VFW Post 2667

With thoughts turning from tasty Thanksgiving turkey to holiday shopping lists, one national bookseller has made it easy to find the perfect gift for everyone, including the nation's servicemembers. Barnes & Noble, a corporate supporter of the Defense Department's "America Supports You" program, has created an online book store that benefits troop-support organizations with a 5 percent donation from each sale made through the www.bn.com/asy Web site. America Supports You is a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.  http://www.americasupportsyou.mil/americasupportsyou/Content.aspx?ID=44943546

COLORADO SPRINGS - Air Force Major John Carroll was finally reunited with is wife Beverly on Tuesday.  At the age of 32, Carroll was shot down over Laos in 1972 during his service in Vietnam. Despite eyewitness accounts of him suffering a fatal wound, he was listed as Missing In Action for decades.  During that time Beverly Carroll died of cancer and was buried at the Air Force Academy's cemetery. On Tuesday, her husband was buried next to her.  "This is where he wanted to be, this is where she wanted to be and they're now together," said Carroll's mother Mary Hancock. Hancock says her daughter-in-law wanted to be buried at the Academy's cemetery in hopes that one day her husband could be laid to rest beside her. That recently became possible after the U.S. military recovered and identified Carroll's remains near the crash site. In Carroll's case, the remains were two teeth.  See full story at http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=8090

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16, 2007 – For those seeking a quick way to show appreciation for the troops' service far from home this holiday season, look no further than “Giving Thanks,” a new initiative from the Defense Department’s America Supports You program. America Supports You connects citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad. "This is a simple way to connect our citizens to our soldiers using modern technology," Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for internal communications and public liaison, said of the text messaging program. DefenseLink News Article: America Supports You: Americans Can Text ‘Thanks’ to Troops

World War II veteran Wendell Whitlock says he is honored to have been selected as Coweta County's 2007 Veteran of the Year, but insists he is no more deserving than other local veterans. "This is the greatest honor I have ever received," Whitlock says. "And I am as grateful as anyone can be. But there are others who did much more than me. As far as I'm concerned anybody who served deserves this honor. But I'm very proud and humble to accept and hope I've done some good for some people over the years." The Veteran of the Year honor is presented to veterans who've distinguished themselves not just in the military but in their contributions to the community, state and nation, according to Dick Stender, Commander of American Legion Post 57, which sponsors the award. The ceremonies begin at 11:00a today at the Newnan city park at Jackson Street and Temple Avenue. "I don't know if people realize how much Wendell has done to help this county, b

"Many Americans think of the Constitution as words on paper preserved under glass at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. But the Constitution is also the product of an ongoing conversation among Americans about the meaning of freedom in their daily lives. ...For the Constitution to have meaning, it must be not only the words we recite, but also the words we live by." The Words We Live By , Linda R. Monk  September 17 is Constitution Day 2007. Take the opportunity to learn more about our Constitution. Some websites with information: OPM has a set of references in commemoration of U.S. Constitution and Citizenship Day at www.opm.gov/constitution_initiative/ The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia provides information about the Constitution www.ConstitutionCenter.org This Department of Defense website includes a multimedia presentation that is available to everyone ConstitutionDay.cpms.osd.mil

Commemorates the 6th anniversary of 9/11 attacks - to remember those who lost their lives and to honor firefighters, police and soldiers of our nation who protect our freedom every day. Events are being planned with guidance from the America Supports You, www.AmericaSupportsYou.com . Newnan walk begins with a 6:30 p.m. Gathering at gazebo in the Newnan city park at Jackson Street and Temple Avenue and ends at Court Square. Sister walks will also be held Sept. 8-11 in Washington, D.C., and all over the nation. Details: Susan Shaner at 770-845-2254 or 770-251-3987 or sshaner@numail.org.

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Brick for the Veterans Memorial Plaza are selling. Now members of the Veterans Memorial Plaza committee are looking for ways to pick up the pace. The committee is looking for ways to reach out and meet people face-to-face in order to maximize the effort. The group will be taking orders for bricks at the next Market Day in downtown Newnan, at the Powers' Crossroads Country Fair and Arts Festival on Labor Day weekend, and at the Coweta County Fair in September. Read more at Newnan Times-Herald

The VFW's National Citizenship Education Teachers' Award recognizes the nation's top elementary, junior high, and high school teachers who teach citizenship education topics regularly and promote America's history and traditions. Nearly 1,000 teachers are from every state, the District of Columbia and overseas. Fellow teachers, supervisors or other interested individuals can submit nominations by November 1 to your local Post. VFW's National citizenship education teacher awards include: $1,000 cash award for professional development to each of the top K-5, 6-8 and 9-12 teachers; $1,000 award for each winning teacher's school; plaques for both the winning teacher and school; an all-expense-paid trip to attend the VFW and Ladies Auxiliary National Community Service Conference in Washington, D.C. Teachers who win first place in each category will be invited to conduct a workshop at the conference. Anyone interested in nominating a public school, private school, or

A local student could win a $10,000 U.S. savings bond. Commander Jeff Carroll of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 2667, announced the kick-off of this year’s VFW and its Ladies Auxiliary “Patriot’s Pen Essay Competition.” Students in grades 6-8 in this area have the opportunity to compete in the VFW’s annual essay competition and win thousands of dollars in U.S. Savings Bonds and a trip to be honored at the VFW and Ladies Auxiliary Community Service Conference. Students begin by competing at the local Post level. Post winners advance to District. District winners compete in the state competition. The state winners compete for more than $75,000 in U.S. Savings Bonds and an all-expenses trip to Washington, DC. Each year more than 130,000 students participate in the Patriot’s Pen Essay Competition. Students are invited to write a 300-400 word essay on a patriotic theme. This year’s theme is “ Why I am an American Patriot. ” Deadline for student entries is November 1st . Interested

A local high school student could win a trip to Washington, DC and a $30,000 scholarship. Commander Jeff Carroll of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 2667 announced the kick-off of this year's VFW and its Ladies Auxiliary "Voice of Democracy Scholarship Competition." High school students in this area have the opportunity to compete in the annual audio essay competition and win thousands of dollars in scholarships, a trip to Washington, DC, as well as dozens of other awards. Students begin by competing at the local Post level. Deadline for entries at the Post is November 1st. Post winners advance to District. District winners compete in the state competition. The state winner will enjoy a four-day tour of Washington, DC along with the winners from every state, the District of Columbia, the Pacific Areas, Latin America/Caribbean, and Europe. During the more than 60 years that the Veterans of Foreign Wars and its Ladies Auxiliary have been involved with the Voice of D

Project Prayer Flag is a grassroots military support project that places American flags, inspirational bookmarks, and handwritten letters of support and prayers from Americans into the hands of those serving overseas in the military. The project began in 2002 when pastor-and-wife team Shawn and Angelica Black of Orange County, CA - both retired military - began distributing pocket-sized American flags and cards of encouragement to military members deployed in the war on terror. "In the beginning, we thought of it as a short-term project, and only a small group of local people were involved," Black said. "In 2004, the project grew nationwide, and by 2005, it took on a life of its own. Now we have about 200 to 300 volunteers showing up every two to three months. The can produce about 50,000 to 60,000 kits in one setting." Recently the group supplied 17,000 packets at the request of the US Army's 4th Infantry Division stationed at Fort Bliss, TX, to be included in

As a veteran it is imperative that you keep copies of your DD-214, Report of Transfer or Discharge from Military Service. This is a critical document for obtaining VA benefits. The DD-214 is a report of one's transfer or discharge from military service. If you do not have this document we recommend you take action to obtain a copy for your records as soon as possible. If you have a current situation which does not allow you sufficient time to obtain this document speak to your Georgia Department of Veterans Service representative in Newnan at 770-254-7260. Obtaining Copies of your DD-214 If you are a: - A military veteran or, - Next of kin of a deceased, former member of the military (The next of kin can be a: surviving spouse that has not remarried, father, mother, son, daughter, sister, or brother). Go to: www.archives.gov/veterans/evetrecs/ Phone: 866-272-6272 Another Resource is the National Personnel Records Center Military Personnel Records 9700 Page Avenue St. Louis, Mo 6313

SAGINAW, Mich. — A 73-year-old man has been ordered to clean a veterans memorial with a toothbrush for taking part in a scam to solicit scrap yards for metal, saying it was to be used to build a memorial for soldiers in the Iraq war. Philip Kolinski and another man were arrested after scrap yards reported the men soliciting metal donations for a sculpture. Detectives said the men sold the metal and kept the money. "You certainly should be ashamed," Saginaw County District Court Judge A.T. Frank said as he sentenced Kolinski to clean the veterans memorial in front of Governmental Center on Aug. 7. "You will have a toothbrush and bucket with a placard saying you stole from veterans," Frank said. Kolinski pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of obtaining more than $200 under false pretenses, although he claimed he didn't know he was committing a crime. He said he agreed to haul the metal for another man, who is awaiting trial in the case. "I just hauled it

Operation Uplink is a unique program that keeps military personnel and hospitalized veterans in touch with their families and loved ones by providing them with a free phone card. Using contributions from supporters like you, Operation Uplink purchases phone cards and distributes them to servicemen and women who are separated from those they care about. www.OperationUplink.org : Make a Difference - Make a Donation.

In order to help fund Veterans Memorial Plaza in Newnan, the committee is hoping to sell some 5,000 bricks to form the pedestrian area in the landscaped park. Anyone can buy bricks and the bricks can have anyone's name on it. Several people have planned to buy a brick for each grandchild. Bricks can also have the name of a club or business. To come close to the goal of 5,000, many bricks for non-veterans will have to be given, along with those recalling family members and friends who joined the military. The park is located at Jackson Street and Temple Avenue. A proposal was unveiled during the annual Memorial Day gathering at the park, and fundraising is now under way. Bricks may be given in honor or in memory of anyone. Each brick costs $50 and can have three lines of text with a maximum of 16 characters and spaces per line. Checks may be made to the city of Newnan. Orders may be sent to Newnan City Manager, 25 LaGrange St., P.O. Box 1193, Newnan, GA 30264-1193. Payment must acco

Our August 2007 Post meeting will be on Saturday, the 11th, at 9:00 AM at the Coweta Veterans Club. We'll have a big breakfast so all post members are encouraged to attend. If you need a ride, call Jeff Carroll, Willis Byrd, John Skinner, or Fred Morgan and we'll arrange to pick you up and drop you off afterwards. See you there.

Memorial Day ceremonies, sponsored by VFW Post 2667, were held on Monday, May 28th, at Veterans' Memorial Park on Jackson Street in Newnan. The "Honor All by Remembering One" ceremony remembered the life of Senoia's Eddie Couch, who was killed in 1968 while serving in Vietnam. The program was followed by a community fellowship dinner at the Coweta Veterans' Club.

The GM Extended Warranty division of Roberson Pontiac-Buick-GMC in Jesup, GA is once again extending its support for the VFW National Home for Children and our nation's military members and veterans during the month of May. May is National Military Appreciation Month. It's the perfect time to say "thank you" to the men and women serving our country. So ExtendedGMWarranty.com has joined forces with an ambitious high school student named Shauna Fleming. Shauna wanted to say "thanks" to the U.S. troops. But she didn't want hers to be the only voice they heard. She wanted the volume of hundreds of thousands of voices. Maybe even more. As founder of A Million Thanks, Shauna has led a year-round campaign to send a thank you letter to every single member of the military. Her goal was a million letters--and when her millionth letter was collected, the President invited her to the Oval Office to thank and congratulate her. Today, Shauna has collected over 2.6 mi

Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), a non-profit organization aimed at assisting the men and women of the United States armed forces who have been severely injured during the war on terrorism, has joined together with the Veterans of Foreign Wars. The partnership will promote the timely delivery of disability benefits administered by the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for those members of the current conflicts including Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Global War on Terror." Wounded Warrior Project is honored to partner with the Veterans of Foreign Wars. That the largest organization of combat veterans in America has placed their trust in WWP's abilities as advocates for this latest generation of wounded soldiers validates our mission in a powerful way," stated Wounded Warrior Project Executive Director, John Melia.Wounded Warrior Project offers services and programs like combat stress seminars, benefits couns

Members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars on Wednesday presented Capitol Hill lawmakers with an appeal from more than 2,700 troops urging Congress to drop plans for withdrawal from Iraq. The "Appeal for Courage" has been collecting signatures since February, with the goal of lobbying lawmakers to back off plans for withdrawal timetables or funding caveats. Organizer Lt. Jason Nichols, a 33-year-old naval projects officer who has been in Baghdad since mid-January, said he has been pleased with the response. See full article at www.EStripes.com

Members of the Veterans Memorial Park committee have approved a general plan for development of the area around the Veteran's Monument - and hope to have that plan ready for official unveiling at Memorial Day ceremonies. See full article at www.Times-Herald.com

Commander Jeff Carroll Sr. Vice Commander Willis Byrd Jr. Vice Commander Jim Camp Quartermaster John Skinner Adjutant Dick Stender Chaplain Willie Boyd Trustee: 3-Year Bobby Hammond Trustee: 2-Year Dick Dennis Trustee: 1-Year John O'Connor

June 21 - 24, 2007 Atlanta Hilton Northeast - New, Beautiful Location & Refurbished Hotel Reservation Deadline for guaranteed rate is May 30, 2007 Registration Fee: $35 - includes convention book, floor credentials, patriotic rally & dance, convention banquet & dance

The state of Oregon set a precedent on Veterans Day by dedicating a memorial to its casualties from Afghanistan and Iraq. Though billed as the first of a kind, Arkansas actually dedicated a memorial to its National Guard troops killed in these wars on Sept. 10, 2005. Oregon's memorial includes all residents with ties to the state. The memorial efforts, under way for two years, was conceived and launched primarily by one family - Clay and M.J. Kesterson. Their son Erik was killed in Iraq. The family raised more than $100,000 in cash and garnered $400,00 in in-kind support. the state pitched in $181,000. Located on the grounds of the Oregon VA Department on the Capital Mall in Salem, the Afghan-Iraqi Freedom Memorial features a large fountain and an 8-foot bronze statue of a kneeling soldier with an outstretched hand. The 74 names of the soldiers and Marines killed are inscribed on a granite wall. Gary Cupp, who donated labor to complete the project and whose son is in Iraq, said, &q

The National World War II Museum, based in New Orleans, has embarked on a fundraising campaign to raise $300 million to expand the facility over five acres on two city blocks. This will create 300,000 square feet of new space. The original site began as the National D-Day Museum in 2000. For more information see www. NationalWW2Museum.org .