Veterans Day Tribute By Vincent and Joyce Pryor

Vincent gives us a brief overview of his time in service: 

Rank: Lance Corporal

MOS: 0351,  (Infantry) Anti-tank Assault/Demolitions Stationed for a year in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba as part of Rifle Security Company/Leeward where we guarded the fence line of the U.S. Naval Base. While there, I was one of four Marines selected to receive Secret security clearance to work in the Combat Operations Center. 

After Guantanamo Bay, I went to Camp LeJeune, N.C. and was stationed with 2nd Marine Division 3rd Battalion 8th Marines. While with 3/8, I was deployed to cold weather training in the mountains of California. After that we did a deployment to Okinawa and mainland Japan for jungle warfare training

 Joyce wanted to share the following about her husband:

I am just so proud of him and he means so much to me.  It’s just an honor for me knowing that my husband served his country in the United States Marine Corps. Those were some of the best years of his life. Being a veteran, a Marine, means a great deal to him & to his family. He is so proud to be a Marine.  He always tell me ”Once a Marine, always a Marine.”

Veterans Day Tribute by Michelle Johnson

I am a proud granddaughter of a Korean War Veteran. My grandfather, Jesse, served in Germany in the Army during Korean War in the early 1950s.  I am the proud sister-in-law of a veteran of the War on Terror.  My husband’s brother, Sean, was just recently honorably discharged from the Armed Services after serving the past several years in places such as Afghanistan and other parts of the Middle East, in addition to different areas of the United States.  My husband’s step-brother, T.J., also served for several years in the War on Terror in many different parts of the Middle East and the United States.  He has since been honorably discharged as well.  My cousin, Scottie, did several tours of duty in the Middle East during the War on Terror and also recently was honorably discharged from the Army.  They are all shining examples of service to our country.  Many other friends and family members have served in various wars and conflicts for different branches of our Armed Services and I am truly proud of each and every one of them.

Of each story that I have been shared from the different veterans in my life throughout the years, the one that sticks with me the most comes from my husband’s uncle, Junior.  He served during World War II in Germany and the surrounding areas.  It took him several years to share any stories at all with his family.  He recalled an event during the winter with deep snow on the ground as he fought against the Nazis.  As he and his troops heard Hitler’s men coming in the far off distance, they were forced to find a way to survive.  He and his troops buried themselves deep in the snow and awaited the opposing forces to walk over top of them.  Had Junior (or any of the other men) moved wrong, breathed wrong or anything of the like, it would have sealed their fate and they would not have survived to share the story.  Can you imagine lying beneath the snow knowing one wrong move could end your life?  I cannot fathom the thought. I am certain there were many, many more important and moving stories like this one that he could have shared as well.  Sadly, Junior passed away last month.  At his funeral, he was surrounded by various medals, an entire case full in fact, that were recently found and restored.  He was given full military honors at his graveside service.  He never wanted to be honored, but I can’t think of a man more deserving to be honored today – Veteran’s Day.

I am thankful to God that none of my loved ones who’ve served in the wars I’ve mentioned above lost their lives in doing so.  In honoring them, my words are also meant to honor each and every veteran today – those who’ve given our lives for our country, those who’ve served and are due our respect, and those who continue to serve and protect our country and our great freedoms.  Freedom isn’t free – and I’m certainly thankful to each of our veterans who’ve paid the price for the rest of us to live in a free country.  Your service is invaluable and we thank you today and every day.  May God bless you.  Happy Veteran’s Day!  May we never forget.

Veterans Day Tribute by Jon Corra

To say that I am honored that the Veteran pictured here is my Best Friend would be an understatement. Jeremy McDonald is so much more than a friend, that the term does do him justice. He epitomizes honor to the highest degree, and embodies everything we think a soldier should be; a natural leader, a respectful man, and someone who exudes heroic qualities.

Jeremy has taught me so much about being a good person, and he has redefined what friendship means. While I never served with him, his fellow soldiers were lucky to be in his presence. I may never have to go into battle, but if I did, I would want him fighting with me.

All I can say to him is thank you…thank you for your time in service, and thank you for allowing me to say I am your friend.

-Jon Corra

Veterans Day Tribute by Jenny Pack

My Dad survived the Bataan Death March and was POW of the Japanese for about 3 ½ years during World War II.  His brother also was killed during WWII. He did not know about his brother until he was liberated.  My Dad taught me that no matter how bad things get, never give up.  He said there is always hope.  Even after what he went through, he faced things with a positive attitude.  He would do things to make people laugh and get their minds off their troubles.  He would make up little songs and dance a little jig.  He did have PTSD, but tried not to dwell on the bad experiences.  He worked hard.  Even after retiring, he stayed busy checking on his Mother, getting a part-time job, and helping others.  When I bought my house, he told me it was his job to mow my yard (including a steep hillside).  He did this until he was 90 years old and his health started to fail.  I always fly an American Flag to honor his memory.     

Veterans Day Tribute by Amy Kimball

I  am a proud daughter of a Vietnam Veteran. My father, David, served in the Navy and in the Air Force during Vietnam. He was a medic on the front lines and has told me many stories about the efforts and bravery of his fellow soldiers while in battle. My father is a Registered Nurse and was a healing hand during this war. He was in the Air Force Reserves in 1990 and also served in Desert Shield for 2 years. I am so proud of my father for his bravery and the many years he spent in service to our country. He retired as a Major in the Air Force and still works at a local hospital as the Director of Surgical Services.

My cousin’s husband is like a brother to me. He enlisted in the Army in 2007 and served in Afghanistan and in Iraq for 18 months. He worked hard to become an M-16 expert shooter and also received a medal for his efforts during his service in the Gulf War. He subsequently injured his back while riding in a convoy and now receives service connection for this disability. I am so proud of him for enlisting to want to make a difference in what has been an ongoing war for over 11 years. After he returned home he had surgery on his back and was medically discharged from the Army reserves. I am extremely proud of Chris and his journey. I truly believe that if he had not been injured, he would have made the military his career.

Both my father and Chris have such a special place in my heart. They make me proud to come to work every day and fight for the benefits the veterans deserve. They both enlisted and put aside their own safety for our country and its citizens. This is the bravest thing to me. War is scary. War is not easy. War can change a person forever. I am so thankful that my family has been a part of the efforts of our military in both of these wars. There are no words to say how proud it makes me to have these two men in my life and I appreciate them every day.

Amy Kimball

Veterans Day Tribute by Pamela Mullins

This Tribute is to honor, first and foremost,  all our veterans, as well as their family members, who have made sacrifices – either on the front line, or behind the scenes.

I have a great appreciation for our veterans & their families and the sacrifices they have made, based on firsthand knowledge of those sacrifices. I’ll call this piece,

Honor, Respect, Dedication and Collateral Damages.

A 16 year old young man, in high school, very athletic, very popular, and very patriotic, left the hallways of his safe, familiar high school and glories of the football field, to embark on a journey to support, protect, and defend not only his country’s rights & freedoms, but to take a stand for those in Europe who could not make that stand for themselves.  He made the decision to give up his personal life and entered WW II. This young man made it his life-long duty to serve, protect, and defend his country, and went on to fight in Vietnam Conflict and Korea as well. During his time in the military, he met & married a beautiful young woman, who understood his dedication, and respected and understood his commitment to his country. Somehow, during periods of leave, this man and woman managed to bring five children into the world he loved so much – five children, born in four different states. Together, even though apart for long periods of time, this man & woman instilled in their children to appreciate, respect, honor, and cherish the freedoms that were afforded to them through the sacrifices of the brave men and woman who gave so much of their lives to make sure all of these liberties remained a part of their world, and to always show respect for this country he, like so many others, fought to defend – no sacrifice was too great. 

 At the ripe old age of 42, this man retired from active duty, enlisted in the Reserves, and headed home to his wife and children to begin their life together – six months later, this husband, father, life-long defender of his country was dead – leaving behind a young wife and five small children ranging from 13 to five (5) years of age.  Devastation created by the death of their loved one was only the beginning of what would turn out to be years of living in poverty, hunger, and loneliness, but this military family never lost sight of the values their husband/father held dear. Even though it seemed that the Country he had given his life for had forsaken them, they continued to respect, defend, and cherish the lessons taught to them by a man that dedicated his entire life to this country. 

These children could have very easily taken a destructive path through life, but they held onto the lessons taught to them by a military man and his wife, and they went on to keep his values alive. The oldest child is a life-long coal miner, the second son a retired Veteran and State Trooper, the oldest daughter a housewife – who was also the second anchor for her siblings, the fourth daughter – touched by medical tragedies – became a client of our firm, and the youngest daughter is employed as a Hearing Clerk at Jan Dils.  

First and foremost, I hold GREAT respect, honor, and appreciation for the Veterans who defend our rights and freedoms, but I also think we need to remember those who are behind our Vets, the moms, dads, siblings, spouses and children who make sacrifices of their own – who by no fault of their own, become collateral damage. 

God Bless our Veterans and their families,

Pamela Mullins