National Commander Thanks VFW/Aux Members
Kansas City, MO.–The newly elected national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars toured the hurricane-ravaged areas of Mississippi and Louisiana last week to get a first-hand look at the damage and to thank the hundreds of VFW and Auxiliary members for their help in Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.
Jim Mueller, of O’Fallon, Mo., along with Allen Gunner Kent, VFW adjutant general and Kevin Jones, assistant director of programs, spent many hours talking to VFW and Auxiliary members, assessing their volunteer efforts and thanking them for their efforts.
Mueller, who compared the destruction to what he saw during his tour of duty in Vietnam, said he was inspired by the heroic actions of VFW and Auxiliary members.
As a national leader, we are supposed to be the motivators for our membership, he said. But they in truth are the motivators. Even though many of our own membership lost their homes during Katrina, they were there at the Posts helping those who needed help the most. …..
Although several VFW Posts were demolished during the storm, Mueller said many of the other VFW Posts in the area were used for shelters or distribution points. From DeRidder and Baton Rouge, La., to Gulfport, Jackson and Biloxi, Miss., Mueller and his VFW team presented seven Posts in the hurricane-affected areas with a $2,500 check. Mueller said the money would help Posts either rebuild or continue with their shelter assistance. While in Mississippi, Mueller and his team met with the lieutenant governor, Amy Tuck, who happens to be a Life Member of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary.
We briefed her on what the VFW was doing to help the evacuees, as well as some of their needs, Mueller said. He also reported the Departments of Louisiana and Mississippi have distributed more than $500,000 to VFW and Auxiliary members affected by the destruction. We plan on distributing more aid, but are having trouble locating many of our membership in the affected areas.
Mueller said he was glad he had the opportunity to witness first-hand the destruction and that as VFW national commander he felt it was important to have boots on the ground.
It was the only way to get an accurate picture of how our people were impacted by the storms, he said, adding that VFW hurricane-related relief efforts will continue as long as there is a need.
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