Ret. U.S. Army Brigadier General Donald Blaine Smith -- who served in Vietnam and is currently Putnam County sheriff -- was the guest speaker to over 200 attendees, which included 110 community and Vietnam veteran residents from VA Hudson Valley and Montrose NYS Nursing Home.
Additional attendees included U.S. Congresswoman Nita Lowey; representatives from the offices of U.S. Congressman Chris Gibson and U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand; Willie Nazario, national senior vice commander of the Military Order of Purple Heart; and various veteran organizations.
Entertainment was provided by MSgt. MaryKay Messenger, a U.S. Military Academy Band vocalist. Smith and the VA Hudson Valley Medical Center director also handed out commemorative lapel pins to each Vietnam veteran in attendance.
VA Hudson Valley Health Care System will also hold a commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War at the Castle Point campus, on Tuesday, Aug. 30, from 12:30-2 p.m.
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