Phillip Floyd, an Army veteran, was not only honored during a Veterans Day event at Heritage Manor Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation Center for his military service, but his wife, Kim, surprised him with a LaBrae High School diploma he didn’t receive in 1969 when he was drafted.

YOUNGSTOWN — Military veterans at Senior Living by the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation were honored for their service at a Veterans Day event on Tuesday.

“We’re grateful for our veterans who have served our nation with courage, dedication and sacrifice,” said Sarah Benson, community relations director for SouthernCare Hospice. “Veterans Day is more than a date on the calendar. It’s a moment to pause, reflect and express our gratitude to those who answered the call to protect our freedom.”

SouthernCare sponsored Tuesday’s event at Heritage Manor Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation with Senior Living, which includes Heritage Manor, Levy Gardens Assisted Living and Adult Day Services at Heritage Manor.

Senior Living residents who are veterans were honored with a certificate and pin.

Among them was Phillip Floyd, formerly of Warren, who served in the Army from 1969 to 1971. Floyd, a Vietnam War veteran, received a surprise Tuesday from his wife, Kim, who arranged for him to receive his LaBrae High School diploma, which he didn’t get in 1969 because he was drafted.

Floyd said he is thankful for the recognition as a veteran and for finally getting his diploma.

But, Floyd said, when he thinks of Veterans Day, he is “thankful for the people who died to give me my freedom. I think of the people who didn’t make it.”

Anthony S. Tisler, a Marine from 1967 to 1971 who used to live in Youngstown, also fought in Vietnam, receiving three Purple Hearts.

Tisler said upon returning from serving in the Marines to the United States, he and other Vietnam War veterans were treated poorly. But after a number of years, he said those who served in the war are treated with much more respect.

“People are coming around and saying, ‘Thank you for your service,'” Tisler said. “They never said that before.”

Tisler said Veterans Day to him is “a sad day” as he recalls those who died fighting for this country and those who weren’t treated well when they returned home.

Benson said each “veteran carries a story, a story of commitment, resilience and love for country. Whether they served in times of peace or conflict, at home or abroad, their service reminds us that the freedom we enjoy comes at a great cost.”

She thanked veterans for “your bravery, your discipline and your example. You remind us what it means to put others before self and to stand firm in what is right. As we celebrate Veterans Day, may we not only remember their service today, but honor them every day through our actions, our respect and our continued commitment to the values they defended.”