VFW At Work

1. 'The Emotion Was So Strong'

   A VFW Post in the Land of 10,000 Lakes held a special ceremony to commemorate Vietnam War veterans for National Vietnam War Veterans Day in March.

   As reported in Virginia, Minnesota's Mesabi Tribune, emotions ran high at VFW Post 4456 in Gilbert, Minnesota, during a moving tribute for the area's Vietnam War veterans. Attendees were amazed by the display of respect shown to Vietnam War veterans in attendance and the war's KIAs from the region.

   "The whole thing was something I'll never forget," said VFW Post 4456 Auxiliary member Candace Barshaw, according to the Mesabi Tribune. "The emotion was so strong."

   National Vietnam War Veterans Day was first observed in 2017 after then-President Donald Trump signed the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act. Prior to this, Minnesota's first Vietnam War Veterans Day was in 2008 after then-Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty issued a proclamation, making Minnesota one of the first states to recognize the day.

2. Old Glory

   Held under the flapping shade of the U.S. flag, VFW Post 3137 members in Isle of Palms, South Carolina, hosted a community gathering for their semi-annual retirement of old and tattered flags on April 6.

   Against a picturesque view of the shimmering Atlantic Ocean, the ceremony opened with remarks from Post 3137 Commander Bo Stallings, followed by an invocation from Post Chaplain Carol Truslow. The ceremony also included the National Anthem by Post member Joe Houdek, which preceded the Pledge of Allegiance and the raising of the U.S. flag during the playing of To The Colors.

   More than 100 flags were properly retired during the ceremony by veterans, Auxiliary members and other members of the community. Among those who helped retire flags were local Boy Scout Troop 15 and Troop 20, who also demonstrated the proper way to fold the flag, celebrating the flag as an emblem of the U.S.

   Post 3137, dubbed "The Post on the Coast," provides a receptacle for community members to dispose of worn flags at their entrance along Ocean Boulevard. They encourage all who have worn flags to dispose of them there, allowing for a proper retirement.

3. Thanking Vietnam War Vets

   VFW Post 10904 in Manchester, Tennessee, hosted its annual Vietnam-era Veterans Honors Dinner on March 28. Now in its seventh year, the dinner's purpose is to recognize Vietnam veterans and to treat them as they should have been treated when they returned home from Vietnam.

   The Vietnam-era veterans in attendance were told:

   -"Thank you for your service;"
   -"Your cause was just;" and
   -"Welcome home."

   The gathering was held at Manchester's Coffee County Veterans Building, which is shared by the VFW, DAV and American Legion. More than 100 guests were present. Lloyd Smith, a local musician performed songs from the Vietnam period.

   A 10-foot projection screen showed the 1967 Bob Hope Christmas Special featuring Raquel Welch and other celebrities touring Southeast Asia. Several of the veterans in attendance fondly remembered seeing the show when they were there nearly 60 years ago.

   VFW Post 10904 Quartermaster Howard Thompson served as the emcee. Thompson was a first lieutenant with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and is a Vietnam veteran.

   He read a letter of gratitude from a former South Vietnamese refugee who later started a business. Part of the letter stated: "Back then, I didn't grasp the nuances of politics, and I really didn't care to. What I knew for sure was these brave soldiers, representing the United States, stood by our side against the Northern Vietnamese communists... risking their lives for our lives and liberty. That's how I saw them then... that's how I continue to see them now."

   VFW Post Commander Kimberly King said it is important to recognize Vietnam veterans especially as they were not recognized when they came.

   "I'd say eight years ago, when we came up with this idea it was to pay honor and respect to our brothers and sisters who served in Vietnam," King said.

   To learn more about activities hosted by VFW Post 10904, visit https://www.vfwpost10904.com.

   This Checkpoint article was submitted by G. Lamar Wilkie, VFW Post 10904 Senior Vice Commander and Adjutant.

4. 'We Are Going to be Here Until the Families Don't Need Us Anymore'

   A VFW Post in San Diego accepted help from its community when it needed a new refrigerator after the Post's had broken. When the original stopped, volunteers at the Post were in the process of cooking hundreds of meals for displaced flood victims.

   During an interview with CBS 8 in April, volunteers told the news station that the Post's main industrial refrigerator stopped working and that they were accepting donations for a new one. After the story aired, VFW Post 7420 Commander Livy Lazaro told CBS 8 that "everyone just started calling and blowing up our phone."

   CBS 8 reported that the Post received $3,000 in donations from across San Diego County. VFW Post 7420 Commander Livy Lazaro said to the TV station that her Post's mission is not complete until "everyone is taken care of."

   On April 2, VFW Post 7420 told CBS 8 that it was providing 400 meals daily. In January, historical levels of flooding hit the military town. Many families were displaced and in need of meals. VFW Post 7420 members and volunteers immediately started preparing hot meals for flood victims in shelters and hotels. And even when the refrigerator stopped working, volunteers did not.

   "We are going to be here until the families don't need us anymore," VFW Post 7420 Quartermaster Johnny Odom told CBS 8.

5. Honor the Fallen

   On March 18, VFW Post 637 Operations Manager and VFW Auxiliary Department of Virginia Guard Cara Buckley led a ceremony paying tribute to 12 fallen female war heroes at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, which has more than 12,000 names on its wall.

   The ceremony hosted several dignitaries, which included VFW Department of Virginia Commander Gary Adams, as well as Virginia's Auxiliary President Victoria Butler and National VFW Auxiliary President Carla Martinez, who each gave remarks laden with heartfelt gratitude in honor and respect of the 12 female fallen war heroes.

   "These remarkable women displayed unmatched bravery and dedication in their service to our country," Buckley said of the 12 women, which are made up of nine World War II veterans and three from the Global War on Terrorism.

   The large-scale event included Post and Auxiliary members from across Virginia, many of them belonging to Posts 637, 9808,7059,3150,1115 and 12202. These six VFW Posts and their Auxiliaries contributed to the ceremony by performing the national anthem, crafting a profound invocation and paying homage to their former female comrades.

   The ceremony was punctuated by the reading of the 12 names, which were solemnly recited aloud as white roses were laid in their honor by VFW and VFW Auxiliary female veterans in respect for their sacrifices and unwavering courage.

   As a centerpiece to the ceremony, Buckley posthumously honored Post 637 member Steve Cochran by displaying the battlefield cross he constructed prior to his passing. The cross, according to Buckley, serves as a reminder of resilience, honor and the remembrance of these fallen heroes' contributions to women in the service.

   "Let us never forget the profound impact these heroes had and continue to honor their legacy of valor and resilience," Buckley said.

   The 12 fallen female war heroes are:

   2LT Eva Virginia Ageon - WWII - Botetourt County - Army Nurse Corps

   CPL Betty Walker Driskill - WWII - Prince Edward County - WAC

   2LT Nancy Holden Hedges - WWII - Charlottesville - WAC

   PFC Leslie Denise Jackson - GWOT - Richmond - Army- Iraq

   1LT Elenora Payne Jones - WWII - Lancaster County - Army Nurse Corps

   2LTJoan Windsor Nourse - WWII - Fauquier County - WAC

   SGT Caryn Nouv - GWOT - Newport News - Army -Afghanistan

   PFC Nan Sue Porter - WWII - Richmond City - WAC

   CPL Naoma L. Ridings - WWII - Arlington

   ENS Elizabeth Irene Seay - WWII - Fluvanna County - WAVES

   Apprentice Seaman Ruth Harrow Stone - WWII - Middlesex County - WAVES

   CW5 Sharon T. Swartworth - GWOT - Alexandria - Army - Iraq

   Submitted by Cara Buckley, VFW Department of Virginia Auxiliary Guard