VETERANS: At last, a warm welcome

Summer 1970 I arrived back in the United States from Vietnam at the San Francisco International Airport. What confronted me was not what you see today on the news but rather groups of hippies confronting us, screaming epithets and throwing tomato juice on our uniforms.

Following a leave I was stationed to Fort Lewis in Tacoma, Wash. As an officer we rotated the task of accompanying remains to the soldiers final resting place. Dressed in our dress uniform to present the flag to the family, I was screamed at, slapped, dog excrement thrown on me while maintaining a quiet military bearing.

Contrast nearly 35 years of that with the warm welcome and praise given to us at Applebee’s where veterans were given a free meal and cards made at our local elementary schools from young boys and girls who had never met us. My card came from a student named Kaiden, and now sits on my mantle. Such warm generosity and praise goes a long way toward easing the embarrassment and bitterness that awaited our home coming.

Only .045 percent of the U.S. population now serves in all of our military services. Applebee’s and those elementary school students and teachers deserve our appreciation. I know they have mine and the veterans I met there. I’m not ashamed to say such gratitude constricted a lot of throats. Thank you so very much.

ROBERT BOYD

Hayden Lake