Posted on 02/13/2006 3:54:48 PM PST by SandRat
/13/2006 - SAN ANTONIO (AFPN) -- Airmen worldwide will be visiting Veterans Affairs medical centers, nursing homes, state veterans homes and other facilities this week to pay tribute to hospitalized veterans.
They are helping celebrities, youth groups, community leaders, members of the general public and veterans service organizations increase community awareness of the role of the VA medical centers during the 2006 National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans week Feb. 12 to 18.
The annual salute honors hospitalized veterans and aims to increase community awareness of VA’s role in providing medical care to the nation’s veterans, and to encourage Americans to visit hospitalized veterans and work as volunteers.
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley encouraged participation in the National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans Week.
“I encourage all Airmen to get involved in the week’s events and visit our country's hospitalized veterans,” General Moseley said. “Their selfless-service in peacetime and war, here in this nation and throughout the world, secured the peace and freedoms we all enjoy. They deserve our appreciation and our time as we participate in the National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans.”
According to VA officials, the program began in 1978 when the VA took over sponsorship of a program started in 1974 by No Greater Love, Inc., a humanitarian organization. VA voluntary service staff plan and execute local activities at VA medical centers. The observance takes place during the week of Valentine’s Day because the sentiments of caring and sharing match the Salute’s purpose of expressing honor and appreciation to hospitalized veterans.
For 14 years, the late newspaper columnist Ann Landers devoted her column in January to the national salute, asking readers to send Valentine cards and letters to hospitalized veterans at their nearest VA medical centers. According to VA officials, more than 1 million cards and letters are sent to VA patients each year during the salute.
The goal of the program is to make people aware that there are many veterans in hospitals across the country and the best thing people can do is contact their local VA medical center and ask how to participate, said Rick Gillette, program specialist for Department of Veterans Affairs voluntary service office.
“Every day there are individual victories at VA Medical Centers across the country,” said Richard Petty, this year’s National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans chairman, in a letter to NASCAR fans. “In addition to our young men and women returning from the war in Iraq, all our veterans are in need of fans to cheer them on to victory in their race to accomplish the day-to-day activities that we so easily take for granted.”
Remembering - Honoring
BTTT
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.