Story:
The brotherhood of veterans is hard to understand if you’re not a veteran. If you have a few drinks with a veteran and get him or her to open up, you may start to get a glimpse at what it’s like, but you truly won’t know the love and honor they have for each other unless you have served.
“We’re a crazy bunch of guys, but we’re dedicated and believe in what we represent,” Phil Deckard, 74, said as he and a handful of veterans enjoyed a drink at the American Legion after a recent funeral.
Deckard is an Army veteran and a member of the Monroe County Veterans Honor Guard.
The all-volunteer guard gives veterans their last honor by performing a 21-gun salute, playing taps and presenting an American flag to the relatives.
“We’re paying tribute and honor to a brother,” Deckard said. “Whether it was World War I, II, even back in the Spanish if they were still alive ... we are still brothers in arms.” ....
Caption:
Richard Koons, left, and Phil Deckard joke around as they wait for the funeral procession to arrive at Clear Creek Cemetery in Bloomington , IN., Monday, May 18, 2015.