Even though he has seen the horrors of war during his 35 years of military service, Lt. Col. Roger Cook made a special effort Wednesday to recognize the men and women who've served their country without stepping into hostile territory.

Cook, a member of the Army Reserve, was the guest speaker at Wausau's Veterans Day ceremony that took place Wednesday morning at the Marathon County Courthouse.

More than 100 people attended the ceremony to honor members of the military. The nearly 20-minute event featured Cook, a proclamation by Mayor Jim Tipple, a gun salute and the playing of taps.

"I thought it was outstanding that he brought that out," said Peter Nielsen, 69, a Vietnam War veteran from Wausau, referring to Cook's mention of veterans who didn't face combat. "I was glad to hear that."

It's not difficult to understand why Cook joined the service; Cook's father, Donald, fought in World War II, and his three brothers also have served in the military. Cook's love for the United States also played a role and has since kept him involved in the Army Reserve. He currently is stationed at Fort McCoy near Tomah.

During his tenure, which included tours in Vietnam, Kosovo and Afghanistan, Cook has found that veterans without war experience usually come off as apologetic because they didn't see combat. On Wednesday, Cook wanted to assure those in attendance that those servicemen and women deserve the same credit as war-tested veterans.

"By God, they were there willing and able to go to war," he said. "That's the big thing."

Jim Campbell, 62, of Rib Mountain, a Marine Corps veteran, could relate to Cook's words, especially because he did not see combat during his service from 1969 to 1989. He was surprised and grateful that Cook mentioned those who Campbell refers to as "in-betweeners".

"It's the first time I've ever heard a speaker talk about the 'in-betweeners,'" Campbell said.