Ed Pasqualini, left, and his father, Jim, both Army veterans, stand in front of a U.S. flag at Jim's home in Slippery Rock Township on Monday, Nov. 7, 2022. Ed served in Army Aviation doing flight operations for four years, and Jim worked in infantry, field artillery and as an engineer for 27 years. Cary Shaffer/Butler Eagle

When military veterans get together, they usually end up recounting stories and experiences they had while in the service, and their tales are often met with perplexed reactions from civilians.

Jim and Ed Pasqualini are all too familiar with that situation, but getting those reactions from civilians is just another experience where the father and son Army veterans can relate to each other, while others cannot.

“I feel like military relationships, they last and they’re strong, and a lot of people keep in touch their whole lives,” said Ed Pasqualini, of Slippery Rock Township. “They’re the only people who know what you're going through, what we've been through.”

These stories and memories are often at the forefront of the Pasqualinis’ minds when Veterans Day rolls around each year. While they both said they appreciate the thanks they receive on the holiday, they also agreed that Veterans Day is a good day to reconnect with their Army buddies, many of whom are their closest friends.

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