Learning From A Hero

        Recently, Wylie High School had the esteemed honor of hosting Vietnam Conflict veteran Colonel James Avery to speak about the history of the conflict and his experiences in it.

        Avery, who has been speaking to Wylie for about 4 years, does so because feels he is the gap between the teachers and the students that can only be bridged by first-hand accounts of this tumultuous period.  “Your teachers were not even born during Vietnam,” Colonel Avery explains. “They teach a great class, but they don’t know what took place in Vietnam, and I don’t mind telling it.”

         Colonel Avery is no new face to Abilene. He graduated from Abilene High School in 1960 and soon enlisted in the United States Army, coinciding with the eruption of a fierce conflict in Southeast Asia. Avery says his service then and in the dedicated years following the unofficial war has greatly impacted and improved the person he is today. “I’m very proud of what I did. I spent 35 years, and I would do it again. I didn’t want to get out.” After serving in a number of prestigious positions, like an Army Ranger and Green Beret, and accumulating a host of honors, the Colonel came back to Abilene to finally settle with his family, and has spent the past years working as a substitute teacher in both Abilene ISD and Wylie ISD along with speaking about his experiences in the army during the Vietnam conflict.

         When asked why he always takes time out to speak to the students, Avery says, “You need to understand what took place, how bad it was in America, and how bad it was when we came back.” This is no laborious task, however, as Colonel Avery says he greatly enjoys presenting to the classes. He remembers “the response that the kids have” being his favorite experience every time. “When the bell rings, they don’t just jump up and leave; They come forward and shake my hand and thank me.” The Colonel says that presenting is a very wonderful experience, and he enjoys making a difference in the young generation’s lives. “It’s just seeing that, ‘Hey, I’m getting across something,” he simply puts.

       Students from history classes across the school gathered on Thursday and Friday, each time greeted by the sound of an canorous tune playing from a now seemingly ancient CD player. The students came in unsure and, after a good amount of laughs balanced with some sobering enlightenment, left yearning for more. Kobe George, a junior and attendee of Colonel Avery’s recounts says he found the experience to be very enlightening. “I enjoyed the presentation because we were able to listen to a true account of the Vietnam War and see how the war affected the people of the time.”

         Colonel Avery hopes to continue his presentations to Wylie for years to come. “As long as they’ll let me here, I enjoy it.”

All photos courtesy of Colonel Avery.