The University of Wisconsin-Madison Army, Naval, and Air Force ROTC hosted a breakfast at the Naval Armory to honor 49 local Vietnam War-era veterans April 16.

Earlier in the academic year, the three ROTC units joined together to become one of more than 8,000 Commemorative Partners nationally, each committed to assisting the nation in thanking and honoring America's 7.2 million living Vietnam veterans.

Midshipmen and cadets raised funds for the breakfast and prepared the meal, which included eggs to order, bacon, pancakes, fresh fruit and bagels. The students served more than 80 meals to veterans, family members, midshipmen and cadets.

Following the breakfast, the three ROTC unit commanders conducted a pinning ceremony. U.S. Navy Capt. Christopher Murdoch, commanding officer and professor of Naval Science for the Naval ROTC unit, spoke about the purpose of the commemoration, the meaning of the Vietnam veteran lapel pin, and the poor treatment of the veterans returning from war 50 years ago.

Following the remarks, Murdoch, Air Force ROTC Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Gregory Goar and Army ROTC Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Katie Blue presented each of the 49 Vietnam War-era veterans in attendance with the pins.

Many of the veterans how moved they were by the ceremony and by the genuine respect the cadets and midshipmen had for them. For many veterans and their families, the breakfast was the first time they have been remembered and thanked for their service and sacrifice.

"I personally think the most valuable experience from the veteran's breakfast wasn't just giving our veterans a proper welcome home but celebrating the life they had in spite of how they were originally welcomed home," said Midshipman 2nd Class True Kaddatz. "I really enjoyed hearing them tell their stories with such excitement and passion, not to mention beaming in pride because we do care about them and the time and dedication that they gave to our country."

A wide variety of the military was represented by various ranks and rates. Veterans ranged from Army and Air Force colonel to a Navy nurse and cryptologic technicians. The midshipmen and cadets took advantage of the opportunity to speak with those who served before them, and to learn something from their experiences. Cadet 1st Lt. Garrett Frankson described the event as, "A really worthwhile experience that put my future as an Air Force officer into perspective."

Retired Army Col. Alan Abraham said, "I wanted to deeply thank Capt. Murdoch and the rest of the UW ROTC staff for the wonderful program and breakfast; this is the only event of this type I have ever attended."

By presidential proclamation, during this 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, service members and citizens are encouraged to reflect with reverence upon the sacrifices of a generation that served with honor, and to remember that it is never too late to pay tribute to the men and women who answered the call of duty with courage and valor.

Rear Adm. Stephen C. Evans oversees the NROTC program as commander of Naval Service Training Command headquartered at Naval Station Great Lakes. NROTC was established to develop midshipmen mentally, morally and physically and to imbue them with the highest ideals of duty, loyalty and Navy core values in order to commission college graduates as naval officers who possess a basic professional background, are motivated toward careers in the naval service and have a potential for future development in mind and character so as to assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship and government.

NSTC oversees 98 percent of initial officer and enlisted accessions training for the Navy, as well as the Navy's Citizenship Development program. NSTC includes Recruit Training Command, the Navy's only boot camp at Naval Station Great Lakes, NROTC at more than 160 colleges and universities, Officer Training Command at Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island, Navy Junior ROTC and Navy National Defense Cadet Corps citizenship development programs at more than 600 high schools worldwide.

For more information about NROTC, visit http://www.nrotc.navy.mil.

For more information about NSTC, visit http://www.netc.navy.mil/nstc or visit the NSTC Facebook pages at http://www.facebook.com/NavalServiceTraining.

For more news from Naval Service Training Command, visit http://www.navy.mil/.