Like so many of their brothers and sisters in arms, U.S. armed service veterans Dean Geddes and Gerald Rettela never stopped serving, even after their days in uniform were over.

This January, they begin a new tour of duty, of sorts.

The two were selected for the honor of Aide-De-Camp to John Stroud, National Commander-in-Chief of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

According to Randi Law, communications manager at the VFW’s national headquarters in Kansas City, Mo., the national commander selects multiple aides-de-camp every year.

And while Rettela said it’s mostly an honorary title, it’s one he and Geddes are proud of.

“It’s just such an honor to be selected,” Rettela said. “It’s a brotherhood. We feel dedicated to our own.”

Geddes said serving his fellow veterans is akin to second nature. “It’s something we’ve done all our lives,” he said.

Rettela and Geddes were both members of VFW Post 4760 in Sequim until recently, when Rettela joined VFW Post 1024 in Port Angeles. Both posts are in District 14 (Washington has 17 districts).

“For two people to be selected out of one district is almost unheard of,” Rettela said.

Rettela served in the Korean War as a staff sergeant from 1953-1956.

Already an advocate for veterans of all branches of the U.S. armed services before his move to Washington in 2004, Rettela has continued finding ways to help his fellow veterans. In 2005, he organized the first Korean War Memorial Service in Clallam County. Of the 150 participating veterans, about 120 were awarded Korean Service Medals. Two years later, he organized the first exclusively military parade in Port Angeles, honoring Korean War vets.

Since 2010, Rettela has delivered blankets, health care items, books, clothing and DVDs to hospitalized veterans at the Puget Sound Regional Veterans Hospital in Seattle, the American Lake Veterans Hospital in Tacoma and the Retsil Veterans Home in Retsil.

In 2011, he began an effort to organize an ocean fishing retreat for veterans who are part of the Wounded Warriors/Warriors Transition Battalion at Madigan Hospital at Fort Lewis. That effort became a reality in 2012 and 2013 when 15 veterans took part. Rettela said VFW Post 1024 and Naval Elks Post 353 helped make it possible by requesting state and national VFW assistance.

“There was a guy fishing with just one arm,” Geddes said. “It was fantastic, just to watch them.”

Rettela also started “Operation Baby” — a program that gets baby clothes and baby blankets to veterans families at Madigan Hospital.

Rettela also is the major driving force behind renaming several Olympic Peninsula highways, including: Korean War Veterans Memorial State Highway, Highways 112 and 113, sponsored by Rep. Lynn Kessler; The Vietnam War Veterans Memorial State Highway, Highway 112, sponsored by Sen. Jim Hargrove; Gulf War, Desert Shield/Storm War Veterans Memorial Highway, Highway 110, sponsored by Rep. Kevin Van de Wege; and POW/MIA Memorial Highway, Highway 117, sponsored by Hargrove.

He’s also working on efforts to rename Highway 19, a 14-mile stretch between Highway 20 and Highway 104 in Jefferson County, after four Medal of Honor recipients from the North Olympic Peninsula — one of them being Marine Pfc. Richard B. Anderson, who grew up in the Agnew area between Port Angeles and Sequim.

Rettela also presides as master-of-ceremonies at the monthly bell-ringing ceremony in Port Angeles, honoring veterans of Clallam County who have died in the previous month.

Like Rettela, Geddes — a World War II veteran — started giving back as soon as he completed his service, joining both the VFW and American Legion back in 1946. With the American Legion, Geddes served as commander to six countries.

“It’s our job to take care of veterans in need,” Geddes said, be that helping with rent or car payments or serving as honor guards as veterans’ funerals.

The pair join other veterans in helping with regular Stand Down events that aim to help veterans get some of the basics, from haircuts to some extra clothes.

“We on the Olympic Peninsula do quite a bit for veterans services,” Rettela said. “That’s how we try to close those gaps, as well as help our own.”

The Clallam County Veterans Center estimates there are 16,000 veterans living in the county.