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Hello Comrades,
“Being First”
I believe in being first, first to climb a rickety stair up to a tree house
or first going down dark cellar steps into the unknown. This year has been a year of first for District 7; First (and only)
District to have a Web Site linked from both National and Dept. within Dept. of MD, First addition of a new Post from a previous
District (7472), First Female elected District officer (Quartermaster Linda Tucker of 521), First District 7 Commander to
switch Post and be re-elected (8806 to 6918), First time Post 6918 has been the home of both District Commander & President),
First time Frederick Key’s and District 7 has done a project together (VFW/Super Hero Night), First time creating a
District Golf Tournament (District 7 Classic) but I would say my favorite first would have to be writing a VFW Resolution
that for the first time in VFW History that we as an organization recognize the youth organization “Young Marines”.
For all of my comrades who supported me thank you, for those comrades who doubted
me thank you, for those comrades who did nothing but watched hoping we would fail…. thank you, for had you actually
done anything at all to help it might have messed everything up.
Yours in Comradeship
Brad Wentworth
National Recognition for Young Marine
Five minutes after the final out at the
Key’s base ball game but five minutes before the fire works started time stood still for a Young Marine and the VFW then
thesilance was cut by the claping of thousands of hands and standing ovation. For the first time ever, a Young Marine
of the Year candidate has been recognized by the Veterans of Foreign Wars on the Post, District, Department and National Level.
On May 24th with microphone in hand Dept. CMDR Richard S. Udoff along with Dept. Sr. Vice Richard Koel read aloud
and then presented Young Marine Sgt. Major Jason Schnikter with “Citations of Recognition” for his achievement
of Young Marine of the Year Finalist (the winner will be named in June) from both the Department and National level.
Sgt. Major Schnikter is the only Young
Marine of the Year finalist recognized and endorsed by the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Jason Schnikter, a 4.0 grade point
average Junior attending Delone
Catholic High School in Pennsylvania
wants to attend the Naval Academy in Annapolis Maryland.
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District 7 Elections.
In April the Following officers were elected
to represent District 7;
CMRD
Brad Wentworth of 6918
Sr. Vice
Thomas Sipes of 521
Jr. Vice
Robert Dinterman of 6658
Q.M.
Linda Tucker of 521
Chaplin
Dale Owings of 467
Surgeon
Dick Myers of 467
Judge Adv.
Walt Leader of 521
3rd Yr Trust Tom Williams of 467
“VFW Super Hero Night” with the Frederick Key’s
For those of you who missed
the May 24th game at Harry Grove Stadium you missed a great night. The primary purpose of the night was not a fundraiser;
it was meant as a night of camaraderie for all members of the VFW and VFW Auxiliaries. Over two hundred of us purchased tickets
to attend (I would like to thank Post 7472, 3285, 6658 and 6918 for purchasing all of their tickets) the game that honored
our very own Richard Udoff as Dept. Commander as well as Mrs. Wilma VanOrmer Dept. President. Both threw out “First
Pitches” as well as recognizing Mr. Jason Schnickter (more on him later). The night followed in a great fire work display.
We will be doing this again next year. For those who question what does District 7 do for the Post or me, the answer being
exposed in a positive and patriotic public forum that Post money can’t buy.
Young Marine Honored
I know I already said this but if you didn’t attend the
May 24th baseball game at Harry Grove Stadium you missed a great night, but you also missed History in the making.
For the first time ever, a member of the Young Marines was recognized by the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
To understand how this happened let’s go to the beginning.
On February 2nd an article in the Carroll County Times
recognized Young Marine Sgt. Major Jason Schnitker as one of six finalist in the “Young Marine of the Year” competition
that is not only an international contest that involves over ten thousand troops. Jason’s Young Marine Unit meets at
District 7’s Post 467 every Wed. but I am getting ahead of myself. I was in Missouri on business since July when I received a call
from Post 467 CMDR Tom Williams who wanted me to see if the VFW officially recognized the Young Marines.
That would mark the beginning of History for three national organizations
by two unlikely people, two Commanders within the Dept. of MD VFW who are both Navy Veterans. It turned out that the VFW did
not recognize the Young Marines. So in order to recognize the Young Marines a resolution had to be drafted. National was consulted
as well as the Dept. of MD Sr. Vice Commander and the Dept. of MD Judge Advocate. The resolution was drafted and submitted
to Post 467 to approve, which then went to District 7 to approve, which then was submitted to the Dept. of MD VFW Bi-Law committee.
After pride eating changes the Bi-Law Committee approved the resolution to come before the State Convention. When this resolution
is passed the resolution will then go to the National Convention to be voted on.
Out of all of the Marine’s who have graced the Post, District
and National high office of Commander not one is recorded to have ever drafted such a resolution. Odd considering that every
U.S. Marine is eligible to become a member of the National Organization Marine Corp’s League which is the home of the
National Organization Young Marines.
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