Sixth-grade students at Washington Middle School had the opportunity to learn from the experiences of three veterans, including one who attended WMS 15 years ago, during a special Veterans Day assembly last week at the school.

Veterans Bill Reitz, Terry Weatherby and Dan Shucark spoke to students Nov. 10 about the history of Veterans Day, provided statistics about veterans and offered advice for the students to follow to achieve success.

Reitz, who was a member of the Marine Corps from 1967 to 1969, told students that Nov. 10 is the Marine Corps’ “birthday,” and the three presenters also told students about their experiences as active-duty servicemen.

“Looking back, I have fond memories and I made some great friends,” said Weatherby, who served in the Army Reserves from 1967 to 1973.

Shucark, the WMS alumnus, spent time in Iraq and Afghanistan while in the Army from 2004 to 2008. He spoke to students about the extreme temperatures in these countries and what life is like for military personnel stationed overseas.

“I wouldn’t be where I’m at now if it wasn’t for the Army,” said Shucark, who is currently working in Afghanistan.

The assembly concluded with a question-and-answer session between the WMS students and the three veterans.