Burger King and the VFW Unmet Needs Program

I stopped by my local Burger King in Columbia, Illinois this morning to get a cup of coffee before running errands and such.  You can see that the owner is a proud veteran with this big sign on the front door.  When I went to pay at the drive through window they had the donation sticker where you couldn’t miss it. And, yes of course I made a donation!

Burger King partners with the VFW to benefit the Unmet Needs program.  Kicking off the summer program in July, over 850 BK restaurants in 31 states have already collected more than $151,000.  It promises to be a great fundraising event.  Since 2007 Burger King franchisees have contributed more than $6 million to the Unmet Needs program.

The Unmet Needs program was established by VFW in 2004 to assist service members and their families experiencing financial hardships.  More than $11.3 million in grants have been given to aid more than 10,000 military and veteran families since its inception.

If you’re in the mood for a sandwich or even just a cup of coffee, check out your local BK!  And donate while you're there!

International Whale Shark Day 2019

The blog isn't always going to be about veterans or the VFW.  To that end, today is International Whale Shark Day!

Last year I spent a few weeks diving with hammerhead sharks at remote Coco's Island, about 400 miles west of Costa Rica.  As we were ascending from a dive a whale shark appeared out of nowhere and we got the thrill of our lives being able to interact with it.  We were exceptionally lucky to encounter one in the wild and I'll never forget the experience!

Some interesting facts about whale sharks include they are the largest fish in the sea, weighing in at over 20 tons and about the size of a bus, growing over 30 feet in length.  They live on average 70 years.

Need a Haircut? Sport Clips!

I've got a few days in town before my next assignment so I dropped in to my favorite place to get squared away:  Sport Clips of O'Fallon Illinois!  I always get the MVP and they never fail to provide friendly, top notch service with a smile.  Mary and her crew do a great job and they all enjoy seeing Mama Cass when she walks in.  The dog gets greeted before I do!

Since 2013, Sport Clips has been the primary supporter of the VFW's Sport Clips Help a Hero Scholarship program, which provides scholarships for service members and veterans for use at post-secondary schools and trade schools.  To date, more than 1,400 scholarships totaling more than $6.5 million have been awarded.  Just last year they collected $1.35 million for the program and presented the "big check" to VFW at our headquarters in Kansas City.

If you're in need of a haircut, look for your closest Sport Clips -the official hair cutter of the VFW!

It's National Dog Day!

Ok, Mama Cass put me up to this.  Even if you're not a dog person, today's the day officially set aside to pat a dog on the head and say good boy or good girl.

National Council of Administration Weekend

The National Council met this weekend [Thursday - Sunday] in Kansas City.  The Council is comprised of representatives from our 52 Departments, to include Europe and the Pacific Areas, along with the National elected officers and some appointed officers.  Many staff members from the Kansas City and Washington Offices were also present, making sure that everything went smoothly as the business of the VFW was conducted.

We tackled many issues over these past days, ranging from setting the budget to refreshing the national Awards program to learning more about the tough choices ahead for our National Veterans Service program.  Of course, there were many other items in between that we sorted out. The members of the Council work hard and take their positions seriously.  For those unfamiliar with the Council, think of it as similar to the U.S. Congress, where our nation's leaders come together to do those things that are best for all of us.  Of course, the VFW Council actually gets things done!

Our Commander-in-Chief, Doc Schmitz, set the tone for the year encouraging all of us to do the best we can but do it in the spirit of good will and cooperation.  I think we all enjoyed hearing that message and we certainly will do our best for the membership and the organization!

Let's Talk About the Dog

So my National biography has my picture in it.  No big deal, they all have pictures of the people.  Mine's special though because it has my canine partner, Mama Cass, in it with me.

I have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  I've dealt with it since my return from the war.  In the early years, unfortunately, not successfully at all. I thank God daily that I'm still here to tell that next veteran that being one of the 22 is not the solution.

After realizing I needed to get help, I did.  It's been a long road and there have been relapses but over time, just like the stock market, things have looked up.  When I was finally ready after doing years of the hard work, I learned about a program in southern Illinois that was doing wonders with PTSD dogs and I looked into that.  It changed my life.

Teaching a program of trauma resiliency and making a veteran face things head on, This Able Veteran transformed me into a productive and, more importantly, happy person content with life.  Living in the present is so much better than living in the past.  You'll hear this phrase often from me, namely, The Time is Now.  Let's live today and be present.

I went through the 3-week Trauma Resiliency program in 2014 after a lengthy application process designed to only pick those people who were ready for this next step in their lives.  I was rewarded by being paired with Mama Cass and it has made a difference.  Mama doesn't calm me down, check my six, clear a room before entering or anything like that.  She's been trained to look for cues that I show when I get into a cycle that can't be broken.  She detects the cues and alerts me that I'm doing "that thing," usually with a tapping paw on my leg or more if I don't acknowledge her.  Once acknowledged, she's done her job.  That simple action brings me to the present, the now, and it's up to me to recognize things and draw on my training to take care of myself.  Those who have seen Mama do this can tell you what a powerful thing it is to see her in action and what a transformation I have when she does alert.

I'm much better with her than without her.  I do realize though that ultimately it's up to me to be a better person.  I work on that every day.  For more info on This Able Veteran, check out www.thisableveteran.org.

Calling the Troops!

I'm in Kansas City all week for meetings in the National HQ, and for the Council of Administration committees and meetings.  Today I, along with the other Chair Officers and key employees, spent the day calling Posts around the country.  It was a mini-telethon to let them know we appreciate all the things they do and we are here to help them succeed in the future.

The fun part was the interaction with the folks who answered the phones.  Apparently I sound like a telemarketer and on a few occasions I was told they weren't buying what I was selling!  I thought about my pitch and quickly changed what I said and how I said it.  The results were much better.

There is no greater feeling than to have someone thank you profusely for thinking about them and calling to see how they were doing!  The enthusiasm came through loud and clear and more than once the people said they couldn't wait to tell the other Post members that a NATIONAL OFFICER called and wasn't even upset. :-)  One Post Commander, upon learning that I would be at his upcoming Department Council meeting, told me that he had never been to one before but he was planning to go to this one just to shake my hand.

The power of the personal touch ... you never know when you are going to make someone's day just by reaching out and saying "hello."

Visit to Defense POW-MIA Accounting Agency [DPAA] - Omaha Nebraska

Today, along with the Chief, Senior Vice and several folks from our National HQ, we made the 2.5 hour drive to Omaha from Kansas City to visit a lesser known but equally important laboratory of the DPAA.

A separate building inside another building, their modest entrance way opened to a most fantastic laboratory and staff of dedicated professionals.  These men and women are so passionate about the work they do.  In a nutshell these amazing people identify the remains of unknown fallen service men and women and repatriate them with their next of kin.

While the DPAA location in Hawaii may be known to more people, the separation of the two coincides with the work they do.  Hawaii concentrates on the pacific areas such as Vietnam, Korea, etc. while Omaha concentrates on European theaters of combat.  Interestingly, and in contrast to the usual division of location, the entirety of the work on the USS Oklahoma is done in Omaha.  To date, of the 429 sailors and marines lost on the Oklahoma, 200 service members have been identified. There is a wall in their briefing room with photos of those identified as well as place markers for those yet to be identified.

The work continues and DPAA is using the latest technology to identify remains.  Going far beyond even DNA analysis, the use of stable isotopes is pushing their ability to identify remains far beyond what was once imaginable.  For more info on the great work DPAA does, check out:   https://www.dpaa.mil.

Visiting the VFW DC Office, 12-15 August 19

Located a few hundred yards from the U.S. Capitol, the VFW D.C. Office is in a prime location to get the job done for veterans!  Dedicated in 1960, it is a hub of activity all designed to better serve veterans in many different aspects.  Senior Vice Commander Hal and I had the opportunity over several days to meet with the staff and our newly minted Executive Director and past Commander-in-Chief, B.J. Lawrence.

We received briefings on Public Relations, National Security & Foreign Affairs, National Legislative Service, and Administration & Economic Opportunity, and National Veterans Service.  Additionally, Human Resources gave a leadership briefing.  After talking with the HR Director we realized she is passionate about her job and wanted to move away from the more negative sounding “Human Resources” to a more friendly and appropriate name, “People Operations,”  Being a good leader, Hal made a few phone calls and voila! VFW now has a People Operations Department, better known now as POPS.  Yes, things can be done if people just reach out and work together!

In addition to briefings we did get out of the office and that meant short drives across town.  Mama Cass was exceptionally cooperative getting in and out of the car after riding in the very back. Always a good thing to keep the dog happy!  The site visits included meeting at the National Capitol Region Benefits Office and a meeting with the head of the Board of Veterans Appeals.  As a former Judge, I particularly enjoyed talking with Sylvester about the Board process and how the Judges operated.

Overall, I have a more in-depth understanding of what goes on in the D.C Office, much deeper than the thumbnail sketch most of us have.  What stands out about the visit is one thing:  The people!  These are some of the most dedicated and professional individuals I have met and they all have a burning desire to do one thing:  Make the world better FOR VETERANS.  If you ever get a chance to visit the VFW D.C. Office, do it.  You will not be disappointed!

Illinois Council of Administration and Homecoming

Had the pleasure this weekend of being the national representative at my own state!  Commander Brad Gould asked me to install him at the convention and followed that up by asking me to be at his first Council meeting and homecoming.  It was a pleasure to return to my own state after the election in Orlando!  There was such an atmosphere of hope and a desire to move into the future that I can assure you all that Illinois will continue growing!  At the homecoming it was my pleasure to present Brad with his official National Commission, officially proclaiming him the Commander of the State of Illinois.  Good luck Brad and the rest of your eager team.  I know you will do well!

Circle of Heroes - Nation's First Underwater Veterans Memorial

Clearwater, FL

The Circle of Heroes is a massive, multi-piece underwater memorial located off the coast of Clearwater, Florida.  The Circle is a project of Brighter Futures Florida, a non-profit group.  It contains 12 separate statues placed in a 100 foot diameter circle with a monument to the separate services in the center.  Ultimately, they will place 12 more statues over the next two years to complete the memorial.  On 5 August, the dedication and first dive was held on location with a flotilla of boats, speakers, a ribbon cutting and a flyover by the Coast Guard.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars learned of this project and knew we had to be part of it.  We were able to sponsor a statue and the one assigned to us was "No Man Left Behind."  As your Junior Vice Commander-in-Chief I was invited to participate in the dedication.  When Brighter Futures learned I was also a PADI SCUBA instructor they made sure I was among the first to dive the site!

Located about 10 miles offshore in 40 feet of water on a sandy bottom, the twelve statues stare at you from their concrete pedestals and seem to draw you into their faces and their details.  The more you look, the more you feel how powerful this memorial is.  The wetness I thought was a leak in my mask turned out to be tears.  You can't help but be moved by what you see.

It was more than fitting that the dive boat I was on carried a crew of veterans from Vietnam, Desert Storm and Afghanistan.  We shared that site and parts of ourselves during that dive.  Here's a short film from pictures and videos I took on that dive.  I hope you enjoy it.

One note for folks thinking about visiting this site.  I wouldn't recommend it for snorkeling, only because of the depth and water conditions.  You might only be able to make out the tops of the heads.  I wouldn't want you to be disappointed after that boat ride.  For divers, it's a sandy bottom.  Keep the fins up and watch your buoyancy or you and your dive buddies will be looking at swirling sand and not statues!