Army veteran and Kosciusko County Veterans Service Officer Darryl McDowell, left, received the Order of Kosciuszko award at the annual Veterans Day ceremony at American Legion Post 49 in Warsaw on Saturday, Nov. 11. Local The Salvation Army Corps Administrator Envoy Ken Locke, right, presented McDowell with the award.

Text and Photos
By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Kosciusko County Veterans Service Officer Darryl McDowell and the Warsaw Community High School Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps are the recipients of the 2023 Order of Kosciuszko and Meritorious Service awards respectively.

The awards were given out during the annual Veterans Day ceremony at American Legion Post 49 in Warsaw on Saturday, Nov. 11. McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapels sponsors the honors, with John Sadler of the funeral homes and local The Salvation Army Corps Administrator Ken Locke helping decide on the recipients.

Locke presented McDowell with the Order of Kosciuszko, noting it’s named after the Revolutionary War patriot Thaddeus Kosciuszko.

He spoke about McDowell before presenting him with the award.

Locke mentioned McDowell had “served in the United States Army for 30 years and retired as a colonel” and was a combat engineer.

“I’ve watched him out at the military standdowns, how he relates to veterans, and he does an awesome job,” said Locke.

McDowell said he was grateful for the award.

“It is quite the honor,” he said.

Sadler spoke about the Warsaw JROTC, noting the group works to fill bags full of food for local students in need through the Boomerang Backpack program.

“They do this no less than 25 times per year,” he said. “It’s a service learning, and it does more than just provide food for children. It also develops … service and other values that will make these individuals better people, better citizens and better future leaders.”

Sadler also noted the school group also provides “color guards for civic and military events” locally.

Warsaw JROTC instructor Maj. Friedrich Josellis accepted the award.

“It’s an honor to be here and receive this award,” he said.

He noted “the future is really good” due to the students he has as cadets. Two of them present at the ceremony Saturday are set to join the military after graduation, said Josellis.

Special Speaker

McDowell also served as the keynote speaker for the ceremony.

“Today for me is a celebration and a recognition, but in some ways it is a somber day,” he said. “This day was originally observed as Armistice Day … (Nov. 11) is an important moment not only for the US, but other nations that were in World War I.”

“It’s the day that the guns went silent in World War I on the Western Front in 1918,” he continued. “It’s also a joyous occasion with the happiness of folks realizing that their loved ones might be returning to them in a short amount of time and that there would be no more blood lost.”

McDowell referenced the military memorial on the courthouse lawn.

“It is an honor for me every time and every day that I pass the memorial in recognition of those names on it,” he said. “I do want to tell all of you that they paid the ultimate price during the combat, but we should never forget the veterans who sit before us and the ones of the past who are no longer with us that paid the sacrifice of raising the right hand to serve our nation.”

“We should not forget the veterans because it’s a sacrifice that only they will know truly in a defense of our nation,” McDowell said.

He also thanked the “families of veterans who have shouldered the weight of the nation’s wars.”

“Today is Veterans Day. Let’s celebrate what we can accomplish when we work together,” McDowell said. “Let’s recognize the service doesn’t end in the military and that thank you is just the beginning of gratitude.”

The Warsaw Community High School Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps received the Meritorious Service award. McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapels sponsored that award and the Order of Kosciuszko award, with John Sadler of the funeral chapels and Locke helping decide on the award recipients. From left: JROTC Cadets Kaylyn Hershberger, Talia Kelley and Jayden Cunningham; Locke; JROTC instructor Maj. Friedrich Josellis; JROTC Cadets Samuel King and Nate Anderson; and Sadler.

McDowell was also the keynote speaker during the ceremony.

The Kosciusko County Extension Chorus performed during the ceremony.

Army veterans stand when their branch of the military’s song was played during the “Armed Forces Medley.”

JROTC members march in to retire the colors.

Chuck Morrison of the Sons of the American Legion plays taps.