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Gary Beikirch, Medal of Honor recipient, speaks at LWC "To really live, you must almost die. To those that fight for it, life has a meaning the protected don't know.' - GARY BEIKIRCH. Medal of Honor recipient urges Lindsey Wilson College students, Adair County students, and area veterans to lead a 'Life of Significance.' Click on headline for story with photo(s) By Duane Bonifer News from Lindsey Wilson College COLUMBIA, KY - Lindsey Wilson College students received a lesson in leadership Wednesday when they heard from a Medal of Honor Recipient. Army veteran Gary Beikirch told a group of LWC students, Adair County High School students and area veterans about the lessons he learned since receiving the Medal of Honor in 1973 for bravery in a 1970 battle in the province of Kon Tum, which is in Vietnam's Central Highlands region. Beikirch said that at its core, the Medal of Honor "symbolizes a way of life, a way of living, of honoring and valuing and believing in others before yourself." "There is an honor that comes with this medal," he said. "This medal is not about one person who does one thing on one day. This medal symbolizes countless men and women who have done countless acts of self-service -- acts of dedication, acts of duty, acts of caring for someone else more than themselves." Sculpture will be on disply in atrium of Cranmer Dining Center Beikirch's Medal of Honor was honored Wednesday with a sculpture by Medal of Honor Tributes, an Elizabethtown, KY-based organization run by Army veteran Richard Powers. The sculpture of Beikirch's Medal of Honor will be displayed for the next year in the atrium of the LWC Roberta D. Cranmer Dining & Conference Center. Beikirch said he hopes the display will inspire students and others to examine their lives and encourage them to live a "life of significance." "I hope that when you see the Medal of Honor tribute that it might cause you to challenge yourself and say, 'Yeah, I think I can, too,'" he said. After Beikirch, who was a combat medic and a Green Beret, returned home to his native New York in 1971, he spent two years living in a cave in New Hampshire where he reflected on his experiences in the Vietnam War and contemplated life's meaning. Lived in cave iin rural New Hampshire Beikirch said two quotes permeated much of his thinking while living in a cave in rural New Hampshire: "To really live, you must almost die. To those that fight for it, life has a meaning the protected don't know." Beikirch said his faith also deepened while living in a cave as he came to realize the larger significance of receiving the Medal of Honor. "One of the things I learned in that cave is that this medal is not about me, I don't wear it for me. This medal is about my God, and I wear it for Him and about what He has done, not what I have done," he said. "Without His grace, I wouldn't have made it through those battles in Vietnam. Without his love and His forgiveness, I would have never survived the after-effects and the trauma of war. ... So when I wear this medal, I wear it for Him and His honor." ' After receiving Medal of Honor from President Nixon, he attended seminary After he received the Medal of Honor from President Nixon, Beikirch attended seminary, earned an undergraduate and a graduate degree. He worked as a pastor and was a guidance counselor for 33 years at a middle school in his native Rochester, NY. Beikirch said he tried to teach his students to examine their lives and he encouraged them to also live a life of significance. Significance in life, not success, is what's important, Beikirch says "Significance in life is what's important," he said. "In life there's a big, big difference between success and significance. For me, I choose significance in life. And significance in life is not dependent on your age. ... Life can still be filled with significance if you choose to make decisions, moment by moment, and choose to make decisions based on valuing somebody else more than yourself and becoming a significant part of that person's life." For more information about the Medal of Honor Tributes: MedalofHonorTributes.com This story was posted on 2014-11-20 04:39:14
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More articles from topic Lindsey Wilson College:
Free showing Tue 18 Nov 2014 at LWC: The Vanishing of the Bees Lindsey Wilson's Veterans Appreciation Luncheon 12 Nov 2014 LWC Cheerleaders join pink effort to raise SIDS awareness Students enjoy LWC's Math Night Out Baughman visiting fellow tells LWC groups about secrets of sleep Chair Challenge now assures over $85,000 for LW scholarhips LWC Cycling hosts Mountain Bike Regionals this weekend No. 9 LW Volleyball cruises to 3-0 victory over Pikeville LWC Nursing Sophomores receive blessing, white coats Friday Night Event Celebrates the Tango at LWC View even more articles in topic Lindsey Wilson College |
 
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