“Volunteering runs in my family's blood”

Bill Spies - A Navy Vietnam veteran. My family first fought for freedom before there was a United States of America, as Pilgrims to Jamestown in 1608. One of my grandfathers fought in the Continental Army during the American Revolution and was KIA at the Battle of Cowpens in 1780.
His son fought at the Battle of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812.
A great-uncle fought with the Union Army in the Civil War with the 117th Pennsylvania Volunteers. A cousin was a corporal in the U.S. Marines and fought in several battles to save the westerners in Peking during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900. A great-uncle fought in the Rainbow Division in France during World War I. Several uncles fought in World War II in Europe and the Pacific.
My father’s brother was KIA in Italy in 1944. My cousin, the son of my uncle who was killed in World War II, fought in the Vietnam War on USS America, and my father-in-law was KIA in Vietnam (101st Division); his wife, Rachel, was a past national president of Gold Star Wives of America. In each case we ‘volunteered’ for the good of others and for our family.
Today I volunteer with the Blue Star Salute, National Veteran Shrine at American Village, and Habitat for Humanity. I am a proud member of American Legion Post 195, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4758, Tennessee ATT VETS Group and a life member of Telecommunications Pioneers Group.