15 September 2024
ST. CLOUD — Dick Walstrom’s favorite part of being a veteran is the camaraderie he instantly shares with any current or former service members he meets.
“Being a marine is like being in a cadre,” Walstrom said. “You make close friends and stick together.”
Walstrom served as a marine in Vietnam from 1966 to 1968. He enlisted shortly before he could be drafted.
Originally from the Minneapolis area, Walstrom now receives treatment at the St. Cloud VA Medical Center. The St. Cloud area has been very supportive of veterans, Walstrom said.
Walstrom was one of several veterans, VA staff and family members who gathered on Saturday, Sept. 14, to celebrate the St. Cloud VA Medical Center’s 100 years of service. There was music from the all-veteran group Just U, food and activities. Attendees could explore the VA resource fair, or see a display of artwork made by veterans.
“It’s a great day for this [event],” Barry Venable, St. Cloud VA public affairs officer, told St. Cloud LIVE Saturday morning. “I can’t wait for more people to come out and celebrate with us.”
U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., spoke at the ceremony honoring the center’s service and 100th anniversary. They also helped to unveil an anniversary monument made with granite found on the property.
“[Supporting veterans] is not and never was a Republican and Democrat issue,” said Emmer, who represents the 6th District, which includes St. cloud. “It’s an American issue.”
Both Emmer and Klobuchar said that they are friends and appreciate collaborating on efforts to support veterans and the VA.
“This [cause] has become more and more personal since my dad died,” Klobuchar said. Her father, longtime Minnesota journalist James Klobuchar, died in 2021 at age 93. He served during the Korean War. “There was no line when veterans signed up for the service, and we figured there shouldn’t be one [to access support and care] when they get back.”
St. Cloud VA Health Care System Director Cheryl Thieschafer, former directors Tom Holthaus and Barry Bahl and Assistant Under Secretary for Health for Discovery, Education and Affiliate Networks, Veterans Health Administration Carolyn Clancy also spoke at the event.
Veteran Barry Grothmann grew up in farm country in Fargo, North Dakota. He wanted to escape the farming crisis by enlisting in the Army in 1987.
“Also, I was inspired by my brother, who enlisted in the National Guard in 1982,” Grothmann said.
Grothmann served at the DMZ during the Korean War and, later, in Saudi Arabia in the early 1990s. He served on the front lines as an artilleryman.
While his home VA is in Fargo, Grothmann is seeking treatment and support for PTSD in St. Cloud.
Mike Twedt’s father — who served in the Army during World War II — didn’t want his son to join the Army, so Mike figured he would enlist in the Navy instead.
Twedt served on two ships, the U.S.S. Lexington and the U.S.S. Kearsarge, between 1967 and 1971 helping to maintain the ship facilities.
“One of my favorite parts of serving was knowing my dad was proud,” Twedt said Saturday.
Last year, Twedt and his wife, Geri, visited the Normandy American Cemetery, which was established for the soldiers who lost their lives during D-Day, he said. His father was on the beach in Normandy on D-Day, and his eyes teared up as he described the experience of seeing where his father served so long ago.
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