A contingent of Vietnam veterans were welcomed home at Fort Riley on Wednesday.

Some of the veterans wiped away tears as they received a thank you and recognition for their service.

Major General Wayne Grigsby Jr., commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley, told the veterans the burdens they bore in Vietnam were being honored during the ceremony, “fully knowing they were not embraced as they should have been when they came home. ”

Grigsby said the failure of the nation to care for the Vietnam veterans did not keep them from caring for one another and all the veterans, and their buddies. “Vietnam veterans have gone above and beyond to make sure that our current generation of soldiers, sailors, marines and coast guardsmen do not have the same experience they did.”

Grigsby told the audience that the soldiers being honored showed their devotion to this nation in Vietnam.

One of the veterans, Jackie McDonald, Junction City, said he appreciated the respect that was shown. “It made me feel like I did something for my country. I just want to thank the American people for giving me this opportunity, exposing this to me, and making me a veteran….feel like a real veteran now.”

McDonald served in the infantry during his time in Vietnam. He also saw duty in Cambodia, Laos and with special forces near the DMZ. “I just thank God I’m back here in one piece and happy to be here.”

Wiley Morris Sr., Junction City noted the ceremony brought back a lot of memories of what he has been through. He said it was a good ceremony. “It was, it was really good, I enjoyed it.”  Morris served in the Marines during World War II and in the Army in Korea and Vietnam.

Vietnam veteran John Seitz, Junction City, said it’s nice to see the veterans receive the recognition for their service, and General Grigsby did a great job of doing that. “And we should all be grateful that somebody still cares.” Seitz served in the artillery in the 1st Infantry Division during one tour in Vietnam.

The soldiers marched into a hangar at Marshall Army Airfield with patriotic music playing and to the cheers of family, friends, and current soldiers at Fort Riley. It was the second welcome home ceremony for Vietnam Veterans at the post in recent months. The first one was held last November.