October 09, 2005

Most of you who scan for and read this page will note the new picture of the President, at the right. The picture was taken in Augusta, GA, December 4, 2004, when the beautiful Korean War Monument was dedicated. One of America's outstanding young Korean citizens and his family were forces behind that monument - Mr. Eugene Chin Yu. The KWVA veterans "who made it happen," for the most part, were in North Augusta, South Carolina Chapter 255.

At National Convention 2005, just concluded, Mr. Chin Yu was honored with a life honorary membership in the Association. Mr. Chin Yu and the Chapter were represented at the Convention by four great members who also brought a contribution of $1,600 to the KWVA Disaster Relief Fund. Great and generous members, proud veterans, are grown in that Savannah River Valley. Thank you, Chapter 255 and the Chin Yu Family.

CONVENTION 2005

The KWVA Convention 2005 was held in spite of two major natural disasters, a disrupted local economy weighed down with tens of thousands of evacuees, military deployments, FEMA and federal and state emergency field headquarters imported into the area, and many other factors. The Convention was almost universally hailed as the best ever - it will certainly be one very hard to match and impossible to surpass, overall. I welcome this opportunity to acknowledge a small group of people who arrived early and without whose labors to assist me there would been a much less satisfactory convention: Chris Yanacos, Steve Szekely, Charley Price, Cheryl Diamond, and my dear wife, Marietta. Tine Martin arrived somewhat later and completed the dynamic trio of "doers" - Yanacos, Szekely, Martin. Later on, Jodie Buckman helped fill some gaps. Thanks to all of you, and to all of our other members who helped to make this a memorable convention for the KWVA.

The Minutes will be out in proper time. For now I will share some of my own impressions.

From the opening event - a newly established annual memorial service - and its dynamic speaker, Rear Admiral Harold L. Robinson, USN Chaplain Corps, assisted by newly appointed KWVA Chaplain Leonard Stegman (KWVA now has two National Chaplains) - it was an exceptional convention.

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The attendance, examples and constant mixing by two Korean War MOH honorees - Colonel James Stone and SFC Ron Rosser - throughout the convention was motivational, to say the least.

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The meeting of the Executive Council was another step in maturity of our organizations leadership. It was the first meeting of the Council in several years attended by all members, and the first one in several years with a full agenda which was completely considered.

And the Annual Meeting was a vigorous and spirited affair, which, among other matters, adopted new bylaws for the KWVA!

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The closing banquet was attended by over 400 persons, many from the local communities left standing as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, James Nicholson, spoke of the current VA disaster relief operations as well as bringing a salute to the men who began the ultimate downfall of the Iron Curtain by fighting back in KOREA, over 55 years ago. The entire Executive Council and KWVA officers, Colonel Stone, MOH, appointed KWVA officials, and all VA hospital and regional personnel were introduced to the banquet through a Cordon of Honor - they deserved it!

FEDERAL CHARTER

I hope that you will view our homepage status-keeper of the Senators and Representatives that show their REGARD for the veterans of Korea. We welcome one Senator and three Representatives that signed on this week: Senator Tom Coburn, R, OK, and Representatives Robert E Andrews, D, NJ; Roscoe G Bartlett, R, MD; and Dan Boren, D, OK. Thank you, Gentlemen.

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Convention 2006, San Antonio, Texas, viva and ole!! Between now and then I'll be seeing you in The Graybeards, at www.kwva.org, on the road and in the elections. God bless America and her fighting forces, Valley Forge through 2005!

National President