GOVERNOR ROMNEY TO ADDRESS VFW NATIONAL CONVENTION
Governor Romney is scheduled to speak on July 24
July 12, 2012
The presumptive Republican candidate for this fall’s presidential election has
accepted an invitation to speak before the 113th National Convention of the
Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S., which begins July 21 at the Reno-Sparks
Convention Center in Reno, Nev. The event is closed to the public.
“We are most
appreciative to Governor Mitt Romney for again taking time to address America’s
oldest and largest major combat veterans’ organization,” said VFW National
Commander Richard L. DeNoyer, a retired Marine and Vietnam combat veteran from
Middleton, Mass. The governor spoke at the VFW's 112th National Convention in
San Antonio last August.
Governor
Romney is scheduled to speak on July 24, one day after President Obama, which
continues a long standing VFW tradition to provide a platform for those seeking
the nation’s highest office to address issues of importance directly to
veterans, military service members and their families. DeNoyer said this is
especially important during a time of war and instability abroad, and economic
belt tightening at home.
“We hope to
hear how both candidates will take the fight to our enemies and keep America
safe through strong national defense and homeland security programs,” he said.
“We also want to know how they will create, enhance and protect veteran and
military healthcare programs and Quality of Life initiatives, to include
educational benefits and military retirement programs, as well as how they will
improve veterans’ job training and employment opportunities, and eliminate
veterans' homelessness. We would also greatly appreciate hearing their
commitment to returning our fallen from their battlefields.”
Up to 12,000
VFW and Ladies Auxiliary delegates are expected to represent the organization’s
total membership of 2 million at the weeklong convention. Their mission is to
approve new national priorities to guide the VFW as it lobbies Congress on
issues important to the nation’s veterans, service members and their families.
Convention delegates will also elect a new VFW national commander and recognize
prominent individuals and organizations for their support of veterans, the
military and the nation.
Awards to be
presented are:
- VFW Gold Medal of Merit to the
Montford Point Marine Association, accepted by Dr. James T. Averhart Jr.,
national president;
- VFW Aerospace Award to women’s
aviation and space pioneer Wally Funk;
- VFW Americanism Award to
correspondent and author Joe Galloway;
- VFW Armed Services Award to the Army’s
Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, accepted by Col. Barbara R.
Holcomb, commanding officer;
- VFW Citizenship Award to “Kids Thank
a Veteran” director Cherie Reid;
- VFW Dwight D. Eisenhower Award to
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond T. Odierno;
- and
VFW Teacher of the Year awards to Debra Rose Howell (Monte Cristo Elementary
School, Granite Falls, Wash.), and George “Bud” Zorman (Mountain Home High
School, Ark.).
Also
addressing the delegates will be:
- Deputy Minister Chin, Hsiao-hui,
Veterans Affairs Commission, Republic of China on Taiwan;
- Spencer Fleming, 2012 Buddy Poppy
Child for the VFW National Home for Children, Eaton Rapids, Mich.;
- Retired Army Maj. Gen. John P.
Herrling, executive director, National Museum of the U.S. Army Campaign;
- Retired Army Lt. Gen. Claude M.
“Mick” Kicklighter, executive director, 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War
Commemoration;
- Yekaterina Priyezzheva, Russian
co-chair of the U.S.-Russia Joint Commission on POW/MIAs;
- Elizabeth Scannell, Goose Creek,
S.C., the $30,000 scholarship winner of VFW’s annual Voice of Democracy
program;
- Secretary Eric K. Shinseki, U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs;
- Army Maj. Gen. Stephen D. Tom,
commander of the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command;
- and many others.
Although the
113th VFW National Convention is closed to the general public, a video link to
the general session will stream live at www.vfw.org beginning at 8 a.m. PDT, July 23-25.
ABOUT THE VFW: The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the
U.S. is a nonprofit veterans’ service organization composed of combat veterans
and eligible military service members from the active, Guard and Reserve
forces. Founded in 1899 and chartered by Congress in 1936, the VFW is the
nation's largest organization of war veterans and its oldest major veterans’
organization. With more than 2 million members located in more than 7,300 VFW
Posts worldwide, “NO ONE DOES MORE FOR VETERANS.” The VFW and its
Auxiliaries are dedicated to veterans’ service, legislative advocacy, and
military and community service programs nationwide. For more information or to
join, visit our website at www.vfw.org.
MEDIA CREDENTIALING: The VFW National Convention
is not open to the public, and only registered and credentialed media from bona
fide news organizations will be approved to cover convention activities. A
Daybook of speakers, dates and times will be released to interested media next
week. To pre-register, contact Randi Law at VFW National Headquarters at rlaw@vfw.org or (816) 968-1104.
Onsite registration will begin July 21 in room D10 of the Reno-Sparks
Convention Center, phones (775) 236-1207 or 236-1208. Additional contacts are
VFW National Headquarters communications director Jerry Newberry at jnewberry@vfw.org or (816)
968-1168, and VFW Washington Office public affairs director Joe Davis at jdavis@vfw.org or (202)
608-8357. In Reno, Newberry and Davis can be reached by e-mail or their cells,
which are (816) 835-1851 and (202) 374-9998, respectively.
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