Local veteran reflects on his years in the service

PARKERSBURG, W.Va. (WTAP) -

Continuing our profiles of local veterans, we spoke with Darin Shrewsberry at the VFW on Friday.

Darin Shrewsberry is a retired Sergeant First Class and the current VFW Post 1212 Commander.

Retiring after 22.5 years, Shrewsberry joined the Army in September 1993, spending 6 years at the Fort Bragg 82nd Airborne division before moving back to West Virginia with the Active Guard Reserve. Shrewsberry did two tours overseas. His first tour was in 2004 to Iraq, and his second was in 2010 to Afghanistan.

When we asked about what it was like for him to be away from his family on those tours, Shrewsberry said he missed two Christmases during those tours but explained that technology was a game changer and made a big difference in how it impacted him and his family.

“We did have limited internet capabilities, but that was mostly for emailing or chatting, not so much… everyone didn’t have a cellphone back then. Especially not with service in Iraq. But in Afghanistan, it was a little different. I actually got to do Christmas that year in Afghanistan in 2010 on skype, so I got to watch them open presents and see the smiles on their faces.”

Technology wasn’t the only thing that helped Shrewsberry share special moments with his family during his service. The kindness and generosity of strangers helped to create one of the most memorable moments for him. He explained that during a flight home on leave he was sat next to three strangers. They started talking and that’s when something happened that he said, he’d never forget.

“... And I had told them my plans. I had wanted to take my boys to a professional baseball game anywhere I could find it during that two weeks because we all love baseball. He came back to me and said, we already decided. Landstar trucking company is going to pay for your vacation and take you to a ball game, pay for the hotel, and some gas in your pocket, free of charge to you. It’s free for you and your family. That really touched me and I’ll never forget that to this day.”

Now that he’s retired, Shrewsberry has spent a lot of his time with the VFW. He explained why he thinks the VFW is important for veterans.

“My fellow brothers have a palace to come and talk about whatevers going on in their life. Whatever they want to share with anyone here. We’re all a close knit family. We love to joke around and relax and have fun and hang out. Camaraderie, brotherhood, tell some old war stories.”

Shrewsberry continued to emphasize his gratitude to the support shown to veterans throughout the community.

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