Veterans Day doesn鈥檛 generate the same fervor in Oregon as in some states, mainly because there aren鈥檛 large military bases here nor the large veteran population that usually forms around major installations.
But Oregon is home to one significant figure from America鈥檚 recent military history, retired four-star Air Force Gen. Merrill 鈥淭ony鈥� McPeak. He鈥檚 a Northern California native and graduate of Grants Pass High School who retired to Lake Oswego after a long, celebrated career in the U.S. Air Force.
鈥淲e build bases close to the threat, as close as we safely can,鈥� he said recently. 鈥淎nd the good news is that there hasn鈥檛 been any threat to Oregon for a long time, and so we haven鈥檛 built any bases here.鈥�
As a fighter pilot, McPeak in Vietnam and was Air Force chief of staff during the first Gulf War.
So what are his thoughts this Veterans Day?
鈥淭oo often Veterans Day turns into a hymn of praise for war,鈥� he said. 鈥淔rom my standpoint, war is overall not a very good thing. It ought to be a last resort, so let鈥檚 not celebrate it. Let鈥檚 celebrate the people who participated.鈥�
In his 25 years of retirement in Lake Oswego, he鈥檚 straddled the political aisle, campaigning for Republicans like Bob Dole and Democrats like Barack Obama.
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