Veterans breakfast at Ocean Springs High School

This morning, the Junior ROTC at Ocean Springs High School hosted its tenth annual Veterans Breakfast. Veterans and their families were invited to come and enjoy a free breakfast and mingle with members of the Greyhound Battalion.
News 25’s Caroline Eaker was on hand as the cafeteria filled up and the tribute began.
Age, rank, or experience did not matter Wednesday as dozens of Junior ROTC members and veterans bonded over breakfast and a mutual love for the United States of America. JROTC Cadet Marc Malloch said, “Some of these colonels that are coming in here have served for 35 plus years. I saw four different WWII veterans last year and it means a lot to them. It’s very emotional. It means a lot to them. It means a lot to us and I am very proud to be able to serve them even if it’s just for the short while of serving them breakfast.”
For some cadets, this breakfast is not only a way to thank service members, but a chance to talk to people they see as role models, people they hope one day they will be like. JROTC Cadet Kansas Carter said, “This is very important to me because one day I do plan on enlisting or becoming an officer in the military. I just want to let them know that one day I want to be like them. I look up to them and one day I would just like to be half of what they are.”
That feeling of respect still rings true even for McCaleb Joseph, a 20-year veteran of the United States Marine Corp. “I like seeing the older veterans. I love meeting them, especially out in town or anywhere here. It just motivates me to do what I want to do and help them out. I try to help them out as much as I can. Anywhere I go and I see someone that I know is a veteran, I usually pick up their dinner tab or I’ll pick up their breakfast tab.”