From Left:   Mr. Milt Riley - KP Security Officer, Mr. Bob Flemming - KP Technology Education,
Mr. Mike Renkawitz - KP Principal, Mr. Tom LaPointe - After Hours KP Security

Over the past 10 weeks of school we have been exploring the character traits that KP espouses for all of us to have: trustworthiness, respect, perseverance, self-discipline, citizenship, caring, honesty, responsibility, integrity, and fairness.  There are civic organizations, careers, and groups of people who try each day to invoke these traits into their work.  There are teachers and education support staff, religious leaders, civic leaders, nurses, doctors, paramedics, policemen, and firemen to name a few.

Military veterans are also a group that belongs in this category.  Today is Veterans Day, a day set aside to honor all veterans of military service, both war time and peace time veterans.  In 1918, an armistice, or a temporary ending of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, basically ending World War I.  For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.” 

In November 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day.  It was not until 1938 that the day was made an official legal holiday to honor veterans of World War I.  In 1954, after the nation had been involved in World War II and the Korean War, the word Armistice was replaced with Veterans and November 11th became a day to honor all American veterans.

King Philip has two veterans who served in the Vietnam War era and one who served in peacetime. 

In 1966, after earning an associate’s degree in manufacturing and working for about one year, our grade 8 technology education teacher, Mr. Robert Fleming, joined the United States Navy.

Mr. Fleming joined the Navy so that he could put his new education to work to support the Vietnam War effort. After basic training and advanced training, Mr. Fleming was assigned to the ship, the USS Dixie.  The USS Dixie was a Destroyer Tender based out of San Diego, California. 

The crew on board could repair anything that broke down or failed on a destroyer.  The ship was like a giant floating factory. This ship also transported weapons for other ships to use. During his time in the service, Mr. Fleming made three cruises across the Pacific.  Mr. Fleming’s ship spent time in Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines.

Mr. Fleming is proud of the work he and his shipmates did to keep other ships working properly and safely.  The shop he managed on board the Dixie meant working long hard hours, ensuring that the ship and crew were always clean and prepared, and meeting the needs of his people.  His experiences taught him valuable lessons about getting along with all kinds of people. Mr. Fleming’s years in military service are some of the most memorable in his life.

Mr. Fleming, thank you for your service in the Navy.

Mr. Milton Riley, one of our security officers, was drafted into the Army while a student at Kentucky State College.  After basic training and advanced infantry training at Fort Lewis, located in the state of Washington, Mr. Riley was assigned to the 4^th Infantry Division at Fort Lewis.  While there, he attended the non-commissioned officer academy, as well. 

Mr. Riley was reassigned to Fort Knox, Kentucky for tank crew training.  His new assignment was with the 1^st Infantry Division.  He was deployed to Vietnam to a city called Dian (pronounced zee on).  Due to his level of education, Mr. Riley became a member of the first administrative company for his unit.  This support assignment reduced the amount of combat time he had to face, while in Vietnam, but Mr. Riley still recalls the effects of combat that he witnessed first hand.

During Mr. Riley’s years of military service, he had the opportunity to collaborate with a variety of people.  They all needed to learn how to get along with one another and work successfully as a team, to persevere, in order to meet their goals.  These life skills were necessary for their survival. 

After receiving an Honorable Discharge, Mr. Riley worked for one year for the Fafner Bearing Company before joining the New Britain Police Department.  Mr. Riley became a detective and was selected to attend the FBI National Academy to further his investigative skills.  Mr. Riley retired from the New Britain PD after serving for 32 years on the force.  In 2001, he joined in his brother (also a retired New Britain police officer) as a security officer for King Philip.

Thank you for your service Mr. Riley.

A peace time veteran, Mr. Michael Renkawitz, principal of KP, was commissioned a lieutenant in the Army after graduating from college.  During his three and one-half years in the army, Mr. Renkawitz was assigned to a Pershing Missile Battery stationed in West Germany – East and West Germany were not yet reunified at this time.

The main mission of the Pershing Missile nuclear weapon system was to act as a deterrent to the communist block countries in Europe at that time.  Mr. Renkawitz served as a support platoon leader, a missile firing platoon leader, and the operations officer while with his unit.  The unit spent about one-fourth of their time on a live missile site in order to complete its mission.

Working with a diverse group of people and having the opportunity for a variety of leadership positions right out of college are highlights of Mr. Renkawitz’s service in the army. The benefit of serving during peace time allowed him to also serve without the pressures of a war.

Mr. Renkawitz went to work for the family business upon receiving his Honorable Discharge from the army.  Several years later, after his son was born, Mr. Renkawitz went back to school to become a teacher and later on, an administrator.

Thank you for your service Mr. Renkawitz.

On this day, November 11, while we officially recognize all of our veterans, also take a moment today to reflect upon the service others provide in a different capacity.  How will you choose to serve others today and in the future?