By Garrick Moritz, Gazette

            The Garretson area hosted two Veteran’s Day programs locally. The first was held on Friday Nov. 10th at the Garretson school and the second was on Saturday, November 11 at the Henry G. Fix Legion Post #23.

            This year the school’s program truly excelled, with multiple musical performances in both band and choral, and presentations from all ages of students.

            At the Legion Hall gathering the next evening for a social and dinner event, followed by their Veteran’s Day program, the keynote speakers were Gary Lyngen, Marty Luebke and Jim Kurtz. These three vets and legion members spoke about the Midwest Honor Flight #17 that they were both privileged and honored to take part of on October 10.

            Photos and stories were shared about the event, and Gary Lyngen was the first to speak to the people. Lyngen has been a post member for 38 years and served in the Navy with the Blue Water Sailors through two tours in Vietnam.

            “You can see pictures, and hear the stories about going on one of these Honor Flights, but until you experience it yourself, you can’t truly understand how meaningful it is,” Lyngen said. “The experiences, the people you meet, the stories that the vets on the flight share with each other. It’s too profound to sum up in words. And even if you’ve been to the Capitol and the National Mall before, well, you’ll learn something new. The guides are all ex-military themselves or have worked in the government. They know the stories; the histories and they tell it well. On the bus they’d give us highlights and information, like how Arlington National Cemetery got started, and how many people get buried there every week. It’s a lot and it happens every day except Sundays. It’s all pretty moving, and going to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, well, that’ll get you started. This was my third time there and it’ll bring a tear to your eyes.”

            He also noted that he got to do something special that one friend and Legion comrade has never done.

            “Bob Bennett has taken multiple tours to [Washington] D.C.,” Lyngen said. “We had an excellent program yesterday at the Garretson school, and Bob and the kids did an absolute wonderful job with that by the way. Talking with Bob afterwards, he’s not been to the new Navy Memorial. Well Bob, you’re going to have to go now, cause we got to.”

            “What I do want to say, in all seriousness, is that if you are eligible to go, then you should just get signed up. It’s well worth the trip.”

            Luebke took the microphone next. He served in the Army National Guard and has been a post member for 31 years.

            “I want to start off by saying that it was more fantastic than I could ever have imagined,” Luebke said. “I want to talk a little bit about guilt. My time of service during Vietnam was different than a lot of people’s experience. I was lucky enough not to be deployed to Vietnam, instead I served all over the country and I can say that was one of the greatest times in my life. So, I didn’t feel my time in the service merited this flight, as I know of so many others, many of them in this room, who are more deserving of the honor than I am. But something was pointed out to me, that anyone who signs those papers and agrees to serve our country has the right to be called a veteran. We all signed the same document, the same document Henry Fix signed. We aren’t all dealt the same hand of cards, but we’re all willing to put our lives on the line if that’s what it meant. So, if that guilt is holding you back, just let it go. You signed that document, so you’re entitled to go and I really encourage you to do so.”

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