Coloradan Medal of Honor veteran visits Grand Junction High School
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) – Drew Dix, who received the Medal of Honor and retired from the rank of Major, states, 'You can imagine someone who's 24 years old going to the White House and being decorated by the President of the United States is pretty special.'
Dix served in Vietnam as part of the Army Special Forces and the Green Beret and then reassigned to the CIA.
On Thursday, Dix had a chance to speak with students at Grand Junction High School, giving them a lesson for the ages.
'This is the giant room, but they're all good kids, and I feel like I have an obligation to tell them some of the humps and bumps of life, you know, and because they're going to experience it and it's good for kids to learn about history,' Dix said.
Jory Sorensen, the principal of Grand Junction High School, states, 'What I really appreciate about the message that Major Dix brought was, of course, he's talking about his experience and patriotism and serving our country, but he has even a deeper message around integrity and living a great life and helping your community.'
Dix spoke about his time in Vietnam and gave a brief story about how he earned the medal. He led a small group of soldiers in a 56-hour-long battle against two Viet Cong battalions, in which he received the medal from President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Dix states, 'It's an obligation, because there are a lot of people I believe that may have earned it, but there were no witnesses, and they'll never receive it, because it requires two eyewitnesses, and it's my obligation to spread the word on all of those, as I did today.'
Jennifer Prescia, the educational coordinator at the Center for American Values, states, 'I think it's a rare opportunity, seeing that there are only 61 living medal of honor recipients, for them to be inspired by somebody like Drew Dix. I think it is a testament to this community and just so thrilled to be here.'
Prescia tells WesternSlopeNow Dix is one of only four Coloradans to receive this medal and as she mentions there are only 61 still alive today. This is out of 3,528 recipients in the nation to be awarded, while she says 40 million have served.
Prescia states, 'It's very, very difficult. and it's good to know that over half the time the medal is presented or awarded posthumously. So after the individual has passed away, it's very hard to get it.'
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