Special to ViewU.S. Army National Guard Lt. Henry Lujan, a military police officer and an Iraq war veteran, visits with a third-grade class at Schorr Elementary School as part of the History Channel?s Take a Vet to School program.
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The History Channel kicked off its Take a Vet to School national and grassroots campaign in Las Vegas last month at Schorr Elementary School, 11420 Placid St. The program, which will bring schoolchildren and military veterans together all over the country, will run from mid-October through Veterans Day on Nov. 12.
"We're a better, safer country because of our vets," said Steven G. Schorr, vice president of public and government affairs for Cox Communications and namesake of the program's kickoff school. "I personally believe it's important for our children to learn that."
Cox Communications hosted the event and will run public service announcements to encourage schools and communities to invite local veterans to share their stories with from kindergarten through high school.
The History Channel will provide participating schools with curriculum-based educational materials, as well as a Veterans Day video produced with the U.S. Department of Education.
"I support the education for our children, not just book learning. It's also about experiences," Schorr said. "This is not a mandated program, but we hope many schools, especially elementary schools, will adopt it."
U.S. Army National Guard Lt. Henry Lujan of North Las Vegas, who said he was medically discharged in January due to injuries he suffered while serving in Iraq, attended the event and spoke with the children about being a military police officer and escorting youngsters to school in Iraq.
"I got to talk to the kids and let them try on my helmet and see my Bronze Star and Purple Heart," he said. "It motivates them and gives them something to look forward to."
The father of two said he has visited his children's schools in the past and that he thinks it is important to talk to children as young as third or fourth grade about their futures because time goes so fast.
"Woven into the fabric of the History Channel is our ongoing commitment to chronicling the contributions of our nation's soldiers and veterans," said Nancy Dubuc, executive vice president and general manager for The History Channel. "Whether they fought on the beaches of Normandy or on the streets of Fallujah or served stateside, every vet has a story to tell. It is a natural extension of the History Channel to help secure the remarkable legacy of our veterans -- past and present."
Throughout the summer, the History Channel will be working with various veterans' organizations, including the American Legion, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, as well as local school districts across the country to lay the foundation for the initiative.
"I hope children will say to their granddads, moms and dads, 'You talk to me about your stories. Can you talk to my friends, too?' " Schorr said.
R. Lee Ermey, a former U.S. Marine drill sergeant, actor and host of "Mail Call" on the History Channel, will serve as the spokesman for the campaign.
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