Stories of combat and survival told by veterans

The Crescenta Valley High School Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) program commemorated Veterans Day with its annual school-wide assembly on Thursday, Nov. 13. The assembly honored three local veterans, informed the student body of the five military branches and raised awareness for Operation Gratitude, a letter-writing project hosted by the JROTC program.

The day started off with a formal reveille ceremony on Community Avenue at the school flagpole. Students, school office staff and guest speakers somberly observed as JROTC cadets methodically raised the United States flag to the top of the pole.

The assembly began with the presentation of the colors by the JROTC Drill and Ceremonies cadets, as well as the national anthem sung by the Crescenta Valley High Charismatics. Then each veteran received an opportunity to speak briefly to the student body about his achievements in the military.

Colonel Jerry Knotts retired from the United States Air Force in 1984. He served the country with more than 24 years at the rank of colonel, and completed 112 combat missions on-air during the Vietnam War, beating the odds and being amid the 35% who on average survived each air mission.

Lieutenant Colonel Walter Winner, a native from Topeka, Kansas, was drafted into the United States Army Infantry in 1941. After being commissioned in 1943, he fought in World War II, flying overseas to locations such as Hawaii and Okinawa, Japan. Today, Colonel Winner is 90 years old and is an active member of the Verdugo Hills Chapter of the Military Officer’s Association of America and the La Cañada Presbyterian Church.

Lieutenant Colonel Raffi Najarian is an alumnus from La Cañada High School and a member of the California Air National Guard. He serves as a base dental surgeon and also maintains private practice as a dentist in the local area. Lieutenant Colonel Najarian has been assigned to numerous confidential operations all over the world, including Alaska, Iraq, Armenia, Mexico, Ukraine, Belize and Honduras.

To conclude the assembly, students were introduced to the flags of the five military branches and viewed a clip about the non-profit organization Operation Gratitude, celebrating National Veterans Awareness Week by sending care packages to soldiers overseas.