{"id":10236,"date":"2024-03-29T18:35:25","date_gmt":"2024-03-29T18:35:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/?p=10236"},"modified":"2024-03-29T18:35:25","modified_gmt":"2024-03-29T18:35:25","slug":"vietnam-veterans-receive-long-overdue-honor-gratitude-at-px-and-bx-ceremonies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2024\/03\/29\/vietnam-veterans-receive-long-overdue-honor-gratitude-at-px-and-bx-ceremonies\/","title":{"rendered":"Vietnam Veterans Receive Long Overdue Honor, Gratitude at PX and BX Ceremonies"},"content":{"rendered":"

DALLAS<\/strong> \u2013 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<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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 \u201cA Grateful Nation Thanks and Honors You.\u201d<\/p>\n

“I was dedicated to the U.S. military. I was devoted to it\u2014it was my life,\u201d 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. \u201cWhen we came back from Vietnam, we weren\u2019t welcomed; but here, they thank us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"On<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a special day,\u201d Cox said. \u201cThe 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cThanking and honoring these Veterans and their families is the right thing to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

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 Sgt.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are fewer Vietnam Veterans every year,\u201d Gonzalez said. \u201cIt is very nice to see everybody. We talk with each other about things that we don\u2019t talk with anyone else about.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is still hard sometimes to remember what I went through, but it\u2019s nice to see everyone and make them laugh.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was my first time at this ceremony,\u201d he said, also noting the special group of Vietnam Veterans who live in the same area. \u201cIt\u2019s good to have the support of other Veterans here and people to talk to about what we went through. This is a special experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Exchange hosted the ceremonies in partnership with The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration, which provided the pins.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs an infantry platoon leader at the time, I saw the heartbreaking treatment many Soldiers received upon coming home,\u201d said Exchange Director\/CEO Tom Shull, an Army Veteran who served during the Vietnam War era. \u201cThese ceremonies give them now what they should have received then: gratitude, honor, respect. Their service mattered.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Social-media-friendly version:<\/strong> @shopmyexchange hosted special ceremonies for National Vietnam War Veterans Day where Vietnam Veterans received free lapel pins to commemorate their selfless service. \u201cWhen we came back from Vietnam, we weren\u2019t welcomed; but here, they thank us,\u201d said 87-year-old retired Air Force Tech. Sgt. Bill Branham. Read more about the ceremonies: https:\/\/wp.me\/p9Q7PG-2F6<\/a><\/p>\n

— 30 —<\/p>\n

Since 1895, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service (Exchange) has gone where Soldiers, Airmen, Guardians and their families go to improve the quality of their lives by providing valued goods and services at exclusive military pricing. The Exchange is the 54th<\/sup>-largest retailer in the United States. 100% of Exchange earnings support military communities. In the last 10 years, your Exchange benefit has provided $3.5 billion in earnings for critical military Quality-of-Life programs. The Exchange is a non-appropriated fund entity of the Department of Defense and is directed by a Board of Directors. The Exchange is a 50th Anniversary Vietnam War Commemorative Partner, planning and conducting events and activities that recognize the service, valor and sacrifice of Vietnam Veterans and their families in conjunction with the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration. To find out more about the Exchange history and mission or to view recent press releases please visit our website at http:\/\/www.shopmyexchange.com<\/a> or follow us on Twitter at https:\/\/twitter.com\/ExchangePAO<\/a>.<\/p>\n

###<\/p>\n

Media Notes:<\/strong><\/p>\n

For more information or to schedule an interview with an Exchange representative please contact Marisa Conner at 214-312-5111 or connermar@aafes.com.<\/p>\n

Follow the Exchange:<\/p>\n

Facebook:\u00a0 www.facebook.com\/shopmyexchange<\/a><\/p>\n

Twitter:\u00a0 https:\/\/twitter.com\/shopmyexchange<\/a><\/p>\n

Instagram: @shopmyexchange<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

DALLAS \u2013 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 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":34,"featured_media":10238,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[31,25,319,318],"tags":[160,174,106,107,35,39,45,84],"class_list":["post-10236","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-events","category-press_releases","category-veterans","category-vietnam-veterans","tag-aafes","tag-army-air-force-exchange-service","tag-army-and-air-force-exchange-service","tag-exchange","tag-military","tag-the-army-air-force-exchange-service","tag-veterans","tag-vietnam-veteran"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2024\/03\/29\/vietnam-veterans-receive-long-overdue-honor-gratitude-at-px-and-bx-ceremonies\/","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Vietnam Veterans Receive Long Overdue Honor, Gratitude at PX and BX Ceremonies","url":"http:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2024\/03\/29\/vietnam-veterans-receive-long-overdue-honor-gratitude-at-px-and-bx-ceremonies\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2024\/03\/29\/vietnam-veterans-receive-long-overdue-honor-gratitude-at-px-and-bx-ceremonies\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/Vietnam-Pinning-2024-1-e1711737058629.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/Vietnam-Pinning-2024-1-e1711737058629.jpg"},"articleSection":"Events","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Zach Wright"}],"creator":["Zach Wright"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"The Exchange Newsroom","logo":""},"keywords":["aafes","army & air force exchange service","army and air force exchange service","exchange","military","the army & air force exchange service","veterans","vietnam veteran"],"dateCreated":"2024-03-29T18:35:25Z","datePublished":"2024-03-29T18:35:25Z","dateModified":"2024-03-29T18:35:25Z"},"rendered":"