Letter: Veterans posts deserve support
The Herald on Sunday, March 13, carried an article about an Air Force veteran who stepped up to keep open a VFW Post in Wood Dale. I read this article with joy, because so many VFW, American Legion and AMVETS Posts are facing a similar reckoning. Veterans' outposts are important, in that they cannot only provide refuge, but they can also be that place that acts as a catalyst for gathering support to make change, like support for better medical care for individuals exposed to toxic environments.
It is my belief that as a veteran, taking an oath to protect and defend, that you need to continue that support of your brothers and sisters, even after you stop wearing that uniform. A great step in that direction is to join a post. By doing so, you are serving not only your community of fellow service men and women, but also your neighbors.
By keeping posts alive, communities have a gathering place for things like local church fish frys, family celebrations and space for specialized groups to meet like AA, diet and exercise groups and those doing charitable works like food pantries, blood drives and packing up gifts for service members, children and others, near and far, not only at Christmastime, but during times of need.
In my own world, I am looking for fellow vets, whether you were stateside or overseas, Guard or Reserve, to join me at the Wheeling AMVETS Post to continue to serve each other and our communities, keeping that post alive and vibrant for another generation. We do have a commander, but overall, we are a small group of active participants, with most of us wearing multiple hats. We need more members to keep up the work. If you live in Wheeling, Prospect Heights, Buffalo Grove, Arlington Heights, Palatine, Long Grove, Lincolnshire or Vernon Hills and beyond, you are only a short drive away. I'm asking you, my fellow vet, to invest a couple of hours a month by coming to a general meeting on the second Tuesday of the month. I think you will find it worth your time and effort.
James (Jim) Schultz, Service Officer
Wheeling AMVETS Post 66