FAIRBURY, Neb. -- Dennis Barker was honored as Jefferson County's Veteran of the Month Tuesday morning.

Dennis Barker was born Dec. 18, 1943 and grew up on a family farm near Pender. While in high school, Barker was a multi-sport athlete, playing basketball, football and track. 

Barker went to Dana College and after graduating, he enlisted in the U.S. Army in Omaha. Private Barker spent both his basic training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, where he trained with M60 Tanks and graduated as a 11D40 Armor Recon Specialist. 

While on military leave, Barker married his college sweetheart, Dianne and a month later, he flew into Da Nang Air Base. His first assignment was to a M113 Tracked Armored Personnel Carrier designed to transport infantry personnel and equipment into combat zones, and also as security for other operations. 

Barker and his company lived in the APC tank while out in the jungle. All Barker’s letters that went home had red mud or dirt on them. They slept in the track, lived in filthy fatigues, didn’t wear any underwear because of the heat and humidity, ate C ration and took baths while swimming in the Saigon River. 

Sgt. Barker was honorably discharged on July 19, 1968 and was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign medal, Vietnam Service medal and Combat Infantryman Badge. 

After returning home from Vietnam, Barker went back to Dana College to earn his Teacher’s Certificate. In the fall of 1969, Barker and his wife moved to Fairbury where he began his teaching career with the Fairbury Public School System as an Elementary Physical Education Teacher. He coached high school wrestling, high school cross-country, junior high wrestling and track. 

“Well, I feel privileged and very lucky to have survived," Barker said. "That’s basically it. If you survive, then you get these honors. The guys who really deserve it are the guys who didn’t make it back."

Barker has three children and is a member of the Fairbury VFW, a member of the Honor Guard, a past Quilt of Valor recipient and has been on the Honor Flight to Washington D.C.

He retired from teaching in 2003, then drove as a substitute bus driver for the Fairbury Schools while building a home on an acreage to the east where he currently lives with his wife Dianne, of 56 years.