Honoring Woodridge Veterans: Bob Reichert

NAME: Bob Reichert

MILITARY BRANCH: Air Force

FAMILY: Wife, Christine; two children, Dave, 30, and Rebecca, 27; three grandchildren

YEARS OF SERVICE: 1970-73

HOME: Woodridge 

Bob Reichert served in the Air Force from 1970 to 1973. He spent 1972 in northeast Thailand during the Vietnam War as an air traffic controller.

"My job was to keep a safe, orderly flow of air traffic," Reichert said.

Reichert continued to be an air-traffic controller after returning home before working for AT&T. He's now retired.

He said the homecomings for soldiers now are very different from when he returned home from Thailand.

"When the Vietnam veterans came home, we weren't treated well," he said. "We were seen as dirty guys. There was name-calling. What's nice now is that there's a huge homecoming. There's a huge celebration at the airport."

Reichert said that celebration has to continue.

"I don't care if you are pro or against the war, Republican or Democrat," he said. "You have to support the veterans."