freedom is not free - vilas county news-review is not free 2017 a special publication of the vilas...

Memorial Day PreviewSoldiers’ StoriesVeterans ServicesActive-Duty Military Profiles

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freedom is not free

2017

A Special Publication of the Vilas County News-Review and The Three Lakes News

MILITARY SALUTE VILAS COUNTY NEWS-REVIEW/THE THREE LAKES NEWS WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 2017

We salute and supportAmerica’s veterans andactive military personnel!

We salute and supportAmerica’s veterans andactive military personnel!

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 2017 VILAS COUNTY NEWS-REVIEW/THE THREE LAKES NEWS MILITARY SALUTE PAGE 3

Men and women who died in military ac-tion for their country will be rememberedduring Memorial Day services in communi-ties across the North Woods.

Veterans, area residents, government of-ficials and North Woods visitors are wel-come to attend all the ceremonies.

Veterans organizations in Eagle River,Three Lakes, Land O’ Lakes, Phelps,Rhinelander and Woodruff have providedthe following details of Memorial Dayweekend programs.

Eagle RiverThe Eagle River Memorial Day cere-

mony is scheduled for Monday, May 29, at11 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Park (frontgrounds of the Vilas County Courthouse) inEagle River.

Ceremony participants are asked to as-semble at 10:45 a.m. at the park. In theevent of rain, the program will be held atNorthland Pines High School.

The program will open with the North-land Pines High School band and choir per-forming the “The Star-Spangled Banner,”followed by the 8th Wisconsin ArtilleryCompany cannon salute.

The master of ceremonies will be retiredU.S. Marine Corps Col. Michael Biszek. TheRev. Jim Fosdick will lead the openingprayer. The band will perform a medley ofArmed Forces songs.

World War II and Korean War veteranHarvey Hyslop of Eagle River will be theguest speaker. Bagpipe music will be pro-vided by Tom McKale of the Emerald Soci-ety of Wisconsin and the GreaterMilwaukee Fire/Po lice Pipes and Drums.

Other highlights of the program will in-clude the placing of poppies at the Tomb ofthe Unknown Soldier by Eagle River areaBoy Scouts and Girl Scouts, a reading of thenames of the fallen by the Veterans ServiceOffice, and Hyslop and Vilas County BoardChairman Ron DeBruyne laying a wreathat the tomb. There will be another cannonsalute from the 8th Wisconsin ArtilleryCompany, followed by a moment of silence.

The Northland Pines choir and band willperform “America the Beautiful,” followedby a rifle salute by Veterans of ForeignWars (VFW) Post 8637 and the playing oftaps by the band. There will be another can-non salute, the benediction by Fosdick andthe band will sing “Amazing Grace.”McKale will conclude the program with abagpipe solo.

For more information, contact the VilasCounty Veterans Service Office at (715)479-3629.

Three LakesMemorial Day in Three Lakes will be ob-

served Monday, May 29. The program willstart at 10 a.m. with a solemn processionfrom the Three Lakes Winery down Supe-rior Street to the Three Lakes Cemetery.

The procession will include The Ameri-can Legion Color Guard and Firing Squad,the Legion Auxiliary, the Three Lakes LionsClub and the Three Lakes High School

band.The ceremony at the cemetery will begin

at 10:15 a.m. and honor those who haveserved and given their lives for this coun-try. Three Lakes High School seniors (to beannounced) will serve as guest speakers forthe event.

The program will conclude with the na-tional flags at the cemetery and CyWilliams Park raised to full staff. The pub-lic is encouraged to attend.

In the event of bad weather, the programwill be held in the Three Lakes School gym-nasium at 10 a.m. For more informationabout the program, contact The AmericanLegion at (715) 546-3431.

St. GermainThe town of St. Germain will hold its

Memorial Day services Sunday, May 28, at1:30 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Park lo-cated on the corner of highways 155 and 70.

The Memorial Day service will include

the changing of the flag at the memorial. Aveteran will give a speech and music will beprovided by disc jockey Wildfire.

For more information, contact the St.Germain Area Chamber of Commerce at(715) 477-2205.

Land O’ LakesThere will be a Memorial Day service at

the Land O’ Lakes cemetery Monday, May29, at 11 a.m. with a light lunch to follow atVFW Post 8400. Call the Land O’ LakesChamber of Commerce to confirm the ser-vice as the date approaches at (715) 547-3432.

PhelpsThere will be a Memorial Day service in

Phelps Monday, May 29, at 1 p.m. at thecemetery. There will be a roll call for thedead and flag placement. For updated infor-mation, contact the Phelps Chamber ofCommerce at (715) 545-3800.

RhinelanderThe Oneida County Veterans Council

will host a Memorial Day service Monday,May 29. Cemetery ceremonies are plannedat 8 a.m. at Newbold Cemetery; 8:30 a.m. atNorthland Memorial Park; 9 a.m. at ForestHome Cemetery; and 9:30 a.m. at Our LordCemetery.

Memorial Day services will be held atRhinelander High School beginning at ap-proximately 11 a.m.

Guest speaker will be Ken Grant, divi-sion administrator for the Wisconsin De-partment of Veterans Affairs.

For more information about the court-house and cemetery ceremonies, contact theOneida County Veterans Service Office at(715) 369-6127.

The Oneida County Veterans Council in-cludes members of The American Legion,American Veterans, Disabled American Vet-erans, Marine Corps League and Veteransof Foreign Wars.

Memorial Day services set in North

Memorial Day services will be held in communities across the NorthWoods Monday, May 29. St. Germain will hold its program Sunday,

May 28. This was a scene during the Three Lakes Memorial Day pro-gram in 2016. —NEWS-REVIEW PHOTO


Hunter is a 2014 graduate of Three LakesHigh School and a May 2015 graduate of Nico-let College with a welding degree. He graduatedfrom boot camp at Great Lakes Naval Base inAugust 2015, completing A-School training asan electrician.

He is currently stationed in Sasebo, Japan,since June 2016. His ship is the USS Patriot(MCM-7).

Hunter’s current rank is an EN4 Petty Offi-cer 3rd Class.

His father is Jon Raatz of Edgar, and hismother is Johna (Terry) Schulz of Three Lakes.He has three brothers, Mitch Raatz of LaCrosse, Will Raatz of Edgar, and Val Schulz ofThree Lakes. Hunter’s fiancée is HeatherChristie.

Hunter J. Raatz

Sean is a 2010 graduate of NorthlandPines High School.

He graduated boot camp at Fort LeonardWood in Missouri.

He served in many deployments overseas.Sean has received many achievements andawards while serving.

Sean is a Sergeant Special Forces GreenBeret, now serving in the Pacific Islands.

Sean’s parents are John and Susan Macekof Eagle River, Wis.

Sean M. Macek

Master Sergeant Ken Busko assumed hisduties as the SSG Todd R. Cornell NCOAcademy Operations Sergeant on Aug. 14,2014. In his previous position, he was assignedas Brigade Logistic Noncommissioned OfficerIn Charge for the 96th Sustainment Brigade,Salt Lake City, Utah.

Master Sergeant Busko enlisted into theU.S. Army on July 27, 1982, from MilwaukeeWis., and completed his basic and advanced in-dividual training at Fort Jackson, S.C. He hasserved in a variety of positions in the activeguard and reserve program since July 1985.His key Noncommissioned Officer assignmentsincluded Battle Staff Instructor at Fort McCoy,Wis.

His parents are Gary and Mae Busko ofEagle River, Wis.

Kenneth M. Busko

Andrew is a 2016 graduate of NorthlandPines High School.

He graduated from boot camp at LacklandAir Force Base in November 2016.

He graduated Tech School at Sheppard AirForce Base with a certificate in AerospacePropulsion. He is assigned to Moody Air ForceBase in Valdosta, Ga.

Andrew’s rank is Airman and while at bootcamp he received a marksman award.

Proud parents are Rick and Heidi Neis ofEagle River; sister Meagan Neis, also of EagleRiver; and sister Taylor Neis, of Chicago, Ill.

Andrew J. Neis

PFC William “Will” Starke has just com-pleted 10 months of AIT training at Ft.Huachuca, Ariz., as part of his WI Army NationalGuard responsibilities. He is now certified as aMilitary Intelligence Integrator and maintainer.While there, Will was Squad Leader, chosen forSoldier of the Month in February and played onthe Alpha Company soccer team — going on towin the championship.

After returning home for the summer anddoing monthly WI National Guard duty, he willattend St. Norbert College in De Pere as afreshman. He plans to join the ROTC programas well as continue with the WI Army NationalGuard.

Will is a 2016 graduate of Three LakesHigh School and the son of Kim and GinnyStarke of Eagle River.

William ‘Will’ Starke

Brett is a 2011 graduate of Northland PinesHigh School. He graduated from boot camp atGreat Lakes Naval Base in August 2013.

He was stationed in Bahrain from January2014 to February 2016. His ship was the USSGladiator. He is currently stationed in Hawaiisince February 2016. His ship is the USS Hop-per DDG 70. The USS Hopper was deployed tothe Middle East from August 2016 to February2017.

Brett’s current rank is an EN2 2nd Class PettyOfficer. While serving in the Navy, he has beenawarded a Letter of Commendation and fiveNavy Achievement Medals.

His parents are Anne and Rick Mai of St. Ger-main, Wis., sister, Nicole Mai of Iowa City, Iowa,and sister, Ashley Mai of St. Germain, andGrandma Debra Mai of Chippewa Falls, Wis.

Brett S. Mai


The American Legion and The Veteransof Foreign Wars (VFW) have been aroundfor about 100 years and although they areseparate associations, they work together toserve all military veterans.

For many years, both organizations werehoused in separate quarters in Eagle River,but they have since combined operationsand now are under one roof at 418 W. PineSt. (Highway 70 West).

“We were working on it for about fouryears and officially we joined togetherabout 18 months ago,” said Legion Com-mander Michael Vinovich.

Vinovich, an Army veteran, and VFWPost 8637 commander and Marine Corpsveteran Dennis Geiseman say the two asso-ciations share a common goal — to makelife better for all military veterans and theirfamilies.

The Legion chapter previously was lo-cated on Highway 45, south of Eagle River,and was easily identified by the huge ArmyCobra helicopter which once saw duty inVietnam. That chopper now sits over theVFW building in Eagle River.

How was it moved? “I have no idea,” Vi-novich joked. “I woke up one morning andthere it was.”

The Legion and VFW decided to consoli-date as membership totals began falling,explained the commanders.

“With numbers dwindling, we had tomake a decision. Where are we going to bein five years? We started making contactwith the VFW a few years ago to get theball rolling. We kind of combined our honorguards. We both wear our own separateuniforms, but we drill and perform the vitalsalute at the appropriate ceremonies,” saidthe Legion’s Vinovich.

“With the internet and social media, youdon’t see younger veterans joining the

American Legion and the VFW as much asin previous generations,” said the VFW’sGeiseman.

Currently, the Legion has 116 membersand the VFW 240.

Both organizations sponsor manyfundraisers to help veterans in a variety ofways, thanks to dedicated members andmany volunteers.

Gieseman said that the support fromthe community is vital to sustaining opera-tions at the post.

“Every event we do is supported by bothmembers and the community at large. Thepost is open to the public, whose support isessential. Our fish fry and Chicago night,for example, attract many veterans andnon-veterans and we’re appreciative of thatcontinued support,” he said.

Roundtable plannedIn furtherance of this mission, a free

roundtable is planned for Tuesday, June 6,at the Eagle River post from 11 a.m. to 1p.m. All veterans and family members arewelcome and lunch is included.

“You don’t have to be a member. Ifthey’re having problems financially, medi-cally, any type of PTSD, or families who lostloved ones, we are going to have people dealwith that,” Geiseman said.

The roundtable is one of many plannedto help veterans navigate through the mazeof red tape often associated with servicesprovided by the Department of Veterans Af-fairs (VA).

The VA’s recently-adopted Choice Pro-gram, for example, which allows vets to getcare outside the VA system, received $10billion to hire more doctors, nurses andmedical staff at VA facilities. But thingshave been anything but smooth, many vet-erans complain.

VA officials have acknowledged that theChoice Program, put in place in 2014, hashad problems providing timely care. Newly-appointed VA Secretary David Shulkin haspledged to make a new effort to speed ac-cess to private facilities. An estimated 1million of the 9 million veterans have usedsome form of Choice care.

“The purpose of the roundtable is tohelp all veterans and start making changewhere it needs to be made,” said Geiseman.“They’re not just going to come here andvent. We’re going to make it happen.”

Still two organizationsDespite combining operations in Eagle

River, the Legion and VFW are two distinctorganizations with different eligibility re-quirements for membership.

The American Legion was started duringWorld War I by a group of 20 officers whoserved in the American ExpeditionaryForces in France to boost troop morale. Thegroup coalesced into a formal organizationand adopted the name “The American Le-gion” in 1919 and the same year was char-tered by Congress as a patriotic mutualwartime veterans organization, which nowhas more than 2 million members world-wide.

Eligibility for American Legion member-ship is limited to honorably discharged vet-erans and current personnel of the U.S.Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard orAir Force who served at least one day of ac-tive duty during certain periods rangingfrom 1917 to today.

The VFW’s roots date back to 1899, butit wasn’t officially created until 1914 and

today numbers about 1.4 million members. To be a member of the VFW, an individ-

ual must be a U.S. citizen or national withan honorable discharge from the U.S. mili-tary, or currently serving in the U.S. Army,Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force or CoastGuard. Membership also requires militaryservice overseas during an operation or con-flict.

In addition to helping fellow veteranswith financial, social and emotional sup-port, the American Legion and the VFW areactive leaders in their communities in suchareas as mentoring youth groups, helpingin community food kitchens, holding raffles,making contributions to worthy charitiesand volunteering at blood drives.

The Eagle River VFW Post’s website ismyvfw.org/wi/post8637/post-information.

American Legion, VFW under one roofin Eagle River to assist area veterans

American Legion Commander Michael Vinovich (left), an Army veteran, and VFW Post 8637Commander Dennis Geiseman, a Marine veteran, say the two organizations came togetherunder one roof to serve all military veterans. —Photos By Joe Costanza

An Army Cobra helicopter that served in Vietnam towers over the combined VFW-AmericanLegion home in Eagle River on West Pine Street.

Signage at the Eagle River veterans centershows emblems of both the American Le-gion and VFW.

___________BY JOE COSTANZA

SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-REVIEW___________


On Monday, May 29, we will pay our re-spects and remember the sacrifices of thosebrave men and women who gave the ulti-mate sacrifice — their life — to protect ourcountry and our freedoms.

This year, many cities and towns willhonor our heroes for the 152nd time, a re-membrance that has special meaning to allcitizens of this great country. We all will ob-serve Memorial Day in different ways.Many will hang a flag on their porch, somefamilies will gather for a moment of silence,and some will visit a cemetery and place aflag on a veteran’s grave.

This year, I ask that you attend an eventin your community, honor the fallen andsupport the survivors. As our 16th Presi-dent Abraham Lincoln once said at Gettys-burg, Penn., “It is for us, the living, rather tobe dedicated to the unfinished work, whichthey who fought here have thus far so noblycarried on. It is rather for us to be here ded-icated to the task remaining before us; thatfrom these honored dead we take increaseddevotion to the cause for which they gavethe last full measure of devotion; that wehere highly resolve that these dead shallnot have died in vain; that the nation shall,under God, have a new birth of freedom;and that government of the people by thepeople and for the people shall not perish

from the Earth.”Please join us on Monday, May 29, at 11

a.m. in front of the Vilas County Court-house in Eagle River.

Michael Biszek, U.S. Marine Corps, Ret.,is the Vilas County veterans service officer.He can be reached at (715) 479-3629.

Let’s honor the fallenthis Memorial DayCharles “Charlie” Starke commissioned as

a 2nd Lieutenant upon graduation from the U.S.Military Academy at West Point in New York inMay 2016, with a degree in Physics. After ashort time at home, he served six months at Ft.Sill, Okla., attending the Air Defense ArtilleryBasic Officer Leadership Course.

In December 2016, Charlie flew to SouthKorea where he is currently posted at KunsanAir Base with Alpha Battery, 2-1 Air Defense Ar-tillery Battalion serving as the Executive Officer.Charlie is a 2012 graduate of Three Lakes

High School and is the son of Kim and GinnyStarke of Eagle River.

Awards: Army Service Ribbon; Global Waron Terrorism Ribbon; Korean Defense ServiceMedal; and Army Service Medal.

Charles ‘Charlie’ Starke

VILAS COUNTY

NEWS-REVIEWEagle River Vindicator Established 1886

Eagle River Review 1890 Vilas County News 1892

Publisher KURT KRUEGEREditor GARY RIDDERBUSCH

Assistant Editor DOUG ETTENLifestyle Editor MICHELLE DOOLITTLE

Production Manager JEAN DREWAssistant Production Manager ELIZABETH BOULDEN

Circulation Manager ELIZABETH SCHMIDTAccounting Manager TERRY POSTO

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Advertising KURT KRUEGER STEVE WAIERMARY JO ADAMOVICH JO DANIEL

Published by Eagle River Publications, Inc., P.O. Box 1929, 425 W. Mill St. at

Eagle River, Wisconsin 54521e-mail: [email protected]

vcnewsreview.comPhone 715-479-4421 • Fax 715-479-6242

SaluteMilitary

2017

MONDAYS & TUESDAYS

• Rhinelander Trig’s Liquor, 6:30 a.m. (at the earliest)

• Lake Tomahawk Sloan Comm. Ctr.• Woodruff Corner Hwys. 47 & 51• Arbor Vitae The Store (Hwys. 51 & 70)• St. Germain Krist Gas Station• Eagle River VFW, Hwy. 70 West• Iron Mountain VAMC

WEDNESDAYS & THURSDAYS

• Rhinelander Trig’s Liquor6:30 a.m. (at the earliest)

• Monico Marathon Gas Station• Crandon Courthouse (front)• Laona Fire Station (back)• Cavour Corner Hwys. 8 & 139• Armstrong Creek Store & Gas Station• Iron Mountain VAMC

Disabled American Veterans Van Routes

Reservation line (715) 369-6227

___________BY MICHAEL BISZEK


MICHAEL BISZEK

The 24-note melancholy bugle call knownas “taps” is thought to be a revision of aFrench bugle signal, called “tattoo,” that no-tified soldiers to cease an evening’s drinkingand return to their garrisons.

It was sounded an hour before the finalbugle call to end the day by ex tinguishingfires and lights. The last five measures of thetattoo resemble taps.

The word taps is an alteration of the ob-solete word “taptoo,” derived from the Dutch“taptoe.” Taptoe was the command — “Taptoe!” — to shut or “toe to” the tap of a keg.

The revision that gave us present-daytaps was made during America’s Civil Warby Union Gen. Daniel Adams Butterfield,heading a brigade camped at Harrison Land-ing, Va., near Richmond. Up to that time, theU.S. Army’s infantry call to end the day wasthe French final call, “L’Extinction des feux.”

Gen. Butterfield decided the “lights out”music was too formal to signal the day’s end.One day in July 1862, he recalled the tattoomusic and hummed a version of it to an aide,who wrote it down in music. Butterfield thenasked the brigade bugler, Oliver W. Norton,to play the notes and, after listening, length-ened and shortened them while keeping his

original melody.He ordered Norton to play this new call

at the end of each day thereafter, instead ofthe regulation call. The music was heard andappreciated by other brigades, who asked forcopies and adopted this bugle call. It waseven adopted by Confederate buglers.

This music was made the official Armybugle call after the war, but not given thename “taps” until 1874.

The first time taps was played at a mili-tary funeral may also have been in Virginia,soon after Butterfield composed it. UnionCapt. John Tidball ordered it played for theburial of a cannoneer killed in action. Notwanting to reveal the battery’s position inthe woods to the enemy nearby, Tidball sub-stituted taps for the traditional three riflevolleys fired over the grave.

Taps was played at the funeral of Confed-erate Gen. Stonewall Jackson 10 months af-ter it was composed. Army in fantryregulations by 1891 required taps to beplayed at military funeral ceremonies.

Taps now is played by the military atburial and memorial services, to accompanythe lowering of the flag and to signal the“lights out” command at day’s end.

The story of ‘taps’


Cell Phones for Soldiers is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides cost-freecommunications services to active-duty mil-itary members and veterans.

The organization was founded in 2004 byRobbie and Brittany Bergquist, then 12 and13 years old, with only $21.

Cell Phones for Soldiers relies on donorsfor cash contributions and funds raised bythe recycling of used cell phones.

Since 2004, Cell Phones for Soldiers hasprovided soldiers with more than 220 millionminutes of free talk time and distributedmore than 3.2 million international callingcards. And since 2004, more than 11.7 mil-lion cell phones have been recycled, reducingthe impact on landfills.

In 2014, Cell Phones for Soldiers dis-tributed more than 10 million minutes of freetalk time and more than 160,000 calling

cards.A $5 donation warrants two and one-half

hours of talk time; a $100 donation gives 50hours or 3,000 minutes of talk time.

In 2012, Cell Phones for Soldiers launchedits newest program, Helping Heroes Home,a program that provides emergency funds forreturning veterans to alleviate communica-tions challenges as well as physical, emo-tional and assimilation hardships.

Since July 2012, Helping Heroes Homehas assisted more than 2,700 veterans andtheir families with emergency funding.

There are more than 3,800 public collec-tion points for Cell Phones for Soldiers acrossthe nation.

A collection box is located at Eagle RiverVeterans of Foreign Wars Post 8637, locatedat 418 W. Pine St. in Eagle River. Drop-offtimes are between 2 and 6 p.m. daily.

Cell Phones for Soldiers has local collection box

The fastest growing population group inthe military today is women who currentlycomprise 14.5% of active duty personneland 18% of National Guard and Reserves.

Correspondingly, the face of Veterans Af-fairs (VA) health care is changing. Youngerfemale veterans are using VA services morefrequently, including for maternity care,and having service-connected disabilities,while older ones are using VA services formenopausal needs, geriatric care and ex-tended inpatient stays.

From 2000 to ’13, women veterans usingVA services have more than doubled, from159,000 to 390,000.

Over 1,100 women veterans were servedand cared for in 2016 at the Oscar G. John-son VA Medical Center in Iron Mountain,Mich., and its seven community-based out-patient clinics throughout the Upper Penin-sula and northern Wisconsin.

Locally, the Rhinelander VA Commu-nity-Based Outpatient Clinic at 639 W.Kemp St. served 204 female patients.

The VA provides a full continuum of carefor women veterans, including comprehen-sive gender-specific primary and specialtycare, mental-health services, disease pre-vention and screening, maternity care coor-dination, and urgent-care services.

Enhanced maternity care is typicallyprovided through arrangements made bythe VA with local non-VA health providers.The VA also provides maternity educationand tools, childbirth preparation, breast-feeding support and lactation classes,breast pumps and other supplies, and careto the newborn for the first seven days afterbirth.

The VA Medical Center and each VAcommunity clinic have designated healthproviders and nurses who are trained inwomen’s health.

“By having trained gender-specificproviders at the medical center and each ofour community clinics, we can offer ourwomen veterans comprehensive care in a

single visit,” said Barbara Robinson, RN,Women Veterans Program manager.

Women’s health services provided by theOscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center havecontinued to excel in clinical practices andcare for women veterans.

This is evidenced by the independentExternal Peer Review Program’s clinic mea-sures, which shows the Iron Mountain-based VA Medical Center consistentlyscreened 85% or more of its age-appropri-ate women veterans for breast and cervicalcancers and osteoporosis exceeding regionaland national averages.

“As the population of women veteransgrows, the number being treated for breastcancer continues to increase, so it is veryimportant to us that our women veteransget screened, because when breast cancer isdetected in its very early stage, chances of asuccessful treatment are much higher,” saidRobinson.

To provide more timely and comprehen-sive health-care services to women veter-ans, the medical center opened a separateWomen’s Wellness Clinic in 2012, whichalso offers a private waiting area for womenand their children while waiting for ap-pointments.

Another enhancement to women veter-ans health care is the establishment of theVA Women Veterans Call Center, which pro-vides a one-stop contact for getting informa-tion on benefits, eligibility, services andresources specifically for women veterans.

The center also offers an online one-to-one anonymous chat function via real-timetext messaging, accessible by going to wom-enshealth.va.gov and clicking on the iconlabeled “Chat with the Women VeteransCall Center.”

The call center is available Mondaysthrough Fridays, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. andSaturdays from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. (EasternTime).

Community-based VA clinics are locatedin Rhinelander, and Sault Saint Marie,Manistique, Marquette, Hancock, Ironwood

and Menominee, Mich.For more information regarding women

veterans health care, go to womens -health.va.gov, or call the local VA WomenVeterans Program Manager at 1-(800) 215-

8262, ext. 32388.

Brad Nelson is the public affairs officerat Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center in Iron Mountain, Mich.

She has served tooVA provides comprehensive care to women veterans

___________BY BRAD NELSON


Nurse Practioner Anna Rosen examines Army Veteran Emily Marheine at the Rhinelander VACommunity Based Outpatient Clinic at 639 W. Kemp St. —Contributed Photo


Memorial Day is a day of remembrancefor those who gave their lives in sacrificefor the freedom of this great nation, em-bodied by parades, U.S. flags placed ongravestones at Arlington National Ceme-tery, flags flying at half-staff, listening tothe melody known as taps and other rec-ognizable symbols.

The symbols aforementioned are just afew of the reminders we as Americans aregiven so that we can take a few momentsout of our day to thank those we’ve lost fortheir courage and dedication.

Symbols are an essential part of anycelebration, but when it comes to Memo-rial Day, the many famous symbols invokefeelings of pride, nostalgia, grief and otheremotions.

The infamous trumpet/bugle solo,known as taps, dates back to the CivilWar. Arguably one of the most recogniz-able and emotionally invoked melodies inthe world, taps was not always used atmilitary funerals or to remember thosewho have lost their lives.

The bugle call was originally used tosignal “lights out” for soldiers. Soon afterit was written, however, it started to beplayed at military funerals. The tune be-came the official song of military funeralsin the year 1891.

Today, the tune is an unmistaken,somber melody that virtually everyoneknows and recognizes to symbolize re-membrance of our fallen soldiers.

Another symbol that truly embodiesthe idea of Memorial Day is the Tomb ofthe Unknown Soldier. The tomb is locatedat Arlington National Cemetery in Vir-ginia and looks over the city of Washing-ton, D.C.

The tomb is dedicated to all of the sol-diers lost in battle, but who were unableto be identified. Unidentified soldiers fromWorld War I, World War II, the KoreanWar and the Vietnam War rest at theTomb of the Unknowns. The tomb isguarded 24 hours a day, seven days aweek, 365 days a year, no matter theweather conditions.

The changing of the guard is amongsome of the most famous ceremonies. It isconsidered a high honor to be a guard ofthe tomb. These soldiers who rest at the

tomb gave their lives to combat the forcesof evil and to protect the freedoms of thisgreat nation. This monument ensures thateven those who cannot be named are stillhonored and never forgotten.

The third symbol that I believe trulyrepresents the idea of remembrance is fly-ing the U.S. flag at half-staff until noon onMemorial Day.

On any given day, to remember some-one who has fallen, a flag is flown at half-staff throughout the entire day. However,on Memorial Day, the flag is flown at half-staff only until noon. This is to honor thefallen in the morning, and to respect theveterans who are still with us today dur-ing the afternoon hours. This tradition ismeant to signal that there is hope afterdeath.

The history of the flag flying at half-staff dates back to the early 1900s, whenan Army manual had rules and regula-tions in it pertaining to how to fly the flagduring a military funeral. Then, in 1924,the U.S. Congress codified this traditionwhen they passed U.S. Code Title 4, Sec-tion 6, which sets the standards for flagrules.

These symbols are just a few of themany ways to observe the final Monday inMay. On this Memorial Day, please enjoythe freedoms that have been protected byall of those brave men and women who areno longer with us.

I encourage you to place a wreath atthe cemetery and attend a parade withyour loved ones. Spend time with yourfriends and family, wear the red, white

and blue with pride, and most impor-tantly, take a moment out of your day toreflect and remember those who made theultimate sacrifice.

Thank you to our service men and -women for all that you have done and con-tinue to do for Americans and the peopleof this great nation. Gone, but not forgot-ten. God bless.

Memorial Day symbols can invokefeelings of pride, nostalgia, emotion

EAGLE RIVER, WI • WWW.AWI.EDU • 715-337-0122

WELD TO A BRIGHTER FUTURE

Thank you for our freedom!

O’Brien,Anderson,Burgy &Garbowicz, LLP

ESTABLISHED 1927

Attorneys At LawPlease supportour veterans,soldiers andmilitary families.

STATE REP. ROB SWEARINGEN

___________BY STATE REP. ROB SWEARINGEN

34TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT___________

THANK A VETFOR YOUR FREEDOM


Lenton Williams, 96, of Phelps, was astaff sergeant in the Army Air Corps dur-ing World War II from 1941 to 1945, enlist-ing one week after the bombing of PearlHarbor.

“It was a different war — they attackedus!” said Williams.

Like Williams, many young men, andsome women, left their families and homesand enlisted in the various servicebranches. Williams explained his begin-nings in the service.

“As they couldn’t place me right away, Iwas called to report to Camp Grand in Illi-nois a few months later,” said Williams.

Williams was then transferred to CapeCod, Mass., for submarine patrol. He vol-unteered for hazardous duty and wastransferred to Colorado for armamenttraining.

It wasn’t long and Williams was headedto California, where the soldiers boardedthe USS Mount Vernon, a converted pas-senger ship, traveling 30 days across theocean to Australia to avoid the Japanesesubs. The soldiers then traveled on to Bom-

bay, India. Williams then took a trainacross India to a British camp outside Cal-cutta.

From there, Williams flew over the Hi-malayas, “flying the hump” in a two-engineplane. The soldiers then flew through thevalleys to an area 40 miles outsideChengtu, China, an area of rivers and ricepaddies. Their mission was to build AirForce bases to bring in the B-29 bombersthat had just been developed by Boeing forthe war effort.

The four Air Force bases in various ar-eas outside Chengtu were built with thehelp of Chinese labor. They used large ce-ment rollers to flatten runways and Chi-nese adults and children broke up rocks tomake fine gravel for the runways. The fourbases were separate, but in near proximityto confuse the Japanese, who did not ex-pect to have so many air bases in one area,preventing some attacks.

Williams said his duty in Chengtu wasvery hazardous. Chinese bandits ranthrough their camps. He said most of theChinese provinces were controlled by war-lords and there was no central authority inChina once away from the coast.

“When the Chinese who were workingin the fields left before their day was done,it was a warning sign that a Japanese mis-sion was coming that night,” said Williams.

Once the B-29s arrived at the bases,Williams, as a armament sergeant, wouldarm and rearm the planes, checking thebombs and fueling them for their next mis-sion. Most of the flying missions were tothe mainland of Japan and againstJapanese forces controlling Burma andeastern China, where the Japanese hadcontrolled most of the coast.

When the B-29s came back from mis-sions, many pilots were found to be injuredand planes were damaged, according toWilliams.

Near the end of the war with Japan,Williams returned to India where he ser-viced planes. He was then sent to Guam atthe end of the war and then Saipan for ashort time before returning to the UnitedStates on a Liberty Ship. He landed inSeattle, Wash., and took a train back toChicago.

Williams said the government releasedas many soldiers as it could as soon as thewar was over, returning the young menand women to their families.

“World War II was the largest mobiliza-tion ever,” said Williams.

After returning home to Oak Park, Ill.,Williams met his wife, Helen, on the ele-vated train from Chicago to Oak Park. Shealso had volunteered after the Japaneseattack on Pearl Harbor.

Helen was one of the first women in theMarines Corps, being a staff sergeant. Shewas trained in library science at the Uni-versity of Indiana in Bloomington, Ind.She was then sent to Philadelphia, Pa.,and then to Norfolk, Va., to set up militarylibraries, filling the void left by maleMarines who were being deployed over-seas.

After the war, Helen worked at the Vet-erans Administration in Chicago. Her pic-ture and information on her service in theMarine Corps can be found on the wall ofthe Women’s Memorial in Arlington Na-tional Cemetery. According to their son,Steve, his mom was very organized.

“Beds were always made correctly andwe ate at 6 p.m. every night even thoughshe worked a full-time job with Local 701of the International Brotherhood of Elec-trical Workers,” said Steve.

After the war, Williams returned to hisapprenticeship (which he had started be-fore the war), becoming a photoengraver,designing plates for photography printsand photos in magazines and advertising.He followed in his father’s, uncle’s, andgrandfather’s trade as an engraver. Afterfive years, he got his journeyman’s licenseas a photoengraver.

Lenton and Helen had two children,Steve and Andrea, and two grandchildren,Steffenie and Joshua.

Williams said his father came to theUnited States from Ontario, Canada. Hismother’s family was originally from theShenandoah Valley in Pennsylvania andwas mentioned in the book “Drums Alongthe Mohawk.” Both sides of the family canbe traced back to the French and IndianWar and the Revolutionary War.

In early 1950s, the Williams familystarting coming to the North Woods, stay-ing at Twin Haven Resort on North TwinLake, owned by Joe and Mable Regenfuss.

In 1977, Lenton and Helen purchased ahouse on North Twin, retiring perma-nently to their home in Phelps in 1982.

Together, the Williamses ran the SeniorNutrition Site for the Vilas County Com-mission on Aging in Land O’ Lakes formore than 20 years. Lenton also deliveredhome meals to the elderly in the area untilhe was 90 years old.

Lenton served on Phelps NorthwoodsHospital Board and was an active memberof the Phelps Lions Club. Helen was a pastpresident of Phelps Women’s Club andserved for many years as president of theLillian Kerr Hospital and Nursing HomeAuxiliary. She passed away in December2014 at the age of 93. They had been mar-ried 64 and one-half years.

“My years in the Army Air Corps were avery good experience. I was proud toserve,” said Williams.

Williams served in Army Air CorpsPhelps retiree also ran senior nutrition site

Lenton Williams was a staff sergeant in the Army Air Corps during World War II. He retired toPhelps in 1982 and ran the Senior Nutrition Site for over 20 years. —Contributed Photos

___________BY SHARON GIFFORD


A young Lenton Williams enlisted in theArmy Air Corps one week after the bombingof Pearl Harbor.


Annually, on the final Monday in May,we gather and honor those who have sacri-ficed their lives to protect our nation and itsfreedoms.

Since May of 1868, when Memorial Daywas known as Decoration Day and cele-brated on May 30, our nation (and the stateof Wisconsin) has held this day as a closeand constant reminder that many men andwomen across our nation have given theirlives for the longevity of our union.

Over time, Memorial Day has evolved

into the federal holiday that we recognizetoday. The original proclamation for Decora-tion Day was in solidarity with the fallensoldiers from the Civil War. It was not until1956, when the final surviving Union vet-eran from the Civil War passed away, thatDecoration Day became a national day ofremembrance.

As our entire nation began to observethis holiday together, we also began tohonor the fallen soldiers from all wars, notsimply the Civil War.

In 1971, the present-day observation ofMemorial Day was solidified whenCongress officially declared a federal holi-day on the final Monday in May. This year,

in addition to remembering those who havegiven the ultimate sacrifice, we also remem-ber the 100th anniversary of the UnitedStates’ entrance into World War I.

More than 4.7 million Americans servedin World War I and about 117,000 of thosewho served were killed in combat. Whilethe final living veteran from the war passedaway in 2011, we continue to honor all ofthose who have served and sacrificed in ad-dition to the momentous centennial an-niversary of our involvement.

This year, I challenge everyone to taketime out of their weekend to attend one ofthe many observances in our local commu-nities. Wisconsin has lost nearly 27,000 ofits brave citizens since the culmination ofthe Civil War. Any small commitment of ourtime pales in comparison to the sacrificethat these men and women have made forour country.

The 12th Senate District hosts 33,000 ofWisconsin’s veterans and I gladly servethem and the rest of my district. I think itis important to reflect today on all of ourservicemen and -women. I will continue towork and ensure that we provide our state’sveterans and the families of our veteransand fallen soldiers the opportunities and re-sources to be successful.

I want to take a moment to extend mygratitude to all the men and women whoare currently serving in our nation’s mili-tary, including the nearly 1,000 Wiscon-sinites deployed abroad. I also want toextend my gratitude to the families of our

servicemen and -women who have given theultimate sacrifice to preserve our nation.

During our last legislative floor session,the Wisconsin State Senate unanimouslyaffirmed a resolution to proclaim May asGold Star Awareness Month.

Again, I encourage everyone to take timethis weekend to pay their respects to ournation’s soldiers of the past, present andthe future.

Take time Memorial Day weekend to pay respects

WE’RE ALL FIRED UPTO SUPPORT OUR VETERANSAND ACTIVE MILITARY

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___________BY STATE SEN. TOM TIFFANY

12TH SENATE DISTRICT___________

America’s Military HeroesShould Never Be Forgotten

THIS SPECIAL MILITARY SALUTEIS SPONSORED IN PART BY

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Proud Supporter of all the brave menand women who have served or arecurrently serving in the U.S. Military.

STATE SEN. TOM TIFFANY


Vets honoredacross NorthCommunities across the North Woodshost Memorial Day programs to honorveterans who served their country andto remember those killed in action.These are scenes from ceremonies inEagle River (above, right and bottomright) and Three Lakes (below) from2016. —NEWS-REVIEW PHOTOS


“It sounded like someone was hitting theoutside of my tank with a ball pein ham-mer,” Rick Arbaugh related about the en-emy taking pot shots at the tank hecommanded in Germany along theEast/West border during the Cold War.

Arbaugh entered the U.S. Army in 1979on a delayed entry agreement. Delayed en-try was a way of enlisting in the militarybefore shipping out to boot camp and al-lowed the future enlistee the option to de-cline enlistment without any penalty.

“My father, Lonnie Arbaugh, was a deco-rated Marine Gunnery Sergeant (BronzeStar, Silver Star and Purple Heart) andserved three tours in Viet Nam. My grand-father had also been in the U.S. Army andlost a leg during World War II,” said Ar-baugh, a St. Germain resident.

Born in Camp Jejune, the Arbaugh fam-ily moved a lot during his father’s serviceand finally settled in southern California atCamp Pendleton.

“Serving in the armed forces kind ofruns in the blood. My son, Rickie Jr., servedtwo 12-month tours in Mosul, Iraq. He wentin right after high school with somefriends,” said Arbaugh. “Three months in,one of Rickie’s friends from high school wasin an ambush and lost his life. It was reallyhard. I have copies of his photo and storiespublished in the news by Reuters during acombat mission in Iraq.

“So that’s four generations of soldiers

who served our country in some difficulttimes,” said Arbaugh. “Since Rickie Jr., com-pleted his service about seven years ago, hebecame a machinist in Escondito, Cali.”

Arbaugh recalled his days in the mili-tary, first reporting to Tank School at FortKnox, Tenn. Following boot camp, he wasstationed for two years in Baumholder, Ger-many, one of the principal Czech border pa-trol cities.

Arbaugh recalled that in 1980, withPresident Jimmy Carter in office and thetransition to President Ronald Reaganabout to bring a new approach to the ColdWar, there was a lot of turmoil with the Ira-nian hostage crisis in which 52 Americandiplomats and citizens were held for 444days and Russia shooting down a Koreanairliner, killing 269 passengers andcrewmembers.

“We always felt like we were on pins andneedles. Whenever anybody on the otherside of the border sneezed, we were put onalert,” said Arbaugh. “It seems we spentmore time on alert than anything else. Wecouldn’t really stay on base because therewas the danger of it being bombed. Westayed out in the country as much as possi-ble.

“We didn’t really see ‘action,’ but wecould hear the rifle pot shots bouncing offthe armor of the tank I commanded. It waslike a standoff because we could see themand they could see us,” said Arbaugh.

Part of his job was to train members ofthe U.S. Army Band to drive tanks. Whenan alert was issued, it was up to ArmyBand members to bring tanks up to thefront line.

“It was kind of funny, in a way, to seeband members trying to see over the hatch.In fact, the tank parked on the lawn by theWoodruff Town Hall is an M60, the sametank that I drove,” said Arbaugh. “The bandmembers didn’t have to see over the edge ofthe hatch because the hatch was closed dur-ing transport.”

After three years of active duty, he spentanother three on active reserve in Califor-nia. Life after service changed for Arbaugh.

“I worked in property management andreal estate development,” said Arbaugh.

Working for a large property develop-ment company, Arbaugh was in charge ofremodeling property that was repossessedduring the real estate crisis including largecondominium buildings he converted toapartments. As a manager for the company,he worked long hours and finally decided tomove to St. Germain and get away from therat race.

“We used to vacation here and four yearsago, driving down to the resort where westayed, saw this house for sale and knew

that the time and place was right for themove,” he reflected.

Arbaugh was recruited for St. GermainFire and Rescue by another firefighter,Lynn Carlson. And he is often “recruited,”he says, “at church for projects they havegoing on.”

Asked what advice he would give to ayoung man thinking of entering the mili-tary today, he said, “I would have to say to

go in single so you are less likely to worryabout the folks back home. I probably didn’twrite home as often as I should have, but Iwas focused and didn’t want to worry myfamily.

“We have very good technology andequipment today. When I served, we wereeating left over K-rations from Viet Nam,but today’s military is much better in how ittreats its recruits.”

‘On pins and needles’Arbaugh commanded border tank during Cold War

___________BY WALLY GEIST


Rick Arbaugh moved to St. Germain four years ago. Far from his previous residence in Califor-nia, his porch overlooks the Awassa Trails land. —Photo By Wally Geist

A young Rick Arbaugh entered the U.S.Army in 1979 on a delayed entry agree-ment. —Contributed Photo

This is the graduating class at Fort Knox, Texas, Armored Division, Old Ironsides Division.Rick Arbaugh is in the middle row, second from the left. —Contributed Photo


One of Eagle River’s favorite citizens isa retired U.S. Air Force captain whoserved his country as a dentist.

Dr. Thomas J. Doyle, affectionatelyknown as “Doc” to many folks in the area,has a long history of service not only to hiscountry, but also to family, friends and theNorth Woods he loves so much.

After graduating in 1954 from Mar-quette University’s School of Dentistry,this Mineral Point native immediately en-listed in the Air Force and was assigned toWalker Air Force Base in Roswell, N.M.

Doc wasn’t there long before he wassummoned by Gen. Curtis Lemay, whotold him he was being sent to Guam as adentist for base personnel. While never in-volved in any wartime conflict, he recalleda frightening flying incident involving thegeneral.

“Gen. Lemay was a very controversialperson. He believed that having B-36bombers in the air 24 hours a day all overthe globe would keep any aggressive ad-versaries under control if they knew theycould be bombed instantly,” recalled Doyle.

Lemay is known as the father of theStrategic Air Command (SAC). Under hisdirection, it became the most powerfulmilitary force in the world at that time.

As Doc noted, “You certainly didn’tquestion anything he said or did.” Yet thisstern general was fiercely loyal to thetroops, especially those overseas.

“On Christmas Eve, I boarded a B-36 atRoswell on the way to Guam. That hugeplane had six pusher engines plus two jetson each wing tip. When we reachedHawaii, Gen. Lemay landed that monsterto refuel. He was bound and determinedthat he would be with his troops onChristmas Eve. That meant he wouldn’teven be home with his family.

“I was sitting in the rear turret with aparachute on and wore the headset be-cause I wanted to hear what was going on.We started to roll down the runway, andthen I heard someone scream, ‘Engine No.2 is on fire! Now No. 3 is on fire! So arefour and five!’

“Gen. Lemay was slowing the planedown by then, but several guys didn’t waitand jumped out of the plane onto the run-way and were hurt badly. I looked downfrom that little hole way below the tail,which was for the gunner to bail out of ifhe had to. I knew I couldn’t get through itwith my chute on. Besides, I was morethan 30 feet above the runway.

“It crossed my mind that I was going tomeet my maker here, and wouldn’t it beironic if my brother, Jim, and I shouldboth die in Hawaii. Jim had served therein World War II and was killed in an acci-

dent in 1942.“But everybody — and everything —

was afraid of Lemay, so he just turnedthat plane around and went back to thehangar where mechanics went to work onit while we waited in a room. He was go-ing to get to Guam come hell or high wa-ter to be with the troops for ChristmasEve. We did take off later on and landed inGuam on Christmas Eve.”

Doc served in Guam as a dentist withthe 509th Hospital for two years before re-turning to Roswell Air Force base in 1956for his honorable discharge. It was therehe met his future wife, Shirley, who wasvisiting her brother, also stationed atRoswell. They married in ’57 and enjoyeda very happy marriage for 57 years beforeShirley’s death due to cancer in 2014.

The couple raised three children, Chris-tine, Greg and Patrick “Ole”, by the shoresof Yellow Birch Lake in Eagle River. Allthe children are grown with their ownfamilies and are scattered around theMidwest. Doc enjoys regular visits fromall his family, including 11 grandchildrenand eight great-grandchildren.

Now 87, Doc received his honorable dis-charge from the U.S. Air Force Reserves in1972.

Doc brought that deep desire to servestraight to the North Woods in the mid-

1950s. Learning there was an opportunityfor a dental office in Eagle River, heopened his first one “right behind Mul-rooney’s drugstore on Main Street.”

With Shirley as his devoted assistant,the two remained there for many years be-fore moving to their second location onWall Street next to the post office in 1993.In ’96, Doc retired from dentistry afterselling his practice to Drs. Scott andChristine Beattie.

Reflecting on his trust in people, Docsaid, “They bought it on a handshake andwe’ve all been happy ever since.”

Doc has always been happiest whenserving people and community. With otherlocal businessmen, he was instrumental inthe formation of the Eagle River Recre-ational Association. Many from this samegroup raised $24,000 in three hours by go-ing up and down Eagle River streets solic-iting funds from supportive businesses inorder to buy the ice arena from the Dorf-man family.

Members of that family owned thearena as part of the Jack O’ Lantern Re-sort on nearby Taylor Lake. Adding a bitof notoriety to the area, they were knownto have longtime ties to the Chicago un-derworld and were frequent hosts to high-ranking members of the Teamsters Union.

Immediately after giving the check to

the Dorfmans, Doyle and others went toCalumet, Mich., to buy a used compressorto make ice for the arena. That summer,the first of many hockey — and later fig-ure skating — schools opened. Hockey wasalready immensely popular as much ofEagle River followed the home hockeyteam, called the Northernaires at thetime, when it played games all over theUpper Peninsula.

Next came interest in the local snow-mobile derby. The late Herman Smithtapped Doc to promote the annual event.With encouragement from Sports DirectorMark Zelich of WSAU TV-7, he had the ti-tle, “World Championship SnowmobileDerby” copyrighted and was the force be-hind bringing newspaper and TV person-alities to witness and endorse the Derby.

“I spent most of the summer typing onan old typewriter, contacting everyonewith an interest in sports,” reflected Doc.“I got most of them to come.

“Peter Jennings from Wide World ofSports came, one time even as a contes-tant. But he only got to the first turn be-fore he went down,” chuckled Doc. “Hecame to dinner at our house and hadlasagna, which he loved. That is some-thing I will never forget.”

Other sportswriters and commentatorswho came included columnist John Husarof the Chicago Tribune, Ron Schara of theMinneapolis Tribune and Earl Gillespiefrom Milwaukee’s WTMJ Sports. The Ea-gle River Lions Club, of which Doc hasbeen a longtime member, was also a hugesupporter of the annual event.

In 1986, Eagle River honored Doc asparade marshal in the Fourth of July pa-rade for his community service.

Despite the scare on the way to Guam,Doc never lost interest in flying and be-came a pilot.

“Flying is in my blood,” he noted with asmile. Years before, with two other arearesidents, he bought a four-seater, a “172plane” that they all shared for a long time.That little airplane was recently spottedin good shape at a Florida airport.

After retirement, the Doyles traveled toArizona and fell in love with Tucson.

“We bought a little place that I still goto now,” he said. “When I’m there, I spenda lot of time at the Redemptorist RenewalCenter, even helping out with odd jobs.People come from all over the world. It’s abeautiful, fascinating and spiritually up-lifting place.”

Another huge draw for Doc: his belovedShirley’s ashes are buried on the grounds.

Always upbeat, this proud Irishmanwears green with pride. He often couplesthat color with gold and signs his emailswith “Tom Doyle, Packers Fan Extraordi-naire.”

Always and all ways, he’s an officer anda gentleman.

An officer and a gentlemanThomas ‘Doc’ Doyle served country, community

___________BY MICHELE BERGSTROM


Dr. Thomas “Doc” Doyle of Eagle River, a retired U.S. Air Force captain, served in Guam as adentist for base personnel with the 509th Hospital. —Photo By Michele Bergstrom


Napoleon once said, “An army marcheson its stomach.” He meant that without ad-equate food and supplies, any military cam-paign would be doomed to failure. His armywas the first to use canned foods, accordingto Brainy Quote, an internet website.

The United States Army is no exception.Food, ammunition and other equipmentmust be available to troops anywhere inthe world, wherever military action is on-going.

Someone must be responsible for seeingthat everything is at the right place, at theright time. Even with today’s instant infor-mation, someone must have the expertiseto analyze, prepare and transport neededsupplies.

Robert Joel Dow, Major, QuartermasterBranch (USAR-Ret.) is one such person.Major Dow, better known as “Bob” to hisfriends, served more than 27 years in vari-ous branches of the Army in several states.

After graduating from Tremper HighSchool in Kenosha, he first signed up withthe Army’s delayed entry program inMarch 1974. He wanted to be in the ac-counting branch, because he was lookingforward to any future career opportunities;but there were no immediate positionsopen in that field, so he was offered a posi-tion as a truck driver in Hawaii, which herefused.

“I almost got back on the bus to gohome,” Dow said. “After some negotiations,

the Army agreed to place me in the Fi-nance and Accounting Branch. Becausethey had no immediate openings, theycould not specify a duty location.”

In August, he was placed on a bus fromKenosha to Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., for ba-sic training.

“When I joined the service, I was a typi-cal young carefree teenage boy.” Dow said.“I had long curly hair that went down tomy shoulders. After arriving at FortLeonard Wood, the processing station tookme to the barber shop. The barber askedme if I would like it long or short? I happilyreplied, ‘a little on the longer side please.’In 15 seconds and four quick swipes, it wasall gone.

“Fort Leonard Wood in August is an in-teresting place — 80s to 90s during the dayand low 40s at night.”

During basic training, he injured hisknee but had to either finish training, takea disability discharge or a delayed pro-gram.

“In order to complete my training, I hadto be able to pass a PT (physical training)test which included a 10-mile march, 20pushups, then a two-mile run. I didn’t wantto be recycled,” said Dow. “So I did it.

“I did the two-mile run with the injuredknee. I would run up a hill behind a half-ton truck, then at the top of the hill I would‘waddle’ down,” Dow chuckled.

One of his main reasons for joining theservice was to avoid college.

“I was tired of schooling and needed abreak,” Dow said. “From the day I startedbasic training to the time I retired, the mil-itary was one continuous educational op-portunity.”

Dow received extensive training in com-puter science, accounting and logistics,completing his computer science degreefrom Central Texas Community College inKilleen, Texas, and bachelor’s degree inmanagement information systems fromUW-Milwaukee, where he was a member ofthe Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC)program.

While studying for his degree in ac-counting, he took a computer programmingcourse in “FORTRAN” (a computer pro-gramming language). He found it muchmore interesting than accounting, so hechanged his degree from accounting tocomputer science.

While attending UW-Milwaukee, heworked as a computer systems operator forAllis-Chalmers and First Wisconsin Bank.He met his wife, Judy, in Milwaukee andthey had two daughters, Rebecca and Lisa.One lives in Boston, Mass., and the other inPortland, Ore. They have two granddaugh-ters. The Dows see their families once or

twice a year, as Judy is now a retirednurse.

Dow’s military duty consisted of both re-serve and active duty assignments. Duringone of the active duty assignments in FortLee, Va., the family lived in a rundowntrailer park. After a few months, Judy andthe girls went to live with his sister inFlorida while he completed his militarytraining.

He completed his Officer Trainingcourse in February 1985, then returned toMilwaukee and was assigned as a branchchief to supply and support company Logis-tical Group, 84th Division (training) Com-mand. His primary duties consisted ofsupporting the unit’s food service opera-tions, weapons room and supply operations.During this time, he was promoted to FirstLieutenant.

In January 1991, he was activated andsent to Fort Sill, Okla., for unit validationin support of Operation Desert Storm.

“Even though I was a logistics officer, Iwas now assigned as Battalion Mainte-nance Officer, Field Artillery Training com-mand, 3rd Brigade, 84th Division(Training), Fort Sill, Oklahoma,” said Dow.

“My primary responsibility was to en-sure that field artillery equipment was upand operational in support of daily field ar-

tillery support missions, with direct over-sight of maintenance motor pool opera-tions.

“Even though my rank was captain, Iwas slotted in a major position. I don’t haveany serious ‘in the bunker’ experience,”Dow said. “My job was keeping track of ma-terial.

“The unit was designated for deploy-ment overseas, but because the ground warwent so quickly, the mission was cancelledand we were deactivated in March 1991,”explained Dow.

Dow received several decorations andbadges during his military career, includ-ing Army Commendation Medal (with twooak leaf clusters), Army Reserve Compo-nents Achievement Medal (with two oakleaf clusters), Humanitarian ServiceMedal, National Defense Service Medal,Good Conduct Medal and Army ServiceRibbon.

Even during his reserve status, he spentmany Tuesdays and weekends on dutyserving as battalion logistics officer, S4, forthe weapons and equipment battalion inthe 84th division in Fort Sheridan, Ill.

“Since I had to be available, it was toughon the family during the summer when we

Major monitored war suppliesDow now involved in bridge club, SERVE

Turn to DOW, Pg. 16

Robert Dow, Maj., Quartermaster Branch(USAR-Ret.) served more than 27 years in

various branches of the Army in severalstates. —Photo By Marge Baerenwald

Robert Dow enlisted in the Army’s delayedentry program in 1974 and went to Missourifor his basic training. —Contributed Photo

___________BY MARGE BAERENWALD



The students of the Northland PinesSchool District continue to honor area vet-erans and heroes through the All AmericanKids Club.

The All American Kids Club (AAKC) isan extracurricular club in the NorthlandPines School District. It includes studentsin kindergarten through fifth grade in allthree of the elementary schools in EagleRiver, St. Germain and Land O’ Lakes.

Pride and patriotism are instilled in stu-dents by creating patriotic projects for vet-erans, as well as hosting an annual AllAmerican Social where children and veter-ans can meet, discuss the veteran’s serviceand share a spaghetti dinner.

The All American Kids Club is holdingits annual All American Social Wednesday,May 31, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the North-land Pines High School commons. The pur-pose of the social is to provide anopportunity for students to meet and thankarea heroes. A free spaghetti dinner is pro-vided for all in attendance.

All veterans, police officers, firefighters,Northland Pines School District students,staff and their families are welcome to at-

tend. Attendees should RSVP to SarahSimac at (715) 479-9175, ext. 3215, orbit.do/social17.

“If you are a veteran and would like tobring pictures or memorabilia to share,please do,” said Simac. “We look forward toseeing you.”

The American Legion Auxiliary Unit 114also will surprise two veterans with theirtickets on the Never Forgotten HonorFlight.

The AAKC is very involved with theNever Forgotten Honor Flight. This year,the entire Northland Pines School Districtwrote letters to veterans on the Never For-gotten Honor Flight, thanking them fortheir service and welcoming them home.

Simac, a teacher at Eagle River Elemen-tary School and All American Kids Club ad-visor, was asked to go on the NeverForgotten Honor flight for a second timethis past April.

“If you or someone you know is inter-ested in going on the Never ForgottenHonor Flight or you’d like to sponsor a vet-eran, please contact me at the numberlisted above,” said Simac.

Pines’ All American Kids Clubhonors area vets and local heroes

The All American Kids Club holds an annual social that gives students an opportunity to meetand thank area veterans. This year’s social will be Wednesday, May 31.

All American Kids Club students at Northland Pines elementary schools participate in patri-otic projects throughout the school year. —Contributed Photos

Students in the All American Kids Club visit area memorials and monuments that honor thefallen from communities in the North Woods.


Robert Dow was promoted to SP4 in Fort Hood, Texas, in 1975.Dow retired to the North Woods after serving in the military for

27 years. He now serves on the board of directors at SERVEin Eagle River. —Contributed Photo

wanted to take vacations,” said Dow.He was promoted to major in July 1997 and was as-

signed as Observer Controller/Trainer (LogisticalBranch), Second Simulation Group, First Brigade(BSCT), 85th Division (Exercise), Fort Sheridan, Ill. Thisbranch was a highly visible organization in the Army, us-ing a technical computer system which was pro grammedto focus on each command unit’s personnel structure,equipment requirements and unit mission, according toDow.

“Each simulation exercise took as much as six monthsto develop,” said Dow. “Multiple command organizationswere being assessed and developed simultaneously. Whenon the ground there may have been as many as 2,000troops and several hundred members in the observer/con-trollers involved.

“My duty was to coordinate with other teams to estab-lish a scenario that tests the unit’s ability and decisionmaking capabilities in a time of war,” he said.

After completion of his active duty, Dow was certifiedin Microsoft Network Systems as an engineer in Racineand was a project management professional in Milwau-kee before his retirement to the North Woods.

Since his retirement, Dow has been active in severalcommunity activities. He is a member of the Monday af-ternoon Badger Bridge Club and recently traveled toKansas City where he received training and passed theAmerica Contract Bridge League’s (ACBL) directorcourse as club director.

Dow enjoys playing pickleball, golf, fishing and snow-mobiling as well. He also serves on the board of directorsof Senior Eagle River Volunteer Enterprises (SERVE) atthe Kalmar Center in Eagle River.

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DowFROM PAGE 14


This early history of American LegionPost 114 in Eagle River was originallyprinted in the American Legion issue of theVilas County News-Review. It was compiledby departed comrade and historian CharlesJohnston and is the only record of the high-lights and activities of American LegionPost 114 up to the year 1925. It was submit-ted for the 2017 Military Salute by JimLynn of American Legion Post 114.

On Feb. 16, 1919, three months after thearmistice had ended the war and shortlybefore the peace conference ended thepeace, 20 officers, among whom was Col.Theodore Roosevelt, were in Paris dis-cussing the return of the Army to civilianlife.

All agreed that it would be a very fineidea to organize a civilian body from themass of the soldiers who would carry on thework of the Army and preserve to posteritythe traditions and ideals for which thatArmy had fought and died. Such were thereal beginnings of the American Legion.

They sent notices to every organizationin France asking them to send delegates toa conference in Paris March 15-17, 1919.One thousand representatives attended.The Legion as an organization was the con-crete result of this Paris conference.

On April 7, 1919, 15 members of thisoverseas Legion left for America to organizethe home portion of the Army. A caucus washeld May 8-10, 1919, in St. Louis and thefirst convention was called for in Minneapo-lis.

As the soldiers were rapidly being dis-charged and the Army was swiftly ap-proaching peace standing, the needs for anorganization like the Legion became felt inall parts of the country where there wereex-fighting men. Early in this stage of orga-nization, Wisconsin fell into line for a soci-ety based on the model given at the St.Louis caucus.

A meeting was called at the MilwaukeeAuditorium in September of 1919 and planswere laid for the Wisconsin Department ofThe American Legion. This first session wasone of the stormiest ones in history. Therewas an argument on every point and everyattainment was chewed over at greatlength before it was finally adopted. How-ever, the National Constitution was eventu-ally adopted for Wisconsin. A secondmeeting was called for in Green Bay June29-30, 1920.

Start of Post 114Soon after the launching of the Legion in

Milwaukee, the agitation was started for apost in Vilas County. The principal foundersof this post were Charles Smith of Mani-towish and August LaRenzie of Eagle River.

On Nov. 11, 1919, after much propa-ganda, a meeting was called at the court-house in Eagle River and a post wasincorporated. The name given was the Ea-

gle Post and its number in the state orga-nization was 114.

The following officers were elected: Com-mander August LaRenzie, Vice CommanderMike Morrison, Adjutant John Foley, Fi-nance Officer Art Morgan, Historian Ed-mund Drager, and Chaplin George Hadyn.

The complete list of charter members ofthis first post are as follows: August LaRen-zie, William T. Rand, Richard White, Ed-ward Ziebell, Frank Goodwill, JakeVanderhadyn, Edmund Drager, WilliamSaltenberger, Ben Stein, Francis Sailer, Ed-ward Zimny, George Hadyn, Fred Dolanski,Bernard Surges, Herman Rade, MortonCook, Herman Englestead, Arthur Roder-ick, Frederic Sailer, John Foley, Ed En-glestead, M.L. Morrison, Charles Smith,C.J. Rasmussen, E.A. Price, H.E. Metzner,Art Morgan, C.A. Simmons, CharlesDutcher and Stanley Korpel.

For a time, everything worked fine. Amembership drive performed wonders. Menlined up without any need of persuasion tojoin this ex-soldiers club. The spirit of theArmy and the get-together feeling that theArmy inspired was still strong in most ofthe “ex-heroes.” Civilian life had not yetswallowed up their spare moments. Theirstories and adventures sounded better inthe sympathetic Yank ear than in the in-credulous ear of the home guards. Over 100members were obtained. Work hard as theLegion post will since then, it has neverbeen able to quite measure up to this firstroster.

Several get-together banquets wereheld. At the prospect of eats, the fellows ral-lied around in grand style. Other times itwasn’t so good. The post, to begin with, wasa purely social affair.

The Legion all over was more or less inthe dark as to the exact status it should as-sume in community life. It was bound toslow down when the civilian habit became alittle stronger. There was little or no incen-

tive to do public work.Plans were laid for a mammoth Legion

Hall to cost thousands of dollars when thetreasury was flatter than the proverbialflounder. The constant talk of doing some-thing and never doing it disgusted manymembers. In the hard times that followedthis first spasmodic effort, the records ofthis post have been completely lost. At pre-sent, there is no roster of the first EaglePost 114 available.

Loss of early membersEarly in its career, Eagle Post No. 114

was called to bury one of its members,William Tudor Davies, Musician 2nd Class,U.S. Naval Reserve, who died of tuberculo-sis in Tucson, Ariz., Jan. 14, 1919.

Davies was the only son of the Rev. andMrs. W.J. Davies of Eagle River and wasborn in Scranton, Pa., June 16, 1899. Withsuch a patriotic father, as we all know theRev. Davies to be, there was only one thingthat Davies Jr. wanted to do as soon as hebecame large enough — that was to servehis country in the war.

He enlisted April 29, 1918, in the Navy,going to Great Lakes Naval Training Sta-tion. From there he was sent to New York,being assigned to duty on the transportMartha Washington as a musician.

Taken sick on his first trip, Davies wasleft at Portsmouth, where he remained sev-eral months. From there he was sent to thegovernment hospital at Fort Lyon, Colo.Later in the summer, he came to EagleRiver, but as his health did not improve hewent to Tucson, the place where he died. Hewas a Legion member of the Eagle Post. Hewas buried with Legion honors.

The post was now composed of EagleRiver men. Interest in the organization wasdying out outside of Eagle River. Severalspasmodic attempts to re-interest old mem-bers failed. Even the local members beganto lose interest. The meetings were poorlyattended and the officers naturally lostheart.

A little revival came in 1922, whenrooms were leased in the Gaffney block andconverted into club rooms. The membershiprose again. For a time, everything was infine shape. Several entertainments kept themen interested and several smokers keptthem in good spirits.

During this year, another one of themembers died. Edward Ziebell, who was acharter member of the post, died June 6,1922. He entered service May 18, 1918, andwas assigned to Development Battalion No.9 at Camp Grant. After a severe illness, hewas discharged as unfit for further duty.His death came after a heroic struggleagainst the disease that caused his dis-charge from the service. He was 33 yearsold.

Early in 1924, on Feb. 10, another at-tempt was made at reorganization. The oldofficers, who had never been installed, were

regarded as bona fide officers and the fol-lowing new ones were elected: Post Com-mander R.R. Ewald, Post Vice CommanderEdward Drager, Post Adjutant RichardWhite, Post Treasurer August LaRenzie,Post Chaplin Rev. W.J. Davies, Post Histo-rian Charles Johnston, and Post Sergeant-at-Arms Everett Dotson.

Simultaneous with the reorganization ofthe Legion, a Woman’s Auxiliary wasformed. This unit has been, no doubt, thebiggest factor in holding together the newlyrevived order. The “commissary departmentof the Legion,” as they are called. Theynever have failed us.

The officers elected for their organiza-tion were: President Myrtle Johnston,VicePresident Rose Weil, Treasurer EdithWalsh, Secretary Emma Vanderhadyn, His-torian Jennie Walsh, and Sergeant-at-ArmsMary Walsh.

New commander/name changeAnother big factor in the success of this

new attempt was the personality of the newpost commander. He more than faithfullycarried out his end of the job and it is to thecredit of the men under him that they werefarsighted enough to support him in every-thing he undertook. As an ideal comman-der, the post never had nor could have abetter man in the chair than R.R. Ewald.Hats off to him.

A new wave of enthusiasm swept overthe remains of the defunct order and soon aflourishing new membership was obtained.The roster for 1924 contained 35 names.

The auxiliary had in the meantime se-cured a roster of 36 members. Feb. 21, 1924,a joint installation gave both organizationsa real send-off.

On Feb. 25, 1924, at the regular meeting,the name of the post was changed from theEagle Post to the Frederic J. Walsh Post.Walsh was the first World War I casualtyfrom Eagle River. His mother and three sis-ters are members of the auxiliary.

A permanent charter was obtained fromheadquarters and the status of the post asan organized unit in the American LegionDepartment of Wisconsin was firmly estab-lished.

For the first time in its history, the postsent delegates to the state convention. Thiswas held at Chippewa Falls Aug. 14-16.Commander R.R. Ewald and Edward Paulrepresented the post, while Myrtle John-son, Rose Weil, Edith Walsh and MaudeAdams represented the auxiliary.

Of like importance is the fact that thepost was represented at the National Con-vention at St. Paul. August LaRenzie, DickWhite, Fred Sailer and Jake Vanderhadyntook the banner to the convention; the aux-iliary was represented by Emma Vanderha-dyn.

During this year, the Legion handledover 100 adjusted compensation applica-

A history of American Legion Post 114Highlights documented from the early years, 1919-’25

Turn to POST 114, Pg. 18

Frederic James Walsh was Eagle River’sfirst casualty of World War I. The AmericanLegion Post was named in his honor.


The Frederic James Walsh Post 114 in Eagle River waslocated on Railroad Street for many years. The post was

moved to Highway 45 South and is now located at theEagle River VFW building. —Contributed Photo

ions. Commander Ewald, who was also the county contract and serviceofficer, did most of this work himself without pay.

Assistance to Three LakesOn the afternoon of Sunday, Sept. 20, the village of Three Lakes was

nearly destroyed by a twister. With a dash of mud and smell, what re-mained of it reminded some of the soldiers of Soissons or Varennes asthey appeared the summer and fall of 1918.

Almost immediately, the Relief Committee of the Legion and Auxil-iary went into action. This committee was headed by Rose Weil. Shetook in all the county and before the drive was finished the committeewas able to forward nearly $2,000 to the sufferers at Three Lakes. Thisdrive was probably the greatest accomplishment of the Legion in 1924.For their work in this respect, they received mention from both stateand national headquarters.

The second week in October, both organizations elected new officersfor the year 1925. The Legion had a stormy meeting to select a com-mander who would carry on the work of Ewald with great success.

After much balloting and argument, John Honzik was finally cho-sen. The other officers were: First Vice Commander Charles Johnston,Second Vice Commander Edward Paul, Finance Officer Milford Man-ley, Adjutant Jake Vanderhadyn, Chaplin Edward Zimny, HistorianCharles Johnston, and Sergeant-at-Arms Charles Zehner.

The officers elected by the Auxiliary for 1925 were: President RoseWeil, Vice President Olive Honzik, Treasurer Janet Manley, SecretaryEmma Vanderhadyn, Chaplin Edith Walsh, Historian Iva Jean Thomp-son, and Sergeant-at-Arms Beatrice Zehner.

These officers were installed by the department Vice Commander,Harry S. Ruth, in a joint installation Dec. 8.

Early in February, Commander Honzik, who was a railroad man, wastransferred to Wakefield, Mich. The organization was left without ahead. The Legion at once held a special election and Vice CommanderCharles Johnston was slated to fill out the remainder of Honzik’s term.

Post 114FROM PAGE 17

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Both Veterans Day and Memorial Dayare federal holidays that honor Americanmilitary personnel, however, one honors allpast and present American veterans andthe other is set aside to specifically re-member those who have died in battle.

Veterans Day, which is celebrated everyNov. 11, honors all the people who haveserved or are currently serving in the mili-tary. It doesn’t matter whether they servedin wartime or peacetime, as Veterans Dayis for thanking all members of the ArmedForces for the sacrifices they have madefor our security and freedom.

Veterans Day actually began as a holi-day under a different name. To celebratethe ending of World War I hostilities onNov. 11, 1918, Congress signed an act in1926 declaring that Nov. 11 is ArmisticeDay.

In the late 1940s, former CongressmanEdward H. Rees introduced legislation tochange the name of Armistice Day to Vet-erans Day so that the holiday could honor

veterans who served the United Statesduring all wars, not just World War I. Butit wasn't until 1954 that former PresidentDwight D. Eisenhower signed a bill renam-ing Armistice Day as Veterans Day.

Memorial Day is observed on the lastMonday of May. The day is to honor and re-member military personnel who died whileserving in the military, particularly thosewho died in combat or as a result of in-juries sustained during battle.

Memorial Day was originally celebratedunder the name Decoration Day. Soldiers’graves were decorated in the United Statesbefore and during the American Civil War.After the Civil War ended in 1865, peoplebegan dedicating certain days to placingflowers on the graves of Union and Confed-erate soldiers who had died in the war.

In 1868, former Maj. Gen. John A. Lo-gan established May 30 as Decoration Day.The name Memorial Day was first used in1882. It did not become more common un-til after World War II and was not declaredthe official name until 1967.

Memorial Day became a federal holidayin 1971 and in addition to placing flowerson the graves of soldiers, many people

wear poppies in their honor. The red flow-ers represent the blood of fallen soldiers.The tradition began with World War I sol-dier and medical officer John McCrae’s1915 poem, “In Flanders Fields,” which in-cludes the line, “In Flanders Fields thepoppies blow. Between the crosses, row onrow.”

So there is a distinct difference betweenthe two holidays. Memorial Day is upon us,not Veterans Day. It’s always OK to thanka veteran but more importantly, youshould be honoring the men and womenwho paid the ultimate sacrifice so you andI could continue to live freely and safely inthe United States of America. You shouldalso give comfort to the family and friendswho are undoubtedly still grieving over theloss of their loved one.

We only officially honor these heroesone day per year, so let’s give them thatone day. After all, they paid an extraordi-nary price to earn it.

Tammy Walters is the Oneida Countyveterans service officer. She can be con-tacted at (715) 369-6127 or [email protected].

Veterans Day honors those who died while serving

MADISON — The most powerful story-telling is first-person, unfiltered, heartfeltand, at times, heart-wrenching.

To mark the United States’ entry intoWorld War I a century ago on April 6, 1917,the Wisconsin Veterans Museum in Madi-son announced it has opened an exhibitdedicated to the Great War, featuring sto-ries of vets in their own words.

“WWI Beyond the Trenches: Stories fromthe Front” opened in April and runs throughApril 2019. This is the first time the mu-seum has used a story-based approach,drawing on its substantial oral history col-lection and archives to share the stories ofthe Wisconsin soldiers, sailors, nurses andairmen who helped shape global history.

In making the announcement, museumdirector Michael Telzrow detailed the scopeof Wisconsin’s role in the war.

“Between the United States entering theFirst World War on April 6, 1917, and thearmistice on Nov. 11, 1918, more than122,000 Wisconsin men and women served,each contributing to the final victory intheir own way,” said Telzrow. “These Wiscon-sinites cared for the wounded, protected ourshores, ventured high in the skies, and en-dured trench warfare, making each of theirstories of service and sacrifice unique, yetwith one common cause.”

Visitors to this new exhibit will hear au-dio recordings, see photographs and read di-

ary-like letters and log entries that illus-trate, as nothing else could, the humanitybehind the history. The stories of more than20 Wisconsin veterans are featured, includ-ing those of:

— Helen Bulovsky of Madison, an Armynurse who was so close to the front linesthat she felt the ground shake during ar-tillery bombardments while caring for thewounded;

— John Isermann of Kenosha, whojoined the Coast Guard on the eve of thewar and was immediately shifted to Navycontrol in the Atlantic to provide vessel pro-tection in enemy submarine-infested wa-ters;

— Arthur Cantwell of Shawano, an 18-year-old just out of high school who enlistedin the Wisconsin National Guard andserved on the front line; and

— Mortimer Lawrence of Beaver Dam,an aerial observer actually credited withthe last United States aerial victory.

“The words of the brave men and womenwho served our country during World War Iare irreplaceable and we’re honored toshare their stories with our visitors,” saidTelzrow.

The museum is open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 4p.m. Sunday, and entrance is free. It is lo-cated at 30 W. Mifflin St., directly acrossfrom the State Capitol. For more details,

visit WisVetsMuseum.com.

About the museumThe Wisconsin Veterans Museum dates

to 1901 when it was established as theGrand Army of the Republic Memorial Hallin the Wisconsin Capitol. It is an educa-

tional activity of the Wisconsin Departmentof Veterans Affairs and a Smithsonian In-stitution Affiliate which gives it access tothe Smithsonian’s unparalleled collectionsand scholarship. For more on the museum’sexhibits, collections and events, log on toWisVetsMuseum.com.

New World War I exhibit opensFeatures stories told in veterans’ own words

___________BY TAMMY WALTERS


TAMMY WALTERS

The Wisconsin Veterans Museum in Madison has opened an exhibit dedicated to World War I,featuring stories of more than 20 Wisconsin veterans. —Contributed Photo


Thank you for supporting us, so we can support those who served our great country.

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Helping current and past members of theU.S. military get back into the workforce con-tinues to be a nationwide focus for businessesand entities who have long been supportersof veterans.

Advanced Welding Institute (AWI) of Ea-gle River, in cooperation with numerous lo-cal businesses and the Veterans of ForeignWars (VFW) Post 8637 in Eagle River, ismaking it possible for veterans, past andpres ent, to jump-start a career in welding af-ter returning home from deployment.

This pilot program is a spark to whatcould lead other entities to do the same inother fields of work. Many organizations to-day are already committing resources andimplementing programs to help veteransfind work.

In some cases, organizations consider sup-porting veteran-hiring initiatives an integralpart of their employment brand. However, ac-cording to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statis-tics, 55% of employers surveyed do not yetparticipate in veteran-specific recruiting ini-tiatives. Locally, that is changing.

The Veterans Goodwill Weld TrainingProgram at AWI is a two-day program thatallows individuals to train in the weldingfield, free of charge, in order to help vets gainknowledge and adapt back into the work-place. Two days of training would equalabout $800.

The Goodwill program continues to be of-fered free of charge thanks to the partner-ship between AWI, VFW Post 8637, EagleRiver Area Chamber of Commerce & VisitorsCenter, Hiawatha Lodge, Super 8 EagleRiver, Wild Eagle Lodge, Eagle Waters Re-sort, Edgewater Inn & Cottages and DaysInn of Eagle River.

According to AWI Eagle River site man-ager Rick Riemer, the course is tailored forthose who have never welded before, but alsofor someone who may have a lifetime of expe-

rience and simply needs a refresher coursein order to go back into the workforce.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statis-tics, the overall U.S. veteran population wasmore than 21 million strong as of 2015. Ofthe general unemployed, statistics show thatnearly 49% of the unemployed market in2015 was comprised of veterans who havegone abroad to serve the United States and

cannot find a job when they return.Given the advanced technical training, ef-

fective leadership skills, and strong workethic that soldiers develop while in the mili-tary, one would likely think that veteranswould be highly sought after in today’s com-petitive job market. Not according to the Bu-reau of Labor Statistics, which says today380,000 veterans remain out of work.

As of April 2017, the unemployment rateof veterans varied across the country, butshowed a general trend in a positive direc-tion, fighting downward toward 6% nation-ally.

The unemployment rate for veterans hasbeen higher than the nonveteran unemploy-ment rate since the start of the recession, be-cause many veterans fear being thrown backinto the everyday world after experiencingmany life-changing events, whether sta-tioned across the world in a hostile environ-ment or simply being stationed away fromhome domestically. Those veterans first re-turning from service in their 20s are most af-fected, statistics show.

In a survey conducted by the Center forResearch and Public Policy, veterans said themost serious concerns upon returning homeinclude the applicability of military trainingto education and jobs, job placement and ca-reer counseling.

The programs available to veterans, suchas at AWI in Eagle River, help not only coun-

sel returning veterans, but also ease themback into a job that they hope can reinstatethem back into everyday life as carefully aspossible.

According to Eagle River VFW Post Com-mander Dennis Geiseman, who helped pilotthe program with Reimer, the thought pro-cess behind the program was and continuesto be about giving veterans the pathwayneeded to get back into the labor force.

“What we wanted to do originally was puta program together that allowed vets to trywelding and see if they thought it would be acareer field for them, without having to com-mit financially before they knew if it wouldwork out,” Geiseman said. “Rick thought thatwas a great idea and ran with it from there.He contacted area businesses and lodging fa-cilities and worked hard to make it as easyas possible for vets to take advantage of theprogram.”

Geiseman feels that the success of theprogram doesn’t come in numbers. He alsofeels it’s a program more businesses couldmodel after to help lower unemploymentrates among vets.

“I said this from day one, if you help oneveteran you’re successful,” Geiseman said.“It’s not about 100 people. Once someone goesthrough it and they like it, they tell someoneelse, we find it’s even more successful. It’s aslow process, but it’s the best process. I thinkyou don’t need to worry about numbers, youworry about whether it’s working.”

Battling PTSDPost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

continues to hinder veterans looking to getback into the active workforce. The NationalInstitute of Mental Health says those withPTSD suffer from flashbacks, or the relivingof trauma over and over, and also experiencephysical symptoms like a racing heart orsweating, bad dreams and frighteningthoughts, and that re-experiencing symp-toms may cause problems in a person’s ev-eryday routine.

The symptoms can start from the person’sown thoughts and feelings. Words, objects, orsituations that are reminders of the eventcan also trigger re-experiencing symptoms.

To help with understanding those vetswith PTSD, educators at AWI receive train-ing in both recognizing instances of PTSDand how to deal with a vet should a case hap-pen while in a welding booth, while training.

AWI in Eagle River, along with its secondlocation in South Burlington, Vt., offers theprogram which can be booked by contactingeither campus location. Locally, past and pre-sent vets are urged to contact AWI in EagleRiver to set up a time to train.

Typically, sessions are scheduled twoweeks in advance, but can be expedited de-pending on travel and space available oncampus. With the program, vets receive twodays of training, one night’s accommodationsat a partnering hotel and one complimentarymeal donated by VFW Post 8637. Travel alsocan be arranged if needed.

For more information on the program,contact Riemer at AWI at (715) 337-0122.

AWI is helping vets get back to work___________

BY DOUG ETTEN

NEWS-REVIEW ASST. EDITOR___________

Advanced Welding Institute, in cooperation with VFW Post 8637 and area businesses, offerswelding training for veterans returning from deployment. —NEWS-REVIEW PHOTO

Program offers diplomasto vets who left high school

The state of Wisconsin has a programunder Statute 120.13 (37) to providehigh school diplomas to veterans wholeft high school for wartime military ser-vice.

The Northland Pines, Rhine land erand Three Lakes school districts arelooking for area veterans age 65 or older,who left a Wisconsin high school to enterthe service, were honorably dischargedand currently live in either the North-land Pines, Rhine land er or Three Lakesschool districts.

The law also applies to those olderthan 55 with a service-connected dis-

ability and who also satisfy the aboveconditions, according to retired U.S.Navy Capt. Terry McCloskey, a memberof the Three Lakes School Board.

“Anyone who qualifies and would liketo be included as part of the next gradu-ating class of either the NorthlandPines, Rhine land er or the Three Lakesschool districts may contact the applica-ble school district office that they livein,” said McCloskey.

This law also applies to anyone whohas a GED diploma, meets the other re-quirements and wishes to join their re-spective area graduations.


We thank those who served,our veterans and active military

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Fancher KennelsDOG BOARDING

“My business is going to the dogs”1385 N. Big Lake Loop Rd., Three Lakes 715-546-3090

Thank you to all the brave men and women who have served or are currently serving in the U.S. military.

• Hoists & Piers:Pier Pleasure,Porta Dock

• Dock Removal,Install, Repair

• Boat Winterizing& Storage

Honoring those who honorably served

933 N. Railroad St., Eagle River715-477-1155

Dine Inor Carry Out

Made-from-scratchcomfort food

Made-to-order pizzaFull menu and specialsFull bar and game room

(715) 479-6631

622 E. Wall St.Eagle River, Wis.

Right next toNelson’s Ace HardwareWe Salute

the veterans and active-dutymilitary who keep Americathe land of the free andhome of the brave.

• Complete Auto Service• Automatic Transmissions• 24-Hour Towing & Recovery

5255 Transmission Alley, Eagle River, WI 54521715-479-4020 715-477-0909

&

715-477-0501

Giving credit where it’s due,we salute our veterans andactive-duty military.

OWNER —

EAGLE CARPET CLEANING


All veterans are World Champions

T hank you all!DERBY RACETRACK


SALES SERVICE RENTAL

1651 Hwy. 45 North, Eagle River, Wis. (715) 479-2200

FFrreeeeddoomm IIssnn’’ tt FFrreeeeThank you to all the brave men

and women who have served or arecurrently serving in the U.S. military.

www.tracksideinc.com

We’re Proud to Saluteour Veterans & Military

Locally owned and operated for 23 years

eaglefloorcovering.com

Eagle Floor Covering1160 Twilite Lane, just off Hwy. 70 W, across from Eagle Cabinets 715-479-4480

OPEN MON.-FRI. 8:30-4:30, SAT. 9-12 OR BY APPT.

Thank you to all the men andwomen who give their serviceto keep our homeland free.

NEWS-REVIEWP.O. Box 1929, Eagle River, WI 54521(715) 479-4421 • Fax: (715) 479-6242

Email: [email protected] www.vcnewsreview.com

VILAS COUNTY

SERVING THE NORTH FOR MORE THAN 132 YEARS

Land O Lakes • RhinelanderThree Lakes • Woodruff

RHIN

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Thank You to our Veterans!

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