COLUMBUS, Ind. — In his roughly 30 years of military service, Bob Hempstead answered a number of calls to serve. More recently, however, the veteran received a different kind of request — a call to share his stories.
Hempstead delivered a keynote address during CSA New Tech’s first-ever Veterans Day program on Friday, which also featured student presentations about local veterans they interviewed for a class project. Joe Steele, who leads the school’s “American Heritage” course alongside fellow teacher Hope Alexander, said students were involved in organizing the event.
Like many of the veterans honored at Friday’s ceremony, Hempstead is related to a New Tech student — his granddaughter, Tara Shuler. His daughter, Crystal Shuler, was deployed alongside him in Iraq.
“If you think your career was rough, take your daughter into combat,” said Hempstead.
His address mixed humor and heart as he told about everything from accidentally marrying his wife too early in Japan to being “downsized” alongside other Marines, which led him to join the Indiana Army National Guard.
He closed by telling students about the real reason he showed up for the day’s ceremony.
“I look at these veterans in front of me, and I’m almost positive not a one of them is here for Veterans Day,” said Hempstead. I’m almost positive that none of them are here for themselves. There are here because somebody asked them to be here.”
For more on this story, and more photos, see Saturday’s Republic.
