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Veterans Day speaker shares analogy of wolves, sheep and sheep dogs

Lead Summary
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By
Lori Sorenson

Community members, veterans, students and staff gathered in Luverne Middle School-High School Thursday afternoon for a Veterans Day program in the Performing Arts Center.
Minnesota National Guardsman Jeff Thacker spoke about military service and what it means to serve.
Thacker, who has been deployed numerous times overseas, shared an analogy of wolves, sheep and sheep dogs.
He said the wolves are predators, much like ISIS, al-Qaeda or the Taliban, and the sheep are defenseless civilians.
The sheep dogs, he said are there to defend the flock. “Military members are like sheep dogs, willing to lay down their lives for the defenseless,” Thacker said.
“They have a powerful willingness and desire to serve something greater than themselves.”
He said veterans are the sheep dogs, the heroes who have stood guard to keep those they love safe.
In his address Thursday, Thacker recognized sacrifices military families make when loved ones are deployed.
“These deployments have a profound impact on families,” he said, listing “firsts” and major events that deployed service people miss back home.
And he encouraged people to consider service to others.
“It doesn’t have to be in the military,” he said. “It may be as a volunteer fireman, law enforcement officer, paramedic, EMT, doctor, nurse or a teacher. There is no better way to live a life of purpose and in that purpose their meaning and joy.”
He encouraged people to thank veterans and to visit with them about their service in the military.
“More important than asking what they did, ask how it changed them and formed them,” Thacker said.
“You might be surprised to learn something about the sacrifices people are willing to make to serve the greatest country on the planet, the United States of America.”
When it was pointed out that Thacker had served overseas and was not welcomed home as a hero, he received a standing ovation in order to provide that hero’s welcome.
Thursday’s program included music by the Luverne High School band and choir and posting and retiring of colors by the Rock County Color Guard, which included the Luverne and Hardwick American Legion and the Rock County VFW.

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