Ben Garbacz/Daily Mining Gazette Michigan Tech's Arnold Air Society's Black Sheep Squadron served food to veterans and their families at the Copper Ingot Post 4624's anual Veterans Day Buffet on Saturday. This year marked 80 years the buffet has occurred, beginning in 1945 by returning WWII veterans.

HUBBELL — The VFW Copper Ingot Post 4624 hosted its 80th annual Veterans Day Buffet Saturday with assistance from Michigan Tech’s Arnold Air Society’s Black Sheep Squadron. The VFW invited two special guests for the occasion, State Sen. Ed McBroom (R-Vulcan) and State Rep. Dave Prestin (R-Cedar River). On the lower level of the post, members of Michigan Tech’s Young Americans for Freedom and Turning Point USA were collecting items for care packages and hand-written cards for deployed troops during the Holiday season.

The buffets began in 1945 for returning WWII veterans and has served as a gathering for veterans of every conflict since. The buffet honored veterans, held a POW MIA ceremony and allowed a space for veterans to share their experiences. U.S. Navy and Vietnam Veteran and Post Commander Frank Ozanich said generally every veteran at VFW posts are combat veterans and there is a bond which makes them all brothers and sisters.

“The significance of Veterans Day is to remember our veterans, and it’s getting more and more difficult to get the support, so it’s really nice to see the community come out and support this organization,” Ozanich said.

USMC and Vietnam Veteran and Post Adjutant Jim Huovinen explained many veterans had to fight in conflicts which sometimes were not appreciated by the public, but they still had to serve. “If you think back to 1776 when we declared our independence, we’ve had to defend our country many times, and some of the wars are not always popular, but we fight in them, looking after our natural interest,” he said.

The dinner was served by members of the Arnold Air Society. Michigan Tech Sophomore Michaela Bouchet said the event allows the Society to give back to the veterans for all they have done for everyone. She has always loved the military and its personnel, and said she has always looked up to veterans growing up. “They’re the kind of people that I have always aspired to be,” Bouchet said. “So getting to work an event where it’s representing them and it’s honoring them and the work that they did, it’s really important to me to be able to give back, because they gave so much. They gave so much of their life and so much of their time. They lost friends and family during those wars and all of the time that they served.”

The POW MIA ceremony began before dinner was served, a symbolic representation featuring a table set for dinner with an empty chair.

Sen. McBroom was invited to povide an update on political ongoings in Lansing and discuss the importance of veterans’ sacrifices. “It’s really nice to be with you all, and I want to wish all of the veterans here a Happy Veterans Day. Thank you so much for your service. Thank you for what you do, what you’ve done for our country, and what you continue to do, for helping us to remember that sacrifice and to remember your other brothers and sisters who are veterans, who’ve gone on before you and the sacrifice they made,” McBroom said.

McBroom also spoke at length about veterans and the state of the country, commenting on how the country feels like it is falling apart with political disagreements. McBroom is hoping to see more unity and civility in society, but explained it is an issue which is not only fixed politically. “We’re mad our guy didn’t get in, or our guy got out, or the Supreme Court did this, or they didn’t do that. So let’s go get a sign and yell and scream about them. And what is the real solution for this? I would say, it’s the opposite. It’s what are we doing back at home, in our own yards, in our own kitchens, in our own schools. And it comes down to and is where I hope to tie it together, the idea of community. And that’s why a night like tonight is just so special to see community come together,” he said.

McBroom discussed though people can disagree on issues, they can still gather with other commonalities such as VFW Posts, American Legion and Lions Clubs. He told stories of his father, Kenneth, a Vietnam veteran. Kenneth served from 1967 to 1969 as a helicopter crew chief, and shared some stories with McBroom while growing up. Kenneth missed the World Series in 1968, and his mother recorded a reel and sent it to him to listen to the game.

While not speaking at the dinner, Prestin spoke with veterans and shared what makes their groups so unique in the U.P. “It’s events like this are why we live here, why we embrace this, this culture that we have up here,” Prestin said. “And I think what makes the U.P. so special is the differential between the sense of community downstate and outside of the Upper Peninsula and within the Upper Peninsula cannot overstated.”