On March 29, National Vietnam War Veterans Day, PXs and BXs around the world hosted special ceremonies to salute the service, valor and sacrifice of Vietnam Veterans.
The ceremonies celebrated all Veterans who served on active duty in the Armed Forces any time from Nov. 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975, regardless of location. These Veterans received free commemorative lapel pins bearing the message “A Grateful Nation Thanks and Honors You.”
“I was dedicated to the U.S. military. I was devoted to it—it was my life,” said 87-year-old retired Air Force Tech. Sgt. Bill Branham, who served multiple tours in Vietnam with the Army and the Air Force. He attended a pinning ceremony at the Kaiserslautern Military Community Exchange in Germany. “When we came back from Vietnam, we weren’t welcomed; but here, they thank us.”
Fort Cavazos hosted its ceremony at the Main Exchange, welcoming nearly a dozen Vietnam Veterans and their families. Opening remarks were given by retired Maj. Gen. Ken Cox, former garrison deputy commander and president of the local Association of the United States Army chapter. Pins were presented by Garrison Command Sgt. Maj. Calvin Hall.
“This is a special day,” Cox said. “The number of Vietnam Veterans dwindles every year, so it is important to honor those who served and those who made the ultimate sacrifice and never returned home.
“Thanking and honoring these Veterans and their families is the right thing to do.”
One Veteran honored at the Fort Cavazos ceremony was former Army medic Jose Gonzalez, who served in Vietnam from 1969 to 1971, retiring in 1990 as a staff sergeant.
“There are fewer Vietnam Veterans every year,” Gonzalez said. “It is very nice to see everybody. We talk with each other about things that we don’t talk with anyone else about.
“It is still hard sometimes to remember what I went through, but it’s nice to see everyone and make them laugh.”
Also receiving a commemorative pin was retired Sgt. First Class Noel Martinez, who served as a private in the Vietnam War from 1973 to 1974.
“This was my first time at this ceremony,” he said, also noting the special group of Vietnam Veterans who live in the same area. “It’s good to have the support of other Veterans here and people to talk to about what we went through. This is a special experience.”
The Exchange hosted the ceremonies in partnership with The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration, which provided the pins.
“As an infantry platoon leader at the time, I saw the heartbreaking treatment many Soldiers received upon coming home,” said Exchange Director/CEO Tom Shull, an Army Veteran who served during the Vietnam War era. “These ceremonies give them now what they should have received then: gratitude, honor, respect. Their service mattered.”
The Exchange has been a Commemorative Partner with the Vietnam War Commemoration since 2013, planning and conducting more than 600 events and activities recognizing the service, valor and sacrifice of Vietnam Veterans and their families.
The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration is a program administered by the Office of the Secretary of Defense to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. The Commemoration was authorized by Congress, established under the secretary of defense and launched by the President in 2012. It will continue through Veterans Day 2025.
Travis Day and Army Master Sgt. Caleb Barrieau contributed to this report.
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