MURFREESBORO Vietnam War veterans grasped candles in a cold parking lot on Christmas Eve to speak and hear Tennessee Commissioner of Veterans Affairs Many-Bears Grinder thank them for their service.
“It means a lot to me to have someone say welcome home,” said Bob Mims, a Murfreesboro resident who served in the Marines during the war. “It might be 40 years later, but it does help.”
Nims was among about 40 to 50 people who gathered for the candlelight ceremony to honor Vietnam War veterans in front of H30 Aquatics, a business that provides pool therapy for veterans.
“It’s going to be an annual event every Christmas Eve,” said Capt. Michael Burrows, an Iraqi War veteran who is the the owner of H30 Aquatics.
H30 Aquatics, which is located at 236 Robert Rose Drive across the street from the back side of where the Home Depot store is located off Old Fort Parkway, also will hold candlelight ceremonies for Vietnam War veterans and their families at 6 p.m. on Christmas Day and Friday. Any veterans wishing to speak will be able to then as they did on Christmas Eve, said Burrows, who was able to include Grinder as a guest speaker for the first ceremony.
“We should never forget the 58,000 Vietnam War veterans that never came home,” Grinder told the audience.
Grinder said it was shameful that the veterans who came home were denied a heroes welcome that they deserved.
She also praised Vietnam War veterans for the advocacy work they’ve done to improve Veterans Affairs services, including medical treatment.
“Their voices were heard,” Grinder said. “There’s a lot of physical wounds that our veterans still suffer.”
Grinder urged the audience to “never forget that this is the greatest nation in the world” only because veterans are willing to serve to protect the country.
Burrows also talked about how the Vietnam War veterans encountered ridicule and mistreatment when they came home and were long overdue to be shown dignity and appreciation that they rightfully deserved.
When veterans were invited to come to the microphone to speak, Ken Norfleet of Smyrna was the first one. He talked about losing friends during the war, as well as others he knew who suffered from illnesses and early death related to being exposed to the Agent Orange, a herbicide the U.S. military used to kill foliage hiding the enemy.
“They were poisoned by not being taught how to handle it,” Norfleet said.
Like Norfleet, Mims offered similar sentiments about the war.
“I’m here to speak for some of my friends who didn’t make it,” Mims said. “I suffered for 35 years with post traumatic stress syndrome.”
Nims credited his wife for helping him seek help in 2007 to restore his hope. He also wants to help others with his Hope Farms homeless shelter for veterans, which will use horticulture therapy to help rehabilitate those seeking assistance.
“Twenty-two veterans commit suicide every day,” Mims said. “If we can help just one a year, what would it be worth? Hopefully, I can help more than that once we get the home established.”
Those wanting to be involved with Hope Farms can learn more through the website ptsdawareness.org, Mims said.
