Army Reserve PV2 Chris Rodriguez, Army Reserve Staff Sgt. Heather Kerns and National Guard Spc. Charles Steen salute as planes fly overhead the Hays Juvenile Center during a Veterans Day ceremony.
I posted this one today because it’s September 11, 2009, eight years after the September 11 attacks.
This photo was the result of denied access. I was invited to come to a Veterans Day ceremony at the Hays Juvenile Detention Center. A representative came to the office a week before hand and told us that it would be a great ceremony and all of the kids at the center would be participating, with veterans there as well. I got there and the ceremony was out on the lawn in front of the building. All of the kids were filed out in straight lines and a few of them started to unfold a flag to be posted.
I started snapping away and then someone told me that I wasn’t allowed to take photos of the kids’ faces, since they were minors and prisoners. It was one of those “now you tell me!” moments. So I had to get a little creative. I found these soldiers standing on the side in uniform. They came to watch the ceremony and were facing the flag.
I figured out that there would be a fly over because there was a man in uniform in the parking lot talking on a radio about timing and formations. Fortunately, the planes they used for the flyover were WWII planes, which meant they were slow and loud, so I could hear them coming. I sat down on the ground and looked up, making sure to fit all three soldiers and both flags in the frame, and the planes cooperated beautifully.
It was a very nice ceremony and I recommend it to anyone, veteran or not. It was very respectful, which I hope I reflected in my photo.