Army veteran works tirelessly to help other war heroes in Rockland County

Sgt. Jeremy Honey enlisted in the U.S. Army during the draft in 1968 at the age of 21. He was deployed to Vietnam.

News 12 Staff

Nov 12, 2022, 2:06 AM

Updated 695 days ago

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A very special veteran has worked tirelessly for the last 45 years to improve the lives of others in Rockland County.
Sgt. Jeremy Honey enlisted in the U.S. Army during the draft in 1968 at the age of 21. He was deployed to Vietnam.
"I went from Entre Island in the South China Sea all the way to Valley Toit next to Cambodia. And then ultimately when President Nixon sent troops in to break the supply lines in Cambodia, I was on that mission, too," Honey says.
After coming back to America, he was deployed to Germany in 1973 for three years.
"I was assigned to the First Battalion 52nd infantry. We were right on the East German border watching what they were doing on the other side," Honey says.
He was shocked by what he saw: The villages on the other side were completely militarized.
"Every man woman and child carried a gun," Honey recalls.
But after 12 years, he had to leave the Army when he became disabled due to his exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam.
"I have no toes, I have a titanium implant in my leg and I can't walk very well. I have dialysis, I have a heart condition, I have all the things that came out of exposure to Agent Orange," Honey says.
While exposure to Agent Orange put an end to his military career, it didn't end his service to the military. For the last 45 years, he has worked to help veterans in Rockland County.
"Well, I've always been involved in trying to take care of the veteran homeless, feed the veterans. I ran what they call the MIA House, which is missing in action, but they're here, but they're still MIA because they don't have homes or this and that, and I had 24 disabled veterans, mostly mentally disabled," Honey says.
From transportation to helping with benefits, to even creating a fund for veterans to be able to get whatever they need, Honey shows no signs of slowing down.
"As long as I can walk and move, I'm going to continue working for the veterans because I feel so attuned to the things they are dealing with and I don't want them to have ill effects from their service, so I try and help in any way possible," Honey says.