Over one million veterans live in the state of Texas, with around fifty thousand of them living in the Lake Travis area. The Lake Travis area acknowledges the bravery and dedication of its local veterans through the annual Veterans Day ceremony at the Lake Travis High School performing arts center each Nov. 11. Local residents are encouraged to attend to show their appreciation for the dedication of local veterans to the safety of their country.
Kerry Orr, longtime Lake Travis resident, is one of the thousands of Veterans that live in the area. Orr served in the army from 1967 to 1969 during the Vietnam War, and most years on Veterans Day he reconnects with men he served with to honor each other’s service. “It’s something for other people to celebrate, [but] it’s something very special for veterans to celebrate with each other,” he said. Orr meets with his fellow veterans both in person and over the phone. “Those men have given me the privilege of giving me the life that I’ve lived since Vietnam. I want to call several of them and just say thank you.”
Orr associates Veterans Day with the bravery and resiliency that veterans such as himself and others carry from their time serving in the military into the rest of their lives. “Honor, courage, respect, and perseverance are true words that veterans live by,” he explained. “They all join for different reasons or motivations, but all wear the uniform with pride. They charge into every battle, knowing it may be their last, but do not hesitate to do so.”
David Diaz-Concepcion, Lake Travis High School CTE teacher and the varsity men’s soccer coach, served in the marines from 2001 to 2009 in Afghanistan. Each Veterans Day, Diaz-Concepcion meets with those he served with to honor each other’s sacrifices. “[It’s] usually dinner and video calls with friends,” said Diaz-Concepcion. He continues to honor veterans and people currently serving in the military by educating his students on the time he spent in the marines.
Kerry Orr and David Diaz-Concepcion are two of the many Lake Travis veterans that are honored and respected by their community for their service. The people of the Lake Travis area use each Veterans Day to honor their dedication to serving in the United States military; it is a time to recognize, appreciate, and thank those who have devoted themselves to protecting their country.
