The Flag March 1999

  Post 4848 showed support of its own member John Scott as he move through the chairs toward state VFW command.

  On a motion by Bill Bordwine, seconded by David Farris at the Feb. 2 executive board meeting, they voted $350 to aid John in attending the Washington Conference of the VFW.  The amount was increased to $900 at the membership meeting with a motion by David Wilson and seconded by Bill Carman

  Also approved was $900 for the commander and quartermaster to attend with the motion by Oscar Farrow and seconded by David.

  A motion to bring back a black light for use on dance nights was approved.

  The vacancy of chaplain created by Lloyd Shepard’s death was filled.  David Wilson was unanimously elected by the membership without opposition.

Shotgun prize

  A prize shotgun will be offered to the lucky person with a drawing Apr. 29. A donation of $1 is requested.  Fred Kizer has the details.

Kitchen is open

  Delicious food is now available at Post 4848 for dance nights from the skills of Papa and Mama Garcia’s Grill.

Auxiliary treats Red Bank center

  Members of the Ladies Auxiliary had a “wonderful time” treating patients at Red Bank Life Care Center to a Valentine Party, according to President Faye England, who said “Credit goes to Gail Anderson for doing a great job on the party.”

  A drive to get unpaid members to pay their dues is being conducted by the auxiliary to meet their goal.

  “I wish all our members could have been at the Pow Wow in Pigeon Forge,” Faye said.  “It was a terrific experience.  Now we are turning our attention to a St. Patrick’s Day celebration.”

Bill Bordwine Cooties leader

  Bill Bordwine was chosen to serve his seventh term as Seam Squirrel for VFW Post 4848’s Pup Tent 21 of the Military Order of the Cooties.

  He was elected at the Sunday, Feb. 14, meeting held at the post.

  Among the other officers chosen were Roy Stone to be second in command and Doug Gallant as quartermaster.

VA officials to answer questions

  Veterans Affairs officials from the state and locally will be in Chattanooga Friday, Mar. 19, at 11:30 AM to explain possible changes in the Alvin C. York VA Hospital at Murfreesboro.

  Fred Tucker, Tennessee Commissioner of Veterans Affairs, and Rick Finger, director of the Chattanooga VA Clinic, will speak at the quarterly meeting of the Chattanooga Area Veterans Council to be at American Legion Post 95.

  They will explain changes being considered and answer questions.  Area veteran organizations are being urged to attend.

  Talk of closure of the Murfreesboro facility and incorporated into the Nashville VA hospital brought on a flurry of opposition.  Greg Vandergriff came to Post 4848’s monthly meeting and secured signatures on a petition to keep Murfreesboro open.

  VA officials say  Murfreesboro is not being considered for closure.

  Some of the changes to be addressed would be the possibility of  shifting some services from one hospital to the other.  Expanding the shuttle  service is an option to transport patients between the two institutions.

  Some 19 mental health beds may be moved from Nashville to Murfreesboro.  And the surgery unit may be shifted to Nashville.

Notes . . .

  For a while the lounge crowd thought JOE CHEEK had seriously gotten interested in civics and political elections.  They forgot everything he does is tongue in cheek.

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  We all will miss the easy smile and infectious  good  humor of JOHNNY RICHARDSON, who died suddenly in February.

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  Post 4848 Ladies Auxiliary Chaplain SHERRY KIMBROW is also secretary for the CAVC.  She is producing an attractive newsletter for member posts.  Her newsletter is being prepared for the Internet and should be available soon.

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  As many years as CHARLIE CROCKER has been a valued member of Post 4848, he had never gotten a newsletter—until he gets The Flag with this issue.  No way of knowing how Charlie’s name got left off the mailing list.  If you know of any member not getting the monthly newsletter, please let us know and we’ll make the corrections.

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  If you haven’t looked at Post 4848’s website on the Internet, you’re missing something.  There we are able to offer pictures and expanded features.  For instance, there’s a picture of BEA COOK serving Orange Grove residents.  There is a home page on the post and current and back copies of the newsletter.  The address is www.ipspress.com and go to the post’s site.

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  The vote is in.  The best band in Chattanooga is right here at Post 4848.  Everyone says “Next of Kin” provides the best musical entertainment available locally.  See for yourself.

Vet's View . . . Pete Chaney

  Somewhere along the way the army goofed with me, which is no new news to those who have been there.  They had taught me to load a clip in a M-1 and keep my thumb up, how to swing AA  artillery from one end to the other through a SCR-584 radar, how to file papers as a company clerk and a few other things.

  Then somebody thought I could read and write and take pictures, but I needed some more intelligence.  They sent me to a school at Fort Holabird in Maryland to be an agent. I had done a bit of newspaper and commercial photography, sometimes on the ground, sometimes at high altitudes.

  But I wanted to learn all I could at the Army Intelligence school.  I remember some of my favorite authors in those days were Ernest Hemingway who wrote “For Whom the Bell Tolls” in support of the communists in Spain, John Stenibeck, John Dos Pasos.

  I asked the political instructor at Fort Holabird why these people or anyone would fall for Communism.  He said, because they promise everything, and deliver nothing.

  We all complain about what’s wrong with our government, and with our elected officials.  We can do that freely, because we are Americans in a democratic country.  We’re not under Communism.

  That’s why Americans answer the call when their country needs them—so we will have the freedoms that come only with a free society.

  As they say there are many things wrong with a democracy, but there’s no better government in sight.

Reprinted from VFW Post 1733, Knoxville, TN

Orange Grove enjoys Valentine Dance

ORANGE GROVE residents consume 700 hot dogs and enjoy the dance music at the Feb. 11 Valentine Dance given them by VFW Post 4848.  Each Halloween and Valentine the post sponsors dances for the organization. (IPS photos by Pete Chaney)

HOSTING Orange Grove residents, Linda Christian (left) and Doug Gallant (right) join the group enjoying food and music for the Valentine Day treat.

Post 4848 Calendar February

E-Board meeting Tuesday,  Mar. 2, 6:30 PM.

Membership meeting Thursday, Mar 2, 7 PM, with food and refreshments to follow.

Ladies Auxiliary meeting, nomination and election, Thursday, Mar. 2, 7 PM.

MOC meeting Sunday, Mar. 14, 6 PM.

 MOCA meeting Sunday, Mar. 14, 6 PM.

CAVC meeting Friday, Mar. 19, 11:30 AM at American Legion Post 95.

TAPS
Johnny Richardson
Jerry C. Smith

 DANCE NIGHTS
‘Next of Kin’

 Fridays 9 PM to 1 AM; Saturdays, 9 PM to 1 AM.
Kitchen is open during dance nights

Karaoke with Larry Pangle
Wednesdays, 6:30 – 10:30 PM
Sundays, 6 PM – 10:30 PM

If you have items of interest to Post 4848 members, please turn them in to the quartermaster or any bartender by the 20th of the month prior to publication of The Flag.  You can FAX items to 698-7803 or e-mail them to pop@ipspress.com. 

If you know of someone who would like to receive The Flag by e-mail, please mail us the address.  If you are receiving it and do not wish it, please let us know and your address will be deleted.

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