Retired Navy Rear Admiral Jack Natter, Marine vet Roy Drinkard and Fr. Bede Marcy. Fr. Bede holds Drinkard's 1938 SBPS diploma.
CULLMAN – On Friday morning, St. Bernard Prep School (SBPS) held ceremonies and a reception to honor local veterans, especially those who are school alumni. According to SBPS Marketing Director Joyce Nix, there has been some kind of formal recognition of veterans each of the 34 years she has been associated with the school and abbey.
In the priest's opening remarks and homily at the morning mass, he reflected on the dual significance of Nov. 11, both as Veterans Day and as the feast day of St. Martin of Tours. St. Martin lived in the 300s, and was a soldier who professed the Christian faith and was known for his charity toward those in need, before leaving the Roman army to become a monk. He is traditionally considered a Patron Saint of Soldiers.
After the mass, students, faculty and visitors moved down to the high school building, where all participated in a patriotic flag-raising ceremony. An all-student color guard presented the U.S. flag and ran it up the school's flag pole while a trumpeter played, followed by the singing of the national anthem and "God Bless America" led by the SBPS choir and director Joshua Agnew.
Several local veterans were in attendance, with two officers in uniform: U.S. Army Major Dawson Mabry, an ordnance officer and Vietnam vet; and U.S. Navy Rear Admiral John T. "Jack" Natter, former deputy commander of naval forces in Europe and deputy director of the U.S. Navy Reserve. The speaker for the ceremony was local businessman/property developer and WWII veteran Roy Drinkard. At 96, he has been recognized previously as the oldest living Marine Corps veteran, and was recognized at the ceremony as the oldest living SBPS alumnus (Class of 1938).
Drinkard's opening statement summed up his feelings about military service: "I am proud to be a United States Marine." He continued, "I am not an ex-Marine. I still am one. I took a vow to protect our country, and I continue to do so in private life."
After the ceremony, veterans were invited to a reception in the high school. Nix reflected on the event with satisfaction that SBPS takes time to recognize their service.
"It's the patriotic and noble thing to do."
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