Veterans Affairs speakers help to honor America’s past and present heroes
Local students are getting a taste of living history through an ongoing veterans speaking program offered by the Camden County office of Veterans Affairs
The office’s Veterans Speakers Bureau will continue to offer veteran speaker opportunities throughout school districts in the county this school year. The bureau, which launched the volunteer speaker series in 1999, holds the program as a way to infuse personal views of historical events into the social studies curriculums of students.
Director of military and veterans affairs for the Camden County Veterans Speakers Bureau Lt. Col. Al Bancroft, a Vietnam veteran, thinks teachers should encourage students to hear about history firsthand.
The bureau’s mission is to educate students across the county about the jobs of military personnel.
“The county decided to start it as a way to have veterans in schools telling students what military life is all about and why we serve,” Bancroft said.
The Voorhees resident served for 33 years in the United States Marine Corps, retiring in 1991.
The busiest time of year for the bureau is around Veterans Day and Memorial Day. Typically the bureau sends out information about the speaking opportunity and allows school districts to reply if they are interested in hosting a visit.
Veteran speakers talk to students ranging in age from third grade to high school. They refrain from including gory details about their service.
“We want to let them know what the military does, but not the horror stories. It’s a good way to keep students informed about history and what is going on now,” he said.
The bureau features veterans from wars including, but not limited to, WWII, Vietnam War, Korean War, Iraq and Afghanistan.
Bancroft attends the speaking engagements in his uniform and fields many questions about his medals and ribbons and talks about the every day life of a Marine in combat.
“It’s always a good feeling to let the youngsters know how we served and tell them about patriotism. We are not recruiters; we’re just there to talk about history,” he said. So far Bancroft has spoken at about 15 different schools in the county.
“It’s a great way to get kids informed, because some parents have never served,” he said.
Allen Rodesky, of Oakland, has been working with the bureau as a speaker for about 13 years, and is a member of the Camden County Veterans Advisory Committee.
Through his time speaking to students, the Vietnam and Desert Storm veteran has visited about nine school districts.
Usually Rodesky starts out by giving a background about his service, talking about his overseas tours of duty during wartime.
He takes the opportunity to let high school-age youth know that they are not invincible in life — especially while driving.
“When I went over I was their age or maybe a year older. I was a typical American youth. I thought I was invincible and nothing could happen to me,” he said.
A retired Army Airborne Ranger who served for 25 years, Rodesky got involved with the speakers bureau as a way to educate local youth.
“I think it teaches a student a little bit more than what a textbook can, because they are able to relate to individuals who lived through it and fought through it. It also gives them a chance to ask questions,” Rodesky said. For more information call 856-374-5801.
The office’s Veterans Speakers Bureau will continue to offer veteran speaker opportunities throughout school districts in the county this school year. The bureau, which launched the volunteer speaker series in 1999, holds the program as a way to infuse personal views of historical events into the social studies curriculums of students.
Director of military and veterans affairs for the Camden County Veterans Speakers Bureau Lt. Col. Al Bancroft, a Vietnam veteran, thinks teachers should encourage students to hear about history firsthand.
The bureau’s mission is to educate students across the county about the jobs of military personnel.
“The county decided to start it as a way to have veterans in schools telling students what military life is all about and why we serve,” Bancroft said.
The Voorhees resident served for 33 years in the United States Marine Corps, retiring in 1991.
The busiest time of year for the bureau is around Veterans Day and Memorial Day. Typically the bureau sends out information about the speaking opportunity and allows school districts to reply if they are interested in hosting a visit.
Veteran speakers talk to students ranging in age from third grade to high school. They refrain from including gory details about their service.
“We want to let them know what the military does, but not the horror stories. It’s a good way to keep students informed about history and what is going on now,” he said.
The bureau features veterans from wars including, but not limited to, WWII, Vietnam War, Korean War, Iraq and Afghanistan.
Bancroft attends the speaking engagements in his uniform and fields many questions about his medals and ribbons and talks about the every day life of a Marine in combat.
“It’s always a good feeling to let the youngsters know how we served and tell them about patriotism. We are not recruiters; we’re just there to talk about history,” he said. So far Bancroft has spoken at about 15 different schools in the county.
“It’s a great way to get kids informed, because some parents have never served,” he said.
Allen Rodesky, of Oakland, has been working with the bureau as a speaker for about 13 years, and is a member of the Camden County Veterans Advisory Committee.
Through his time speaking to students, the Vietnam and Desert Storm veteran has visited about nine school districts.
Usually Rodesky starts out by giving a background about his service, talking about his overseas tours of duty during wartime.
He takes the opportunity to let high school-age youth know that they are not invincible in life — especially while driving.
“When I went over I was their age or maybe a year older. I was a typical American youth. I thought I was invincible and nothing could happen to me,” he said.
A retired Army Airborne Ranger who served for 25 years, Rodesky got involved with the speakers bureau as a way to educate local youth.
“I think it teaches a student a little bit more than what a textbook can, because they are able to relate to individuals who lived through it and fought through it. It also gives them a chance to ask questions,” Rodesky said. For more information call 856-374-5801.
