Jim Monroe AVHOFS President Class of 2014

2021 AVHOF Induction Ceremony:
Hello all Society members.  When you receive this newsletter, we will be fast approaching the 2021 Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame Induction Luncheon.  On Friday, October 15th, many of your fellow society members will be gathering at the Talking Stick Resort to celebrate the selection of sixteen veterans who have excelled in their commitment to serve veterans, veteran families, and the veteran community after they completed their military service, in much the same way each of you were selected.   Each of these individuals will have an invited guest accompanying them and, in most cases, the nominator for each will also be present.

This year offers us a unique situation that we have not previously experienced.  Due to COVID considerations, the 2020 Class did not get the usual Induction Ceremony Luncheon.  Instead, nineteen 2020 members were individually inducted in a private ceremony designed to limit personal exposure and comply with CDC guidelines.  All 2020 members are invited to attend this year’s Luncheon and, in so doing, will experience some of the excitement the rest of us enjoyed.  Three of the 2020 members have yet to be inducted due to their personal situations at the time.  These three 2020 members will be inducted along with the 2021 class members at the Luncheon. 

The day will begin with a Reception at 0700 for all society members, the UAV Board of Directors and specifically 2021 and 2020 class members and their invited guests (1 per each inductee).  The 2020 class has been asked to sign in early and be available for a class photograph at 0800.  A light continental style buffet will be available and there is time to socialize before the beginning of the formal program.  Wanda Wright, Director of ADVS and Representative Walt Blackman will be presenting Support Pins to each new inductee’s selected support person and congratulating all new AVHOF members.  The reception will conclude with new inductees being instructed in the procedure to be followed for the Induction Ceremony.

The Induction Ceremony Luncheon begins with a Social Hour from 1030 to 1120.  This event is by invitation to class of 2021 and 2020 members and their invited guest (1 per each inductee) and to all those who have registered to attend.  We are anticipating approximately 400 attendees.  Seating in the Grand Ballroom will begin at 1120 and the formal program will start at 1130.  A number of VIPs and dignitaries will address the room followed by Lunch being served at 1215.  The Induction Ceremony begins at 1300 with Governor Ducey addressing the room (confirmation pending).  Entertainment will be provided by the Yellow Bird Dancers performing their Tribute to Warriors.  Arizona Department of Veterans Services Director Wanda Wright and Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs will address the room and congratulate the new Inductees.  The Induction Ceremony will then commence with the induction of the sixteen 2021 class members and the three remaining 2020 class members. 

This entire day is devoted to recognizing those who have been selected from the more that 500,000 Arizona veterans to receive this distinguished recognition as members of the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame.  At the end of the day, there will be a total of 472 veterans who have been identified and received this distinction.  This is less than a tenth of a percent (0.01%) of all veterans statewide.  A very select group indeed and members of the Society one and all.  I offer my personal congratulations to each new Society member and to each of you as well.  I look forward to seeing many of you there.

Photos of the Event will be posted in the November Patriot and Biographies for each inductee will begin running on the Society’s Social Media site following the induction.

2022 Annual Membership Meeting:
Plans are being formulated for an in-person Annual Membership Meeting in January.  It has been several years since we have gathered for such a meeting, and it is long overdue.  Discussions are being held with Doubletree Resort in Scottsdale, as well as several other potential venues, to secure a suitable location.  We are also considering lunch options following the meeting.  The tentative dates under consideration are January 11 - 12 – 13.  Please mark your calendars and begin making plans to attend.

East Valley Veterans Parade:
While this parade is not a Society event, it does have a special connection to us this year.  Dr. Alexander White, Class of 2014, will be honored as the Grand Marshall this year.  He will address the crowd immediately prior to the start of the parade and will then be in the lead car through the parade.   Many of you had the pleasure of meeting Dr. White at this year’s PAL; he is indeed a treasure to us all.  The East Valley Veterans Parade will be held on November 11th starting at 1100.  Additional details are available on their website:  https://evvp.org

As a result, we have removed the roster from the Society website and onto a private drive. Below, and in the future, we will send out a link to the roster at the bottom of our newsletters, updating it as necessary. Please don’t share your email newsletters with anyone so our roster stays secure. The version of the newsletter that we will post to the website WILL NOT have this link. Remember though, anytime you post your email online whether on our website, newsletter or anywhere else this can happen, so always be on guard.

Jerry Wojtas AVHOFS Treasurer Class of 2011

Each month I do my best to motivate the readers of this column to contribute to our Century Club.  I wish all of our members could see the look on the faces of those people who receive our scholarship awards.  Their faces express a sincere THANK YOU to our Society for helping them with their education expenses.

I realize that some of us might not be able to devote some funds as freely as others when it comes to supporting our Century Club.  So, if I come across as ‘pushy’ every once in a while, I apologize.  I guess I attribute that to my being a little closer to what the Century Club accomplishes than the rest of you.

Perhaps what I should be doing is saying a sincere THANK YOU to all of you who have contributed.  In September those contributors were Karl Pfitzer, thank you Karl, Gerry Berger, thank you Gerry, Pat Little-Upah, thank you Pat, Tom Sheets, thank you Tom, Al Crawford, thank you Al, Dennis De Frain, thank you Dennis and Judy-Ann Carroll, thank you Judy-Ann.  I didn’t realize how many members would be donating in September!  I may have to rethink my THANK YOU program!  As we go to press with our October Patriot, we have $4,276 in this year’s pot and well on our way to reaching our fiscal year goal of $10,000.

I should also thank those of you who have selected our Society as your Amazon Smile selection.  We recently got a check from Amazon Smile for $25.80.  Every little bit helps!

Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame
4980 S. Alma School Road, Ste, A2-619
Chandler, AZ 85248-5545

CENTURY CLUB DONATIONS (FY Goal is $10,000. Total to date is $4,276)

Black - up to $100  GREEN - $101-$199   BLUE - $200-$299   RED - $300 and above GOLD - $400 and above

Listed below are those who have contributed so far in 2021.

Kathleen Laurier AVHOFS Director Class of 2012

It’s Fall and things are beginning to get back to normal.  Our Society has been busy, even during the pandemic, to make sure our veterans are cared for. 

The “MOMS” (Maternity Outreach for Moms) has grown to include the Prescott VA Women’s Clinic.  The Prescott program manager for Veterans First is Becky DuRocher, USA (Ret) and retired this year from the Prescott VA and lives in Prescott Valley.  AVHOFS member, Joan Sisco, with Veterans First, Ltd., has assumed the responsibility for purchasing necessary items and building baskets for the new little ones. 

Veterans First is expanding the MOM’s program to include newborns of Male Veteran Families, renamed  “Maternity Outreach for Families” by January 2022.  So many of our veterans are struggling during this time and are so appreciative of the help our Society gives. 

Six baskets were delivered to Prescott Women Veterans Program in July and several moms have been gifted with them, with more to be sent soon.  AVHOFS member, Kathy Laurier, has moved to the Prescott area and will be assisting Becky DuRocher with the program at Prescott VA Women’s Clinic. 

(Photo left Becky DuRocher and Susan Johnson-Molina)

If any of your various organizations would like to participate in the program, we can arrange for a speaker to explain how and why it began and where we are today.  Contact Joan Sisco, Veterans First, Ltd.  (602) 841-7663- jsisco@veteransfirstltd.org for further information.

Major Accomplishment in Maricopa County

On February 1, 2021, the Honorable Judge Joseph C. Welty, Presiding Judge of the Maricopa County Superior Court, approved the establishment of the Northwest Regional Veterans Therapy Court for the Maricopa County Justice Courts.  This is a significant achievement because it is the first Veterans Court in the West Valley, which has been needed for years.  Currently there are over 17 courts throughout Arizona, but none were in the West Valley before the NWRVTC.

The first Veterans to graduate from this court was on September 15th.  This incredible accomplishment is directly attributable to the hard work, tenacity and leadership of Judge Donald Watts who was inducted into the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame in 2019.  Judge Watts was elected Manistee Justice of the Peace in November 2014.  He retired from the Peoria Police Department in 2013 after over 20 years of service.  He also served at Luke AFB in the United States Air Force Reserve and Arizona Air National Guard as a Law Enforcement Specialist.  The Manistee Justice Court receives over 13,000 civil and criminal filings per year and is one of the busiest Justice Courts in Maricopa County. 

There are 26 Justice Courts currently in Maricopa County and only one Veterans Court.  The ultimate goal is to add three additional Veterans Courts within the county in the next two years.  As you’d expect, these additional courts will help to rehabilitate and restore Veterans as active, contributing members of their community.
We are indebted to Judge Donald Watts for his service to our country and dedication and commitment to help our Veterans by assisting in the establishment of Veteran Treatment Courts in Maricopa County.

Sam Young
Class of 2012

Roy McClymonds AVHOFS Quartermaster Class of 2017

The Country Store is open.  It will remain open until 31 October.  The Society challenge coins will be available now for $10 each, although they are not shown in the Country Store yet.  The Country store catalog can be found on the AVHOF Website.  If you have a problem finding what you want, please feel free to contact me at (480) 694-2425 or my email at ramnpt@cox.net.

The Country Store will remain open through November and all items are exclusively available to members.  Pease log onto the Society website to place your order.

Request you let us know as soon as you know of an inductee’s passing.  If available, we would like to know the inductee’s name, date of passing, funeral, and memorial service details, and a copy of the obituary.  Send notices to Jim Monroe at j.c.monroe@cox.net.

Known members that have passed in 2021.
James Johnston (Class of 2013) passed 14 January
Joe Briggs (Class of 2020) passed 15 January
Helene (Billee) Culin (Class of 2017) passed 19 January
William Christopher (Chris) Spicer (Class of 2020) passed 1 May
Kelsey Begaye (Class of 2012) passed 13 August
Earl Devine (Class of 2010) passed 17 August
John Burden (Class of 2014) passed 28 August
Mark Field (Class of 2017) passed 22 September

Mark Field (Class of 2017)
(Bio from www.avhof.org)

“Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1964, Mark Field served in the US Navy as a storekeeper on submarines. Mark is a branch manager at a mortgage loan company, and also publisher and editor of National Veterans Magazine, a free magazine containing information, news, and histories for veterans, military, police officers, and firefighters. Mark was instrumental in creating a Veteran’s hiring program at Tiffany Construction Company, Phoenix; and the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station to hire veterans for security work. When MANA (Marines, Army, Navy, Air Force) House, a transitional living facility for homeless veterans, needed renovations, Mark organized a team of 70 Boy Scouts to make the needed improvements. In 2015, Mark Field was recognized by the President of the Arizona Senate for personally refurbishing 65 memorial plaques honoring fallen Arizona servicemembers at the State Capitol Wesley Bolin Plaza.”

NOTE: Mark was recently winner of the Arizona School of Real Estate Journal Industry award, Mortgage Loan Originator of the Year. Mark was a Navy submarine veteran from 1981-1989. Mark's high level of energy, especially in supporting and providing support to veterans, is well known in Arizona and in other parts of the country where the National Veterans Magazine has been published and distributed.