WLUC TV 6 Marquette: Sen. Peters honors Marquette Vietnam Vets

Vietnam veterans were honored Monday morning at the D.J. Jacobetti Home for Veterans.

Michigan U.S. Senator Gary Peters presented the veterans with a lapel pin commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War.

Senator Peters is in town to begin his second "Ride Michigan" motorcycle tour which goes from Marquette to western Michigan.

"May 25, 2012, President Barrack Obama issued a proclamation commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War," D.J. Jacobetti Home for Vets Director Ryan Engle said.

The proclamation honors the more than 58,000 names on the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington D.C., those still missing in action, and all those who served from November 1, 1955 to May 15, 1973.

"Because of you we know it is our obligation to look after each veteran when they come home," US Senator for Michigan Gary Peters said.

Senator Peters says the veterans of the Vietnam conflict taught our country a lesson that protects all veterans to this day.

"What we've learned from the Vietnam conflict is that we can never turn our backs on the men and women who serve," Senator Peters said. "We have to honor their service both when they're serving and when they come back from harms way, we can never treat our veterans the way our veterans were treated when they came back from Vietnam."

The proclamation by President Obama, and the presentation of the commemorative pins to all who served during that time, acknowledges those who served in lesser known, but equally important locations.

"I was stationed in Texas and also Germany," Vietnam vet Mike Greer said. "It's some final recognition for all of those that didn't get to serve over there, but we were part of the war, we know we served and it's kind of nice to let everyone know we served."

Senator Peters was recently recognized as the Legislator of the Year by the Vietnam Veterans of America.

He was honored due to his efforts to help veterans, who were given a less than honorable discharge due to effects related to PTSD, get the benefits they earned.