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The Community Remembers Local Veterans

Veterans Day is being observed throughout Rochester.

Nazareth College honored the men and women who served in the armed forces during Veterans Day ceremonies on Monday.

Five veterans received recognition during an award ceremony at the campus' Otto A. Shults Community Center. Honorees talked about the challenges returning vets face as well as the commitment to serving a country they say they loved.

Dr. Barry Culhane, a Vietnam-era vet in the U.S. Army, says everyone needs to work together to make sure veterans get the services they need.

"For many warriors the invisible wounds of war are deep, indeed,” Culhane says. “Their healing is our collective responsibility. Let’s use this day of gratitude to commit ourselves to serve our veterans and their families, at least as well as they've served us, to protect the freedoms that we sometimes take for granted."

Approximately 1% of the nation's population serves in the military, 7% are veterans, according to the Monroe County Veterans Services Agency. During World War II and the Korean War the number of returning veterans was approximately 12%.

Some soldiers say the shrinking veteran population makes it harder for vets to cope when they return home.

Some soldiers say the shrinking veteran population makes it harder for vets to cope when they return home.