Katelyn Umholtz | The Valdosta Daily TimesHalcyon Hospice and Crossroads Baptist Church held a joint Certificate of Honor and Lapel Pin Ceremony for Vietnam Veterans Saturday.

VALDOSTA — More than 30 area Vietnam Veterans were honored in a lapel pin ceremony Saturday. 

The ceremony was jointly hosted by Halcyon Hospice and Crossroads Baptist Church, where the event was held.

Veterans were asked to sign up in advance to get their recognition by the two organizations and the Georgia Department of Veterans Service South Region.

“Things were different for Vietnam brethren,” said Vince Pritchett, director of the South Region. “You were far too often blamed for a war you didn’t start and for the misdeeds of a few when you should have been praised. We must never forget those who served before. We owe you and your fellow brethren a great deal of respect.”

There are at least 210,000 Vietnam Veterans living in Georgia today, said Brian Zeringue, director of public information for GDVS.

For those veterans in Valdosta and surrounding counties, they received a certificate signed by Gov. Brian Kemp as well as the opportunity to listen to several community members and the church and hospice staff thank them for their service.

That included retired fire chief and mayoral candidate J.D. Rice and Chief Master Sgt. Bruce McPherson of Moody Air Force Base.

Zeringue said Cari Brown-Hawley, a volunteer coordinator for Halcyon Hospice, asked state officials to come down to hold the ceremony. 

“The certificate of honor program started March 2015 under Gov. (Nathan) Deal,” Zeringue said. “When Gov. Kemp was inaugurated, he continued that program.”

It has been more than a month since the annual National Vietnam War Veterans Day, but Zeringue said the veterans deserve recognition any time of the year.

“These are veterans that paved the way for veterans today,” Zeringue said. “It’s never too late to say thank you. The Vietnam veterans never got that simple acknowledgement on a public level.”

Katelyn Umholtz is a reporter with the Valdosta Daily Times. She can be contacted at (229)244-3400 ext. 1256.