A round of applause boomed through Diller Hall as four veterans who previously graduated from Hackley spoke about their time serving the United States military. The discussion ranged from relationships formed through the military to the importance of dedication while training; the idea that those who serve our country are working towards something greater than themselves..
Moderated by senior Calliope Yannuzzi and sophomore Charlotte Cantor, students whose grandparents served in the Vietnam War, the panel allowed students to think about Veterans Day through a deeper lens, using first-hand perspectives. While Veterans Day was initially created to commemorate the end of World War I, over time, it has also turned into a day to remember and appreciate those who have served in our armed forces and made sacrifices to keep our country safe.
”I loved being able to sit down in person with the veterans. I think it’s important for us to personally interact with veterans because it’s easy to say thank you to someone once a year, but it’s important to think about the veterans’ day-to-day lives and how they’ve served the country,” Calliope said.
In addition to the live speakers, students viewed a video from Mary Rotenberg, a member of the Hackley Class of 2021 who recently graduated from the United States Military Academy (USMA) and is currently serving, was a highlight of the assembly. Mary is currently stationed in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and she is in the process of completing an artillery officership course.
Although Mary was unaware of what she had gotten herself into when joining the USMA, whether that meant the daily uniform or strict regimen, she quickly realized that she couldn’t have made a better decision. With the people she has met through becoming a service member as the driving force behind her decision to stay, Mary showed the hilltop that understanding the importance of teamwork and dedicating your life to making a difference will inspire others to do the same.
Douglass Alpuche, a member of the Hackley Class of 2015, was the first panelist. He attended the United States Naval Academy (USNA), studying computer science and information technology. He served as a cryptologic warfare officer in the USNA from 2019-2025, supporting interagency partnerships with both the National Security Agency and other intelligence community members.
Brett Lowry, the second panelist and member of the Hackley Class of 1993, is currently serving as the chair of the Hackley Veterans Association. Having attended the United States Naval Academy, Lowry served in the USNA as a surface warfare officer.
The third panelist was Trevor Hill, a member of the Hackley Class of 1993 as well. Mr. Hill attended the USMA, serving for 27 years upon graduation. His final assignment while in service was overseeing classified special operations in the office of the Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon, a unique job and experience like no other.
The fourth and final panelist was Bob Brody, a member of the Hackley Class of 1971. After graduation, Mr. Brody went on to attend the United States Naval Academy. He spent 12 years in active duty, with nine of those being at sea as a service warfare officer. Afterwards, he remained in the active reserves for ten years before retiring as a captain.
The idea of serving with a purpose shone throughout the entire assembly, with some panelists explaining how patriotism led to their involvement in the Armed Forces, and others just always knew that serving was what they wanted to do. The idea that you have to be “all in” to your work also left a mark on the student body.
Mr. Brody had his sights set on joining the USNA from a young age, recounting the stories his father shared about World War II when he was five years old. Hoping to follow in his footsteps, he knew attending the USNA and eventually serving was what he was meant to do with his life.
On the other hand, the patriotic state of America after the Gulf War helped inspire Mr. Lowry and Mr. Hill to become members of the armed forces. The extreme levels of patriotism that radiated across the country opened their eyes to what service truly meant, inspiring them to take action.
They also showed Hackley how service actually begins before students even set foot on academy grounds. Mr. Alpuche emphasized the importance of giving 110% of your effort to the armed forces, even when you fill out your application before you join the school. Because the process is tedious and difficult, students who truly want to serve America for the greater good will push through and stay committed to their goals.
Choosing the right academy was also not an easy feat for all of the panelists. Although they would all go on to serve America, the steps to get there differed from person to person, highlighting the individual journeys all veterans hold.
When making his decision between schools, Mr. Alpuchi decided that the duty locations and STEM focus offered at the USNA ultimately made it his first choice. On the other hand, Mr. Hill’s decision came to be after he attended a sports camp at the USMA during high school, in hopes of making varsity sports teams. He got to watch the new students enter West Point over the summer, enduring the difficult process that is their first few months of college. Although the two attended different universities, they both went on to contribute to the U.S Armed Forces, focusing on the country as a whole rather than where they came from.
Getting to learn about ways we can help veterans integrate into typical life after serving was the perfect way to cap off the assembly. Because many jobs require years of experience and rigorous training, the transition can be difficult for older veterans attempting to build new careers after serving. To combat this, it is crucial that we help make more resources available to newer veterans transitioning into other areas of work.
Mr. Lowry emphasized the Skillbridge Program, a program used at his investment firm. Skillbridge allows transitioning veterans to work on their army salaries for three months, where they simultaneously work on a team learning crucial skills to whatever field they are entering. Creating more programs like Skillbridge and getting more veterans involved is a great way to make the transition smoother.
In addition to the assembly, the panelists spent the Upper School lunch period in the Lindsay Room, hosting a roundtable discussion.
“Talking to the veterans one-on-one was really interesting. I enjoyed getting to hear the perspective of being in the military from someone who has actually served and has stories to tell,” senior Alessandro Soto said.
Hearing from the four panelists, along with Mary Rotenberg virtually, exposed Hackley students to the hardships and rewards that come with military service. From learning to become a leader to working towards something larger than oneself, students got to hear the veterans’ insights and learn what it truly means to serve our country.
Peter McAndrew • Dec 6, 2025 at 10:24 am
Outstanding article. Thank you for sharing this invaluable program.