INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) - A special ceremony Tuesday night gave a group of Hoosier veterans the homecoming that many of them never received.
The city of Carmel, along with the local VFW Post and American Legion Post hosted the "Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans" event. They presented each Vietnam veteran with a special lapel pin and a 50th commemorative Challenge Coin.
Those who served in the war call the recognition a long time coming.
"A lot of these guys have PTSD, not necessarily because of everything that happened at war, but because of what happened at home. These guys never lost a battle, but they feel like they've lost a war. So making them feel good, making them feel important as to what they did in serving their country, this is a great thing to do," said Bob Beck, assistant commander of American Legion Post 155.
Beck, a Vietnam veteran himself, said similar ceremonies honoring Vietnam veterans are now happening across the country and they're glad to have played a role in helping the effort spread.