What Would You Say to a Returning Iraq War Vet?

Noon on Saturday at Kiener Plaza. That's when a grassroots effort to create the first-of-its-kind welcome home parade for Iraq war veterans becomes a reality.

Will you go to the parade? If you could personally greet one of the returning war veterans, what would you say? We'd love to have your comments below. We'll compile and forward them to the parade organizers.

The parade is scheduled to travel west on Market Street to Union Station where organizers will provide a resource bank for veterans between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. There, returning sailors, soldiers, marines and airmen can find services from the Red Cross or Department of Veterans Affairs and enjoy entertainment from 3 to 8:30 p.m.

Organizer Craig Schneider, of St. Charles, told KMOX-AM that the parade is not just a way to welcome veterans back home and to say thank you. It's to help them adjust and to allow them to put their military skills back to work in the community.

The parade started with a grassroots campaign to raise money, along with support from readers of a Facebook page dedicated to the effort. That page now has more than 4,500 members.

The Mission Continues, a national veteran's nonprofit organization, has agreed to assist the group with the parade. According to the group, St. Louis will be the first major American city to officially welcome the troops home from Iraq. 

“Anheuser-Busch and Mayflower were the first two major corporate donors to step up to the plate,” Schneider said in a news release. “When The Mission Continues came on board, we knew this dream that started just a few short weeks ago would quickly become an incredible reality.”

Will you attend the parade? And what would you say if you could address a single war vet, face to face?