Honoring military service was, naturally, the top theme of the Veterans Day program Tuesday at Bryan County High School. But a close second was pure emotion.

And it was the personal touches that drew some of the day’s strongest responses.

During the program, more than a dozen middle- and high-school students spoke to the audience about what Veterans Day means to them.

Kearsten Brannen, a senior at BCHS, spoke to the audience about her father. Brannen said it was always sad when he left for another tour of duty, but “he fights to make this a better world for us,” she said, adding that her dad is her hero as the crowd applauded.

Many people were visibly moved to tears during the program, although hugs and support were plentiful for them.

For more, see bryancountynews.com and Thursday's edition of the News.