A conversation with an Army veteran gave Todd County Central High School senior Ada Monroe a new appreciation for the freedoms she has enjoyed throughout her life; an experience she shared Wednesday during the annual Veterans Day ceremony at VFW Post 1913.
Monroe was recognized as the local winner of the VFW’s Voice of Democracy essay competition during the ceremony to honor those who served.
Her winning essay, written around the theme “What a Veteran Taught Me About America,” reflected on lessons she learned from an Army veteran named Anthony, whom she met through her church. Anthony served seven years in the military, including two deployments to Afghanistan and one to Africa, before being medically retired.
In her essay, Monroe described how Anthony’s experiences in Afghanistan helped her understand the restrictions faced by women in countries where they do not enjoy the same freedoms as American women…