 Run For The Wall (RFTW) - Southern Route Patriotism is alive and well in the heartland. This type of outpouring of support and love was on more overpasses than not on the cross country journey. RFTW Mission is to 1) promote healing for Veterans and their families, 2) Call for the fullest possible accounting of our POW/MIAs, 3) Honor the ultimate sacrifice paid by members our our military and 4) Express our support for our military serving worldwide.  Run For The Wall - Jackson, MS Photo features three POWs and two MIA daughters; Pam Cain and Karoni Forrester, both Board members for the National League of POW/MIA Families. Forrester also serves as the TX State Coordinator for the League.  Run For The Wall - Southern Route Outreach Mission 25 Riders, of which National League of POW/MIA Families Board members were 2, separated from the larger pack of 300+ motorcycles on a cross-country journey to embrace the mother of MIA Maj Bobby Jones, USAF, Mrs. Christine Jones. Mrs. Jones is 102.5 - as she says, “the half is important.” This photo captures MIA family members present for the visit; an MIA mother, MIA sister, MIA brother-in-law (best friend too), two MIAI daughters, MIA grandson and MIA great granddaughter.
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Task Force Omega of KY on their 32nd Annual Ride for Freedom with ex-POW Gail Kerns, who served as Parade Marshall in the LZ Rainelle/WV Veterans Reunion on Memorial Day The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) and the National Park Service (NPS) hosted the annual Memorial Day Observance at The Wall, during which changes to The Wall were commemorated and all members of America’s armed forces who have made the ultimate sacrifice were honored. Nine service members were repatriated in 2018 and those service members were officially welcomed home at the ceremony. These nine service members were repatriated in 2018:
Ann Mills-Griffiths, Chairman of the Board, National League of POW/MIA Families, was escorted by Kelly McKeague, Director, DPAA to the wreath laying ceremony. On National Vietnam Veterans Day, the National League of POW/MIA Families renews our commitment to achieving the fullest possible accounting for America's UNRETURNED veterans, our POW/MIAs, and others unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War.  Gala to celebrate the Centennial of the American Legion, hosted by Dept of New Jersey 10-27-1810/29/2018 Ann Mills-Griffiths was invited to give remarks at the Centennial celebration of the American Legion, hosted by the Department of New Jersey and held at the Crystal Point Yacht Club in Point Pleasant Beach, NJ. Other speakers included Denise Rohan, Past National Commander (2017-2018, Rep Christopher Smith and Rep Thomas MacArthur. Veterans Day Ceremony – Capt. Rocky Versace Plaza, 10 November Alexandria, VA The “Friends of Rocky Versace” will host the 17th Annual Veterans Day Ceremony in Alexandria on Saturday, 10 November 2018 at 11:00 AM. The approximately 1-hour indoor Ceremony will honor POW/MIA and posthumous Medal of Honor recipient CPT HR “Rocky” Versace, MIAs SFC Douglas Blodgett, Maj Joseph Davies, Maj Morgan Donahue, 1LT Larry Lilly, 1LT Leland McCants, Seaman Apprentice John Winkler, the 61 other Alexandrians who died during the Vietnam War, all our POW/MIAs as well as all Veterans in attendance. Location is indoors at the Mount Vernon Recreation Center in the City of Alexandria, 2701 Commonwealth Ave. (intersection of Commonwealth and Mt Vernon Aves.). Websites: http://www.virginia.org/Listings/Events/VeteransDayCeremonyAlexandria/   Tickets are free but must be booked: www.nickelodeon.org, 1607 Main Street, Columbia, SC 29201 Movieline: (803) 254-3433
Please visit http://www.storytellerfilms.tv/solemnpromise.html Veterans of Foreign Wars and Sport Clips Kick Off Annual Fundraising Drive for Veteran Scholarships10/2/2018 On Monday Oct. 15, Sport Clips will kick off its annual fundraising drive with a goal of raising $1.5 million by Veterans Day, when Sport Clips salons will donate $1 from every hair service completed that day to benefit the “Help A Hero Scholarship” program.
Since 2014, veteran-owned Sport Clips, a national hair salon chain for men and boys, has raised nearly $5 million in college tuition assistance and provided scholarships to more than 1,115 service members and veterans as part of the Veterans of Foreign Wars “Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship” program. Sport Clips was founded in 1993 by Vietnam veteran Gordon Logan and has nearly 1,800 locations throughout the United States and Canada. Gordon Logan and Lynn Rolf, VFW’s director of programs, will be available for media interview in New York and Washington, D.C. from Monday Oct. 15 to Thursday Oct. 18. “Estimates are that one million service members will leave the military over the next five years, so it's mission critical to help pave the way to civilian careers and essential employment. We started the ‘Help A Hero’ program to help veterans with the education costs not covered by the GI Bill," Logan said. "’Help A Hero’ scholarships are changing lives by offering the support needed to ease the transition from the military and providing for veterans and their families as a way of saying thank you for their service." “Without this scholarship program, many veterans would not have the opportunity to pursue an education after the military because education benefits often fall short,” Rolf said. “VFW is proud to sponsor Sport Clips ‘Help a Hero Scholarship” to help our nation’s veterans get the education they earned when they joined the military.” This fall semester, 172 student veterans from across the country have been chosen as recipients of the scholarship and together will receive nearly $790,000 in college scholarships. To schedule an interview, please contact: Dana Dussing Berry, Sport Clips, dberry@stoneward.com Stephanie Gaskell, VFW, sgaskell@vfw.org Stephanie Gaskell Public Affairs Specialist 202-608-8353 office 202-819-1435 mobile The Enoura Maru Memorial Stone Dedication was held 15 August at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) in Honolulu. This memorial stone is to remind us of the POWs who died while locked below deck on three Japanese ships that travelled from the Philippines to Japan during WWII. One of the survivors was in attendance: 96-year-old DanielCrowley. Two other survivors, who were not able to attend, sent letters describing the unspeakable horrors of life on the hellships. On this day we remembered and honored the sacrifice of these men whose lives were lost in 1945. Natalie Rauch Hawaii State Coordinator National League of POW/MIA Families From the AFSA Chapter 1320: Dear Honoree and Family, On September 21, 2018, Chapter 1320 of the Air Force Sergeants Association will be hosting our annual POW/MIA remembrance event honoring those that were former POW/MIA members and their families for the sacrifices they have made to this great nation. We would be honored if you could attend the event so you can join us on this special day. If transportation needs to be arranged please let us know so that we can make proper accommodations. The event will take place on Travis Air Force Base. Lunch will begin at 1130, followed by a ceremony that should conclude by 1430. If this is something that you would like to attend, please contact MSgt Michael Richardson either via email at michael.richardson.13@us.af.mil, or via phone at (707)-344-8763 at your earliest convenience so that arrangements can be made for planning purposes. We look forward to meeting you on September 21st. Yours Truly, Air Force Sergeant Association, Chapter 1320 Ann Mills-Griffiths: I again commend the dedication and initiative AFSA demonstrates in support of our nation's effort to account as fully as possible for those who served our country and haven't yet come home. We are indebted for such commitment to the principles we've pursued since 1970 and know how much it means to those serving today to have the assurance that should they be captured or become missing in combat, we'll all be there for them, working earnestly for their return.  |
