MN DAV Chapter 39 & Auxiliary Unit 39 will conduct meetings on Thurs., Sep. 14, 2023, at 6:30 PM, in the main meeting hall of VFW 1919 Coon Rapids Blvd., Coon Rapids, MN 55433.  NOTE Auxiliary Unit will also meet in the main hall, on the other side of room dividers.

Chapter agenda for the meeting includes a Golf Committee Meeting on Thurs., Sep. 14 at 5:00 PM in the main hall (same location as the Chapter Meeting) at the Coon Rapids VFW, prior to the start of the meeting.

MN DAV Chapter 39 is conducting a Clothing Drive on Sat. and Sun., Sept. 16 & 17, at County Market located at Bunker Lake Blvd. and Round Lake Blvd.  Volunteers are needed on both days.  Use the sign-up sheet at the September 2023 meeting.

Forget-Me-Not Fund Raiser will be held Oct. 6, 7 and 8.  Call Chapter Adjutant
and Treasurer, Scott Berndt, at (763) 245-2585 to volunteer.

Membership drive continues with a lifetime membership at a discounted cost of $50.00.

The Minnesota State Fall Conference is Sep. 21 – 23, held at Breezy Point, MN.  Chapter and Unit delegations have been selected to attend.  Each chapter and unit delegation should bring a Gift Basket for a raffle, supporting the MN State Auxiliary.

MN DAV Chapter 39 is conducting a CLOTHING DRIVE this Sat., Aug 19 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm and on Sun., Aug 20 from, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm at Cub Foods, 12900 Riverdale Dr NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55448.  Look for the DAV trailer in the Riverdale Crossing parking lot. Pm.  Learn more about how we support area Veterans on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MNDisabledAmericanVeteransChapter39/

MN DAV Chapter 39 & Auxiliary Unit 39 will meet on Thurs., Aug. 10, 2023, 6:30 PM at the VFW. located at 1919 Coon Rapids Blvd., Coon Rapids, MN 5543. Agenda includes an updated on the Golf Tournament, Forget-Me-Not fundraising drive, two Clothing drives in August and September, and information about the upcoming State Conference on Sept. 21-23 at Breezy Point, MN.

This coming Thursday, July 13th, is the 7th Annual Leo Luskey DAV Golf Tournament. Proceeds from the last four tournaments provided MN DAV Chapter 39’s the funding to purchase THE FIRST DAV Van for use to transport veterans to and from medical appointments within the chapter’s five county area! Anoka and surrounding counties have depended on VOLUNTEERS (and their personal vehicles) to transport veterans. There are still opportunities for foursomes to sign up, and we could certainly use more sponsors and are still on the hunt for some AWESOME raffle items and certificates for professional services to help support this annual event. Check it out at ANNUAL LEO LUSKEY ANNUAL DAV GOLF TOURNAMENT | MN DAV CHAPTER 39 (anoka39davmn.com)

June 14 marks the 248th birthday of the United States Army and 246 years of Old Glory flying high. The U.S. Army is two years older than the U.S. flag. A resolution of the Continental Congress authorized 10 companies of riflemen on June 14, 1775, to establish the U.S. Army. Two years later, the Continental Congress passed the first Flag Act and adopted the stars-and-stripes design as our nation’s flag. In 1949, President Harry Truman signed an act of Congress designating June 14 as National Flag Day. Learn more about the U.S. Army’s 247th Birthday Celebration at https://www.army.mil/1775/index.html#hpways

MN DAV Chapter 39 Clothing Drive on June 10^th, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM, and June 11th, 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM, at the Wal-Mart parking lot at 1851 Bunker Lake Blvd NW, Andover, MN 55304.   Look for our DAV trailer and volunteers in the parking lot.  Proceeds from the clothing drive supports area Veterans.  Please bag your clothing and shoes.  Learn more about how DAV supports our Veterans and their Families in Anoka and surrounding counties on our website at https://anoka39davmn.com/

MN DAV Chapter 39 will meet on Thursday, June 8, 2023 at 6:30 PM at the VFW, 1919 Coon Rapids Blvd., Coon Rapids, MN 55433. Agenda includes:

• Progress review of the upcoming 7th Annual Leo Luskey DAV

Golf Tournament. Learn how Chapter members can support and volunteer for the July 13 tournament at The Refuge Golf Course.

• Sign-up sheet to volunteer to help with the Clothing Drive on June 10th and 11th, at the Wal-Mart parking lot at 1851 Bunker Lake Blvd NW, Andover, MN 55304.

• Volunteering opportunity on June 11th, for America’s upcoming June 14th Flag Day and Army Birthday celebration, as 102.9 FM, “The Wolf” Radio Station will be setup outside of Savers Thrift Store in Coon Rapids to hand-out 1,000 flags from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, promoting the DAV’s mission.

A reminder that there will be no Chapter or Auxiliary Unit meetings in July.

Sharon Yoo, of Kare 11 News, reports that “Remembrance on Memorial Day came with conditions for some”.  Minnesota’s Hastings Veterans Monument includes the names of ‘Secret War’ Soldiers.  The memorial that bears both Hmong and American names side-by-side is reportedly the first in the nation.  “The United States government should have done this for us a long time ago, to educate the public but they did not do it,” Yang Chee said. Yang is a community organizer who represents the Special Guerilla Unit soldiers who fought in the “Secret War” in Laos.  Bound by military secrecy, the U.S. did not officially acknowledge its role in the Secret War until 1997.

“It was called the Secret War because the whole world should not know that the U.S., the CIA established a secret war within the country of Laos,” Yang explained. “We did that for two purposes. No. 1, to protect the sovereignty of Laos. Simultaneously, the SGUs were defending the United States’ interest in Southeast Asia, primarily South Vietnam. And the war in Laos [was] kept as a secret, no one should know about it.”  So for the fallen 35,000 Hmong Special Guerilla Unit soldiers, their names remained silent for years. Until now nearly 50 years later, people like Yang are seeing those names, side by side. American, and Hmong in Hastings.

“It is to my knowledge — it is the only memorial in the country to honor and to integrate the Hmong names, the SGUs with the Americans,” Yang said. “This symbolizes our friendships, our profound connections during the secret war in Laos.”  While the memorial won’t fully restore the years of honor stolen from those names, Yang said it’s a start.  “It’s not too late; I hope it will be more and more, there will be more SGU names coming to this memorial,” he said.  Remembrance is now timeless there, with names etched in brick, under one flag.  “We’re like brothers in arms again,” Yang said. “During the war, during peace time and also in heaven.”

The Arlington National Cemetery Memorial Day ceremony takes place on Monday, May 29, 2023, at the Amphitheater. The president of the United States typically delivers an address at the ceremony. Numerous military and government organizations also conduct services. All ceremonies and special events are free and open to the public. Check the Arlington National Cemetery website for details at https://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/…/Events…/Ceremonies . The public is encouraged to view the ceremony and observance program live at: www.dvidshub.net/webcast/32025 .

The National Memorial Day Concert will be broadcast on Sunday, May 28, 2023, starting at 9 p.m., CST. It will be livestreamed on PBS at https://www.pbs.org/show/national-memorial-day-concert/ .

Hosted by the American Veterans Center, the National Memorial Day Parade returns to Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C., on Monday, May 29, 2023, starting at 3 p.m., CST. The parade will be broadcast live, followed by a televised program, “Our Sacred Honor: An American Salute” airing on ABC, CBS, NBC and CW stations nationwide.