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Fairfield honors its veterans
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
FAIRFIELD – Fairfield paid tribute to its men and women in uniform Tuesday during a Veterans Day assembly at Fairfield High School.
In addition to performances from the FHS Band and Choir, and recognition of the veterans in attendance, the crowd got to hear from guest speaker Maj. Chad Wallway, who now works at the Iowa Army National Guard Recruiting Station in Fairfield. Wallway asked audience members to stand if they had a loved one who ever served in the military, and most of the crowd stood. He challenged those standing to ask their loved one about their time in the service, to tell a funny story from training, or talk about how the service molded them into the person they are today.
Wallway comes from a long line of service members, including his father, both grandfathers and beyond for perhaps four or five generations. Wallway knew from a young age that he wanted to follow in his forefathers’ footsteps, and joined the Army when he was 17 and a junior in high school.
Basic training was precisely what Wallway expected it to be, which he described as “intense.” When given a chance to choose his career, Wallway opted to become a military police officer at 31 Bravo School.
“I was always drawn to the law enforcement side of things,” he said. “I originally thought I wanted to become a medic, but the military police job sounded more interesting and exciting.”
Military police perform a variety of functions such as convoy or area security, as well as taking charge of enemy prisoners of war.
“When you fight on the battlefield, you tend to take on a lot of enemy prisoners, and they have to be property tracked, cared for and secured,” he said. “And at a military base, [MPs] can perform all those law and order-type policing activities.”
Wallway said Tuesday was the first time he’s ever given a speech at an assembly, and he was honored to do so on a sacred and solemn day like Veterans Day.
“Veterans gave up the youngest years of their life, their time with family, time with their buddies, to do something greater than themselves,” he said, “and that should be recognized.”
Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com
