Lynnhurst kids say thanks to Saugus veterans

SAUGUS – Veteran Fred Arsenault said he didn’t know what freedom was until he was stationed in Berlin in the late 1950s early 1960s.Talking to students Friday as part of a Veterans Day program at the Lynnhurst School, Arsenault said he helped process over 300 people that were escaping Eastern Bloc countries by seeking sanctuary with the United States.”I never realized what I had until I saw people were willing to die for it,” he explained.Arsenault was one of six veterans that came decked out in full uniform, one with a trumpet, to talk to students about Veterans Day. Fire Chief James Blanchard, retired Navy Seabee, and Austin Streeter and Capt. Stephen Castinetti, also of the U.S. Navy were joined by Fine Arts Director Mike Donovan, a retired major in the Air Force and Lloyd Sales who started out in the Air Force but retired a Master Sgt. in the Army. Veteran Peter Bogdan who served 33 years, 11 months and about 19 days in the Army and reserves was also on hand.Castinetti asked the kids if they knew what Veterans were?”They’re old people,” announced one student.Castinetti told the kids that wasn’t necessarily so. He informed them that, in fact, a veteran was anyone who ever wore a uniform for this country.”I never served in a war zone,” said Castinetti, who served more than 30 years as a cryptologist and informational warfare officer, “but I’m still a veteran.”Castinetti said when he first joined the Navy in 1969, the country was embroiled in the Viet Nam war.”It was not a popular war,” he said. “Lot’s of people were unhappy about it and they took it out on the soldiers, sailors and Marines. We couldn’t even wear our uniforms . . . and we were proud of our uniforms.”Castinetti said it is much different today where total strangers have approached him on the street to thank him for his service.”And that means more to us than any ribbon or medal ever could,” he said.Castinetti challenged every student to thank a veteran on Sunday, Veterans Day, whether it was someone they knew or an elderly man wearing a military cap.”The best thing you can do (for a veteran) is thank them,” he said.Bogdan also reminded the students that the very reason they were able to gather for a Veterans Day program, hang out with friends or even smile in public with out coming under suspicion was due to veterans.”It’s why there aren’t storm troopers or armed soldiers marching around telling you, you can’t go from Massachusetts to New Hampshire,” he said. “Veterans are a very important part of our lives.”Showing pride for veterans is not new for the Lynnhurst School however. With its Hero’s Bench out in front of the school dedicated to Cpl. Scott Procoprio, who was killed in April 2006 while serving in Iraq and the Memory Rock dedicated to World War I veterans, Principal Sue Carney said the school has a history of saluting veterans.