Sgt. Maj. Phil Hawkins spends most of his time working to honor veterans in the community.

But at a Veterans Day commemoration Saturday, Hawkins, a veteran of the Vietnam War, was honored by a room of 230 people for his own service.

Hawkins, the volunteer coordinator for Boise's Idaho State Veterans Home, was one of eight veterans and volunteers recognized for their commitment to their country and to other veterans. All received the Spirit of Freedom award from U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo's office during an hour-long ceremony at the veterans home, sponsored by the Marine Corps League.

Hawkins served 24 years of active duty in the U.S. Army and time in the Idaho National Guard. He holds the army's highest rank for enlistees, serving two combat tours in Vietnam and earning many awards, including a Purple Heart.

After the ceremony, Hawkins quickly turned the conversation away from himself.

Gesturing to a young man in dingy clothes entering the veterans home, Hawkins lamented all of the veterans in the community that he and others have not been able to reach.

"He's young, he's homeless," Hawkins said. "That's the veteran we've got to find and we've got to help him."

Hawkins said veterans from some wars, like WWII, are recognized in the community, so they are able to be reached and helped to get the services and medical care they need.

"But those we don't know, they slip through the cracks," Hawkins said. "They're over at the mission or they're elsewhere in the community and we need to find them and we need to take care of them."

Others honored at the ceremony were veterans Bernard Fisher, Keith Galbraith and Donald Holloway and volunteers Marge Johnson, Edna Siggelkow, Velma Williams and Augusta "Tiny" Wright.

"I love the veterans and I just do anything I can for them," said Johnson, 87, of Meridian, honored for her 25 years of volunteer work at the veterans' home and medical center. "My whole family has been veterans."

Johnson was wearing star-shaped earrings emblazoned with the American flag. She used to volunteer five days a week with veterans but said she had to cut back after a recent battle with lymphoma. But she still bakes cookies several times a week to bring to Treasure Valley veterans, and helps coordinate and sponsor the Christmas and Halloween parties.

She cried when "Taps" and "Amazing Grace" were played at the end of the ceremony. Her son-in-law, a veteran, recently died of cancer and she said she was thinking of him.

Treasure Valley Young Marines served as the color guard during the event. Young Marine Cpl. Jacob Bateman said he is honored to work with veterans, volunteering regularly during the week and at special events, even though it means he doesn't have time to play sports.

"The veterans get to see young people like us and we're totally in support of the military," said Bateman, 16, who attends Mountain View High School.

"It makes you want to honor them," said Young Marine Sgt. James Durbin, 14, who attends South Junior High.

Also attending the ceremony were Rep. Jana Kemp, R-Boise, and Sen. John McGee, R-Caldwell, who came with his father, Tom, a Vietnam veteran. Representatives of U.S. Sens Mike Crapo and Larry Craig, R-Idaho, Boise mayor Dave Bieter and Republican governor-elect Butch Otter all attended and read statements of gratitude.

Keynote speaker Maj. Gen. Larry Lafrenz, commander of the Idaho National Guard, said Americans must continue to support their armed servicemembers' fight against a "faceless enemy."

"To all of our veterans who have given so much and asked so little in return I say thank you," LaFrenz said. "We thank them for keeping America free."