From the front lines to the punch lines

Source: April 30, 2024

Stephen Russell, aka the Salty Skipper, is an Army Airborne infantryman turned comic book creator. On this week's American Legion Tango Alpha Lima podcast, Russell talks about his service, what it takes to create a comic book and writing his memoir.

Russell's book, "Troublemakers: The Greatest Dog and Pony Show in Iraq," is a memoir detailing his experiences and memories of his deployment in 2006-07 to the front lines in Baqubah, Iraq.

"In my unit, we lost 12 guys," he says, also noting he was wounded and many of his comrades suffered serious injuries. "That part is traumatic and there is this idea that it's tough to revisit. I actually found that going back was easy for me because that's where I went over what went on and here's the headspace I am in at that time."

It was "freeing" in a way, he says. "Even though there are crazy, hectic things going on, there's a beautiful society that you are living in where you wake up, do a job every day, and you are free from the societal bonds that we all have like a rent payment."

On the creative side, "there is a very different process of going through the storyboarding, outlining," he says. "If I had to compare it to anything in the military, I would have to compare to an op order."

An admitted "doodler," Russell explains that his "Tales of Nihilism" is an umbrella term covering his main series, short stories and comic strips. The first main story: "The Ballad of Phillip Kirschner" takes inspiration from his lived experiences to feature a story about what it would be like for an average person to live in a world of superheroes and what challenges would exist.

His military experience paid off not only in organizing his tasks to create the workflow but in the promotions and business side, too.

"In the military, we learned to compartmentalize very well," he says. "When I'm in my creative sessions, I'm doing that. And then when it is time to do the business side of the house, I take that hat off, put the other one on, and I am in that mode."

Also in this episode, co-hosts Stacy Pearsall and Adam Marr discuss:

• The perfect gift for servicemembers during a previous war era.

• The sad realization that no Americans who fought at Iwo Jima attended the recent 79th anniversary commemorations.

• Safety concerns related to VA's 1 million orthopedic devices that have been implanted.

Check out this week's episode, which is among more than 230 Tango Alpha Lima podcasts available in both audio and video formats here. You can also download episodes on Apple Podcasts, Google Play or other major podcast-hosting sites. The video version is available at the Legion's YouTube channel.

 

 

Next article: Legion Family Day opens up posts to communities across the nation

Legion Family Day opens up posts to communities across the nation

Source: April 29, 2024

In October 2022, The American Legion National Executive Committee passed Resolution No. 7, American Legion Family Day. The resolution established an American Legion Family Day to be observed annually on the last Saturday of April — this year falling on April 27.

For Legion Family Day, posts are encouraged to open their doors to members of their community for the day to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of Legionnaires, Sons of The American Legion members, Legion Riders and American Legion Auxiliary.

And across the nation, American Legion posts and their Legion Family members did just that. Post doors were opened up to their communities, with many providing games and other activities for youth. The day also served as an opportunity for the community to learn more about The American Legion's mission – including its Be the One veteran suicide prevention program.

The following are just a few examples of American Legion Family Day events that took place. Please share how your post, squadron, unit or chapter observed the day at www.legiontown.org.

California

·         In Newport Beach, American Legion Newport Harbor Post 291 used Family Day to celebrate its community while honoring members of the Legion Family. The day included a spaghetti and meatballs meal, live music, and sandcastle and cornhole competitions.

·         In McCloud, Cheula Post 92 provided cornhole, table tennis and other games, as well as tours of the post and free hot dogs, chips and dessert. The post's American Legion Riders chapter's motorcycles were on display, while members of all four branches of the Legion Family were on hand to answer questions.

·         In Moon Bay, American Legion Post 474's Family Day event included sharing information about Be the One, as well as free carnival games and prizes for children and a celebrity splash tower.

·         In Ontario, American Legion Auxiliary Unit 112 sponsored an American Legion Family Day event, providing free refreshments while sharing information about the Legion, Sons of The American Legion and the Auxiliary.

Florida

In Hawthorne, American Legion Post 230's Legion Family also used American Legion Family Day to raise awareness about Be the One.

"We want to let the veterans know that not just the post is here for them, but the community as well," Post Commander Jane Townsend told WCBJ. "We want to be the one that prevents a veteran from committing suicide."

Post 230 provided a service officer to share information on resources available to veterans, while the event also included a visit from a police K-9 officer, kids' games, a bounce house and face painting.

"Today it's called Be the One, be the one that asks a veteran how they're doing," American Legion Riders Chapter 230 Mark Scaletti said. "Be the one that goes up and says do you need to talk?"

Georgia

In Alpharetta, Post 201's American Legion Family Day included a cake walk, a scavenger hunt with ice cream prizes, two bounce houses, face painting and cornhole. Free hot dogs and hamburgers also were available.

Indiana

In Michigan City, Franklin Edward Skwiat Post 451 provided hot dogs, ice cream games and prizes, as well as information about the American Legion Family, during its event.

Kansas

·         In Great Bend, Argonne Post 180's Legion Family Day opened its doors to the community for free hot dogs, face painting, balloon animals and other treats for children. The post also provided information on scholarships, Boys State, Girls State and the Cadet Law Enforcement Academy, while the Great Bend Police Department provided Ident-A-Kid packets for parents. The packets provide parents with information about their children, including fingerprints, which they take home for safekeeping. If a child is lost or abducted, the information would be used to assist in the investigation.

·         In Cherokee, Priestly-Ridley American Legion Post 35's American Legion Family Day shared information about the Legion Family while also providing games and treats for children, information on motorcycle safety, Boys State, Girls State and the Cadet Law Enforcement Academy and flag etiquette. Free hamburgers and refreshments also were provided.

Maryland

·         In Laurel, American Legion Post 60's Family Day included multiple facets. The post teamed with Blue Star Families to provide a "STEM Extravaganza" that included STEM activities, drone demonstrations, free STEM books and other resources. The day also featured games and rides, a petting zoo, lunch and refreshments, and an appearance by Miss Maryland Kennedy Taylor.

·         In Glenarden, American Legion Post 275 had a full Family Day that included a Legion Riders motorcycle display, "Touch a Police Car", games and face painting, a Buffalo Soldiers pace team, free food, games, face painting and door prizes.

·         In Betterton, C. Henry Price Post 246's American Legion Family provided free face painting, cornhole, a bounce house and petting zoo, and food.

·         In Perryville, American Legion Susquehanna Post 135 provided information on the post programs, as well as free face painting, hot dogs, hamburgers, chips and soda. The Harford County Sheriff's Department also had a display, while the post made available information on membership.

Michigan

In Luna Pier, American Legion Post 193's American Legion Family Day included a breakfast sponsored by Unit 193, a dinner from Squadron 193, bingo, children's games, cornhole, raffles and a 50/50 drawing.

Minnesota

·         In Hugo, American Legion Post 620 started Family Day with an opening ceremony that was followed by a barbecue ribs competition, a bounce house and other children's activities, pictures with Sugar the horse, and the awarding of two $1,000 scholarships to area high school students. Members of the post's Legion Family also wore Be the One shirts to spread awareness about the suicide prevention program.

·         In Rosemount, American Legion Post 65 invited the community to learn about Legion Family programs while providing free children's games and activities, family bingo, and free hamburgers and hot dogs. The post also conducted a clothing drive during the event.  

New Hampshire

In Rochester, American Legion Post 7 staged games, giveaways and free food during its American Legion Family Day, while also providing information on how the Legion benefits veterans, youth and community. The event also included "Touch a Tank" and information on the POW/MIA table.

New York

In New Haven, Hamlin-Weldin Post 1532 had representatives from the Legion, Auxiliary and SAL on hand to answer questions about each branch of the Legion Family. The event also included free hots dogs, macaroni salad and drinks.

Pennsylvania

In Newport, American Legion Country Club Post 177 brought members of the community together for a bounce house, dime toss, face painting, golf putting, cornhole and other activities. Also on hand for the event were the Perry County Animal Rescue, Perry County Literacy Council and the Newport Fire Company, which provided rides on its bucket truck.

Texas

In Dallas, American Legion Post 511 provided family and children's games, as well as food and refreshments for Legion Family Day.

Virginia

·         In Newport News, American Legion Braxton-Perkins Post 25 hosted the 3rd District American Legion Family Day. The event provided information on The American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary, Sons of The American Legion and American Legion Riders.

·         In Stafford, American Legion Post 290 provided information on the Legion Family and programs – including its fastpitch softball team – while also hosting food trucks and a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs mobile center and conducting raffles. Auxiliary Unit 290 also conducted a basket raffle.

Next article: Enroll in study that aims to reduce rate of veteran suicide

Enroll in study that aims to reduce rate of veteran suicide

Source: April 29, 2024

American Legion members are invited to participate in a research study to compare the effectiveness of two non-medication psychotherapies for reducing suicide attempts, suicidal ideation and other quality of life indicators. 

Dr. Craig Bryan, an American Legion member, is leading the study, Military Suicide Prevention Intervention Research (MSPIRE), for Ohio State University. Bryan, director of OSU's Division of Recovery and Resilience, is a board-certified clinical psychologist with expertise in cognitive-behavioral treatments for individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The study has already received regulatory approval from an Institutional Review Board and the Department of Defense's Office of Human Research Oversight. OSU researchers are currently looking to recruit 150 more U.S. military personnel and veterans for this study.

To see if you might be eligible for this study, visit this link to answer a series of questions. These pre-screening questions will take approximately 10 minutes to complete.

Volunteers will first meet with a member of the research team remotely through secure teleconferencing software such as Teams to complete the consent process as well as questionnaires and interviews. If eligible, they will then meet with study clinicians to complete 12 to 16 one-hour therapy sessions. Volunteers should expect to start immediately upon acceptance.

For the first four weeks, participants will be asked to wear a Fitbit and complete brief surveys sent to their smartphone multiple times per day. They will also be asked to complete follow-up assessments every three months for two years. These follow-up assessments can be completed online and via phone.

Study results will improve interventions and treatments to reduce suicide risk and improve quality of life among military personnel and veterans, which ties into The American Legion's Be the One mission to reduce the number of military-affiliated people lost to suicide.

During the study, participants will receive an intervention to reduce their risk of attempting suicide and improve their wellbeing. If all study assessments are completed, participants could receive up to $522.

 

Next article: Lundqvist earns first podium finish

Lundqvist earns first podium finish

Source: April 29, 2024

Just four races into his rookie season with Chip Ganassi Racing, Linus Lundqvist already has earned his first podium finish.

On Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park, Lundqvist drove the No. 8 American Legion Honda to a convincing third-place finish in the Children's of Alabama Indy Grand Prix powered by AmFirst. Lundqvist finished more than two seconds ahead of fourth-place Felix Rosenqvist, moving up 16 places from his spot on the starting grid. That also earned him the Hard Charger of the Race.

"I'm extremely happy with the podium," Lundqvist said following the race. "It's my first in INDYCAR, and it's been a little bit rough for me the first couple of races. But man, what can I say? The team did an amazing job. The American Legion Honda today was super, super fast. I basically just listened to whatever they told me to do. They said, ‘Be patient here and you'll get your reward at the end', and that we definitely did."

Lundqvist led four laps in the No. 8 Honda that features Be the One branding and went into the pits for the final time on Lap 70. That allowed him to go all out over the final 20 laps while other drivers were trying to conserve fuel.

"I think for the first time ever I was not on the save fuel strategy. I was not the one being passed, which was nice," Lundqvist said. "Obviously, we had a bit of everything in that race for us. We started obviously quite far back, in 19th. In the beginning it was just about basically saving fuel as much as we can, see what we can do later in the race.

"It was after that second to last restart, we were able to push hard, stretch the field a little bit. When we came out, we were in a very good position. That kind of made our race."

It was again another strong team effort by CGR, with all five cars finishing 15th or higher. Alex Palou, driving the No. 10 Ridgeline Honda with American Legion branding, led 12 laps on his way to a fifth-place finish. Palou currently sits in third place in the points standing, just three spots behind Colton Herta.

Fellow Ganassi driver Marcus Armstrong finished ninth, Kyffin Simpson 14th and Scott Dixon 15th.

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES now moves to Indianapolis for the month of May, starting with the Sonsio Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course on May 11 and then finishing up with the 108th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on May 26 on the IMS oval.

"The month of May is obviously going to be big, doing it for the first time. You hear so much about it. Being able to participate is like a dream come true," Lundqvist said. "We're obviously here to do a job. Ganassi has had a record of having very good cars at the 500. I'm excited to feel that out. I also realize it's going to be a learning curve.

"Obviously, this is a nice boost of confidence. We'll have a week off, but we're back at it again for the GP and obviously the big one. Yeah, just back to work."

To learn more about The American Legion's Be the One veteran suicide prevention program, click here. 

Next article: Five Things to Know, April 29, 2024

Five Things to Know, April 29, 2024

Source: April 29, 2024

1.   Secretary of State Antony Blinken is returning to the Middle East on his seventh diplomatic mission to the region since the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza began more than six months ago, the State Department said Saturday. Blinken is traveling to Saudi Arabia on Monday, just two days since arriving back in Washington after a trip to China. Blinken will attend a World Economic Forum conference and meet with Arab foreign ministers in Riyadh, the Saudi capital. An Israeli foreign ministry official says Blinken will visit Israel on Tuesday, a stop not mentioned in the State Department's announcement about Blinken's itinerary.

2.   Israeli airstrikes on the southern Gaza city of Rafah have killed at least 22 people, including six women and five children, Palestinian health officials said. One of the children killed in the strikes overnight into Monday was just 5 days old. Israel has regularly carried out airstrikes on Rafah since the start of the war and has threatened to send in ground troops, saying Rafah is the last major Hamas stronghold in the coastal enclave. Over a million Palestinians have sought refuge in the city on the Egyptian border. The United States and others have urged Israel not to invade, fearing a humanitarian catastrophe.

3.   A suspected missile attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels targeted a container ship in the Red Sea on Monday, authorities said, the latest assault in their campaign against international shipping in the crucial maritime route. The attack happened off the coast of Mokha, Yemen, the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said, without offering any other immediate details. It urged vessels to exercise caution in the area.

4.   A trial for a mass environmental injury case begins in Hawaii on Monday, more than two years after a U.S. military fuel tank facility underground poisoned thousands of people when it leaked jet fuel into Pearl Harbor's drinking water. Instead of a jury, a judge in U.S. District Court in Honolulu will hear about a lawsuit against the United States by 17 "bellwether" plaintiffs: a cross-selection of relatives of military members representing more than 7,500 others, including service members, in three federal lawsuits.

5.   With the long-awaited national security supplemental bill finalized by lawmakers last week, Congress returns to Capitol Hill this week hoping for a quicker path to passing the defense and Veterans Affairs budgets for fiscal 2025. Both Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and VA Secretary Denis McDonough will testify before congressional committees again on their respective department budget requests. Service officials will also make multiple appearances before committees this week to talk about their operations and upcoming funding needs.

Next article: Don't miss the deadlines for SAL Videos of Service, Snapshots of Service

Don't miss the deadlines for SAL Videos of Service, Snapshots of Service

Source: April 29, 2024

Sons of The American Legion are encouraged to submit entries for the annual Snapshots of Service and Videos of Service contests. Deadlines for entries are May 15 for Videos of Service, and July 22 for Snapshots of Service.

Submissions must be made by the photographer/copyright owner. Entries must be from the 2023-24 membership year.

Photos submitted to the Snapshots of Service program must represent one of the four pillars: Americanism, Children and Youth, National Security, or Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation. Each submission must be sent in JPG format and accompanied by the proper forms.

Videos of Service submissions must contain an SAL member or members wearing SAL covers or SAL-branded clothing participating in an activity or event that falls under one of three categories: program support; community engagement; or membership and recruitment.

The video must be no longer than five minutes in length and have been posted on social media. Entries will be judged by the SAL Public and Media Communications Commission on quality, content and branding.

Fillable forms for both contests are available at Legion.org/Sons/Publications under Public & Media Communications. Send completed forms to commission chairman Kevin Chaplin at sons.public.media+video@gmail.com.

Winners will be announced at the National Convention in New Orleans.

 

Next article: SAL spring meetings May 1-5 in Indianapolis

SAL spring meetings May 1-5 in Indianapolis

Source: April 26, 2024

Sons of The American Legion will gather in Indianapolis the first week of May for the SAL's spring meetings. All events will take place at the Sheraton Indianapolis City Centre Hotel, 31 W. Ohio St.

The Member Training and Development Committee is scheduled to meet from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 1. May 2's schedule includes SAL University and the Century Committee, each meeting from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Other commissions and committees will meet throughout the day on May 3-4, with the SAL National Executive Committee (NEC) scheduled to meet at 1 p.m. May 4 and at 8:45 a.m. May 5 to receive their reports. The NEC sessions are scheduled to be streamed on the SAL Facebook page.

 

Next article: New Kansas post poised to become model in long-term care

New Kansas post poised to become model in long-term care

Source: April 26, 2024

The ceremonial signing and presentation of a temporary charter for a new American Legion post Thursday synergized veterans, a long-term care company, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the son of Holocaust survivors and the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

The crescendo was the official dedication of American Legion Post 444 in Wichita, Kan., in an event where all stakeholders applauded two needs on the road to fulfillment – affordable long-term care for older veterans and employment opportunities for younger ones.

"This new post is more than just a building," U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., told a crowd of Legionnaires and others who gathered at the new Oxford Vista Senior Living Residences facility that is nearing complete restoration. "This new post will help veterans and military families in Wichita build community with one another and find new ways to continue serving our state and country. It's really a place where those who share similar experiences can find camaraderie and support, support they knew during their military service and make certain that future generations will never forget the sacrifices of the men and women who came before them and continue working to build a stronger America."

The former Masonic Home that was built more than 90 years ago recently welcomed its first independent-living resident as work continues to finish the skilled-nursing side and other areas in a phased opening. Once completed, it will have 53 independent living units, 64 assisted living units and 20 more in memory care.

The American Legion Department of Kansas has worked with Oxford Vista to get the new facility off to a good start, by bringing in the necessary 15 veterans to serve as charter members of Post 444.

"We're thrilled about it," American Legion Department of Kansas Commander Randy Frank said. "We have an opportunity to provide additional assistance to veterans who need medical assistance of different levels. There's a lot of them out there."

Post 444 Commander Joe Hicks said the opportunity to charter a new post inside the historic and massively modernized facility – and to make it "veteran-centric," as a founding investor puts it – has been smooth. 

"It's something different, and we're getting a lot of help from Oxford Vista to get started," Hicks said. "So, it's not going to be as difficult as otherwise starting with nothing. They're helping us a lot, and we'll help them in return, with activities for the residents and, of course, we're going to try to get members from outside of here, who live in the local area, to build our numbers in the Legion – new members and any of the elderly in our Wichita area who wish to live here."

A 7% veteran discount on rooms in a full-service facility that was modeled for affordability is one aspect of the project – in addition to the new post – that aims to improve housing availability for those who have served in uniform. Another aspect is that the investor group has been led by the son of Holocaust survivors who has been grateful to the U.S. Armed Forces all of his life and committed to veteran employment opportunities for the last several years.

Hymie Barber, co-founder of USA Care Living, LLC, presented the Oxford Vista project concept to the American Legion Employment & Education Commission at the Washington Conference in February. His interest in connecting with the nation's largest organization of wartime veterans spans back to a time before he was born.

"My folks were Holocaust survivors," he told The American Legion Magazine during the annual conference at the nation's capital. "They were both liberated by the U.S. Army. My father was always really grateful to the U.S. military."

Barber said he remembers that his parents frequently hosted U.S. military personnel at their home in Kentucky after they came to the United States. "They would come to our house, and I would have to step over them, as a little boy."

He grew up, he said, wanting to be just like them. "I wanted to be an Army man in the worst way. Life doesn't always work out the way you wanted it to, but I always wanted to give back."

During a 35-year career of financing health-care facilities across the country, Barber has seen, and acted upon, opportunities to fulfill his pledge to give back. His first commitment was to actively recruit and place veterans in jobs at health-care facilities he was helping. The next opportunity came when he realized that the high cost of long-term care rules out many veterans at a time when VA and state veterans homes cannot keep up with demand.

He kept hearing the same refrain in the industry: "We need an affordable model."

However, he added, "A lot of lips were moving, but nothing was getting done. We put our money where our mouth is."

Post 444 Commander Hicks is highly aware of the need the Oxford Vista facility is designed to fulfill. "A lot of veterans are struggling," he explained. "They don't have the extra money to live in these more elaborate, expensive retirement homes. This becomes affordable here, and they're offering the discount, also."

The investor group purchased the property, Oxford Vista successfully closed on it in January and went to work renovating it into a haven for veterans and their families, complete with its own brand-new American Legion post.

Legionnaires and the Kansas senator – son of a World War II veteran and a member of the Sons of The American Legion – believe the Oxford Vista project can be a model for other communities across the country.

"So many veterans who will need – or need care today – they want to be close to home," Sen. Moran said. "Veterans homes certainly serve a purpose, but having something that is in their home community is even better. The ability to get more money to be spent from Washington, D.C., is a challenge, on veterans housing, but if the private sector and the veterans can come together, like what's happening here, this is a model for the country."

He said legislation has been introduced to expand long-term care options for veterans and said he will share his story from Wichita with his colleagues in Washington. In the meantime, "We're going to figure out how, with this and other companies, we can try to encourage this to happen around the nation."

Thursday's event began when American Legion Family members – including a phalanx of American Legion Riders and their machines – rolled up to the historic entrance, raised the U.S. flag and saluted, awaiting their senator, and the birth of a new post where older veterans in residence will soon be joined by younger veterans employed there.

Barber describes the arrangement as "not a veteran-only campus, but a veteran-centric campus."

And, says Sen. Moran, that creates an opportunity at a perilous time for U.S. national security. "We face some of the most significant challenges in our country's history today," he told the crowd. "Our adversaries are aligned. And they are lining up together to see if they can create the circumstances in which Americans have little or no future as Americans. We need those who have served to remind those who haven't – we need those of an older generation to remind those of a younger generation of what it means to serve. We need to make certain that our country is prepared … and a new post suggests – and gives me hope – that America is prepared for what's to come. I am grateful that this post will give veterans in this community a place to serve, to be together, to demonstrate, to be role models, to make a difference.

"Here, we bring together an American Legion post and housing that is designed to care for those who served our country. No place in Kansas is housing in excess supply. And many veterans face homelessness. Yet, here we are making a difference by providing housing for those who served."

 

Next article: A ‘Hello Girl' recognized 

A ‘Hello Girl' recognized 

Source: April 26, 2024

On Friday, May 3, World War I U.S. Army Signal Corps veteran and "Hello Girl" Marie Edmee LeRoux will make history again. When buried almost 80 years ago in an unmarked grave, she and the other "Hello Girls" were not yet recognized as veterans by the U.S. government. To acknowledge this overdue recognition, several veterans organizations have collaborated to host a dedication ceremony with full military honors at Fort Lincoln Cemetery in Brentwood, Md. The ceremony is open to the public and media; parking is available.

During World War I, women volunteered to serve in the Signal Corps, giving the American Expeditionary Forces an operational advantage to share information on the battlefields throughout Europe. The unit connected over 26 million calls from March 1918 to January 1920, including during the Paris Peace Conference of 1919. But due to U.S. Title 10 laws of the time, they were not acknowledged as part of the Army at the war's end, even though they had served in uniform and mobilized overseas. Veteran status and benefits were not granted to the group until 1977.

The U.S. World War I Centennial Commission, VA, the Military Women's Memorial and the Doughboy Foundation collaborated on the headstone recognition ceremony. "It is an honor to pay our respects to Marie Edmee LeRoux," said WWI Centennial Commission Executive Director Dan Dayton. "We hope that soon there will be another honor for her as well; the commission is advocating that Congress honor all ‘Hello Girls,' America's first women soldiers, with a Congressional Gold Medal." (The American Legion also supports this initiative via Resolution 110).

"This collaboration has truly been a heartwarming experience," added National Cemetery Administration representative James Theres.

LeRoux was born in Montreal on Feb. 19, 1895. She served in the Signal Corps as a bilingual telephone operator. She sailed overseas on June 18, 1918, with Unit #4 and was honorably discharged on June 6, 1919. After the war, LeRoux stayed in Paris to continue music studies. She returned to the United States in December 1941, died on Jan. 9, 1945, and was buried at Fort Lincoln – receiving no VA headstone because she did not have veteran status.

The dedication ceremony's confirmed participants include LeRoux's granddaughter, representatives from the embassies of Canada and France who will lay a wreath at the headstone, and representatives of several military honor organizations. Speakers at the ceremony, which will begin at 11 a.m. EDT, will include Dayton; VA Chief of Staff Kimberly M. Jackson; and Anthony C. Woods, secretary of the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs. Phyllis Wilson, president of the Military Women's Memorial, will emcee.

"I am ecstatic all of these organizations are honoring my grandmother," said Catherine Bourgin. "It all happened so quickly. After her being in an unmarked grave for 79 years, I was able to work with the National Cemetery Administration to get an official marker for (her) grave."

The event program also includes a brass quintet from the Doughboy Foundation that will play World War I musical selections. The Maryland National Guard Honor Guard will provide burial honors, and a bugler will sound Taps in a replica "Hello Girls" uniform. Rev. Anne Weatherholt of Epiphany Episcopal Church, the only known World War I chapel in the United States, will give the invocation and benediction.

Next article: Legion Families host weekend of fundraising to help families of children needing organ transplants