Local Chapter of Veterans of Foreign Wars Celebrates US Navy Sailors of the Year
The 2012 Sailors of the Year are seen here with VFW Post 2422 Commander Chuck Lucas. From left, Marianogerard Zamora and Cassandra Thompson. The 2013 winners will be announced Feb. 13. Photo courtesy US Navy.
In the time honored tradition of supporting our troops, Coronado Post 2422 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars will participate in celebrations for this year’s recognition of 2013 Sea and Shore Sailor of the Year.
On Monday, Feb. 10, finalists and their spouses for Sailor of the Year will be treated to breakfast and a special tour of the San Diego Zoo as one of many events on their agenda. Members of the Coronado VFW, as supporters of this annual event, will meet with the candidates and their families.
Winners will be announced Feb. 13 at a reception and announcement ceremony, which will be held at the “I” Bar on Naval Air Station North Island. At that time, Coronado VFW Commander Chuck Lucas will present awards to the Sea and Shore Sailor of the Year selectees and other candidates.
“As a sponsor and supporter of the prestigious Sailor of the Year selection process, we will also be presenting the COMNAVAIRPAC sea and shore sailor of the year with a small scholarship and membership to the Veterans of Foreign Wars,” said Michael Turner, spokesman for Coronado Post 2422.
The VFW originated in 1899, when veterans of the Spanish-American War (1898) and the Philippine Insurrection (1899-1902) founded indigenous organizations to secure rights and benefits for their service.
Many of those soldiers arrived home wounded or ill. At that time, there was no medical care or veterans’ pension for them, and they were left to fend for themselves. ??
Recognizing the problem, some of these veterans banded together to form organizations that would become known as the U.S. Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Since then, the VFW has been active in establishing the Veterans Administration, creating a GI bill for the 20th century, the development of the national cemetery system, the fight for compensation for Vietnam vets exposed to Agent Orange, and for veterans diagnosed with Gulf War Syndrome.
Locally, the Coronado VFW has been aggressively recruiting new members and going to great extremes to honor older members through numerous annual tributes and holiday meals.
“This is our mandate,” said Turner. “As new generations of military servicemen continue to put their lives at risk for their country, it is our mission not only to honor the old and recruit the new, but to change and evolve with the demands of the 21st century. One thing that hasn’t changed is our dedication to the men and women who serve our country.”
Coronado VFW Post 2422 is located at 557 Orange Avenue. For more information visit www.vfwpost2422.com.
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