Saluting Our Veterans

_{November 11, 2022}
At Crown Pointe, Veterans Day is so important to us. It is a day to set aside time to honor and show appreciation for all who have served in the United States military—in wartime or peace, living or deceased. Every year, special ceremonies are held around the world to honor these heroes, and we'll be celebrating our own Veterans here at Crown Pointe.

We sat down and interviewed two residents who are Veterans here at Crown Pointe to hear about their stories. We wanted to take this opportunity to give them a chance to talk about some of their experiences that they don't often get to share.

Meet Doug:

Doug was drafted on March 9th, 1966. He served in the Army and fought in the Vietnam War for one and a half years. He left the service in 1968.

What was your basic training like?

“Physically hard and challenging, but it will put you in shape!

Can you describe what it was like coming home from combat?

“I was extremely nervous to come home from war. I was mentally and physically fatigued. I had developed some PTSD that I had to work through and deal with.”

How did you communicate with your loved ones?

“Of course, the only way you could back then was handwritten letters!”

What are some things that you guys did on base to pass time?

“I swam in the ocean a lot and we played card games, mainly Euchre.”

What did you learn about yourself while serving?

“You are tougher than you think. It put me on the right track to life.”

Meet TJ:

TJ was drafted into the Air Force in August of 1963. He served in many locations but ended up leaving the Air Force in August of 1966.

What was your basic training like?

“Crazy and tough. It was a blur. It went by so fast.”

Can you describe a funny moment from boot camp?

“There was a buddy named Cherry that told us he could swim super well. We all decided to go swimming in the ocean one day and as the ocean floor started to drop- we shortly realized Cherry could not swim and it was a joke around the camp.”

How did you stay in touch with family and friends?

“Of course, old school letters.”

Can you describe how you felt when coming home from combat?

“I was relieved. I was done serving but afraid to go back to my normal day-to-day. It was mentally and physically exhausting. It isn’t for everyone, but if you need to get your life together, I highly recommend it."

What did you learn about yourself while serving?

“It will turn a boy into a man.”

It was an honor getting to learn about TJ and Doug's time they served. It's truly a privilege to serve a few Veterans here at Crown Pointe with the highest level of care that they deserve.

Thank you to all the men and women who have served our country! Happy Veteran's Day!