On Wednesday, March 29, American Legion Post 41 will be observing National Vietnam War Veterans Day.
The Post meeting hall will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with snacks, drinks, historical displays and comradeship with fellow veterans. If you served anywhere in the U.S. military during the Vietnam War years, there are medallions and certificates to be awarded. The meeting hall is located in the west end of the Chilton Oil Co. building, just north of Pizza Hut on South Sam Houston Blvd. in Houston.
American Legion Post 41 and our VFW partners are hammering out the details of our upcoming Armed Forces Appreciation Day and here are the latest developments: Service Officers from our veterans’ organizations will be available throughout the event. There won’t be a stage program, but a sound system will be set up for announcements and patriotic music. There will be a lot of info about the PACT Act for veterans suffering the effects of toxic exposure.
Our fundraising efforts have begun; look for our new blue flyers posted throughout the county.
One important point: We want to make sure that every veteran with a question about benefits, employment opportunities and placement, education, medical assistance, and anything else service-related will get the answers they need. So mark your calendar for Armed Forces Appreciation Day on May 20, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Texas County Fairgrounds north of Houston on Highway 63. Visit the registration table for the handy directory to the various service representatives and pick up one of the souvenir hats. The grilled picnic meal will be served all day, free of charge.
Speaking of Service Officers, Post 41 Service Officer Ron Jones will be available each Monday from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Houston Senior Center on Grand Avenue downtown. He can be consulted about questions you might have about VA and Missouri Veteran’s Commission available benefits for veterans and their families. Ron is also the Director of the Texas County Military Museum, open on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (also on Grand Avenue downtown).
Veterans organizations in Texas County:
•American Legion Post 41 meets at 6 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at the meeting hall on the west end of Chilton Oil Company in Houston (just north of Pizza Hut). Changes to membership eligibility now allow U.S. veterans of all branches and periods of service to join the American Legion.
•Fleet Reserve Association Branch 364 meets at 2:30 p.m. on the fourth Sunday of each month at the American Legion Post 41 meeting hall in Houston. The FRA exists to serve all veterans and active-duty members of the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard.
•Veterans Of Foreign Wars Post 473 meets at 6 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month at its meeting mall on U.S. 63 north of Cabool.
•Veterans Of Foreign Wars Post 6337 in Licking meets at 5:30 p.m. on the third Monday of each month at the meeting hall on Main Street just south of Highway 32.
Houston resident Robert E. Simpson is a retired U.S. Navy chief electronics technician who served from 1969 to 1990. Email gfjjkaa@gmail.com.