Paul's House, at the site of the former Hotel Jonas, serves as a sanctuary for veterans who need a little help, no matter what the reason.

On a day like Veterans Day, it is important to consider a place such as the Major Paul Syverson Veterans Sanctuary VALOR Clinic, where those who served can work on their lives as well as help others who are worse off. Army veterans Daniel Quinn and Steve Brennan are particularly grateful to Paul's House, as well as to their time of service."It's veterans reaching out to veterans." Brennan said. "Paul's House is a godsend for people like me and others that are having difficulties."It has been a great place for me to kick back and re-evaluate my priorities and get my life straight. It changed my perspective and gave me something to strive for."Quinn enlisted in the Army during February 1955."I was attending school in Tannersville. I turned 17 on Sunday and was sworn in on Wednesday," he said. "I had a lot of social problems at the time, a lot of family problems. And it kind of took me and put me in an environment where there was order and predictably."Brennan saw the armed services as a personal opportunity that could provide more than what was available at home in the early 1980s."I wanted to do something different, something that would improve my life, maybe open up some doors for me. I was from a small town in New Jersey, I wasn't going anywhere. There wasn't a lot of opportunities back then for a guy like me. Plus, I wanted to travel, see some places and learn."Quinn spent his time with airborne units, including the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg. While with the 11th Airborne Division at Fort Campbell in Kentucky, he was sent to Europe, where he did two years of reconnaissance. He later served as a signal instructor, working to teach the job to servicemen from around the world.After basic training, Brennan took up the position of a track vehicle mechanic, working with heavy machinery."I ran an M88. It's a recovery vehicle for heavy equipment, tanks. You've got a 60-ton tank stuck in the mud, broken down in the field, you have to go get it and bring it back to the motor pool. I was that guy."Both men found a strong sense of camaraderie in the service, a bond between members of any branch."No matter where you were or what you did or your time frame, people can talk eyeball to eyeball," Quinn said. "It doesn't matter what branch, it could be some guy in the Navy or some guy in the Army. It's a society that you've been in, you had some common experiences."As for the present state of the world, while both men said that the respect for the military is greater than ever, they admonish those who only protest problems instead of making an initiative."I don't approve of it, I find it very distasteful," Quinn said of protests such as kneeling during the Pledge of Allegiance. "If that's all you have to offer in terms of making your statement or trying to be a part of the solution instead of part of the problem, I think it's really about the person, not about the issue. If they were concerned about the issue, they'd be doing something different."Quinn believes that being involved with the service is fundamental to building an invaluable connection between people and their country."I think that national service should be two years, whether it's military or Peace Corps, because that requires somebody to have an investment in the country. You strengthen the country in that way."Brennan sees the service as a great way to expand one's opportunities, and open themselves up for a better future."It teaches you camaraderie, it teaches you teamwork," Brennan said. "There's so many fields to go into, like electronics. It's not just combat. And the respect and admiration it commands from your peers and subordinates alike, people that you know will see you in a different light if you take that step. I would recommend it to everyone."