PARADE HIGHLIGHTS JACKSON VETERANS DAY

The band still played and the batons still twirled, but with 38 degree temperatures and blistering cold winds, the crowd was sparse for the annual Veteran's Day Parade on Monday.

Many of those who did venture out did so out of obligation, like the Hendersons, whose son Thomas is in the Jackson High School Band.

"Our son is in the band," said John Henderson. "We had to come out and brave the cold."

The children didn't seem to mind, they still scampered about for candy as the fire trucks and police cars rolled by, blaring their alarms. In addition, the Ladies Auxiliary, the Delta High School Band, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts braved the cold to honor veterans for the day.

The parade, which is traditionally held at 5 p.m., began at Frozen Food Locker on South High St. and went up to Main St., traveled west to Russell St. and then down to the high school auditorium.

After the parade, Lt. Col. (Ret) Charles Woodford spoke at the Jackson High School auditorium. Woodford spent 26 years in the military, enlisting in the U.S. Navy at 17. He served three years during World War II and was discharged at the end of the war with the rank of petty officer third class. Following WWII, Woodford served in the Missouri Army National Guard and the Air Force, retiring with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Woodford had planned to speak on the effects of downsizing in the military, but felt compelled first to dispute a quote from the "Veterans are feeling forgotten" article in the Southeast Missourian, Nov. 11. He didn't want to mention the veteran's name, as Herb Nance was in the audience, but referred to his comment that most people don't "give a damn" about veterans anymore.

Even though only about 40 people attended the speech, Woodford pointed out all the activities that still place honoring veterans: the parades, the display of flags, the auxiliary coffee days and "poppy days." He gave a comparison to the attendance in church, noting that just because people don't attend church doesn't mean they have lost the faith.

"Do people forget? I don't think so," he says. "I don't think we need to be told everyday. We've done our duty to the nation. We were there."

He points out that every year, millions of people visit Washington D.C., with two of the biggest tourist attractions being the Arlington National Cemetery and the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial.

"Is that remembering? Sure it's remembering," Woodford boasts. "We musn't pay too much attention when people say they don't remember us. Sure they do."

Getting back to the downsizing of the military, Woodford says that the world is still a dangerous place and insists we need a strong national guard, even though we are in a peacetime situation.

"Now that the cold war is over and our adventure in the mideast has passed, our feeling of leaders is one of peace dividends."

He points to other wars stressing the need to be ready, "We didn't see them coming. They just happened all of a sudden."

Woodford's father served in the A.E.F. during World War I. His son, Lt. Col. Paul Woodford, is an active F-15 pilot. He is married and has four daughters and two stepdaughters.

The program ended with the benediction from Chaplain Emil Brase, with the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Retirement of Colors from the American Legion Honor Guard.