News

New VFW Membership Badge Introduced

Author: September 15, 2021

New VFW Membership Badge Introduced

If you have read your September issue of VFW Magazine, you will have seen the article introducing the new membership badge, shown at left. This badge is a “throwback” to earlier badges worn by members in the 1920s and 30s and was developed by Department of Illinois Commander Bobby Welch, a retired Navy Chief Petty Officer and Iraq War Veteran. Welch worked on the design under the direction of current Commander-In-Chief Mathew M. “Fritz” Mihelcic. 

While the membership badge looks like a military medal awarded to troops,Welch stressed that the badges are not meant to be given as an award. “All members of VFW are authorized to wear this badge” Welch said. “If you are a VFW member, you are entitled to and deserving of wearing this badge. 

Shown with the badge in this image at left is the Life Member bar, also available as Legacy, Gold Legacy, Silver Legacy and Bronze Life bars. 

The new badges are available to members through the VFW online store. 

New Member, News, Newsletter Articles

From the Bookshelf

Author: September 15, 2021

by Mike Denton 

Facing the Mountain: A True Story of Japanese American Heroes in World War II Kindle Edition by Daniel James Brown

Facing the Mountain: A True Story of Japanese American Heroes in World War II

Kindle Edition by Daniel James Brown

“They came from across the continent and Hawaii. Their parents taught them to embrace both their Japanese heritage and the ways of America. They faced bigotry, yet they believed in their bright futures as American citizens. But within days of Pearl Harbor, the FBI was ransacking their houses and locking up their fathers. And within months many would themselves be living behind barbed wire. 

Facing the Mountain is an unforgettable chronicle of war-time America and the battlefields of Europe. Based on Daniel James Brown’s extensive interviews with the families of the protagonists as well as deep archival research, it portrays the kaleidoscopic journey of four Japanese-American families and their sons, who volunteered for 442nd Regimental Combat Team and were deployed to France, Germany, and Italy, where they were asked to do the near impossible.” 

At times, a difficult read, simply because of the profound bigotry demonstrated to these dedicated young Americans, who became some of the most decorated soldiers of WWII, but hang in there, it’s worth the 

Book Review, News, Newsletter Articles

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Military Exit from Afghanistan Stirs Deep Memories for Vietnam Veteran

Author: September 15, 2021

by Dan Doyle 

Military Exit from Afghanistan Stirs Deep Memories for Vietnam Veteran

Back in the early part of the Afghan War, along with the Iraq War, the veterans coming home were welcomed by the people of the United States with enthusiasm and with much honor and respect. It was the kind of welcome that we Vietnam veterans never received. Those Afghan and Iraq veterans understood that and, in many cases, reached out to we Vietnam Veterans to express their respect and honor for us, now knowing themselves the realities of war and the sacrifices that are made on the battlefield for one another. For Vietnam veterans, the generosity and respect those younger veterans offered to us, gave us for the first time, real feelings of acceptance, of recognition, of having done something noble in our own war. After almost 50 years, we started openly wearing our baseball caps emblazoned with our units or with the words “Vietnam Veteran” on them. For the first time, we started having people come up to us to actually thank us for our service. It is time for us Vietnam veterans to return the favor and to stand by our Afghan Veterans. We need to tell them with confidence, from experience, that what they did was not only noble, good and effective, but that their sacrifices counted for a great deal of good for the Afghan people. Their service and sacrifice is meaningful, it was noble in purpose. They stood up for one another, they cared for and defended the Afghans, they honored their duties to the nation, their services and to their fellow warriors to the left and to the right of them in the field of battle. They upheld the dignity, the esprit de corps and the honor of American military history. They can hold their heads up high knowing that their service was not in vain. They did not lose the war, just as we Vietnam veterans did not lose our war. Those who fought in the field, those who supported the troops on the ground from the rear, all of those who served in Afghanistan answered the call and took the risks and made the sacrifices that military service to the nation requires of those who have the courage and the commitment to give of themselves for causes greater than themselves. You are to be honored, each and every one of you. 

(Ed. Note: The foregoing is an excerpt from an article which Chaplain Doyle published in his blog recently. We felt it to be representative of the feelings of a lot of us, as the country exits Afghanistan.) 

News, Newsletter Articles

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Department School of Instruction

Author: September 15, 2021

Department School of Instruction

At left are shown the attendees of the 2021 Department School of Instruction. The Post was represented by Commander Carl Kurfess and Surgeon Bryan Rowe. 

The event is intended to provide incoming Post officers with the tools to perform their new office effectively. Other members of our command staff are experienced in their respective positions and have attended previous sessions. 

News, Newsletter Articles

Heroes Cafe

Author: September 15, 2021

Gary Walderman reports that the Heroes Cafe will have several veteran-centric, separate and distinct happenings in September and they are looking for your assistance and/or participation. 

By the time this newsletter is published, the first event on Sept. 11, observing the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks will have passed. Hopefully, you will all have had an opportunity to participate in this, or some other 9/11 event 

  • Tuesday, Sept. 14. Heroes Cafe Shoreline takes place at the Shoreline Scottish Rites Masonic Center, 1207 N 152nd. St in shoreline, from 1000-1300 hours. 
  • Saturday, Sept 18, Veterans and Community Resource Fair at the Heroes Cafe Lynnwood location, 6519 188th St. SW, Lynnwood, 1100-1400. The event will identify available resources for Snohomosh county residents. There will also be a pinning ceremony where veterans will be honored and celebrated for their service to our country. Volunteers are need to help with set-up, traffic control, etc. with set-up to begin at 1000 hours. 
  • Tuesday, Sept 28. Heroes Cafe, Lynnwood, 0830-1300, at the church at 6519 188th St. SW. 

News, Newsletter Articles

Poppy Distribution Event Slated at Edmonds Summer Market

Author: September 15, 2021

Poppy Distribution Event Slated at Edmonds Summer Market
Poppy Distribution Event Slated at Edmonds Summer Market

On Saturday, Sept. 25, the Post will hold a second event at the Edmonds Summer Market. Poppies will be distributed and membership materials made available to interested and qualified veterans who may be visiting the market. 

We need a few members to help man the booth, which will operate from 9:00 am until 2:30 pm. Volunteers are also needed to set up our tent and table and return them to the Legion Hall in the afternoon. 

Poppy Distribution Event Slated at Edmonds Summer Market

Sign up at the Post meeting on the evening of Sept. 15.

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Operation Home Front

Author: August 24, 2021

Back to School Brigade 

Back-to-School Brigade® is Operation Homefront’s annual nationwide school supply collection and distribution campaign. Since inception, Operation Homefront has distributed over 400,000 backpacks to military children saving military families nearly $50M in school expenses. Operation Homefront and Dollar Tree Inc. have joined forces for 12 consecutive years to collect and distribute school supplies. 

Families of Post 9/11 wounded, ill, or injured service member of any rank, both currently serving and those no longer serving in the military or All ranks, Active Duty, Guard and Reserves, any duty status or Transitioning service members within 12 months of their discharge/retirement date. 

VFW Posts’ role in this program is to collect donated supplies from participating Dollar Tree locations, sort and deliver them to Operation Home Front for distribution to military families in need. 

Operation Home Front
Above, at a recent Post meeting, (L to R) Commander Carl Kurfess, Post Surgeon Bryan Rowe and Past Commander Rose Gililland prepare to sort school supplies. 

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Post Meeting Speakers Slated

Author: August 24, 2021

We have speakers scheduled for each of the next three Post meetings. 

August 18: Monica McNeal, Washington State President American Gold Star Mothers

Finding strength in the fellowship of other Gold Star Mothers, who strive to keep the memory of our sons and daughters alive by working to help veterans, those currently serving in the military, their families, and our communities. 

September 15: Matthew Durkee, Edmonds College Veterans Resource Center

October 20: Mark Emiley, Healing Waters Fly fishing. 

News, Newsletter Articles

Ken Burns’ Documentary On Vietnam

Author: August 24, 2021

Ken Burns’ Documentary On Vietnam

Some thoughts from VFW Post Chaplain Dan Doyle 

Recently, on the Veterans Site by Greater Good, where he is a regular contributor, Chaplain Doyle wrote a lengthy analysis of Ken Burns latest documentary series on the Vietnam War. We thought it a bit too lengthy to reprint here in its entirety, and so have taken the liberty of summarizing Dan’s piece. We encourage you to visit the site to read the entire essay, the spirit of which we hope we have captured. 

Ken Burns’ (documentary) series on the Vietnam War has drawn a lot of attention. There has been much talk about it. I have to admit that I have very mixed feelings about watching it. 

Burns’ Civil War documentary is the best thing I’ve ever seen on television. It was thoughtful, sensitively handled, well written and a beautifully produced. One of its greatest strengths was in not judging the characters with current bias. It simply told the story. 

When Burns produced the Civil War documentary, it was already a century and a quarter in the past; all of those involved were long since gone. That historical distance shaped Burns’ ability to simply tell the story without prejudice. This, I fear, is not the case with this new documentary on the Vietnam War. It is only 50 years in the past, in historical terms, still too “fresh.” There are still millions alive today who lived it. The Vietnam War is still alive in the hearts and souls of those who fought it those who fought against it. I am concerned that Vietnam veterans will come out on the dirty end of the stick again. 

Ken Burns has given us some of the most thoughtful television in the history of TV, but without the historical distance that he had with the Civil War, and being a part of the Vietnam generation, can he really be as objective as he was with the Civil War documentary? 

I think that Burns’ intentions are good. He seems to want to bring about some healing around the still open wounds of the Vietnam War through this documentary. If he can break through, or somehow ignore his own prejudices, feelings, and experiences from that time, it might be a good thing. 

Maybe he will, maybe he won’t. Maybe I’m being too pessimistic. I do not know. I have not yet decided whether I will, or will not watch it. But I am not without hope. 

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