Honorable military veterans share a bond that civilians often find difficult to understand. It doesn’t matter what branch you served in, what uniform you wore, or what rank you held. If you served, you know. You lived it. That bond comes from shared experiences—some simple, some serious—that stay with you long after your time in uniform.
For years, Army veteran NCO SGT E-5 Richard Erschik made it his mission to personally visit WWII, Korean, and Vietnam War veterans, especially those in their later years, in hospitals, retirement homes, and private residences. He didn’t go as a speaker or with any agenda. He went as one of them. Wearing his remade dress blue uniform, he would sit down and talk—about the chow line, KP duty, the motor pool, deuce-and-a-halfs, guard duty inspections, reveille, 3-day passes, spit-shined boots, foot lockers, and those unforgettable white-glove inspections. Simple things… but the kind that bring memories back in a way nothing else can.
That mission began in 2015, when he helped organize a Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee event honoring 47 WWII veterans. Sitting with them at dinner, he saw their faces light up as familiar memories came back through simple, relatable conversation. In that moment, it became clear—these stories matter, and these connections matter. He began the Veteran Visitor initiative and personally began his mission.
Today, at 81, personal visits have become increasingly difficult. Not because the desire is gone, but because of time and mobility. So instead of stopping, the mission has adapted.
Veteran Visitor now continues online, for free, giving veterans a way to share their stories so their experiences, memories, and voices can still be heard. If you’re a veteran—or know one whose story should be told—you can submit it here. Follow the directions below.
You don’t have to be a writer. You just have to be willing. Because somewhere, someone needs to hear what you lived—and your story might be the one they never forget.
NEW IN 2026 – Online “SUBMITTED” entries are now also accepted from veterans nationwide. Please tell your veteran friends about this program. Reference the “Veterans Visited” tab on this website and click on one of the veteran’s pictures to get an idea for writing and submitting the content of your free listing. Then e-mail us a clean/clear photograph along with a 300-400 word write-up about the veteran. Written proportions should be 25% about ‘before’ service. 50% about ‘during’ service. 25% about ‘after’ service. Include your contact information and allow approximately 2-3 weeks for your listing to appear with your understanding that we reserve the right to edit and/or refuse listings that don’t meet acceptable criteria.
If you would like to “Donate” to this benevolent effort you can at the bottom of the “Contact Us” page of this website.