NEWS AND VIEWS: Ukrainian American Veterans convention to look to future (09/20/98)

NEWS AND VIEWS

Ukrainian American Veterans convention to look to future

by Stephen M. Wichar Sr.

To mark the 51st anniversary convention of the Ukrainian American Veterans, military personnel who served in World War II, the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and Desert Storm will be convening on October 2-4 at the Holiday Inn Boardwalk in Atlantic City, N.J., located on the ocean front.

National Commander Steven Szewczuk, has announced to a stimulating agenda. The convention planning committee is being chaired by Jurij Hirniak, with Harold Bochonko, Jerry Nestor, Peter Terrebetzky, Matthew Koziak, Peter Polnyj and George Mutlos acting as key lieutenants.

One of the primary purposes of the convention will be to pursue how Ukrainian veterans can impact local agendas to foster an upgraded image of veterans' posts. These activities must reflect a more deliberate immersion in non-Ukrainian military events. If the UAVets want to receive a national charter from the United States government, this must be their ultimate strategy.

For the past decade and even longer, the UAV has been more than assiduous in planning ways and means to achieve its charter goal. Legislators and political pundits have been giving information that was more polite than substantive. We have been told that the issue is mired in committee, that a 10-year moratorium was placed on charter acquisition and that this precludes any ethnic national organization from being granted such a document. However, according to the Albuquerque Journal (August 6), the bureaucrats appear to be in error - unless a national charter and federal charter are different mandates.

The Journal reported that earlier that week the U.S. House of Representatives had granted a federal charter to American Hispanic Veterans. As a result, more services (benefits) will be given to Hispanics and their families. Unlike the Ukrainian American veterans, Hispanics veterans will now be termed a legitimate veterans' organization.

What kind of messages are our political friends sending? It is time for the UAV to take a fresh and direct approach to this problem. This is an election year for all congressmen - let's reposition ourselves.

To attain a higher profile among U.S. military and government officials, it is important to take part in state and national military events. This reinforces our relationship. For example, UAV Post 101 organized a detail to the Fort Custer National Cemetery in Battle Creek, Mich., for Memorial Day services on May 25. Among many hundreds of families and visitors, a parade of colors marched down the Avenue of American Flags. Post 101 posted its colors at the stage podium. An invocation, "The Pledge of Allegiance" and the national anthem were rendered.

During the introduction of distinguished guests, Robert Poe, cemetery director, presented Michigan's post and commanders. Both Post 101 and the Ladies Auxiliary of Michigan's UAV placed memorial wreaths at the podium.

Rowland A. Christian, acting director of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, was the keynote speaker. Military honors included a rifle salute by the Fort Custer National Honor Guard, and a cannon salute by the 3rd Battalion, 1st Michigan Light Artillery.

Taps were sounded as a fly-over by the 110th Fighter Wing, Michigan Air National Guard, roared overhead. Tom McHale, news director of WBCK radio, was the master of ceremonies. After all colors were retired, Oleh Cieply, Post 101 commander, and this writer, who is the UAV's Michigan state commander, pinned a national UAV medallion lapel pin on the coat of Mr. Poe, director of Fort Custer Cemetery. Afterwards, members of Post 101 gathered at the memorial pathway in a private ceremony at the post's Ukrainian memorial monument.

The most meaningful aspect of this Memorial Day observance, initiated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, is the contacts that were established. This is another way to work toward our goal of a national charter.

Stephen M. Wichar Sr. is national public relations/publicity officer of the Ukrainian American Veterans.

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