By Eason Franklin
The Lowndes Signal

As the nation celebrated the Veterans’ Day holiday over the weekend, Lowndes County veterans remembered their time served and found their own way to celebrate.

Police Chief Chris West of Ft. Deposit spent his holiday in Sheffield, Al taking a certification course as a firearms instructor.

West said he decided to join the armed forces around the time he would have been applying for college.

“My grandparents were old school and they raised me old school,” said West. “When I got to the Marine Corps, it was simple.”

In the military West served as an ammunition and explosion specialist performing warehousing, shipment, distribution and disposal duties.

West spent a total of five years and three months in the armed forces and said he would do it all over again if he was given the choice.

“I made a lot of good friends that I still have and visit to this day,” West said. “There were some aspects I miss and to me, USMC will always stand for Uncle Sam’s Misguided Children.”

In addition to West, the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department has veterans who spent their holiday with friends and family.

Formerly with the Marine Corps Reserves, Investigator Derrick Maull spent a majority of his weekend being thanked and congratulated by friends and family while cooking out.

Maull said he joined and served in the USMC Reserves for seven years, because he wanted to challenge himself.

In 2004, during his service, Maull was sent to fight in Iraq. Maull noted he primarily patrolled hostile areas and provided convoy protection, acting as a security force for soldiers and civilians.

Maull said his experience in the military changed his whole approach to life commenting, “you can survive anything, no matter what comes your way in life.”