A product of the Marketing Department of the Anniston Star
Page 2 Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Veteran’s Day
Photo taken by Bill Wilson/The Anniston Star
In memory of Fouad Aide, Major, US Army (Ret.) and Calhoun County Sheriff Office Deputy
Veteran’s Day Parade The Veteran’s Day Parade Committee is chaired by Linda Pegg and includes more than 40 members representing Veteran’s and community organizations. The Grand Marshall for the 2009 Veteran’s Day Parade is Kathern Moore. Veteran’s Day Ceremony The annual Veteran’s Day ceremony will be at 11:00 am in the Centennial Memorial Park at 17th and Quintard Avenue. “The ceremony will feature the “Fallen Comrade Ceremony” the “21 Gun Salute” and many more tributes to our heroes who paid the ultimate price for the freedom we share today,” said Ken Rollins, ceremony organizer and president of the Alabama State Council of the Vietnam Veterans of Alabama. Judge Ryan Robertson and Judge Alice Martin will perform patriotic music. .
Veteran’s Day
Wednesday, November 11, 2009 Page 3
HEROES FROM THE PAST: WWII Veteran can never forget Dachau By Amber Bowers Bill Dunn is a man of few words, so when he does speak, you know that it is important to him and close to his heart. Born in Sand Mountain in 1929, Dunn’s parents moved the family to Bessemer when he was a child and he lived there until he married. Life was pretty simple until he joined the Army. Based out of West Virginia, Dunn was a member of the 7th Army 201st Armored Field Artillery Battalion, the oldest National Guard unit in the United States since 1735. During the first part of WWII, he was stationed at the Dachau Concentration Camp after the liberation and served his tour of duty for 19 long months. The camp was located near the medieval city of Dachau in the southern part of Germany known as Bavaria. Opened in March of 1933, Dachau was the first Nazi concentration camp. It was liberated by the American 7th Army 42nd and 45TH Infantry Division at the end of April 1945, and holds a significant place in public memory because it was one of the first places where the Western world was exposed to the reality of Nazi atrocities through firsthand accounts and newsreels.
We now know from official reports of the Liberation Army that Dachau was opened in 1933 to hold political enemies of the Nazi regime. Later, when Germany occupied European countries, slave labor was shipped into the camp to support the Nazi war machine. When the extermination of the Jewish people began, Dachau became a death camp. The official report of the Liberation Army states that the total number of internees from 1933 to the close of the camp in April of 1945 was 229,000. Of these, 16,000 were actually German citizens who were taken from other countries and brought back to Germany. There were 29,000 Jews who were brought from other camps and executed at Dachau in the last five months of operation alone. Dunn’s time in Germany was after the main fighting of WWII had ended, but his unit was a combat unit. They were quartered in the old German barracks at Dachau. Their area of operation encompassed all of Bavaria, including the borders with Austria, Switzerland, and Communist Czechoslovakia. There were no cell phones, satellite phones, TV, or email. The only form of communication with folks back home was handwritten
letters that sometimes took weeks to get where they were going. Dunn doesn’t like to talk about specifics, such as the dates or what he witnessed at Dachau. He is respectful to Holocaust survivors, family members, and German-Americans whom he does not want to offend. These memories are just too painful to speak of today. To him, Dachau was a place that was once described as a place “where the birds never sing, and the flowers never bloom.� He does recall a few lighter moments amid the devastation of war. After being stationed at Dachau, he was detached with several other soldiers to Nuremburg, for several weeks.
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Page 4 Wednesday, November 11, 2009 Continued from page 3
After two weeks in Nuremburg, he became sick. “I was running a dangerously high fever and had extreme chills. I was put in a small convoy to be taken back to Dachau. Not far outside of Munich, I lost consciousness, slipped into a coma, and was dropped at a local hospital,� he said. A few days later, when he came out of the coma, he heard a woman’s voice saying, “I think he’s coming around.� Upon opening his eyes, he saw the insignia of a full colonel. “When things became clearer, I realized this colonel was a female. This was the first time I had ever seen a woman in uniform. I knew about the WACs but had never seen one, especially an officer. My first thought was, should I say yes sir or yes ma’am.� He said she proceeded to ask where he hurt, and he told his hips and groin. “She then snatched the sheet off, yanked my gown up, and started barking orders. Turns out I had contracted hepatitis by ingesting some of the local water, and had been treated with high doses of penicillin, which I was extremely allergic to,� said Dunn. He was isolated and quarantined for 30 days, after which he was placed in the general population for an additional 15 days. “I was discharged and
Veteran’s Day given the opportunity to go to a rehabilitation facility in the Alps, but I declined. I was sick and tired of medicine and hospitals, and was ready to go back to Dachau, and besides, I had a 1st sergeant who would rehab me overnight.� To this day, the pain of what Dunn witnessed is seen on his face and heard in his voice. So, it surprised him when he learned that Dachau was a tourist attraction. During a recent hospitalization, he said he was getting ready to leave the hospital and was helped to the exit by a nurse. “As I was putting on my VFW hat, the nurse asked me where I had served. When I told her Germany, she began to tell me of a recent tour she and her husband had taken of Germany. One of the stops on the tour just so happened to be Dachau.� The nurse explained to Dunn that highlights of the tour at Dachau included the gas chambers and crematorium. “I was surprised to know that the place was a tourist attraction. I guess it has to be because it is a part of history, and proof of man’s inhumanity.� Amber Bowers is a freelance writer in Anniston. Bill Dunn, her “PaPaw�, is her hero. She said, “He may not have shot down enemy planes or saved the day from the Nazis, but he was witness to the sights of the
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Veteran’s Day
Wednesday, November 11, 2009 Page 5
Honor Flight Program Honors Veterans By Alice G. Duckett “At a time in their lives when their days and nights should have been filled with innocent adventure, love, and the lessons of the workaday world…They answered the call…They faced great odds…They succeeded on every front. They won the war; they saved the world.” Tom Brokaw from his book The Greatest Generation. Pam Nichols was just a child when her father, a WWII veteran, died, and she never forgot his service to his country. When she saw a news program on national TV about an organization that flies WWII veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit the World War II Memorial, which honors the 16 million who served in the armed forces of the U.S., the more than 400,000 who died, and all who supported the war effort from home, she wanted to get involved. “As I watched it, they were filming a flight and the veterans were so overcome with emotion that people would remember them today for something they did 6o years ago,” she said. “If people can do that in other places, we should be able to do that here in Alabama.” Nichols contacted the national office and discovered another Alabamian, Amy McDonald, a history teacher at Shades Valley High School, also wanted to get involved in Honor Flight. Together the two formed the Honor Flight network in Birmingham. Nichols said both women developed a deep appreciation for the sacrifices made by the greatest generation and knew time was essential because based on recent 2008 statistics that 1000-1200 WWII veterans die per day. “I saw and experienced the loss of more and more of these great heroes. I felt a desire and duty as an American to find a way to say thank you before it was too late,” she said. With the direction of Nichols, the marketing officer with Birmingham based Noland Health, and McDonald, and the help of many volunteers and donors who shared the vision, Honor Flight Birmingham came to fruition in 2007. Its first inaugural flight was spring of 2008 with Noland
Health fully funding the first flight. To help with fund raising and veteran recruitment, Honor Flight Birmingham became a program of the American Legion Department of Alabama. As of July 29, 2009 the group has made seven flights and flown 389 WWII veterans to Washington, D.C. During this year Honor Flight Birmingham scheduled three flights; the most recent was October 28, 2009. Lelias Pair of Anniston made the Honor FlightBirmingham trip to Washington, D.C. the end of October after waiting on the list for two and a half years. “I’m so happy that I got to make the trip. I was in artillery in WWII and saw action at the Battle of the Bulge, and I was in the thick of the Normandy Invasion. I saw men fall all around me,” he said. “I got back and have had a good life. So it was with a feeling of awe that I stood before the Memorial Wall and looked at all the stars. Each star represented many fallen men.” Pair’s daughter, Judy Scroggins of Daphne, AL found out at the last minute when there was a guardian cancellation that she would get to make the trip with her dad. “I was so proud to be there and have my daughter accompany me.” Pair, in his 80s, said the experience was smooth and organized, even considering there were men in their 80s and 90s and it is something he is thankful he was able to do. “I can’t tell you what it felt like to be standing there at the WWII Memorial. You just have to be a veteran to understand. I really felt honored and so thankful to make this visit to Washington.” Brooks Collins, 93, of Oxford made the recent Honor Flight trip with his son Ernie. “After our plane landed in Washington, a bus picked us up to go see the WW II Memorial. I’m 93 but they had wheel chairs for us, and my son just wheeled me around to see everything,” he said. “We got down to the Memorial and looked at the wall covered with hundreds of stars. Each star represented 100 American soldiers. It was a real honor to be there. Every state had a huge fountain spewing water high, and it was all so pretty. The last part of the visit was really good too. They took us on a bus tour all around Washington, D.C. I had no idea there were so many big buildings in Washington. It was an
honor to make the trip. I enjoyed all of it.” The Honor Flight day trip includes a free plane flight from the hub city, lunch, visit to the Memorial, and the return flight home. Nationwide the Network set an aggressive goal of flying 25,000 veterans to Washington for the one-day tour during 2009. Due to the age of WWII veterans, Honor Flight is concentrating on making the dream trip a reality for this group. But in the future, the program plans to honor Korean War and Vietnam Veterans in the same way. Oxford Police Chief Bill Partridge said that on a trip to Washington, DC for a police memorial, he noticed WWII vets getting off a bus and observed them at the WWII memorial. In conversation with representatives from Honor Flight, he learned more about the program and the emotion of veteran’s being able to visit the memorial. “We talked about it being a great program and law enforcement should get involved.” So, Partridge brought the idea home and the Oxford Police Department will raise funds for Honor Flight of Birmingham until January. “I saw some of the men in wheelchairs and in walkers. One was reading one of the passages on the wall and he was crying. He said that he didn’t think he would ever get to see the memorial,” Partridge said. “I thought this is a good cause.” Alice G. Duckett is a Freelance writer who lives in Anniston. She is the author of two books and numerous articles. Donote to Honor Flight If you would like to donate to the Oxford Police Department Honor Flight fundraiser, please send your tax-deductible contribution to, P.O.Box 3383, Oxford, AL 36207. Honor Flight Birmingham Contact Information: Phone: 205-714-3156 or 205-408-0197 E-mail: honorflightbirmingham@aol.com Address: 1401 Doug Baker Blvd., 107-185 Birmingham, AL 35242
Page 6 Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Veteran’s Day
Christmas in Vietnam old Yung, like many other Vietnamese citizens “I thought ‘I know him from somewhere’ and living under communist tyranny, risked his life that’s how we started talking. He asked me to attain freedom. Spending three brutal days ‘have you ever been in an orphanage,’ and I hiding on a fishing boat with hundreds of said, ‘oh my gosh, that’s where I know this other refugees, he made his way to Malaysia, guy,’” Lam says while working behind the where he remained for almost a year. Finally, counter of his jewelry business in downtown in 1980, Yung Lam immigrated to the United Anniston. “I remember a lot of military would States, specifically to Anniston to live with his come through and give presents to us and I aunt, Ying Dang, who had lived in the area remember seeing Jerry.” since 1975. “He turned white as a ghost,” Hadley adds. “When I first got here, I stayed with my aunt “I mean, what are the odds that after all this for almost a year and looked for a job,” Lam time we would live four or five miles away says. “I didn’t speak English and didn’t know from each other.” how to read and write, and it was really hard to get a job. So I cut grass for a lot of people and cleaned a lot of swimming pools and stuff like that.” HOME FURNITURE ® Eventually, Lam would find work at Sterling Makes It Easy. Jeweler on Noble Street, where he worked for 14 years then, in 1994, Lam opened 501 Davis Loop Phone: 256-831-3995 Oxford, AL 36203 Fax: 256-831-1469 Yung Lam Jewelers, a successful business he operates to this day. It was also during this w w w. b a d c o c k . c o m time that he also began attending Grace Baptist Church. It was during a church We Proudly Salute Our Veterans function in 1999 that Hadley and Lam Past and Present! reunited for the first time since Christmas 1967 in Saigon. “My granddaughter was graduating from four-year-old kindergarten and heard this Automotive gentlemen talking and I just knew he was Complete Automotive & Truck Repair Center 2001 Quintard • Anniston • 238-9505 from Vietnam,” Hadley says. “I addressed 1724 Hwy 21 S. • Oxford • 835-7505 him in Vietnamese and as we began talking we realized that he was in Saigon at the same time I was.” As the conversation progressed, Lam realized Dr. R. Paul Ryan Hadley looked familiar to him, but he was RYAN still uncertain exactly why. However, they CHIROPRACTIC, P.C. continued to talk and Hadley eventually ◆ told the story about delivering Christmas
It’s Christmas-time 1966 and a young man from Anniston named Jerry Hadley is in his fourth month of service as a military medic in Vietnam. Married only a year, Hadley is spending his first Christmas as a married man away from his wife, Jean, when he accepts a special invitation from his commanding officer to deliver Christmas presents to a group of children at an orphanage in a village in Saigon. “Colonel Sober and I went to this local orphanage in Saigon. Colonel dressed as Santa Claus and he and I went into this little orphanage and distributed some Christmas gifts to the children,” says Hadley from his home in Anniston. Hadley describes the orphanage as a fenced in collection of clapboard shacks in a remote, but fairly secure, section of Saigon providing shelter for about 50 children. Hadley jumped at the chance to deliver dolls and toy cars to the group of kids and spread a little Christmas cheer so far away from home. “I was excited to do it. I couldn’t be at home with my wife and so I figured I may as well go.” Among the kids that day who received presents was Yung Lam, a six-year-old boy whose parents used the orphanage as a day care during the week while they worked long hours nearby. What neither one of them knew is they would be reunited over 30 years later while attending the same church in Anniston. By the spring of 1967, Hadley’s tour of duty in Vietnam was over and he returned to Anniston to return to normal life - raising a family, working, and attending Grace Baptist Church. Meanwhile, in 1979, seventeen-year- gifts at the orphanage in Saigon.
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Veteran’s Day
Ten years later, the two men have become close friends, even as life has taken them in different directions. Hadley is recovering from hip surgery while Lam has moved on to a different church and is newly married to his second wife, Gina, who helps him run his business. Even though they don’t see each other as regularly as they used to, Lam was happy to receive that gift so many years ago and grateful for the friendship that has developed with Hadley. But, he says, nothing compares to his ultimate gift - his freedom. “Living over there is so hard the communist are always trying to control you. They won’t let you own your own business,” Lam said. “This is freedom country. Anybody has the right to own his own business. That’s one of the things I love about this country. Not like in Vietnam where you can’t own anything. The communists just want to squeeze you.”
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Wednesday, November 11, 2009 Page 7
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Veteran’s Day
Staff Sergeant
Blake Kirby Robert Hayes U.S. Army 31st Division 124th Infantry Regiment World War II New Guinea/Philippines
Alabama National Guard MP 217th You are missed and we are counting the days until you are home. Be safe and blessed! We are proud of you!
He answered his country’s call.
SFC Jerry Davis Retired Paratroppers 9/3/47 - 3/28/09 In memory of our husband, father, and grandfather. We are proud of all you did for your country and family. We love and miss you. Levetta and children
Corporal Jack T. Ellison U.S. Marines All your family appreciates your sacrifice away from us to keep our freedom. I love you, Rose
Sergeant Virgil G. Cotton
Master Sergeant
Hugh L. Duncan
James (Jim) P. Payne U.S. Navy, 1950-1954 USS LST 561 We are so thankful God blessed us with such a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. Thank you for serving your country! We love you!
T. Sergeant Carl F. Logan
10/16/44 - 5/31/05
World War II Veteran
LTC Dan Mason
Bronze Star with Citation
Thank you so much for your many years of Army Service. We are proud of you.
From Your Family
Colonel Myles A. Perry Thank you so much for serving your country for 30 years in the Army. We are proud of you.
Your family and friends Your loving family
8/29/18 - 7/17/85
Proudly served his country. U.S. Army, Vietnam Era In honor of our husband, father and grandy. We will always love and miss you. We cherish the memories. Love, wife, Cheryl Cotton Daughter, Pamela Jones Grandsons, Elijah and Canaan Jones
U.S. Army, World War II U.S. Air Force, Berlin Crisis In honor of our father and grandfather. We will always love and miss you. Daughter, Cheryl Cotton Granddaughter, Pamela Jones
Veteran’s Day
Jack Welch, CPL US Marines Grandfather to Kyle, Husband to Loraine and Father to Renee A veteran who will always be remembered. Semper Fidelis You’re Friend & Fellow Veteran, Ken
Staff Sergeant
Spec. E4
Tony B. Hardin Thank you for the 4 years you served in the Army. Our country remains free because of brave men like you. We love you, Your Family
Wednesday, November 11, 2009 Page 9
Wilburn “Wild Bill” Sparks Bldg #400 AOD Retired Oct. 1963 Our Hero From your sons, Robert, Ralph, Patrick and all your friends and family.
Joe T. Stewart
END3
of Oxford, Alabama
Don Mohon
Served 22 years in the Army. We are truly proud of you joe.
U.S. Naval Air World War II & Korea NAS Coco Solo Panama Canal Zone 1946 and 1947
Love, Lynn, Mom, Sis and Family
Lt. Richard Jason Bolt
PFC Paul Vernon Goodwin
of Oxford, Alabama
§
§
1/1/48 - 5/13/69
Now serving his 2nd tour of duty in Iraq. Army National Guard
We think of you each day although it’s been forty years since you passed away. You are in our mind and in ourt hearts.
SP4
James O. Borders We are proud of you! We love and miss you so much. May God bless and protect you! From, Grandmom, Dad, Blakeli & Walker
Bibbie, Thank you for being my big brother. You loved the military with all your heart. My family and I love and miss you. Sister, Velma Gilbert
CW03 Thomas Clarence Gross 1/25/23 - 5/15/90 U.S. Army World War II & Korea In loving memory The Gross Family
Corporal Presley William Stephens U.S. Army Korean Conflict Discharged: Ft. Knox, NY
We love and miss you very much, Frances Farmer, Mother
Page 10 Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Veteran’s Day
HEROES AMONG US: GOLD STAR FAMILIES Alabama Gold Star Families By Loyd McIntosh On April 15, 2006, Marine Ryan Winslow and two other men were killed while serving their country in Afghanistan, victims of a roadside bomb that destroyed the vehicle in which they were riding. Winslow was a Hoover High School graduate and had only joined the Marines one year and three months before he lost his life in combat, one of hundreds of Alabamians who have bravely given their lives in defense of the United States since the War on Terror began following the attacks of September 11, 2001. Almost a year after his death, Ryan’s mother, Marynell Winslow, launched Alabama Gold Star Families, a non-profit organization with the purpose of remembering Alabama soldiers who have been killed in the last eight plus years. A 1977 graduate of Anniston High School, Winslow and the many volunteers of Alabama Gold Star Families have spent the last two years on a variety of projects, from raising money for an eventual Alabama war memorial on the grounds of American Village in Montevallo, to ensuring the names and service of Alabama soldiers killed in action are recorded and available to the public. Mostly, Winslow and Alabama Gold Star
Families team are there to support families in their time of need. “When my son died in April of 2006 I soon realized there are several national organizations mostly to help the women left behind such as wives and daughters, but never to help the men and other family members - brothers, fathers, sisters,” Winslow said. “I decided we needed to do something to help these families.” Since it’s founding in 2007, Alabama Gold Star Families has become active throughout the state, responding to the needs of families of deceased soldiers. “When we know of someone who has died, one of our families will visit with the members of their family and reach out to them,” Winslow said. “I want to be sure that I remember and that the public remembers these people who volunteered to serve.” Additionally, through a relationship with the Governor’s office, Alabama Gold Star Families assists with helping wounded soldier adjust to civilian life and even representing the Governor at various functions. However, one of the most visible projects at this moment is the effort to raise money for the memorial on the grounds at American Village
adjacent to the Alabama National Cemetery. In the works are two new building at American Village, including a National Veterans Shrine, a kiosk database with the name and service record of every Alabama service man and woman, an adjacent hiking trail, and a war memorial made of bronze and granite honoring Alabama soldiers killed in action. Alabama Gold Star Families has raised over $31,000 for the war memorial through a series of fund raising efforts, including selling lapel pins, golf tournaments, and, one of the more interesting ideas, Vettes for Vets a July 4 event at Talladega Superspeedway allowing entrants to drive their cars around the track for five laps. In addition, the Alabama Gold Star Families license plate will be made available for the first time beginning in 2010. However, Winslow says the real goal of Alabama Gold Star Families is to make sure Alabamians remember those special men and women in uniform for generations to come. To learn more go online to www.alabamagoldstarfamilies.com.
On mission with Army recruiter By Mike Stedham Finding the veterans of tomorrow is today’s mission for Staff Sgt. Franklin Woods. Assigned to the Oxford Recruiting Station at the Quintard Mall, Woods has a job that brings him into contact with young people who are thinking about making the Army their career. It’s a job he takes as seriously as any he has been given since he himself joined the Army in May 2004. At the time, he was still a high school student in his native state of Oklahoma. Woods’ first assignment overseas sent him to Afghanistan from February 2006 until June 2007, where he saw some major action. He was part of a group of American soldiers ambushed by Taliban insurgents on June 21, 2006, in Gowardesh, Afghanistan, near the border with Pakistan. One of his fellow soldiers, Sgt. 1st Class Jared C. Monti, died in the
battle while attempting to rescue one of his colleagues. Sgt. Monti was recently given the U.S. Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroism. Woods doesn’t want to talk about the battles he fought. “I did what I did,” is all he will say. What he does talk about are the people of Afghanistan. He said he was surprised at what he found out about those people when he arrived in that war-ravaged country. “I thought there were just bad people over there, people who wanted to hurt us, but when I got there I met a lot of good people,” he said. “They wanted to take care of us. They offered us their food, but most of the time we didn’t take it.” Woods says most of the people he met in Afghanistan told him they are grateful to the American soldiers for what they are doing for their
Veteran’s Day
country, and he believes the U.S. should send more troops to help them. “Sometimes we were short-handed, and we needed more soldiers to help us.” In the end, he believes, the good people of Afghanistan will defeat their enemies, and that will be good for America. Now that he is assigned back in the states, Woods faces a lot of questions about what he and his fellow soldiers have been through during their service. The number one question he gets from young people: Will I be sent overseas? “The answer is yes, you probably will be deployed,” he said. “We’re fighting two wars right now, and the chances are good you will be sent overseas.” The other question Woods receives on a regular basis concerns the difficulty of basic training. “I tell them that it’s harder for some people than it is for others. I found it very simple, but some people don’t. The hardest part is getting used to being away from home, away from your comfort zone.” For the past year and a half, Woods has served as part of the Anniston Recruitment Company. When he first got to town, he went to area high schools and other places seeking young people who might be interested in a military career. “I just went out and talked to everybody I possibly could,” he said. “Now, I’ve been here long enough that people know me.” Woods says most of the young people who are considering a future in the Army have relatives who have served in some branch of the U.S. military. As for recruiting, Woods says it’s his job and the way he is serving his country right now. But it’s not where he wants to stay. “I hope I’ll be deployed again,” he says. “I’d rather be overseas doing what I joined the Army to do.”
Wednesday, November 11, 2009 Page 11
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Page 12 Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Veteran’s Day
HEROES AFAR/DEPLOYED: Wife remains strong as husband deployed to Afghanistan By Sherry Kughn Recently, C.E. Hanna teacher Shawn Jones had to choose a costume to wear to school for family day. She chose one that is meaningful to her family, a bright-red ensemble that her husband Bobby bought her during the first part of his military tour in Afghanistan. Bobby, a major in the 168 engineering company of the National Guard unit of the U.S. Army, had flown back there to complete his first tour of duty only a couple of days before she wore the costume. He is serving as a quarter master logistics commander. Shawn, an expressive, petite brunette, said the attire an Afghani woman might wear on her wedding day. She wore, also, the jewelry her husband brought to her when he returned home for a 15-day leave on Oct. 6. “My fingers feel as if they are in prison,” she said, as she wiggled four rings attached with a chain to a bracelet. While her husband is gone, Shawn copes with his absence in various ways. “I try not to watch the news,” she said. “Also, I think positively. My grandfather has helped me, and so has God.” Shawn said she often calls her octogenarian grandfather for encouragement. He is a retired lieutenant colonel who fought in the Army during World War II at age 17, and who also flew helicopters in Vietnam and Korea. Also, she has a nephew in Afghanistan, and a cousin is headed there in December. To stay positive about her concern for her loved ones’ safety, Shawn journals and “Skypes,” that is, communicates over cameras attached to computers, and she talks to her husband at least weekly on the cell phone. “He tries to reassure me,” she said. Shawn not only teaches school while her husband is away, but also she oversees her blended family of five children. She wants them to stay in touch with him. She hates they miss him so much, especially during the past few months when he has been in the war. His unit is there to build buildings, roads, and airports. They won’t see him again until April. Bobby’s children are T.R., a junior at Oxford High School, who plays baseball and football games that his father has missed. His daughter Anna is a sophomore at OHS. Recently, she earned her driver’s permit without the oversight of her father. Stepdaughter Lyndsey graduated from college, stepdaughter Leah runs track at the University of Alabama in
Huntsville, and stepdaughter Lauren is now in a sorority that she would like to tell her stepfather about. When Shawn’s husband is not on duty with the National Guard, he works as a recreational director at the federal prison in Talladega and, although he is gone one weekend out of the month, the family got used to his presence at their activities before the Afghanistan tour. Shawn smiles and looks upwards as she speaks of her husband. “I knew what I was getting involved with when I married Bobby,” she said. “He is an officer, and I knew he would need my support. He has twenty-six years in the National Guard, and he could have retired before this tour. He said this is what he has prepared his entire life for.” In addition, her husband told her he had sent several younger soldiers that he had trained to Afghanistan, and he did not feel right asking them to do something he was not willing to do. He firmly believes that if terrorism is not fought overseas, it will come to the United States. Shawn said she was glad her husband’s leave fell on the same days that their children had fall break. While he was home, they celebrated Thanksgiving with his extended family, and he received his Christmas present, too, a recliner. During his break, he mostly wanted to stay home and relax. When it was time to prepare to leave, the family accompanied him to Fayette. “I got to see him in command,” said Shawn. “It was enlightening for me to see him handle others so well.” She said he tries hard as a commanding officer to take into account his soldiers’ family situations. He recently told her he felt badly that one of his men hurried home to see his new baby come, but the baby arrived the day before he got home. “He deals with nineteen-year-olds,” she said, “and he has a married couple in his unit. They have children they have left behind.” Also, Shawn said her husband is stern with soldiers when he needs to be, which in her opinion, makes him such an outstanding commander. He believes in the discipline that goes with being in the mili-
Photos courtesy of Shawn Jones tary, she said, and he appreciates the focus it gives younger people. “When he returns from this tour, he plans to stay in the National Guard for four more years and then perhaps start a ROTC program somewhere,” she said. Recently, Shawn was proud when the announcers at a football game recognized her husband’s presence. She said she knows some people do not like the war, and she does not fault them for that. She hates it, too, but she said more than anything she hopes people will support the soldiers, such as her husband. “The scriptures have given me peace of mind about this war,” she said. “None of us have any control over it, but we call can support our soldiers. That is so important.” Sherry Kughn is a freelance writer and author in Anniston.
Veteran’s Day
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Letters from Home By Danny McCarty Bart Jamerson, a member of a National Guard unit in Florida, says that nothing is more depressing than being over seas and not getting a letter at mail call. Letters, after all, help to boost the morale and give a soldier a taste of home when they are so far away. So, Jamerson’s fiancée, Cyndi Frost, came up with an idea to help service men and women deployed over seas. In particular, she wants to make sure that each of the 125 soldiers in the 2025th Army National Guard Unit out of Jacksonville receives a letter each month. The unit was sent to Iraq in June and it may be a year or more before the soldiers return home. Frost first contacted Clayton Maddox with the Alabama Army National Guard Family Services Office at McClellan and told him that she wanted to do something for the 2025th outfit. She said Maddox was very receptive to the idea. As the owner of Cyndi’s Hair Effects in Jacksonville, Frost had the perfect location for the command center for the letters from home initiative. Because of privacy laws, no names and addresses can be given out, but a list of first names will be available at Cyndi’s Hair Effects. Letters need to be addressed by first name only, or sim-
ply man or woman. Not only is Cyndi organizing the letter writing campaign, she is also accepting donations of nonperishable goods that will be sent every month to the soldiers of the 2025th. Mostly comfort items are needed in these “care packages,” like muscle rub, cookies, snacks, baby wipes, foot powder, toiletry items, packs of hot chocolate mix, individual powdered drink mixes and contact solution. The dust in Iraq is like talcum powder, so the contact solution is especially welcomed. Frost said things like large bottles of liquid, tobacco products or adult magazines are not welcome. If in doubt, call Frost before purchasing. Frost said all cash donations would cover the cost of shipping care packages to Iraq. She would like any donations to be at her place of business by the 28th of each month and she will mail the care packages out soon after that. Frost said another way to show your appreciation for deployed soldiers is to offer discounts on professional services, such as auto repair, painting, grass cutting or even baby-sitting, or give gift cards to the families. She
Photo coutresy of Anita Kilgore of the Jacksonville News
will keep a list of all businesses interested in participating. There are two large boxes to put your donations in at Cyndi’s Hair Effects, located at 4422 McClellan Blvd next to J&S Boots. Cyndi’s is open Tuesday through Thursday from 9-6, and on Saturday from 9-3. She is closed on Sunday and Monday. The phone number is 256-225-6204.
Postal service announces holiday mailing guidelines By Air Force Tech. Sgt. John Jung Army News Service BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – U.S. Postal Service officials have announced recommended mailing dates for delivery by Christmas to U.S. service members serving in Afghanistan and other overseas locations. First-class and priority mail for service members stationed in Afghanistan should be sent by Dec. 4 for arrival by Christmas. The deadline for parcel airlift mail is Dec. 1, and space-available mail bound for Afghanistan should be sent by Nov. 21. Officials recommend that parcel post mail to all military overseas locations should be sent by Nov. 13. A chart with recommended mailing deadlines for all types of mail to various APO and FPO addresses is available at the Postal Service’s Web site. Express mail cannot be used to mail packages to Afghanistan; however priority mail is available. Priority mail packaging products, including priority mail flat-rate boxes, can be
obtained free at any post office, or online at http://shop.usps.com. The priority mail large flat-rate box can be used to mail to any overseas military address, no matter the weight of the box, for $11.95. The Postal Service offers free military care kits, designed for military families sending packages overseas. To order by phone, call 1-800-610-8734 and ask for the military care kit. Each kit includes two “America Supports You” large priority mail flat-rate boxes, four medium-sized priority mail flat-rate boxes, six priority mail labels, a roll of priority mail tape and six customs forms with envelopes. “All packages and mail must be addressed to the individual servicemember by name, without rank, in accordance with Department of Defense regulations,” said Air Force Master Sgt. Deb LaGrandQuintana, the 455th Expeditionary Communications Squadron official mail manager here. Military overseas units are assigned an APO or FPO ZIP code, and in many cases,
that ZIP code travels with the unit wherever it goes, LaGrandQuintana added. The Postal Service places APO and FPO mail to overseas military service members on special transportation destined to be delivered as soon as possible. Mail sent APO and FPO addresses may require customs forms. All mail addressed to military post offices overseas is subject to certain conditions or restrictions regarding content, preparation and handling. For general guidelines on sending mail to service members overseas, visit http:// www.usps.com/supportingourtroops/. Postal Service officials recommend taking the following measures when sending packages: • If you use a regular box, use one strong enough to protect the contents with no writing on the outside. • Cushion contents with newspaper, bubble wrap, or Styrofoam. Pack tightly to avoid shifting. • Package food items like cookies, fudge, candies, etc. securely in leak-
proof containers. • Use pressure-sensitive or nylonreinforced packing tape. • Do not use wrapping paper, string, masking tape, or cello phane tape outside the package. • Print your return address and the service member’s complete name, without rank, followed by unit and APO or FPO deliv ery address on one side only of the package. • Place a return address label inside the package. • Stuff fragile items with newspa per or packing material to avoid damage. • Remove batteries from toys and appliances. Wrap and place them next to the items inside. • Purchase insurance and delivery confirmation service for reassur ance of package delivery.
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Hero Support Alabama National Guard Family Assistance Center The Alabama National Guard Family Assistance Center, located in Building 1060, Fort McClellan Army National Guard Training Site, serves Service Members and their families from all military components. The Center, although sponsored by the National Guard, is a great information center of many military benefits and resources, which include Military OneSource, TRICARE, and numerous other resources available to servicemembers and their Families. Clayton Maddox staffs this Center. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to assist in any way possible.
They are: • Lt. George W. Lott – Class of 1950 • Capt. Jerry W. McNabb – Class of 1959 • Capt. Donald F. McMillan – Class of 1961 • Capt. Edward D. Pierce – Class of 1962 • Capt. Richard C. Miller – Class of 1965, • Lt. Charles W. Davis – Class of 1966 • Lt. Grady F. McBride III – Class of 1968 • Capt. Donnie R. Belser, Jr – Class of 2001 According to White, “The Jacksonville State University ROTC program is continuing its traditions of producing outstanding Army officers for tomorrow’s Army.”
Area Marines form new USMC ‘League’ Allan Ray Chaffin Detachment #1329 Calhoun County is home to a new Marine Corps League detachment. The Allan Ray
Bynum, Ala., American Legion Post near Anniston Army Depot Many local veterans, who survived World War II and returned home, found jobs at Aniston Army Depot. Some of them worked together to form The American Legion post in Bynum. Their temporary charter was dated Jan. 25, 1946. The charter for Bynum Post 155 lists the names of the 38 original members. Veteran Byron L. King, the eventual namesake of the Bynum Post, was the 30th signatory of the charter. He was the post adjutant 1946 and 1947. Bynum Post 155 permanent charter is dated May 3, 1946. The veterans met in an Anniston Army Depot building for many years. Desiring a community post for the area veteran’s, several members worked together, borrowing $6,000, to establish their one building in Bynum. The original building featured one long room. It was built with cement blocks and used timber in 1956. The story goes that one of the veterans donated the land for the building. The property sits next to Anniston Army Depot’s Gate 9 located in Bynum. The American Legion is an organization of war veterans who have dedicated themselves to the service of the community, State, and Nation. The four great principles are Justice, Freedom, Democracy, and Loyalty. Eligibility for membership in The American Legion includes service in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Coast Guard during periods of war. The veterans must also have an honorable discharge. Today, Byron L. King Post 155 consists of 150 veterans of World War II to troops serving today in Afghanistan. The American Legion Auxiliary Unit 155 in Bynum has 99 members. Their temporary charter was signed by the 11 original members on March 30, 1965. The permanent charter is dated April 9, 1965. Byron L. King Squadron 155, Sons of The American Legion, was formed and received their charter February 8, 1990. Today they have 95 members. The American Legion Riders for the State of Alabama, which is made up of Veterans, Auxiliary, and Sons, started June 12, 2003, at Byron L. King Post 155.
Jacksonville hosts famed ROTC Jacksonville State University’s ROTC program began July 1, 1948 with an initial enrollment of 176 cadets during the 1948-1949 school year. The program expanded to an average of 349 cadets during the Korean War. Over the course of the program, 1,439 students have received their degrees and commissions from JSU. Eight of those graduates have achieved the rank of General Officer, bringing great honor and credit to the Army and JSU ROTC program. On Veterans Day, the Jacksonville State University ROTC program remembers eight other Army Officers from JSU who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the country. The Professor of Military Science at JSU, Lt.Col. Richard E. White, cadre and cadets say: “We here at Jacksonville State University ROTC remember our fallen comrades on yet another Veterans Day. Your Names may be forever etched in the halls of this establishment, but your memory and sacrifice will never be forgotten.”
Chaffin Detachment is named for a Wellborn High School graduate who gave his life in Viet Nam. He was killed attempting to rescue fellow Marines who were wounded. The detachment was chartered in June 2008 with more than 50 Charter Members. It meets the fourth Tuesday of each month at the Civilian Marksmanship Program facility on Sentinel Drive in Anniston, at 7 p.m. The Detachment’s Commandant is Richard Carden, SSgt, USMC (Retired). The Marine Corps League was established by an act of the 75th Congress of the United States in 1937. It was formed to preserve and promote the traditions and principles of the U.S. Marine Corps. The League’s primary public service project is sponsoring the Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program on the local level. All toys collected by a local detachment are donated to the children of the local community. Additionally, the Marine Corps League sponsors various citizenship programs, offers scholarships, and participates in local patriotic activities. Regular Members of the Marine Corps League must be persons who are serving or have served honorably in the United States Marine Corps or Marine Corps Reserve “on active duty” for not less than 90 days, or U.S. Navy Corpsmen who served as “FMF Corpsmen” in excess of 90 days. Navy Corpsmen are the “medics” of the Marine Corps. The Marine Corps League also accepts as Associate Members, those persons who espouse the principles and purposes of the League.
Anniston Army Depot provides services for Soldiers, veterans Though few active duty Soldiers make up the employee population at Anniston Army Depot, the installation still offers several services to those in uniform. “We are glad that we have an agency out here that supports the Soldiers, their families, veterans and retirees,” said Jeni Cline, community outreach officer for the depot. “They fought for us, so we just want to give back to them.” A few of the opportunities and services offered to Veterans are: • Camping: Fish at the lakes on the depot or relax at the DeSoto RV Park and Campgrounds. Towable campers and other equipment is available for rental. • Indoor activities: Work out at the Physical Fitness Center or play games like bingo, poker, karaoke and Bunco at the DeSoto Pastime Center. • Information, Referral and Follow-up: Assistance with résumé-building and job referrals for employment throughout the community.
Veteran’s Day • Army Volunteer Corps: Army Community Service has volunteer opportunities for those who have left the military, but want to give back to their community. To volunteer with the Volunteer Corps or to sign up for the services listed, call ACS at 235-7445 or their 24/7 hotline at 877-765-7538. • Army Emergency Relief: No-interest short-term loans are available for service members or veterans. According to Cindy Taylor, Army Emergency Relief coordinator for the depot, the AER is funded annually through private donations. Anniston Army Depot is a closed installation. Veterans who desire use of MWR services should call 235-6768 for access.
Westinghouse Anniston employees safely operate Army incinerator Westinghouse Anniston and its parent organization, the URS-EG&G Division, salutes the veterans working at the Anniston Chemical Agent Disposal Facility (ANCDF) who have helped to safely destroyed more than 61 percent of the chemical munitions stored at Anniston Army Depot. More than 225 veterans, representing all branches of military service – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and the Coast Guard, members of the Westinghouse Anniston team. Each one of these veterans proudly answered our nation’s call to military service and did so with honor and distinction. Now they are equally proud to serve in the campaign to make the world a safer place by helping to rid it of chemical munitions. As of October, Westinghouse Anniston and its partner contractors employed 809 people. Of those, about 75 percent, or 599 workers, are from Calhoun and the five surrounding counties. A total of 653 workers, or about 80 percent, are from Alabama. This team, with its high percentage of Alabama residents, has worked more than 830 days without a lost-time injury. Statistics show that working at ANCDF is safer than working in a school, a public library, or an attorney’s office. Westinghouse Anniston is the site contractor at the ANCDF, which is located on Anniston Army Depot. The U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency (CMA) and its parent organization, the U.S. Army, contracts with Westinghouse Anniston and the URSEG&G Division for operations, maintenance and management of the chemical munitions demilitarization facility.
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or are serving honorably, in the United States Army, or the Army National Guard of the United States, or the United States Army Reserve. Member’s ages range from 20 years to 90 plus years. Their ranks are from young sergeants to retired three-star generals. Their service to the country extends from WWII to present day Iraq and Afghanistan. Their active duty members are serving their country throughout the world. Likewise, the Chapter’s non active duty members are also still serving. The purpose of the Heritage Chapter is to promote the general welfare of all veterans, in hospitals or wherever they may be; to further general education; to provide civic programs for the general welfare of the community; and to promote social contacts among members to further benefit the Chapter. While the Chapter supports many Veteran and Community Services, a few of their special activities during this past year include co-sponsorship to the National Veterans Golden Age Games held in Birmingham. In June, more than 700 veterans, 55 years and older, participated in these games. Chapter 62 donated $5,000 and volunteers in support of the games. Members of the Chapter also sponsored five Calhoun County residents enabling them to participate in the Therapeutic Recreation Program held at Gulf Shores. Year-round activities include: The local VA Clinics are provided with coffee and juice throughout the year for their waiting rooms and a Christmas dinner is provided at the Mental Health Clinic in Oxford. The Birmingham VA receives monetary support throughout the year. Also, at Christmas, gift cards are provided for the patients of the Audio-Speech Pathology Clinic. The Chapter’s main focus on community service revolves around three major charities: The Center for Concern, the Soup Bowl, and Meals on Wheels. Through the efforts of Betty Hinkson, The Center for Concern and the Soup Bowl have been receiving meat and meat products on a monthly basis for more than 20 plus years. Individual members of the Chapter also give generous support in the form of money, clothing, and food staples. Another active member of the Chapter, Mary Lee, has coordinated the Chapter’s support of the Meals on Wheels Program for more than 20 years. She also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the program in Jacksonville. Like any veterans group, the Chapter takes care of its own by assisting where and when needed for medical appointments, care giving assistance, assisting with paperwork or just lending a helping hand when the need arises. For women serving in Afghanistan and Iraq, care packages are provided. The Chapter also has a color guard that participates in Chapter and community activities and memorial services. Many of the members also work closely with other nonprofit groups such as the League for Animal Welfare, Relay for Life, the Susan G. Korman Fund, the American Legion’s Christmas Basket Program, and the U.S. Army Women’s Museum. Members of Chapter 62 donate thousands of dollars to charity and volunteer even more hours to both charitable and veteran activities. For more information and membership applications, please contact Lt. Col. Irene Evankovich, U.S. Army retired, (256) 820-0423.
Westinghouse Anniston works closely with its partner contractors, Battelle Memorial Institute, General Physics, and Innovative Emergency Management, to operate the ANCDF safely and ensure the protection of the public. As of Dec. 24, 2008, the ANCDF team has safely destroyed all of the nerve agentfilled munitions that were stored at Anniston Army Depot. ANCDF is currently in its final agent campaign to destroy hundreds of thousands of mustard-filled munitions. Through the efforts of its veterans and all its team members, the Westinghouse Anniston team has reduced the risk to the community from continued storage of the chemical munitions by more than 99 percent.
The Women’s Army Corps lives on past Fort McClellan Heritage Chapter 62 The Women’s Army Corps (WAC) was established in May of 1942. It was subsequently abolished by an act of Congress in October 1978. Even though the WAC no longer exists, a strong presence of the WAC still prevails in the Anniston, Ala. area. Unlike the Women’s Army Corps, the Women’s Army Corps Veterans Association continues to exist. The local Heritage Chapter Number 62 in Anniston is still active with a membership of more than 350. Chapter 62 operates under a Federal Charter and national recognition as a Veterans Group. Membership in the WAC Veterans Association is made up of all women who have served,
Chapter 62 Delegates, 2009 WC Veteran’s Association National Convention Chapparral Suites Resorts, Scottsdale, AZ Front Row: Gwen Gibson, Irene Evankovich, Sue Pierce, Betty Hinkson Back Row: Jean Dot Alexander, Mary Lou Silva, Frankie Whitbeck, Betty Adams, Linda Harris, Sandy Phelps, BC Knox
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