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Veteran born on July 4 is 'proud to be an American'

Appeal-Democrat - 7/4/2020

Jul. 4--The Fourth of July holds a special place in local resident Jim Picard's heart for two reasons. He spent 26 years in the Air Force living overseas, stationed in Sicily and England. And Independence Day is his birthday.

Picard turns 66 today (Saturday) and spent time working in supply inventory management and Air Force recruiting logistics. He spent two years stationed in Comiso, Sicily, during which time some of his colleagues were deployed to the Gulf War as part of Operation Desert Storm.

He said his time in Italy was wonderful, but he and his family found it hard at times to blend in. One thing that drew Italian eyeballs was Picard's 1983 Dodge Aries station wagon that he brought over from the United States. The large car stood out next to its smaller European counterparts.

"You had to be careful what street you went on," Picard said.

One of the biggest adjustments he and his family had to make living in Italy was the pace of Italian life.

"It's kind of like 'take your life and slow it down,'" Picard said. "They're not in a hurry over there."

He recalled going out to eat with friends in Italy and spending the time in between different courses singing the theme songs of American television shows. Another fond memory of Italy he has is going to Rome with his family for Thanksgiving and hearing the Pope give his Thanksgiving address.

"It was all wonderful," Picard said.

Living in England felt more like back home and while stationed there he and his wife visited Scotland, Wales, Germany, France, Amsterdam, Brussels, and Luxembourg.

Bottom line, Picard said he has spent time in many good countries but said nothing tops the United States.

"This is a great country," Picard said.

When he thinks about the Fourth of July, Lee Greenwood's song "God Bless the USA" and the lyric "I'm proud to be an American," comes to mind.

"I think that song sums up perfectly how I feel about the Fourth of July," Picard said.

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