On Veterans Day, Exchanges Worldwide Pay Tribute to Heroes With Special Coins

Fort Sill_Veterans Day 2022

For the third year in a row, Exchanges worldwide honored those who have served with a challenge coin giveaway on Veterans Day. The coins feature an eagle on one side and emblems for all six military branches on the other.

In a united sign of appreciation for their sacrifice, Veterans were eligible to receive coins at all military exchanges and commissaries.

At the Fort Sill Exchange, retired Army Master Sgt. George Postell, a Vietnam Veteran, said that being a Veteran has taken on more meaning lately.

“In 1969, when I returned from Vietnam, I was ashamed of our treatment,” said Postell, a four-time Purple Heart recipient. “The names we were called left me with a bad feeling, but I overcame that and continued to serve and retire from the Army. The satisfaction of knowing I served my country—I always felt an obligation to do that.”

Although Soldiers in Vietnam were usually sent home after they were injured three times, Postell chose to stay because taking care of his brothers was stronger than any injury. When he was wounded a fourth time, he decided it was time to go home. He served until 1988, when he retired and went to work for the civil service.

“Being a Veteran in the United States has a more powerful meaning than civilians will ever understand,” he said. We paid the price in blood.”

Fort Sill Command Sgt. Major William C. Taylor presents retired Army Master Sgt. George Postell, a Vietnam Veteran and four-time Purple Heart recipient, with a Veterans Day challenge coin.

Retired Army Staff Sgt. Erica Traxler and her husband, retired Army SFC Randy Traxler, also picked up coins at Fort Sill.

“Being dual military was a reward for us but being a veteran means giving back to the community,” Erica Traxler said. “We get to represent something bigger than ourselves and leave a legacy with our girls, family and community.”

Army Veteran Pfc. Juan Ramirez, a combat engineer who volunteered for service during the Vietnam War, picked up a coin at the Kaiserslautern Military Community Center Exchange at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

Ramirez was stationed in Germany during the Vietnam War and helped to build a bridge on the Rhine River. But he had someone else in mind for the coin.

“I joined to give my son a better future,” Ramirez said. “I actually want to give this coin to my son, who also served our Nation as a Marine during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.”

Army Veteran Lt. Col. Herman Celosse (right), who served with the 299th Combat Engineer Battalion during the Vietnam War, and Col. Don Nowlin (left), Exchange Europe/Southwest Asia/Africa region commander, cut the cake during Kaiserslautern Military Community Center Exchange’s Veterans Day challenge coin giveaway.

Retired Army Veteran Lt. Col. Herman Celosse, who served with the 299th Combat Engineer Battalion during the Vietnam War, joined Col. Don Nowlin, Exchange Europe/Southwest Asia/Africa region commander, in cutting the cake during the KMCC Exchange’s giveaway Nov. 11.

“It is an honor and privilege to serve,” Celosse said. “Freedom is always worth fighting for.”

Show us your celebration!

Send us your photos of your store’s challenge coin giveaway for a special Flickr album. Please send high-res jpegs as attachments (not in the body of the email) to exchangepost@aafes.com and socialmedia@aafes.com.

Fort Sill Assistant Store Manager Julia Yount and Sgt. 1st Class Taresha Hill contributed to this report.

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