By John Weiss
Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN 

ZUMBROTA -- A big, strong square-jawed former Marine was shaken and nearly in tears Wednesday as he stood on a stage at Zumbrota-Mazeppa High School in front of family, friends, former teachers, nearly 1,200 students and fellow veterans.

Ryne McNamara admitted to the crowd that public speaking was never his strong suit when he was a student at Zumbrota-Mazeppa. But that wasn't the reason for his emotions as the 2004 graduate spoke at the school's annual Veterans Day program.

Instead, it was memories of his three tours in Iraq. "This makes me remember the people we lost overseas," he said. In his second deployment, a buddy was killed by an improvised explosive device, he said.

McNamara, now a student at Dakota Community Technical College, said after his speech that he didn't go into too much detail about his service. With students from all grades, he didn't want to bore the younger ones, he said. Instead, he wanted to "give them a perspective about what we kind of do over there," he said.

He said he thinks that the message is more powerful coming from someone nearly their age, and who went to school there and wrestled in that gym.

In his short talk, he extolled the sacrifice that veterans make.

"These brave veterans left jobs, wives, children, family, and friends to go and fight for a cause that is sometimes misunderstood," he said. "They sacrificed so much for the greater good of this country that thanks and a day of observance do not do justice to all to the men that served their country.

"And as the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan continue and the holiday season approaches, please do not forget our military personnel."

With that, he was given another standing ovation.

After the speech, he was hugged by a line of family and friends. One was Megan Nelson, a sophomore whom McNamara babysat when she was younger.

"I just remember having a lot of fun going out there to his house, playing with the animals," Megan said.

She liked the speech, too. "Good stories," she said.

Nelson agreed that hearing from McNamara made the message more powerful.

"I think they understand more what it's like and what he's gone through and how it could change their lives if they want to be part of the armed forces," she said.

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