Photo provided St. Clairsville American Legion Commander Larry Barnes, left, recognizes former commander Joe Barker as the Legion’s Veteran of the Month.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Joe Barker, former commander of the St. Clairsville American Legion and now a resident of Washington, North Carolina, committed to his country during service and continued this commitment to veterans at home. He was named Veteran of the Month for December.

“I was enlisted in October ’68 in the United States Navy. I was discharged in October of ’72,” he said. He was eventually assigned to a destroyer. “The ship was assigned to Vietnam. … We was on-station at Vietnam for six months. We had stops in China, Japan, Midway, the Philippines and Guam.”

Barker trained in Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape and then was assigned to an amphibious division in Vietnam.

“Then basically because I had a lifelong commitment to veterans, I became involved in the American Legion. He served as commander of the St. Clairsville post for five years. He is also a VFW officer.

He is reticent about his service, but emphasizes the courage and sacrifice of men and women in uniform.

“I’m like every other veteran there. You did stuff and you saw things, but I just want people to know I served and that’s good enough for me,” he said.

Barker recalls deciding quickly to join when two of his friends intended to enlist.

“It was the thing to do back then. I turned 18 in September and in October I’m in the service,” he said.

“The farthest I ever went growing up was probably Cambridge, and then to enlist in the service and all of a sudden you’re in Chicago,” he said. “With everything that was going on in the country, and some of it was I didn’t want to get drafted and I thought if I enlist, then I get to go where I want to go.”

He added there was a history of service in his family. His father served with the “Seabees,” the naval construction battalions during World War II, and his grandfather served in World War I. Other family members were also in the military.

“That’s why I always felt strongly about the commitment to veterans and what they do for the country. I’m a big believer that it’s not the preacher that gives you freedom of religion, it’s the veteran who served,” he said. “It’s the veteran who wrote the check for his life. … I get a little emotional and upset when I see people disrespecting the flag.”

He recalled the home-front atmosphere of this unpopular war.

“When I first came back on my first leave…I was told ‘do not under any circumstance where the uniform in the airport,'” he said. “There was so much animosity. … The only time I wore a uniform was when I would hitchhike to go somewhere.”

Barker noted the many changes between his service and more modern times.

“Back in the ’60s and ’70s you just sucked it up when you came home, because there were no areas where you could talk to people or post-traumatic stress…there was nothing like that,” he said. “What I think is so wonderful is the veterans coming back have support not only from the government, which is very important, but the VA and what they’re doing. Just the local people…you see them come off the plane shaking hands and saluting them. We never had that.”

He was the commander of the St. Clairsville Legion from 2011-2015. One of his priorities was remodeling the Legion headquarters to include a back room and decking.

“Try to make it more acceptable and more appealing for the veterans to bring their wives or their families and to enjoy it more,” he said. “To get more people involved. … We get involved in the community. We did a lot of work with the food pantry and different organizations. The St. Clairsville Toys for Tots, we did a lot with them. Just trying to make it more accessible, more enjoyable and to help the veterans in need.

“There was a lot of different cases when I was in St. Clairsville. I get a call. There was a veteran stranded going through town and we’d donate money. There’s many times that I’ve picked them up, taken them to a hotel, paid for the room. … It’s veterans helping veterans. That’s what it’s all about.”

He is currently assisting other veterans working with Toys for Tots on a collection in North Carolina.

“We go out and get dinners and take them to shut in (veterans),” he said. “It’s all the same. Different locations but the same needs.”

“I was there. I served. I was proud to serve. I’d do it again,” he said. “The commitment to help is what it’s all about. I just would like to see everyone that’s a veteran, and even the non-veterans like the sons and auxiliary and just social members to get involved and help the veterans.”

In civilian life, he worked in sales with the steel industry.