Veteran’s Day is one holiday during the year where many take the time to express their gratitude and appreciation towards the men and women who have served in the United States military. During the USO concert on Saturday night, the Hastings High band will be honoring recent graduate and band alumni Joe Schroeder for his heroic military service.
Schroeder graduated from Hastings High in 2004 and went to Central Community College to study engineering drafting. After college graduation in 2006 and an unsuccessful job search, he decided to join the military.
“I decided to start looking in the different military branches and found that the Air Force had the best fit for me,” Schroeder said. “I could use my education the best from HHS and CCC and make it the most beneficial for the military. At the same time I could see the world and continue my education while serving my country to protect everyone that I love here at home.”
As a former band member, Schroeder says that his experience greatly prepared him for his service in the military. Being in band helped him to overcome ADD, a learning disability, and a reading disability. Band also taught him valuable lessons in leadership that he was able to apply to combat situations.
“How that helped me in the military as I became a Staff Sergeant is to lead my own troops and guide them and help keep them alive while we were out in Afghanistan. I had to give them orders to follow and lead them and bring us all back home safely,” said Schroeder.
Band director Ricky Matticks has organized the ceremony and will present Schroeder with his Command Coin of Excellence. He feels that it is very important that Schroeder is honored for his service because he deserves the respect of the community. Matticks also wants Schroeder to be recognized for his contributions to the Hastings High band program.
“Joe’s education at HHS served him well as a service member for our
country,” Matticks said. “The work ethic and dedication he learned while involved in band
and other activities helped him to survive his experience.”
Schroeder says that he feels honored to be recognized by the band for his military service. He says that he would never expected to be honored this way.
“If you would have asked me years ago if I would expect to be here today with the band, assisting them with getting ready for this concert, or that I would be a guest of honor at the concert, I would tell you not in a million years,” said Schroeder. “I only did what I had to do to survive, follow my orders and bring everyone around me home safely.”
This concert holds a lot of meaning for Schroeder because it is the first time that his parents will be able to see him receive an award for his actions.
“This is one time that I am being honored that I can sit and enjoy a concert with my family and for my parents to be proud I am their son,” said Schroeder.
Matticks feels that students should use Schroeder as an example for someone who was successful from Hastings High.
“Some of our students will go on to serve their country in some branch of the service
and they can look to Joe as an example of someone who took what he learned at HHS and applied it in a real world experience,” Matticks said.
Schroeder says that he is accepting this honor for not only himself, but for many other service members as well.
“I might be the one being honored at this concert on Saturday, but I accept this recognition for all of our past, present and future military members and their families,” Schroeder said.
