The Idaho Veterans Parade was the largest in the history of this parade with more than 150 floats and people lining the sidewalks around the Capital to show their support for veterans.
"For me it is very moving to see all these people come out to honor us," said Bob Piazza, a Navy veteran who served during Vietnam. Bob's also the chairman for the parade. "I mean the support the community gives is really overwhelming.
Support comes from all over the Treasure Valley and beyond with high school marching bands, organizations, clubs and people of all ages showing their support. That also includes the people that line the sidewalks with homemade signs.
"We love our veterans, they serve us," said Jason Bish. "We are proud of them and thankful for our country," added his mother Annette.
As Veterans Day approaches I always try to talk to Vietnam or Korean War veterans. Their efforts made sure that our generation of veterans were treated much differently then they were when they returned home.
"We are just veterans, we just went where we were supposed to go. We shouldn’t have come home to any of that stuff," Michael Weir, a U.S. Army veteran who now serves as the commander for the VFW in Middleton. "We just did what we were supposed to do, we did our jobs and we did them to the best of our abilities. It is nice to get congratulated for it, I appreciate that."
The Idaho Veterans Parade happens every year on the first Saturday in November because it coincides with an Idaho National Guard Weekend. Because of that there was a flyover with Blackhawk Helicopters, we saw an Abrams Tank and other military vehicles.
This year the parade also commemorates the 20-year anniversary when the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team deployed to Iraq. It was the first time the entire brigade deployed together on an 18-month mission where they had soldiers from Idaho, Montana, Nevada and Oregon.
