Upcoming Events

Open Modal
On Air Now
  • Homepage
  • Posts
  • Dublin VA to Team up with American Legion and DAV for POW-MIA Recognition Day Program on Sept. 16

Dublin VA to Team up with American Legion and DAV for POW-MIA Recognition Day Program on Sept. 16

The Carl Vinson VA Medical Center, American Legion Padgett-Web Post 17, and the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) will jointly host a special program on Sept. 16 at 1 p.m. in the medical center’s auditorium in observance of National POW-MIA Recognition Day.
 Program coordinator Dean Swan, chief of Voluntary Service at the medical center, invited everyone to attend.
“All of our veterans are heroes to our nation, but those veterans who were POWs and MIAs have made a special sacrifice that we must honor. National POW-MIA Recognition Day is an excellent opportunity for all Americans to give these veterans thanks and the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center, American Legion, and DAV wants to acknowledge their sacrifice,” Swan said.
 In the U.S., National POW-MIA Recognition Day is observed on the third Friday each September and honors those who were prisoners of war and those who are still missing in action. Established by an Act of Congress under Section 1082 of the 1998 Defense Authorization Act, part of the observance involves flying the POW-MIA flag. The Dublin VA flies the POW-MIA flag year-round in perpetual recognition of the sacrifices made by America’s military POWs and MIAs.
Swan credited Keith Smith from American Legion Padgett-Webb Post 17 in Dublin with suggesting the program, and DAV member Burl Jimmerson with providing invaluable assistance to make it happen. According to Swan, the event is another example of VA and community partners working together to honor veterans.
“We need our community partners in order to ensure that America’s heroes get the best health care, so collaborating with them on events honoring veterans makes perfect sense,” Swan said.
 The program will include a special POW-MIA ceremony conducted by Smith that acknowledges former POWs and service members who are still missing.
 
 VA Communications director Dr. Frank Jordan seconded Swan’s invitation and expressed hope that the public would join the medical center in honoring POWs and MIAs.
“We want to use all of our events and observances as a way of encouraging our VA stakeholders to come in and see what we are doing to care for our veterans. Our POW-MIA observance is certainly an outstanding chance for doing that, so we hope that everyone will set aside a little time to join us. We especially hope that our schools and other organizations will bring in the youth to learn about POWs and MIAs,” Jordan said.
Swan said that the program will be an annual event that grows each year.
 “Our country needs these programs not only to honor our veterans and their sacrifices to our nation but also so that we can be confident that we are sustaining our sense of patriotism from one generation to the next. We hope to see young people at all of our events,” Swan said.
For more information, contact Dean Swan at Aldean.Swan@va.gov or 478-277-2729. Information about events at the medical center is also available on Facebook and Twitter.

Recommended Posts

Loading...