YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – On the day we honor those who served in the military, retired Army Lieutenant George Otto believes most veterans never fully take credit for the contributions their service has made.
“The most important, of course, was national security of our nation,” he said.
Otto, who served in Vietnam, was Monday morning’s guest speaker for the annual Veterans Day program hosted by the Mahoning County Veterans Service Commission.
He told the audience one of the most valuable contributions was bringing men and women from all races and backgrounds together for a common goal.
“I think one of the greatest lessons that people learn who were in the military is that they had to overlook differences of various kinds and do something that was important,” Otto said.
Organizers admit those attributes are often overlooked.
“We are the cross-section of American society. We cover the entire political strata, we’re all over the place when it comes to our economics, we’re everywhere in the community,” said Brian Kennedy, with the Mahoning County Veterans Service Commission.
As part of the ceremony, a chair was marked in recognition of those held as prisoners of war or still missing in action.
Afterward, a small group from the Catholic War Veterans carried a wreath from the courthouse to the Man in the Monument memorial to honor those who’ve given their lives over the course of a dozen major conflicts, making sure their sacrifices were neither in vain nor forgotten.
