PORT ANGELES — U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer honored nearly 100 veterans who served during the Vietnam War era at a commemorative pinning ceremony in Port Angeles.
Veterans and their family members packed the Northwest Veterans Resource Center in Port Angeles on Wednesday evening. Veterans who served in active duty at any time between Nov. 1, 1955, and May 15, 1975, received commemorative pins.
“I’m here today with a pretty simple message and that’s ‘thank you,’ ” Kilmer said. “Thank you to every person who has served this country.”
The pinning program was established by the Secretary of Defense after it received a 2007 directive from Congress to establish an official commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War.
Kilmer is one of 10,000 commemorative partners nationwide who have volunteered to host veteran pinning events. The Gig Harbor Democrat represents the 6th Congressional District, which includes the North Olympic Peninsula.
On Wednesday, Kilmer handed out 92 pins to veterans, some of which were given to families of veterans who could not attend. He also has presented pins to 131 veterans in Ocean Shores and Elma.
Other ceremonies are being planned, including in Jefferson County, though dates have not been set yet.
Kilmer said 2.7 million Americans served during the Vietnam War and that when they returned home they were not met with the gratitude they deserved.
“That’s why we’re here. That’s why I’m here in this humble building with a simple little pin,” Kilmer said. “It’s a way of saying thank you for serving our nation, and thank you for giving your all and thank you for continuing to step up on behalf of the men and women who continue to support this country.”
Each veteran who attended was recognized individually. Their names and the branch of service they served in were called out by Port Angeles Mayor Sissi Bruch as they received their pins.
Among those recognized was Army veteran Joe Turrey, who served in special forces. He spent 20 years in the military after joining the Army in 1972 at the tail end of the Vietnam War.
Though he wasn’t deployed in Vietnam, Turrey said he spent more than three years in and out of El Salvador and was stationed in Panama where he taught parachuting, weapons, tactics and basic training. He helped set up a basic training center for El Salvador.
“I think it’s great they’re honoring the veterans,” Turrey said. “All of them deserve it.”
Turrey said that when he wore his dress greens in 1972 people would talk down to him and disrespect him for the work he was doing in the Army. He said people didn’t understand what was going on.
“We need to give more respect to all of our vets, all of them for the job they are doing,” he said. “We should be able to come home and find a job.”
Turrey said finding work was difficult. When looking for jobs Turrey, who speaks four languages, was told he was overqualified or under-educated.
He said he went to college for two years to earn a degree in criminal justice.
“But to me it was a waste of time because it was all just basic stuff,” he said. “To me I wasted two years of my life trying to get that little piece of paper that said yeah, I have enough intestinal fortitude to stick to something for two years even though I retired after 20 years in the military.”
Kilmer said this is the greatest country on the planet and that the federal government needs to support its veterans.
“That means in the land of the free and the home of the brave, every brave service member should have a home and it shouldn’t be under a freeway overpass,” he said.
“It means if you served this country, if you fought for this country, you shouldn’t have to fight for a job when you come home.”
Kilmer told those who attended that his office is available to work with them on any issues they may have, including with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
He said his office helped a veteran who was injured during a classified mission in Laos receive a Purple Heart.
“Probably the coolest thing I’ve had in this job was getting to stand in that man’s living room and pin a Purple Heart to that man’s chest,” Kilmer said.
“I tell you that because we can’t solve problems we don’t know about. We work for you. That’s how this works.”
Kilmer’s Port Angeles office is open from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday and Thursday and from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday. The office is at 332 E. Fifth St., and can be reached at 360-797-3623.
To reach his Washington, D.C., office, call 202-225-5916 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m EST weekdays.
Kilmer’s website is at kilmer.house.gov.
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Reporter Jesse Major can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56250, or at jmajor@peninsuladailynews.com.
U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer thanks veterans who served during the Vietnam War era at a community pinning ceremony at the Northwest Veteran Resource Center in Port Angeles. (Jesse Major/Peninsula Daily News)
