Cliff Buchan
News EditorThere are times when the past efforts of veterans go unrecognized. Some may say unappreciated. But Thursday, Nov. 11 was not one of those times.
The artwork from students carefully placed on each chair at VFW Post 4210 said it all in ways that veterans attending the Veteranís Day program had to feel appreciated.
In each piece of artwork, school students in the district conveyed heartfelt messages of thanks in words and drawings. Many of the veterans were seen leaving the VFW clutching the artwork found on their chair.
Thursday, Nov. 11 marked the annual Veteranís Day salute in a program jointly sponsored by VFW Post 4210 and American Legion Post 225.
Speakers Robert Dettmer, a high school teacher and Army Reservist, and Tulida Blackford, a World War II era nurse in training, both thanked veterans for their homefront duty now and in times past.
Blackford was in training in the United States Cadet Nurse Corps in the latter years of World War II. Thanks to her government sponsored training, the Litchfield native went on to 29-year nursing career and met her husband to be, the Rev. John C. Blackford, a Naval chaplain, while in training.
Dettmer, a chief warrant officer in an Army intelligence unit now based at Fort Gordon, GA, served in the second Gulf War, spending a year in Kuwait taking part in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom assigned to central command report.
ìThereís a lot of history in this room,î Dettmer said, looking at the World War II, Korean and Vietnam vets who met on Nov. 11 to honor vets on the anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended World War II.
Speaking as a Reservist who was called to active duty, Dettmer stressed that the homefront support was helpful. Dettmer said the frequent arrival of care packages sent by the military organizations in Forest Lake were greatly appreciated and eased the burden of being far from home.
ìA lot of the time your thoughts are at home,î Dettmer said.
Dettmer said the U.S. military has currently drawn some 175,000 Reservists to active duty to wage its campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq with the troops used in combat and combat support units. ìYou are going to see a lot more Army reservists called up,î Dettmer said.
Dettmer said is behooves all veterans to encourage todayís new veterans to become members of the VFW and American Legion to help the service organizations carry on their work.
Ron Weiss, commander of Legion Post 225, said the community has seen 70 veterans die so far in 2004, a fact that shows the declining base of veterans from World War II and Korea.
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