TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Wounded warriors were honored during a parade and ceremony in Panama City April 21.
The Warrior Beach Retreat hosted veterans and their care givers for eight days and seven nights to enjoy the beach.
The event started out with a parade that featured Warriors Watch Riders, a motorcycle club for veterans and other veteran organizations from Panama City.
“We hold this retreat to bring hope and healing to the severely wounded veterans of our country,” said Linda Cope, founder of Warrior Beach Retreat, Inc. “This year we had 54 veterans come down for the trip. The support from the community has been amazing, people donate meals and give the veterans lodging, while the sheriff’s department supports us for anything we may need.”
After the parade, a ceremony was held where speaker Tim Lee, a Vietnam veteran who lost both his legs in the line of duty, spoke about the experiences and struggles he has encountered in his life. After the accident, Lee became more religious and became a pastor.
“Coming home to Illinois, I went to my dad’s church and made things right,” Lee said. “I also surrendered my life to the ministry. After the accident, my mom and dad, during the next four-week period, received over 30 telegrams and personal visits from the Marine Corps. From a human standpoint, and from all they had been told, they never expected to see their oldest son alive again. My body weight had gone from 185 pounds to less than 80 pounds. I had known all along that I belonged to God for a purpose. Though His chastening hand had acted swiftly, it ultimately brought a sense of peace into my heart.”
Some of the veterans in attendance had positive things to say about ceremony.
“This event revitalizes the community,” said Raymond McLeod, a retired Air Force senior master sergeant from the avionics field. “I was in for 21 years and even to this day nothing else reminds us veterans about the appreciation and respect that our community has for us like this ceremony.”
The event is held twice a year as a tribute to veterans who have been wounded in military conflicts since 2001. The retreats are usually held in the months of April and September.
“This retreat means that we as Americans can show our respect for the sacrifice that so many men and women make for our country,” Cope said. “The support that our community shows means the world to the veterans who come visit every year.”