Contra Costa celebrates veterans: ‘They were ordinary people who responded in extraordinary ways in extreme times.’

Veterans Day

A room filled with veterans, reservists, family members and public officials went quiet Tuesday as Brig. Gen. Bart Gilbert stepped up to the podium in the Contra Costa County board chambers. Although he is long retired from active duty, his uniform still fits.  Gilbert was this year’s keynote speaker at the county’s annual Veterans Day…

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War Ink: Stories of war veterans “coming all the way home”

War Ink (warink.org), which launched on Veterans Day, is an online multimedia exhibit that seeks to offer an authentic documentation of veterans’ experiences coming home from war. Using video, still photography, audio and text, the exhibit features Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans from across California – each with their own personal story, spelled out in ink on skin.

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For those in combat overseas, a taste of home

Susan Fisher’s ink-black eyes reddened with tears as she described her two nephews who are deployed overseas. “One nephew is my blood nephew,” she said, “and the other, I’m like his other mom, especially after his real mom passed away a year ago.” Joe, who’s on his fourth deployment to Afghanistan, and Kristopher, who will…

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