'All one unit for the common good'

HAYDEN — Veteran Hal Donahue was greeted with questions on Friday — and he couldn't have been happier.

The Coeur d'Alene man, who served in the Navy during the Korean War, fielded questions from students at Post Falls High and Prairie View Elementary during Veterans Day about his service.

Still beaming over the interest the students showed, Donahue attended a veteran-honoring ceremony later that day at the PFC Robert J. Gordon Veterans Memorial Plaza at Hayden City Hall.

"It was such a joy talking to our future leaders," said Donahue, a member of American Legion Post 143 in Post Falls. "They were so interested in hearing what we had to say. They had a lot of questions and a genuine interest in hearing us."

Donahue was among more than 200 people who attended the Hayden ceremony, which included performances by the Hayden Meadows Bucket Drummers student group and the Hot Punch Highlanders bagpipers. It also recognized Margaret Ogram as Hayden's 2016 Distinguished Veteran of the Year.

Guest speaker Ed Santos, a retired Army officer, Department of Defense military instructor and the owner of Center Target Sports in Post Falls, said Veterans Day stirs up a lot of emotions.

"Remembrance of those who have given so much," he said. "Reflection … uncertainty at basic training, challenges of the first assignment, emotions of the first deployment."

Santos also recognized the sacrifices families of veterans and active military members make.

"Spouses are left behind for months and in some cases even years," he said. "Let us not forget the children who are often required to move every few years."

Santos said there are many ways to thank veterans, including telling them, hiring them, donating to one of their organizations and showing an interest in their lives.

"Take a moment, especially today, and ask yourself how you can help a veteran," he said.

Santos has a neighbor who drives veterans to the VA hospital in Spokane with a Disabled American Veterans van.

"What a noble and honorable thing to do," he said.

Santos said he flies the POW/MIA flag at his home.

"What as great way to start my day when I back out," he said.

Ogram said she was "very grateful" to be honored with the Distinguished Veteran of the Year award, and true to veteran form, she turned the spotlight onto others she served with and who have served.

"I know many of you deserve more recognition than I do," she said. "We are all one unit for the common good. When I see all the veteran hats, I'm very proud to be a part of that."

Ogram served in the Air Force from 1953 to 1960. During her service, she was assigned to the Air Defense Command in Albuquerque, N.M., as an operations intelligence specialist/technician. Ogram was also assigned to the 69012th Special Communications Group in Germany as a communications intelligence officer.

After her military service, Ogram worked as a mail clerk for the U.S. Postal Service, as a contract negotiator for American Forces Radio and Television in Hollywood and as a contract negotiator at Los Angeles Air Force Station in California.

She and her husband, Al, moved to Hayden in 1996.

Since retirement, Ogram has served in leadership for Post 1950 Catholic War Veterans and American Legion Post 153 in Rathdrum. She is a member of American Legion Post 143 in Post Falls and serves on the Honor Guard. She is also volunteer for Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), Kootenai County Veterans Stand Down and the Hayden Veterans Commission.