Page 1 SERVICE TO THE ARMED FORCES (SAF) NEWS Virginia Mountain Region, c/o 1007 Sheffield Drive, Lynchburg, VA 24502 1-800-625-6680 SAF Breakdown The Regional Service to the Armed Forces covers all emergency communications and verifications for SAF calls for the Virginia Mountain Region. Nine chapter s jurisdictions are handled by our caseworkers. Our coverage is 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for clients within our Region that need to reach a loved one. INSIDE THIS ISSUE Oct. Dec. 2012 Volume 3, Issue 4 SAF Breakdown 1 A Day on Liberty Mountain 1 We ve Been There 2 Support our Troops in Afghanistan Program 3 Veterans Day Parades & Card Signings 5 Special Programs Annual Report 6 Here is a breakdown of the number of cases covered for each chapter: Historic Virginia Chapter 18 Roanoke Valley Chapter 26 Mountain Empire Chapter 13 Greater New River Valley Chapter 11 Piedmont Virginia Chapter 17 Wood s River Chapter 1 Central Virginia Chapter 43 Top of Virginia Chapter - 14 For a total of 688 cases since Jan. 1 st. A Day on Liberty Mountain On October 13 th the Liberty University Office of Military Affairs sponsored the Military Family Fun Day event to honor local military members, veterans and their family members. We were invited to set up a table and kick-off our local Holiday Mail for Heroes campaign. Volunteers, Mike Stone and Kelly Foit joined me to spend the day at the Snowflex Centre and collect signatures on holiday cards. In the morning we There were also a number of contacts made that were referred to the state-wide Information & Referral Center (2-1-1) or a local service provider that could not be serviced as emergency cases. * Kind words can be short and easy to speak but their echoes are truly endless. ~ Mother Teresa were stationed under the deck and it was very cool and breezy. By afternoon the Liberty staff had moved us onto the front deck of the Barrick- Falwell Lodge where the view was spectacular! Many families took advantage of this free day of snowboarding, skiing and tubing at the Snowflex. The families were also treated to a picnic style lunch of Bar-B-Q sandwiches, baked beans, potato salad, tossed salad, coleslaw, three varieties of cobbler and iced tea. We collected 55 cards signed that day and had a chance to talk with a lot of military members, veterans and their families about Red Cross Services to the Armed Forces. *
Page 2 We ve Been There The Tuskegee Airmen and a Local Connection The fame that has been awarded the Tuskegee Airmen did not come easy. Especially when you consider that during the early part of World War II, the military was still segregated and there were no African-American flyers allowed. One man with local roots helped to further the efforts of African-Americans getting the right to fly and serve their country. His name was Chauncey Spencer. Born in Lynchburg, VA on November 5, 1906, Chauncey Spencer was one of three children born to Edward Spencer and poet, Anne Spencer. His love for flying came at an early age and he was determined to become a pilot. After his college graduation he could find no flight school in Virginia that would accept a man of color. He decided to move to Chicago in 1934 and joined with other African- American aviators to form the National Airmen Association of America (NAAA). In May of 1939 he along with fellow aviator Dale Lawrence White flew a rented Lincoln- Paige biplane from Chicago to Washington, D.C. making ten stops along the way and history in the process. When they reached Washington they met then Senator Harry Truman and spoke with others in Congress to convince them to support their cause. By the time the Tuskegee Airmen were formed, Spencer was 37 years old, which was 8 years above the age cutoff for fighter pilots. He served as a flight instructor and mechanic at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. For his continued efforts in the integration of the military and especially the Air Corps, in 1948 he received the highest honor the Air Force could bestow, the Exceptional Civilian Service Chauncey Spencer Award. From 1941 to 1946 996 pilots were graduates and earned their wings in the Army Air Corps. Of this group, 450 pilots served overseas in the 332 nd Fighter Group. They flew combat missions over Italy, North Africa and Sicily. They began flying Bomber escort missions and painted the tails of their planes red. Many bomber pilots and crews were always happy to see the Red-Tail Angels flying along with them. They flew 205 missions and were successful in 200 of these missions without losing a single bomber under their care. That was a record no other unit could claim during World War II. In 1947 the United States Air Force was formed as the newest branch of the military. They were happy to enlist the African-American pilots, mechanics, radio men and control tower operators to supplement the undermanned Caucasian troops. In 1948, then President Harry S. Truman signed Executive order 9981 which ended segregation in the U.S. military. The efforts of individuals like Chauncey Spencer and all of the Tuskegee Airmen helped to change the mindset of the U. S. military into one more inclusive of all races. Please see Tuskegee Airmen on page 4
Page 3 Support Our Troops in Afghanistan Program In the early weeks of September, we received a challenge of sorts from our State Manager of SAF for North Carolina, Virginia and D.C. Wendy Dyer sent me an email stating that our Station Manager in Afghanistan was requesting items for troops in remote areas they serve there. These troops were not in a place where it was easy for them to get some basic personal needs and we accepted the challenge to help. The American Red Cross has a Station that provides a location where service members can relax, enjoy candy and snacks, watch movies, read, play games and socialize. Their lounge is opened 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and the staff not only provide the donated products to the troops that come to the Station, but also assemble morale snack and game packs for our Wounded Warriors recovering or transitioning thru the base hospital. They have a self-serve toiletry shelf for troops who are in need. Our shipments of goods to the Station have been well received by our team and the troops. Wrapped presents and stockings were distributed to the troops, along with Holiday Mail for Heroes cards. Due to the very remote locations of some of the troops, pallets were loaded with the donated products and flown to where they were. The pallets were then parachuted down to those service members so they could share in the cheer of the Holiday season. As winter settles in, our Station Team, led by Wade Walrond wrapped-up their tour of duty in Afghanistan the second week of December. A new Team have taken their place to keep the services provided to members of ALL branches of the military going. This Team can expect an average of 500-600 people to come into the Station each week and enjoy the morale room, which includes touches to replicate a touch from home. They also can expect to deliver about 250 Emergency Communications Messages a week. There are only 4 staff total to cover Afghanistan & Kyrgyzstan. Many businesses, faith-based groups, veterans groups, schools and individuals have made contributions to this program. We will begin sending more packages to the new Station Team in early January 2013. Senior Station Manger, Wade Walrond, Assistant Station Manager, Lisa Boline and Joan Marrero prepare pare to leave Afghanistan We have learned that the public really does want to support our military members and this program offers them a great opportunity to do just that. We may expand our shipments to other Stations in the region next year. See Support Our Troops on page 4
Page 4 Tuskegee Airmen Continued from page 2 Support Our Troops continued from page 3 The combat record of the Tuskegee Airmen speaks for itself: over 15,000 combat sorties (including 6000+ for the 99th prior to July '44) 111 German airplanes destroyed in the air, another 150 on the ground 950 railcars, trucks, and other motor vehicles destroyed 1 destroyer sunk by P-47 machine gun fire (Lt. Pierson's flight) sixty-six pilots killed in action or accidents thirty-two pilots downed and captured, POWs 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses earned 744 Air Medals 8 Purple Hearts 14 Bronze Stars The Tuskegee Institute Chapter of the American Red Cross in Macon County, Alabama served those at the Tuskegee Army Air Field beginning in July of 1941 and a Field Director was appointed by National Headquarters in April of 1942. Besides providing the communications for military members, the chapter also conducted training programs in First Aid, Water Safety, Nutrition, Motor Corps, Nurse s Aide and Home Nursing. They were also active in providing services to the U.S.. Veterans Hospital #91 which was one mile away from the Air Field. * Students of Franklin County High School provided us with a huge haul of items to send to the troops. They also sent a financial donation to help defray costs of shipping. This photo is just a small sample. Since this program began, we have collected an estimated $3,592.94 in snack items and personal hygiene products and $1,466.00 in financial contributions to cover our shipping costs. To date we have mailed 23 boxes, (approximately 645pounds of products) to this Station at a cost of $552.71. Even though the information provided in the previous paragraph may seem impressive to many, to us, it just gives us a greater challenge for the coming year. We will continue to reachout to our communities in the Virginia Mountain Region and show all of our sacrificing service members that they are respected, thought of often and will continue to be supported by those of us for as long as the need is there. * Sometimes it is the small things that we give of ourselves that will make such a large impact on those that receive them. Our troops give their all for our country. We certainly can offer them the very best we can do to show them our support.
Veterans Day Parades Parades and Card Signings By Douglas W. Eggleston Page 5 booth at the end of the parade route. They also had two people walking through the parade crowd getting cards signed. In addition they held a Holiday Mail for Heroes card signing at the Walmart on the Friday before. This past Veterans Day weekend was filled with our participation in parades and Holiday Mail for Heroes card signing opportunities. We participated in the Virginia s Veterans Day Parade in Roanoke, VA on Nov. 10th and the Veterans Parade in Bristol, VA, as well as the Floyd Veterans Parade on Nov. 11th. In Roanoke, we dispensed close to 10 gallons of coffee, almost 200 cups of hot chocolate, and nearly 750 donut holes during the parade. We also had a table dedicated to card signing for our Holiday Mail for Heroes and some volunteers grabbed boxes of cards and walked the parade Volunteers from the Mountain Empire Chapter prepare for the parade in Bristol, VA route to gather signatures. We had a very good showing of volunteers that marched in the Floyd s parade was much smaller and took only parade holding Red Cross flags and they were 18 minutes to run its course. Me and 4 followed by one of the Bloodmobile buses. volunteers set-up a Red Cross canopy right in front of the Courthouse and held a card signing. We gathered 52 cards during this brief event. Volunteers: Eugene Wilder, Brian & Beverly Gaydas lead our marchers in the Virginia s Veterans Day Parade in Roanoke, VA Volunteers: Gene Rose, Katie McCarthy & Michelle Thompson ready for Holiday Holiday Mail for Heroes card The Mountain Empire Chapter participated in the signing in Floyd, VA. Veterans Day Parade in Bristol, VA and had 22 participants that marched, carried a banner and It was a busy Veteran s Day weekend for the drove in the Humvee, serving coffee from their old Chapter-owned ERV and the Holiday Card Virginia Mountain Region. *
Page 6 Special Programs Annual Report Canteen Cart: Since March 2012 we have received a total of $906.19 in products to support the operation of this program. We have ten volunteers that take the cart around the VA Medical Center in Salem, VA five days a week. They provide these veterans and their families that are there for services with hot beverages and a smile. They serve an average of 3,000 beverages a month and offer an average of 75 85 hours of their time freely to serve our veterans and their families. We will continue to have a need for the products that keep this program going. The products we go through monthly include: 33 oz. or larger cans of Regular Ground Roast Coffee, 33 oz. or larger cans of Decaf Coffee, Powdered Creamer individual packs, Sugar - individual packs, Artificial Sweeteners - individual packs, Tea bags, Decaf Tea bags, disposable stirrers and 8 oz. coffee cups. * Operation Enduring Support: Our Operation Enduring Support program has received $2,399.00 in financial donations which allowed us to provided 29 families with a total of $2,350.00 in Gift Cards since March of 2012. These gift cards helped them to make purchases of food, baby needs and household products. Seventy-six individuals have been served through this program. We use the American Red Cross Standardized Emergency Assistance Price List which helps Disaster Caseworkers determine an equitable amount to provide for certain items. This allows us to look at the dynamics of a referred family and make sure that we are supplying at least a one week s supply of groceries or those other specific needs. By utilizing the gift card approach, we can mail the cards to those in need and speed our services to them. We determine where the gift card should be purchased by the locality in which the recipients live and the vendors available to them Virginia Mountain Region c/o 1007 Sheffield Drive Lynchburg, VA 24502 Phone: 434-845-1234 Fax: 434-845-5160 Toll Free 1-800-625-6680 Those recipients of these Gift Cards have all presented very special needs that could not be met through our other programs or others in their communities. This program has been well received by many local veterans groups and Family Assistance Specialists which made referrals on behalf of these individuals and families. * We wish to thank everyone that has supported our programs in 2012 and to invite you to continue with us in hopes of a peace-filled New Year!