Hartford — When Randy Atkins flies around the country, he often mentions to those he encounters that he's related to an Atkins from Connecticut. That frequently prompts the question, "Do you know Bud Atkins?"

"They say, 'Well let me tell you about what Bud Atkins did for me.' They go on about how he impacted their lives in a positive way," Randy Atkins said after a ceremony honoring his dad and other Connecticut veterans.

His dad, Edwin Francis Atkins, 80, who goes by Bud, was one of 10 veterans inducted into the Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame Wednesday night at the Hartford Legislative Office Building. They join 95 past honorees including former president George H.W. Bush, a World War II Navy pilot who is a member of the first class of the Veterans Hall of Fame inducted in November 2005.

"It's really a great honor to be with the fellow inductees," Bud Atkins said after the ceremony. "I really appreciate them."

Atkins and his wife, Fran, live in the Oakdale section of Montville, but his family and friends came from all over the country to join him at the ceremony, including his son Randy, who lives in Oklahoma. His granddaughter and nephew came from Boston. Many of his friends with the U.S. Submarine Veterans, Groton base, were also in attendance.

"We're thrilled to be here tonight and to have the whole complete family with us. It's a very, very special occasion," Fran Atkins said. "I'm very, very proud of him, that's all can I say, and the family, and what he's done for the area."

Atkins has 40 combined years of service in the Wisconsin National Guard and the U.S. Navy. He served as vice commander of the Groton veterans group and remains an active member. He is credited with establishing strong ties between the veterans and the staff and students of the Naval Submarine School in Groton. For four years, he has been selected to sit on the selection panel and participate in the selection of the outstanding sailors who are the best of the best in the submarine force, according to his induction biography. Atkins still serves as a mentor to students at the sub school and frequently attends sub school graduations.

Atkins' list of accomplishments runs long, too long, perhaps to fit in his biography for the induction ceremony. "There was a lot of stuff that wasn't even mentioned," Randy Atkins said.

But when it comes to personal accomplishments, Randy Atkins, who wasn't the best student, remembered that his dad pushed him to go college, an accomplishment he's proud of today. Now a principal at a school in Oklahoma, he said, "I want to help kids be better than what they think they can be. That's probably the best lesson he taught me. Be better. Better yourself and better the people around you. "

The Veterans Hall of Fame was created 10 years ago to increase the awareness of the lifetime contributions of veterans after completion of honorable military service. Wednesday's inductees "continued to serve and inspire their fellow man," after their military service, said Joseph Perkins, acting commissioner of the state Department of Veterans' Affairs. The Veterans Hall of Fame is administered and sponsored by the Department of Veterans' Affairs and the Connecticut Military Department.

Connecticut has had 1.2 million participants in the military, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said during his remarks, and there are currently 277,000 veterans living in the state.

"We honor them for the extraordinary service they gave the nation while in uniform, but if you look at each of the biographies, we honor them for the service that they have provided since their military service," Malloy said, "going the extra mile, five miles or ten miles to make sure that this community, our community of Connecticut is stronger, yes, because of their service in the military, but most importantly, in some cases even more importantly, because of their services rendered on behalf of community after that service in uniform."

During her remarks, Lt. Gov Nancy Wyman, addressing the Vietnam veterans in the room said, "Let me just say welcome home, because we didn't do that. I think we've learned a lot from that time. We've learned that our veterans are very, very special people."

Along with Atkins, the class of 2014 inductees include:

Samuel Báez of Waterford, a Navy chaplain in Vietnam, was honored for his counseling services. He conducted the memorial service in Da Nang, Vietnam for the first operational Marine Corps deaths in the war. He currently serves as a counselor to many veterans in his community, and he and his wife have opened their home to cadets from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy as parental sponsors.

Robert T. Getman of Old Lyme, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran, was honored posthumously for his legacy of selfless service and taking care of others. He was appointed as director of the Connecticut Veterans' Home in Rocky Hill, where for 10 years he worked vigorously to rehabilitate, educate and employ more veterans than all previous administrations. He was elected to the Old Lyme Board of Education and was also a member of the Harbor Management Commission. He volunteered at the Coast Guard Museum and at the prison in Niantic, providing spiritual ministry and tutoring to inmates.

Edmond Clark of Madison, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, was honored for his advocacy for veterans over the years. He has a law degree and has helped veterans, for no payment, pursue and collect money due to them for work they had performed, resist home and apartment evictions, oppose vehicle repossession issues, and assist their entry into mental health and substance abuse programs, among other areas.

Maurice (Moe) L. Collin of Coventry, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran from the Vietnam War, was honored for his work as a Veteran Service Officer, and for his time as a supervisor of the Office of Advocacy and Assistance with the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs. After retiring from working for the state, he volunteered at the Newington VA Medial Center's Clothing Room, supervising other volunteers in the distribution of free clothing to needy veterans. He has also volunteered as a driver for the Disabled American Veterans.

Theodore Robert Cummings of Manchester, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps 1941-45, was honored for his service in the community, particularly as it relates to drug and alcohol programs. After being discharged from service, Cummings took advantage of the GI Bill to go back to school in the evenings to get his college degree and ultimately own and operate a successful insurance company. He was a strong supporter of programs to help those with alcohol and drug dependencies. He served for eight years on the state Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission, which allowed him to have a platform for encouraging funding and programs geared to address these dependencies.

Frank Esposito of Norwalk, a U.S. Army veteran who served during the Korean War era, was honored posthumously. He led a long and successful career of public service beginning in 1970 when he was appointed commissioner of the Norwalk Housing Authority, and as a member of the School Building Committee. He was elected in 1980 to serve in the Connecticut General Assembly representing the 137th District. He served a total of four terms in this capacity. In 1987, he was elected mayor of Norwalk and continuously supported all veterans in the state.

David William Gay of Windsor, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, was honored for his commitment to public service. He has maintained a long relationship of support and membership in the Manchester American Legion, Post 102, and the Army Navy Club of Manchester. In 1994, then Gov. Lowell Weicker requested that he assist in the operations, planning and execution of the 1995 Special Olympics World Summer Games, which were held in New Haven. In 2002, he was appointed by then Gov. John Rowland to be a member of the Board of Trustees for Community Colleges, where he served five years.

Richard A. Herman of Milford, a U.S. Army veteran who fought for his country during World War II, was honored for his career as an educator with the Milford Public Schools. He started as a history teacher at Milford High School, and also served as vice principal and principal at the school. He also served as the assistant superintendent in charge of secondary education. He was instrumental in implementing Title IX in the Milford Schools, a law that demands gender equity in all educational programs that are federally funded.

Gerard B. Wright of Bolton, a U.S. Army veteran who served during the Vietnam War, was honored for using his knowledge as the owner of a towing business to educate high school student about the proper use of vehicles and the consequences of unsafe driving habits. He spends his time addressing schoolchildren on the meanings of Veterans Day and Memorial Day, and about those who served their country during conflicts. He has been a staunch supporter and participant of events for veterans such as military funerals, demobilization of returning units from Afghanistan and Iraq, Stand Down, or simply helping families that need work around the house.

j.bergman@theday.com

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