Over 50 years later, Vietnam Veterans finally feel welcomed home
Vietnam Veterans Bob and Scotty Dick say they finally got the recognition they never had, thanks to an Honor Flight and VA employees who help Veterans in and outside of work.
When Bob Dick came home from Vietnam in 1972, no one clapped.
No one cheered.
No one shook his hand.
“I was spat on at the airport,” he said. “If it hadn’t been for a sergeant stopping me, I probably would have gotten in a fight.”
His wife, Cobena “Scotty” Dick, served in the Women’s Army Corps from 1970 to 1973.
As a stock control and accounting specialist, she kept things moving behind the scenes. Like other Veterans of her era, her service wasn’t consistently recognized.
Unexpected homecoming
Over 50 years later, in October 2024, they stepped off a plane in Washington, D.C., to something they never expected—cheers, applause, and people lined up to thank them.
“We just stood there, looking at it all,” Scotty said. “They clapped for us, and they had signs and balloons. It was overwhelming.”
Bob had always wanted to see the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. When he and Scotty were invited to join an Honor Flight with fellow Veterans, they finally had the chance to visit the war memorials built in their honor.
From the World War II Memorial to The Wall, Bob reflected on his father and father-in-law’s generation and their struggles.
“It made me realize how much our dads went through in World War II,” he said. “It also showed me that time does change things. People appreciate service now in a way they didn’t back then.”
A path to healing
Honor Flights are more than just sightseeing. For many Veterans, especially those who served in Vietnam, the experience brings long-overdue recognition and closure.
Making the trip isn’t always easy. Some, like Bob and Scotty, have to push past health concerns and the emotions of revisiting the past.
Bob took in the names on The Wall at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Scotty watched him reconnect with other Veterans, sharing stories he had locked away for decades.
“I think it gave him a sense of peace,” she said. “For him, it was closure. These new memories replaced the old ones, which made it worth it.”
Bob agreed.
“The camaraderie was the best part,” he said. “Being around other Veterans, knowing they understood.”
VA employees serve in and out of uniform
These honor flights are partly made possible by Suzy Stevenson, a program specialist in nursing service at Oklahoma City VA.
A Veteran herself, Stevenson began volunteering with Oklahoma Warriors Honor Flight in October 2024, helping organize send-offs, fundraise and welcome Veterans home.
Stevenson said serving Veterans is deeply personal to her.
“I wish my dad, a U.S. Navy Seabee and Vietnam Veteran, could’ve attended,” Stevenson said. “I didn’t learn much about his time in Vietnam until the day of his funeral. I wonder if being in the same room with others with similar experiences might have allowed us to connect and share our stories as Veterans.”
Stevenson's dedication to Veterans extends beyond the doors of the VA medical center. She encourages other VA employees to help honor Veterans at every stage of life through volunteering.
“A special project in this state that lets people like me give a little back to the ones that gave so much,” she said.
For Bob and Scotty, the trip was a long-overdue moment of recognition.
“We were finally welcomed home,” Bob said. “That’s something I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.”
By Jesus Flores, writer and editor for the VISN 19 Creative Task Force and a Marine Corps Veteran.