Sgt. Mike Weathers clutched his awards and turned to the small formation of soldiers.
“I think of all of you as my kids, and I appreciate this,” he said after their applause faded.
“We’ll miss you Mike,” a voice from the group shouted.
The sergeant retired Saturday after nearly three decades in the Tennessee Army National Guard. He was the last Vietnam veteran actively serving in the Chattanooga-based 1-181st Field Artillery Battalion.