They have returned by the thousands, men and women who traveled miles and miles to fight in the name of our country.

They left behind wives and husbands and children, all of whom greeted each day with fingers crossed for one more day of safety for their loved ones.

Many of them returned hurt, both physically and mentally. They needed treatment, most often at one of the Veterans Administration medical facilities around the country.

For many of the families, this presented a difficult and, in some cases, impossible task of being there when the treatment took place.

Enter the Fisher House.

Founded in 1990 by a wealthy philanthropist named Zachary Fisher.  A Fisher House allows families  a place to stay, free of charge, while their loved one gets treatment. There are about 60 Fisher Houses around the country.

The efforts to build one at the Zablocki V.A. Hospital in Milwaukee have been  spearheaded by Army Captain (retired) Dan Buttery.

And it’s because of those efforts that Buttery will be awarded the "Citizen Support for Our Armed Services Award" during Armed Forces Week, May 11-16.

"I served in Iraq in 2003-2004 but hurt my back and that was the end of my military career," Buttery said. "Then my unit went back to Afghanistan in 2008. They were responsible for clearing roadsides and suffered an 80 percent casualty rate."

Buttery, coming face to face with the serious injuries to his brothers, went into action. He had seen Fisher houses in action and he knew his men were going to be getting treatment at the Zablocki hospital.

"This became my new mission," he said. "I wanted to say to my men ‘I’ve got your back.’"

"There are plenty of studies to prove that recuperation and healing happen much quicker and better when a family is present," he said. "Fisher House can make that happen so much easier."

The cost estimate for the Milwaukee Fisher House was about $6 million, and Buttery and his band of hearty volunteers started knocking on doors, making phone calls, filling out forms for foundations and looking for cash.

"We are going to open our doors on Veterans Day (Nov. 11) this year," Buttery said. "And we’re proud of the fact that we will be the first Fisher House to have raised the entire cost of our house by ourselves. We haven’t gotten anything from the Fisher foundation. We feel pretty good about that."

Dr. Thomas Buck, who is co-chair of the Milwaukee Armed Services Committee, said Buttery seemed like a natural for this year’s award.

"Dan Buttery has been selected as the recipient of this prestigious award for his unwavering dedication and support to the armed services, both personally and through his professional life," Buck said.

"He understands the sacrifice the members of the military and their families give on a daily basis to maintain our freedom, and he works to serve these individuals and the charitable organizations that best serve our veterans."

Buttery grew up on a farm north of Madison and has clearly come from the kind of stock that Wisconsin is proud of. He has built a life of honorable service to his country and the men and women who have fought for it.

You can read more about his efforts and the Fisher House, as well as contribute here.