POST FALLS — Chris Chaffee said it was a cold reception — that is, no reception at all — when he returned from serving in the Navy during the Vietnam War.

Then unfortunate situations unraveled on the homefront, the Hauser Lake man said.

"Many of the veterans would not talk, a lot of people recoiled," he said. "Hollywood was not kind to us and mistruths came out. People were nervous around us and did not want to hire us even though we're supposed to have hiring preference. We were looked upon as losers even though we were winners in every campaign we fought."

Time has healed some of those wounds, but far from all of them, Chaffee said.

About 600 veterans and their family members were served a free appreciation dinner on Tuesday night at Real Life Ministries in Post Falls. Sixty volunteers from the church's Veterans Ministry rallied to assist at the event.

It's events such as the dinner that are part of an ongoing healing process for many vets, Chaffee said.

"Being honored when we weren't honored before is very healing for us," Chaffee said. "This means a lot to veterans and their families."

Today is Veterans Day, but Chaffee said the appreciation dinner was held a day early so veterans and their families could spend Veterans Day together.

"It's a wonderful turnout, and I'm seeing that everywhere I go," said Bryan Bledsoe of Post Falls, a Vietnam War veteran and member of American Legion Post 154 in Rathdrum, referring to other local veteran-related events this year.

Bledsoe said it's nice to see nonprofits, churches, veterans groups and individuals step forward and even coordinate efforts to help veterans. Multiple groups and individuals, for example, recently chipped in on buying a Disabled American Veterans van to transport vets, he said.

"It's great to know that others in the community honor the service of veterans," he said.

Bledsoe said he's encouraged to see younger vets becoming more involved — and women are becoming more active as well, as half of the charter members of the Rathdrum American Legion are female.

Betty Smith of Post Falls attended the dinner with her husband, John, who served during the Korean War. She said she's grateful for the support that extends beyond her family's boundary.

"I try to thank him every chance I get for the sacrifices that he made, but it feels great knowing that others in the community care as much as I do," she said. "These men and women deserve our utmost praise for the freedoms that we enjoy."

Matt Yetter, a recovery pastor at RLM and an Army veteran who served from 1986 to 1999, said the dinner was a way to honor veterans and their families and an opportunity to let them know that free help and outreach programs are available if needed.

"One of the things we know with veterans and combat is, if you stand alone, you'll be defeated," Yetter said. "There's a tendency to think that, since we survived a lot, we don't need anybody's help."

Yetter said the event was also a reminder that the freedoms we enjoy should not be taken for granted.

"I love that in our country you have a voice and can carry guns," he said. "That's part of the freedoms that we get to enjoy."