Ukrainian American Veterans hold 59th national convention (11/26/06)

Ukrainian American Veterans hold 59th national convention

by Atanas Kobryn

WARREN, Mich. - Ukrainian American veterans from all over the country were welcomed earlier this month by their comrades in Warren, Mich., members of UAV Michigan Post 101 headed by Lt. Col. Oleh R. Cieply. They held their 59th National Convention which included, among other important events, the election of national executive board officers for the 2006-2008 term.

Post 101 members are experienced in hosting national conventions, because this was the fourth national convention held there. Post Commander and Convention Committee Chairman Cieply, members of the Convention Committee, post members, and members of the Post's Ladies Auxiliary made all out-of-town veterans, their spouses and guests feel at home.

On the eve of the convention, Thursday, September 7, the national executive board met to go over unfinished business and to approve the convention's agenda and convention committee chairs. The meeting was chaired by National Commander Anna Krawczuk.

Mrs. Krawczuk called the 59th National Convention to order at 10 a.m., Friday, September 8, in the St. Josaphat Banquet Center. The reports of national executive board officers - Finance Officer Wasyl Liscynesky, Quartermaster Stephen Kostecki, Welfare Officer Myroslaw Pryjma and Scholarship Officer Nicholas Skirka - began after the traditional opening ceremonies, the roll call, quorum verification, and appointment of Acting Adjutant Michael Demchuk to record the proceedings of the convention.

National Commander Krawczuk reported on UAV Registration Project and the National Memorial Committee, and read the written reports of Vice-Commander Walter Mychajliw, Adjutant Walter Bodnar, Historian Vasyl Luchkiw, and Public Relations Officer Michael Wowk, who were unable to attend the convention due to health and other reasons.

Mrs. Krawczuk also reported that UAV Post 14 of Hartford, Conn., was reactivated under the leadership of Post Commander Lt. Col. Wiroslaw J. Snihurowych, U.S. Army (Ret.). Post 41 was founded in Los Angeles and is headed by Post Commander Gregory Sachnewycz. Also, a new UAV Post, No. 42, is being formed in Lehigh Valley.

Additional information about the National Memorial and the formation of Post 42 came from Immediate Past National Commander (PNC) Mathew Koziak, co-chair of the UAV National Memorial Committee.

Following the discussion and approval of the national executive officers' reports, the Convention Committee chairs presented their reports and recommendations for convention's approval: By-Laws - Mr. Demchuk, Chaplain/Service Officer - Dorothy Budacki, Finance - Mr. Liscynesky, Historian/Archives and UAV National Monument - PNC Koziak, Membership - PNC Eugene Sagasz, Public Relations/Federal Charter - Col. Leonid Kondratiuk, Quartermaster - Mr. Kostecki, Resolution, - PNC Atanas Kobryn, Scholarship - Mr. Skirka, Website and Tribune - NC Krawczuk, and Welfare - Mr. Pryjma.

The convention delegates also heard reports of by Convention Chairman Cieply, Convention Banquet Chair Myroslaw Pryjma and the Convention Journal Committee Chair Leo Cionka.

On deliberations on Saturday, September 9, started at 9 a.m. with the meeting of the Nominating Committee (past national commanders, state and post commanders) chaired by PNC Kobryn, member and past post commander of UAV Pvt. Roman G. Lazor Post 40 in North Port, Fla. At the conclusion of the Nominating Committee meeting Mr. Kobryn presented the committee's report and conducted the election of national executive board officers.

Mrs. Krawczuk, member of Major Myron Diduryk Post 30 of Freehold, N.J. was unanimously re-elected national commander.

Other elected or re-elected officers are as follows: Vice-Commander Paul J. Hlynsky (Post 28, Akron, Ohio), Finance Officer Liscynesky (Post 24, Cleveland), Judge Advocate Demchuk (Post 24), Quartermaster Kostecki (Post 31, Boston), Chaplain Budacki (Post 28), Service Officer Hlynsky, Welfare Officer Pryjma (Post 101), Scholarship Officer Skirka (Post 301, Yonkers, N.Y.), Historian Luchkiw (Post 19, Spring Valley, N.Y.), and Public Relations Officer Bernard Krawczuk (Post 30, Freehold.)

The Nominating Committee also recommended and the delegates approved the appointment of Lt. Cmdr. Andrey Swystun, U.S. Navy (Ret.) of Norfolk, Va., as acting webmaster. The UAV By-Laws stipulate that national adjutant is appointed by the national commander, subject to the national executive board's approval.

The Post 101 Convention Committee's hospitality will be remembered for a long time. The hosts also treated the convention attendees to a sumptuous buffet with refreshments, and a concert of American military and popular Ukrainian songs on Friday evening, September 8.

All attendees had a wonderful time by joining the performers in the sing-along. The Post 101 Ladies Auxiliary under the direction of Alberta Cieply conducted two raffles during the evening, which resulted in a significant enhancement of the UAV National Scholarship Fund. Two lucky raffle winners (Stefan Fedenko and Mr. Kobryn) also donated all their winnings to the fund.

The traditional convention banquet, hosted by Post 101, was held in the St. Josaphat Banquet Center, on Saturday, September 9.

Approximately 220 guests were welcomed by Lt. Col. Cieply, rose for the presentation of colors and the singing of national anthems, and then attentively listened to a tribute to MIAs and POWs by Mr. Cionka, Post 101 service officer.

Following the introduction of distinguished guests, UAV past national commanders and local dignitaries by Lt. Col. Cieply and the formal installation of national executive board officers conducted by PNC Eugene Sagasz, National Commander Krawczuk and UAV Ladies Auxiliary President Oksana Koziak addressed the gathering. At the conclusion of her remarks Mrs. Koziak presented Mrs. Krawczuk a total of $1,100 raised by the UAV National Ladies Auxiliary toward the UAV Scholarship and Welfare funds.

The highlight of the evening was the address of Col. Leonid Kondratiuk, U.S. Army (Ret.). Col. Kondratiuk, a member of UAV Nikolaus Zozula Post 31 of Boston, served on active duty primarily as a military historian. His assignments included serving as a historian at the U.S. Army Center of Military History and the National Guard Bureau as the chief of historical services.

Col. Kondratiuk, a graduate of the U.S. Army War College, became a member of the faculty of that prestigious college. In 1993 he helped plan and participated in the first U.S. military mission to Ukraine. Since his retirement from active military service he continues his service as a colonel in the state militia, and is active in several military, veterans, and civic Ukrainian American organizations

A professional historian, Col. Kondratiuk spoke about the distinguished careers of hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian Americans and of thousands of native Ukrainians in the armed forces of the United States throughout its history. He said that Ukrainian American soldiers played a distinctive role in our nation's conflicts although his participation is conspicuously absent in the UAV and in other historic archives.

Among other important facts, Col. Kondratiuk noted that some 24 Ukrainians in the expeditionary Forces of World War I alone were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the nation's second highest honor, and Matej Kocak, a Marine, won the Medal of Honor. Of this group, 20 were born in Ukraine, fighting for their adopted country.

More Ukrainian American servicemen won the Medal of Honor during World War II: Peter Tomich for his disregard of personal safety and heroism during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor; and Pvt. Nicholas Minue, native of Ukraine, for his heroic deeds in the European theater of operation; as well as Anthony Krotiak, John Dutko and Nicholas Oresko, said Col. Kondratiuk.

There were many other names mentioned by Col. Kondratiuk, along with the heroic deeds for which they were recognized including the first Ukrainian American general, Steve Melnik, Maj. Walter A. Kostecki, M.D., and Lt. Col. Theodore Kalakula. Many Ukrainian names can be seen on the grave markers of fallen U.S. military personnel throughout the world, as well as on the black marble of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington.

Col. Kondratiuk concluded his remarks with an appeal to honor all who served and to continue the research on Ukrainians in the U.S. armed forces because only a relatively small number of the estimated 300,000 Ukrainian Americans who served are now included in the UAV registry.

Atanas Kobryn is past national commander of the Ukrainian American Veterans.

| Home Page |