Brothers at breakfast: Veterans meet twice a week to share stories, camaraderie in Coeur d’Alene

On any Friday morning at Jimmy’s Down the Street in Coeur d’Alene, you’ll find a small group of guys at their regular table. They’re easy to spot because they are all wearing red.
Red Fridays, also known as Remember Everyone Deployed, is a way to show support and honor those currently deployed by the United States military.
The veterans group at Jimmy’s has had members from every branch of the service at one time or another.
“We served in different places, in different wars at different times,” Greg Munden said.
But the threads that connect them are red, white and blue.
“We’re proud of our military, and we respect each other,” he said. “We also give each other a hard time – especially during the Army-Navy game.”
Munden served eight years in the Navy and 20 years in the Air National Guard.
“I joined the Navy so that I wouldn’t go to Vietnam, but I went there twice on an aircraft carrier.”
He’s been meeting with the group for 14 years and said most of them are VFW members who volunteered with the honor guard. Some of them meet on Wednesdays, as well as Fridays.
Charles Riffle tries to attend both days.
“We enjoy each other’s company,” he said.
He hails from Kansas and served in Korea from 1953-54. He understands the importance of camaraderie.
“I met two guys during basic,” he said. “We stayed together all the way through Korea.”
And they all made it home – though not without some close calls. Riffle, a squad leader and machine gunner, recalled one of them.
“We got hit by a mortar in the middle of a bunker. I was standing at the entry, and it destroyed the bunker.”
He suffered a severe concussion and doesn’t remember anything after that until he arrived at the Kansas Line, a defensive line situated roughly 10-20 miles north of the 38th parallel.
“I’m not sure if my crew survived,” he said.
Riffle invited one of the younger attendees to join the coffee group.
Damon Darakjy retired from the Army in 2021 and believes he is the only Iraq and Afghanistan veteran in the group.
The Coeur d’Alene native joined the Marine Reserves. After graduating from North Idaho College and the University of Idaho, he served in the Army on active duty. He specialized in counter-intelligence and was deployed six times throughout his 30-year career.
“I’m a snowbird, but I attend when I’m in town,” he said. “Social networking is so important. I love being with people who fought for our country – they’re the salt of the earth, and it’s good to be with them.”
Riffle also invited Roy Reel to join them.
“He’s a good guy,” Reel said. “You’ll never find a better guy than Chuck.”
Growing up in Murray, Idaho, Reel was regaled with World War II stories by a neighbor who was like a surrogate father to him.
In 1969, Reel joined the Navy. After 10 years of active duty, he joined the Reserves, leading to a career that spanned from Vietnam to Kuwait.
“I saw the world,” he said.
He looks forward to connecting with fellow vets over coffee.
Joe Deacon appreciates that, too.
In 1963, he and his two brothers enlisted in the Air Force. The three of them served during Vietnam. His brothers deployed to Vietnam while he worked as a scientist in the Air Force weapons laboratory in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Deacon dedicated much of his post-military legal career to government affairs, securing funding for nonprofits that supported the veteran community. In 2020, following the death of his wife, he moved to Coeur d’Alene with his son.
“I immediately joined the VFW, American Legion and Rotary,” he said. “There’s an estimated 25,000 veterans in Kootenai County.”
The Friday coffee group welcomed him.
“Surrounding yourself with friends with similar military background is so important because as you age, they become your support.”
The group members are all retired yet continue to give back to the community.
In April, Deacon and his brothers traveled to Washington, D.C., via Inland Northwest Honor Flight. He was so moved by the experience that he collaborated with a consortium of 30 veterans’ groups and businesses in Kootenai County to raise $65,000 for the organization.
Reel has served as chairman of the Kootenai County Veterans Council, and Munden is board president of Newby-ginnings, a veterans service group.
Munden urges vets to drop in and enjoy a cup of coffee or breakfast with the guys.
“We don’t talk a lot about combat; it’s more about the good things of military life.”
Riffle agreed.
“We spent most of our lives as civilians,” he said. “But we are all brothers.”
The group meets Wednesdays and Fridays at Jimmy’s Down the Street, 1613 Sherman Ave., Coeur d’Alene, from approximately 8 to 9 a.m. All veterans welcome.