DaytonDailyNews.com

Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Mike Jackson, 61, of Tipp City remembers a horn sounding one early morning in the 1970s on his Florida military base.

It was the Cold War, and he was ready day or night to board his B-52 carrying nuclear weapons in response to a Soviet threat. At that moment, a war fought in shadows came to life for Jackson.

"Sitting in that plane, seeing the whole base coming to life, I thought 'Is this real or is this an exercise,'" he said. "We could really be taking off and could really be taking part in a nuclear war. It was very unnerving."

Jackson, who is president of the American Veterans' Institute, which works to welcome soldiers home after service, is humble about the holiday, realizing it's intended to be a day to honor those who have died in service.

Still, some question whether the Cold War should be remembered as a war and its veterans deserving of accolades that other veterans receive. Jackson said many today don't remember the intensity and anxiety of the Cold War period.

"People that were around then haven't forgotten it; hiding under desks during alerts and practices for nuclear attack," he said.

There has been a recent bright spot: On May 1, 2004 the first Cold War Victory Day was declared by veterans' groups.

Dr. Eric Drown, a psychologist at Dayton Veteran Affairs Medical Center, said his greatest concern is veterans' self-censorship of their own accomplishments and contributions, which minimizes their service.

"Once they are here, we quickly can normalize and validate their experiences," he said.

Retired Lt. Col. Bill Wall, also of the Dayton VA Medical Center, is a licensed clinical social worker. He said sometimes servicemen and women in the broader Global War on Terror may feel "disenfranchised" as the main focus of today's conflict is on combat troops in the theatre.

His hope for Memorial Day is that society would "stand up and applaud" veterans of all conflicts, and ask, "What can I do to help them?"

Peacetime service

Cliff Scholes, 80, a retired publishing executive from Beavercreek, said he thinks more attention should be paid to those who served during periods of relative peace.

Scholes, who graduated from Wilbur Wright High School in Dayton, did most of his service at Fort Slocum in Long Island Sound, after attending clerk typist school in Denver. He was a payroll clerk.

His service ran until August 1947, before the Korean conflict kicked off.

"Nothing is said, nor are we recognized, as having served, though we were drafted under the terms of the World War II draft," he said. "I did serve all my time in the continental U.S. and I believe served my country well, along with many others of that time."

Since most memorials are focused on major wars, Scholes said, his generation of soldiers is not recognized often.

Still, he's quick to add: "I'm really not complaining, but there doesn't seem to be recognition of anyone of didn't serve during a shooting war. They deserve it, but I would like to see recognition for all of us over a period of years in the various services, but didn't wind up in a shooting war."

Staff writer Steve Bennish contributed to this report.

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