Good Day everyone.

First of all I would like to thank WRJO FM and all those people involved in putting this program together. What a wonderful way to salute all of America's veterans. My name is Gary Bjorkquist, I've been a veterans employment representative with the state of Michigan for the past 18 years. I've been involved in veterans' work for the past 26 years.

I live in Gladstone Michigan, in the Upper Peninsula, travel a lot throughout the state and mid-west promoting veterans and the great work they can do for employers. I served with the United States Army from 1968 to 1971. With 1969 being the year I spent in Vietnam with the 523rd Engineer Company Port Construction. And in 1970 and '71 with the First Infantry Division, the big Red One. I'm a member of the American Legion, and Disabled American Veterans.

For the past 11 years I've also been traveling around the mid-west and west with a slide program called "Vietnam through Our Eyes." I put this together with the help of many friends, to help to tell Vietnam story to high schools, colleges, and anyone that would like to see and hear what it was like for our troops in Vietnam, being told by those who were there.

Today I'd like to share with you two quotes that mean a lot to me. First one is from Theodore Roosevelt

"It's not the critic who counts, not the person who points out how a strong person stumbled, or were the doer of deeds could have done better, the credit belongs to the one who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust, and sweat and blood, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause. Who at best, if they win knows the thrills of high achievement, and if they fail, at least fails daring greatly, so that there place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."

I try to live that each day through my work.

The second one is from Diane Carlson Evans, founder of the Vietnam Women's Memorial.

"We the Veterans, and first hand witnesses of the Vietnam War still have so much to do, to give, to teach, to learn and pass on. The burden is ours to teach the history as we lived it."

What better way to tell the truth, is for those of us who were there in Vietnam to share with today's generation.

There are so many great songs from the 60's decade it's really hard for me to chose just one. But I think my all time favorite is, "For What It's Worth" by the Buffalo Springfield. Please enjoy your Memorial Day Weekend. God bless you, keep the faith, remember it's not the time heals the wounds, it's what you do with the time.

Thank you.