NATIONAL
VETERANS DAY
CEREMONY
A MONUMENTAL SALUTE TO THE VETERANS
WASHINGTON DC
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TESTIMONIALS
"WE HAVE RECEIVED SO MUCH POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM PARENTS AND THE KIDS. THE TOUR MANAGERS WERE OUTSTANDING TOUR GUIDES AND PERFECT FOR OUR STUDENTS. STUDENTS LEARN SO MUCH FROM THIS TRIP AND GAINED A MUCH DEEPER APPRECIATION TOWARDS OUR VETERANS, SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN. THANK YOU!"
from the Veterans
THANKS FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS. IT IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. I LEFT FOR VIETNAM BY SHIP FROM OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA AND AS I WAS SAYING MY PRAYERS SILENTLY, PROTESTERS WERE THROWING DOWN GARBAGE ON US FROM THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE. UPON MY RETURN, ONE YEAR LATER, AT THE SEATTLE-TACOMA AIRPORT WE WERE HELD UP IN THE RAIN BECAUSE PROTESTERS TOOK OVER CUSTOM AND THAT DIDN'T ALLOW US PASSAGE TO THE COUNTRY WE FOUGHT FOR... I'VE SEEN A LOT OF COMBAT WOUNDED. I HAVE THREE PURPLE HEARTS AND MANY, MANY MORE HEROIC MEDALS.
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BUT THE DAY I WAS ONE OF TEN CHOSEN TO SEE BOB HOPE WAS A DAY I WILL NEVER FORGET... HE GAVE UP HIS CHRISTMAS TO BE WITH US AND EVERYWHERE YOU LOOKED SOLDIERS HAS SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT AND TO FEEL HUMAN FOR TWO HOURS. THIS TRIP, BEING CHOSEN BY THE ELKS LODGE 2010 TO WASHINGTON IS RIGHT THERE WITH THAT SAME FEELING I HAD WHEN I WAS CHOSEN TO SEE BOB HOPE. IT WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN AND I WILL BE FOREVER GRATEFUL. THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP IN MAKING THIS OLD SOLDIER SMILE AGAIN.
Tom Pecorilli
FINALLY, AFTER 50 YEARS SOMEONE ACTUALLY DID SOMETHING TO GIVE ME AND OTHER VETERANS A WELCOME HOME RECOGNITION, AFTER SERVING OUR COUNTRY IN THE VIETNAM WAR... THE AIR FORCE MEMORIAL WAS VERY EMOTIONAL FOR MOST OF US. THE PARADE AND THE GREETINGS... HELPED IN HEALING SOME OF THE DEEPER SET WOUNDS THAT WE'VE HAD FOR A LONG TIME. I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR MAKING THIS TRIP POSSIBLE.
Bruce Almquist
THE PARTNERSHIP WITH HISTORIC PROGRAMS MADE FOR A MOVING AND MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE AND THE PERFORMANCES BY THE BANDS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT CAME SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS EVENT WERE ICING ON THE CAKE. CARRYING THE ELKS BANNER IN FRONT OF MY ELKS BROTHERS, REPRESENTING ALL SERVICES, IN THE PARADE FROM THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL TO THE WWII MEMORIAL WAS A TRUE HONOR AND HIGHLIGHT OF MY VISIT.
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HEARING "THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE" FROM THE MANY PEOPLE AS WE TOURED WARMED NOT ONLY MY HEART BUT THAT OF THE OTHER VIETNAM VETERANS THAT DID NOT GET THAT WHEN THEY RETURNED... A TRUE ONCE IN A LIFETIME EXPERIENCE. THANK YOU.
Gary Pelham, Secretary