Gen. William Pagonis retired from the Army 14 years ago, but his vocabulary still is peppered with military terms.

He and his wife, Cheri, moved 30 times during his 29-year military career, the general, known as "Gus," told a crowd of 500 attending "A Tribute to Veterans" in Pittsburgh.

For the past several years, they have lived on a horse farm in Butler County. "This will be our final 'tour,' " he said, using the word for a military assignment.

The Veterans Leadership Program of Western Pennsylvania honored Gen. Pagonis as Veteran of the Year during a Nov. 1 program at Carnegie Music Hall in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood.

He said he was reluctant to accept the award until he realized he could do so on behalf of all the region's veterans. About 300,000 ex-servicemen and women live in and around Pittsburgh.

Mr. and Mrs. Pagonis have roots in southwestern Pennsylvania -- he grew up in Charleroi; she was raised on a farm in Indiana County.

Several other individuals and organizations were honored for their efforts on behalf of veterans at the Nov. 1 gala.

The 25-year-old nonprofit veterans program was founded in 1982 by Vietnam veterans to provide job placement and training for ex-service members. That role has since expanded to include housing assistance and referral services.

Gen. Pagonis retired as a three-star lieutenant general. Serving as the Army's head of logistics during the first Gulf War, also referred to as Desert Storm and Desert Shield, he was given the nickname "Einstein" by Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf.

During a recent conversation with his former commander, Gen. Pagonis said the talk turned to the possibility of a movie being made about the Gulf War.

Gen. Pagonis said he saw his role being played by Dustin Hoffman. He said his wife suggested Danny DeVito.

While the Army needs professional soldiers who make the military a career, it could not operate without its more numerous "citizen soldiers," he said. "They are the backbone of the military."

He could have been talking about retired Army Sgt. Jeremy W. Feldbusch, who was blinded by injuries he suffered in Iraq. Sgt. Feldbusch, of Blairsville, Indiana County, who served with the 3rd Battalion of the 75th Ranger Regiment in Iraq, was also honored at the gala.

A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, he joined the Army after college. He was almost killed by shrapnel from an artillery shell that destroyed his right eye, damaged the nerve behind his left eye and became embedded in his brain. He spent months in military hospitals before returning home to Blairsville.

After his injury and recovery, he and his mother, Charlene, established the Wounded Warrior Project to raise awareness about the needs of injured service members.

Also honored was Stephen Dennison, a Vietnam War veteran who is department service officer of the Pittsburgh office of the American Legion. He received the John Heinz Community Advocate Award for his work to ensure that veterans understand and receive the benefits to which they are entitled.

The President's Unit Award went to the Pittsburgh-based 303rd Psychological Operations Company, which served in Iraq between April 2006 and April 2007. The 97-member company earned 14 Bronze Stars and nine Purple Hearts among its other honors.

The unit lost two of its soldiers in action, Sgt. Adam Knox and Sgt. Thomas Vandling.

Harrisburg's Hometown Heroes banner program won the civic achievement award. A joint effort between the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District and American Gold Star Mothers, the Hometown Heroes effort honors Pennsylvanians killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Between May and October, 128 banners are displayed throughout Harrisburg's business district, each printed with the name and photo of a service member killed since Sept. 11, 2001.