Congressman Brad Wenstrup, on left, presents medals to veteran James Arnold.

Congressman Brad Wenstrup, on left, presents medals to veteran James Arnold.
By Megan Alley
Sun staff

Local officials, friends and family gathered to honor nine Clermont County veterans from the World War II, Vietnam and the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.

“We owe so much to those who have served, and it’s my honor to be here with you all today to honor these people,” Congressman Brad Wenstrup said. “And, I think it’s important that we continue to pay our respect to those who have served.”

The medals ceremony, which was hosted by the Clermont County Veterans’ Services Commission, took place August 26 at The Pattison Lodge in Batavia.

As a free service through CCVSA, veterans can apply to get their service medals reissued.

“Of course, we supply the frame,” said CCVSA Executive Director Howard Daugherty. “A lot of people have lost their medals, or maybe they had a fire and they burned up or someone stole them. We will replace their medals. It’s a government thing.”

Veterans honored at the event were James Arnold, of Aberdeen, James Farquer, of Goshen, Robert Hoskinson, of Batavia, Janis Perkins, of Williamsburg, Donald Sheppard, of Batavia, Orville Tudor, of Williamsburg, Paul Trenn, of Loveland, Curtis Wilson, of Owensville and David Alan Yetter of Amelia.

“Congratulations to you all, and, to the family members, thank you, because you serve right along with them as well. They have to witness honoring fallen heroes,” said Clermont County Commissioner Bob Proud. “Of course, you all would say heroes truly are the ones who didn’t make it back, but you all made it back home, and to us, you’re heroes. So, thank you for your service and god bless.”

Arnold, a U.S. Army veteran who served in Vietnam, said he plans to put his medals next to his wife’s picture.

“I’m humbled because I feel there are too many more people that are much more deserving than me,” Arnold said. “Too many didn’t return that very much should be honored.”

The CCVSA hosts medal ceremonies about once or twice a year, depending on how veterans are being honored.

“The ceremony is a service that we provide, and we just have a nice time doing it,” Daugherty said. “The families are always thankful. The thing that’s sad is when the veteran has already passed away.”

He added, “It’s for the family. It’s memories for the family.”

Other services offered by the CCVSA include emergency financial assistance, transportation to any local Veterans Affairs medical center for appointments, assistance in filing for VA benefits, providing markers and flags for the grave of each veteran and assisting the veteran or their dependent in obtaining lost documents needed to file for federal, state or county benefits.

For more information, visit the CCVSA webpage at http://www.clermontcountyveterans.com/Services.aspx.