Service Wears Many Uniforms

In observance of Veterans Day, NCS invited alumna Teresa Allen Walters '80, a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel, to address an all-school assembly on Nov. 10 in the Athletic Center.

Introduced to the students by her daughter Tasha Walters '17, Col. Walters noted that Veterans Day is a federal holiday that honors all servicemembers, past and present, and she touched on highlights of her military service.

"I took many lessons from my time in uniform, serving our great nation," Col. Walters said, including, "If I want respect, I give it to others and I earn mine" and "Wherever I find myself, I try to leave it better than I found it." But, she added, "Military service is but one type of service to our country and to the world. ... There are many ways to make a difference," such as being a first-responder or by battling poverty, illiteracy or hunger.

She encouraged the students to "be brave and step out to serve on the level and in the way you choose."

"While I was honored to wear the Air Force uniform for many years, doing my small part to defend our country," Col. Walters concluded, "I'd be just as honored to don an apron and serve Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner to the needy with any of you."

A video excerpt of Col. Walters's remarks is posted in the Media Gallery.