Lieutenant Colonel Bill Free gives back to students at Heritage Academy

Along with his role as a husband and father to 7, he now uses his skills and knowledge to give back by instructing one-third of all U.S. Air Force and international officers and Pilots each year.

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Lieutenant Colonel Bill Free served over 20 years in the United States Air Force. Along with his role as a husband and father to 7, he now uses his skills and knowledge to give back by instructing one-third of all U.S. Air Force and international officers and Pilots each year.

He says the older he gets, the more Veterans Day means to him.

“I have a greater appreciation for the things I’ve done in the past and those people that I’ve had the chance to serve with. People have asked me throughout my career what’s the greatest job I’ve had or the best assignment I’ve had, and I always point back to the people. It’s the relationships that I’ve built and the time I’ve spent with people and families.”

While speaking to students at Heritage Academy, he hoped to inspire them and show them the opportunities that come from working in the military.

“Hopefully it would encourage them if they do know a lot about the military, maybe they’ve learned something here today, Maybe they’ve seen something that piques their interest, and maybe one of these kids sitting here today might choose one day down the road to join the military themselves.”

Head of School Sean Harrison says there are many military families within the school, and he wants students to recognize the sacrifices that are made every day.

“You hear sacrifice and you think about losing someone in war or something but I think Bill did a great job highlighting what military families go through. These women and men are gone for long periods, they miss holidays and birthdays so what they do for us, we can never fully appreciate.

Free got his pilot training at Columbus Air Force Base.

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