JONESBORO, Ark. — Hundreds gathered on South Main Street in Jonesboro on Saturday to honor and celebrate local veterans during the annual Veterans Day parade. Among the crowd were two friends and JROTC participants, Matty Stringer and Ember Hupf, who hope to one day serve their country in the military.
The parade featured several dozen floats and participants, with attendees lining the curbs to wave flags and cheer. A massive American flag, hoisted between two fire trucks, greeted parade participants as they passed through downtown. Afterward, a ceremony honoring veterans was held, during which attendees were invited to share their aspirations for service.
Stringer and Hupf, despite attending different schools, share a bond through their JROTC program. They sat front and center for the event, staying through the closing ceremony even as many other attendees began to filter out. When someone took the microphone to sing “God Bless America,” the two friends joined in, singing from their seats.
“I’m out here because I’m here to celebrate the veterans,” Stringer said.
Both friends raised their hands when the speaker asked attendees who might like to serve in the military. For Stringer, the decision to pursue service stemmed from a desire to help others.
“I’ve always thought about helping people,” she said. “I loved helping when I was younger and I always thought about being a doctor, nursing—anything that could help other people. Then I started watching some shows like SWAT, and I was like, ‘Oh, this is pretty cool.’ So I did more research growing up, and then this year I concluded that I wanted to join the Marines.”
Hupf, inspired by those in her life who served, said she sees military service as both a way to give back and an opportunity to grow.
“I would like to either join the Army or the Navy because I want to serve our country and I’ve heard so much about it,” Hupf shared. “People in my life have been in the military, and it just sounds like an amazing experience. It’s a character-building experience and it doesn’t hurt to have one more person serving the country.”
The Veterans Day parade and ceremony were a reminder of service, sacrifice, and patriotism for all who attended, including these two young aspiring service members.