'If they served in the military, they need to be honored'
PORTLAND, Ore. – Veterans Day brought a special gathering and medal presentations in Southwest Portland.
The non-profit Veterans for Oregon presented Honorable Service medals to veterans at Regency Park Assisted Living and Memory Care Center.
World War II Veteran Bill Knudsen, Jr. said the recognition was nice, but he hopes everyone focuses on more recent veterans.
“Do more for the veterans and always take care of them,” said Knudsen, Jr., who served with the Navy in the Philippines.
“I came back unscathed. I was lucky. Not one man on my ship was hit,” he said. “I saw a lot of ships hit. I saw maybe 13 or 14 ships hit.”
Eighteen veterans received a medal of recognition for their service Sunday.
“If they served in the military, they need to be honored,” said Regency Park Activity Director Diane Welch. “They need to be honored for everything that they’ve done. The fighting that they’ve done, the friend’s that they’ve lost, the family members that they’ve lost. They need to be honored for this.”
Knudsen, Jr. became a lawyer and taught at Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland. He said benefits and work may be some of the most valuable recognition today’s veterans might value.
“See that they get jobs. Some jobs. Some veterans got into drugs because they were so beat up mentally, and we’ve got to cut ‘em a lot of slack.”
Obviously this article wasn't written by anyone associated with the VA, Â they throw their soldiers under the bus every day, simply to save money
I respect war veterans, ex POWs, former draftees and other combat veterans but the comment "If they served in the military, they need to be honored," leaves to simpler minds the idea that anybody who served in the military is some sort of hero who went through hell. I served in the Marines and like the vast majority, never saw combat. (As Top said, "Don't thank me. The taxpayers thank me once a month.")I thank veteran friends anyway but reserve a higher place of honor for those whose "hearts were touched with fire" in the service of our country. To those I stand in perpetual gratitude. Semper Fi and God Bless their children.
Our millitary, fighting globalist wars of greed and empire more closely resemble a mercinary force ,paid to do the bidding of the global elite.
@2easy2berightback
@2easy2berightback F-uc-k you, you f-uc-king piece of s-hi-t! Go live in Iraq, Iran, or hell, as far as I am concerned. If not for those " mercinary force" I would not be able to have a safe place to raise my family. I ended up with 3 holes in me trying to do my part, and would damn well do it again. People like you should think twice before talking crap about men and women. that have more class on the bottom of their boot than you will have over your whole miserable life!
 @2easy2berightback You obviously have no clue! If it wasn't for our military you wouldn't even have the right to say what you just said, let alone say it in English. If it weren't for our military, you'd probably be speaking German.
@2easy2berightback that's what you read on the Internet, anyway. I highly doubt you've ever so much as laced up a GI boot, let alone spent anytime inside the military.
To those who served honorably, 'Thank you!!"
All gave some, and some gave all.
Thank you to all who have served in any capicity in United Stares Armed Forces.
A far change in public sentiment from when I came back from Vietnam. Â During the 26 hour flight, if you had "civies" to put on, do it, or face being referred to as a "baby killer" when you got home or being assaulted. Â For me, I've basically mentally blocked anything from my time there. Â Maybe thats good.
I, too know what that was like. Please know that not all the people then were closed minded hate mongers. There were a lot of people that still supported us; only problem was the hate mongers made more noise and the media of the time knew it was the dissention that made money. The media fed the fire, the hate mongers just sucked up the attention, and it spread like a disease.
Your service and all other service provided by Men, Women, and yes, Boys and Girls in the millitary of this country is to be honored and remembered to the end. Not so much now, but there was a time when kids wanted to serve their country they would lie about their age to join (as yuong as 15). MANY SALUTES TO ALL!!Â
We live the American Dream....Because of the American soldier.....I salute you who have bravely served, and to those Mothers and Fathers who shed tears of a fallen loved one in service to this country.....your Heart ache will not be forgotten!
"They need to be honored" Absolutely, they are the finest that our country has to offer. Thank you !
May America never forget the sacrifice of those who gave their last, full measure in service to our nation. My hope is that we learn from our past mistakes but remember that as the Unites States, we are co-leaders of the free world with our allies, and that there will always be a level of responsibility for our military to honor that call to freedom. To former and current soldiers/sailors/airmen,much gratitude for your service.
Bravo!