Veterans Voice by Art Sloane Meet two more members of the recently inducted Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame class for 2014. Steve Abel of Green Valley was a medical corpsman and physician assistant in the Virginia Air National Guard from 1988 to 1998 with active duty from 1972 to 1978. In 1978, the Corning, N.Y., native joined the Department of Veterans Services, treating, counseling and advocating for veterans. In 2002, he was instrumental in reducing waiting time for an orthopedic appointment from six months to seven days. After retiring, he became involved in the Green Valley Arizona Military Officers Association. As its president, he established a Scholarship and Military Assistance Fund of $14,000 to JROTC cadets, and donated 3,000 pounds of food and $19,000 of financial assistance to military families in the Tucson area. He has been selected to be the vice president of the MOAA State Council. Bob Wallace of Prescott is a Kingman native who was an active and reserve duty captain in the U.S. Marine Corps with service in Vietnam. He retired as a lieutenant colonel with 30 years service. As an active member of many civic, professional and veterans organizations, and especially with the Marine Corps League, he supports Young Marines, Toys for Tots, patients at the VA and has donated more that 1,200 volunteer hours in the development of new veterans sports courts in Prescott. He has also developed camp facilities for Arizona Cactus-Pine Girl Scouts and coached youth sports. As a Rotary member, he helped raise $60,000 for a therapeutic swimming pool for ill children. He recently assisted in the development of a museum display of Arizona Medal Of Honor recipients. Both these veterans were inducted for their service in the military and for their volunteer efforts since. This and that The Gilbert Veterans Celebration will take place at 11 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 6, at the Gilbert Municipal Center Lawn area. There will be patriotic music, bagpipes, complimentary food and drinks, color guards, high-school choir and band. The emcee is Lt.Col.Eileen Bienz and the keynote address is by Ted Vogt, director of the Arizona Department of Veterans Services. Marcos de Niza High School JROTC, in association with the Apache Trail Chapter of the Military Order of the World Wars, will have an East Valley Massing of the Colors ceremony at 7:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 5, in the main gymnasium. MOWW is a national patriotic organization of American military officers and their descendants and is the only organization that sponsors a ceremony of the flag and military standards. This is an important event for all military service members, their families and members of the community. It allows us to commemorate the sacrifices military men and women have made since the founding of the republic. The gym is at 6000 S. Lakeshore Drive in Tempe. If your organization is interested in having a color guard, contact Patrick C. Stolze, Lt.Col.Retired, at [email protected] or 480-730-7685. Federal and military retirees will receive a 1.7 percent cost-of-living adjustment in 2015. Luke Air Force Base is having a Retiree Appreciation Day from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, in Hangar 999. There will be health education, booths, flu shots, VA and state information, sponsors, displays, and food and drinks. A Veterans Day ceremony sponsored by all military veteran posts in Scottsdale is scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11, at Scottsdale City Hall, 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd. Complimentary food will be available at the end of the one-hour ceremony. There is a Veterans Appreciation Night from 6:30 to 10:30 Saturday, Nov. 8, at VFW Post 7401 751 S. Arizona Ave., Chandler. There will be a live band, standup comedy, a silent auction and food. The free event is open to the public and to all veterans and their families. Information: 480-963-1777. Please join me at the groundbreaking for the next 96 apartments for in-need veterans at noon Monday, Nov. 10, at 850 E. Jones Ave., Phoenix. This is the fourth phase for Victory Place, bringing the total to 273 low-cost apartments.
Posted on: Fri, 31 Oct 2014 15:25:33 +0000
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