This Old Veteran

He became the ultimate volunteer at age 19. He’s still volunteering today. And it's our guess, Contributing Editor, Mike LaBarbera, will still be volunteering tomorrow, and next year, and the year after.

My thoughts of the military occurred months before I joined the army in 1968. The US troop commitment in Vietnam was at its highest level, news of the number of Americans killed was tallied daily on the evening news, and I was soon to be drafted. I was in a quandary. My uncle was an Army recruiter and suggested I join the Army and enlist to become a helicopter pilot. If I waited to get drafted, the Army would assign me to wherever a shortage of jobs was needed. As crazy as it sounded, I chose the former.

My experiences as an Army helicopter pilot were exhilarating, rewarding, enjoyable and horrifying. Being 19 years old flying those magnificent machines were only things made up in dreams, but I was doing it, and did it throughout my career. At times I would shy away from my association with the military because I felt there was a negative stigma perceived by most Americans. Upon returning home, Vietnam Veterans were mistreated in public and many of them carried that disdain for years. That all changed after US troops returned home triumphantly from Iraq in 1991 and received a hero’s welcome.

When I retired from the Army, my feelings of patriotism, in my opinion, were stronger than most Americans. I was proud to have served my country in the military and in combat. I continued to wear my uniform another 15 years after retirement, teaching JROTC to teenagers in high school. Kids felt my pride and developed the same sense for our flag and country. One Middle Eastern student of mine came into my office crying because he had let the US flag touch the ground when lowering it from the flagpole. I reassured him it was an accident and the flag didn't need to be destroyed.

When I retired at age 63 I volunteered at a VA clinic in Indiana for six years. When I moved into a 55+ active retirement community in Arizona, about five years ago, I started a Veterans Club with 11 people, which has grown to over 360. I remind our Veterans to be proud and display their service by wearing a military ball cap, displaying a Veteran license plate frame, or Veteran window decal. Our country is eager to thank us for our service by offering military discounts at retail businesses, sporting events, and more. Be proud of your military sacrifices and display it openly.

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