Veterans honored in Weberstown Mall event in Stockton
Local veterans were honored at the Weberstown Mall for the Stockton Chamber of Commerce's inaugural Veterans Day event with the American Legion Carl Ross Post 16.
There were around $1,500 worth of gift cards on hand, donated by local businesses, for veterans to choose from.
Veterans from the Air Force, Marine Corps, Army, and Navy were honored at the mall in front of the old Sears by standing up while their branch's official song or, in the Marine Corps case, hymn, played.
"It's time overdue for Vietnam veterans," Joe Maes, a Vietnam War veteran, said. "It's nice to hear but to me, it's still too late. I wish we had had that when we came home because the PTSD kicked in more because the way we were treated. But I love what they're doing now for the rest of the veterans that are coming home now."
Maes is a Purple Heart and Bronze Star recipient who saw combat. He is a guest at Delta College, taking Q&A from students and has written a book, "My Spiritual Walk as a Wolfhound: A Grunt in Vietnam."
He encourages veterans to socialize, get out with other veterans when coming out of the service and, while realizing there's still work to be done, recognizes the work being done within San Joaquin County for veterans, including with a new VA.
"All the veterans that are coming out now should join the VFW, the American Legion, the Purple Heart Association, the Disabled Vets Association," Maes said. "There's a lot of organizations (that) will help veterans."
Steve Spriggs is also a Vietnam War veteran and said he suffered from Agent Orange exposure and credits the Veterans Affairs medical care for taking care of veterans. Spriggs is also a part of the Onward Ops program.
"It basically allows active duty military to fill out a form on their phone and be connected with a community sponsor where they're going to get out of the military," Spriggs said. "So, they can start planning the transition because it is very difficult to get out of the military and to come to California."
Vietnam veteran Craig Prosser's military news experience was instrumental in helping him get a job right when getting back from service, starting in a smaller market, then working his way eventually to CBS13, covering primarily Stockton, along with the surrounding areas.
"I was able to line up a job," Prosser said. "I got out of the Army on a Tuesday in Kansas, drove home to Ohio, packed up the car with some necessities for living on my own in an apartment and drove back and started the following Tuesday. That, in my working career, was the only week I was unemployed when I became of working age."
There was a moment of prayer at the event, along with remarks from veterans, honoring veterans and active military men and women, including Navy veteran Bob Blower, who was stationed at Rough and Ready Island in Stockton, the city where he raised his family. His son, Bob Blower, Jr., also served in the Navy.
"It's very, very special," Blower said. "We've had some wonderful conversations over the years about our experiences in (the) Navy and I had a chance to take a cruise on his ship with him."
"We met in Pearl Harbor," Blower Jr. said. "That's where my dad docked onto the ship. And then we took the ship from Pearl Harbor back into San Diego, which is where I was stationed."
Blower Jr. said it's an honor to follow in his dad's footsteps.
For the Blowers and more veterans who attended, they were given a token of appreciation in the form of those gift cards.
"It's nice. Veterans are not only recognized but they're given some kind of small reward," Prosser said. "I looked at the various gift cards and I picked one for a casino. Now, my wife and I aren't going to play poker but we've eaten at the restaurant there and it's very good. And we'll use it."
Along with the King's Card Club restaurant Prosser chose, there were also gift card options from Starbucks, Edgeworth Security, Barnes and Noble, Food 4 Less, Chick-fil-A, and Krispy Kreme.
Bob Sr. got what Prosser grabbed, and for Bob Jr.: Chick-fil-A
"Veterans Day is special to both of us because of things like this and the fact that we are both Navy guys," Blower Sr said.