Staff Photo / Ed Runyan Phil Markovitz of Boardman, with Catholic War Veterans Post 1222 of Youngstown, left, and Fred Shrock of VFW 9571 of Ellsworth place a wreath Monday at the base of the Man in the Monument in Central Plaza of Youngstown as part of Mahoning County Veterans Day Services.

YOUNGSTOWN – George Otto of Youngstown, the guest speaker at Monday’s Veterans Day ceremony at the Mahoning County Courthouse, served as a U.S. Army combat advisor in South Vietnam in 1971, but spent decades later helping to veterans through the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

Otto focused most of his presentation on the many ways the American military and its veterans have shaped America: through the educational impact of the military, the lessons veterans learned, the self-esteem they gained, and the way in which veterans continue to impact society after their military service. service.

“The greatest educational institution in American history has been the United States military,” he said, noting the basic training, advanced training and other training they received, calling it “pretty impressive.” Training manuals written for the military “are some of the best written documents that exist in this country,” he said.

The manuals were written by highly educated people because they needed to be understood by a wide variety of people. “They are almost impressive in their thoroughness, conciseness, clarity and also quite understandable for the reader,” he said.

Many military members joined before receiving their high school diploma and some received help obtaining their GED. Many veterans later used the GI Bill to obtain an education that would help them launch careers in society’s most important positions, he said.

The U.S. military has “very much encouraged the concept of teamwork,” he said, adding: “That’s extremely significant, particularly in these times when there aren’t always a lot of people coming together to agree on a lot of things.

“The military in all circumstances required people to work together to carry out a particular mission, and it didn’t matter where they were from or who they were in terms of age, education… they had to come together and carry out a mission. .”

He said he believes one of the biggest lessons military veterans learned is that “they had to look past their differences and do something important. “We have set a very good example for this country in terms of…teamwork,” he said of the veterans.

Another thing the US military provides is a “sense of belonging.” In his case, Otto can say that he is a “veteran of the United States Army.” I served in the infantry. I served as an executive director, also as an advisor. “I also helped establish a drug treatment program.” It creates a “sense of self-worth,” he said.

Another result of being a military veteran, “without even thinking about it, is the promotion of patriotism,” he said. “Veterans have done a lot to promote the flag.” Many people are not very aware of American history, “but the events we promote are,” Otto said.

Many military organizations such as the American Legion have youth programs that “teach civics lessons to young people.” Other veterans groups have Voice of Democracy programs.

He said veterans have “countless opportunities to promote patriotism.” Each veteran “is an important walking, talking part of American history. “We not only made history, we are history and it should be recorded.” The Mahoning Valley is fortunate to have media outlets that tell the stories of military veterans, he said.

Phil Markovitz of Boardman, Youngstown Catholic War Veterans Post 1222, explained the meaning of the wreath during the ceremony.

“This morning we are here to honor all the veterans, men and women, who sacrificed in all wars on this Veterans Day,” he said. “We are honored to receive the wreath prepared for us by the Mahoning County Veterans Service Commission. “We will take it to the Monument Man and place it with due respect to all the veterans who have sacrificed in all wars for the United States of America,” he said.

The Monument Man is an American Civil War monument in Central Square, one block up Market Street from the courthouse.

When the program at the courthouse ended, veterans were invited to sign the panels surrounding the new “Stand Together – A Veteran’s Flag” displayed in the courthouse rotunda.