'I'll always be grateful and I'll always remember'

HAYDEN — Retired covert CIA operative and television personality Mike Baker grew up in a home with a military heart.

From a podium decked in the colors of Old Glory in honor of Veterans Day, Baker told the people of Hayden about his father, who joined the Army Air Corps before World War II, served as a bombardier and navigator in Europe and continued his military career after the war, retiring as a "full-bird" colonel.

He spoke about his parents meeting, falling in love and raising their family in a home "grounded in service, faith and loyalty."

“It all started at a USO dance when the world was at war,” Baker said Wednesday morning. “We grew up with a military family. A lot of you know what that means — moving from base to base, my mother taking charge of a young growing family during my dad’s deployments, Sunday night dinners at the officers club, shopping at the commissary and base exchange. The military life was woven into our lives.”

Baker, who is the co-host of Travel Channel's "America Declassified" and the co-host of "World Access," a new Travel Channel weekly series, spoke from his heart when he described saying "goodbye" to his dad for the final time and the appreciation he has for his dad's sacrifice as well as the sacrifice of all veterans.

“My pop was buried in his full dress uniform (in Arlington Cemetery), and before the casket was closed I spent a couple minutes talking to him, and I slipped a note inside his breast pocket and I kept a copy of that note. I read it every now and then,” Baker said. “It says, ‘Thank you. Thank you for your life, thank you for your devotion to family and to your country. Thank you for your sacrifices and for your loyalty and for your faith in me. I’ll always be grateful, and I’ll always remember.' I’d written written that note for my pop, but I might as well have written it to every veteran out there, dead and living. I’ll always be grateful and I’ll always remember."

More than 160 people attended the ninth annual Hayden Veterans Day ceremony, which took place at the Hayden City Hall PFC Robert J. Gordon Veterans Memorial Plaza. The ceremony included a presentation of colors, performances by the Hayden Meadows Special Chorus and Hayden Meadows Bucket Drummers, "The Star-Spangled Banner" sung by Hannah Melton, presentation of several awards and "Amazing Grace" on the bagpipes by the Hot Punch Highlanders, among other ceremonial events.

Spirit of Freedom Awards for service to Idaho's veterans were awarded to Suzanne Millbach, who has actively been involved and working with veterans for more than 45 years, and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 889 Quartermaster and District 1 Commander Brian Beeler, who was also acknowledged for his tireless work for veterans. Millbach and Beeler received standing ovations from the audience.

Hayden's 2015 Distinguished Veteran of the Year honors were awarded to Robert Shoeman, who served in the U.S. Navy from 1974-1978 and the Navy Reserves 1978-1980. He is presently the disabled veterans outreach program specialist at the Idaho Department of Labor and also tirelessly works for the betterment of local veterans.

Veterans of many eras were in attendance, including Air Force Vietnam veteran Tom Arrison of Post Falls. It was his first time going to Hayden's Veterans Day event.

“I loved it, it was a very nice ceremony,” Arrison said. “It’s great to see the turnout. People really appreciate the military and veterans.”

Hayden Veterans Commission chair Wayne Syth, who served in the Navy from 1963-1969 and in Vietnam from ’65-’66, was the program emcee. He said this year's was probably one of the best.

“I feel really good, I think this is one of the best programs we’ve had,” he said. “We had a good speaker today.

“I’m very proud” of Hayden’s celebration, he continued. “We’re honoring those who have served and are still with us … I think the veterans really appreciate the recognition.”