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February 29, 2008

Will Our Veterans Get Absolute Justice?

DoD Photo


The following letter appeared in the February 26 issue of The Shreveport Times.

I am a veteran of World War II, a combat Marine in the Pacific islands, and our numbers grow smaller each day.

I have been in the foxhole. I know that believers and atheists pray for help in extreme emergency. Our true heroes died far from home, making the ultimate sacrifice to provide freedom for their families.

Why was I allowed to live so long while others have died? Maybe God left me here to speak these very words, to ask you what should be done to honor our veterans and give them absolute justice?

I watch each day with knowledge as American soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen return dead or so wounded they will never be productive members of society. Will we do absolute justice by them and provide for their needs?

This is not a new issue. Since Pericles fought Sparta to bring it again under control of the democracy of Athens in 400 B.C. and Lincoln fought to preserve the United States nearly 2,300 years later, there are some striking parallels. In the ensuing battles, thousands were killed on both sides and had to be buried. In each case both sides spoke the same language, read the same books, prayed to the same gods, came from the same families but were required to fight one another. Thus it fell to Pericles and Lincoln to hold a public ceremony to honor the dead.

Each leader had to have bedrock principles, with a solid foundation of beliefs that do not change, as statesmen do not transform principles to satisfy public opinion polls - that is, principles based on democracy.

Pericles said "Freedom is the sure possession of those alone who have the courage to defend it ... that we can no longer honor them as they are dead as they had already given their lives for Athens ... that those being buried had great patriotism and knew the noblest thing they could do was to die for their country ... that those left behind had to take up the struggle to prove themselves worthy."

Lincoln's Gettysburg address lasted only two minutes where he said "from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion that we here highly resolved, that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom. And that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the Earth."

You may think this issue doesn't involve you, but every person who lives in a country, without dictators, owes their very freedom to those who have fought and died in the struggle. So every citizen must take a firm stand for absolute justice.

We should take care of our wounded and dead as we have since our nation was founded. We should not only visit them but make certain that our government cares for them properly. These veterans are only asking to take care of their wounds, their surviving families and to bury their fellow servicemen in peace. That is not too much to ask.

I do not presume to tell you how to vote, but call or write your congressmen today and let them know that you want mandatory funding for the men and women who gave you freedom at all costs. Lest we forget!

Gayle Hamilton is a member of Louisiana American Legion Post 14 and a Shreveport resident.

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Posted by Linda on February 29, 2008 2:38 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

American Legion commander rallies his troops

Shreveport Times
February 29, 2008

"You've got to tell the story. ...If you don't, who will?" American Legion National Commander Marty Conatser

By John Andrew Prime

Marty Conatser, national commander of the American Legion, told several hundred Legionnaires and supporters at local Post 14 Thursday to be proud and get the national veterans' group message out loud and clear to the public.

"The American Legion has great vision," he said, after listing instances where it has stepped in to provide financial and moral support for the families of soldiers deployed overseas in the War on Terror.

He noted the American Legion, alone among the nation's veterans groups, is growing in membership, but warned those listening to him in the newly remodeled second-floor ballroom of the Lowe-McFarlane Post on the point of Cross Lake on South Lakeshore Drive they can't rest on their laurels.

"Have you identified the active-duty soldiers in your community?" he asked rhetorically. "Have you identified the activated National Guard members? Have you made it clear to members and military alike what the local American Legion does, and what it offers? Think about it."

He noted the three major areas the American Legion helps families, through a legacy program that guarantees college money for the children of military members killed in combat, temporary assistance through grants to help military families with mortgage payments, utilities and other major bills, and its emergency relief fund.

"You've got to spread the word," he said, noting that speakers who preceded him at the luncheon talk, including 8th Air Force Director of Staff Col. Michael Shoults, Bossier City Mayor Lo Walker and Shreveport District A Councilman Calvin B. Lester had noted instances where the Legion had materially helped people in the community.

"You've got to tell the story," he said. "If you don't, who will?"

Lester, a last-minute substitute for Shreveport Mayor Cedric Glover, in particular provided poignant examples of how the American Legion and the military, through Barksdale Air Force Base have impacted the area. He noted the Legion sent him to Boys State when he was young, helping to direct him into public life.

Conatser, of Champaign, Ill., was elected in August to head the 2.7 million-member organization. He has served as district, division and department membership director and commander.

The Legion he heads was chartered by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic, mutual-help, wartime veterans organization and now boasts about three million members in some 15,000 posts worldwide, including 55 departments in the United States, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, France, Mexico and the Philippines.

Conatser, accompanied by Legion Louisiana Department Commander Edwin Grow, is a Vietnam War-era Army veteran who retired a decade ago as a sergeant major.

He eschewed talking about national politics, and didn't address the coming presidential race, which will likely pit a Republican veteran, former prisoner-of-war and third-generation Naval officer against a Democrat non-veteran.

Instead, his needling was limited to poking a little fun at the sea of officers he saw in the crowd he addressed.

"I'm a little concerned about the Air Force," he said. "Three bird colonels and not an NCO to supervise them."

After the laughter from that subsided, he boosted the Marine Corps Reserve, which provided a color guard for the event.

"The Marines send four enlisted men, two first sergeants and a major," he quipped. "How can that be bad?"

Posted by Linda on February 29, 2008 1:45 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

February 28, 2008

Legion Riders Of Post 298, Battle Creek, MI



View this heartfelt video from The Legion Riders of Post 298 in Battle Creek, MI.

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Posted by Linda on February 28, 2008 8:26 AM | | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

County American Legions to host Indiana Blue Star Salute

BY LINDSAY J. JONES
Batesville Herald Tribune
Hendricks County Flyer (Avon, Ind.)

What started as one town’s event two years ago has rapidly spread to the statewide level.

The Indiana Blue Star Salute has been scheduled on this year’s Armed Forces Day from 2 to 7 p.m. May 17 at O’Reilly Raceway Park, 10267 East U.S. Highway 136.

Hanging a Blue Star Banner - a 15- by 20-inch banner with a blue star on a field of white with a red border - in one’s window to symbolize that a member of the household is currently serving in the military was a tradition that began during World War I, becoming especially popular during World War II.

Avon American Legion Public Information Officer Paul Morton said the banners would be presented to families by a local military commander during a war, and when it got to a point where military commanders weren’t so readily available, American Legion members adopted the practice.

The tradition began dropping off during the Korean Conflict and almost completely fell out of practice during the Vietnam War. In 2000, the American Legion National Headquarters adopted a resolution to reemphasize the trend and reinstall the tradition.

In 2006 the Avon Blue Star Salute and was held at Washington Township Park. At the inaugural event, about 65 families of service members attended, and a Black Hawk helicopter landed during the ceremony.

“The idea was to get the Blue Star out to everyone, and get the public to recognize what we’re doing,” Morton said.

He added that after the first event was such a success, he contacted other American Legions throughout the county to team up and host a county-wide event last year at the Hendricks County 4-H Fairgrounds and Conference Complex. That event was even more successful, with five helicopters landing during the ceremony, and between 400 and 500 motorcycle riders participating in the Indiana Ride for the Salute.

This year’s event is again hosted by the Hendricks County American Legion Posts - Avon, Brownsburg, Danville, Pittsboro, and Plainfield - and is open to military service members, their families, and the general public from throughout the state.

Doors will open at 1 p.m., and the opening ceremonies will begin at 2 p.m. The day’s events will include three skydivers; firefighters will raise an American flag from a ladder truck; the organization Fueled by the Fallen will bring out a car painted in Marine camouflage and do a special tribute to the families; a Black Hawk and possibly three other helicopters will land; the Colts cheerleaders and mascot “Blue” will be on hand; the Indiana Ride for the Salute will feature between 700 and 1,000 motorcycle riders, and will possibly be led by Gov. Mitch Daniels; and there will be a special Blue Star Salute race on the track.

The entire event will be free, including the VP Fuels E.T. Bracket Racing Series points races going on throughout the day and evening.

Corporate sponsors, including Hendricks Regional Health, Clarian, Duke Energy, and the Town of Avon are sponsoring the event, which will help pay for Blue Star banners for each of the families present.

“I feel like a real success will be measured ultimately by our ability to engage the public,” Morton said. “It’s great we have a bunch of service members and their families come out, and it’ll be greater still if we can get someone with no connection other than these people are defending their country to come in the doors and say ‘thanks.’”

Committee Chairperson Ralph “Zoc” Zoccolillo echoed that sentiment, saying that one of the greatest parts of the event for him is when Legion members are embraced and thanked by the families for honoring them, when the event is really meant to thank the families for the sacrifices of their children who are serving far away and in harm’s way.

“This is the most incredible thing we could do,” he said.

Any service member or family member who would like to attend the Blue Star Salute should register in advance online at the website www.hcbluestar.org.

For more information about the event, call Morton at 340-8554 or Zoccolillo at 750-4265.

Anyone who wishes to join an American Legion post may do so by contacting their local post or by calling the national headquarters at 630-1200. Those eligible to join should have served in active military duty between April 6, 1917 and Nov. 11, 1918; Dec. 7, 1941 and Dec. 31, 1946; June 25, 1950 and Jan. 31, 1955; Feb. 28, 1961 and May 7, 1975; Aug. 24, 1982 and July 31, 1984; Dec. 20, 1989 and Jan. 31, 1990; and from Aug. 2, 1990 to present.

Lindsay J. Jones writes for the Hendricks County Flyer in Avon, Ind.

Posted by Linda on February 28, 2008 7:44 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Legion Chief Visits Post 13

By Laura Johnson
News-Star (LA)

Flags were raised Wednesday at the American Legion L.B. Faulk Post 13 in Monroe, where Legion members and their families squeezed into a meeting room in anticipation of the arrival of the American Legion's national commander.

National Commander Marty F. Conatser of Illinois told the crowd what the Legion does for veterans - then the legion presented seven checks totaling more than $16,000 to select veterans and one widow.Conatser emphasized the growth of the American Legion and the work done in the community for veterans that he said makes that growth vital.

"Do you realize that the American Legion is the only growing major veterans organization in America today?" he asked the audience, which was seated in folding chairs and pressed between the large French doors that lined either side of the building.

The American Legion grew even more at Wednesday's meeting, as local members presented the national commander with $1,220 in new membership fees from northeastern Louisiana.

But the Legion handed out money as well as received it.

Curtis Braddock, Tommy Shoemaker and Otis McGinnis - all three are local soldiers who were wounded in Afghanistan - were presented checks for $500 each.

In addition, Monroe Mayor Jamie Mayo was on hand to give three award certificates from the city to the same men.

An anonymous donor contributed $15,000 for Monroe servicemen wounded in the current combat in the Middle East and asked the local Legion post to select the veterans to be awarded. Tommy Shoemaker, Scott Worley, Randall Rugg and Jason Holloway each received checks of $2,500 for their service. The widow of Marine Cpl. Chad Powell, Danielle, received $5,000.

Seven-year-old Baylee Regan sang the National Anthem to start the service.

The Legion presented Alex Lau, 11, and Zachary Johnson, 12, from Boy Scout Troop 1 with a 15-by-25 foot flag that they requested to fly.

Posted by Linda on February 28, 2008 7:41 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

February 26, 2008

Legion Links To Web Readers With ALOU



On Thursday, Feb. 21 at 2:55 p.m., The American Legion launched its first electronic newsletter: ALOU, the American Legion Online Update. By 5:20 p.m., more than 90,000 people on the web had received the e-newsletter’s first issue.

The Update is published weekly and emailed to subscribers each Thursday. It makes a strong complement to the Legion’s two monthly publications, the Dispatch and American Legion Magazine. News coverage in the first issue ranged from the Berkeley City Council’s dispute with Marine Corps recruiters, to explaining differences between CRSC (combat-related special compensation) and CRDP (concurrent receipt disability pay).

Twelve hours after ALOU went out on the Internet, 93 percent of the 98,786 recipients had received it successfully. Statistics generated from the first mailing show that 21 percent of the recipients use America Online as their email domain; 16 percent use Yahoo, 6 percent use Hotmail, and nearly half use other domains.

If you’d like to subscribe to the weekly American Legion Online Update, please visit the Legion’s website at www.legion.org. Click on “Publications,” then click “Online Update” in the drop-down menu.

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Posted by Linda on February 26, 2008 1:28 PM | | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

February 25, 2008

American Legion Commander to Congress:
Pass Surveillance Law Now

DoD Photo


INDIANAPOLIS (February 25, 2008) – Congress should put America’s national security ahead of frivolous lawsuits, American Legion National Commander Marty Conatser said today. The head of the nation’s largest veterans organization sent a letter to members of the House of Representatives, urging them to pass an important intelligence-gathering law immediately.

“Since this war began, the Congress has done an exemplary job of ensuring that the nation’s fighting men and women are the best-trained and best-equipped military ever in American history,” National Commander Marty Conatser wrote. “Today, The American Legion asks you to continue this precedent by equipping the intelligence assets with the necessary tools needed to provide these dedicated troops the very best information available by timely enactment of S.2248, The Foreign Intelligence and Surveillance Act (FISA).”

The bill had bipartisan support in the Senate but is stuck in the House because leaders there do not believe telecommunications companies should be protected from lawsuits that arise from cooperating with surveillance requests.

Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-West Va., the Chairman of the Select Committee on Intelligence, also supports the bill. “Unfortunately, much of the debate over this bill has focused on liability protection for telecommunication carriers, instead of the new civil liberties protections and oversight mechanisms that have been included,” Rockefeller said in statement posted on his Senate web site. “We should not hold the carriers hostage to years of litigation for stepping forward when the country asked for help and providing assistance they believed to be legal and necessary. The fact is, if we lose cooperation from these or other private companies, our national security will suffer.”

Conatser pointed out to Representatives that the National Intelligence Estimate noted that the United States will face a persistent and evolving threat over the next three years, with the main threat coming from Islamic terrorist groups and cells.

“It defies all common sense to give lawsuits a higher priority than national security,” Conatser said. “The American people expect Congress to protect America, not the lawsuit lobby. This surveillance is aimed at terrorists who want to kill innocent Americans. The government is not interested in phone calls that you make to Aunt Sally.”

With a current membership of 2.7-million wartime veterans, The American Legion, www.legion.org, was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans affairs, Americanism, and patriotic youth programs. Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through more than 14,000 posts across the nation.

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Pass Surveillance Law Now" »

Posted by Linda on February 25, 2008 2:12 PM | | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

February 22, 2008

Postal Service to Offer Discount for Military Care Packages

Photo by John Raughter


BY USPS Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (Army News Service) - The U.S. Postal Service will begin offering a discount Priority Mail rate March 3 and a larger box for care packages sent to military members overseas.

The new flat-rate box is 50 percent larger than the current Priority Mail package and it will be delivered for $10.95 to an APO/FPO address -- $2 less than for domestic destinations.

"This is the first time the Postal Service has offered a special price for our armed forces serving overseas," said Postmaster General John Potter. "We're proud that family and friends will be able to use this new larger-sized box to send much appreciated packages from home to our dedicated troops overseas."

The new Priority Mail Large Flat-Rate Box (12" x 12" x 5 inches or 800 cubic inches) will be available in Post Offices nationwide beginning March 3, but customers can begin ordering them Feb. 20 at usps.com/supplies or by calling 800-610-8734. Some of the new boxes are co-branded with the logo of America Supports You, which is a Department of Defense program that connects citizens offering support to the military and their families.

"It's terrific that the Postal Service continues to think of ways to help Americans support our troops and their families. Postage is always a concern when shipping care packages, and this new flat-rate box means our home front groups and supportive citizens can do more with their resources," said Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of Defense. "We're especially pleased that some of the boxes will bear the 'America Supports You' logo reminding our service members that they have our nation's support"

The $2 discount is applied when the Priority Mail Large Flat-Rate Boxes are shipped to an APO/FPO destination. The two existing flat-rate boxes (11 x 3 x 13 inches and 11 x 8 X 5 inches), which currently retail for $8.95 for U.S. addresses, are not available for the military discount, postal officials said. They said all flat-rate boxes can still be used for international shipping.

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Posted by Linda on February 22, 2008 1:20 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (5)

February 21, 2008

Patriots Defend Marines At Berkeley

Photo by John Raughter


BERKELEY, Calif. -- Who says you can’t fight city hall? Veterans, Legionnaires and other concerned patriots gathered in front of the Berkeley City Council chambers last week to voice their outrage about a resolution which calls upon the Marine Corps to shut down its recruiting office.

“Osama bin Laden couldn’t have said it better,” American Legion National Commander Marty Conatser said in a news release after the Berkeley resolution passed on January 29. The City Council statement called the Marines “uninvited and unwelcome intruders.”

In response to the City Council’s resolution and its plans to send a letter to the Marines asking them to leave, the pro-troop organization “Move America Forward” organized a demonstration to demand an apology and to counter protests from radical anti-war groups Code Pink and ANSWER.

For the most part the demonstrations were non-violent, with many confrontations quelled by the large presence of police wearing riot gear. But that did nothing to deter Americans from showing support for the military.

“We have a son in Iraq,” said Legionnaire Dick Seavey, who attended the rally with his wife Georgeanne. “I think the City Council is trying to make a political statement. They are doing it wrong. You don’t penalize the Marine recruiters. Most of the kids out here demonstrating against the Marines don’t know what they’re doing. I could say something else, but it wouldn’t be appropriate or very nice.”

City leaders seemed to immediately regret the over-the-top actions of its Council, which included giving a free parking space near the recruiting station to Code Pink.

“Even though the City Council has set aside one parking space to be used each week by Code Pink, we have indicated to the public and others that we are prepared to make that space available to other groups, including those who support the Marines,” said Mayor Tom Bates, a former Army officer. “We have attempted to distinguish – maybe not successfully – between the people in the military and the recruiting, which is a problem for us because we don’t support the war.”

The February 12 City Council meeting lasted nearly six hours, as the body heard testimony from scores of protestors on both sides of the issue.

“I am the proud father of Specialist Joseph A. Graves, who was killed in Iraq on July 25, 2006,” Kevin Graves told the Council. “He died in honor. He volunteered. Our military are not coerced. They are not lied to and they are not deceived. They volunteer to serve their country proudly. You call it an illegal war but when a president declares war and funds it, it’s a legal war and you can’t call it anything else. You owe the military an apology.”

Lawmakers in the U.S. Congress and in the California State Assembly are considering cutting off federal and state funds to the community.

“You have embarrassed the country, you have embarrassed the City of Berkeley,” State Assemblyman Guy Houston told the Council. Houston pointed out that the Solomon Amendment set a federal precedent for denying funds to universities that barred military recruiters. A measure by U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, aptly named the “Semper Fi Act,” would transfer more than $2 million currently earmarked for Berkeley to the U.S. Marine Corps.

The business community of Berkeley is rattled by the City Council’s actions.

“The Berkeley Chamber of Commerce asks the members of our community (and the rest of the nation), not to punish Berkeley business owners for actions of the City Council that did not have our support,” Ted Garrett, CEO of the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce wrote in an editorial. “Additionally, we strongly encourage the Berkeley City Council to offer a public apology to our community, and the countless others who were offended by their actions – folks that roll up their sleeves every day and work hard to serve their country and their community.”

While the City Council stopped short of apologizing Feb. 12, it voted 7-2 to not send the letter to the Marines as originally planned. It also reiterated its opposition to the Iraq war, adding “we recognize the recruiter’s right to locate in our city and the right of others to protest or support their presence.”

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Posted by Linda on February 21, 2008 8:08 AM | | Comments (10) | TrackBacks (0)

National American Legion head to visit

Shreveport Times
By John Andrew Prime

The national commander of the American Legion will visit Shreveport’s Lowe-McFarlane Post 14 next week.

American Legion National Commander Marty Conatser will be at the local post Feb. 28, says its commander, Dennis Engdahl.

“He is scheduled to arrive at 10:30 a.m. and depart for Alexandria at 1:30 p.m.,” Engdahl said. “We will hold a luncheon and he will speak to the veterans in the audience. This will be open to all Legionnaires in the area, but seating will be limited to about 300.”

Engdahl said he has invited Shreveport Mayor Cedric Glover, whose late father was an American Legion post commander, and Bossier City Mayor Lorenz Walker to officially welcome Conatser to Shreveport.

Conatser, of Champaign, Ill., was elected in August to head the 2.7 million-member organization. He has served as district, division and department membership director and commander.

Conatser, a Vietname War-era veteran who trained for Army service at Fort Polk, was a 25-year member of the Lincoln American Legion Post No. 102 in DeLand, Ill. where he served as post commander and adjutant.

He is a past member of numerous civic and veterans-related clubs, including ANAVICUS, Masonic Lodge No. 812, AMVETS Post No. 4, Egyptian Past Commanders Club and the Dads Association of the University of Illinois.

The American Legion, headquartered in Indianapolis, was chartered by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic, mutual-help, wartime veterans organization. There now are about 15,000 American Legion Posts worldwide, covering 55 departments in the United States, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, France, Mexico and the Philippines.

Posted by Linda on February 21, 2008 7:30 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

February 20, 2008

Top Army Doc Cites Progress One Year After Walter Reed Revelations

  
DoD Photo



By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

The Army has made huge improvements in the way it cares for combat-wounded troops during the year since news reports brought problems at Walter Reed Army Medical Center to light, the Army surgeon general told Congress today.

Army Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Eric Schoomaker, who also commands U.S. Army Medical Command, told the House Armed Service Committee's Military Personnel Subcommittee the Army's medical action plan "is continuing to move forward" and making steady progress in improving care for wounded warriors.

"We as an Army are committed to getting this right and providing a level of care and support to our warriors and families that's equal to the quality of their service," he said.

Navy Vice Adm. (Dr.) Adam Robinson and Air Force Lt. Gen. (Dr.) James Roudebush, their services' surgeons general, joined Schoomaker at the table during today's hearing. However, one year after a Washington Post series outlined serious gaps in care at the Army's premier medical center, the bulk of the discussion focused on the Army's efforts through its medical action plan.

Schoomaker called the day the first of those articles appeared "a painful day" for Army medicine, but one he said has strengthened the Army's collective resolve to do better. Because of those revelations and the Army leadership's response, "we truly are a better Army today with respect to how we care for our soldiers," he told the panel.

Schoomaker called new warrior transition units the backbone of the Army medical action plan designed to address the problem.

More than 2,400 soldier-leaders -- up from fewer than 400 this time last year -- now are assigned as cadre to 35 of these units, he told the panel.

The warrior transition units, collocated Army-wide with medical treatment facilities, offer a "triad" that includes a soldier's primary-care physician, nurse case manager and squad leader, he explained. All work together to attend to the needs of wounded soldiers and their families.

The triad provides "a web of overlapping responsibility" to ensure no soldiers ever fall between bureaucratic cracks for the duration of their treatment, recovery, rehabilitation and transition back to military service or to civilian life, Schoomaker said.

A new Medical Command-wide ombudsman program is another improvement in the care provided to wounded, ill or injured troops, he said. Ombudsman at 26 installations work outside the chain of command but have direct access to the hospital, garrison and installation commanders "to get problems fixed," Schoomaker said.

The Army also has established a toll-free hotline for wounded soldiers and their families, he said. The Department of Veterans Affairs has expressed interest in setting up a similar hotline, which gives wounded soldiers and family members 24-hour access to assistance regarding their care or administrative concerns.

"We have fielded in excess of 7,000 calls to date, and we answer that call and find a solution for them and get the process going to get it ultimately fixed within 24 hours," Schoomaker said.

Schoomaker pointed to the hotline and ombudsman programs as examples of multiple feedback mechanisms now in place to ensure Army leaders are "seeing the full picture" in ways they didn't a year ago. The Army is now able to monitor and evaluate its performance through 18 internal and external means, including patient surveys. These "provide a very granular view of how our patients and families feel we're doing for them," Schoomaker said.

Despite these successes, he said, there's much still to be done. More research is needed into psychological health and traumatic brain injury, he said. The physical disability and evaluation system needs to be changed to make it less antagonistic, more understandable, more user-friendly and more equitable.

A good start, he said, is a pilot program under way in the Washington, D.C., area designed to bring the Defense Department's and VA's programs more in line. "I want to continue to pursue changes in the disability evaluation system as aggressively as possible and to get legislative relief for a single system of adjudication," he said.

Schoomaker thanked the panel for its support for these and other initiatives to help wounded warriors and their families, and he reiterated the Army's resolve in ensuring they're treated fairly.

"The Army's unwavering commitment and a key element of our warrior ethos is that we never leave a soldier behind on the battlefield or lost in a bureaucracy," he said. "We are doing a better job of honoring that commitment today than we were at this date last year. ... We have turned the corner."

Continue reading "Top Army Doc Cites Progress One Year After Walter Reed Revelations" »

Posted by Linda on February 20, 2008 9:15 AM | | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

American Legion Riders mix bikes, civic activities

The Republican (MA)

One of the pleasant side effects of the motorcycle boom of the last few years is that it has given a few of the more traditional civic and patriotic organizations a chance to bolster their dwindling ranks by adding riding groups to their numbers.

These include the Melha Riders (an offshoot of the Melha Shriners) and more so the American Legion Riders, sprung forth from the traditional American Legion ranks. A prime example of the Legion Riders in our area is the group out of Easthampton, the American Legion Riders of the Dalton Lavallee Post 226. Post 226's riding members' number around 30 and the group was started about five years ago.

"What we were able to do," says George Demsick, president of the group, "was to get a bunch of us veterans together that love to ride, and combine that passion with the traditional civic duties of your standard legion. This also allowed for an infusion of new blood into an organization whose ranks were growing smaller over the years."

In addition to getting together just to ride, the group participates in traditional parades and ceremonies, such as Fourth of July and Memorial Day's Rolling Thunder, as well as supporting the P.O.W. and M.I.A. issue.

"First and foremost," says Demsick, "we ride to support the veteran. Whether it is someone who is down on his or her luck, someone that needs help with their veteran's affairs or just somebody that needs a place to stay. We are here for them."

The group also supports the armed forces around the world by doing such things as sending care packages to our troops in need. It might be something as small as a pair of socks. They also routinely help out with local community needs and fund-raisers as well.

"Plus we get to ride and have fun on top of it. Most of the wives and girlfriends get involved also," says Demsick.

The American Legion Riders' ranks have also grown on a national scale, as there are many groups spread out across the country. You would be hard-pressed to find a town in America that didn't have a Legion or a V.F.W. Some of the other local American Legion Rider groups in our area include Westfield and Dalton, with these groups routinely getting together for various functions.

Posted by Linda on February 20, 2008 8:29 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Legion Post 179 honors Miller

Wilmington News Journal (OH)

Marine Corporal Aaron M. Miller was recently honored by the American Legion Post 179 in Blanchester.

The American Legion presented Miller with a one-year membership and a $500 check for service to his country. Making the presentation is Chester “Red” Wilson, a World War II veteran who was wounded twice in Europe.

Miller, who was injured in Iraq, was home on leave on a special pass from the Veterans Administration Hospital in Martinsburg, W. Va.

Mike Mider, past commander of the American Legion Post 179, said Miller is 100 percent service connected veteran for combat served in Afghanistan and Iraq. He has earned the Bronze Star, Combat V, Navy Marine Achievement Medal and received a Combat Meritorious promotion while serving our country.

Posted by Linda on February 20, 2008 7:26 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

February 15, 2008

Career Fair for Veterans on Thursday, March 13th



The military-to-civilian recruiting firm RecruitMilitary will present a free hiring event for job seekers who have military backgrounds in the Oklahoma City area on Thursday, March 13, 2008. This event, the RecruitMilitary Career Fair, will take place from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Coca-Cola Bricktown Events Center, 425 East California, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73104. RecruitMilitary urges all job seekers who have military backgrounds to attend--veterans who already have civilian work experience, men and women who are transitioning from active duty to civilian life, members of the National Guard and reserves, and military spouses.

Veteran-friendly organizations will conduct one-on-one interviews with the job seekers--organizations that will include corporate employers, law-enforcement agencies and other government employers, educational institutions, veterans service agencies, and veterans associations.

RecruitMilitary will produce the career fair in cooperation with The American Legion; HireVetsFirst, a unit of the United States Department of Labor; and the Military Spouse Corporate Career Network (MSCCN).

More than 500 organizations attended 45 RecruitMilitary Career Fairs in 2007. At those events, an average of 30-plus organizations interviewed an average of over 350 job seekers. RecruitMilitary Career Fairs conducted in 2006 and 2007 generated television coverage by CNBC, ABC, CBS, NBC and CNN; radio coverage by ESPN and numerous regional stations; and articles in metropolitan and local newspapers.

The American Legion is an association of veterans who served during times of war. The Legion has 2.7 million members in nearly 15,000 posts throughout the world. The National Commander of The American Legion is Martin F. Conatser, an Army veteran, of Champaign, Illinois. Congress chartered The American Legion in 1919. HireVetsFirst was created by Congress in 2002 to develop awareness among employers of the outstanding attributes of men and women who are transitioning from active duty to civilian life. The Military Spouse Corporate Career Network was founded in 2004 to provide career opportunities and job portability for military spouses. The organization is made up of military spouses, caregivers to war wounded, and retired military personnel.

RecruitMilitary, based in Cincinnati, connects employers with job seekers who have military backgrounds. All of the company's owners, officers, account executives, and retained search consultants are either veterans or active or former reservists. In addition to participation in career fairs, RecruitMilitary offers subscriptions to its database of self-registered job seekers who have military backgrounds, currently numbering more than 185,000, at its Web site, www.recruitmilitary.com, advertising in online and print media, and retained hiring services. The company mails more than 54,000 copies of a quarterly, print newsletter called Incoming! to over 230 military bases throughout the world for distribution to transitioning personnel; employers advertise their job openings in Incoming! The President of RecruitMilitary is Drew Myers, formerly a Captain in the United States Marine Corps. The company was founded in 1998.

Continue reading "Career Fair for Veterans on Thursday, March 13th" »

Posted by Linda on February 15, 2008 2:09 PM | | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (1)

American Legion gives award checks to 3 local veterans

Sierra Vista Herald-Review
By Bill Hess
Herald/Review

Published on Thursday, February 14, 2008 SIERRA VISTA - Service in Iraq has led to three local veterans being awarded $500 each from the American Legion.

The checks were passed out Wednesday night by Misti Owen, the commander of the American Legion, Bill Carmichael Post 52, to Anthony Patchell, Jeffrey Scott and Michelle Watson at the post facility in Sierra Vista.

“It’s a great thing,” said Owen about the national American Legion program that was presented $500,000 from the Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes, as a partnership to the legion’s Heroes to Hometowns project.

For the three recipients, who now call the Sierra Vista area home, the checks will help from everything to buying gasoline to travel to the VA Medical Center in Tucson to purchasing diapers for soon-to-be-born children.

A former sergeant first class, Patchell said during his deployment to Iraq from May 2003 to August 2004, he went through a number of improvised explosive devices going off, rocket attacks and other fighting that led to his suffering from a number of back fractures plus other injuries.

Carrying 120-pound rucksacks full of intelligence surveillance equipment led to injuries that became part of the 70 percent disability he has received from the VA.

Recently he had back surgery at the VA facility in Tucson and expects to have more in the future.

A former instructor with Company A, 309th Military Intelligence Battalion, where the now defunct ground surveillance course was taught, Patchell is currently employed at the Intelligence Center as a civilian.

His $500 will go to help pay for traveling from Sierra Vista to Tucson, “six or seven times a month to see (VA medical) specialists,” he said.

Saying he liked his assignment on Fort Huachuca, Patchell, 33, of Pennsylvania, said he decided to return to the area with his wife and three of his five children.

He served in the Army for 12 years.

For Watson, 33 years old and from Ohio, military intelligence is also in her blood.

She served in Iraq as a member of an intelligence unit of the 3rd Infantry Division from Fort Stewart, Ga., in Kuwait and Iraq from September 2002 to August 2003.

The former sergeant, who served six years in the Army, has a 50 percent VA disability for back injuries and migraine headaches related to her service in Iraq.

Like Patchell, she is an instructor, along with her husband, at the Intelligence Center.

Expecting her second child in a couple of months, Watson said the $500 she received will be a help in paying for baby items, like diapers.

Also looking at the use of funds for an expected child of himself and his girlfriend is 24-year-old former Marine Scott.

The former corporal served with the 7th Engineers, 4th Battalion from Camp Pendleton, Calif., in Iraq from March to September 2004.

During that time he received shrapnel in his back and suffered from post traumatic stress disorder.

A New Yorker by birth, Scott moved to Sierra Vista with his family.

With a 70 percent disability, he is working part time, as he waits to attend the U.S. Border Patrol Academy.

Saying he has passed the language test to learn Spanish and passed the interview process, Scott, a four-year Marine veteran, said he has been accepted now that his PTSD issue is behind him.

None of the three $500 recipients have been medically discharged, each noting their services only gave them 10 percent disabilities, which was increased by the VA.

Patchell noted his medical records indicate he has 21 specific areas for his disabilities.

The trio are looking forward to productive lives and each appreciate the funds from the national American Legion and the Coalition to Salute American Heroes.

Steve McKinney, the local post’s director of the American Legion Riders, said it was the national headquarters that accepted nominations and decided whom would each be given $500.

The national legion headquarters awarded 1,000 grants throughout the nation and Sierra Vista received three of them.

Owen said each local post - of which there are 14,000 - was asked to present checks to area winners.

McKinney said the special program is a good way to honor the men and women who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan and ended being disabled by their service.

Posted by Linda on February 15, 2008 1:21 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

February 14, 2008

Deputy Secretary Urges Prompt Funding for Current, Future Challenges

DoD Photo


By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

The proposed fiscal 2009 defense budget will enable the department to continue resourcing troops on the front lines fighting terrorism while also ensuring the military's readiness to confront other challenges, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England told a Senate committee today.

England joined Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Defense Comptroller Tina W. Jonas in discussing with the Senate Budget Committee details of the fiscal 2009 budget and war cost recommendations.

President Bush has asked Congress for $515.4 billion for the fiscal 2009 base budget, plus another $70 billion in emergency "bridge" funding to cover war costs into the next calendar year.

England conceded that the dollars are high, but critical investments in light of threats facing the country. It's "a lot of money, but it does reflect the reality of the world we live in," he said. "And when appropriated, it will provide the necessary resources to execute the national military strategy."

Noting the "complex security environment we are in today," England cited the "variety of very prominent challenges" facing the country. He pointed to the threats posed by terrorism, extremism, jihadism and ethnic, tribal and sectarian conflict. But other challenges and potential challenges loom, as well: proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, failed and failing states, and emerging powers with yet-unclear intentions.

"Each of these threats ... poses unique challenges and demands on the Department of Defense," England told the committee. "Even while we are committed in Iraq and Afghanistan, we do have to be concerned about the other security challenges to our nation, so we look at this in a much broader context."

As the United States applies a comprehensive approach and every aspect of national power to address these challenges, it will continue to rely heavily on the Defense Department and its capabilities, he said.

England urged the senators to approve the defense and wartime supplemental funding requests quickly to avoid a repeat of the situation that occurred this year. The fiscal 2008 defense budget did not pass into law until late January, though the fiscal year began Oct. 1.

Such a delay would be even more challenging in 2009, particularly in light of disruption expected during the change in U.S. administrations, he told the committee.

"It will be extraordinarily difficult to manage the department and to maintain our security both for our people in combat and for our citizens if we are also, at that time, in a budget turmoil like we were last year," he said. "It is vitally important that we have some consistency in terms of our funding and predictability in that funding. Otherwise, it will be hugely disruptive, I think, for everyone come this fall."

England said predicting long-term war costs is nearly impossible, especially before hearing Army Gen. David H. Petraeus' recommendations for force structure in Iraq beyond this summer. Petraeus, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, is expected to deliver his assessment to President Bush and Congress in late March or early April.

But in the meantime, England said, the country must ensure its troops in harm's way have what they need to succeed.

"We have these magnificent men and women who come forward to protect and defend our nation, and therefore it is incumbent on us, frankly, to provide them the funding they need," he said. "They are deployed today, and it is incumbent on our nation to support our men and women in uniform."

Continue reading "Deputy Secretary Urges Prompt Funding for Current, Future Challenges" »

Posted by Linda on February 14, 2008 1:16 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Hundreds make Legion pilgrimage to Lincoln tomb

WAND-TV (IL)
Posted: Feb 12, 2008

Around 300 people made the annual pilgrimage to the Lincoln tomb for the former president's 199th birthday today.

It's the 74th year of American Legion sponsoring the event. Members came from 10 states to be a part of the wreath laying ceremony.

National Commander Martin Conatser says the event allows the veterans to focus on the history and the trials Lincoln faced.

Next year is the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birthday and Conatser expects it to be a huge celebration.

"I think Post 32 and the American Legion will go beyond their normal thing for the 75th anniversary and its 200th birthday," Conatser said. "I envision much more excitement about the event next year."

Many American Legion members say they feel a special connection to Lincoln because he too was a veteran.

Posted by Linda on February 14, 2008 11:22 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

February 13, 2008

Indianapolis VA Medical Center To Host The 22nd National Veterans Golden Age Games



Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center in Indianapolis, Indiana will serve as host to the 22nd National Veterans Golden Age Games (NVGAG). The event will take place August 20-24. More than 600 veterans will compete in various events such as swimming, bicycling, golf, shot put, discus, 10-meter air rifle, table tennis, dominoes, shuffleboard, horseshoes, nine-ball, bowling, checkers and croquet. These games are the premier event for those 55 and over. Adding to the excitement, the 2008 NVGAG are a qualifying year for the Senior Games in 2009.

Those veterans 55 and over and receiving care at a VA facility will be able to register for the games beginning in February at www.2008nvgag.com.

Volunteers also are needed to help with the games. To volunteer, go to www.2008nvgagvols.com.

More information also will be available in the April issues of The American Legion Magazine and Dispatch.

Additional information on the games can be viewed here.

Continue reading "Indianapolis VA Medical Center To Host The 22nd National Veterans Golden Age Games" »

Posted by Linda on February 13, 2008 1:34 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Legion to Present Grants to Fort Riley Soldiers

FORT RILEY, Kan. - There will be a ceremony to present $500.00 grants to about 25 Soldiers in the Army Wounded Warrior Program. The Soldiers receiving the grants were wounded while serving in the Iraqi Theater.

The Army Wounded Warrior Program assists and advocates for the most severely wounded Soldiers and their Families throughout their lifetimes, wherever they are located.

Officers of the Kansas American Legion will preside and facilitate the donations to the Soldiers, provided by The Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes. The Soldiers are among 1,000 recipients of grants being given nationally to veterans who incurred a 30-percent or more disability while serving in the theater of operations during Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom. The American Legion assumed all distribution and administrative costs so the entire Coalition donation of $500,000 is awarded to veterans.

The ceremony will be at 3:00 p.m., February 20 at Building 609G, located to the rear of Irwin Army Community Hospital.

Media are invited to cover the ceremony. Those wishing to attend should contact PAO Lisa M. Medrano not later than 4 p.m. 19 February at (785) 239-8414.

Posted by Linda on February 13, 2008 11:57 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

February 12, 2008

New Marfan Picture Book for Children Now Available


Port Washington, NY, January 24 - A new children’s picture book, Marfan Syndrome A to Z, is now available from the National Marfan Foundation. The book features vivid illustrations of diverse children and families with Marfan syndrome, a potentially fatal genetic disorder. The purpose of the book is to normalize a child’s experience with the disorder while providing educational opportunities and a gateway for conversation between parents and children.

Marfan Syndrome A to Z was funded by the American Legion Child Welfare Foundation. Under a $25,000 grant, children with Marfan syndrome can obtain a book for free (while funding allows). Others can order the book for $10, which includes shipping and handling. To obtain a copy, log on to the NMF website.

Marfan Syndrome A to Z was illustrated by Lori Mitchell, a San Diego-based artist whose father was affected by Marfan syndrome. Lori is best known for Different Just Like Me, a book she wrote and illustrated, which won many awards and was featured on Oprah!

The characters in Marfan A to Z are real doctors and families dealing with Marfan syndrome. Lori met many of them at the National Marfan Foundation’s Annual Conference at Stanford University in July 2007, where she did the research to draw pictures that would accurately depict Marfan syndrome.

In addition to its educational value, the book is fun for children. On the page for each letter, there are numerous hidden objects that start with the same letter. Readers are challenged to find those, too, as they read through the book. A glossary provides explanations of medical terms featured in the book.

Marfan Syndrome
Marfan syndrome is disorder of connective tissue, which holds all parts of the body together (it is sometimes called “the glue that holds the body together”). Because connective tissue is found throughout the body, the features of Marfan syndrome can occur in many different body systems, including the heart, blood vessels, bones, joints, and eyes. Sometimes, the lungs and skin are also affected. Marfan syndrome does not affect intelligence.

People with Marfan syndrome are frequently tall, with disproportionately long arms and legs and extreme flexibility. Other skeletal features are an indented or protruding chest bone and curved spine. Eye problems include a detached retina. The most life-threatening aspect of Marfan syndrome is its effect on the aorta, the large blood vessel near the heart, which is prone to enlarge. Lifestyle adaptations, medications and, sometimes, surgery are required to ensure that the aorta does not tear or rupture.

About three-quarters of affected people inherited the condition from a parent. In approximately 25 percent of cases, the condition occurs spontaneously. Marfan syndrome is an autosomal dominant condition, meaning that an affected parent has a 50-50 chance of passing to a child.

The National Marfan Foundation
The NMF was founded in 1981 to provide accurate and timely information about the disorder to patients, family members and physicians; to serve as a resource for medical information and patient support; and to support and foster research.

For more information on Marfan syndrome or related disorders, contact the NMF at 800-8-MARFAN or log on to www.marfan.org.

Continue reading "New Marfan Picture Book for Children Now Available" »

Posted by Linda on February 12, 2008 1:08 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Rockmart Legion post hosts district meeting

The Rockmart Journal (GA)

02/10/08
Staff reports

American Legion Post 12, Rockmart, on Sunday presented a $1,000 donation to help pay for unfunded needs at Veterans Administration hospitals.

Accepting the Post's donation were Jerry Parker, of Rome, the commander of the Legion's 7th District; and Dale Barnett, Legion commander for the state of Georgia.

Parker said the American Legion has set a goal this year of $100,000. The money pays for a variety of unfunded equipment and supplies that make the lives of recovering and ill veterans easier.

"We give the money to VA hospital in Georgia and other hospitals elsewhere that service veterans from Georgia," Barnett said. "In the past this has included such things as voice-activated televisions in spinal rehabilitation (wards) ... and comfort items such as popcorn machines and snow cone machines."

The Rockmart Legion post hosted a 7th District meeting from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. today.

The post is located at 1 Veterans Circle, off West Elm Street in Rockmart.

The welcome mat was spread for about 135 people, representing 20 posts and 51,000 veterans.

Guest speakers, representing U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey's office, were Linda Liles, service academy director and constituent service representative; and John O'Keefe, deputy director.

The Congressman's representatives provided an overview of pending legislation of interest to veterans and their families.

Barnett and Commander Mike Powell spoke in the afternoon session.

Seventh district officers include Parker, Senior Vice Commander Marcellus Yancy, Junior Vice Commanders Charlie Bryant, Bobby Allen, Bill Dempsey, Tom Shell; Adjutant George Shelton, Finance Officer Dean Jarman, Chaplain Parker, Sgt.-At-Arms Tom Hash, Judge Advocate Paul Sleep, Service Officer Larry Hester and Historian Ken Temples.

Posted by Linda on February 12, 2008 1:05 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

February 11, 2008

Legion Presents Grant to Local Veteran



MAIDEN, NC (07 February 2008) - American Legion Post 240 presented a $500 check today to a local disabled veteran injured while serving in Iraq.

Thanks to a half-million dollar grant from The Coalition to Salute America's Heroes presented to the national headquarters of The American Legion, Post 240 Commander Bill Richard was able to present a $500 grant to Timothy J (TJ) Rose during the Post's meeting. TJ Rose is also a Legionnaire and member of Post 240.

"It is with sincere thanks that we present this grant today to a fellow military veteran who served our country with honor and pride," Commander Richard said. "We present this on behalf of your fellow veterans and a grateful nation."

"These grants are just a small token of appreciation for the sacrifices made by so many of America's men and women in uniform," said Thomas J. Palma, general manager of the Coalition. "Our Coalition was able to raise a lot of money from caring people but we do not have the distribution network of The American Legion. The Legion is a well-respected organization with a presence in communities across America. The American Legion will do an excellent job in getting those grants to deserving veterans."

"This is a perfect partnership - the Coalition's generosity teamed with The American Legion's 'Heroes to Hometowns' (H2H) program," Commander Richard reported. "Our members stand ready to assist with veterans and their families along with community members of our local H2H team in providing a vast array of assistance to ease their return to a productive civilian life."

It is not the first time that the two organizations have teamed up to award grants to disabled veterans. The American Legion distributed checks for the Coalition in 2005.

"The program was so successful two years ago that The American Legion's National Executive Committee unanimously passed a resolution at our last convention authorizing our assistance in this great endeavor," according to American Legion National Commander Marty Conatser. "The American Legion is honored to participate in such a worthy project."

The funds are being divided into $500 grants and awarded to veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq across the country who are rated with disabilities of 30 percent or more. The American Legion has assumed all distribution administrative costs, meaning that 1,000 grants will be awarded - the entire amount of the Coalition's contribution.

"Post 240 is honored to deliver this gift to our comrade here in Maiden, North Carolina," Commander Richard said. "We can never fully heal all of the trauma of war, but we can show our gratitude to those who went in harm's way for America."

The Coalition to Salute America's Heroes, www.saluteheroes.org , is a nonprofit organization that was created to provide a way for individuals, corporations and others to help severely wounded and disabled Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans and their families rebuild their lives.

The American Legion was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans affairs, Americanism, and patriotic youth programs. The Legion's 2.7 million wartime veterans work for the betterment of their communities through more than 14,000 posts across the nation.

Continue reading "Legion Presents Grant to Local Veteran" »

Posted by nomac on February 11, 2008 3:00 PM | | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

American Legion honors men who gave their lives for others

By ROGER BULL, The Times-Union

The photos of the four men, forever frozen in time and in their uniforms, sat on the table. Candles stood beside them, a single yellow rose resting in front of each one.

The men have been gone for decades. But a small crowd gathered Sunday afternoon at American Legion Post 129 in Jacksonville Beach and elsewhere around the country to honor the men who have become known as the Four Chaplains.

Sixty-five years ago, as World War II raged, the ship Dorchester made its way across the North Atlantic. The former luxury liner had been converted to a troop transport and carried more than 900 men, mostly U.S. Army, from Newfoundland to an American base in Greenland. About 1 a.m. Feb. 3, 1943, with the ship only 150 miles from its destination, a German U-boat fired three torpedoes.

One struck the Dorchester's starboard side, well below the water line, and the ship quickly began to take on water. The soldiers who survived the explosion frantically scrambled out of their bunks and toward the lifeboats.

Witnesses said the four Army chaplains - one Methodist, one Jewish, one Roman Catholic and one Dutch Reformed - not only offered the men prayers and solace, but they stood on the deck of the ship, handing out life jackets. When there were no more, the four took off their own and gave them to men who didn't have one.

In less than 20 minutes, the Dorchester disappeared beneath the dark water. Of the 902 men aboard, 230 survived. The other 672, including the Rev. George Fox, Rabbi Alexander Goode, the Rev. Clark Poling and the Rev. John Washington, died that night.

Each year at this time, the men are honored across the country for their unity and sacrifice.
About 100 people gathered Sunday at Post 129 in memory of the four. The colors were presented, candles were lighted, songs were sung and a rifle salute was given.

Robert E. Young, retired Navy captain and commanding officer of the Nease High School Naval Junior ROTC program, was the guest speaker.

"May the example of servant leadership portrayed for us by the Four Chaplains 65 year ago today inspire us to get beyond ourselves and make our world a better place by placing the needs of others and our country above our own selfish desires," he said.

Posted by nomac on February 11, 2008 2:56 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Thanking the veterans

By Rebecca Taylor, The Register-Guard
Published: February 7, 2008 10:19AM

Five young veterans injured in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq stood before a small gathering on Wednesday and heard two words they don't hear often enough: Thank you.

"We&#