Van Nuys : Teachers Recollect Veterans’ Experiences

Van Nuys Middle School student Ruchika Puri, 14, never knew that 10 veterans were in her midst.

Frankly, neither did Student Body President Hannah Jung, 15.

Standing in the dew-drenched grass of the school’s physical education field Thursday, Ruchika and Hannah saw their teachers and administrators in a new light--as the Army, Navy and Air Force veterans that they are.

With an arch of red, white and blue balloons as his backdrop, Principal Antonio Delgado called the Veterans Day assembly a living lesson.

“Today is a history lesson,” Air Force veteran Delgado told the 1,100 students. “The importance of today’s assembly and tomorrow’s holiday needs to be discussed in all of your classes and in all of your homes.”

Recounting the World War I armistice called in the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, Delgado explained the paradox of the holiday: “We abhor the war, but we honor the warrior.”

In a poignant recollection of his years in Vietnam, Army veteran and Van Nuys Middle School plant manager Arthur Guzman detailed the pain of war and the healing process that veterans experience.

“I remember nights when I would wake up and feel my wife’s warm hand on my forehead as she prayed for me because of my flashbacks and nightmares,” said Guzman, clad in a faded fatigue jacket.

The direct recollections of war life were what moved Ruchika.

“If you hear about war in class--especially history class, you don’t know how bad it really was,” Ruchika said. “If you know a veteran, you can know how gruesome war is or what it’s like to lose a friend.”

Veterans Day took on a new meaning for Hannah, too.

“I’m just proud of them,” Hannah said. “I feel proud and very thankful.”