Student/Scout/JROTC Cadet/Pathfinder Meets Vietnam Veteran
Lake Cochran is a Brevard High senior and a USMC JROTC cadet. Also a member of Boy Scout Troop 703 in Brevard, he is very close to earning his Eagle Scout badge. His Eagle project was to build a biking and foot bridge for the Forest Service in Davidson River campground.
A busy young man, Cochran also volunteers after school as a Pathfinder at the Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas. His duties are to greet visitors, assist them on museum tours, and work with the team of volunteers updating exhibits.
Being very interested in and knowledgeable about Vietnam War history, he read a book of local Vietnam veterans’ stories, Welcome Home Brother, an honor project by museum volunteer Michel Robertson. Then Cochran met one of the actual veterans whose story is told in this book. That Vietnam veteran, Phil Mayrand, was pleased to learn of Lake Cochran’s interest in and knowledge of the Vietnam War and presented him with some artifacts and mementos from his own service in Vietnam. These items included his personal mess kit, duffel bag, survival saw, 2 hats, an Army survival manual and copy of the book Welcome Home Brother. Mayrand had signed the page in the book where his personal story begins.
Lake Cochran will graduate from Brevard High School this year. He plans to work for a couple of semesters and then join the infantry in the US Army or US Marine Corps or go into some phase of law enforcement.
Photo: Vietnam veteran Phil Mayrand (left) and museum Pathfinder Lake Cochran with the Army survival manual.