KYLE MURPHYStaff Writer

Prior to the city of Tullahoma honoring its veterans with the annual Veterans Day ceremony, the veterans paid a visit to Tullahoma City Schools’ students with its fifth annual Veterans Day Tribute Train.

TCS made the call to all veterans late last week to participate in the caravan to travel to all seven schools in the district as a way to celebrate and thank them for their services.

The cars gathered at Tullahoma High School on Monday, Nov. 11, at 8:25 a.m. Following the presenting of the colors by the Tullahoma High School Marine Corps Junior ROTC and the national anthem by the THS choir, the tribute train started their engines and departed from THS where the students gathered outside and showed their appreciation as the caravan drove past them. From there, the tribute train rolled out and made its way to Jack T. Farrar Elementary School, West Middle School, Bel-Aire Elementary School, Robert E. Lee Elementary School, East Middle School and East Lincoln Elementary School. During each visit to each school, the veterans were met with the excitement and appreciation of the students, faculty and staff with flags, signs and chants of “thank you” and “USA!”

The train made its way to its final stop at South Jackson Performing Arts Center for the city’s annual Veterans Day Ceremony, where this year’s keynote speaker was Col. Grant Mizell, commander of Arnold Engineering Development Complex.