The Third ID’s CG Visits Area Veterans

On Monday, Memorial Day, we will take time to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice but what about our nation’s living veterans?
It’s a group the Commanding General of the Third Infantry Division thinks should never be forgotten.
So he’s leading an effort to make sure that doesn’t happen.
News Three’s Alice Massimi joined him today as he traveled to visit a special group of veterans right here in Georgia.
General Tony Cucolo hasn’t been at Fort Stewart for long, but already he is making connections with veterans throughout our area, men and women he says we should be thanking every day for their service to our country.

For veterans like David Pickett, it’s some toe tapping, hand clapping fun.
“It brings back a lot of memories and I enjoyed it,” says Pickett. 
It’s not every day the Third Infantry Division Band and its Commanding General stop by for a visit. “The band the men they way they brought dignity to soldiers that serve over and we are proud of them,” Pickett points out.
It’s hard not to be proud of the men and women serving in uniform, but as General Tony Cucolo explains, it’s a two-way street.
“We want today’s soldiers to come up and remind former soldiers that they are not forgotten that we take pride in being their legacy,” points out Cucolo.
The General is making it one of his many missions to reach out to veterans… to let them know we are thankful for their sacrifice.
“I firmly believe the greatest tragedy is to be forgotten to serve and have that memory of service just dissipate into history without notice,” says Cucolo.
So he spends the afternoon visiting and listening… to stories like that of veteran Frederick Myer.
A Vietnam Helicopter Pilot, Myer admits some things have changed.
“I can’t get used to girls in cammies (camouflage),” says Myer with a smile. 
But after comparing some notes with current pilots, he learns not everything is different.
It’s an eye opening day for both generations…
“When you are on the treadmill we are on right now, which is deploy, come home, get ready to go deploy, you can find yourself in a rut,” explains Cucolo, “by coming up here we get out of that rut.”

Even though the Third Infantry Division will deploying this fall, General Cucolo says the soldiers will keep in touch with the veterans at VA Center.