Vietnam vets welcomed at area ceremony
The Register-Herald
By Charles Boothe
March 21, 2016
PRINCETON — Area residents and state and local dignitaries showed their appreciation of Vietnam veterans Sunday afternoon at a ceremony at the Memorial Building in Princeton.
The third annual Vietnam Veterans Recognition Day Ceremony was held to “welcome home, honor and recognize Vietnam veterans,” said Marie Blackwell, a member of the ceremony’s organizing committee.
Blackwell said those veterans were “never given that recognition” during and right after they served, and she also drew attention to the more than 58,000 names on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., and the more than 300,000 injured.
“We honor these brave men and women and their families,” she said.
The ceremony is part of a broader statewide recognition leading up to March 30, which is Vietnam Veterans Recognition Day in West Virginia.
Col. Daniel Bochicchio, M.D., interim director at the VA Medical Center in Beckley, said he has a “great respect for veterans who served in combat zones.
“I appreciate your sacrifices,” he told the veterans, and he offered to help in any way he could to make their lives better.
West Virginia Secretary of State Natalie Tennant, one of the guest speakers, told the veterans that two simple words, “welcome home,” mean “so much,” but Vietnam veterans were not given that courtesy and respect.
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Monday, March 21, 2016
Marine Killed in Afghanistan Memorialized in Sculpture From Florida Artist
Striking sculpture pays tribute to Nebraskan killed in Afghanistan
Omaha.com
By Chris Bowling
World-Herald staff writer
March 21, 2016
Six years later, Bock’s family and a sculptor in Florida are reminding the world he’s not forgotten.
On March 14, a clay bust of Bock went on display at the Leesburg Public Library in Leesburg, Florida, to commemorate his service and sacrifice.
For his parents, Sandra and David Bock of Leesburg, the bust is the latest in a line of memorials, honors and commemorations for their son.
Since 2010, people have attached Michael Bock’s name to baseball games, Sept. 11 memorials and even a Florida highway he used to drive every day.
Each honor is unique and special, his mother said. When it comes to this bust, it’s the likeness to Bock that’s most striking.
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Omaha.com
By Chris Bowling
World-Herald staff writer
March 21, 2016
Former Marine and Vietnam War veteran Cliff Leonard of Jacksonville sculpted the bust. It is one of almost 30 he’s made for Florida Marines and corpsmen — Navy medical specialists who may serve with Marine units — killed in action.In August 2010, during his fourth deployment with the U.S. Marine Corps, Staff Sgt. Michael Bock was killed in Afghanistan by a Taliban sniper.
Marine Staff Sgt. Michael Bock with his wife, Tiffany, and their son Zander. Tiffany said the eyes took her breath away when she saw the bust of her husband.Bock, 26, who grew up in Springfield, Nebraska, left behind a family including his widow and then-3-year-old son.
Six years later, Bock’s family and a sculptor in Florida are reminding the world he’s not forgotten.
On March 14, a clay bust of Bock went on display at the Leesburg Public Library in Leesburg, Florida, to commemorate his service and sacrifice.
For his parents, Sandra and David Bock of Leesburg, the bust is the latest in a line of memorials, honors and commemorations for their son.
Since 2010, people have attached Michael Bock’s name to baseball games, Sept. 11 memorials and even a Florida highway he used to drive every day.
Each honor is unique and special, his mother said. When it comes to this bust, it’s the likeness to Bock that’s most striking.
read more here
Fisher House To Build Lodging Near Charleston VA
Lodging for VA patients’ families in the works
The Post and Courier
Diane Knich
Mar 19 2016
The Fisher House, similar in concept to a Ronald McDonald House, could open as early as next year on the site of the former McAlister-Smith Funeral Home at 150 Wentworth St.
The Charleston VA hospital soon will build the Fisher House Charleston at 150 Wentworth St. The old funeral home at the site will be torn down to make room for the facility, which is like a Ronald McDonald House where patients’ families can stay.
Family members of patients at the hospital will be able to stay for free in the 14,000-square-foot facility, which will include 16 bedroom suites and common kitchen, living and dining areas, said Trux Emerson, who retired from a residential real estate career and now lives on Kiawah Island.
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The Post and Courier
Diane Knich
Mar 19 2016
Emerson said he originally thought about organizing a golf tournament to raise about $30,000 for a good cause. But he ultimately got swept up into fundraising for the Fisher House and has helped raise $8 million of the required $10 million for the project.
The Charleston VA hospital soon will build the Fisher House Charleston at 150 Wentworth St. The old funeral home at the site will be torn down to make room for the facility, which is like a Ronald McDonald House where patients’ families can stay.Trux and Durbin Emerson’s desire to help veterans ultimately led to a $10 million campaign for a new lodging facility for families near the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center.
BRAD NETTLES/STAFF
The Fisher House, similar in concept to a Ronald McDonald House, could open as early as next year on the site of the former McAlister-Smith Funeral Home at 150 Wentworth St.
The Charleston VA hospital soon will build the Fisher House Charleston at 150 Wentworth St. The old funeral home at the site will be torn down to make room for the facility, which is like a Ronald McDonald House where patients’ families can stay.
Family members of patients at the hospital will be able to stay for free in the 14,000-square-foot facility, which will include 16 bedroom suites and common kitchen, living and dining areas, said Trux Emerson, who retired from a residential real estate career and now lives on Kiawah Island.
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Veterans Court Making A Difference For Those Who Served
Veterans Court helping make a difference
Sioux City Journal
Nick Hytrek
Mar 19, 2016
SIOUX CITY | Standing at parade rest in a Woodbury County courtroom, Nick Sampson tells a judge about the progress he's made in his treatment for mental illness.
He believes he's been doing well while on pretrial release since his arrest last summer on a charge of reckless use of a firearm.
District Judge Jeffrey Poulson agrees, so much so that he approves Sampson's request to visit his father out of state this summer. Then Poulson promotes Sampson, an Army veteran, to Phase 3 of the Woodbury County Veterans Treatment Court and gives him a military-style dog tag with the word "Honor" stamped on it.
The dog tag is symbolic of the work Sampson has done since his arrest. But the real reward, he said, is the alternative Veterans Court has presented him.
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Sioux City Journal
Nick Hytrek
Mar 19, 2016
"It got me in touch with benefits I didn't realize I was entitled to," said Linton, an Army generator mechanic from 1992-95 who was convicted in May of first-degree theft. Completing Veterans Court is a condition of his probation.
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| Tim Hynds Sioux City Journal |
He believes he's been doing well while on pretrial release since his arrest last summer on a charge of reckless use of a firearm.
District Judge Jeffrey Poulson agrees, so much so that he approves Sampson's request to visit his father out of state this summer. Then Poulson promotes Sampson, an Army veteran, to Phase 3 of the Woodbury County Veterans Treatment Court and gives him a military-style dog tag with the word "Honor" stamped on it.
The dog tag is symbolic of the work Sampson has done since his arrest. But the real reward, he said, is the alternative Veterans Court has presented him.
read more here
Thirteen Years After Iraq Invasion, Fallen Remembered in Colorado
Iraq War Vets Honored At Civic Center Park On 13th Anniversary Of Invasion
CBS News
March 20, 2016
DENVER (CBS4) – Sunday marks the 13th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq where thousands of U.S. service members were killed. Several veterans groups gathered to honor those from Colorado who served.
Kevin Sonka’s son David was killed fighting overseas in 2013. He was from Colorado and loved the outdoors — and his military work dog Flex.
“He and his dog were killed together,” Sonka said.
Today Sonka runs the Rocky Mountain Dawgs Project in his son’s honor. It’s just one of multiple organizations that honored those killed in the Iraq War at Civic Center Park Sunday.
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CBS News
March 20, 2016
“Each one of the chairs here represents a person who died serving,” Brittany Bartges with VFW Post 1 said.
Kevin Sonka’s son David was killed fighting overseas in 2013. He was from Colorado and loved the outdoors — and his military work dog Flex.
“He and his dog were killed together,” Sonka said.
Today Sonka runs the Rocky Mountain Dawgs Project in his son’s honor. It’s just one of multiple organizations that honored those killed in the Iraq War at Civic Center Park Sunday.
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