Support veterans this holiday with Salute the Armed Forces

As the Holiday Season approaches, Salute the Armed Forces reminds Americans everywhere that "our veterans deserve our respect and our financial support. We should be eternally grateful this Christmas Season for the sacrifices of our veterans."

Salute the Armed Forces was on-hand last month to welcome veterans at a Veterans Day ceremony at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Ill.

In an effort to provide camaraderie for the veterans, LeTourneau, in his role as director of the Illinois Aviation Museum in Romeoville, sponsored a presentation recently focusing on the proud heritage of the U.S. Air Force. Capt. Matt Michaud updated veterans and pilots on the overall mission of the U.S. Air Force, which prioritizes the defense of the United States and its principles along with a commitment to lend assistance in whatever community or country it has a base of operations.    

This non-profit organization, formed in 2008 to serve veterans in the greater Chicagoland area, is raising money with the sale of 10th anniversary 9-11 gold coins. The coins, which are the size of a half-dollar, sell for $15 each, according to Ed LeTourneau, founder of Salute the Armed Forces, www.salutethearmedforces.org.

All proceeds go to providing services to struggling veterans from WW II, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, and Desert Storm along with the lengthy list of men and women returning home from the ongoing battles in the mountains of Afghanistan as well as the deserts and cities of the Middle East. Mostly, the organization is assisting veterans from campaigns beginning in the 1960's in Vietnam through till today.  

LeTourneau is quick to advise potential donors to "Google" Salute the Armed Forces, check the Web site and read any of the several newspaper stories in the Chicago Tribune and other professional newspaper organizations. Several YouTube stories are available as well. "We want donors to feel confident that we are actively serving the needs of our veterans, and we want to let veterans know that Salute the Armed Forces exists solely for the purpose of helping them."

LeTourneau said his respect for the many sacrifices that veterans make stems from the actual experiences and the burdens associated with the aftermath of Vietnam borne by his two uncles. His effort to volunteer in the Desert Storm campaign in the '80s was thwarted because he was "too old," he said.

However, LeTourneau has committed himself to helping returning veterans. The membership roster for Salute the Armed Forces, includes veterans and patriotic supporters. The commemorative coins are referred to as a "Challenge Coin." The coin is designed to challenge Americans back home to seriously honor the legacies of all those who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2011—that horrific day when the likes of those who seek to destroy the American way of life brought tragedy to American soil.  

The front of the coin commemorates the 10th anniversary of 9-11 with a picture of the Statue of Liberty, the Twin Towers, an American Eagle and a U.S. flag. The back side of the Challenge Coin features the Battle Cross, a symbol that honors those from all branches of the Armed Forces who have lost their lives in defense of the USA and the principals this nation stands for.

LeTourneau said the organization was established solely for the purpose of assisting needy veterans with food, housing, education, job assistance and more. As an organization, it is calling on Americans to purchase Challenge Coins as a way to provide funding for immediate needs. The veterans who've left their families and loved ones behind to serve in god-awful conditions in foreign nations around the world are returning home by the thousands.

The problem is that veterans are quickly discovering that their sacrifices—physical, psychological and spiritual wounds—are just the beginning of their woes. The relentless pangs of economic strife in the United States leaves them searching in vain for genuine assistance. Sure there exist a plethora of Veteran Administration services, which are "incredibly helpful," he said, but sometime they're too slow in coming.

Many veterans are forced to live in near or actual poverty because they lack a consistent wave of support. "We here at Salute the Armed Forces are committed to serving them with immediate needs, while carrying the burden of straightening out bureaucratic mazes and mix-ups that frequently occur."

Like the bullets that whisked past their ears or the bombs that ripped through parts of their bodies, the economic violence at home is equally as potent. It is forcing them into diminished lifestyles. For many, it's the psychological wounds that keep them from thriving when they return home, he said.  

They may need counseling, which is available at several well-know Veterans' Hospitals, including Hines Veterans Administration Hospital in Maywood, Ill., but many have no transportation there. The volunteers that make up Salute the Armed Forces are ready and willing to provide transportation.

So far, Salute the Armed Forces has offered up more than $200,000 (all donations) to assist veterans with immediate needs. In essence, their needs are varied, but mostly they include job placement assistance, military records research, housing and health care. Obviously the Veterans Administration and the Disable Veterans Affairs organizations are available, but Salute the Armed Forces is prepared to take immediate steps when the situation demands it. 

A video of two proud veterans—one from Vietnam and the other from Iraq—are featured in this link, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1D66CzoRytE&feature=colike, sharing their stories.