Sitting in a chair at Veterans Memorial Park on Saturday, Walter, 68, was wearing a hat that said “Iraq War Veteran.” He said he typically comes to the Beavercreek Veterans Day event each year. As he spoke, a young boy sporting a Scout Troop 71 uniform approached Walter and thanked him for his service.
“You’re very welcome and thank you, young man,” Walter responded, shaking the boy’s hand.
It was a scene repeated across the Miami Valley on Saturday, with ceremonies in Centerville, Kettering, Huber Heights and at the Dayton VA showing the nation’s appreciation for those who served.
Col. Sean Brazel, 88th Mission Support Group Commander at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, spoke during Saturday’s event in Beavercreek, highlighting the role of veterans throughout the history of the United States.
“Since the birth of our nation, no generation has been without its war, and each time it’s been drastically different,” Brazel said. “In fact, change has been the only constant throughout our wars, and each generation has had to adapt.”
For Walter, his nearly two-decade Army career included two tours in Iraq, one in the 90s and one in the early 2000s following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. During both tours, he worked jobs in field artillery and hauling fuel tankers.
“I hauled 5,000-gallon tankers in ‘91 and 7,500-gallon tankers in the 2000s,” Walter said. “It was scary because you never knew who was an enemy or not.”
Walter’s second and final stint in Iraq, which spanned a year and a half, was prematurely cut short when he was injured on New Years Day 2003 by an improvised explosive device, or IED.
“That was my ‘Happy New Year’s Day,’ ” he said jokingly, adding that while he knew that type of incident was always possible, it still caught him off guard. “We didn’t have anybody (in my company) get hurt the first time I was in Iraq, so when it happened the second time, I just wasn’t expecting it.”
Despite the injury, which still affects him to this day, Walter said even if he could turn back time, he would still join the Army.
“No questions asked,” he said. “It’s an honor to serve this country.”
Brazel said members of the military adapt by learning new tactics of war, new geography, and new cultures with each new war or threat. He said each generation of service members has to quickly orient to and effectively utilize rapidly changing technologies.
“For my generation, our time in the military is sun-setting and the next generations, our Millennials and our Gen-Zs, have taken the baton,” he said. “They will inherit a new set of threats; cyber and space are the new contested domains.
" ... I don’t know what the next decade will look like, but the strength and sacrifice of our veterans provides a foundation of fortitude and grit,” Brazel continued. “The torch is being passed and the next generation will do what the greatest men and women of this country have done since 1775: they’ll serve.”
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