Let’s talk about Greenville’s Veteran’s parade.

There was no parade. What happened? The marching band stood on a side street, not marching. There was a fire truck with a flag. The Honor Guard was there, and a couple of school buses with school children. The person speaking on the Courthouse steps was unable to be heard because of the music playing over the speakers. I watched my 98-year-old WW2 veteran father sing the national anthem and salute the flag. It was hard to keep the tears back knowing what he went through and remembering what I went through.

When l came home from serving in Vietnam, I landed in Oakland, Calif. I was proud to wear my uniform and proud to serve my country. I was spit on and called a baby killer. I found a shop in the airport to buy a shirt and pants to look like everyone else so l wasn’t recognizable. I didn’t get a parade in 1969; and here we are 50 years later and I still don’t get one.

The Holiday Horse Parade draws thousands of people – to watch horses pull wagons with lights. When KitchenAid has a sidewalk sale, people line up around the block to get a good deal. The city gets excited for the high school Homecoming Parade, yet maybe 50 onlookers show up for our Veteran’s Parade?

I’d like to see a group of local people give the Darke County veterans the parade they deserve. Let’s get the schools, sports teams, businesses, and clubs involved, too. As of 2018, over 14 percent of the population of Darke County are veterans. Let’s show the country that our county cares.

Darke County can do better.

From the Miller’s chair,

Terry Clark,

Greenville