NORTH WINDHAM – The Veterans of Foreign Wars emblem on the sign approaching the Windham Veterans Center in North Windham was vandalized last week.

According to VFW Post 10643 member Don Swander, who noticed the vandalism on a visit to check the building July 26, the damage was limited to a chunk of wood removed from the sign and the removal of about two-thirds of a VFW decal that measures 18 inches square.

While the building, which hosts both American Legion and VFW posts based in Windham, is located out of sight at the end of a dirt road behind the Windham Mall, the large, white sign with big, black lettering greeting visitors is in view of the mall’s rear parking lot. Swander, a veteran of the Korean conflict, has no idea who did the damage, but theorizes it’s someone with a beef against Americans involved in foreign conflicts.

“Pretty much the only part of the sign that’s been touched is the emblem, not the American Legion emblem, which was untouched. So I’m assuming it’s somebody against us being in foreign countries fighting wars. I don’t know. There seems to be a group of people against that,” Swander said.

Swander said vandalism was an issue at the veterans center a few years ago, with a large stone being thrown through a window and removal of ornamental trees. But since gardens have been placed around the building, vandalism had eased.

“It’s probably been two or three years since we’ve had any issues,” Swander said.

Toby Pennels, president of the Windham Veterans Association, which is the umbrella organization that takes care of the center, says the vets will fix it and move on.

“The bad news is we had a little vandalism. I wish it didn’t happen but it does,” Pennels said. “And the fact of the matter we had more issues with it a few years ago than we currently do and that’s the good news. So, you just fix it. I approach it like graffiti. It is what it is and you fix it as soon as you can.”

The damage to the sign has come at an ironic time for the Swander family. Swander’s son, Greg Swander, who built the sign as an Eagle Scout project in 2004, is getting married Aug. 18 and is holding the wedding reception at the veterans hall. Swander said the sign has stood for eight years with no issues, “and here we are two or three weeks from the wedding and it’s been defaced,” Swander said. “So, it’s strange, here he is, he’s worried about how everything looks and of course, he’ll be referring to that, that he made that sign for his Eagle project. So it’s just sad.”

Swander said he’ll try to get the damage fixed quickly. Fellow VFW member Ralph Johnston is ordering a new decal, Swander said, which will likely cost about $20.

“I am disappointed, and I’m dismayed that someone would want to deface anything that had to do with veterans. I don’t understand how that could happen,” Swander said.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars emblem on the Windham Veterans Center sign was vandalized last week. A chunk of the plywood sign was removed and about two-thirds of the emblem removed.