolotta said.

Since she was a female in the military, Bartolotta said she felt an added pressure.

"I didn't want to let my male counterparts down," she said.

So, she worked hard to run faster and shoot better. Through her experience she learned trust, responsibility and teamwork.

With all the turmoil going on in the world, Bartolotta wanted to stress the importance of the military.

"Every branch of service is needed now more than ever," she said.

Both, Bartolotta and Bates thanked all of the veterans in attendance and the students for putting on the program.