At Babe Ruth Field in Hollister California’s Veterans Park, the crowd’s excitement was palpable as two San Benito Bambino teams came together on April 27 in the third game of their season to play the Warriors, composed of the members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9242.

As the loudspeakers blasted her entrance music, Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock and Roll,” Bambino Fay Rendon was preparing for her turn at bat, carrying herself with a confidence that any ball player would admire.

“I think we are going to kill these guys,” said Rendon, 19. “We kick [butt] every time. I love coming out here – I feel like a superstar.”

The Bambino League, along with the companion program, the Challenger League, is part of a baseball program for players with either intellectual or physical special needs. “They come out and enjoy baseball just like anybody else,” said Coach Daniel Gutierrez. “It’s all part of getting some exercise, hitting the ball and having fun.”

Rendon’s words proved prophetic. The 15 players on the team scored run after run while the Warriors seemed to have forgotten even the simplest fundamentals of the game, consistently throwing the ball too late or in the wrong direction – when they could even manage to catch the ball.

The final score of the two-inning contest was 30-0, echoing the results of a game earlier in the day, 24-0 win for two other Bambino teams against the VFW Post members. The Bambinos somehow never suffered a single out, and the Warriors, no matter how many times they crossed the plate, never managed to score a run.

“These kids do a lot of trash-talking,” VFW Post Commander Bernie Ramirez said. “But we have a pretty slow group here. We’re getting a little old for this.”

To be fair, the game’s rules were weighted against the veterans. Each of the two innings does not end until every Bambino has batted. The players are pitched up to six balls, and if none are hit, the ball is placed on a tee. Assistance is available for any player who needs help batting or running the bases.

“Coach Adam Mendolla asked us to come out and play,” Ramirez said. “And anybody who’s ever played with these kids can feel it in their hearts. It’s amazing, just the greatest thing you can do.”

This story (edited for length) and photo are by Robert Eliason and re-printed with permission from the Benito Link San Benito County News.

VFW Post 3641 members in Pueblo, Colorado, hosted nine veterans during their fifth annual Homeless Veterans Fair on May 3.

With tents scattered around the Post’s outdoor area, low income and homeless veterans in attendance were treated to several services provided by Post 3641’s members and volunteers as part of their initiative to mind the gap.

“We are here to fill a gap the best we can and it’s not perfect, but, we have people who are in need that we can provide some resolutions to some of their needs,” Post 3641 Commander Fred Gauna said.

At the Post’s fifth annual Homeless Veterans Fair, all veterans who participated were treated to free haircuts, health checks, warm meals and food pantry items to take with them for later.

“We also had vendors that offered free government phones, Medicare assistance and education opportunities,” Gauna said. “Our Post VSO was also there to offer assistance on compensation claims.”

Guana added that because his Post is very community-oriented, the VFW not only hosted veterans in need, but registered more than 66 other low income and homeless participants in providing them with these services free of charge.

“Attendees were appreciative, thankful, hopeful and skeptical,” Guana said. “Skeptical in that they were unsure on what services they could receive. We were glad to be able to provide all of them with these services.”

The next Homeless Veterans Fair at Post 3641 is slated for May 2.

A Vermont VFW Post Auxiliary in April hosted a successful bingo fundraiser to support a service dog training program that helps bring together service dogs with military veterans and first responders.

More than 100 bingo players participated in the event, which featured a 50/50 raffle and additional prizes, at VFW Post 1034 Auxiliary in Brattleboro, Vt. The guests also had lunch and met service dogs, Mercie and Sasquatch, from Vermont Paws and Boots. Those attending also were educated about the Bennington-based program by Vermont Paws and Boots Executive Director Michelle LeBlanc, a member of VFW Post 1034.

According to the organization’s website, the mission of Vermont Paws and Boots is to save the lives of veterans and first responders who struggle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Military Sexual Trauma (MST) and physical disabilities.

“Being in southern Vermont, we don’t have any military bases, so we need to make sure we take care of organizations in our area,” said Karen Campbell, president of VFW Post 1034’s Auxiliary. “We felt that Vermont Paws and Boots was an amazing organization. Veterans and first responders give so much to our country and community.”

The fundraising event raised more than $1,300. For more information about Vermont Paws and Boots, visit www.vermontpawsandboots.org.

WASHINGTON – “The first amendment of the Constitution grants the rights of freedom of speech and of the people peacefully to assemble, the same rights members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) swore an oath to support and defend. We also support the rule of law in our country and those working to uphold it. Without them, segments of our population would have their rights infringed upon. While those staging protests on college campuses across the country have the right to free speech and to peaceful assembly, they do not have the right to violently act out against others. We are confident law enforcement will restore safety and security for all those impacted by the abject lawlessness over this past week.”

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About the VFW: The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is the nation’s largest and oldest major war veterans organization. Founded in 1899, the congressionally chartered VFW is comprised entirely of eligible veterans and military service members from the active, Guard and Reserve forces. With more than 1.4 million VFW and Auxiliary members located in nearly 6,000 Posts worldwide, the nonprofit veterans service organization is proud to proclaim “NO ONE DOES MORE FOR VETERANS” than the VFW, which is dedicated to veterans’ service, legislative advocacy, and military and community service programs. For more information, or to join, visit our website at vfw.org.

VFW Post 10904 in Manchester, Tennessee, hosted its annual Vietnam-era Veterans Honors Dinner on March 28. Now in its seventh year, the dinner’s purpose is to recognize Vietnam veterans and to treat them as they should have been treated when they returned home from Vietnam.

The Vietnam-era veterans in attendance were told:

-“Thank you for your service;”
-“Your cause was just;” and
-“Welcome home.”

The gathering was held at Manchester’s Coffee County Veterans Building, which is shared by the VFW, DAV and American Legion. More than 100 guests were present. Lloyd Smith, a local musician performed songs from the Vietnam period.

A 10-foot projection screen showed the 1967 Bob Hope Christmas Special featuring Raquel Welch and other celebrities touring Southeast Asia. Several of the veterans in attendance fondly remembered seeing the show when they were there nearly 60 years ago.

VFW Post 10904 Quartermaster Howard Thompson served as the emcee. Thompson was a first lieutenant with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and is a Vietnam veteran.

He read a letter of gratitude from a former South Vietnamese refugee who later started a business. Part of the letter stated: “Back then, I didn’t grasp the nuances of politics, and I really didn’t care to. What I knew for sure was these brave soldiers, representing the United States, stood by our side against the Northern Vietnamese communists … risking their lives for our lives and liberty. That’s how I saw them then … that’s how I continue to see them now.”

VFW Post Commander Kimberly King said it is important to recognize Vietnam veterans especially as they were not recognized when they came.

“I’d say eight years ago, when we came up with this idea it was to pay honor and respect to our brothers and sisters who served in Vietnam,” King said.

To learn more about activities hosted by VFW Post 10904, visit https://www.vfwpost10904.com.

This Checkpoint article was submitted by G. Lamar Wilkie, VFW Post 10904 Senior Vice Commander and Adjutant.

A VFW Post in the Land of 10,000 Lakes held a special ceremony to commemorate Vietnam War veterans for National Vietnam War Veterans Day in March.

As reported in Virginia, Minnesota’s Mesabi Tribune, emotions ran high at VFW Post 4456 in Gilbert, Minnesota, during a moving tribute for the area’s Vietnam War veterans. Attendees were amazed by the display of respect shown to Vietnam War veterans in attendance and the war’s KIAs from the region.

“The whole thing was something I’ll never forget,” said VFW Post 4456 Auxiliary member Candace Barshaw, according to the Mesabi Tribune. “The emotion was so strong.”

National Vietnam War Veterans Day was first observed in 2017 after then-President Donald Trump signed the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act. Prior to this, Minnesota’s first Vietnam War Veterans Day was in 2008 after then-Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty issued a proclamation, making Minnesota one of the first states to recognize the day.

Held under the flapping shade of the U.S. flag, VFW Post 3137 members in Isle of Palms, South Carolina, hosted a community gathering for their semi-annual retirement of old and tattered flags on April 6.

Against a picturesque view of the shimmering Atlantic Ocean, the ceremony opened with remarks from Post 3137 Commander Bo Stallings, followed by an invocation from Post Chaplain Carol Truslow. The ceremony also included the National Anthem by Post member Joe Houdek, which preceded the Pledge of Allegiance and the raising of the U.S. flag during the playing of To The Colors.

More than 100 flags were properly retired during the ceremony by veterans, Auxiliary members and other members of the community. Among those who helped retire flags were local Boy Scout Troop 15 and Troop 20, who also demonstrated the proper way to fold the flag, celebrating the flag as an emblem of the U.S.

Post 3137, dubbed “The Post on the Coast,” provides a receptacle for community members to dispose of worn flags at their entrance along Ocean Boulevard. They encourage all who have worn flags to dispose of them there, allowing for a proper retirement.

A VFW Post in San Diego accepted help from its community when it needed a new refrigerator after the Post’s had broken. When the original stopped, volunteers at the Post were in the process of cooking hundreds of meals for displaced flood victims.

During an interview with CBS 8 in April, volunteers told the news station that the Post’s main industrial refrigerator stopped working and that they were accepting donations for a new one. After the story aired, VFW Post 7420 Commander Livy Lazaro told CBS 8 that “everyone just started calling and blowing up our phone.”

CBS 8 reported that the Post received $3,000 in donations from across San Diego County. VFW Post 7420 Commander Livy Lazaro said to the TV station that his Post’s mission is not complete until “everyone is taken care of.”

On April 2, VFW Post 7420 told CBS 8 that it was providing 400 meals daily. In January, historical levels of flooding hit the military town. Many families were displaced and in need of meals. VFW Post 7420 members and volunteers immediately started preparing hot meals for flood victims in shelters and hotels. And even when the refrigerator stopped working, volunteers did not.

“We are going to be here until the families don’t need us anymore,” VFW Post 7420 Quartermaster Johnny Odom told CBS 8.

On March 18, VFW Post 637 Operations Manager and VFW Auxiliary Department of Virginia Guard Cara Buckley led a ceremony paying tribute to 12 fallen female war heroes at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, which has more than 12,000 names on its wall.

The ceremony hosted several dignitaries, which included VFW Department of Virginia Commander Gary Adams, as well as Virginia’s Auxiliary President Victoria Butler and National VFW Auxiliary President Carla Martinez, who each gave remarks laden with heartfelt gratitude in honor and respect of the 12 female fallen war heroes.

“These remarkable women displayed unmatched bravery and dedication in their service to our country,” Buckley said of the 12 women, which are made up of nine World War II veterans and three from the Global War on Terrorism.

The large-scale event included Post and Auxiliary members from across Virginia, many of them belonging to Posts 637, 9808,7059,3150,1115 and 12202. These six VFW Posts and their Auxiliaries contributed to the ceremony by performing the national anthem, crafting a profound invocation and paying homage to their former female comrades.

The ceremony was punctuated by the reading of the 12 names, which were solemnly recited aloud as white roses were laid in their honor by VFW and VFW Auxiliary female veterans in respect for their sacrifices and unwavering courage.

As a centerpiece to the ceremony, Buckley posthumously honored Post 637 member Steve Cochran by displaying the battlefield cross he constructed prior to his passing. The cross, according to Buckley, serves as a reminder of resilience, honor and the remembrance of these fallen heroes’ contributions to women in the service.

“Let us never forget the profound impact these heroes had and continue to honor their legacy of valor and resilience,” Buckley said.

The 12 fallen female war heroes are:

2LT Eva Virginia Ageon – WWII – Botetourt County – Army Nurse Corps

CPL Betty Walker Driskill – WWII – Prince Edward County – WAC

2LT Nancy Holden Hedges – WWII – Charlottesville – WAC

PFC Leslie Denise Jackson – GWOT – Richmond – Army- Iraq

1LT Elenora Payne Jones – WWII – Lancaster County – Army Nurse Corps

2LTJoan Windsor Nourse – WWII – Fauquier County – WAC

SGT Caryn Nouv – GWOT – Newport News – Army -Afghanistan

PFC Nan Sue Porter – WWII – Richmond City – WAC

CPL Naoma L. Ridings – WWII – Arlington

ENS Elizabeth Irene Seay – WWII – Fluvanna County – WAVES

Apprentice Seaman Ruth Harrow Stone – WWII – Middlesex County – WAVES

CW5 Sharon T. Swartworth – GWOT – Alexandria – Army – Iraq

Submitted by Cara Buckley, VFW Department of Virginia Auxiliary Guard

Over the past five years, a VFW District in Virginia has made it its mission to support a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing a haven for veterans with PTSD and their families.

Virginia’s District 11, based in the heart of the commonwealth, has donated a total of $215,000 to the Boulder Crest Foundation, a nonprofit organization that offers programs free of charge to veterans who deployed to war zones from any generation or conflict. The latest donation took place in November, when members of District 11 presented $42,000 to the foundation.

Alexander Thymmons, commander of Virginia’s VFW District 11, said that the District does not donate the funds on its own behalf, but for the VFW as a whole, saying that VFW “changes the lives of veterans” for the better.

“This wasn’t just a financial contribution,” said Thymmons, who medically retired as an Army major. “It symbolized a profound dedication to the welfare of those who have served.”

Thymmons said that organizations such as the Boulder Crest Foundation are important for the veteran community and help those “to regain self-worth” in their lives outside of the military.

“The Boulder Crest Foundation is a beacon of hope for many of our nation’s veterans,” said Thymmons, a former intelligence officer. “Not only was Boulder Crest founded by a former service member, but the people also leading the program have gone through it and have seen the significant changes the program brought to their lives.”

Thymmons said that District 11 throughout the years has raised money for the Boulder Crest program through its Valley Veterans Ride for Heroes, a cycling event in the Shenandoah Valley. The event, hosted by a dozen VFW Posts in the area, garnered about 150 cyclists last year.

A ‘PATHH’ TO GROWTH
The Boulder Crest Retreat in Virginia is a 37-acre resort in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Founded in September 2013 by Ken Falke, a retired Navy master chief petty officer and explosive ordnance disposal technician, Boulder Crest’s approach to helping military members, veterans, first responders and their families is based around the concept of “post-traumatic growth.” The foundation guides veterans and their families to transform life crises or traumatic events into the pillars of strength and resilience.

Boulder Crest provides visitors with the chance to complete the Warrior PATHH (Progressive and Alternative Training for Healing Heroes) program. It is based on post-traumatic growth. This is defined as a veteran making positive psychological changes based on struggles with trauma.

The 90-day journey is led by combat veterans dedicated to connecting and supporting those transitioning from the military into civilian life. The program uses education to help participants understand post-traumatic stress and provide ways to alleviate it.

The Boulder Crest Foundation has a secondary location in Sonoita, Ariz. For more information about the Boulder Crest Foundation, visit https://bouldercrest.org.

RIDING FOR VETERANS
This year’s Valley Veterans Ride for Heroes, according to Thymmons, will rally under the banner “Veterans: Not Just a Number.” He said that this theme is deeply personal to every veteran and serves as a reminder that behind every statistic, “there’s a story, a life lived and sacrifices made.”

Thymmons, who said he has faced his own battles with PTSD, supports the Not Just a Number Act (S. 928), a bill he said “brings humanity to the forefront” of the veteran suicide crisis.

“This is not just another piece of legislation – it is a call to action,” said Thymmons, a veteran of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. “It demands that the secretary of VA provide a detailed, empathetic analysis of veteran suicides and push for better data and understanding of the crisis. This is about seeing the person behind the uniform and about changing how we as a nation approach this heartbreaking issue.”

Learn more about 2024’s Valley Veterans Ride for Heroes at https://www.valleyvetsride4heroes.com.

This article is featured in the 2024 April issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Dave Spiva, associate editor for VFW magazine.