Mason, Ohio, honors Vietnam veterans with parade and ceremony

Mason, Ohio, is preparing to honor Vietnam veterans with a special parade and ceremony. This event takes place more than 50 years after the Vietnam War ended. Local officials, including veterans Mark Haake and Joshua Styrcula, organized the event to give these service members the welcome home they missed decades ago. The parade will go through the municipal campus and feature veterans transported by local Jeep club members called the Muddy Buddies. The ceremony will include a roll call of veterans. A Vietnam veteran will deliver a keynote address. Attendees will also see the presentation of commemorative pins and challenge coins. Haake and Styrcula want to make sure this recognition is meaningful. They remember how Vietnam veterans faced hostility when they returned home. "They were told not to wear their uniforms in public," Haake said, highlighting the anger veterans faced. Styrcula, who experienced a different return after Iraq, said, "This is our chance to say, 'Welcome home. Thank you for your service.'" The event will include local students. The K Kids club from Mason Intermediate School is making welcome home cards for veterans. The goal is to connect generations and finally show appreciation to these service members. Veterans and their families from the area are invited to join, no matter their connection to Mason. Registration for veterans can be done through the American Legion Joe Barr Post 194 website. For more details on community participation, people can visit the City of Mason's website.