They helped kick fascism to the curb. They fought in Korea and Vietnam.
Many of them didn’t make it back.
Some of those that did were recognized for their contributions last week at Cottonwood Village, a senior living home off of Mingus Avenue, along with an acknowledgement of the sacrifices made by both the living and the dead.
Veterans Day was also observed last week, an occasion to recognize all the men and women who have ever served this country in uniform.
Two days later, on Friday, Nov. 13, more than 30 veterans and dozens of other residents and guests gathered in a common room for a special ceremony that saw the men and women award special pins as way of saying “thanks for your service.”
Cottonwood Village makes an effort to recognize veterans throughout the year. A gallery of veteran portraits lines a hall, and the portraits are numerous.
The roles the veterans played while in uniform were varied.
Some flew planes, others jumped out of them.
Some saw combat, some worked to make sure the men in the fight had the supplies they needed.
There were former members of the Women’s Army Corps, the Army Signal Corps and the Air Transport Command.
There were representatives of all of the branches of the American military, the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and the Coast Guard.
There were quite a few veterans of World War II in attendance, a group that worldwide gets a little bit smaller everyday.
“I look out and I can visualize the faces of those vets who are no longer with us, especially over the past couple of years,” said Laura Ludvick, community manager for Granite Mountain Home Care and Hospice. “We lost a lot just last year. We do what we can to honor them.”
As she’s gotten to know them, Ludvick said they’ve become particularly near and dear to her heart.
As it is now, Ludvick said Cottonwood Village is home to 34 veterans who served in several different periods of this nation’s history.
Ludvick said a group of veterans gets together every Friday at Cottonwood Village to catch up, reminisce and share stories.
“If you want to hear some stories, that’s where you need to go,” Ludvick said.
The fifth-grade class at Verde Valley Christian School is far removed from the decades that saw conflicts like World War II, Korea and Vietnam, but the kids turned out to show their appreciation, singing patriotic songs and telling stories like the history of the Navajo Code Talkers, who created a code that the Japanese could never break and went largely unrecognized by the public for many years.
“It’s great to see our youth learning what this country is about,” Ludvick said.
Cottonwood Mayor Diane Joens also thanked the veterans for their service and talked about her own connection to the military.
“My husband is a Vietnam vet,” Joens said. “I was 17 when I met him. He was home from Germany and on his way to Vietnam.”
Joens said that while she appreciates waking up in a country like the United States every day, people understand the time and bloodshed given in service to it.
“It’s also hard on spouses and friends when you have to play the waiting game,” Joens said.
The veterans Friday at Cottonwood Village all served and went on to families and careers. Some made a career out of the military, others served for just a few years.
Either way, they all put on their country’s uniform and last week’s gathering was just one way to acknowledge what that means.
