Posts tagged Veterans Day
CU-Boulder to honor vets through Veterans Week events Nov. 9-17
Nov 9th
The University of Colorado Boulder will honor the nation’s veterans, including CU-Boulder’s own faculty, staff and student veterans, through Veterans Week, beginning with a Nov. 9 Veterans Day ceremony at 11 a.m. in the University Memorial Center’s Glenn Miller Ballroom.
The free, public ceremony will feature guest speaker Michael Dakduk, executive director of the national organization Student Veterans of America. A reception will follow in the UMC Veterans Lounge.
In the Marine Corps, Dakduk was deployed to Iraq in 2005 and to Afghanistan in 2007, where he earned military decorations for distinguished service in combat. He left active duty in 2008 and completed his bachelor’s degree at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, where he organized student veterans on campus as a chapter of Student Veterans of America.
“We take this time to acknowledge and express gratitude for the sacrifices of those still serving and those who have served so gallantly and selflessly in our armed forces,” said CU-Boulder Chancellor Philip P. DiStefano. “This weekend, we can each take a moment to reflect on how much we owe the silent heroes in our midst and reach out and thank a vet for this outstanding service. The University of Colorado Boulder joins the nation on this one day of the year our country has set aside to honor our veterans and acknowledge the legacy of their steadfast defense of our American ideals, principles and liberties.”
Also on Nov. 9, CU-Boulder will host Military Student Day to assist military service members interested in transitioning from military service to life as a college student.
CU-Boulder is home to about 650 student veterans and 250 faculty and staff vets, according to Michael Roberts, program manager of CU-Boulder’s Veteran Services office on campus.
“The Office of Veteran Services here at CU-Boulder continues to build a robust program supporting our veterans transitioning from the military to college and ultimately to the work force,” Roberts said. “We have a group of committed staff and faculty leaders who are eager to support our student veterans.”
Student veterans can visit the Student Veterans Center in the Center for Community building, room S482. The center serves as a one-stop shop to support student veterans.
One of the most sought-after services is help with the GI Bill, Roberts said.
“Most veterans are taking advantage of this great opportunity they earned while serving our nation,” he said. “The Post 9/11 GI Bill covers all in-state tuition and fees as well as providing a monthly living allowance. In Boulder, it is quite substantial — $1,500 per month while they are in school.”
The CU-Boulder Law School also recently opened the Veteran’s Legal Clinic to help unite the Colorado legal community and students at CU as they work together to develop a support system for veterans across the state.
Mark Fogg, president of the Colorado Bar Association and a Colorado Law alumnus, recognized the need for pro bono legal services in the veteran’s community in Colorado, said Andy Hartman, an adjunct professor and director of the experiential learning program at Colorado Law.
“The bar wanted to have veteran’s clinics in different cities throughout Colorado including Denver, Fort Collins, Colorado Springs, Pueblo and Grand Junction, and they wanted a program at CU-Boulder and the University of Denver to serve their student veterans and their families,” Hartman said.
Attorneys from the Colorado Bar Association work with student volunteers from Colorado Law to meet with veterans and address some of their legal questions. Neither party is financially compensated for their work, although it affords practicing attorneys and students the opportunity to fulfill their public service pledge to provide legal services that benefit the community.
Kevin Brown, a third-year law student at CU-Boulder and a former attack pilot for the Marines, has a vivid memory of the Veterans Legal Clinic’s first client.
“The very first person that walked into the clinic last November on Veterans Day was a homeless veteran that needed many different kinds of help,” said Brown. “To see a veteran who was homeless and in need and to watch the Colorado Bar Association and the volunteer attorneys come together and work to provide assistance and help to him was inspiring.”
Other campus observances for Veterans Day include:
Nov. 9, at 6 p.m., in Old Main Chapel
The CU-Boulder Veteran Services office will have a public viewing of the documentary “Veterans Day 11.11.11.” The feature-length documentary examines what it means to be a veteran in America through the stories of several men and women vets who served during times of peace and war.
Pat Woodard, the documentary’s co-executive producer and writer; Richard Deki, one of the veterans featured in the documentary; and Suzanne Popovich Chandler, a photographer whose work is featured in the documentary, will be present to interact with the audience during and after the film.
Nov. 14, 6-9 p.m., Old Main Chapel
A public showing of the documentary “The Welcome,” an award-winning film that offers a “fiercely intimate view of life after war: the fear, anger and isolation of post-traumatic stress that affects vets and family members alike.”
Nov. 17, 9 a.m., UMC Glenn Miller Ballroom
The annual veterans pre-game party honors CU’s military families as well as members of the military across the Front Range community. For more information contact the Veteran Services office at 303-492-7322.
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Boulder County quickly utilizing housing assistance vouchers for veterans
Nov 9th
Housing assistance staff hopeful success will lead to additional voucher awards
Boulder County, Colo. – After only four months, Boulder County has utilized nearly 70 percent of the federal vouchers it received earlier this year to provide rental assistance to homeless military veterans.
Earlier this year the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced an award of $229,620 to help coordinate housing and other crucial supports for chronically homeless veterans in Boulder County. The assistance is in the form of 25 Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) vouchers which since July have been administered by the Boulder County Department of Housing and Human Services (BCDHHS) in partnership with the VA. As of Veterans Day 2012, 17 of the vouchers have been issued to homeless veterans. Of these, 11 veterans have been fully housed.
“Knowing how many homeless veterans we have here in Boulder County, I’m not surprised by how quickly these vouchers are being utilized,” said Willa Williford, director of BCDHHS’ Housing Division. “But it’s a great feeling to know we’re opening doors for people who really need help.” As of January, the homeless population count was nearly 1,800 individuals in Boulder County. About 10 percent of the county’s homeless are veterans.
Housing Assistance Program Manager Amanda Guthrie noted that the Department of Veterans Affairs has indicated Boulder County’s work with the VASH vouchers thus far has been excellent. “According to their feedback, we’re quite successful in part because we’re philosophically well-aligned to serve this population, making us strong candidates for additional funding in the future,” she said.
BCDHHS is able to link clients to a wide range of services, including food and financial assistance, health coverage, and housing counseling, among others. In addition to rental assistance, the agency has been working closely with the VA to help stabilize the formerly-homeless veterans and support them on a path to self-sufficiency.
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Battle of La Drang-1965 : upi photog Joe Galloway remembered
Nov 12th
Very seldom is more than one Medal of Honor awarded for one campaign and is almost unheard of for a single engagement with a battalion size operation.
Ia Drang Valley is an exception to the rule. If you were alive and paying attention (or were able to) the battle was presented in the movie “We Were Soldiers Once” based on the book “We Were Soldiers Once. . . And Young” coauthored by LTG Hal Moore and Joe Galloway a civilian combat photographer who was awarded the Bronze Star with V device for his actions at Ia Drang. (Galloway was the only reporter in the war to be so honored.)
The legacy of the veterans of the Ia Drang Valley battle is best described in one word – profound. The soldier on the cover of “We Were Soldiers Once. . . And Young” is (then) 1LT Ric Rescola from Cornwall England who served in the British army in Rhodesia (present Zimbabwe). After his service to Queen and Country, Rescola moved to the US. After being in the States long enough to become eligible, he enlisted in the US Army and later graduated Officer Candidate School (OCS), served in Vietnam and was a platoon leader in this battle. After his active army service, he became a career reservist and retired as a Colonel. At Ia Drang Rescola would sing Cornish songs to keep his men inspired and motivated during the dark of night.
Who would have guessed 36 years later, it would be the same man, who as vice president of security for Merrill Lynch, would last be seen going up the tenth floor stairway of Tower 2 on September 11, 2001 to bring more people out of the crumbling, massive building. His remains were never recovered.
Then there are Major Bruce (Snake shi+) Crandall and Captain Ed (Too Tall) Freeman, who repeatedly flew their bullet riddled and unarmed Huey UH-1D’s to LZ X-ray, delivering desperately needed water, medical supplies, and ammunition under heavy fire. Unloading supplies and simultaneously loading wounded soldiers and returning 22 and 21 times respectively in one day. Their citations do not reflect the whole story or their total contribution to the men of the 7th Cavalry.
Crandall & Freeman voluntarily assumed the medevac role when the medevac unit refused to fly into the hot LZ. Crandall had to fly three separate Huey’s, two had been shot up so bad they would not remain airborne. On his final flight of the first day, he carried reporter & photographer Joe Galloway into the battle.
Joe Galloway was awarded the Bronze Star with V device for his service in the battle. He is the only reporter who covered the war recognized for heroism in combat.
Colonel Crandall broke his back when he crash landed a year later while rescuing 12 trapped soldiers. Ironically, it was the concussion from a B52 strike that felled his Huey. In 2001, when he discovered he and Ed Freeman were both being considered for the same Medal of Honor, Colonel Crandall asked that his name be removed to make way for his wing man, should the medal be awarded.
Captain Ed Freeman was awarded a battlefield commission in Korea for his actions in the Battle of Pork Chop Hill. He stands 6’6″ and was too tall for helicopter training without a waiver, which was granted somehow. If you know about army waivers, they don’t come easily. At Ia Drang, he volunteered to fly in combat with Crandall, saving over 30 soldiers lives.
Lieutenant Walter Marm, while leading his platoon through withering fire attacked a defended enemy position, and when out of hand grenades and ammunition, he pressed his attack by hand while severely wounded. Lieutenant Marm was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1967. He later returned to Vietnam and retired from the Army as Colonel.
These men are loved by their families, friends, and fellow soldiers. They all deserved better when they returned home than what they received.
Their citations are presented here in the order awarded.
