INDUCTION OF CLASS OF 2018
The long-anticipated list of the Class of 2018 inductees should be released by the Governor’s office to the Unified Arizona Veterans (UAV) very shortly. The UAV will then notify all the nominators about the selection, or non-selection, of their nominees. Once all nominators have had a chance to inform their nominees of their selection or non-selection, the UAV will then make the list public. 

UPCOMING EVENTS
Following Lea Seago’s military history article, you can see a short listing of upcoming events. Suggest you mark your calendars for those events you are interested in attending.

COPPER SWORD and COPPER EAGLE
I remind you again to note the new submission deadline for nominations for the Copper Sword and Copper Eagle – 30 September.  Nomination forms: Copper Sword and Copper Eagle

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
Our next General Membership Meeting will be held at the Arizona Capital, which is a first. VP Berger has all the latest details below.

FUNERAL HONORS
Many of you may not be aware that the Society honors its fallen members at their memorial ceremonies.  We generally make a presentation to the family immediately after the military presents them with the American flag.  Our presentation consists of reading a short certificate, then presenting the certificate along with an encased Arizona flag.  Both the certificate and the nameplate that is attached to the flag case takes a few days to prepare.  It is imperative that the Society, preferable the President, be notified as soon as a member has passed.  Once the President has a copy of the obituary, an email is sent to all members with information of any services planned.  It has been noted that some Society members attending funeral honors may not be aware of the proper wearing of our Society apparel.  I refer you to the following item.

WEARING OF AVHOFS APPAREL: The Society has a set of guidelines for wearing of our apparel.  The one item that needs to be stressed is the wearing of the medallion (aka Neckwear).  The medallion should be worn only on special occasions – AVHOF Induction Ceremony, AVHOFS Patriotic Gala, Veterans events such as Memorial Day Ceremonies and Veterans Day Ceremonies, and memorial services for deceased Society members.  In addition, business attire is the proper uniform for these events. Please see out Protocol document for a detailed guidelines.

Tom Hessler
AVHOFS President
Class of 2007

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
The much anticipated 2018 Annual Membership Meeting on Wednesday, 10th of October is being carefully planned by the Society Board.

Meeting will begin promptly at 10AM, promptness is appreciated as we are expecting a larger than normal attendance and our agenda is quite full.  Parking is available across the street in the Wesley Bolin Plaza to the East of the Capitol building.  A Society member will be available in the rotunda to give directions to the elevator.  Once off the elevator another member will direct you to the Historic Supreme Court Room.

Please consider an early arrival to allow time for viewing of our Society plaque and kiosk, which is located to the left of the rotunda entrance.  There is a lovely presentation of items from the USS Arizona also available for viewing in the same area.  You may do a self-guided tour, at your own pace, of the Wesley Bolin Plaza before or after the meeting,

Please remember your AVHOFS name tag as a group picture will be taken, along with various individual pictures.
Coffee and water will be available before and during the meeting.   A buffet lunch is scheduled for 12:00 and will include:

Choice of pot roast or grilled chicken plus mashed Potatoes, green beans, green tossed salad, dinner roll/butter and dessert

You MUST RSVP and confirm meal choice by Oct 5th.  Cost per person is $18.  Cash payment is preferred, but credit card payment will also be available. No checks, please.

Confirmation should be sent to bergergerry@hotmail.com.

The AVHOFS Board is looking forward to sharing with our members all of the exciting things our Society is doing.  See you on the 10th!!

Gerry Berger
AVHOFS Vice President
Class of 2016

11 JULY 2018 AVHOFS BOARD BRIEFS

1. President Tom Hessler and other board members are reviewing all Society Operating Instructions.  Once the reviews are completed, all revisions will be presented to the members for approval at the October annual meeting.
2. A renewed push to get additional applications for Society scholarships is underway.  A committee has been appointed to establish a measurable action plan.  All members are asked to seek nominations.
   
3. Six flag cases have been donated to the Society for presentation to the families of members upon the member’s death. 
4. The Society presents a flag in the case and a plaque to the families at that time.
The Society continues to support Veteran’s Court in several areas of the state.  Success rates continue to be very high.

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16 May 2018
AVHOFS,

I wanted to take a moment and thank you for your scholarship.  Being a more recently separated veteran, this award gives me assurance that ASU is the right choice for me.  Words don’t describe my feelings of honor and blessings.  Thank you to all who took their time to review my package and your selections.

With Great Thanks,
Derek
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9 June 2018

AZVHOFS

I wanted to write to personally thank you for awarding me with one of the Copper Lamp Knowledge scholarships for 2018.  I am very honored and humbled that the Arizona Hall of Fame Society recognized my work with veterans as part of the Veterans Heritage Project (VHP).  It had been my privilege to meet and record the military experiences of deserving veterans through the VHP program.

The scholarship money I was given will help me pay for my tuition next year at Arizona State University.  I am extremely excited to take the next steps towards continuing my service, this time to my country, by starting in the Naval ROTC program next Fall.

Your Society does wonderful work recognizing community members who work to support our veterans as well as recognizing veterans themselves.  I am proud to have volunteered at your annual gala for a number of years and I hope to continue working with you in the future.  Once again thank you for awarding me the scholarship and hosting my family and me at your gala.  I know you had many scholarship candidates to choose from and I am proud and extremely grateful that I was chosen by your distinguished members.

Yours sincerely,
James Edward Lednicky

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Dennis DeFrain
AVHOFS Secretary
Class of 2013

CENTURY CLUB
Many of our Society members have made it a point to contribute $100 or more to our Century Club on an annual basis.  We sincerely thank all of you who follow that procedure.
As most of you know, our Century Club is the main source of funds when it comes time to award scholarships to deserving veterans who have returned to school or are looking to return to school to further their education.

This year it appears that many of our annual givers thought they gave early in the year when they have not as yet given.  Please refer to your checkbook or other places where your records might be kept to see if you have written your check.  If you find you have not yet written your check, please consider doing so now.  If you believe you have given and are not listed below, you are certainly welcome to call me 623-544-4477 or email me and ask me to check my records.

Listed below are those Society members that have contributed so far this year.

Our annual goal is $5,000.  Here is how well we have done over the past few years.
2013 - $3,300          2016 - $4,480
2014 - $3,350          2017 - $4,300
2015 - $4,700          2018 - $2,109 to date

Jerry Wojtas
AVHOFS Treasurer
Class of 2011

SAVE THE DATE!
MARCH 9, 2019
6:00 – 10:00 pm, Hilton Scottsdale Resort & Villas

Veterans Heritage Project's inaugural “Saluting Stories of Service” celebration dinner highlights a student and veteran interview pair and honors an outstanding veteran or community leader with a “Storyteller’s Award” for sharing stories of dedication and service to our country, making a positive impact in the community and the development of youth. Meet special guest, Medal of Honor Recipient Sammy Davis, known as the “real Forrest Gump.” The evening concludes with dancing to big band swing music.

Invitations and website registration will begin in the fall. Individual tickets are $250, or organize a table of 10 for $2,000. Sponsorship packages are also available. Contact michelle@veteransheritage.org.
Funds raised will help us grow future leaders through civics education and engagement with veterans. Please consider helping us reach more veterans and students, expand to more Arizona schools, and build capacity for national impact.

Michelle DiMuro, CFRE
Executive Director
Veterans Heritage Project

Fall orders are being taken starting July 15, 2018 through September 8, 2018. Download the fillable form from our website and follow the instructions in the form. You can email or print and mail your order form. On the last page, where you fill out your information, ALL blocks MUST be filled out, especially the first line where you state your name as you want it embroidered on your items.

Please note that ALL orders need to be to the Quartermaster not later than SEPTEMBER 8, 2015 as NO ORDERS ACCEPTED AFTER THAT DATE.

With this Fall Order we will be accepting credit card payments either by swiping or inserting chip cards in our card reader or by telephone order at (480) 694-2425. When using credit cards, check the box next to credit card payment on the last page of the form. Then contact the Quartermaster at the number above to complete payment.

By Lea Seago - Class of 2013

Egypt to Constantinople and the vast Arabian Desert held a turbulent place in World War I, the British + Arabs against the Germans + Turks.

The most famous wanderer, during WWI, was T. E. Lawrence or as we know him Lawrence of Arabia.  An Oxford graduate, in his early twenties knew that the normal life in Britain was not enticing, so he looked to archeology and the study of architecture and Middle East civilizations.  Most of all he studied desert people, land formations and maps. He could blend into foreign environments and needed no special provisions. Lawrence had visions of excavations in Arabia.  The British saw this as an advantage. Read the full article

30 Sep 18 - NEW deadline for submission of Copper Eagle & Copper Sword award nominations.

10 Oct 18 - General Membership Meeting at the State Capitol

26 Oct 18 - Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame Inductions at the Talking Stick Resort, Scottsdale

9 Jan 19 - General Membership Meeting at the Arizona State Veteran Home, Phoenix

9 Mar 19 - “Saluting Stories of Service” celebration dinner, Hilton Scottsdale Resort & Villas.