(Radio Iowa) – Veterans Day Ceremonies across the state today (Monday) honored the men and women who served the country. Andrew Nelson, the chaplain of the 185th Air National Guard Unit in Sioux City was the master of ceremonies at an event at the Woodbury County Courthouse.

“We gather to recognize those still serving, to honor veterans and to show our appreciation for their sacrifice and for our continued freedom,” he says. Woodbury County Deputy Sheriff Zane Chwirka, a veteran of 21 years in the military was the keynote speaker. He told the story of meeting a veteran in a wheel chair at a Vikings game in Minnesota, and how he told the veteran he didn’t need to shake his hand fore his service. But the veteran said that wasn’t the case.

“You raise your right hand and took an oath to protect this country. Correct? You went overseas, correct? Yes, so what happened to me could have happened to you,” he says “So this vet was missing both legs and missing part of his right hand. So, seeing that so kind of comes surreal to us on the sacrifices that some of us have made, and what could have happened to any of us serving this great nation.” Chwirka says the injured veteran said he had considered taking his own life after being wounded.

“But then with one of his buddies that was there with him, talking about, don’t give the terrorists. And there’s some other more adult language that went with the satisfaction of knowing that you did that afterwards,” he says. “So he has a whole new outlook on life. And so we both agreed that each and every day is truly a gift and a blessing.”

Chwirka’s service included seven-and-a-half years in the Army National Guard, and then he switched to the Air Guard in Sioux City and retired as a Master Sergeant in 2022.