Grand Forks Airmen deliver Veterans Day speeches in two states

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Luis Loza Gutierrez and Airman 1st Class Zachiah Roberson
  • 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  Several active-duty service members assigned here volunteered to speak at Veterans Day observances in North Dakota and Minnesota.

Four of the Airmen speakers delivered speeches in the state of Minnesota, including Maj. Frank Burks, 319th Comptroller Squadron commander, and Capt. Aubrey Wheeler, family physician from the 319th Medical Operations Squadron, who spoke in Erskine, Minn.

Speakers from Grand Forks AFB were spread out across locations ranging from 15 miles from the base to as far as 60 miles away to get in touch with the communities.

Master Sgt. Lillian Wendell, 319th Force Support Squadron Military Personnel Flight superintendent, spoke to more than 900 people and multiple news agencies in the town of Thief River Falls, Minn. She said the turnout added a large amount of stress, but she pressed on successfully giving her speech as she knew how important the message was to get out to the community.

Master Sgt. Robyn Kaufhold, a communications security manager from the 319th Communications Squadron, spoke to Minnesota and North Dakota residents attending the Veterans Day observance in East Grand Forks, Minn.

"I feel very privileged to have been granted the honor of speaking during the Veterans Day observance ceremony in East Grand Forks," Kaufhold said.

Terry Buraaf from American Legion Post 157, one of the organizations that formally requested a speaker from Grand Forks AFB, agreed.

"Veterans Day is an important holiday for our nation and having an active service member speak at an event like this one helps remind our communities to acknowledge and thank veterans both past and present for their sacrifices," he said.

A couple of junior enlisted Airmen were also part of the group speaking on Veterans Day.

Senior Airman Kaleea Benjamin, 319th Security Forces Squadron commander's executive assistant, delivered a speech to approximately 250 people in the community of Hillsboro, N.D. Benjamin said she understands the importance of Veterans Day and what it means to those who have served, continue to serve, and the families of veterans and this is one reason why she felt it necessary to give back to the community through her speech.

"After I gave my speech I felt very much appreciated, the community was grateful for my presence and showed it through their applause," said Benjamin. "My mentor, Master Sgt. Scott Kingsley, always asks me, 'What good is anything if you keep it to yourself?' My interpretation of that is, 'What good is joy if you don't bring someone else happiness? What good is the experience if you don't share the knowledge?'"

Senior Airman Steven Holland, an air traffic controller from the 319th Operations Support Squadron, spoke locally to a group of approximately 150 residents at the Grand Forks Valley Memorial Homes.

In all, the six speakers from Grand Forks AFB delivered speeches to more than 2,000 people in two states, and all the Air Force veterans seemed to agree that the experience of having the speakers deliver their speeches on Veterans Day was a high honor.