POLSON – What started as a visit from Montana’s lone congressman turned into a veterans’ honorary luncheon Saturday at the VFW here.

And Congressman Steve Daines was happy to share the spotlight.

At least 24 who attended a VFW luncheon were military veterans.

“In Washington (D.C.), veterans get a military escort across town,” Daines said during his speech. “Not even Obama gets an escort and the veterans certainly deserve it more than he does.”

His comments to a room filled with Republican die-hards were accepted with laughter and applause.

There were also two young men who desire to become vets and are well on their ways.

Tel Motichka and Cash Sisler were accepted to U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Daines nominated both. Motichka was also accepted by the Navy Academy in Annapolis.

Below is a list of all the veterans at the luncheon and pictured at the top of the page:

• Bill Austin (Army and Air Force, 30 years)

• Larry Ashcraft (Army, 1960-1967)

• Rich Beauchamp (Navy, 1965 to 1993)

• Howard Corey (Navy, 1962-65)

• Susan Cundiff (National Guard, 1997-2000)

• Roy A. Davis (Guard, Army; 1969-75)

• Will Deschamps (USMC, 1964-70)

• Champ Edmunds (Navy, 1984-94)

• James Eisler (Army, 1960-63)

• Steve Eschenbacher (Army, USAF, Army; 1973-1995)

• Arn Hart (Air Force, 1959-66)

• Charles Leroy Lake (Army, 1954-56)

• B.J. Lupton (Navy, 1969-1994)

• Stephen Mahaffy (Air Corps, WWII)

• Tony Marshall (Army, 1970-71)

• Irv Milhelm (Army, 1964-67)

• Mauri Morin (USMC, 1952-55, Korea)

• Frank Mutch (Navy, 1959-67)

• Gerald L. Newgard (Navy, 1952-56)

• Jerry Peterson (Air Force, 1961-67)

• Sid Rundell (USMC, 1954-56)

• Matt Sisler (Army, 1983-89)

• Rick Taylor (Army, 1968-70)

• Glenn Timm (Air Force, 1964-92)

• Kyle Whaley (Navy, 1998-2006)