SUNSHINE STATE DRAWS VFW MEMBERS TO NATIONAL CONVENTION REMEMBERING AFGHANISTAN’S OUTPOST KEATING ‘REBEL VETS’ HIKE NEVADA DESERT Married Couple ‘Passes the Gavel’ at Texas Post Be a Flu Fighter Protecting yourself protects them Free Just walk into your local Walgreens flu shots and show your Veterans Health Identification Card. We’ll update your records with the VA.* to VA-enrolled veterans* *This wellness benefit is only for veterans enrolled in the VA health care system. Family members and Tricare members are not eligible. No-cost flu shot option is for quadrivalent vaccine only, available now through March 31, 2020. Vaccines subject to availability. State-, age- and health-related restrictions may apply. Vaccine may be in limited supply after March 1, 2020. This does not constitute an endorsement of Walgreens or Walgreens products. Patients will also be asked to complete a vaccine consent form at time of service. ©2019 Walgreen Co. All rights reserved. | 1100263 SUNSHINE STATE DRAWS VFW MEMBERS TO NATIONAL CONVENTION REMEMBERING AFGHANISTAN’S OUTPOST KEATING ‘REBEL VETS’ HIKE NEVADA DESERT Married Couple ‘Passes the Gavel’ at Texas Post OCTOBER 2019 ‘HELL OF A YEAR’ CAPPED OFF IN ORLANDO Vol. 107 No. 2 COVER PHOTO: Carlo and Lee Ann Davis VFW delegates gathered in the Sunshine State to elect leaders, formu- 16 are photographed in July at the Orange late policy and renew old ties. This year’s 120th national convention County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., featured a unique event celebrating membership growth and the fi rst site of VFW’s 120th National Convention. appearance by a Secretary of State in nearly 50 years. BY JANIE DYHOUSE AND DAVE SPIVA Carlo, an active-duty soldier, recently ended his term as commander of VFW Post 9191 in Killeen, Texas, and his wife, Lee Ann, was elected as his successor. TEACHERS EXTOLL (Photo by Lauren Goldman/VFW) VETERANS VIRTUES ON THE COVER Every year at its national convention, 14 VFW recognizes and rewards three Couple Passes Gavel 16 outstanding educators with the Smart/ 2019 VFW National Convention 36 Maher VFW National Citizenship Afghanistan’s Outpost Keating 42 Education Teacher Award. Here are ‘Rebel Vets’ Hike Desert this year’s winners and their stories. 32 BY KARI WILLIAMS IN THIS ISSUE 28 i>`iÀë*Àwià ‘HIS ACTIONS SAVED LIVES’ 32 Teacher Award Winners Outnumbered nearly 3-to-1, a troop of U.S. 38 Beirut Bombing Anniversary cavalrymen were nearly overrun in Octo- 44 Council of Administration ber 2009 at their position in Afghanistan’s mountains on the border with Pakistan. IN EVERY ISSUE Here is an account of the bravery and 2 Command Post valor at Combat Outpost Keating. 4 Mail Call BY JANIE DYHOUSE 6 Now Hear This 36 8 Issues Up Front 10 Washington Wire RUCK MARCH HONORS 46 Member Corner 57iLiÀ i iwÌà WAR’S ULTIMATE SACRIFICE 60 Reunions and Claims For the second year, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas’ Student Veter- ans of America chapter, Rebel Vets, remembered those killed in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars with a 370- mile walk through the desert. 42 BY DAVE SPIVA CHECK OUT OUR DIGITAL VERSION AT WWW.VFWMAGAZINE.ORG NEW! NOW ON FACEBOOK NEED HELP? VETERANS CRISIS LINE: 1-800-273-8255 OCTOBER 2019 • WWW.VFW.ORG • 1 COMMAND POST FROM THE CHIEF Chief Tells Convention Attendees VFW magazine is the offi cial publication of the to ‘Confront’ Their Challenges VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS OF THE UNITED STATES STAFF ometimes we ask ourselves, “Why are we here? PUBLISHER AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Why are we still alive?” I’d like to thank the United Tim Dyhouse States Navy and the United States Marine Corps for SENIOR EDITOR Sall of the training they gave me. I’d like to thank my Janie Dyhouse Marines for keeping my big rear-end alive through a lot of ASSOCIATE EDITOR stuff, and they were always there for me. Kari Williams I’d especially like to thank Staff Sgt. Robert J. Choquette Jr. SENIOR WRITER He was a drill instructor and a basic engineer training sergeant Dave Spiva at Camp Lejeune, N.C., when I was there. He was a mentor. I ART DIRECTOR took care of him and his family when they were sick. Lauren Goldman COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF He decided he’d teach me how to be a Marine Corps ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT William “Doc” Schmitz engineer. And I received a Marine Corps engineering Tina Clark degree 1371 and a Meritorious Mast from Col. Reed at Camp ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Lejeune. Those skills probably helped me and some of my GLM Communications, Inc. Jacqueline Tobin, Vice President, Digital/Print Media jarheads stay alive. 500 1st Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030 Later, when I was in Vietnam, I identifi ed Staff Sgt. (212) 929-1300 FAX 212-929-9574 Email: Choquette’s body at graves registration. It was the 6th of July, [email protected] 1970, the last month of my tour of duty of 13 months in Vietnam. EDITORIAL OFFICE Address all communications for publication to: He resides on The Wall in Washington, D.C., and in my heart. The Editor, VFW Magazine This year’s motto is “Dare to Care.” Sometimes you face 406 W. 34th St., Suite 523, Kansas City, MO 64111 (816) 756-3390; www.vfw.org; [email protected] adversities or diffi culties you don’t like. Sometimes as a VFW magazine is protected through trademark reg is tra- leader you have to confront those challenges. If you don’t tion in the United States and in the foreign countries where VFW magazine circulates. VFW magazine (ISSN 0161-8598) care, it does not matter. If you do care, it matters. Make is published 10 times a year by Veterans of Foreign Wars, 406 things matter to you that you care about. West 34th Street, Kansas City, MO 64111. Non-profi t standard class postage paid at Oklahoma City, Okla., and additional The inspiration I get from you people is equal to some of mailing offi ces. the not-so-nice memories I have. You motivate me to go fur- Publications Agreement No. 1476947 ther and further doing good stuff. I want you to keep doing Available on recording for the blind and those with physical the good stuff you do out there. handicaps that preclude reading material. Sadness pushes you. Bad memo- Contact: [email protected]. Here is a condensed version ries push you. Happiness pushes you. SUBMISSIONS Camaraderie pushes you. All of these Unsolicited manu scripts and pho to graphs must be ac com pa- of Commander-in-Chief nied by return postage and no re spon si bil i ty is assumed for safe emotions are energy. What you do han dling. Poetry submissions not accepted. VFW mag a zine is with your energy is up to you. available in microfi lm from NA Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 998, William “Doc” Schmitz’s Ann Arbor, MI 48106-0998. Payment of membership dues This is your power. This is the includes $1.98 for a year’s subscription to VFW magazine. acceptance speech a er his power you control. If you can get a CHANGE OF ADDRESS/DECEASED MEMBER hold of your energies, those beasts, [email protected] 1-833-839-8387 election at VFW’s 120th Forward address changes to: those happy things that drive you for- Member Service Center, VFW, National Convention. ward, if you can get a grip on them, 406 W. 34th St., Kansas City, MO 64111. Be sure to furnish your old ad dress, also your Post number, you are like the tip of a hunting arrow. when requesting change to new address. To ensure You can be the most effective person accuracy, please clip and enclose your present address on the face of the earth if you can control and focus those as printed on a recent copy of VFW magazine. emotions on whatever your goals, your achievements, your NON-MEMBER SUBSCRIPTIONS U.S. and its possessions, $15 per year, $1.50 per copy. aspirations might be. For subscription in other countries, $20 per year. To all of VFW’s newly elected and appointed offi cers, Make checks payable to VFW Magazine and send to: Member Service Center, 406 W. 34th St., KC, MO 64111. thank you, especially past Commander-in-Chief B.J. VFW OBJECTIVES Lawrence, who I had the distinct pleasure to serve with. Not To ensure national security under, but with. All of us serve you, the members of the VFW. through maximum military strength. To speed the rehabilitation We’re here as the strongest organization on the face of of the nation’s disabled and needy veterans. the earth, and we’re focused. This year and years to come, To assist the widows and orphans and the de pen dents of disabled and needy veterans. we are going to continue the legacy of our organization and To promote Americanism through education in pa tri o tism get 100-plus percent membership and do programs because and constructive service to the communities in which we live. we choose to. Good luck to all. Copyright 2019 by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States MEMBER ALLIANCE FOR AUDITED MEDIA 2 • VFW • OCTOBER 2019 ROLLING ON THE MISSISSIPPI DISCOVER AMERICA’S HEARTLAND America’s Newest Fleet of Ships &UXLVHWKHOHJHQGDU\0LVVLVVLSSL5LYHULQFRPSOHWHFRPIRUWDERDUGWKHƓQHVWDXWKHQWLFSDGGOHZKHHOHUV DQGPRGHUQULYHUERDWV([SHULHQFHRXUDZDUGZLQQLQJJXLGHGH[FXUVLRQVDV\RXGLVFRYHUDQWHEHOOXP SODQWDWLRQV&LYLO:DUEDWWOHƓHOGVDQGKLVWRULF$PHULFDQSRUWVSmall Ship Cruising Done Perfectly.® EXQUISITE CUISINE $:$5':,11,1*(;&856,216 *5$1'+,6725< Call today for your FREE Cruise Guide 1-888-639-5395 American Cruise Lines AmericanCruiseLines.com Best in US & Canada MAIL CALL LETTERS TO THE EDITOR RECRUITERS ‘MADE IT HAPPEN’ IN 2019 CENTENNIAL War Zone Care Packages O?PLP:LABG@MHG All-Girl Boy Record Number of Women SERVING VETERANS FOR As a combat wounded Marine in 1966, YEARS Graduate West Point 100 Scout Troop I was thrilled to receive a care package WOUNDED The word “boy” Why does an article from such a pres- from home, as [were] my fellow Marines VETS INSPIRE VFW FOSTERS & MOTIVATE FIRST ALL-GIRL BOY SCOUT TROOP depicts male, tigious military-related magazine have who almost always “shared” my bounty.