Gov. Katie Hobbs thanked Arizona Veterans for their service at a breakfast Tuesday in Phoenix and acknowledged that many Vietnam veterans were treated with hostility upon their return home.
This year marked the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam war. The war effort faced strong opposition from many Americans, several of whom considered it unnecessary or cruel.
More than one third of Arizona’s veterans served during the conflict.
“The state of Arizona recognizes your service, honors your service, and will always be a place that you can call home. Thank you,” Hobbs said.
She pledged that Arizona will never again let veterans be treated with disrespect.
“While veterans of previous wars were met with parades and welcome ceremonies, Vietnam vets came home to hostility and silence. This is unacceptable,” Hobbs said. “You all made massive sacrifices in defense of our American values, and I hope that today's commemoration will be a promise that we will never let that happen again.”
The breakfast was one of several Veterans Day celebrations that took place across the state, including the annual Phoenix Veterans Day Parade.
