Carefree Truth
Issue #790, November 23, 2019
Vice Mayor John Crane said, "It is now my pleasure to introduce our Master of Ceremonies, Ted Dimon. This is our 11th year and this his 11th year with us on Veterans Day. Carefree resident Ted Dimon will guide us through our program. Thank you and enjoy!"
Ted Dimon began, "Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen! We have another beautiful day for this occasion. Fortunately, this year, it's a little warmer than in years past. I remember last year, most of us were drinking coffee to stay warm." He asked those who had attended before to raise their hands. Many hands went up, and Ted thanked them for being persistent folks. "Today, it is my pleasure to introduce our first speaker who is an old friend to this event and a good friend to many of us in the community. That person is Barbara Hatch, who is here to help us celebrate this eleventh anniversary of Veteran's Day in Carefree. If you have been interviewed by Veterans Heritage Project, would you please stand? Thank you so much for documenting your stories for posterity."
"Those who have been coming to this event over the years, already know Barbara.......former Peace Corps volunteer, 40 year educator, and founder of Veterans Heritage Project. This year, the students are proudly wearing shirts to celebrate their 16th volume of veterans' testimonials entitled “Since You Asked”, which this year is a tribute to our Vietnam veterans. If you are a Vietnam veteran, would you please stand so they can welcome you home? Barbara hopes you will visit their table today and speak with the students who give of their time to honor our veterans, not only today on Veterans Day, but on every day."
"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome back Barbara Hatch, good friend and teacher extraordinaire!"
Barbara said that she didn't do this alone, and called on the Veteran's Heritage Project (VHP) students to come up and sit on the wall in front of the stage. She thanked everyone for coming out for the event, and said that Veteran's Day is not about her or VHP. In some ways, it's not even about the students. "They have yet to earn their stripes. Instead, let's remember those for whom this day was created, our veterans. Some are sitting in the audience, and some have left us far too early. But we remember them still, all those who have joined us in the last 11 years." Barbara named many names, and was sorry VHP didn't get a chance to interview some of them. She gave a special thanks to departed minister and veteran Richard Anderson, Director of Spirit in the Desert, who helped so many veterans heal from their memories of war. Barbara gave special recognition to Carroll Vanik, Vietnam helicopter pilot, who was married to Susan Vanik, a Kiwanis member and the co-founder of this event. Carroll never missed a Carefree Veteran's Day event.
It's not just about those who have passed away, but about honoring all veterans, all of whom understood that their sacrifices were all about these kids sitting here today. They gave their all for the future of these kids, and they appreciate that. The students, honored by their service, traveled to Vietnam several years ago to walk in the places the Vietnam veterans had fought. This year, with the help of the community, they are going to the beaches of Normandy, will cross the Channel to sit in Churchill's War Room, will witness the cost of WWll by visiting a French village that was left in ruins as a reminder of that cost, and will see the horrors of Austwichtz. The students were selling plants to help raise funds for this trip at a table to the side of the Pavilion, and Barbara hoped everyone would buy a plant that day. She also hoped that people would always support Kiwanis, which is such a major partner in this community, and which assists these kids every year with their generous scholarships. "Someday, they will also earn their stripes."
In honor of those who gave their everything, Hank Molder expressed his special thanks by playing "Amazing Grace" on the Native American flute. Hank's father served in WWll on B-17s, and Hank is a Vietnam vet.
It was Barbara's great privilege to introduce the first speaker, David Lucier. He entered the Army at age 19. In late 1968, he volunteered and was assigned to the Special Forces A Team involved in Special Operations throughout Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. David was highly decorated for both valor and meritorious service. After leaving the Army, he attended Arizona State University (ASU) and graduated with honors in 1974. He spent his career in telecommunications, finance, and real estate.
Shortly after 9/11/2001, he went to work for the Department of Defense as a security contractor in Iraq from 2003-2005, He also worked for the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force in Afghanistan in 2008.
David is a member of several veterans organizations. He was inducted into the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame in 2009 for "service after service". That's the highest honor awarded by the Governor to a veteran in the State of Arizona. In 2010, David established a comprehensive veterans success initiative at ASU, which is now nationally recognized. In 2011, he contributed to the passage of the In-State Tuition for Veterans Bill. In 2012, he founded the Arizona Veterans Military Leadership Alliance, a veterans' advocacy and consulting group which focuses on education & training, jobs & economic opportunities, and health & wellness for veterans.
Barbara was deeply proud to share her friend, David Lucier.
Issue #790, November 23, 2019
Vice Mayor John Crane said, "It is now my pleasure to introduce our Master of Ceremonies, Ted Dimon. This is our 11th year and this his 11th year with us on Veterans Day. Carefree resident Ted Dimon will guide us through our program. Thank you and enjoy!"
Ted Dimon began, "Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen! We have another beautiful day for this occasion. Fortunately, this year, it's a little warmer than in years past. I remember last year, most of us were drinking coffee to stay warm." He asked those who had attended before to raise their hands. Many hands went up, and Ted thanked them for being persistent folks. "Today, it is my pleasure to introduce our first speaker who is an old friend to this event and a good friend to many of us in the community. That person is Barbara Hatch, who is here to help us celebrate this eleventh anniversary of Veteran's Day in Carefree. If you have been interviewed by Veterans Heritage Project, would you please stand? Thank you so much for documenting your stories for posterity."
"Those who have been coming to this event over the years, already know Barbara.......former Peace Corps volunteer, 40 year educator, and founder of Veterans Heritage Project. This year, the students are proudly wearing shirts to celebrate their 16th volume of veterans' testimonials entitled “Since You Asked”, which this year is a tribute to our Vietnam veterans. If you are a Vietnam veteran, would you please stand so they can welcome you home? Barbara hopes you will visit their table today and speak with the students who give of their time to honor our veterans, not only today on Veterans Day, but on every day."
"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome back Barbara Hatch, good friend and teacher extraordinaire!"
Barbara said that she didn't do this alone, and called on the Veteran's Heritage Project (VHP) students to come up and sit on the wall in front of the stage. She thanked everyone for coming out for the event, and said that Veteran's Day is not about her or VHP. In some ways, it's not even about the students. "They have yet to earn their stripes. Instead, let's remember those for whom this day was created, our veterans. Some are sitting in the audience, and some have left us far too early. But we remember them still, all those who have joined us in the last 11 years." Barbara named many names, and was sorry VHP didn't get a chance to interview some of them. She gave a special thanks to departed minister and veteran Richard Anderson, Director of Spirit in the Desert, who helped so many veterans heal from their memories of war. Barbara gave special recognition to Carroll Vanik, Vietnam helicopter pilot, who was married to Susan Vanik, a Kiwanis member and the co-founder of this event. Carroll never missed a Carefree Veteran's Day event.
It's not just about those who have passed away, but about honoring all veterans, all of whom understood that their sacrifices were all about these kids sitting here today. They gave their all for the future of these kids, and they appreciate that. The students, honored by their service, traveled to Vietnam several years ago to walk in the places the Vietnam veterans had fought. This year, with the help of the community, they are going to the beaches of Normandy, will cross the Channel to sit in Churchill's War Room, will witness the cost of WWll by visiting a French village that was left in ruins as a reminder of that cost, and will see the horrors of Austwichtz. The students were selling plants to help raise funds for this trip at a table to the side of the Pavilion, and Barbara hoped everyone would buy a plant that day. She also hoped that people would always support Kiwanis, which is such a major partner in this community, and which assists these kids every year with their generous scholarships. "Someday, they will also earn their stripes."
In honor of those who gave their everything, Hank Molder expressed his special thanks by playing "Amazing Grace" on the Native American flute. Hank's father served in WWll on B-17s, and Hank is a Vietnam vet.
It was Barbara's great privilege to introduce the first speaker, David Lucier. He entered the Army at age 19. In late 1968, he volunteered and was assigned to the Special Forces A Team involved in Special Operations throughout Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. David was highly decorated for both valor and meritorious service. After leaving the Army, he attended Arizona State University (ASU) and graduated with honors in 1974. He spent his career in telecommunications, finance, and real estate.
Shortly after 9/11/2001, he went to work for the Department of Defense as a security contractor in Iraq from 2003-2005, He also worked for the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force in Afghanistan in 2008.
David is a member of several veterans organizations. He was inducted into the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame in 2009 for "service after service". That's the highest honor awarded by the Governor to a veteran in the State of Arizona. In 2010, David established a comprehensive veterans success initiative at ASU, which is now nationally recognized. In 2011, he contributed to the passage of the In-State Tuition for Veterans Bill. In 2012, he founded the Arizona Veterans Military Leadership Alliance, a veterans' advocacy and consulting group which focuses on education & training, jobs & economic opportunities, and health & wellness for veterans.
Barbara was deeply proud to share her friend, David Lucier.
David Lucier, Kelley Francis, and Barbara Hatcher
Photo by Herbert Hitchon
David thanked everyone for coming out on that beautiful day. He was honored to be speaking and hoped to give everyone something to think about when they went home to their loved ones. He gave a special shout out and thanks to John Crane, whom he appreciated.
As Barbara had said, he entered the Army at age 19 and ended up in the Special Forces. Those are the fellows who run around with the green berets on their heads. He joked that if you turn it one way, you can write poetry. If you turn it another way, you can probably take over small third world countries. He asked for a show of hands from paratroopers.
David comes from a long line of service members, going back to the Civil War. His grandfather was an Army Captain who fought in the hills of France in WWl. Both of his parents were veterans, although his mother wasn't recognized as a veteran until 30 years after the War. She was a Women's Air Service pilot. She and her unit were honored with the Congressional Gold Metal. David was honored to receive it on her behalf, since she had passed. David and his brother-in-law served in Vietnam, and his cousin flew missions off of the Kitty Hawk until he was shot down. Fortunately, he was recovered from the water. David's nephew served with the Marine Corps in Afghanistan. He wanted to say thank you to all of them, and to all of those who served and are serving, including the families of those men and women.
He entered the Veterans' Advocacy space in 2008 upon returning from service in Afghanistan. His mission was to establish Arizona as the most veteran friendly and supportive state in the nation in education & training, jobs & economic opportunity, and health & wellness. That's a huge space. As we enter 2020 in a couple of months, he believes we must go beyond "Thank you for your service". As a Vietnam veteran who came home from Iraq and Afghanistan 40 years later, he does know, first hand, the experience of being welcomed home. Or not.
David thinks there is a duty and a responsibility to meet life affirming demands of service members and their families in each of those circles of success. The Veterans' Success Program and the In-State Tuition Bill are 2 examples. The outcomes of those over a 6-7 year period are that in 2012/13, less than 1,000 veterans were going to school in Arizona. Today, over 10,000 veterans are going to school at ASU. This is ongoing and increasing.
On the not so good side, where supply is not meeting demand, is the number of veteran benefits councilors. They are the navigators into the Veterans Administration benefits like disability, medical, education, etc. who help veterans gain access to these benefits. In 2008, there were 50 councilors. In 2019, there are 30, at a time where the population is increasing by about 20%.
This is a legislative process, so please contact your legislators and encourage them to do something about it. A Bill has been running for 3-4 years in a row concerning this issue, and it has so far been unsuccessful. David hopes 2020 will be the year to "hit the money ball" with your help. It's a very complex and difficult process when it comes to veterans' success but that doesn't negate the sacred responsibility we have to go beyond "Thank you for your service" and become the most veteran supportive state in the nation by building, operating, and maintaining foundational initiatives for veterans and their families.
He appreciated being given the time to speak and wished everyone a happy Veteran's Day.
https://vimeo.com/373627376
Lyn Hitchon
Prepared by Carefree Truth
Copyrighted
Visit our website at www.carefreetruth2.com If you know anyone who would like to be added to the Carefree Truth email list, please have them contact me. Feel free to share Carefree Truth with others on your list.
Visit www.carefreeazbusinesses.com to see more info about businesses in Carefree. Please support our merchants.
Photo by Herbert Hitchon
David thanked everyone for coming out on that beautiful day. He was honored to be speaking and hoped to give everyone something to think about when they went home to their loved ones. He gave a special shout out and thanks to John Crane, whom he appreciated.
As Barbara had said, he entered the Army at age 19 and ended up in the Special Forces. Those are the fellows who run around with the green berets on their heads. He joked that if you turn it one way, you can write poetry. If you turn it another way, you can probably take over small third world countries. He asked for a show of hands from paratroopers.
David comes from a long line of service members, going back to the Civil War. His grandfather was an Army Captain who fought in the hills of France in WWl. Both of his parents were veterans, although his mother wasn't recognized as a veteran until 30 years after the War. She was a Women's Air Service pilot. She and her unit were honored with the Congressional Gold Metal. David was honored to receive it on her behalf, since she had passed. David and his brother-in-law served in Vietnam, and his cousin flew missions off of the Kitty Hawk until he was shot down. Fortunately, he was recovered from the water. David's nephew served with the Marine Corps in Afghanistan. He wanted to say thank you to all of them, and to all of those who served and are serving, including the families of those men and women.
He entered the Veterans' Advocacy space in 2008 upon returning from service in Afghanistan. His mission was to establish Arizona as the most veteran friendly and supportive state in the nation in education & training, jobs & economic opportunity, and health & wellness. That's a huge space. As we enter 2020 in a couple of months, he believes we must go beyond "Thank you for your service". As a Vietnam veteran who came home from Iraq and Afghanistan 40 years later, he does know, first hand, the experience of being welcomed home. Or not.
David thinks there is a duty and a responsibility to meet life affirming demands of service members and their families in each of those circles of success. The Veterans' Success Program and the In-State Tuition Bill are 2 examples. The outcomes of those over a 6-7 year period are that in 2012/13, less than 1,000 veterans were going to school in Arizona. Today, over 10,000 veterans are going to school at ASU. This is ongoing and increasing.
On the not so good side, where supply is not meeting demand, is the number of veteran benefits councilors. They are the navigators into the Veterans Administration benefits like disability, medical, education, etc. who help veterans gain access to these benefits. In 2008, there were 50 councilors. In 2019, there are 30, at a time where the population is increasing by about 20%.
This is a legislative process, so please contact your legislators and encourage them to do something about it. A Bill has been running for 3-4 years in a row concerning this issue, and it has so far been unsuccessful. David hopes 2020 will be the year to "hit the money ball" with your help. It's a very complex and difficult process when it comes to veterans' success but that doesn't negate the sacred responsibility we have to go beyond "Thank you for your service" and become the most veteran supportive state in the nation by building, operating, and maintaining foundational initiatives for veterans and their families.
He appreciated being given the time to speak and wished everyone a happy Veteran's Day.
https://vimeo.com/373627376
Lyn Hitchon
Prepared by Carefree Truth
Copyrighted
Visit our website at www.carefreetruth2.com If you know anyone who would like to be added to the Carefree Truth email list, please have them contact me. Feel free to share Carefree Truth with others on your list.
Visit www.carefreeazbusinesses.com to see more info about businesses in Carefree. Please support our merchants.