Vote! Vote! Vote! - Korean War Veterans Association

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Company Commander Greg Sakimurga (Front L) and 1st Sgt Mike Shurko
(Center) present medal and citation to Vincent Mannion (R) as Jeff Brodeur
(behind Mannion) observes
Medal of Honor recipient James Hudner (C) is joined by CID 299 members
at Worcester memorial dedication (L-R) Sr. Vice Cmdr Art Griffith, Finance
Officer Bob Wagner, Cmdr. Al McCarthy, Color Guard member Otis
Mangrum, National Director Jeff Brodeur
Guests and CID 299 members at the Chapter’s annual Christmas party
Anthony Verga, Massachusetts’ Chairman of Veterans and
Federal Affairs, read the Bronze Star citation. KWVA National
President Lou Dechert read the Army Commendation citation.
Over 150 members and guests attended the party.
NOTE: The nearby CID 299 photos were taken by Pauline
Legace and Ken McKenna, both members of the Chapter.
Kenneth F. McKenna, 40 Newtonville Ave.
Fitchburg, MA 1420, Kenneth.mckenna@verizon.net
CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENTS
Golden State On The Move
What will the National Korean War Veterans Association
look like in 2020?
If you’re asking about membership, about chapters, about
departments, I foresee opportunities for major growth in
California and the western states.
California, a sentinel state, always out front, envisions
active leadership in organizing the thirteen states west of the
continental divide. These environs have provided in the past
little or no representation in contributing to the governance of
the National KWVA. This can be resolved by actively engaging
in state and regional membership recruitments; of both the
war and service veterans; formation of state chapters and
departments, and the selection and active promotion of candidates
for national offices.
This western states region has an estimated 800,000 resident
Korean War veterans with California having a resident
population of 430,800, according to the 2000 VA Census.
California leads the nation in resident Korean War veterans.
The resident DMZ Service veteran demographics are not
known at this time.
One of the constants of life we all have to face is the relentless
passage of time. Most of the Korean War veterans are in
their late 70s. If the organization is to survive, and grow, the
Service Veterans will have to make a major contribution.
Frankly put, they are the future.
The KWVA California State Department envisions the use
of the internet and telecommunications as an effective means
of overcoming the expanse within California and among the
western region states, to promote more efficient recruitment
programs, form new chapters and state departments and, most
importantly, help other departments with the design and construction
of their websites and links to each other. (See George
Lawhon”s article on page 22.)
In particular, we plan to push for a national-supported dedicated
web server to provide all Departments with bandwidth
and software for a Department website. We will do our part in
offering help, perhaps a template website for them to start, and
whatever bylaw and procedural changes would be required
with which the Board of Directors can debate, guide and
decide.
Mike Glazzy, President
Department of California
March-April 2008
The Graybeards