Larry Moseley
2022 Salute to Veterans
Hometown: Oregon City
Service Branch: U.S. Army
Theater of operations: Vietnam
Years of Service: 1965-1969
PROUDLY SPONSORED BY:
TACKLING TRAUMA HEAD ON THROUGH VOLUNTEERISM
Given the countless number of organizations that he volunteers for, Larry Moseley has rightfully earned the nickname of “Oregon City’s Mr. Veteran.”
Moseley said the common rumor that he “is everywhere in Oregon City” is untrue. What is true is that he attends lots of events in town by carefully scheduling his time.
Moseley became the public face for veterans in Oregon City in part to help other veterans because it’s the best treatment he’s found for managing his post-traumatic stress disorder from serving in Vietnam.
“When the VA told me that I was severely disabled with PTSD, I went about finding how to deal with it,” he said. “I am still disabled from it but have learned to deal with it using humor.”
Joining the Veterans of Foreign Wars about 10 years ago, Moseley was recruited to become the VFW’s representative to the Oregon City Chamber of Commerce. He volunteered, not knowing he had severe PTSD and significant problems with crowds, but the “chamber members were very kind and caring people.”
Moseley is “always the first one to step up for volunteer opportunities in our community,” said Trieste Andrews, chamber operations manager and a prolific volunteer herself.
Moseley’s activities with the chamber and VFW helped him get more involved in supporting veterans and their needs. As an OC Rotarian, he runs the sandwich-making program at My Father’s Heart Street Ministry, a day-use facility for homeless people in the area.
Supporting a Boy Scout troop sponsored by the VFW, he focuses on youth projects citywide as a member of the OC Optimist Club and volunteers several hours a week at OCHS. Several years back, the organization that ran Scout Troop 220 decided they no longer wished to hold the charter.
“One of the mothers who knew me from the chamber asked if the VFW would help,” Moseley said. “We were very excited to have a Scout troop as a part of our post, and I volunteered to be the charter representative.”
Moseley is also on the Clackamas County Veterans Advisory Council, which works with county commissioners to inform them about veterans’ needs. He participates in other events throughout the area every week to spread the word about veteran needs. He has a business card that he freely distributes, showing the veteran services phone number.
“Almost everywhere he goes, Larry wears a hat and badge showing that he is a vet, which opens the door for many vets to talk with him and learn where to go for help if needed,” said Vicki Yates, a local business owner.
Another business owner in Oregon City, David Bone, said Moseley volunteers “to help kids and adults alike.” Bone called Moseley “truly a wonderful and selfless man.”
Serving two tours during the Vietnam War, Moseley was in a leadership position throughout his career. He enjoyed the camaraderie among the troops and how the Army taught soldiers to work together for a common goal, even though it was challenging for him to learn to lead as a platoon sergeant.
Having protested the war during the 1960s, Moseley volunteered for the Army and Vietnam “to find out what it was all about. Needless to say, I learned quite a bit,” he said.
Noting the high suicide rate for veterans, Moseley said he would like the Veterans Crisis Line to be listed as part of this story:
Confidential chat at veteranscrisisline.net, text to 838255
or call 1-800-273-8255 and then press option 1.