Airmen remember veterans on Valentine's Day

Published Feb. 14, 2008
By Staff Sgt. Stacia Zachary
96th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- A wave of blue flooded retirement and assisted living homes filled with veterans along Florida's Emerald Coast Feb. 14.

In honor of all veteran service members and their spouses, more than 50 Airmen from Eglin AFB visited four facilities and hand-delivered Valentine's Day cards and yellow ribbons.

Col. Eric Pohland, 96th Air Base Wing commander, was among those who took part in the event, coordinated by the Top Three Association.

"Happy Valentine's Day and thank you," the commander said to those at the Westwood Retirement Resort. "We are here for you. We are your legacy and I can only hope that we continue every day to live in the same spirit you did and continue the amazing tradition your sacrifices helped establish for us."

When asked who was the oldest veteran in the crowd, retired Col. Joseph Stanley stood and acknowledged that not only was he the oldest at age 100, but he has ties to Eglin AFB.

"The Airmen are still the same great people they have always been," he said. "The only difference is the planes and weapons are better. I look forward to these visits - brings me back to the (19)50s when I was commander of Eglin."

The veterans enjoyed talking about their experiences and hearing about the most recent exploits of the Airmen serving now.

"All they want is to share those cherished memories with someone who can understand and appreciate what they have been through," said Senior Master Sgt. Steve Bentancourt, 96th Medical Support Squadron.

"I'm here for my husband," said Betty Heider. "Talking to (the Airmen) make me feel closer to him."

Ms. Heider recalled her time as a military spouse and raved that her husband, a former Army Air Corps pilot, "flew everything from 'Gooneybirds' to jets and every moment was amazing ... sometimes I felt like I was living his dream."

By coincidence, the visiting Airmen were able to help one couple celebrate their 66th wedding anniversary.

"Every day with my bride is special for me and today is even more so having you here," said Charles "Bud" Mundy, a former B-52 pilot and World War II Prisoner of War. "Her and my men (the military) have gotten me through many hard days."

"We love the military," said Mernie Mundy, Bud's wife of more than six decades. "You never forget us."

As the valentine visits came to a close, the Airmen were reminded of the immense responsibility they have in honoring those who came before them.

"This year our theme is 'Heritage to Horizons,'" Colonel Pohland said. "It's amazing how relevant that is, especially now. By saying 'yes' to our heritage and taking time to honor our veterans and learning about our past, we prepare ourselves for the future. As long as we do that, we will continue to succeed in the same great tradition of our forefathers."