Honoring Vets

“Warriors’ Circle of Honor” design by Vietnam Veteran Harvey Pratt—Cheyenne and Arapaho, Marine Corps Veteran, Forensic Artist— selected for Smithsonian museum grounds

To mark Flag Day 2018, Navy Reserve Veteran Mel Gullickson recently presented the Tomah VA Medical Center with a hand-crafted wooden American flag for the facility's lobby entrance.

Pete Mittelstaedt lines up his wheels to line up his putt. Ray Martinez is hoping his softball-like swing magically corrects itself. Carissa DiPietro just wants to improve at a sport that is helping her get better.

During its operational history the "Aztec Eagles" flew 795 combat sorties, accumulated nearly 2,000 hours of combat flying and remains the only military unit in the history of Mexico to engage in combat outside of its national borders.

Whether known or unknown, over and over this morning, the names of those buried at Camp Nelson National Cemetery were read aloud in tribute to service not forgotten.

40 Veterans were hired and trained to work on the production alongside consummate theater professionals to tell a riveting story about the forging of a Shakespearean hero.

I implicitly understood that I had to let go of those first VA memories and experiences along with the associated anger and embrace the positive, loving care I saw every day at the VA in every venue I passed through as a chaplain.

Recently at the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Home, Pfc. Amadia Broussard was presented with the highest French meritorious military award for his actions during World War II.

Veteran Jack Whipple landed behind enemy lines on D-Day in a glider made of plywood. With enemy flak, old maps and a field too small, he had to dig a wing into the ground to stop his craft.

Whatever doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger. For retired commander Jack Schwartz, that seems to be the case. The 22-year navy Veteran spent 1,367 days in captivity as a prisoner of war during World War II. He turned 103 years old April 28.

Memorial Day is a special day, a truly American holiday. […]

When complete, Pikes Peak National Cemetery will be VA’s 136th national shrine and serve as a centerpiece for Veterans in the greater Southern Colorado area.