'I pray every day for their safety'

It’s been two weeks since Russian military forces invaded Ukraine, setting off the largest European land conflict since World War II. The ripples from the war have been felt worldwide, including by members of our American Legion family.

We reached out to find out how the war in the Ukraine had impacted our members with connections to the area. Thanks to all those who shared their thoughts, feelings and fears.

· Mike McArdle, member of American Legion Post 240, Avilla, Ind. “I have a sister, Michelle McArdle Pratt, and her husband Mike Pratt, in Lviv Ukraine. They have been in Ukraine for around 20 years as missionaries for Calvary Church around Indianapolis. They have lived through some tough times when they first got there years ago but under democracy things got better for them. When Russia attacked Michelle and the family children fled to Poland and Mike and his parish members are converting their church in Lviv into a shelter for the homeless refugees. They have beds and are feeding 25 adults and some children so far. Michelle and her group are helping in Poland at a reception center for the refugees crossing the border. They are also making some food to feed the troops. We here in Avilla are all praying for them. That's about all we can do now.”

· Michael Dixon, member of Alton Green Memorial Post 194, St. Augustine, Fla. “I lived in Vinnytsia, Ukraine, for three years from 2011 until an evacuation in 2014 as a Peace Corps volunteer. I have traveled back to see friends but am concerned about my friends packing bags to go to Moldova or Poland. When I evacuated in February of 2014 we went through Moldova. The beautiful people of Ukraine deserve peace.”

· Tom Nikolas, member of American Legion Post 39, North St Paul, Minn. “I have relatives still in the Odessa, Ukraine. My grandfather was born and raised in Russia. He came from of family of eleven. He came to America in 1902 with his wife and children (those alive at the time). My father was born in Aberdeen, SD in 1904. Names of the suburbs that I have relatives are in are Alexanderfeld, Kandel, and Kleinliebenthal. I pray every day for their safety.”

· Dale Brownie, member of American Legion Post 73, Corinna, Maine. “My brother owns and operates a business in Kiev. While he is an American citizen and had his permanent home here in the United States, he has a second home in Kiev, as well as having a number of friends and two Godchildren in Kiev. He talks with them daily and has mentioned terrible things which are NOT being reported anywhere in the news, to include what some Russian soldiers are actually doing to civilians and civilian businesses. He has never been in the military and, as I am a retired Navy chief, I try to ease his mind knowing the Government and military are doing a lot behind the scenes. Please keep my brother and his friends in your thoughts.”

· John Borg, member of Newport Harbor American Legion Post 291, Newport Harbor, Calif. “I served in the U.S. Air Force during the ‘60s with a Sgt. Lubomyr Karpiak, whose family were naturalized citizens from Ukraine. I've since lost contact with "Lou", given the 54 intervening years, but our brotherhood comes to mind when I see the repeated suffering his people are going through.”

· Douglass Reed, member of Morris Frock American Legion Post 42, Hagerstown, Md. “I have professional contacts in Kiev and Lviv and another in Poland 9 (kilometers) from Ukraine border. My concern for them has prompted me to reach out to them. I am getting short responses from them that are informative.”

· Jim Dickson, member of American Legion Post 2930, Wis. “From 2000 to 2010 I made 12-15 mission trips, often with (my) wife Peggy, primarily to Odessa working with church leaders to provide training in forming and leading discipleship groups. The concept of small groups was new as they had been under an authoritarian culture for 60 years. These were great people to work with, very open to training on how to make disciples and very anxious to learn. Ukrainians by and large are gentle people and very open to building relationships. Lots of love for one another. We still keep in touch with a young man (wife and 10-year-old daughter) who worked with us for seven years on a faith mission salary when he could have been making much more elsewhere. (A side note from Jim Dickson: “My Dad was in the front lines when WWI ended. He told his 3 sons, ‘You will go into service after high school.’ I have letters he wrote weekly for 4 years and summarized them in a 70-page booklet. One of his letters told of some men getting together to start an organization for veterans – The American Legion.”)

· Dr Ed Salkind, member of American Legion Post 10, Wilmington, N.C. “My grandmother on my maternal side, Esther (née Smukler) Greenwald, was a refugee with her family at age 3 in 1906 from the Ukraine due to Russian abuse and aggression. Her father and uncle were forced into the Tsar's army during the Russo Japanese war in 1905. They were abused because they were Jews and escaped to America and sent for their family. My grandmother and her mother and aunt came by boat to America and settled in Philadelphia. My grandmother told me of her remembering Cossack raiders tearing through her village, plundering and looting. I am so grateful that I grew up in the US. I am proud of my service in the US Army during the Afghan conflict when I saved lives with AMEDD. It breaks my heart to see what is going on now in Ukraine on the news.”

· Smitty Kalita, member of Frank B. Partlette Post 7, Naptown, Md. “My paternal grandfather emigrated from Ukraine and married my grandmother who emigrated from Poland.”

· Sharon Jarrett, member of Cummings-Behlke American Legion Auxiliary Unit 226, Edgewater Md. “It's not immediate ties but my great grandparents were from the Ukraine. I am sure we still have family there, but to do an ancestry search now may not be so easy.”

· Charles Havelka, member of American Legion 277, Boca Raton, Fla. “My connection with Ukraine: Mother's side of family migrated from Ukraine. Putin of Russia is a war criminal and must eventually be punished for the invasion. President Zelensky of Ukraine is a Patriot's Patriot!!! I can understand that no one wants to risk WWIII but the free world must find a way to stop the aggression quickly.”

· E.F. Legner, member of Morrison Memorial Post 574, Moreno Valley, Calif. “My service during the Korean War included assignment to the Armored Cavalry Unit in Straubing, Germany, where we were patrolling the borders where the Soviets had control. Our mission was to stop any incursion by the Soviets if they tried one. It was hectic at times, depending on the threats … frequently levied at our presence. But today the threats are even greater as with what they are threatening with the nuclear reactors in Ukraine. It seems like the communism had never really ceased to exist in present day Russia.”