CHENANGO COUNTY – Independence Day is a national celebration and a holidays when we gather together and reflect upon our freedom in the United States. And that freedom has come with a high cost.

US Veteran Dog Handler Bradd Vickers shared his thoughts on freedom and what it means to him.

His years of working and training dogs for stressful combat situations, plus surviving the Vietnam War bring a multitude of heartfelt considerations to light.

“I think people should remember freedom isn't free and it cost so many lives to maintain it,” said Vickers.

“If you want to be free and do what ever you want to do, where else would you go,” he said. “Even though we've lost a lot of freedom, we still have more freedom than any other country in the world.”

“The flag means a lot to me as far as freedom and what it cost us to get there,” said Vickers. “It cost us nearly 60 thousand people that never got beyond the age of 19.”

“They never got to find out what a real job would be like, or to get married, or have a life. So many were killed for our freedom and most people don't even realize that cost,” he said.

Vickers explained in some countries, life means nothing. And said he doesn't understand how women can think being in another country would be a value.

“We treat life in general in America with more value than any other country in the world,” he said.

“With the recent happenings in Iran, that's a country that has no value or respect for life even in their own country,” he added. “Until you put a stop to that they will continue to destroy other lives.”

Vickers noted the lack of attendance at events honoring veterans on Veterans Day, Memorial Day or Flag Day and said not many people show up to remember those lives that were lost.

He said being recognized and being in America means more to him than it probably does to others.

His veteran status runs deep as he survived the Vietnam War and maintains a healthy life after, yet some veterans aren't as fortunate.

“I work with veterans and about 12vVeterans a day are committing suicide,” Vickers said. “I make calls daily, checking on them because I know they are on the edge and if they didn't have a wife or family, they would be gone.”

Vickers said the sad part is they are 60 and over and still not moving on from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. He said he reaches under that rock to bring them back to the surface.

His leadership in many veteran organizations and Vietnam veteran groups has served him well but there was a time when he was spit on by those very groups.

There was little respect given to the returning soldiers and it was common to be disregarded as homeless and useless.

“Those groups didn't welcome Vietnam veterans back after the war, I was spit on,” said Vickers

But now, his military career holds high respect amongst his peers.

Vickers trained military dogs for battle and worked in various branches such as the Air force, Army, and the Marines.

He said if it weren't for his dog, he and many soldiers would not be here because a military trained dog can detect the enemy a quarter of a mile a way. And that worked to their advantage.

“If it weren't for my dog, I wouldn't have made it through the war,” Vickers said.