David Smith, a Marine who served in the Vietnam War and a veteran of 34 years, was honored by the borough council of Evans City, Butler County, as Veteran of the Year for 2022. During the council meeting, Smith was presented with four Veteran Banners, two of which will be hung in Connoquenessing, while the other two were given to the Smiths to take home. Smith received two Purple Hearts and multiple ribbons for his service in Vietnam, and has made it his mission to help and care for his fellow veterans.
Smith stresses the importance of keeping the promise made to veterans, which is to uphold the Constitution of the United States and support and defend their fellow veterans. He urges those interested in helping veterans to sign up to volunteer at the Butler Department of Veterans Affairs, which has been working on improving its services, including expanding its suicide hotline, group services that focus on socializing or teaching a skill such as music, and its health services by aiding veterans living with the effects of Agent Orange and PTSD.
As commandant of the Bantam Marine Detachment 743 of the Marine Corps League, first vice officer of Lyndora American Legion 778 and the Purple Hearts Society, Smith donates his time to helping local veterans by driving them where they need to go and by being a listening ear and a compassionate heart. For Smith, being called Veteran of the Year is ranked right up there with any of the highest awards he received in the Marine Corps, and he will continue to fulfill his promise to his fellow veterans as long as he is able.
Read more at the Cranberry Eagle.