Thank you for your votes. Given the wide variety of candidates for the position of president, the selection is particularly rewarding. Seriously, I am honored to serve and I will try to live up to the demands of the office. I would not be prepared to undertake the responsibility were it not for the many members who contribute so much to the success of this Chapter.

At last month’s meeting Gerry Roberson informed us of a change in plans regarding the helicopter painting. The painting will now take place at the Santa Maria Airport for a cost of $1,450 and should be completed in the next few weeks. The Moving Wall will be here from April 29th through May 6th. More on this important event below. Memorial Day events were discussed and it was tentatively decided that the Chapter will coordinate with the Veterans Coordinating Council which is planning for cemetery services in the morning and a luncheon at the Memorial Building. The Chapter will not be conducting independently any kind of service at Elings Park. More details next month. Elizabeth Truesdail presented John Kerr’s wife with the plaque that we commissioned for John during his recovery. Contact Domingo Nunez (805 963-2125) for John’s contact information.

As mentioned above, The Moving Wall will be here, arriving April 28th for setup on April 29 and tear down on May 6. Bill Stewart has agreed to act as chairman and primary contact man and I will “co-chair”. This is a major event for us and for the community - indeed, for Southern California. We need help. First off, The Moving Wall is very expensive to host. It will set the Chapter’s treasury back by thousands and thousands of dollars, and we don’t have much to spare. At the same time we’re funding the painting of the helicopter, and upcoming Fiesta. We need contributions from members and from sponsors. All members are encouraged to publicize the Wall event and to ask for donations to the Chapter to help defray Wall and other expenses and to assure that we have funds left over to help with donations to community causes such as scholarships through the Santa Barbara Foundation. More Wall information at our website http://www.vvachapter218.org.

Second, The Moving Wall is labor intensive. Our contract requires that we man the Wall 24 hours a day with four people on site at all times. During public viewing we need members to escort the public and to help them locate names on the Wall, and to answer questions about the Wall and the War. Enclosed is a form indicating time slots that we need to fill. Please see what you can work into your schedule. Your help will be most appreciated and - if my past experience is a reliable indicator - you will find your service rewarding. The public is most appreciative.

The visit of the Wall corresponds with the 30th anniversary of the fall of Saigon. We will have a Memorial Ceremony on Saturday, April 30th, commencing at 11:00 AM. We hope to have a fire truck drive-by at 11:00 AM, we have speakers lined up including General Fred Lopez and Lois Capps, we anticipate a T-28 fly-over around 11:30, and will have a reading of the names of fallen Santa Barbara County comrades. We anticipate visits by school groups.

This is a very significant event on our calendar. We welcome input on ways to get the word out and encourage you to broadcast in whatever fashion you deem appropriate. If you have an idea for making the Wall more successful, let us know. Contact chairman Bill Stewart (805 962-0703) or me.

 

Meet the Members:

Keith Perkins enlisted in the Marines in March of 1963. MCRD, San Diego; NAS, Millington, Tennessee; MCAS Beaufort, S. C. Fire Control Radar Technician, F-8 Squadron, VMF (AW) - 235. Operation Steel Pike I; Naval Air Station, Key West (2 thirty day tours, southern perimeter duty); NAS, Iwakuni, Japan; Chu Lai, VN (9/66). Discharged E-5 January 1967. BA, Economics & MBA Finance, Columbia University. Former Maryland CPA. Moved to Santa Barbara in 1981. Stock broker for past 20 years, independent for the past seven. Wife Maria. Chapter member since about 1997.

(Sorry the above section had to start with me, but I had to start somewhere and I couldn’t think of anyone else who would welcome a telephone call from me at 12:20 AM (as I write this) for a little historical interview and chat!

Addendum:

Chapter 54 of the Veterans For Peace meets weekly on Mondays at 5pm in the Harbor Room of the Veterans Memorial Building at 112 W. Cabrillo on Santa Barbara’s waterfront. Chapter 54 includes members from Santa Barbara, Goleta, Carpinteria and Oxnard. The monthly membership and business meeting is normally the first Monday of the month. On all other Mondays, visitors are encouraged to join the chapter in Monday film showings. The films are shown at 6pm following refreshments and social hour from 5-6pm. For more information contact Lane Anderson at 564-2698

 

Proudly representing and serving noble warriors with noble intentions,

Keith

 

 

 

The Santa Barbara Chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America is a tax exempt, non-profit organization. Our members are Vietnam era (you need not have served "in country") Veterans and Associates (individuals from all walks of life who may or may not have served in the military). Our Chapter is successful because of the efforts of Vietnam Veterans, Vietnam Era Veterans, and Associates, all of whom are equally welcomed and prized. The Chapter’s Vance Committee distributes funds to qualified disabled American veterans.

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April, 2005

 

SERVING VETERANS AND THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1983

 

For all those soldiers, sailors, airmen, coast guardsmen and marines, past, present and future, who have taken, are taking, or will take their turn on duty, recall a couple of lines from

A Few Good Men (1992):

"Why do you like them so much?" {Lt. Sam Weinberg (Kevin Pollak)}

" 'Cause they stand on a wall and they say: "Nothing's going to hurt you tonight, not on my watch."" {Lt. Cdr. JoAnne Galloway (Demi Moore)}

"Proud To Be
A Vietnam Veteran"

 

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