VFW Post 6660 Newsletter

Randle Tolliver, Quartermaster / Adjutant

post6660@movfw.org  / www.facebook.com/VFW Post-6660

For veterans in crisis, the Veterans Crisis Line’s number – 988 then press “1” or 1-800-273-8255 and press “1”.

Speaking of crisis, the Department of Defense (DOD) has released the Annual Report on Suicide in the Military for calendar year 2021. In 2021, 519 service members (328 active / 74 reserve / 117 National Guard) died by suicide. The CY 2021 suicide rate was lower than CY 2020; however there was an increasing trend between CY 2011 and CY 2021. For more information,  https://www.dspo.mil/Portals/113/Documents/2021%20ASR/FY21%20ASR.pdf?ver=1F9QARTc2gfXMGIoqum0Mw%3d%3d .

On Friday 11 November at 4 PM, VFW Post 6660 and Auxiliary 6660 will hold a Veterans Day Remembrance Ceremony at the Veterans Memorial located at the Reynolds County Courthouse in Centerville. Parking is available and everyone is invited.

VFW Auxiliary will meet at 1 PM on 19 November at the Donald L. Cook / Billy J. Swyres Memorial Veterans Center in Centerville.

The next post meeting will be 2 PM on 20 November at the same location.

Our Teacher of the Year, Patriot’s Pen, and Voice of Democracy programs concluded on 31 October.  The winners will be announced after Veterans Day.   

In last week’s part of my history of the Veterans Day series, I wrote about veterans in today’s society. This week I would like to discuss the poppy as the official memorial flower of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. The red poppy became our symbol in 1922 because it was the symbol of the World War I due to the poem “In Flanders Fields”, written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae.  A veteran of the Boer War, the Canadian physician enlisted in the Canadian contingent of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) at the beginning of World War I.  He served as a medical officer at the Second Battle of Ypres, where the death of a close friend inspired him to the write the poem that was first published on 8 December 1915 in the London magazine Punch and it reads: 

“In Flanders Fields the poppies blow,

Between the crosses, row on row, 

That mark our place; and in the sky, 

The larks, still bravely singing, fly, 

Scarce heard amid the guns below. 

We are the dead.  Short days ago, 

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, 

Loved and were loved and now we lie, 

In Flanders Fields. 

Take up our quarrel with the foe 

To you, from failing hands, we throw, 

The torch, be yours to hold it high. 

If ye break faith with us, who die,

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow, 

In Flanders Fields”.

As a note, the Second Battle of Ypres was fought from 22 April to 25 May 1915 for control of the Flemish town of Ypres in western Belgium.  The Germans Army first used chlorine gas during this battle.  Although they were the attacking force and used chlorine gas, the attack failed, and the Germans suffered roughly 35,000 casualties. Most credit goes to the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), especially the 1st Canadian Division.

Happy 247th Birthday to my Marine brothers and sisters!  The Corps was formed on 10 November 1775 as the Continental Marines, with the mission to provide additional security and support for the Continental Navy. Captain Samuel Nicholas, the first commander of the Continental Marines and was authorized by the Second Continental Congress to raise two battalions, or approximately 600 Marines. Their first action was the March 1776 amphibious landing in the Bahamas during the Battle of Nassau.  At the end of the war, in April 1783, both the Continental Navy and Marines were disbanded.  On 11 July 1798, the Corps was resurrected as the United States Marine Corps for service in the new United States class frigates.  Since then, the Corps has served with distinction and honor around the globe.   Today, with182,000 active duty and 38,500 reserve marines, the Corps fulfills a vital role in national security as an amphibious, expeditionary, air-ground combined arms task force, capable of forcible entry from the air, land, and sea. The additional ability to execute asymmetric warfare with conventional, irregular, and hybrid forces make the Corp the nations go to response to crisis.  Semper Fidelis ! (Always Faithful)

Now for a few reminders:

For homebound veterans requiring assistance, please contact Jay Parks at (573) 689-1477, Randy Tolliver at (573) 924-2382, or Scott Rosen at (573) 466-9188.

Veterans in the VA health care system can receive free flu vaccinations through the Community Care Network in-network retail pharmacies and urgent care partners. Just present a valid, government-issued ID.  To confirm your eligibility call the VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, at (573) 686-4151 or call 844-MyVA311 (844-698-2311), select 1 and then select 1 again.  For locations, see https://www.va.gov/communitycare/flushot.asp .

For more for information concerning local VA health care call the Poplar Bluff VAMC at (573) 686-4151 or https://www.poplarbluff.va.gov/services/index.asp

The VA one-stop telephone number is 1-800-698-2411 and press “0” to reach a live agent for immediate assistance. The VA one stop website is VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs .

The Missouri Veterans Commission (MVC) one-stop Benefits and Resource Portal is www.veteranbenefits.mo.gov or call (573) 522-4061.

To order military service documents such as a DD 214/Separation Document or Official Military Personnel File (OMPF), contact the National Archives, National Personnel Records Center at https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records, or call (866) 272-6272.

For more information, contact Jay Parks, Randy Tolliver, or Heather King at (573) 330-1020, email post6660@movfw.org , or go to https://movfw.org.

“Here to Serve”