LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Veterans, your service mattered, your sacrifices mattered

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Veterans, your service mattered, your sacrifices mattered To the editor: As a veteran of the U.S. Navy, I consider my service one of the greatest honors of my life. As a Vietnam veteran, I was exposed to Agent Orange, and over the years I have faced significant medical challenges, including three open heart surgeries, Type II diabetes, Crohn's disease, and other related conditions. In the late 1990s, I joined the Veterans of Foreign Wars. As a life member, I felt a strong responsibility to support veterans throughout Kittitas County. That commitment led to securing a permanent location for a VFW post in the town of Kittitas. Since 2006, Rodeo Post 683 has proudly served veterans in both the Kittitas and Ellensburg communities. Today, our post faces a challenge familiar to veteran organizations across the nation. Our WWII, Korean War and Vietnam veterans are aging and passing on. To continue our mission, we urgently need the next generation of veterans — those who served in Desert Storm, Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan — to join us and carry forward the legacy of service. For more than two decades, the individual who has generously allowed us to use our current location has shown unwavering respect and support for veterans. We remain deeply grateful for that commitment. We welcome all veterans and their families who may need assistance, connection or guidance. Rodeo Post 683 holds monthly meetings, and we encourage veterans to attend, ask questions, and seek support. We can provide referrals to resources, and I am available to assist with access to the VA system. Our County Health Department's Veteran Service Officers are an exceptional team who work closely with us each week. We invite veterans to join us at our post, located at 106 N. Main Street, Kittitas, WA. Our mailing address is PO Box 568, Kittitas, WA 98934. I am Dennis Cort, Senior Vice Commander of Rodeo Post 683. I can be reached at 509-929-4070 cort_dennis@yahoo.com. To all veterans: Your service mattered, your sacrifices mattered, and your presence still matters. We hope you will join us in continuing this important work. DENNIS CORT Kittitas