{"id":7806,"date":"2022-03-29T18:21:59","date_gmt":"2022-03-29T18:21:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/?p=7806"},"modified":"2022-03-29T18:21:59","modified_gmt":"2022-03-29T18:21:59","slug":"vietnam-veterans-honored-at-pinning-ceremonies-at-pxs-bxs-around-the-globe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2022\/03\/29\/vietnam-veterans-honored-at-pinning-ceremonies-at-pxs-bxs-around-the-globe\/","title":{"rendered":"Vietnam Veterans Honored at Pinning Ceremonies at PXs, BXs around the Globe"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"FortDALLAS <\/strong>\u2013 In honor of National Vietnam War Veterans Day on March 29, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service honored Vietnam Veterans at more than 150 of its locations<\/a> worldwide.<\/p>\n

Vietnam Veterans were invited to attend the events at their nearest PX or BX and receive a complimentary lapel pin as a token of thanks for their service, valor and sacrifice.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo many of these Veterans did not receive much gratitude or respect at the time of their service,\u201d said Exchange Director\/CEO Tom Shull, a Veteran who served during the Vietnam War period. \u201cThe pinning ceremonies are a chance for the Exchange to do its part in giving them the proper thanks and recognition they deserved then and deserve now.\u201d<\/p>\n

The lapel pins were provided in partnership with the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration, with whom the Exchange has partnered for over 500 commemorative events honoring more than 60,000 Vietnam Veterans.<\/p>\n

Veteran John Sides received his pin at the Camp Walker Exchange in South Korea. He served 38 years in the Navy, including six years in Vietnam.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was tough times,\u201d said Sides, who also noted the deep bond that exists among Vietnam Veterans. \u201cWe\u2019re all brothers.\u201d<\/p>\n

The ceremonies honored all Veterans who served on active duty from Nov. 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975, regardless of location.<\/p>\n

Perry Bevins served two tours in Vietnam as an Air Force helicopter pilot and retired as a master sergeant after 21 years. He received his pin at the Kaiserslautern Military Community Exchange in Germany.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was no question that it was a brutal,\u201d Bevins said of the war. \u201cBut serving in the military taught me the discipline I needed to make it in life.\u201d<\/p>\n

The message \u201cA Grateful Nation Thanks and Honors You\u201d is engraved on the back of each pin \u2013 the side closest to the wearer\u2019s heart.<\/p>\n

The Exchange hosted a Facebook live broadcast of the pinning event at Fort Sam Houston<\/a>, where Veteran Al Johnson received his pin.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t get the kind of recognition that we should have,\u201d said Johnson, who served as an Air Force staff sergeant. \u201cThere was a lot of turmoil in our country over that conflict, and there were a lot of protests. When we came back, we were not heroes. So this is an opportunity to sort of right that ship. We\u2019re not looking for any accolades, but just to hear that \u2018thanks\u2019 means so much.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Exchange is a 50th Anniversary Vietnam War Commemorative Partner, planning and conducting events and activities that recognize Vietnam Veterans and their families for service, valor and sacrifice in conjunction with the Commemoration.<\/p>\n

Facebook-friendly version: <\/strong>PXs and BXs around the world saluted Vietnam Veterans for their service, valor and sacrifice in pinning ceremonies on March 29, #VietnamWarVeteransDay. The Exchange partnered with the Vietnam War Commemoration, which provided the free lapel pins as a lasting token of the Nation\u2019s gratitude to these Veterans. Read more: https:\/\/wp.me\/p9Q7PG-21U<\/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 $3.4 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

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

DALLAS \u2013 In honor of National Vietnam War Veterans Day on March 29, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service honored Vietnam Veterans at more than 150 of its locations worldwide. Vietnam Veterans were invited to attend the events at their nearest PX or BX and receive a complimentary lapel pin as a token of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":7808,"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":"PXs and BXs around the world saluted Vietnam Veterans for their service, valor and sacrifice in pinning ceremonies on March 29, #VietnamWarVeteransDay.","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":[31,25,303,319,318],"tags":[160,174,35,245,45,84],"class_list":["post-7806","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-events","category-press_releases","category-store-ops","category-veterans","category-vietnam-veterans","tag-aafes","tag-army-air-force-exchange-service","tag-military","tag-national-vietnam-war-veterans-day","tag-veterans","tag-vietnam-veteran"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2022\/03\/29\/vietnam-veterans-honored-at-pinning-ceremonies-at-pxs-bxs-around-the-globe\/","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Vietnam Veterans Honored at Pinning Ceremonies at PXs, BXs around the Globe","url":"http:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2022\/03\/29\/vietnam-veterans-honored-at-pinning-ceremonies-at-pxs-bxs-around-the-globe\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2022\/03\/29\/vietnam-veterans-honored-at-pinning-ceremonies-at-pxs-bxs-around-the-globe\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/03\/Fort-Sam2-1-e1648577713133.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/03\/Fort-Sam2-1-e1648577713133.jpg"},"articleSection":"Events","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Marisa Conner"}],"creator":["Marisa Conner"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"The Exchange Newsroom","logo":""},"keywords":["aafes","army & air force exchange service","military","national vietnam war veterans day","veterans","vietnam veteran"],"dateCreated":"2022-03-29T18:21:59Z","datePublished":"2022-03-29T18:21:59Z","dateModified":"2022-03-29T18:21:59Z"},"rendered":"