Breckenridge Morgan (US Navy 1991-2013) led our post-Veterans Day program honoring and thanking the veterans in our club. Breckenridge cited
- Mike Comer, Air National Guard for 25 years, retired in 2011 as a Lt. Colonel
- Jim Cundall, Air National Guard 1963-1999, Air Medical Evacuation
- Kent Farris, US Army 1968-1970
- David Freeman, Kansas National Guard 1970-1976
- Edgar Gee, US Army 1969-1971, Bronze Star for Meritorious Service
- Charlie Harr, US Air Force 1968-1994, Colonel (Retired)
- Terry Igoe, US Army 1966-1971
- Shane Jackson, US Army 1996-2003
- Paul Kedrow, US Army 1969-1975
- Alan Lee, US Air Force 1959-1962, Captain
- Breckenridge Morgan, US Navy 1991-2013, Retired as an O-5 Commander
- Joe Stabb, US Navy Reserve for three years
- Wes Stowers, US Air Force 1976-1988 (Active Duty); 1988-1998 (Reserve)
- Larry Suchomski, US Air Force 1962-1967
- Scott Suchomski, US Army 1987-2017, Colonel (Retired)
- Thomas Sullivan, US Air Force 1967-1970
- Joe Sutter, US Air Force 1969-1997
- Fred Trainer, US Army 1959-1961, Air Defense Artillery
- David Williams, US Army 1988-1992
Breckenridge went on to compare the respective core values of the respective service arms:
The Navy and Marines’ are Honor, Courage, Commitment. The Army’s are Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage. The Air Force’s are Excellence in Everything We Don, Integrity, Service Before Self—the last one being familiar to Rotarians. Breckenridge compared these core values with our Four-Way Test and our commitment to selfless service, serving our world and our nation.
Breckenridge harked back to the Vietnam Era and the difficulties experienced by military people then, as well as in the early 1990s, when he was serving on the USS Samuel Eliot Morrison. “9/11 changed all that,” said Breckenridge. “Nowadays, everyone is proud to say, ‘Thank you for your service.’”
Breckenridge remembered the demands of standing watch at 2 a.m. and answering the call at all hours of the day. “We planned our 25th wedding anniversary around UT football and whether I would actually be home or on active duty. All people in the service know what it is to miss birthdays, weddings, anniversaries.”
President Jim Alexander led a round of applause to punctuate the program.
