[Tamaroa]

Do Veteran's really care about themselves and their predecessor vets throughout all the wars. I have to tell you that sometimes I wonder. From what I have seen where I live, veteran organizations are nothing more than social clubs. a place to swill drinks with your old army buddy and remember the old days.

For the last several years, a friend of mine and I have tried to get the vets in our county interested in a project. Given the nature of the project, one would have thought they were interested. But, alas, it was not to be. I, a CG vet, personally went to every known active and abandoned cemetery in the county. I suffered through a terrible bout of Lyme disease for my trouble. I photographed all the headstones of Civil War vets. By the time I was through, I had 725 Union vets catalogued and 5 Confederate vets. I had a slide show and a presentation on how our veteran's resting places were being ignored. we were published in the paper and gave several presentations. Each time we were lucky if we got 15 to 20 people to come.

I tried to get the local American Legions and VFW's involved. Again they gave us a lot of lip service and thought it was a great idea. We had expanded the project you see. We decided to go beyond civil War vets and do all vets. Everybody thought it was a great idea until it came time when we asked to come to the meetings and give the presentation. all of a sudden, they wouldn't return calls or they were already booked, etc.

First we have to unite to become a voting block. What is the common denominator amongst us veterans that should start the process. We all took the oath to preserve, protect and defend the constitution, didn't we. That's a start at least. We have to start thinking about others and not just ourselves. Otherwise our benefits and pensions will continue to dwindle.

Bill