Stories of the Month
The Story Of "The Doughnut Girls"
Did you know that a major role of the civilian during
WW l ( since 1917) was giving donuts to soldiers both
on the home front and on the battle field?
**Special thanks to the Salvation Army for their efforts
throughout the World and their support for this site**
Special thanks to American Airline Stewardess ( like
Pat) who are proudly wearing civilian combat vet lapel
pins
The following story was in my local newspaper just 3
weeks ago and will be in another newspaper this week
( 081909)
Clay Co & State lagging to issue Veteran Tags
On July 24th 2009 I requested his well earned
Veteran Iraq Freedom license plates from the Clay
County Tax Office, in Celina, Tn
Was initially denied and told by the Clerk that he
did not qualify. Provided my USACE
accommodation earned while serving the fight for
freedom in Iraq on 2 different tours for her review.
She explained that she would not approve the
issuance of the plate until the documents he
provided were reviewed by higher management.
According to the Clerk the state requirement is that
a veteran has an honorable discharge and active
military service to be eligible to obtain the tag.
I served under the DOD & Army from June 2004
until January 2005 as an HSE Coordinator in
BaQubah, Iraq. On this tour was on 10 choppers, 4
convoys and some 14 fix winged missions. While
in BaQubah, was one of the first Americans
certified as a First Responder. After finishing this
tour was awarded an outstanding achievement
award from NASP (National Association of Safety
Professionals) on a major related life
threatening/saving event. At this time was a 30 year
native of Houston, Texas (Trinity / Crosby /
Highlands areas)
Served my second tour in Iraq from April 2006 -
April 2007 under the USACE in Mosul, Iraq. He was
the Health Safety and Environmental (HSE)
Inspector over 2 military bases that constructed
overhead protection systems using Foreign
Nationals (FN’s) from Turkey. They completed over
100,000 safe man hours without any significant
injury, lost time accident or first aid, all this and still
in a war zone where bombs, bullets and mortars
were an every day occurrence. Both tours in Iraq
supported the reconstruction of the Iraq
Government. Was now living in Celina, Tn.
Recently served under the U.S. State Department
as an HSE Inspector in Haiti for nine months from
July 2008 – April 2009 for the Stabilization of the
Haiti Government. While serving there he even was
on the Search and Rescue Team for the two Haiti
Schools that collapsed back in November of 2008.
One of my co-workers recommended me for a
special award from NASP for my life threatening
rescue efforts as well as risking his life in imminent
danger for the sake of others.
I provided a letter of recommendation from a
USACE commander on the excellent safety job de
did while serving to the Clerk along with a Baptism
Certificate from being Baptized in a 1,600 you
Christian Monastery there in Mosul. Also displayed
the first ever license from the US Patient &
Trademark office certifying & recognizing me as a
“Civilian Combat Veteran”
Accomplished all of this while I served as a
“Civilian” not being actually in the Military. A
civilian volunteers when and where to go and can
leave at any time unlike the military who must serve
out there entire tour.
It’s been a very difficult task to have Civilians
recognized for serving along side the military. If
any one knows their U.S. History, they should know
the civilians were the first to lay the foundations for
our Independence and freedom starting way back
in the mid 1770’s.
Civilians were at the Boston Tea Party; they served
in the Revoluntary War. They volunteered and
marched all the way from Tennessee to Texas with
Davey Crockett to fight for the independence of
Texas. They were there in the French Indian Wars,
in our Civil Wars in the 1860’s, in WWI as “Donut
Girls”. We shouldn’t forget the fighting Seabees of
WWII (originals being from the construction field),
and those who served in Korea and those that flew
the skies in Viet Nam as Air America. Today’s war,
combat zones in Iraq, Afghanistan and all over the
globe including the United States...
On Veterans Day, Memorial Day, and the 4th of July
we never hear on the Radio, read in the
newspapers, or see on TV the civilians who have
served or those who are serving along side our
Military on the war front! After all civilians stepped
up first, have been there, and serving even today.
It should be a “no brainier” when someone like me
requests for his Veteran Licensee tags. The tags
should be issued with honors for their courage and
efforts for our very own freedom.
Frankie Lea Sr Civilian Combat
Veteran
Address for letter of support safetylea@aol.com
This past Saturday ( Aug 15,2009) I went by the tax
office to check on my request for the Vet tags. The
county clerk was there and told me I was denied. No I
did not get her phone call, I just went in to check!!
Any way, she told me I was denied and the decision
came from a simple clerk. Well I then asked her if
people had to show proof to get the Tennessee tags
showing " sons of a confederate officer veteran? Her
reply was no, no proof and any one can pay for the
tags. But yet I being a certified / registered / recognized
Civilian Combat Veteran by the US Patient and
Trademark office can not get my Iraq Freedom Veteran
tags.
Well I did not stop there I wrote my local Congressman
Bart Gordon out of the Cookeville, Tn office, asking him
for his help.
People you too can request your well earned Veteran
tags even though you were not in the military. You will
have to fight for them, write your congressman, any and
all politicians who will listen
|
