Veterans Day at VFW Post 3836

Veterans Day is filled with opportunities to honor and remember those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.  KTNA’s Phillip Manning went to the Veterans Day event at the local VFW post.

On Tuesday morning, VFW Post 3836 hosted more than thirty people for its annual Veterans Day celebration.  The event started with a short address by Buddy Gray, Post Commander who told some of the history of Veterans Day.  For decades, there was not a consensus on when the holiday should be observed.  That changed in 1978, when Congress returned Veterans Day to November 11th, the original date that was established after World War I.

No matter the date, Buddy Gray says Veterans Day is about recognizing service.

“We’re here to honor all veterans, living and deceased, with a gathering like this.  We had a great gathering over at the school yesterday…it was quite inspiring.”

Other veterans in the room also praised the efforts of Talkeetna Elementary students and staff in recognizing the community’s veterans.  DX Russel, a member of the V-F-W Ladies Auxiliary, took the opportunity to relay a simple, but heartfelt message to the veterans present.

“I would just like to thank all of you–all of you veterans.  You’re amazing.  That’s all I can say.”

Hundreds of veterans live in the Upper Valley.  Membership in the V-F-W requires being deployed in a conflict zone.  As such, many who served are not members, but all were welcome at Tuesday’s event.  Buddy Gray says that Post 3836 has a large membership, but that many of them aren’t around this time of year.

“Membership is about 185, and most of them are snow-birds.”

Wherever they may spend their winters, VFW Post 3836 aims to make sure that former service members are not forgotten on Veterans Day.