EL PASO, Texas -- To end the week of honoring veterans, on Saturday Fort Bliss honored one specific group of vets, while recognizing a handful of current troops in one of the biggest moments of their lives.

Soldiers young and old, veterans and active duty, gathered Saturday on post to honor Vietnam vets.

"Many of them were not welcomed home back when they came back years ago, so to me it was very emotional," said Larry Medina, a former El Paso county commissioner and city representative.

Medina said Saturday's events on post were desperately needed.

"It's about time. And again, it's never too late, and it makes me feel extremely proud of my country, extremely proud of my fellow El Pasoans," Medina told KFOX.

Major General Howard Bromberg, the commanding general at Ft. Bliss, came up with the idea along with U.S. Representative Silvestre Reyes.

"The Vietnam veterans, particularly in El Paso, they're very supportive of all our troops who come and go everyday, and so we felt it was appropriate to set aside a day during this week of celebrating veterans service, to recognize those Vietnam veterans," said Bromberg.

But the events weren't just about veterans, but also current soldiers, including those who until taking an oath on Saturday, had yet to be U.S. citizens.

"This is where I live, I mean, a better place for my daughter and my wife," said Lance Cpl. Rodolfo Alarcon.

Alarcon, who is from Mexico, was one of 10 service members from eight different countries to become citizens on Saturday.

"It was a little harder to get in the service but it's still, it's possible, and while you're in the service, they help you out with your citizenship to become part of this great country," Alarcon told KFOX.

Fort Bliss invited veterans from 14 West Texas counties and vets from the entire state of New Mexico to Saturday's event.