Honor Flight Chicago’s mission is to Honor, Thank, and Inspire by building awareness and appreciation of the debt of gratitude America owes its veterans for their service and sacrifice for our nation.
One of the ways this is accomplished is by offering veterans an opportunity for a one day event to fly from Chicago to Washington D.C. and back in order to visit national war memorials and other military themed sites. Every flight is a beautiful event.
Please consider contributing to the fundraiser at GoFundMe.
Argonne’s African American Employee Resource Group (AAA-ERG) and Veterans ERG hosted a Black History Month fireside chat on February 22, 2023. Diana Schmitt, co-founder of the Veterans ERG, coordinated the Chat. AAA-ERG President, Justin Breaux, moderated the Fireside Chat.
The conversation delved into Congressman Rush’s life of service as a Black Panther, soldier, and elected official, and his insights into mobilizing partners and people to bring about fundamental change for disenfranchised communities. During the Q&A session, he shared his experiences and insights on various topics.
When asked about what he has learned about mobilizing partners and people to bring about change, Congressman Rush stressed the importance of a strong faith and ability to form coalitions with people who share similar values and goals. He emphasized that change happens when people come together to demand it.
When asked about which piece of legislation he would like to be known for, Congressman Rush spoke of the Melanie Blocker-Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Health Care Act (MBS Act). The Act was named after a woman who suffered from postpartum depression (PPD) and died by suicide in 2001, just three months after giving birth to her son.
The Act aims to increase research on postpartum depression (PPD) and improve the delivery of healthcare services for individuals experiencing PPD. Congressman Rush was a co-sponsor of the Act and played an important role in advocating for and helping to pass the legislation, which was signed into law in 2018.
Congressman Rush was also asked about how the Black experience has changed in terms of access and opportunity since he entered the military. He noted that while there have been some improvements, much work still needs to be done to address systemic racism and inequalities in society.
On the topic of energy sustainability and justice, Congressman Rush emphasized the importance of addressing climate change and promoting clean energy. He praised Argonne National Laboratory for its contributions to advancing energy sustainability and justice through research and development.
Congressman Rush also shared his experience of joining the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and co-founding the Illinois chapter of the Black Panthers. He discussed how his time in the Army influenced his decision to join these organizations and his desire to fight for justice and equality.
The event also featured a gift presentation by Diana Schmidt, co-founder of the Veterans ERG, to Congressman Rush, thanking him for his service and contributions to the country.
In conclusion, the Fireside Chat with Congressman Bobby Rush was an insightful and engaging conversation, shedding light on his life of service and providing valuable insights into social justice and activism. It was a great way to celebrate Black History Month and honor the contributions of Black leaders and activists throughout history.
This video is dedicated to the men and women who serve and served our country.
Raise your right hand and repeat after me.
I, state your name,
do solemnly swear
that I will support and defend
the Constitution of the United States
against all enemies,
foreign and domestic;
that I will bear true faith
and allegiance to the same;
that I will obey
the orders of
the President of the United States
and the order of
those officers
appointed over me
according to regulations
and the uniform code of military justice.
So help me God.
This pledge was taken by every single enlisted United States Veteran… for you. Have you thanked a veteran today?
The Gap is a window into different lives and different generations. Two people, of vastly different ages, discuss a shared experience that impacted their lives, how it affected them and how they dealt with it to ultimately emerge stronger.
In this episode of The Gap with @LADbible TV, John Dennett, 95, a World War Two veteran, sits down with Ste Nicholls, 34, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Through their conversation we learn about the positive and negative sides of service, and how war has changed over the years.
Medal of Honor recipient former Army Staff Sgt. David G. Bellavia is inducted into the Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes for conspicuous gallantry in November 2004 during Operation Phantom Fury in Fallujah, Iraq.
Twenty-one steps south. Face east 21 seconds. Face north 21 seconds. Twenty-one steps north. Face east 21 seconds. Face south 21 seconds. Repeat until relieved.
Thus is the meticulous routine performed by the select few chosen for the honor of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, located in Arlington National Cemetery, just outside of Washington, D.C. These Tomb Guard Sentinels, elite volunteer members of the U.S. Army’s 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, watch the Tomb 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, rain or shine — and have done so for almost 80 years.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was constructed in 1921, after Congress approved the burial of an unidentified U.S. soldier from World War I, with other Unknowns interred since. The Tomb has been guarded year-round continuously since 1937, when the first 24-hour guards were posted. Since April 1948, sentinels from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, also known as the “Old Guard,” have been watching over the hallowed memorial.
The above video shows a complete changing of the guard ceremony edited together from three different ceremonies all recorded on May 20, 2015. To watch the video at full resolution, be sure to choose the 4K option in the YouTube player.
The US Military has been protecting Americans for hundreds of years – and it’s developed a lot of secrets in that time. Don’t miss today’s epic video that counts down 50 of the most insane military facts!
Aaron White, USMC veteran and Carry The Load Ambassador, shares the history and importance of Veterans Day, as well as how you can make this day special for a veteran you know, or better yet, don’t know. Share this video with your family, friends, and coworkers in place of the parades and speeches missing this year.
This video is a tribute to those brave men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces. Veterans Day is a federal holiday in the United States observed annually on November 11, for honoring military veterans. This video features patriotic music, patriotic images and powerful quotes that basically say thanks to all of our veterans. Freedom is not free.
We got an inside look at the United States Marine Corps’ intense 13-week basic training program. Senior video correspondent Graham Flanagan spent five days at the Marine Corps Recruit Training Depot in Parris Island, South Carolina, where he observed different companies at various stages of training.
Recruits endure a series of intense physical challenges such as entering a gas chamber, rappelling down a 47-foot-tower, and fighting each other with “pugil sticks.” The Marine Corps is the only US military branch that separates male and female recruits during basic training. In a statement to Business Insider, a spokesperson from the Marine Corps Recruit Training Depot at Parris Island said, “The same gender platoon model allows for appropriate acclimation to the training environment, development of key relationships with drill instructors, and optimal focus during the beginning of their transformation.”
After weeks of extreme physical and psychological challenges, training culminates with “The Crucible,” a 54-hour event where recruits endure exhausting combat scenarios while running on minimal food and sleep.
“Life is a struggle and the potential for failure is ever present, but those who live in fear of failure, or hardship, or embarrassment will never achieve their potential. Without pushing your limits, without occasionally sliding down the rope headfirst, without daring greatly, you will never know what is truly possible in your life.” ― William H. McRaven
Start each day with a task completed
Find someone to help you through life
Respect everyone
Life is not always fair…move forward
Don’t be afraid to fail often
Take risks
Face down bullies
Step up when times are toughest
Lift up the downtrodden
Never give up
If you do these things, the next generation and the generations that follow will live in a world far better than the one we have today.
The Argonne National Laboratory Veterans Employee Resource Group is raising money to sponsor/fund the training and care of a service K9 for a local Veteran with PTSD in honor of Tom Hart, brother-in-law of Diane Hart from Argonne’s S&T Partnerships and Outreach Directorate. Tom was a Lance Corporal and rifleman in the 1st Recon Battalion, 1st Marine Division.
Diane and her husband Mitch and family lost Tom as a direct result of his PTSD from his time served in the Vietnam War and wish to support a Veteran currently struggling with PTSD through sponsorship of a K-9 service dog.
Argonne Veterans are supporting K9s for Veterans because of the direct impact the program has on our local veteran community, and the way Veterans are integral in the training of their own PTSD K9. As the response to PTSD varies among individuals, it’s important that the animal is trained to respond to a Veteran’s unique symptoms and triggers. In addition to training, K9s for Veterans also provides veterinary services and food for free for the life of the animal.
What pops into your head when someone mentions the Fourth of July?
To civilians, chances are it is barbecues, flags, parades, throwing back a few cold ones and watching the night sky light up. There is so much more to it than that.
To veterans, the loved ones of the fallen, current service members and their families, it is Independence Day. On July Fourth, they celebrate the country and the independence for which they and their loved ones were willing to sacrifice their lives.
Perhaps this Independence Day, all can join our veterans in truly appreciating what our independence and freedom mean as well as the cost to achieve it.
Let us remember that without the men and women who willingly sacrifice their lives to secure our freedom, we would have no Fourth of July to celebrate.
Remember that the birth of this nation came with the loss of life paid by heroes willing to sacrifice everything that we may know how precious our freedom and liberty truly are.
Thomas Jefferson authored his last letter on July 2, 1826. In it, he proclaimed the importance of Independence Day:
“For ourselves, let the annual return of this day forever refresh our recollections of these rights, and an undiminished devotion to them.”
Jefferson, one of the authors of the Declaration of Independence and the third president of the United States, died two days later on the Fourth of July.
