Judge, Vietnam Veteran Helps Celebrate Army's 242nd Birthday

Judge Thomas Munley, Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas, delivered the keynote address at the Tobyhanna Army Depot luncheon celebrating the Army's 242nd birthday in June. "I was not going to miss this opportunity to come to Tobyhanna, no matter what," said Munley, who told a packed house that he is very thankful for veterans and the U.S. military. More than 130 people attended the event. Munley began his career as a social studies teacher. After his first year of teaching, he was called to serve the U.S. Army in the Vietnam War. Upon his return, he learned that his teaching position had been filled. The principal told him, "If you want your job back, sue us." At that moment, he knew he wanted to go to law school and dedicate his life to serving veterans. The benefits of the GI Bill helped him achieve this goal. "I'm proud to have spent the last 40 years thinking of and working for veterans," Munley said. "All a veteran wants is for us to say, 'Thank you for your service.'" Munley hosts the daily "Veterans Views" segment on Eyewitness News, serving Scranton, Pennsylvania.

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