Call out to volunteers who would like to support

First Spring Puget Sound Honor Flight

 

Departure:

Date:  Saturday April 21 

Time:  5:30 am meet at the USO

or

 at door 25 on ticketing level, across from Alaska Airlines check in.

Event:  Puget Sound Honor Flight is sending Veterans who served in WW II, Korean War, and now Vietnam, to Washington DC to see all the memorials along with their guardians/volunteers.

56 Vets are on the planned roster.

 

What we do: USO volunteers meet and greet the vets curbside on the departure deck.

Hold up signs out at the curb, then escort the veteran to the Alaska Airlines check in point which is right inside Door 25.

We also ‘troll’ for vets inside the airport, as sometimes they do get lost

trying to find the correct ticket counter; or they park in the garage and come up an escalator. The Coasties will be there to help with any wheelchair needing vets.

The veteran participants are supposed to check in 0700 – 0730 am but as we all know, they show up really early.

If you want to go thru security to help escort them to the C-9 departure gate:

remember to bring your picture ID so Alaska Air can give you a pass to get to the gate.

Pretty awesome experience to be part of the departure from the gate.

Scheduled departure to Baltimore, per my info, is 1010 am.

Of special note: all parking passes will be issued at the END of the event, NOT in advance.

 

Return:

Date: Monday April 23

Time: 7:00 pm: be at the USO to help with set up in the atrium (see below)

Then, go back up tothe USO for to pick up a flag or two, only

if you only want to do the welcome home ceremony. It’s really a late night this year.

Event:   Puget Sound Honor Flight return of all those who left on Saturday morning.

What we do:  7 pm Set up consists of carting tables, chairs, our big military flags,

any PSHF gear they left on Saturday down to

the atrium (baggage claim level) and set it up however they want it.

We will also provide our carts for PSHF to unload their gear curbside,

under skybridge 1, and get it to the atrium.

Then we wait for the arrival of the flight from DCA, ETA 10:05 pm.

Flexibility is a good quality to have.

The flight can be anywhere from 45 minutes early to 1 hour late.

About ½ hour after landing, vets will come thru the airport

on their way to the welcome home celebration in the atrium,

which will be very short; consisting of the Patriot Guard, no entertainment,

distribution to the vets of ‘goodie boxes from Operation Homefront .

We are ‘way pointers’, flag waver, greeters . . . all the way to the atrium.

Of special note: all parking passes will be issued at the END of the event, NOT in advance.

 

Please respond as soon as possible which day’s event you can participate in.

Thanks so much in advance for your interest and help.

Sincerely,

Lonnie Stevenson,

for Ken “Pepsi” Przepiora, my WingMan

Operation Cookie Drop 2018 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord! This is the annual truck load shipment of Girl Scout cookies for the USO and various other organizations. This year a truck load consisted of 4 semi tractor trailer loads and 4 15FT van loads – That’s a lot of Girl Scout Cookies!

VFW Post 6785 out of Kent WA, Sr Vice Commander Kenneth A Przepiora a retired US Navy Command Master Chief, and long time USO volunteer works Operations Cookie Drop each year!

Finally we thank the Girl Scouts of America and those that donated Girl Scout cookies to the USO and veterans!

Meet Gary “Frosty” Hulsey, a special guest at VFW Post 6785 post meeting on 21 March 2018.

Frosty was helping the District 11 Commander, who is also the Post 6785 Commander, Craig Dougherty conduct the annual inspection our posts records.

What makes Frosty special is he is a VFW Triple Crown Winner! The only one I know of in Washington. To be a Triple Crown winner, a person has had to achieve All American status while serving as a commander in a Post, District, and Department. Frosty’s achievements include All American Department Commander 2004-2005, All American District 11 Commander, and a 2 time All American Post Commander at VFW Post 1949!

Frosty also served three tours in Vietnam with the USMC: September 1965 – May 1968, and December 1969 to September 1970.

Frosty closed our meeting last night by imparting the importance of increasing our membership in order to maintain the VFW’s viability in the future, and how one person can make a difference.

 

Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States

Kent-Meridian Post 6785 Honor Guard

We are looking for a few good men and women, comrades all, to become participating members.

We have blazers, most with patches already in place.

We have overcoats, most with patches already in place.

We have all the pins, cords, and other gew-gaws.

We have the broad-brimmed hats, and will provide an Honor Guard garrison cap if you do not already have one.

The Honor Guard provides military honors for our fallen comrades of all services each month on the second Thursday of the month, at Tahoma National Cemetery. The time commitment is from three to seven hours, but averages about five hours each month. The Honors guard provides a rifle team. We use M-1 Garands, with blank firing adapters (BFAs), firing 30.06 blank cartridges, three times for each service. If you are not familiar with the M-1, the current members will be happy to train you.

From time to time the Post is asked to provide military honors at a site other than Tahoma National Cemetery. The Honor Guard Chair, or the Post Commander, will put out a call for volunteers. Once a year or less often, the Post Honor Guard also provides staff for a Saturday service. Volunteers will be called for then as well. Our next scheduled Saturday service is in August.

If anyone would like to volunteer to join the Honor Guard, or just wants more information, call the Honor Guard Chair: Scott Eliason, 206-310-4157 (cell). There is message service, if prompted, leave your name and phone number and best times to call back.

Today, 9 members out of VFW Post 6785, Kent, WA volunteered six hours to help mopping, wax, and buff the meeting room we at the USAR facility in Renton. It’s almost like old times.

 

Alan B’Hymer and Scott Eliason at the 2018 Washington State Patriotic Day Ceremony at Stadium Highschool in Tacoma, WA. Representing VFW Post 6785 out of Kent, WA

 

 

COFFEE REST STOP VFW POST 6785

2018

MAYTOWN REST AREA

1. MAYTOWN — I-5  SOUTH OF OLYMPIA  BETWEEN EXITS 99 & 88

JULY 25 THRU JULY 28, 2018    4AM    TO   2PM

2. MAYTOWN — I-5  SOUTH OF OLYMPIA  BETWEEN EXITS 99 & 88

AUGUST 25 THRU AUGUST 29, 2018     2PM   TO   4AM

3. MAYTOWN — I-5  SOUTH OF OLYMPIA  BETWEEN EXITS 99 & 88

SEPTEMBER 26 THRU SEPTEMBER 29, 2018     4AM   TO   2PM**

SEATAC REST AREA

1. SEATAC REST AREA NORTH BOUND I-5 JUST SOUTH OF ENCHANTED VILLAGE AND HWY 18 INTERCHANGE

MARCH 17 THRU MARCH 21, 2018    2PM   TO NOON

2. SEATAC REST AREA NORTH BOUND I-5 JUST SOUTH OF ENCHANTED VILLAGE AND HWY 18 INTERCHANGE

SEPTEMBER 26 THRU SEPTEMBER 29    2PM    TO    NOON**

3. SEATAC REST AREA NORTH BOUND I-5 JUST SOUTH OF ENCHANTED VILLAGE AND HWY 18 INTERCHANGE

OCTOBER 17 THRU OCTOBER 20 , 2018    2PM    TO    NOON

**   DOUBLE BOOKED—WE NEED TO DECIDE WHICH ONE TO DO.