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Washington Evening Journal
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Girl Scouts hear from local veterans
FAIRFIELD – A group of 20 Girl Scouts from various local chapters listened to military veterans recount their time in the service during a program at the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post in Fairfield.
The event was organized by John Miller, coordinator for the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program of Jefferson County and who was also one of the six veterans who addressed the Girl Scouts that day, Saturday, Oct. 7. Miller, a retired U.S. Air Force officer, was joined by Ron Meyers (Navy), Erik Kyle (National Guard and Navy), VFW Post Commander Paul Riepe (Navy), Larry Hill (Army) and Ralph Bunker (Army).
Tristin Johnson, manager for Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa, had prepared a few questions to ask the veterans, such as what their duties were in the service and what they remembered about serving overseas. The panel of veterans shared stories from their time in the military, which covered the period from the 1960s to the 1990s and their time in places such as Vietnam and Thailand during the Vietnam War, South Korea, Iraq, the Mediterranean, and various European and Pacific theaters. Some served in combat units, while others were in peacetime operations.
Miller said the event went smoothly and was well received by both the veterans and the Girl Scouts. As part of the event, VFW Post Commander Paul Riepe asked the girls to bring a canned good item, which was then donated to The Lord’s Cupboard. At the end of the event, the girls composed cards of gratitude to be delivered to the Ottumwa VA veteran clinic patients.
Miller said he’s been wanting to put on a program like this, connecting the youth with veterans, for the past four years, but his efforts were interrupted by COVID.
“Besides the obvious goal of honoring the veterans, I wanted to give young people an opportunity to hear direct experiences from military veterans about what they did in their years of service,” Miller said. “Secondly, I wanted them to realize that a lot of military service does not necessarily involve combat. I wanted them to see that there are a number of other duties, even during wartime.”
Miller said that his own service in the military occurred during the Vietnam War, but took place on an airbase in Thailand, where he led a class on race relations. The veterans also spoke about other ways to serve, such as through AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps.
Miller said he’s building momentum for other, similar programs in the near future. A local 4-H leader has contacted him about setting up a program in late November, and Miller has been organizing another veterans’ panel to speak on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, at the Fairfield Public Library. The tentative time for that event is 2 p.m., and Miller expects three veterans to participate.
Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com
