Vietnam Reflections
 
 
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The Point March 2010
-The Point-
Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc.
Chapter 172
17 N. Liberty Street
Cumberland, Maryland 21502-2316
Phone 1-777-7001 FAX 1-301-777-7041
1-800-482-VETS
Email vva172@atlanticbbn.net
The First Chapter in the State of Maryland – The Gold Standard
March 2010
Chapter Elections, April 1,2010
Here we go again. April 1st will be the annual election meeting. All offices are up for grabs. The meeting will start at 8pm promptly. Please arrive early as the building will be secured shortly after the meeting is turned over to the Nomination Committee. As always this will be a long meeting there is nothing we can do about that. The format for this event is laid out in detail by the National Constitution, so please plan on being at the meeting for a few hours. Once again voting will be conducted with the use of a voting machine borrowed from the Cumberland Outdoor Club, many thanks to them.
The slate for the elections is as follows.
FOR
President. Bobby Cook
First Vice President…Steve Parsons
Second Vice President…Roger Krueger
Secretary…Bill Lange
Treasurer…Stan Kline
Board of Directors
Chip Bosley, Dave Shaulis, Bob Peck, Joe Brennen, Redger Long, Chip Sours and Jim Williams. (vote for six for BOD)
The Sporting News
February 24 the Chapter Poker Club hosted its first annual winter tournament, an event that twice was postponed due to snow. Nine players entered the “members only” shoot out. Although the crowd of spectators was small they made up for it with a lack of enthusiasm.
As play commenced Brother Ike was the first be eliminated and take the walk of shame followed closely by Secondhand Stan. Hairless Harry the Hat Lady, and Wineo Billy were the next to be excommunicated. After hours of “World Poker Tour” quality play the final four were Unconscious Ray, Mt.Savage Joe, Happy Bill and Alco-Fats.
Bill then Alco was the next to be gunned down in a hail of aces leaving Joe and Ray to duke it out for first place. At this time play became very republican and the crowd got a bit unruly egging these two gladiators on to more aggressive play. Finally with the ante at 20 chips each Joe went with all in with 7’s and was crushed when he was last carded by Ray. And just like that it was all over Joe crashed into the ocean in flames and tears.
Unconscious Ray by way of two tournament wins now ranks as the reigning Champion of VVA 172. Mt.Savage Joe is second in the standings Alco-Fats is third, Happy Bill fourth and Wineo Bill fifth.
A spring tournament is planned to take place in April. All members are welcome to and encouraged to enter, watch for the date.
Legislative News
Maybe the State of Maryland is finally coming out of the closet on guns. “House Bill 683 would require state police to issue within a reasonable time a permit to carry a handgun if the applicant is an adult and has not been convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor that could bring a year in jail. The need to have a substantial reason for carrying a firearm would be eliminated.” Source Cumberland Times-News
Perhaps it is time once again for us to write our state representatives and tell them how we feel, that is if you are for this bill to pass.
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Memorial Service
April 16 at 3pm Chapter 172 will hold its first annual memorial service for Chapter members. Please plan to attend this afternoon event. This is being timed with the members only TGIF which will commence immediately after the memorial service. This memorial observance is for MEMBERS ONLY . Please be on time we would like to have a solemn service so we don’t want the elevator opening and closing and members wandering in and out. If you would like to participate actively see Steve Parsons.
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WANNABE NEWS
This will give you the googles.
Angel Ocasio-Reyes never served in the military but wanted to belong to the American Legion.
So he bought a beribboned Marines master gunnery sergeant uniform at an Army Navy surplus store in New York and paid a friend $25 for a DD Form 214, an official military discharge document, showing naval service. Ocasio-Reyes pleaded guilty today to three federal misdemeanor charges under the Stolen Valor Act, charges which each carry up to a year in federal prison and a $100,000 fine. His attorney had him undergo a mental health evaluation, which he plans to use in mitigation at sentencing. Ocasio-Reyes altered the DD 214, typing in his address and a slew of medals and decorations, making it appear as if he served in Iraq and Afghanistan and was injured in combat, prosecutors say. Then the Lutz man started going to American Legion halls – at least three times to Post 148 in Riverview, as well as visits to Post 111 in Seminole and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post in Seminole. The uniform bore an impressive array of ribbons indicating he had received medals and decorations including: the Navy Cross; the Purple Heart; the Navy/Marine Corps Medal; the Bronze Star; the Meritorious Service Medal; the Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal; the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal; the National Defense Service Medal; the Combat Action Medal; and the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal. There also was: the Afghanistan Campaign Medal; the Iraq Campaign Medal; the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; the Navy/Marine Corps Overseas Service Medal; the Marine Corps Recruiting Medal; the Marine Corps Reserve Medal; and the Kuwait Liberation Medal. Roger Golden, commandant of the Marine Corps League in New Port Richey, said Ocasio-Reyes tried to join his detachment and would come in showing the ribbons and medals. Ocasio-Reyes was denied membership. Veteran Ken Sullens of Port Richey said Ocasio-Reyes was considering joining the Leathernecks motorcycle club. Sullens said he was suspicious of Ocasio-Reyes because "half his teeth were missing." The Marines would have provided dental care for someone of the rank Ocasio-Reyes claimed, Sullens said. "It just didn't fit." After the court hearing, Sullens said he believes Ocasio-Reyes was "trying to throw himself on the mercy of the court" with his guilty plea. "I don't know if it'll save him." He hopes Ocasio-Reyes is punished to the full extent of the law – three years in prison and $300,000 in fines. "It's not enough," he said. "People are dying that wear that uniform that are defending this country. …I'm a combat-wounded Marine from Vietnam, and for this man to make these claims that he did is just inexcusable.” Source CNN Isn’t that interesting? I went to the CNN Headline News site then placed a further search using the key words “stolen valor” and it has several on the most recent fake heroes. And maybe some “old friends,” this fraud said that he just wanted to join the American Legion, well isn’t that special!
I thought the DD-214 part was interesting it hasn’t been too long since a wannabe tried to pull that stunt at 172, but received a verbal head slap from President Bobby Cook.
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More Stolen Valor
Editorial Opinion
Fake Heroes and Stolen Valor wannabes are active and have never gone away, no surprise. A few years ago we had one here in Cumberland claiming to have been a Navy Seal and was wearing a Medal of Honor ribbon on his hat. I contacted a Navy Seal site and gave them his name, etc. In a few days they answered telephone and asked if he was still around. They said that they had notified the proper authorities and thanked me. I asked if there was anything else I could do for them and the guy that I was talking to told me to “kill him.” I didn’t but it did cross my mind.
The guy above wanted to join the A.L. probably wanted access to cheap drinks. I’ve heard that one before. The aforementioned guy that tried to alter a DD-214 has also returned to the VVA as guests of another member apparently pride and shame means nothing to him. Let me tell you how I feel about guest. I have several good friends who were never in the military and I don’t invite them to come to the Chapter as my guest. They weren’t in the service, they are not family and I don’t bring them in. That’s the way it is, I welcome them in my home but not in the Chapter. I would like to see more members with this attitude. Bring your wife or husband or significant other and on occasion a family member. We are a VSO the V stands for veteran. Let’s keep it that way. Also if you are going to invite somebody to join, you make sure he is what he says he is. And that he carries the burden and the brotherhood that we as veterans share.
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