JEFF DAVIS PARISH — Veterans Day is approaching and several communities will come together to pay their respects to those who served or are serving in the U.S. Military this weekend.
Brandee Patrick, Director of Communications at the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs, said vets should be celebrated daily, not just one day in the year.
Randy Kimball said he was drafted into the service back in 1968 and worked as a truck driver during the Vietnam War, just a month after his older brother.
"He got drafted in '67," Kimball said. "They got him in the last part of '67 and in April of '68 they got me."
Kimball said at the time, there was an agreement in place, where many U.S. soldiers were released from the service, earlier than anticipated.
"He got out at the end of the year and the busy war so anybody they drafted, they let them get out early," Kimball said.
Kimball said he was also released, a few months before his two-year contract was up.
Now, Kimball lives in the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Home in Jennings, where he gets access to resources like healthcare, a crisis hotline, daily meals, activities and more.
Volunteers interested in spending time with veterans can schedule visits with vets like Kimball, not just on Veterans Day, but year-round.
