School officials gathered for a check presentation at Tecumseh High School on Thrusday, April 27 as the Tecumseh AFJROTC donated the $7,000 they raised to the Honor Flight Network. (from L to R) Tecumseh Ast. Superintendent Paula Crew, AFJROTC Instructor Major Doug Couch, Honor Flight Network Board Member David Bauer, Tecumseh AFJROTC Cadet Alex Siemann, Tecumseh AFJROTC Instructor Msgt Antonio Ruiz and Tecumseh Superintendent Norm Glismann

Tecumseh’s AFJROTC presented a check for over $7,000 to Honor Flight Network on Thursday, April 27.

Half of that money has been raised by collecting donations outside of sporting events at Tecumseh High School. The other half was raised by Tecumseh AFJROTC Cadet Alex Siemann when he organized he Bataan Death March Memorial hike in December of 2016.

The Bataan Death March Memorial hike gives participants an opportunity to honor the thousands of U.S. and Filipino troops who suffered together through one of the most infamous and tragic events in U.S. military history.

AFJROTC cadets gathered pledges in support of the Memorial hike, then either walked or ran 14 miles on Dec. 17 in honor of the thousands of troops who were exposed to excruciating conditions during the arduous 65-mile Bataan Death March of World War II.

In spite of frigid conditions, all 30 cadets who participated finished the Memorial hike in just under 5 hours. In addition to the pledges gathered by his fellow cadets, Siemann also received two large donations from local residents. Renick Brown donated $250 towards the program, and Kevin K. E. Becker and his family donated $500 in memory of Becker’s mother.

“It always makes me happy to help veterans, so this Bataan Death March Memorial was a huge opportunity for me to help veterans go to Washington D.C.,” explains Cadet Siemann.

David Bauer, Board Member of Honor Flight Network, estimates that some 20 plus veterans will be able to take the Honor Flight due to the efforts of the Tecumseh AFJROTC.

The Tecumseh senior stresses how important Honor Flight and similar programs are in showing respect to veterans and the active duty military personnel currently serving our country.

“The thing that impresses me the most when it comes to Honor Flight is the amount of love shown towards the veterans. Especially the veterans who never received a proper welcome home. (People) should volunteer for the program (because) veterans are the reason we are alive in a free country...These veterans went through unimaginable things. The American people need to show their respect and give some of their time to the veterans because some veterans gave their lives and (others) gave years upon years of their lives for us.”

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