Veteran’s Day differs from Memorial Day in that it honors all service members, not just those who died in service. It is a day for the general public to recognize and thank those who have served our country in both times of peace and conflict. On Tuesday, October 28, 2025, this reporter had the opportunity to sit down with four Big Lake veterans to talk about their service.
Patrick Bevins
Patrick Bevins served in the Army from 2008-2012 as an infantryman who was deployed to Iraq. He admits to not being the brightest kid in High School.
“That’s how I ended up in the Army,” he said.
He said he got a lot out of his experience.
“It gave me the discipline and skills I needed to square myself away and become a productive member of society and also gave me the skills, motivation, and tools to help others and maintain a positive image of myself.”
Green and Schultz
Bevins’ experience seemed to echo in the stories of service of Ketti Green and Doug Schultz. Green served in the Navy from 1986-1991. She was stationed in Dam Neck, VA as a data processor. She shared that she enlisted because she needed to find herself. She knew that college was not going to be her next step. Her service taught her to be resilient and to understand that when something needs to be done, you just do it. Green also met her husband of 36 years during her Navy years.
Schultz had two stints in the Army National Guard, 1987-1993 and 2009-2025, serving as an Engineer. He admitted he always thought he would be in the military because he needed to “get whipped into shape.”
During his service, he got to see the world, going to Jamaica and Costa Rica to build schools during his first stretch and Kuwait, Iraq, and Puerto Rico during his second, when he became a “water dog”, an engineer who was focused on potable water issues. In Puerto Rico, he helped desalinate water after Hurricane Maria.
Emmanuel Corona
Emmanuel Corona’s motives for enlisting were more practical. He wanted to work in the electrical field and knew the Navy would give him the skills to do that. Corona served from 2016-2022. He spent his service on the USS Nimitz and was onboard during the time of COVID-19 lockdowns. He and his shipmates were deployed for 11 continuous months, rarely leaving their ship. That is where he learned a lesson that he carries with him today, “The people next to you are the ones who will carry you through tough times.”
For each individual, service to others did not end with their military service, it was just the beginning. Bevans came home and was treated for PTSD. Since then, he has used that experience to help other Veterans, working as a court appointed Veteran’s Mentor in Anoka County’s voluntary program called the Veteran’s Treatment Court that helps to keep veterans sober and out of jail.
Green works at the front desk in the Sherburne County Veteran’s Office and helps veterans navigate a system meant to assist them, but often frustrates them. They are all aware and a part of the “22 a day” movement which is a collection of unaffiliated organizations that raise awareness for the problem of veteran’s suicide. A 2012 VA report estimated that 22 veterans commit suicide each day in our country.
The Veterans in this story all appreciate people who thank them for their service, but there are things that they would like the general public to do more of. Though they respect everyone’s right to not do so, they wish everyone would stand for the flag, take their hats off, and pay attention more when the flag is presented.
“Where a lot of people see it as a political symbol, we see it as not that,” said Bevins. “A lot of our brothers and sisters were underneath that flag and are no longer with us. That’s why we take it a little more seriously in honoring it.”
Green mentioned that women veterans are not always recognized for their service, which is disappointing.
“Women are out there and they play a vital role in everything that they do in the military,” she said.
On Veteran’s Day, her husband is often recognized as a veteran and she is not, even when she is right next to him.
Corona, whose wife is also a veteran, agreed saying that people acknowledge him, but don’t always acknowledge her.
They all agreed that people could do a better job of talking to veterans. Bevins said there are two things you should never ask a veteran.
“Have you ever killed anyone?” and “have you ever seen anyone die?”.
Other than that, ask them about their service, get to know them and what they have done. This Veteran’s Day, honor veterans, but also take a moment to talk to some of them.
