Washington State Weekend - Part Two

Washington Mid-Winter Conference – Olympia

Friday and Saturday were chock full of meetings and it was really refreshing to see all of the newer [not necessarily younger] members eager to listen to the reports, receive valuable training, and in general enjoy each other’s company.  We certainly kept a vast social spacing and mask wearing was rigorously enforced.  There was also a large contingent of people zooming into the meetings.  One of the really significant things is their desire to be the best.  Commander Traci’s theme this year is “Stay Focused” and they are listening to it.  In fact, two of the members are so focused they are near the top in nation-wide recruitment of new members.

Friday evening we attended a dinner at local Post 318, the Ira L. Cater Post.  They are over 100 years old and going strong.  Named after a WWI veteran who died during the Battle of Chateau Thierry, near Flanders.  For those of us in the VFW and Auxiliary, the Buddy Poppy is something we hold dear.  The iconic poem’s opening lines of “In Flanders fields the poppies blow between the crosses, row on row…”  remind us of the sacrifices of those brave soldiers who fought there. Because of their namesake, Post 318 has an affinity to the poppy and do a lot with the Buddy Poppy program.

The training sessions really showed how much the Department of Washington cares about being the best.  Quartermaster and Service Officer training was not merely rote slides; they really cut to the heart of subjects and if you didn’t learn anything new then you weren’t listening.  I’m glad I sat through.  The Chairman of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Commission, Drew James, provided what I consider to be one of the best briefings I’ve heard on the subject so far.  It was inclusive of the many organizations out there doing things for the current group of veterans.  We’ve already shared information and I wish him well as he is in the running to become one of the Department’s Chair Officers.  If elected, he’s going to do a great job.

I received several gifts over the weekend, and I'm grateful to you all for presenting them to me.  They are special and I will enjoy them very much.

Overall, Commander Traci and her team are focused on being the best.  They are active and they don’t believe in declining because “we’ve never done that before”.  Looking out over the audience and on zoom it was clear that there are many newer, younger veterans who want to be a part of this winning team!

A photo of Ira L. Cater, in a place of honor at Post 318

A panorama view of the socially spaced but very engaged members of the Department of Washington VFW