More than 2 dozen veterans recognized at Tri-Cities service. ‘It’s very important’
On and off, Jim Nett still thinks about the ones who never came back.
Standing inside the rec room at Brookdale Canyon Lakes senior community in Kennewick, the 82-year-old Navy veteran peers out at four American flag banners waving in the fall breeze.
Each holiday — be it Memorial Day or the Fourth of July — Nett erects the collection outside this building near where he and his wife live. On this Veterans Day, they served as a reminder of the selfless work that service members around the country have committed themselves to.
“It’s very important,” said Nett, a retired mechanic who served as a storekeeper aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise during the Vietnam War. About five years ago, Nett acquired them from an acquaintance in a kite-fliers club.
“I mean, they’re beautiful. I love to show ‘em off,” he said.
“This holiday is pretty important to me,” he continued. “It means a lot. When I was in Vietnam, we lost five pilots that never made it back to the ship. It was pretty bad.”
On Tuesday, Nett and two dozen other veterans living in the Brookdale community gathered for a Veterans Day service. The attendees were also recognized with a certificate of service in recognition of their time with the U.S. military.
Members of the Robert Ellis Post for Veterans also participated in the brief, passionate event.
Deanna Farris, resident program director at Brookdale, estimates about 1-in-5 residents in their community are vets.
While they’ve lost about nine veterans in recent months, she says new residents bring with them their own stories of service. The holiday is personal for Farris. Her dad served in World War II, and she knew Ellis personally.
“Thank you veterans for your service. The sacrifices you gave were amazing,” Farris said.
