Vernie Prater, the Kosciusko County Veteran of the Month for February 2025, served in Vietnam.
In presenting Prater to the county commissioners Tuesday, County Veteran Service Officer Darryl McDowell said Prater, born in 1944 in Warsaw to Alice and Alfred, was one of 10 children.
He attended Claypool High School and joined the Army in 1965. His basic training was at Fort Knox, Ky., followed by Fort Sam Houston, Texas, to become a medical corpsman.
Prater was sent to Vietnam, assigned to a medical unit for duty.
Following his Vietnam tour, he was honorably discharged in August 1967 with the rank of Specialist E-4.
Returning to Kosciusko County, Prater initially worked as an x-ray technician at Murphy Medical Center, transitioning shortly after that to become a semi-tractor-trailer driver until his retirement in 2010, McDowell said.
“He said he couldn’t take that after about six years. He had to go back to work. Even now, he continues to apply or assist younger folks in training them to do things that he learned partially in the military,” McDowell stated.
Prater has been married to his wife, Joyce, since 1968. They have two children, Kimberly and Elizabeth, one of whom is now deceased, along with four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
He continues to serve his community devoting time, effort and resources to Living Hope Ministries.
After receiving the framed certificate from the commissioners and McDowell, Prater said, “I really don’t have a lot to say, but I thank you all very much. This is an honor to receive something like this. Something I have not received much of in my lifetime. But you know the good Lord has always blessed. I’ve never done anything without Him being there with me. I can give Him that honor. A lot of people don’t see it that way, which is bad, but I love the Lord, He loves me and I love everybody around. Thank you all very much.”