This past Veterans Day, 38 residents and a handful of staff members, all former servicemembers, came together at The Virginian for a flag-raising ceremony and luncheon to honor their years of service.
Major General Randall West, of the Marines, acted as master of ceremonies for the event. “On the special day, Veterans Day, we come to honor those who willingly went in harm’s way,” said General West. “Together, they [the residents] make up over 412 years of service to our nation and the cause of freedom.”
Retired Air Force Major Bob Stuart, a resident at The Virginian, recounted his time in Vietnam as a search and rescue pilot: “We could be sound asleep, and the crash phone could go off and we could be airborne in two minutes. And if the plane crashed, we would go upwind of the crash and blow cool air into the flames while the firefighters would try to get anybody out that was still alive.”
Retired Navy Lt. Keith Knoblock, also a resident, reflected how “The Navy was a great experience for me. It changed my life. Put me on the right track. Gave me a lot of good values and I would do it all again in a heartbeat.”
“God help us that we will always have such young men and women that will be ready to answer the call to serve,” concluded General West.
The event was featured by ABC News – watch their coverage here.
Choice. Flexibility. Control. You'll find it all in The Virginian.
So, talk with one of our Lifestyle Counselors today at 703-385-9229.
9229 Arlington Blvd. | Fairfax, VA | 22031
Privacy Policy | Accessibility
Nondiscrimination Notice | HIPAA/Compliance | Consent Policy
COVID-19 Action and Prevention Plan
© 2022 The Virginian. All Rights Reserved.
