Students at East Elementary have some extra Veterans Day homework. Speaking at an early-Veterans Day ceremony Tuesday afternoon, Coast Guard veteran Scott Williams told the students their homework for Veterans Day is to find a veteran and thank them for their services.

Fortunately, East’s students are prepared for the assignment. The student body briefly heard from about two-dozen Kodiak veterans during the ceremony. Together, the group represented all five branches of the armed forces.

One of the lessons of the afternoon is that service can take many forms.

“More than 20 million of our fellow citizens are veterans,” said veteran Tom Saunders. “Each has their own story. Each has the experience of taking an oath and becoming something much larger than themselves.”

Eighty-nine-year-old Navy veteran Bill Ross joined the service in 1940 and served until 1962.

“I joined the Navy looking for adventure and got more adventure than I ever thought I would get,” he said.

Ross fought German submarines on a series of World-War-I era destroyers that ran on crude oil.

Ross wore the same uniform Tuesday that he used when he retired.

“I’m glad I can still put on this uniform,” he joked. “I weigh the same as when I retired, but I’ve redistributed.”

Students also heard from Ayn DuBois, who served as an Army medic during the Vietnam War.

“I don’t look like a soldier, do I, or even a veteran,” she said. “I look like I could be someone’s mom, or their sister or friend. You are right, I am a mom and a sister and a friend, but I am also a veteran.”

DuBois said she chose to serve because she did not like how Vietnam veterans were disrespected when they returned to America.

“I decided to join the Army because I met some people who had been in the war and when they came back home people were angry with them and said mean things to them. That made me angry.”

Between hearing from veterans, students learned some Veterans Day history that their parents might not know – like the fact that the nation celebrates Veterans Day on Nov. 11 because it marks the end of World War I. The Great War ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of the year in 1918.

The holiday was called Armistice Day until 1954, when it became a day to honor veterans of all wars.

Unlike most unique American holidays, the nation always celebrates Veterans Day on the 11th instead of moving it to the closest Monday to maintain the historic link to the end of World War I.

Many students wore poppies to the ceremony, which symbolize sacrifice. The poppies were provided by VFW Auxiliary president Ruth Hentges and Barbe Wolk, American Legion Auxiliary vice-president and poppy chair.