Women Veterans Day was recognized by the State of Florida by proclamation from Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2021.

“Florida has the second largest population of women veterans in the country. With our military presence in Okaloosa County, it is only fitting that we take a moment to recognize the courageous contributions women have made to this nation,” said Okaloosa County Commissioner Carolyn Ketchel. “We are so fortunate to have a one-of-kind park that honors women veterans like Margaret Corbin, who bravely took up arms to protect our freedom in the Revolutionary War.”

Eight women who served in combat during various U.S. military conflicts are honored at Veterans Park with life-sized bronze statues strategically placed along a quarter-mile path. It is surrounded by native wildlife that includes a nearby great blue heron rookery.

Another hero recognized at Veterans Park is Cathay Williams. She was the first documented African American woman who served as a soldier in the U.S. Army and the only known female to serve with the famed Buffalo Soldiers in the Civil War. Despite the ban allowing women to serve in the war, she nobly posed as a man to enlist.

A Northwest Florida veteran, Jackie Cochran, is also among the eight recognized at the park. Cochran was a pilot from DeFuniak Springs who held more speed, distance, and altitude records than any other flyer during her career. In 1964 she flew an aircraft faster than any woman had before. In 1953, eager to make the transition to jet aircraft, Cochran became the first woman to break the sound barrier, piloting an F-86.

In honor of Cochran, Northwest Florida State College is holding a production of “Flight of Jackie Cochran” at 2 p.m. June 4 at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center’s Sprint Theater. The cost is $30, and proceeds will benefit the Okaloosa County Women Veterans Monuments. Tickets can be purchased at mattiekellyartscenter.org.

Learn more about the heroes depicted at Women Veterans Monuments at Veterans’ Park at myokaloosa.com/bcc/women-veterans-memorial.

“The aviation industry needs more pilots and we are pleased that the VA is allowing Okaloosa County Airports to help meet that need,” said Okaloosa County Commissioner and Aviation Board liaison Carolyn Ketchel. “Many of our residents are veterans and now they will have the opportunity to use their VA benefits toward a future in aviation.”

The following courses/programs are approved for veteran training under 14 CFR Part 141 and meet the criteria of Title 38 USC §3672(2)(A)(ii): 

n Commercial Pilot Certificate

n Airplane Instrument Rating

Aircraft available for training include Cessna, C150, C172, C182, a Piper Seminole twin and a Red Bird FMX full motion simulator. Learn more about this training, go to www.destinflightworks.com.

VA education benefits help veterans, service members, and their qualified family members with needs like paying college tuition, finding the right school or training program, and getting career counseling.

“It’s an honor to be able to train our local veterans after all they have sacrificed for the country,” said Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners Chairman Trey Goodwin. “This opportunity will allow the aviation industry to tap into the skills and experience that already exists with our veterans in Okaloosa County.”

Veterans interested in learning more about VA education benefits should visit the official government website at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

The March 9 reception Eglin’s Air Force Armament Museum was held to honor the eight POWs who would go on to call Okaloosa County their home after their release from the POW camp in March 1973.

The numbers Merkel spoke of, 14,924, 497.5 and 41.5, all dealt with the amount of time the eight men spent in captivity, under some of the most brutal of conditions, as prisoners of war in Vietnam.

“What do these represent? Well, the 14,924 represents the total number of days these gentlemen were in POW status,” Merkel said. “The 497 ½ represents the number of months that they were held. And 41.5 is the number of years that they lost.

“I was struck by the fact that nearly everyone that I read about as a former POW elected to remain on active duty to continue their service to our country after they were released,” he added.

Following the Paris Peace Accords in 1973, 591 U.S. POWs were returned home as part of Operation Homecoming.

The eight local POWs who were honored in last week’s ceremony were the late Brig. Gen. (Retired) George “Bud” Day, who was held prisoner for five years and seven months; the late Col. (Retired) Richard Dutton, five years and five months; Col. (Retired) Keith Hall, six years and two months; Col. (Retired) Howard Hill, five years and three months; Col. (Retired) Ed Hubbard, six years and seven months; Col. (Retired) Ron Webb, five years and nine months; Lt. Col. (Retired) Dave Gray, six years and two months; and Kenneth Fraser, one year, two months.

“I’m blessed to be one of the 591 prisoners that were released 50 years ago,” Gray said. “… I have to say even though we endured harsh and even sometimes brutal treatment and deprivations, that we grew emotionally and some intellectually, and became better people, and speaking for myself, it wasn’t anything that I did. It was my cellmates that did it.”

During his 2,233 days as a prisoner, Gray said he and the other POWs would try to find as much light as they could in the darkness. POWs would teach one another, have church services and sing “God Bless America,” which Hubbard led the crowd at the Eglin’s Air Force Armament Museum in a rendition of at the ceremony.

“As Americans, that’s part of our makeup,” Gray said. “We have the ability to laugh at things even under the most dire circumstances.”

“We trusted our government and we had faith,” added Hill. “Faith in our country, faith in God, faith in our fellow man, and we knew we were going home someday. We just didn’t know when. But we knew we we’re going to hang out as long as it took.”

The original plan for the reception was to hold it on March 4, the actual 50^th anniversary Hubbard, Webb and Gray were released. However, Hubbard actually returned to Vietnam this month and was able to tour the cell he was first placed in, in what he called a powerful experience.

“I was there walking down the hall, walking into the cell where I spent my first 15 days,” Hubbard said.

The foundation celebrated the half-way point on the build last week with friends, family and supporters from across the community, as well as those with the foundation, on hand to get a look at the work in progress.

Prescott was wounded while serving in Afghanistan on Dec. 4, 2018. Among other things, the wound left him paralyzed from the waist down.

“Honestly, recovery was a little rough, obviously” Prescott said. “But after that, I’m just living life, loving being home with my family.

“The house gives me independence to do my own stuff that I do every day without the help of my wife (Carrie).”

Pete Franzen is a senior project manager for the Gary Sinise Foundation. He helps coordinate the builds in different locations and watch the houses take shape.

“We average about 10 complete house a year,” he said. “I think we are up to four in this general area. In a military community like this, where the support (for the military) is thriving, community involvement comes pretty natural.

“I think in the communities where there’s not a lot of military, it’s just telling the story,” Franzen added. “It’s getting the word out there. When people are aware, they want to support it.”

The Prescott home is more than 3,000 square feet. And, of course, it’s being built with Prescott and his needs in mind.

Franzen stressed the importance of giving back to veterans such as Prescott, who have willingly given their health for our freedom.

“It’s critical that we support our veterans,” he said. “I think that as a country we need to do a better job of supporting our veterans.  We can never do enough.”

The Gary Sinise Foundation is a nonprofit created by “Forrest Gump” and “Apollo 13” actor Gary Sinise in 2011 to help wounded veterans, first responders and their families. Since it’s creation, the nonprofit has built more than 75 adapted smart homes for wounded veterans and first responders.