Ever since 2001, the American Legion has placed notices in the Pennysaver and recently in the Mercury newspapers requesting the names of our area military servicemen and women currently on active duty. This year, in addition to using the newspapers, Hugick-Purcell-Shepard American Legion Post 616 placed displays in churches and business establishments recognizing these individuals and seeking more names from the public. We have an incomplete list of names provided to date. Family members or friends wishing to submit additional names may complete the form postcards at these display locations or at the Vet’s Club, 13 Lake St., Richfield Springs, and mail them to Service Officer, American Legion Post 616. This project, designated Operation Holiday Mail Call – Operation Honor Our Soldiers, has four objectives. First, with this information, the American Legion contacts and encourages local citizens, churches, and community organizations to send Christmas and holiday greetings, gifts, and letters to our fathers, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters and neighbors in the military. We hope this project will motivate people in the surrounding communities to send letters throughout the year and stimulate a communication between our local area soldiers, citizens and veterans. Second, the American Legion wishes to promote a greater understanding and appreciation of the nature of this present conflict and our local soldiers’ sacrifices and dedication to the national defense by this exchange. Our military service people do not choose our wars wherein some pay the ultimate price, but are instilled with the principle that they must owe their complete allegiance to the constitution and our elected leaders, through the chain-of-command. Our freedoms in a democracy depend on no less a commitment. Third, with the foregoing thoughts in mind, the names of local area military men and women currently on active duty are entered and recorded in the Honor Our Soldiers display. The display may be viewed at the American Legion hall and will be seen at other patriotic events and locations on a rotating basis. This is a new addition to the local American Legion Post’s efforts to generate support for our area servicemen and women and may eventually include some photographs and excerpts from letters of the current conflict participants. We dedicate this display to their service. Finally, knowledge of the military members and their families in the local area allows the American Legion and other community groups to more effectively respond and provide support in situations involving family illness, financial problems, or casualty or injury complicated by the geographic separation of families inherent to military assignments. It also gives the soldier at the time of his or her military discharge back into the civilian world a local point of contact where the individual can begin to learn about veterans’ benefits designed to smooth the transition from military to civilian life. Most veterans service organizations, such as the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans and Vietnam Veterans of America, have a vast network of volunteer and paid service officers extending from the community local post up through the county level, the state level, and into the Federal Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers, as found in Albany and Syracuse. As independent advocates, their mission is to guide the veterans through the bureaucratic maze to specific sources of assistance and aid the veterans in obtaining the medical care and other benefits they may be eligible for as provided by law. The local post service officer is Frank Estigo. Otsego County has a veterans representative, Tex Seamon. The American Legion is grateful for the cooperation of the many local businesses and churches for displaying the holiday posters requesting names of the local service personnel and to the local citizens who have contributed their time, skills, or materials to this endeavor. A “thank you” goes especially to Camile Smith and Mrs. Beth Ann Hammer, under the auspices of Richfield Springs Central School Community Service Program and Carolyn Westerman, who assisted with the typing and administrative production. Also, thanks to Stacey Smith and Price Chopper for their support in preparing their display. John Woudenberg, Chester Collins, Jr. and Kurt Zurmuhlen all gave materials or services used in the design of the Honor Our Soldiers display. The Richfield Springs Bible Church provided space to develop the Honor Our Soldiers display. Since 2002, the Pennysaver has graciously published a notice requesting that the community remember soldier-citizens by sending cards and letters during the holidays. And most especially, we recognize Legionnaire Leo Mackin and his family for their time and efforts in annually collecting names and initiating the recognition of our troops from 2002-2005 during the holidays.
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