OGCS Afterschool are students from the third grade to fifth grade.  Important here is that these students are just beginning in their Scholastic Journalism journey!  Many are just beginning to study world history, and today they had the honor to meet a man who has served our nation, traveled the world and continues to serve in so many ways.  During 2018, he was involved with the NEWSEUM in Washington, DC on a special exhibit on Vietnam.

The article below – appears in our first newspaper!  The short video shows a personal conversation between COLr. Harrington and Reed.

Honoring a Veteran: “How to be successful in life” – topic of our discussion/interview   With Colonel Myron C. Harrington, Jr. USMC – Retired/Vietnam Veteran/Recipient Navy Cross and Silver Star Medal

by Hannah and Reed (OGCS –Backpack Journalist)

Colonel Harrington is a former Marine, and always wanted to be Marine. See this picture? Colonel Harrington, a Citadel graduate, served in the Vietnam War, and retired after 30 years, with numerous awards including the Navy Cross and Silver Star Medal for bravery and service. He was the Headmaster for the Trident Academy here in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. Today, he lives in Charleston and is the Vice Chair of the Citadel Board of Visitors that helps oversee the Citadel College and how it works.   He shared that the Board of Visitors are also responsible for selecting the Commandant of the Citadel.

We always ask, so how old, are you? His answer with a twinkle in his eye, “so how old do you think”? Our group did not get the right answer! And, then, he shared that “yes I am man of leisure, but I can’t seem to find it’.

His advice to us: “Study hard, be confident, have courage and put other people first. You can do more than you think you can! Character counts!”

Colonel Harrington shared how to welcome home a Veteran and addressed the ending of each conflict. He explained to us that the United States does not go out and start wars, we protect the freedom of people. World War I and World War II and the Korean Wars all were in support of freedom for people here in the United States and to support others in danger. There were parades often when the troops came home. When he addressed the Vietnam War: “it was a different time in our history, with so many different opinions about that involvement. Many men went and served, I did. Coming home, however was different, and many were not welcomed.” In closing: Reed wants one day to make a difference as a policy-maker. Listen in for the one on one conversation with Reed and Colonel Harrington on our website: www.abackpackjournalist.com

Col. Harrington’s bio: http://www.citadel.edu/root/bov-membership/80-info/administration/bov/22939-harrington-bio