Letter: Rod Bluechel most deserving of Vietnam veteran award recognition
When I first met Rod Bluechel (Kennewick veteran to be inducted in Vietnam memorial, TCH, May 29), I knew he was a very special veteran with an incredible commitment to helping other veterans. While serving as president of the Columbia Basin Veteran’s Coalition, I relied on Rod for his wisdom, advice, and help.
Realizing the Veterans Administration was not adequately serving veterans, Rod’s efforts led to the coalition securing an office staffed with Steve Prince, one of the nation’s top veteran’s service representatives.
Learning that about 80 local veterans were homeless, Rod was successful in obtaining a house, debt-free, for the coalition. The Wagenaar-Pfister house continues to serve homeless veterans re-acclimate themselves to civilian life.
Rod believed in “completing the circle of service” — a commitment by veterans to help current, past, and future veterans transition from military society into becoming productive members of civilian society.
Although no longer with us, Rod’s legacy helping veterans lives on. His induction in the Vietnam Veterans Memorial “In Memory” Program is very prestigious and deserving, but only small recognition of his unmatched work. It was a great honor for me to have been blessed to work with such an outstanding veteran.
Skip Novakovich, Kennewick, LTC, USA (Ret.), past president CBVC
This story was originally published June 8, 2016 at 2:54 AM with the headline "Letter: Rod Bluechel most deserving of Vietnam veteran award recognition."