Veterans Day celebration
<p>From left to right, Naval veteran Mike Couture, tribal elder Pat Pierre and Coast Guard veteran Dan Jackson lead the grand entry at Friday's Veteran Warrior Society powwow in Pablo. The 20th annual Veterans Day event honored those who served our nation with traditional music and dance.</p>
<p>World War II veteran and tribe elder Francis Stanger spoke at the gathering.</p>
PABLO — In honor of Veterans Day the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) celebrated their 20th Annual Veteran Warrior Society Powwow. Held at the Joe McDonald Athletic Complex in Pablo, the grand entry was led by veterans from several branches of the armed forces.
Organizing the event was Coast Guard veteran Dan Jackson. He said that the Veteran Warrior Society (VWS) would hold two more grand entries followed by a deer stew dinner in honor of Veterans Day. The VWS was also invited for the second year to furnish the Honor Guard at the Veterans Day Ceremony, held at the Dough Boy Monument in Missoula.
The VWS was founded in 1992 to help veterans still living, and honor those who have died. The organization provides veterans with services including, assistance with the Veterans Administration, transportation to medical appointments, and attending funerals of both active and former service members. The society requires members be both a veteran and Native.
The VWS organized the powwow to honor the veterans in recognition of their service. The event also featured a blessing and a speech from World War II veteran Francis Stanger.
In his speech, Stanger thanked veterans for their numerous contributions to this country, followed by leading the powwow attendees in the “Victory Song” and an “Our Father” prayer in Salish.
Stanger joined the Marines when he was 17 and was sent off to Japan right after the bombing.
“Everything was blown to heck,“ he said, but still remembers his arrival.
“I remember passing a ship as we were arriving and seeing the guys heading home. They saluted us as we went by, and I remember thinking, we should be saluting them.”
Stanger was part of the last regiment in Japan after the war and from there was sent to Northern China before returning home.
“These veterans have given their lives for our country, “ Stanger said, “This celebration is in honor of all those missed holidays and birthdays with family when veterans were overseas in a foxhole or in the desert. These are the people that sacrifice to keep our country free. We only have 15 or so Native American veterans left on the reservation, “ Stanger stated, “we need to make sure to thank them.“