May
2014
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Honor Flight
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At Zero Dark Thirty Saturday May 3, 2014
Old Dominion University, Norfolk
State University, Princess Anne and Landstown
High Schools respective ROTC
and JROTC students lined up in preparation
to render honors to WWII and
Korean War veterans as they walk to awaiting
buses that will transport them
to Washington, DC to visit various war
memorials. This ceremony takes place
twice a year (Fall/Spring) and is also
joined by several civic and veteran
organizations. Hampton Roads Southside
coordinators included: MOAA Board of
Director, CAPT Mike "Breeze" Barea,
USN (Retired) and Old Dominion
University Senior Military Instructor,
MSG Todd M. Bair, US Army.
Honor Flight Historic Triangle Virginia
(HFHTVA) is a Williamsburg-based
non-profit organization established in
October 2008 with one goal: To take
every World War II and terminally ill
veteran in the Hampton Roads and
Richmond areas that is able and has not
visited the World War II Memorial
built in their honor on a charter bus
day trip to Washington, DC. In
addition to the WWII Memorial, other scheduled
stops include Arlington
National Cemetery and the Marine Corps
War ( Iwo Jima) Memorial, Korean War,
and/or Vietnam War Memorials. There
is no charge to the veterans as they
paid for it through their dedicated service
to our great nation more than
sixty five years ago. HFHTVA is
a hub of the National Honor Flight Network,
which was founded in 2005 and has over
100 hubs throughout the United
States. They have taken over 100,000
veterans to the memorial as of April
2013. |
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Virginia Wesleyan
Commissioning
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| Ms. Autumn Watson was commissioned
a 2ndLt. In the Signal Corps, US Army at Virginia Wesleyan College.
She reports to her first duty station on Wednesday 21 May 2014. The
Virginia Wesleyan College ROTC Marlin Detachment is a part of the Old Dominion
ROTC Monarch Battalion. Remarks were presented by Dr. William
T. Greer, Jr., President, Virginia Wesleyan College. LTC
Brian D. Kerns, Professor of Military Science at ODU administered the
Commission Oath to Lt. Watson. Her mother and sister pinned on her
bars and her uncle, a Retired USCG Master Chief rendered the traditional
first salute to the new LT. Chapter President COL Jim Edge,
USA-Ret. presented her with a set of gold bars and the one year electronic
membership in National MOAA. The photographer is a lady who
coordinates the ROTC activity at Wesleyan – her name is Amy Rush. |
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Chesapeake Memorial
Day Ceremony
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| Sponsored by the Mayors Commission on
Veterans Affairs. Chapter wreath laying was by CDR Bert Ortiz,
USM-Ret., Ms Anne Darwin AUX USN, and CDR Matt Krakower,
USN-Ret. |
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Memorial Day, 26
May 2014
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| The event was held at the Tidewater Veterans
Memorial and the Veterans Memorial Park in Virginia Beach. The Master
of Ceremonies was our own COL Floyd Gilbert, USA-Ret. Opening
Remarks were by the Honorable William Sessoms, Jr., Mayor of Virginia
Beach. The Keynote Address was by CAPT Christopher Chope,
USN, Commanding Officer of NAS Oceana. Laying of the Chapter Wreath
was COL Jim Smith, USA-Ret, COL Jim Edge, USA-Ret., CAPT
Jim Jones, USN-Ret. and COL Jack Hilgers, USMC-Ret. and in the
back of the pack. |
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30 May Luncheon
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| Angel Flight, Air Compassion for Veterans.
Ms. Jacqueline O’Dell, was our guest speaker. This superb
non-profit’s mission is to ensure that no patient in need is denied access
to distant specialized medical evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, or rehabilitation
for lack of a means of long-distance medical air transportation.
Partners with American Airlines. They fly up to 33,000 trips in one year. |
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