To a military veteran, a youngster’s simple “Thank you” can be worth more than a chest full of medals.

    A handful of veterans got the chance to hear those thanks, and to tell students what life in uniform is all about during a special Veterans Day afternoon, held Nov. 12 at the Campus Community Schools. Former and current members of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard and Marine Corps were invited to visit classrooms, and to bring in souvenirs and stories about what it was like to be a member of the military.

    Having the veterans come in was the idea of the school’s PTA membership, said PTA President Christy Stafford.

    “I think it is very important to support our veterans and to let them know they are very appreciated,” Stafford said. “It also helps to let the young people know that Nov. 11, Veterans Day, is not just a day they have off from school.”

    The veterans visited students from all grades during the afternoon, and were treated to a reception afterward at the Campus Community High School.

    Tom Boyle, a 21-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, said he wanted to let the students know more about what life in uniform is like.

    “I came to open the kids’ eyes to what the military is all about,” he said. “We’re in tight economic times and the reality is that the military is always there and it will always take care of you.”

    Mike Snyder, chaplain of the Vietnam Veterans of America, Kent County Chapter 850, spoke to a class of eighth-graders. It was a unique experience for former Air Force airman.

    “It was pretty cool,” Snyder enthused. “It was the first time I’ve ever gotten to do anything like that.”

    The afternoon was preceded by the students learning more about Veterans Day, and how it evolved from Armistice Day, the anniversary of the end of World War I. All of the vets said they were peppered by all sorts of questions, ranging from whether they can take their children overseas to what Army food tastes like.

    Snyder found a number of pupils asked about the POW/MIA patch he wears, and he used the occasion to tell them about ongoing efforts to find lost and missing soldiers from all wars.

    Retired Air Force Master Sgt. Tim Roe, a former C-5 mechanic and now a science teacher at CCS, was pleased to be able to again put on his uniform and show his students a different side of his life.

    “I’ve always felt that Uncle Sam gave me a lot more than I ever gave him,” Roe said.

    Sgt. Gregory Tolson, who just retired from the U.S. Army, gave his talk dressed in his camouflage battle dress uniform. His nephew, Darren, is a student at CCS. He noticed that perhaps because of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan youngsters nowadays seem to want to know more about life in the military — including its hardships — than earlier generations did. He also found people seem to care more about helping soldiers and their families than before.

    “I’m glad that this generation is caring a lot more than in the past,” he said. “I was really glad to be able to come out here and give a little speech.”

    Army Staff Sgt. Stephanie Williams, an active duty recruiter with 19 years of service, seemed pleased that no one asked her what it is like to be a woman serving in harm’s way. It shows women are no longer just relegated to administrative or other support roles. Although women are barred from active combat, many still serve on the front lines overseas.

    “They did ask me what it was like to go to Japan, what I liked about my job, if I’ve ever been shot at, what’s it like to be deployed,” Williams said.

    “I thought this would be a good opportunity to give them some insight into what the military can offer,” she said.

    One of the things retired Master Sgt. Brent Chapman said he loved best about the Air Force was the opportunity to travel.

    “I came from a little town, and there were jobs and no future,” he said. “The Air Force offered a way out. I’d look at books and see all those exotic places and say ‘Wow, I’d like to see that.’”

    Chapman, who worked in transportation and supply, said he found the children eager to learn more.

    “One thing I tried to explain to them was it’s not all about going to war,” he said. “There’s the humanitarian side, getting things like food and medical supplies to different places.”

    Chapman, whose son Benjamin is a second-grader at CCS, was very pleased with the reception he got.

    “Their eyes were very wide open,” he said of the children. “They asked a lot of really good questions; I think they all had a hand up when it came time for questions.”

    Chapman felt the experience was a good one, both for the students and the veterans.

    “I think the kids were more excited about it than I anticipated,” he said. “It was a really fun experience. I really enjoyed it.”

Email Jeff Brown at jeff.brown@doverpost.com