Utah Valor Magazine October 2018

A SALUTE TO UTAH’S VETERANS AND MILITARY

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AKKA IGHANE, Morocco. April 2017. Maj. Kevin Loveridge, a physician assistant with the 151st Medical Group, provides medical care in conjunction with Moroccan counterparts. u . s . air national guard photo / tech . sgt . annie edwards

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CONTENTS WE’RE ALLIES State Partnership Program: Utah National Guard and Monocco Come Together in Humanitarian, Leadership and Safety pages 16-21

LOST AND FOUND Local Researchers Piece Together Nearly-Forgotten Story of Tragic Plane Crash Over Wasatch Mountains pages 22-27 DEPARTMENTS The Briefing / 4-5 Doing Business: Zions Bank Internship Program / 6-7 On the Homefront: Specialty DMV Plates / 8-9 Community Relations: Judge Paul M. Warner / 10-11 Service & Support: Fisher House / 12-13 Family Matters: Peer-to-Peer Programs / 14-15 Remembering WWI: USU’s “War and the Human Heart” / 28-29

WWW.UTAHVALOR.COM UTAH MEDIA GROUP / 4770 South 5600 West, West Valley City UT 84118 utahmediagroup.com To subscribe: 801-204-6100 / To advertise: 801-204-6300 PROJECT TEAM / Brent Low, Publisher / Megan Donio, Publications Manager Michelle Bridges, Project Editor / Utah Media Group Creative VALOR: A Salute to Utah’s Veterans and Military is a publication of Utah Media Group and distributed in partnership with Deseret News and The Salt Lake Tribune. Copyright© OCTOBER 2018. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any format without consent of Utah Media Group. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication and assume no liability for errors, inaccuracies or omissions. on the cover :

ADIS, Morocco. April 2017. Maj. Amy Prince, a flight surgeon with the 140th Medical Group, provides medical care in the pediatric clinic u . s . air national guard photo / tech . sgt . annie edwards october

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The Briefing U ta h h a s a n e n ga g i n g m i l i ta r y c o m m u n i t y w i t h d e e p r oo t s a n d b ra n ch e s t h a t r e a ch f a r a n d w i d e.

O u r m y r i a d s to r i e s a r e tol d i n o u r s ch ool s , l i b ra r i e s , m u s e u m s , a c t iv i t i e s a n d h o m e s .

E ve r y n o w a n d t h e n VA LO R c o m e s a c r o s s i n te r e s t i n g “ b i t s a n d p i e c e s ” t h a t w e w a n t to s h a r e w i t h o u r r e a d e r s .

Sharing ‘unbelievable’ stories PLANE TALK LECTURE SERIES SET AT HILL MUSEUM

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isitors from across the country visit the Hill Aerospace Museum, including attending the Plane Talk Lecture Series held every Saturday during the fall and winter months. Many speakers are well known, including: Sen. Jake Garn, former U.S. senator and astronaut; Col. Jay Hess, U.S. Air Force pilot and former Vietnam prisoner of war; and Col. Gail Halvorsen, the WWII pilot known as “The Berlin Candy Bomber.”

Many speakers are visiting guests of the museum, such as Omeara Daniels, a 96-year-old woman from Brigham City who was visiting the museum and mentioned she had worked in the early ’40s as an expediter on the B-17 Bomber assembly process in Burbank, California.

Terry Bean, the Hill Aerospace Museum Board of Directors member who coordinates the series, found out about her work history and invited her to speak last year. Daniels spoke about her experience making sure everyone had all the parts needed to build the aircraft, and about the time she was instrumental in helping capture two German spies that worked in that same Boeing factory.

“The community can get up close and personal with these heroes, where you find out that they are normal people just like you and me,” said Robb Alexander, executive director of the Aerospace Heritage Foundation of Utah.

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SEPTEMBER TO APRIL

PLANE TALK LECTURE SERIES

Community members can hear about the history of Hill Air Force Base, history of the military, from people who’ve worked in the aerospace and defense industries, and those who have served in past and current wars. 1 p.m., Saturdays. Free admission. Hill Aerospace Museum, 7961 Wardleigh Rd., Hill AFB, UT 84056-5842. Take exit 338 off I-15. aaerospaceutah.org/hill-aerospace-museum/plane-talk/

Bean has discovered that many people are hesitant to share their stories, including his uncle who served as a tank commander during the Korean War. “I could never get stories out of him until one day I got him to come here to speak, and it changed his whole way of thinking,” Bean said.

“I’ve come across some unbelievable stories. Everybody has a story to tell as I meet these people, but most people don’t think others are interested in their story,” Bean said. “Some speakers just hold it inside, and then it’s like you hit the right button and their story comes out, about the things they went through.”

For more information about upcoming speakers at the Plane Talk Lecture series, visit aerospaceutah.org/hill-aerospacemuseum/plane-talk/. —DANA RIMINGTON FOR VALOR

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11/03 TEN4 RESPONDING GALA Veterans and first responders are honored for their efforts and impact on suicide awareness in their communities. Social, silent auction, dinner, awards, live entertainment. Tickets: $45-$100.

HotelRL, 161 W. 600 South, SLC, 5 to 10 p.m.

Saturday. ten4responsding.org

11/07 SALUTING OUR HEROES

Before making any contributions this giving season, learn some tips to be smart and safe with your money and resources. getty images / steve debenport

Honoring the men and women who have served our country with opportunities and resources to assist veterans transition to civilian life. Keynote Lt. Col. Tres Smith, USMC (Ret.) $100 donation is kindly requested. Grand America Hotel, 555 Main Street, SLC, Noon-1:30 p.m. Wednesday. discovernac.org/saluting-our-heroes/

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OPERATION DONATE WITH HONOR AIMS TO EDUCATE PUBLIC ON CHARITY FRAUD

VETERANS DAY ACTIVITIES

“Operation Donate with Honor” is a reminder for Utah consumers who wish to support military veterans through charitable giving to donate wisely. The national education campaign is intended to help potential donors, regardless of where or how they choose to donate, learn how to spot fraudulent and deceptive solicitations and make sure their contributions actually benefit veterans and service members.

This year marks 100th anniversary of the WWI Armistice and many communities, academic institutions and military organizations will hold ceremonies in recognition of Veterans Day. Find an event near you, veterans.utah.gov/calendars

Every year, grateful Americans repay the sacrifices made by those who serve in the U.S. Armed Forces with contributions to charities that promise to deliver needed help and services to veterans and service members. Most of these charities live up to fundraising promises, but a few attract donations by lying about help and support not actually delivered. In the process, they harm not only well-meaning donors, but also the legitimate charities engaged in vital work on behalf of veterans and service members.

“Men and women who serve in the U.S. military are selfless in their service as they defend our freedoms and liberties. Many people want to honor that service and make donations to foundations, organizations and groups focused on military members, veterans and their families. We ask that before you donate, you perform due diligence to ensure the validity of your charity of choice,“ advised Gary Harter, executive director of the Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs.

CONSUMER TIPS FOR WISE CHARITABLE GIVING

11/18 VOLKSTRAUERTAG — GERMAN NATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE German Americans and friends gather to pay tribute to the 41 German prisoners of war and others laid to rest at historic burial ground.

Speakers from German community. Fort Douglas Post Cemetery, 431 S. Chipeta Way, SLC, 10 a.m.

Sunday. fortdouglas.org

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■ Don’t rely on a sympathetic sounding name to make a donation.

REMEMBERING PEARL HARBOR

■ Ask for the charity’s name, website and physical location.

Many communities will commemorate the 77th anniversary through memorial services and retelling of the day’s events. Learn more by visiting with a WWII veteran. visitpearlharbor.org

■ Ask how much of any donation will go to the charitable program you want to support.

■ Check with Utah Division of Consumer Protection to see if they are registered at dcp. utah.gov/consumerinfo/veterans_charities.html ■ Search the charity’s name online with the word “scam” or “complaint” to see what other people say about it.

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■ Check out the charity’s ratings at Wise Giving Alliance, Charity Watch or Charity Navigator.

WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA DAY

■ Never pay with cash, a gift card or by wiring money.

■ Consider paying by credit card, which is the safest option for security and tax purposes.

■ If you wish to file a complaint, go to https://dcp.utah.gov/complaints/manual.html For information about the Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs, visit veterans.utah.gov or the Utah Division of Consumer Protection to go dcp.utah.gov —UDVMA FOR VALOR october

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Wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery and more than 1,400 locations in all 50 U.S. states, at sea and abroad. Sponsor a veterans’ wreath or volunteer to lay wreaths at a cemetery. To find one near you, visit wreathsacrossamerica.org FOLLOW US at facebook.com/ utahvalormag or online at utahvalor.com va l o r : a s a l u t e t o u ta h ’ s v e t e r a n s a n d m i l i ta r y

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Doing Business T h e B e e h ive S ta te h a s a d y n a m i c a n d d ive r s e e c o n o m y. D e f e n s e - r el a te d i n d u s t r i e s a r e pa r t o f t h a t e n v i r o n m e n t .

Fr o m b u s i n e s s boa r d r oo m s , go ve r n m e n t o f f i c e s , e d u c a t i o n a l c l a s s r oo m s a n d i n d iv i d u a l l ivel i h ood s , VA LO R i n t r od u c e s r e a d e r s to t h e m a n y pa r t n e r s a n d r e s o u r c e s f i n d i n g s u c c e s s i n t h e m a rk e t pl a c e.

THE RIGHT TOOLS Z I O N S BA N K M I L I TA RY I N T E R N S H I P P RO G R A M B U I L D S B R I D G E S F O R T H O S E W H O S E RV E D TO S U C C E E D I N T H E WO R K F O RC E

by Dana Rimington for valor maga z in e

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fter serving 26 years in the military, which included time in the Air Force Reserve, Army National Guard, three years of active duty, and a yearlong tour in Iraq, Lt. Col. Greg Cassat was looking for a new career opportunity.

A friend referred him to the Zions Bank Military Internship Program, where he worked as an intern for 90 days, leading him to his current job now the Zions Bank Business Resource Center Director.

“This happened to be the right bridge for me to go from being in the coaching industry into the banking industry,” Cassat said. “It’s a generous program for people that are looking for a transition because not only are you doing a job at the bank, but as part of your internship they schedule interviews to talk to people within Zions Bank.”

Cassat conducted informational interviews with a number of executives during his internship, which included an interview with an executive who later interviewed Cassat for his current position. “One of the great things about the informational interviews they had us do during the internship was that by the time you got to an actual interview for a real job, you were well practiced,” Cassat said. “I can’t help but think that improved my chances of being hired, since I was a familiar face and he already had the chance to talk to me.”

The Zions Military Internship program began in 2011 when the company learned that unemployment rates for veterans between the ages of 18 and 24 were double that of

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their counterparts. At the time, in response to a state coalition formed by local agencies to help turn around the unemployment rates for veterans. Zions Bank decided to implement a program — similar to their college internship program — for veterans, and those currently serving in military positions.

“This speaks to our CEO’s commitment to community, and part of our leadership efforts to do what we can to ease their transition into the workforce after leaving active duty, or support them in the workforce as guardsmen and reservists,” said Zions Bank Senior Vice President and Director of Military Relations Brian Garrett. Since the program started, over 100 military interns have graduated from the program.

Many of those participating in the program don’t realize how their skills from the military could benefit Zions Bank and other companies.

“Even though many of them have very military-centric backgrounds like infantry and snipers, the common core skill sets they are taught in the military make it easy to mold them into different places in the bank and grow from there,” said Garrett.

For instance, Garrett said one of their interns came into the program after working with public affairs at the Army Dugway Proving Grounds. “We assigned him to write a couple blog stories for us and by the end of the day, he had killed it,” Garrett said. “Many of our departments specifically request the interns october

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In celebration of completing the major milestone of 100 interns who have completed the Zions Bank Military Internship Program are ( left to right ) LeeAnne Linderman, Margarita Angelo, Travis Mar, Rob Brough, Dezaray Allred, Brian Garrett, Alison Putnam and Christopher Aguilar. courtesy zions bank

because they know what they bring to the table as far as the trades, professionalism and teamwork they’ve learned while serving.”

positions in operations, fraud, IT, compliance, risk management or project management, and our veterans have excellent skills in those areas they have never thought about,” said Angelo.

“The purpose of the internship program is to give participants the tools for success,” said Margarita Angelo, vice president and diversity recruitment officer, who helped implement the military internship program. The program is designed specifically for veterans. Unlike the company college internship program, there is no age limit for the military internship program, which has helped people of all ages from the late teens, early 20s, all the way up to mid 60s. The program also includes an educational component that teaches them how to write a resume, how to network and how to interview.

One intern Angelo worked with had experience in criminal justice, so within a few weeks of her internship, she was placed on a project in risk management where she excelled and was later hired on a full-time basis.

At the heart of the program is helping veterans and those currently serving in the military be successful in the workforce.

“We want them to succeed and find a job. We wish we could keep them all, but sometimes they don’t always stay with us, which is fine because no matter how you look at it, this program is designed for them to succeed wherever they go,” Angelo said.

“When one of our military interns finds a full-time job, it’s the start of a new career for them and it’s simply amazing. If we can make a difference in the life of one person, we can also change the life of the whole family, which then helps our community.”

Angelo says many of the interns she interviews don’t think they can bring a lot to the banking industry, but what people don’t realize is the entirety of the banking industry. “We have october

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“At the end of the day, it’s all about working for a company that really cares about their employees and customers, but also their community. This program was started just by our CEO having a conversation with a military official about how hard it was for veterans to find a job. I go home happy each day knowing that we are making a difference and bringing value to the community,” said Angelo.

Designed to help veterans return to civilian life, Zions Bank’s 12-week internship helps veterans with on-the-job training, banking work experience, positive networking opportunities and personal growth. Veterans and active guard/reserve members can find available internships and apply by visiting zionsbank. com/hr/internships-military selecting Job Search and entering “military” in the keyword search field.

Dana Rimington has more than 12 years covering stories involving education, military, government and business in northern Utah. She focuses her efforts as a marketing content writer for businesses across the country.

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On the Homefront

DESIGNATED DRIVER UTAHNS SHOW “SOFT SPOT IN THEIR HEART” FOR VETERANS WITH SPECIALTY PLATES

by Dana Rimington for valor maga z in e

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hile there are several specialty group license plates available in Utah, military-themed plates remain one of the most popular options purchased by Utah residents. Cory Pearson, director of Veterans Services for the Utah Department of Veteran and Military Affairs, attributes the popularity in part to Utah residents being naturally patriotic.

“We always see people who want to support the military and their family members who are serving,” said Pearson. “Military specialty license plates are just one way we can show our patriotism toward those who’ve served, and for military members to show pride in their service and awards they’ve received.”

WHAT PLATES ARE AVAILABLE? The state of Utah has been issuing military specialty plates for many years to each branch of service, including the Army, Marines, Coast Guard, Navy and Air Force, plus a plate for the American Legion, and special honor plates for the Purple Heart/Combat Wounded award, Gold Star family, Pearl Harbor survivor, former Prisoner of War, and Disabled Veteran. They have since added to the plate collection, after the 2016 general legislative session when senate bill 35 was passed. It created an amendment to the veteran’s license plates to provide options for combat theater awards. In addition, a specialty plate is available for the National Guard.

The UDVMA then worked with the Department of Motor Vehicles and created license plate decals Pearson says match the award logo for the Army Combat Action and Combat Infantry Badge, Navy and Marines Combat Action Ribbon, and the Air Force Combat Action medal. Veterans having served in a combat zone are eligible for the military combat license plates.

WHY PLATES FOR VETERANS? The issuance of military specialty plates not only helps provide funding for veterans’ initiatives, but also creates awareness and starts conversations about the military members’ service. “These 8

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things help them share their stories with family members, and record their stories and experiences so they can pass them down to their grandchildren,” Pearson said.

“You look at the history of our veterans — they went, they served, and the ones who came home, just came home and worked, never sharing their stories, and sometimes people didn’t know they even served. Many of our military members aren’t prideful or boastful, so sometimes having these license plates helps start a dialogue that wouldn’t normally take place.”

Pearson says over the course of those discussions, veterans then start asking about benefits they might be eligible for besides license plates, such as for injuries they incurred while in service, about their health care, or the property tax abatement program. “A lot of those exchanges start just by asking about veterans’ license plates, or they notice someone with a military license plate and they ask about it, which then leads to opening other doors for veterans or family members of veterans,” said Pearson.

HOW POPULAR ARE PLATES? During the last fiscal year, running from 2017 to 2018, roughly 3,000 veterans license plates were issued throughout the state. “The veterans license plates still continue to be in the top five selling license plate categories in Utah,” said Pearson.

Department of Motor Vehicles Public Information Officer Charlie Roberts says specialty license plates are a good way for non-profits to get their name out to the general public, but the competition for specialty plates is keen. Many organizations that have a popular following don’t necessarily have a high rate of sale for specialty plates like the Boy Scouts of America, but others do, such as colleges and wildlife. However, he says the military license plates are some of the more popular ones. “Most people have a soft spot in their heart for veterans and those from the Armed Forces,” Roberts said. october

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VETERANS AIR FORCE

VETERANS ARMY

PATRIOTIC PLATES VETERANS COAST GUARD

Utahns like the patriotic look and message of one former specialty plate — “In God We Trust” with an American Flag. The Provo-based American’s Freedom Festival, a celebration of Independence Day, originally pushed for the plate as a fundraiser, but that didn’t happen. State legislators offered the license plate for an extra $5 fee and it quickly sold more than 11,000 copies. So, legislators decided to make it a standard option — which became available at no extra cost beginning January 2017.

The tax commission doesn’t have data on how many have been issued but says that the plates “are trending to be very popular.” —SALT LAke TRIBUNe, AUG. 19, 2017

VETERANS MARINES

VETERANS NAVY

NATIONAL GUARD

DISABLED VETERAN

GOLD STAR

VETERANS AMERICAN LEGION

PEARL HARBOR SURVIVOR

FORMER PRISONER OF WAR (POW)

PURPLE HEART / COMBAT WOUNDED

VETERAN COMBAT THEATER – ARMY COMBAT INFANTRY BADGE

VETERAN COMBAT THEATER – ARMY COMBAT ACTION BADGE

VETERAN COMBAT THEATER – AIR FORCE COMBAT ACTION MEDAL

VETERAN COMBAT THEATER – MARINE & NAVY COMBAT ACTION RIBBON

While recipients of the combat license plates need to prove eligibility, anyone can purchase a group license plate to support any branch of service, which is currently $10 per year. The combat and specialty honor award plates are available at no cost to the recipient.

HOW CAN I GET ONE? For any of the specialty group plates, there is additional paperwork necessary for verification purposes. Pearson advises anyone who has received the corresponding military award to visit the DMV website dmv.utah.gov/plates for the correct paperwork to prove eligibility. Veterans looking to purchase combat license october

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plates need to have the UDVMA office verify their separation document, known as a DD214, to ensure they have been awarded one of the combat badges, at which point, they will issue a letter the recipient can take to the DMV to purchase a plate.

For additional information about specialty military license plates, a letter of eligibility for combat plates or questions about veteran benefits, visit veterans.utah.gov or call 801-326-3272.

Dana Rimington has more than 12 years covering stories involving education, military, government and business in northern Utah. She focuses her efforts as a marketing content writer for businesses across the country.

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Community Relations M a n y s e r v i c e m e n a n d w o m e n o n t h e f r o n t l i n e m a k e s a c r f i c e s to d e f e n d o u r h o m e s a n d c o m m u n i t i e s .

I t i s i m po r ta n t f o r t h e m to k n o w t h a t o n t h e h o m e f r o n t , w e a r e “a l l i n t h i s to ge t h e r. ” VA LO R s h i n e s t h e s po t l i g h t o n t h o s e w h o w o rk t i r el e s s l y to s h o w o u r s u p po r t a n d ap p r e c i a t i o n .

THE GOOD FIGHT PAU L M. WA R N E R: “T H E M O R E YO U D O F O R OT H E R S, T H E M O R E YO U D O F O R YO U R S E L F”

by Jennifer Weaver for valor maga z in e

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he home office of Paul Michael Warner is covered from ceiling to floor with plaques, paintings, photographs and personal memorabilia of his alma maters, military service, legal career, his family and heritage. They are awe-inspiring depictions of a life lived by a man who never wanted to be anything other than a lawyer.

Though he’ll tell you he identifies as a judge, he credits it all to his love for justice and the transforming power of course correction from legal intervention. Warner grew up in Salt Lake City and graduated from East High School, followed by 18 months of higher education at Brigham Young University. He then served a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Philippines Islands, which is 600 miles from Vietnam. He became well-acquainted with soldiers serving at a nearby Naval base, and the character of those servicemen influenced him greatly.

Though the draft into the Vietnam War was a reality Warner faced upon returning home from his mission, out of 73 physicals examinations conducted from his draft notice, two flunked: Warner was one of those. An Achilles tendon injury he sustained while playing high school basketball declared him ineligible to serve — a classification 4F. “Long story short, I go to law school,” Warner said. To be exact, Warner received his bachelor’s degree in English from BYU in 1973 and went on to graduate in the charter class of the J. Reuben Clark Law School in 1976. He searched the place he could gain the most experience as a trial lawyer, and the military was his answer. And though he was reluctant, he applied for the

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Navy because of what he had witnessed while serving on his LDS mission.

with them — they’re with me typically about a year and we’ve had some wonderful stories.”

“I go in for another physical and this time the doctor at the induction center takes me aside and says, ‘Well, I see that you were 4F a few years ago, but to be honest with you, I don’t care anything about your foot. I want to know why you want to go into the military,’” Warner recounted. “I told him I’d heard you could get a lot of experience as a trial lawyer in the military and he said, ‘Okay, you want in, it’s your funeral.’ I’ll never forget it.

He checked the box and gave me a waiver. He never looked at my foot, never looked at my Achilles and 31 years later I retired from the military.”

Warner shared the story of one man who appeared before his court who’d been sleeping under a tarp near the VA campus during winter. One night, the man snuck into the VA hospital in the middle of the night to take a shower and he was cited for trespassing. The man appeared in Warner’s court with the citation and it was discovered he had a drinking problem and other issues.

Through the court, the man was provided with housing and vocational training, and now works for the VA and is pursuing higher education, Warner said.

After serving six years of active duty in the Navy in San Diego, California, as a judge advocate general, Warner returned to Utah. He joined the Navy reserve for a year and then switched over to the Utah Army National Guard, where he said he found “high-quality people.” He retired in 2006, but not before earning a master’s degree in public administration.

Warner went on to become a federal magistrate judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah. Prior to that appointment, he was a decorated trial lawyer, and elected to one of the highest honors bestowed to attorneys, as a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers.

But a not-so-successful outcome in his first case is what drives him to double his efforts on behalf of veterans to this day. Jacob Melton was an Army Ranger veteran, having served four tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He had a 70 percent disability rating from the VA because of a traumatic brain injury, Warner said. He’d witnessed a lot of his friends killed and suffered from raging posttraumatic stress disorder.

“In my mind’s eye, I can see him to this day,” Warner said. “He came to my veteran’s court, and was doing remarkable — and one day, after eight months, he killed himself. The first one in my court.

It was devastating for me. I didn’t know what to do.”

“As I look back at nearly a 45-year career, the heart of my career was the years I served as the U.S. Attorney,” Warner said.

“My skill set matched up with that job and I had a wonderful experience.”

What he did was seek advice from a trusted friend and learned that suicide rates among veterans is high in the United States — 22 every day. He decided then and there to use Melton’s story to motivate him rather than discourage him, and the court continues to this day with hundreds served.

When Warner retired from the Guard, he was asked to be part of their Honorary Colonel Corp (HCC) in Utah where he served on the board of directors for a number of years. Every year, he volunteers as a guest speaker about the justice system for the Guard’s Freedom Academy and American Legion’s Girls State, both week-long training programs for high school student leaders from across the state.

“I will never forget Jacob. I can remember him vividly the last day he was in my courtroom,” Warner said. “He posted up, as we call it in the military, he stood at attention — and there is truly a band-of-brothers’ mentality in Veterans Court because they know that one another has suffered the same kinds of things. I think it really helps that they know I’ve been in the military, even though I never served in combat.”

Warner now dedicates his time to presiding over the Veterans Court he started in 2010 after reading a magazine in the waiting room at the Veterans Affairs hospital while his father-in-law was being treated. A one-page story about Veterans Court — a treatment court in New York — inspired him to found the first federal Veterans Court in the country.

But fighting for veterans is something Warner intends to do for the rest of his life.

Those who go through his court successfully are given a specially designed Challenge Coin: one side depicts the U.S. District Court of Utah seal, and the other side of the VA, which is the court’s partner, providing treatment and other services.

“For the last eight years, once a month we have these guys come in, and they stand up in front of the bench and we talk about their progress,” Warner said. “I, quite frankly, become personal october

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“I’m very proud of my military career — but you don’t claim to be what you’re not,” Warner said. “We are in combat of our own, and the fight is the fight to reclaim their lives — and the more you do for others, the more you do for yourself.”

He concluded, “As I look back on my judging career, my Veterans Court will be the thing I remember most because — and I say this very humbly — I truly believe I’ve been doing God’s work to help these veterans. It’s very, very gratifying.”

Jennifer Weaver is an award-winning journalist and columnist. She resides in South Jordan, is the mother of three children and daughter of Sgt. 1st Class James C. Jensen, KIA, May 10, 1972, Vietnam. va l o r : a s a l u t e t o u ta h ’ s v e t e r a n s a n d m i l i ta r y

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Service and Sacrifice

‘HOME AWAY FROM HOME’ FISHER HOUSE ALLOWS FAMILIES TO BE BY THE BEDSIDE OF LOVED ONES

by Donna J. Bell for valor maga z in e

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welcoming “Home Away from Home” is how the Salt Lake City Fisher House thinks of their facility.

The home gives families of hospitalized Veterans a free place to stay on the George E. Whalen Veterans Affairs Medical Center grounds during a most stressful time — the hospitalization of a loved one for an illness, disease or injury.

“Our families are grateful that the house allows them to be by the bedside during treatment and surgery,” said Quinn Kiger-Good, the Salt Lake City Fisher House manager.

“They don’t have to worry about the cost of housing or transportation. It also allows them a place to be with other families who truly understand what they are going through.”

The $5.8 million handicapped accessible guest home, which was built with private sponsorships and donations by the Fisher House Foundation in 2012, offers 20 suites for the families with a large communal kitchen, laundry facilities, a common living room and a large patio featuring a remarkable view of the Wasatch mountains. Eligible guests should live more than 50 miles away, or more than a two-hour commute, from the facility.

The facility was the first Fisher House to be dedicated in memory of a fallen soldier. It is the namesake of Marine Chance Phelps who was killed in action in Al Anbar, Iraq in 2004. Phelps, of Wyoming, was with the 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Marine Expeditionary Force from Twenty-Nine Palms, California.

His story was featured in the HBO television movie “Taking Chance,” starring Kevin Bacon.

Since 1990, the Fisher House Foundation has recognized the special sacrifices of our men and women who served in uniform by meeting a humanitarian need beyond that

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normally provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Since its beginning, the Fisher House program has served more than 335,000 families, provided $407 million in savings to families and provided more than eight million days of lodging to family members.

The heart of the home is the volunteers and donors who make it possible for families to stay free-of-charge. The facility is run 100 percent through donations. Individuals and service groups or churches may offer support in a long-term capacity with a consistent volunteer schedule, or just offer occasional assistance. Everything from “pampering” services that offer massages or facials to landscaping, baking and cleaning are invaluable and, of course, monetary donations are always welcome.

“Whatever you need for your home, we need,” KigerGood said. “Anything you buy at the grocery store, we can use — cleaning supplies, toilet paper, food.”

One thing Kiger-Good would like to see happen is to make sure the families receive at least one home-cooked meal each day, so she is always looking for individuals, families or groups who will volunteer to cook. “It really relives stress if visitors can come home from the hospital and not have to worry about fixing something to eat.”

If you or your organization would like to volunteer or donate to the facility, visit the website at f isherhousesaltlakecity.com for a wish list of donations and suggested service projects.

Donna J. Bell is a public affairs specialist at the George E. Whalen Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Salt Lake City.

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photos courtesy of fisher house at george e . whalen va medical center october

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Family Matters E ve r y s e r v i c e m e m be r n e e d s a s t r o n g a n d h e a l t h y s u p po r t s y s te m to d o w h a t i s a s k e d o f t h e m .

T h e e ve r - w i d e n i n g ba n d s t h a t e n c i r c l e t h e i n d iv i d u a l i n c l u d e s pa r t n e r s , f a m i l y, pe e r s a n d c o m m u n i t y.

VA LO R e x pl o r e s r el a t i o n s h i p s t h a t c o n n e c t s , e m b ra c e s a n d u pl i f t s .

VETS HELPING VETS PEER-TO-PEER SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES BENEFIT BOTH SERVER AND THOSE SERVED

by David Bringhurst for valor maga z in e

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call him “Purple Heart Mick.” I first met him and his wife while attending a national military conference on wounded warrior care and family issues.

He had been a joint tactical air controller, an important battle field position that requires intelligence, excellent communication skills and courage. Among his many injuries, he had a severe traumatic brain injury. When we shook hands and I introduced myself, he said in a childlike manner, “I like you” and gave me his challenge coin, which had a purple heart on it. This man who had protected units against the most extreme dangers was now intellectually responding as a 6-year-old.

The next time I saw him was at a training for peer mentors for the U.S. Air Force Wounded Warrior program. He was still intellectually living life with the intelligence of a 6-year-old. A full day of lectures and protocols about peer-to-peer mentoring was wrapping up with some practice scenarios, when Purple Heart Mick made an emotionally mature statement beyond his intellectual years. I don’t remember the statement, but I recall realizing that, despite his severe injuries, he had emotional wisdom that still matched his chronological age, and that he truly had something to give to others.

At this point, I really began to see the value of peer-topeer opportunities to support those dealing with many of the challenges that military life, or even leaving military life, can bring to individuals and their families.

Peer-to-peer programs after discharge from the military mimic the culture of taking care of our own. In reality, this probably isn’t just a military thing. Volunteering or serving others is a healing tool and such service has a remarkable way of lifting

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both the one served and the one serving. That’s why military and veteran service organizations that provide peer-to-peer opportunities are often a draw for service members and veterans.

These programs can provide a sense of belonging and relieve a veteran from the sense of isolation they might feel after separating from the military. They can also ease the sense of burdensomeness some veterans experience when reintegrating into civilian life and recovering from injuries.

A BATTLE BUDDY FOR HIGHER EDUCATION One such program is the VA’s Veterans Integration to Academic Leadership Program which exists to serve students and help in overcoming obstacles and achieving academic success. At the center of the VITAL toolbox is the peer-to-peer mentor.

Mentors are fellow student veterans who get significant training through the VA in a variety of services, including benefits, mental health and suicide prevention. Peer mentors conduct most of the outreach for the program and are the go-to persons for the student veterans. Most importantly, they have the veterans’ backs.

“Among our veterans, in general, there is a stigma about asking for help and not wanting to appear weak,” says Dr. Aaron Ahern, coordinator of VA Salt Lake City Health Care System’s VITAL program. “But if they can hear it from another student veteran, it can make it kind of normal.”

David L. Bringhurst, Ph.D., LCSW, grew up in Utah before serving as a social worker for 21 years on active duty for the U.S. Air Force. He’s had many positions including chief of the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program, chief of Behavioral Health and Suicide Prevention for the Air National Guard, and chief of Air Force Family Research. He now resides in Mapleton and is a clinical associate professor teaching for the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work via their Virtual Academic Center. october

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ORGANIZATIONS OFFERING PEER-TO-PEER OPPORTUNITIES VA SLC HEALTH CARE SYSTEM Mental health services provide consultation, evaluation, and treatment for a variety of issues that can impact emotional well-being. For more information on mental health services, contact Dr. Allen, PTSD Clinical Team Coordinator at 801-582-1565, Ext. 2390. saltlakecity.va.gov/services/Mental_ Health.asp VITAL: VETERANS INTEGRATION TO ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP Give students veterans tools to succeed at academic and overcome obstacles when transitioning to civilian life.

World War II and Korean War combat veterans gather weekly at the VA to share their experiences as they strive to heal themselves. They also work to educate, raise money and honor young veteran families. photo courtesy of george e . whalen va medical center

WORLD WAR II AND KOREAN WAR VETERANS MEET WEEKLY TO HELP HEAL DECADES-OLD WOUNDS Through poetry and pictures, sharing stories and giving back they heal. Inside the Deer Creek conference room of building 16 on the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System Campus sits two World War II veterans and two Korean War veterans. Combined, there are 352 years of wisdom, strength and courage in the room. This group of combat veterans meets every Wednesday, and while their numbers fluctuate from week to week, there is a core group that keeps coming, year after year. They are family.

“We have similar experiences and it does us good to tell our stories. We help someone else through our stories and it gives us strength. It helps us remember, stuff we don’t want to remember but need to in order to make sense of what’s going on in our brain,” Floyd Bekins says. Floyd is a 94-year-old Army veteran who served in the South Pacific.

“I entered basic training in September of 1943. Back then there were no tours of duty. You went in and you were in until the war was over,” Bekins said.

Joe Russell is an 83-year-old Korean War veteran. He says he realized after coming to VA that he’s only been “existing” for the last 57 years. He calls it defensive living.

“I was escaping, I was avoiding, I was focused on working hard and getting educated but I was not really living or loving. I couldn’t trust anyone to open up and I was really angry.” Joe served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS White River. As a ship serviceman, he operated a 40 MM off the coast of Incheon, South Korea. He leveled miles of beach head, and in the process saw things one doesn’t ever forget.

Divorce, addiction and two suicide attempts later, Joe found himself at VA. He has been a part of this group for seven years now. He wipes away tears as he speaks, “I feel human again and like I belong. I have found peace and a brotherhood in here and I have let the anger go,” Joe said. He’s also rebuilding his relationship with his children.

This group also wants to make sure younger veterans are far savvier than they were when just getting out. They work to educate, raise money and honor young veteran families. Over the past several years their generosity has funded Honor Flights for World War II veterans, and facilitated medal boxes for other disabled veterans. They sit on panels, and share their feedback with VA providers from all disciplines and skill level, and with physicians in the community. Group facilitator Jared Martineau says they learn so much from these brave men and through their words and observations “we all become better healers.”

They agreed to this story in the hope that other Veterans will reach out for support if they need it. They do it out of love and appreciation for service. They do it to make themselves whole again. —JILL ATWOOD october

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mentalhealth.va.gov/studentveteran/ vital_home.asp NATIONAL MILITARY FAMILY ASSOCIATION Includes tips and tools for individuals and families with support, mentoring and partners and a zip code look-up feature to find closest VA resources and opportunities. militaryfamily.org CONTINUE MISSION A local non-profit organization serving Veterans of all eras with service connected physical, mental and emotional injuries.

Year-round recreational, educational and social activities that promote health, wellness and encourage camaraderie. continuemission.org WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT Provide services such as physical activities, mental health services, economic help, engagement with community and other veterans. woundedwarriorproject.org VETS4VETERANS Leaving the service? Need help and don’t know where to go? One stop shop of resources and information for active duty soldiers, veterans, families and those veterans who serve them. vets4veterans.com REAL WARRIORS Non-medical counseling available through the Military Family Life Counselor (UMFLC) program and through Military OneSource to talk with a crisis counselor). realwarriors.net

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ISSAFEN, Morocco. April 2017. During African Lion, Staff Sgt. Erik Bornemeier, a medical technician with the 151st Medical Group, entertains a group of children waiting outside of the clinic. u . s . air national guard photos / tech . sgt . annie edwards

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‘WE’RE ALLIES’ U TA H N AT I O N A L G UA R D A N D M O RO C C O: T H E S TAT E PA RT N E R S H I P P RO G R A M TO G E T H E R I N H U M A N I TA R I A N, L E A D E R S H I P A N D S A F E T Y

by Hank McIntire for valor maga z in e

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t was 7:32 p.m. on Dec. 25, 1991. Mikhail Gorbachev had just concluded his televised address to the Russian people, announcing his resignation as president of the Soviet Union.

The red hammer and sickle flag was lowered unceremoniously for the last time over the Kremlin, accompanied by the tolling of chimes from nearby Spasskaya Tower, and the white, blue and red flag of Russia was raised in its place.1 Gorbachev’s decision to step down was certainly a newsworthy event, but what may have grabbed even larger headlines the following day was the official declaration 142-H by the Supreme Soviet, which granted independence to the 15 republics that had belonged to the Soviet Union since 1922.

Seven days after this landmark breakup, Lt. Gen. John Conaway, then chief of the National Guard Bureau, wrote in a Jan. 2, 1992, letter to Gen. Colin Powell, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, that “the National Guard [stands] ready to offer advice and provide personnel [to assist these newly independent countries] to consider a ‘National Guard structure.’”2 Powell’s reply acknowledged that these republics “want and need our help,” and he envisioned “a process of enhancing our military-to-military contacts with these republics with the intention of helping them create a responsible force within a democratic society.”3 What resulted from the trading of ideas between Conaway and Powell was an effort with four main objectives: “to demonstrate military subordination to civilian authorities, demonstrate military support to assist in instilling democratic values, foster open markets, and promote human rights and American values.”4

CHANGING PARTNERS Within a year, and with the support of the Departments of State and Defense, 15 partnerships were formed between the U.S. october

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National Guards and several countries of Eastern Europe. Utah initially worked with Belarus, one of seven former Soviet republics in the mix.5 With the goal of “an exchange of military activities,” said Maj. Gen. James M. Miller, adjutant general of the Utah National Guard, military delegations began traveling between Minsk and Salt Lake City so that Belarussian officers could learn about the National Guard in its function as a reserve component, as well as its role as a civil-defense organization.6 Expectations were high that the partnership would bring important changes to the economy and military of Belarus. A sister-state agreement was struck to that effect. “The proclamation is set up to help the [Belarussian] military in the transition from what it was — that is, basically part of an authoritarian state — to what it now faces: a military functioning in a newly democratizing environment. That’s where the Utah connection comes in,” thenU.S. Ambassador to Belarus Kenneth Yalowitz said.7 Military delegations traveled between Minsk and Salt Lake City for a few years, but Belarus ultimately opted to leave the relationship.8 In 2003, the Utah National Guard began an exchange with Morocco as its formal partner in what is now known as the State Partnership Program, which today consists of 75 partnerships between the National Guards of all 50 U.S. states and 81 nations.9

MAKING COMPARISONS The modern kingdom of Morocco has a constitutional monarchy, with a king and an elected parliament. The population is about 99 percent Muslim, and the official languages are Arabic and Berber (spoken by the Berbers, an ethnic group that is native to North Africa).10 A third of the population speaks French, which is also taught in the schools, and is generally the language of government and commerce. The current monarch, King Mohammed VI, descends from the Alaouite family, which began its reign in 1666 va l o r : a s a l u t e t o u ta h ’ s v e t e r a n s a n d m i l i ta r y

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(FAR RIGHT) AKKA, Morocco. April 2017. U.S. Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve personnel provide medical and dental care in conjunction with their Moroccan counterparts at a clinic. (LEFT) ADIS, Morocco. April 2017. Maj. Kirk Drennan, an optometrist with the 151st Medical Group and Maj. Jessica Hegewald, an optometrist with the 140th Medical Group, provide medical care. (RIGHT) TAGMOUNT, Morocco. April 2017. Tech. Sgt. Christina Luna, a dental technician with the 140th Medical Group provides oral hygiene education to dental patients and members of the local population. u . s . air national guard photos / tech . sgt . annie edwards

and traces its genealogy to the prophet Mohammed, the founder of Islam.11

is actually the younger partner in this relationship, with much to learn from its older sibling.

Morocco is roughly the size of California and has the Atlas Mountain range, the western edge of the Sahara Desert, plateaus and farmland. It boasts two seacoasts — the Atlantic and Mediterranean — and its economy depends primarily on agriculture and livestock, with sizable sectors devoted to minerals and tourism.12 According to Lt. Col. Dustin Carroll, SPP director for the Utah National Guard, Morocco has 400,000 in its military, 15,000 of which are members of the Moroccan air force.

SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE

Utah has much in common with Morocco, including its mountain regions, arid stretches, mesas, and places to grow grain and fruit and raise livestock. It has its own saltwater source in the Great Salt Lake, as well the fresh-water Colorado, Green, Bear and Provo rivers. The Utah economy also depends on agriculture, mining and tourism, and adds finance, information technology and petroleum to its resources.

According to the 2010 census, more than 7 of 10 Utah residents are Christian (Catholic, Protestant and Latter-day Saint), and about 15 percent speak a second language in addition to English. The Utah National Guard has 7,000 members — 5,500 soldiers and 1,500 airmen — and Camp Williams, while other Utah military assets include Hill Air Force Base, Dugway Proving Ground, and Fort Douglas, with its tenant Air Force, Army and Army Reserve units, respectively.

With its stronger economy and proud military heritage, Utah might seem like the big brother in this two-child family, but Morocco’s existence predated Utah by centuries, and has a much larger population and military. “We are still young by Moroccan standards,” said former Utah Guard adjutant general Maj. Gen. Brian Tarbet in 2009. “They measure time, not in decades, but in dynasties.”13 That observation suggests that the Utah Guard 18

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According to nationalguard.mil, through SPP “the National Guard conducts military-to-military engagements in support of defense security goals but also leverages whole-of-society relationships and capabilities to facilitate broader interagency and corollary engagements spanning military, government, economic and social spheres.” In plain English, it means that National Guard units of the United States conduct exchanges with partner nations’ military units to learn from each other, to improve skills and work together more effectively. These connections foster friendship and understanding and build technical, economic, social, cultural and political bridges among partner nations.

On a broad scale some benefits for the United States and its SPP counterparts include improved national security, more opportunities to deter terrorism, better governance in regional hotspots, greater effectiveness in reaching State Department and combatant-commander goals, and helping countries acquire modern technology and capabilities, said Carroll. “We take our tradecraft and apply it in an environment that is foreign to us.

It makes us equal partners in the international game, helps deter terrorism and promotes good governance,” he said.

In the 15 years of its relationship with Morocco, the Utah Guard has collaborated on a number of levels with its African partner. According to Carroll, typical activities have included disaster/emergency response, aviation operations, medical, engineer, maintenance, logistics, cyber defense, hazmat and decontamination, and leader (officer and noncommissioned officer) development. Many of these activities have taken place in Morocco and Utah since 2003. Let’s look at some examples of the real value of the partnership between the Utah National Guard october

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and its African counterpart for military units, individual soldiers, airmen, and citizens of both nations.

to set up the machine in preparation for the 6,000 patients they would serve during the nine days of the exercise.

PARTNERING THROUGH AFRICAN LION

Many of the patients were women, who came in tired and rundown and showed “alarming lab values,” said Blanke. She spent much of her time distributing vitamin packs and educating patients on proper diet. “Most of these people were humble farmers, and they have to choose between food and medicine,” she said. “I was surprised at how open and accepting the Moroccan people were.

Their interactions with us were gracious. They kissed us and gave us gifts.”

What Carroll calls the “biggest bilateral — two-nation — exercise on the continent,” African Lion has involved active-duty and reserve military forces from Morocco and the United States since the 1990s.14 The Utah National Guard has taken part since 2003, when it first forged its SPP partnership with Morocco.

African Lion is sponsored by the U.S. chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and is directed by U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM). The annual event is designed to “improve interoperability and mutual understanding of each nation’s tactics, techniques and procedures,” which means that Moroccan and U.S. forces work together to see how the other operates, and learn new ways to accomplish their military missions.15

MORE MOROCCAN MISSIONS

Maj. Barbara Blanke, commander of the Headquarters Detachment of the Utah Guard’s 640th Regional Training Institute at Camp Williams, was a member of the Utah contingent in the most recent version of African Lion in April 2018. In her civilian job she is a hematologist and laboratory director at Timpanogos Regional Hospital in Orem. Her first time in Morocco, Blanke was not there to do her military job; rather, she operated the blood analyzers in the lab of the field hospital set up on a soccer field.

Staff Sgt. Bart Thomassen, Bravo Company, 141st Military Intelligence Battalion, is an SPP veteran dating back to 2006, primarily in his role as an Army Guard French linguist. On his most recent trip he accompanied senior leaders of the Utah Guard and was their interpreter as they interacted with Moroccan military leaders to coordinate future missions. In Morocco, Thomassen has worked with Utah Guard engineers, medical professionals, firefighters, crisis-response teams, dog trainers and demining specialists. “Each trip emphasizes different things and requires a specialized vocabulary and acronyms,” he said. “I pick up new words, improve my listening comprehension, and learn grammatical structures and new slang.”

Blanke described the chaos in the lab on Day 1. The Moroccan military physician in charge had never worked with the lab equipment that was delivered for the exercise. It came with detailed written instructions — in French, which Blanke doesn’t speak. Linguists were on site to assist, but “some groups spoke French and others spoke Berber,” explained Blanke. “And sometimes the interpreters needed interpreters.” Overcoming the language barriers, Blanke drew on her professional experience with the instrumentation and helped her frustrated Moroccan colleague

One who has racked up even more frequent-flier miles is Lt. Col. David Brown, 151st Medical Group, Detachment 1, of the Utah Air National Guard. As a mass-casualty and CBRNE (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosives) specialist, Brown has 13 separate Morocco stamps in his passport.

He is a physician’s assistant at the VA hospital in Salt Lake City, specializing in urology. Much of his work in Morocco involves train-the-trainer exercises. His goal is to shore up the fledgling paramedic program in Morocco to alleviate the overcrowding in

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hospitals by training first responders to handle basic medical issues.

Brown’s focus has been on humanitarian work in the smaller towns in Morocco. “I’m trying to put myself out of a job and make these guys stand up,” he said. “When it goes bad in Morocco, I’m trying to firm up their trauma and disaster-response capabilities.”

CONSTANT COORDINATION With both large-scale and local-level exchanges between the Utah Guard and Morocco, the behind-the-scenes coordination is staggering. The Utah Guard maintains a bilateral-affairs officer in Morocco with the rank of major. This officer keeps his residence there with his family, typically for three years. He handles the day-to-day business for SPP, and Utah-based SPP Director Carroll travels there about every three months to manage the countless moving parts of the program.

Back at home Carroll also handles the reception of Moroccan officers and dignitaries when they come to Utah. In August 2018 the Utah Guard team hosted four Moroccan military officers on an eight-day tour of the West. In Utah much of the focus was on command and control, disaster mitigation and hazmat scenarios of decontamination and lavage.

Visitors to Utah also meet with elected officials and other leaders in business and government because the purpose of the SPP connection goes far beyond military-to-military ties between Utah and Morocco. There have also been exchanges of youth groups, with Utah sending high-school-age students for visits to Morocco and hosting Moroccan groups in homes during the summers in Utah.

“They treat us like royalty when we go over there,” said Carroll, “and we work hard to reciprocate in kind.”

Future SPP planning looks several years ahead. As of this writing, Carroll and his team are working on 2020 events, identifying funding sources and assigning units. Among the considerations on both ends are State Department priorities, personnel security, and air and ground transportation. Maj. Gen. Jefferson S. Burton, adjutant general for the Utah National Guard, travels to Morocco once or twice a year to make personal connections with his counterparts, and he determines the areas of focus for the Utah Guard’s SPP program.

“Every year our partnership with Morocco adds to the readiness of our soldiers and airmen,” he said. “Their participation in exchange events enhances and improves our Guard members’ military occupational skills.”

BENEFITTING ALL The flag lowering and raising at Red Square that Christmas Night in 1991 signaled the sunset of one era and the dawn of another for Russia. It also heralded the advent of the State Partnership Program’s approach to cooperation between National Guard units and foreign militaries that benefits service members, citizens and nations. U.S. military members get to experience some real-world scarcities that their counterparts deal with every day. “We are used to being flush with devices and supplies,” said Thomassen. “In places like Morocco 20

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they don’t have those resources. It’s very powerful to see how people get by without those things. In an emerging country, our guys on the ground are going to have to deal with that. It’s the same for an engineer or a firefighter. It can make your total force more resilient, flexible and useful.”

Assistant adjutant general of the Utah Air National Guard, Brig.

Gen. Christine Burckle, sees multiple pluses in sending the National Guard into other countries to provide support. “Whether it’s our air tankers refueling Moroccan F-16s, or our medical providers performing services in underserved communities in remote areas of Morocco, our folks always bring home a bigger sense of purpose of their mission, and also a greater understanding of another culture.”

Blanke highlights the versatility that marks a Guard member’s perspective and performance through SPP. “It’s a good experience to realize the rest of the world doesn’t operate like we do,” she said.

“And my colleagues and I used our civilian-acquired skills to help accomplish our military mission. People talk about being a citizensoldier — I lived it.”

The big picture benefit is a safer, more cooperative international climate. “From a diplomatic standpoint, SPP adds great value to the United States,” said Burton. “We develop deep and lasting friendships with key leadership from our partner nations. These relationships build security across the globe and foster peace through shared strength.”

Carroll agrees that peace is the goal. “Few in our population understand what we are doing. These programs help keep our world safe,” he said. “It helps me see the value of the totality of what we’re doing in foreign affairs. It brings a lot of satisfaction to everyone who participates. We are making their quality of life better.”

For Brown, it comes down to how SPP creates individual connections that can last a lifetime. “I’ve stayed at their houses on vacation, I’ve written letters for their kids to get into Pac-12 schools,” he said. “When the worst happens in Morocco, we have the relationship. I know them, they know me. We’re allies.”

Hank McIntire served 26 years from 1988 to 2014 with the Utah Army National Guard and U.S. Army in both military intelligence and public affairs. He is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Communication at Utah Valley University.

1. The New York Times, December 26, 1991, p. 1.

2. The National Guard State Partnership Program: Forging and Maintaining Effective Security Cooperation Partnerships for the 21st Century, p. 1., nationalguard.mil/portals/31/ Documents/spp_publication/ The_National_Guard_SPP_Publication.pdf.

3. State Partnership Program, p. 2.

4. Derek S. Reveron, “America’s Viceroys: The Military and U.S. Foreign Policy,“ 2004, p. 106.

5. State Partnership Program, pp. 4, 12.

6. Deseret News, September 16, 1995, p. B3.

7. Deseret News, April 15, 1996.

8. State Partnership Program, p. 10.

9. nationalguard.mil/Leadership/Joint-Staff/J-5/International-Affairs-Division/State-PartnershipProgram/.

10. cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mo.html.

11. maroc.ma/en/content/biography-hm-king-mohammed-vi.

12. britannica.com/place/Morocco/Economy.

13. Sgt. 1st Class Scott Faddis, “Utah Guard Trains with Morocco Military,” Utah Minuteman, Fall/ Winter 2009, p. 25.

14. globalsecurity.org/military/ops/african-lion.htm.

15. africom.mil/media-room/article/28854/african-lion-17-from-training-to-execution.

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(ABOVE) MOROCCO. March 2010. Mountain-rescue training in the Atlas Mountains. (BELOW) KENITRA, Morocco. March 2014. Utah Civilian First Responders work with Moroccan counterparts. photos courtesy utah army national guard

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(ABOVE) PARK CITY. September 2017. Members of the Park City Museum Historical Society trek up Iron Mountain to the Nov. 17, 1941 B-18 crash site. (LEFT) IRON MOUNTAIN. May 2017. Researchers Steve Leatham and David Nicholas found “Christine” at the 8,600 foot level. The aluminum fragment was identified as a part of an airplane consistent with the B-18 of the 1940s. (BELOW) IRON MOUNTAIN. May 2017. Looking at the mountain from north to south, the route the B-18 took over Park City before crashing in a raging blizzard just after midnight.

The plane first hit just below the summit on the left side and then bounced a quarter mile to the saddle on the left. photos courtesy of steve leatham

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LOST AND FOUND LO CA L R E S E A RC H E R S P I EC E TO G E T H E R N E A R LY-F O RG OT T E N S TO RY O F T R AG I C P L A N E C R A S H OV E R WA S ATC H M O U N TA I N S

by Brock Jones for valor maga z in e

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n Memorial Day 2018, a large crowd gathered at the Park City Cemetery. That day’s scheduled events were special, even for such Memorial Day ceremonies, as the event was geared toward remembering a specific event nearly forgotten in local history: a U.S. Army Air Corps plane had crashed in the mountains north of Park City just three weeks before the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.

David Nicholas, a volunteer at the Park City Museum, and Steve Leatham, a retired schoolteacher and researcher for the Park City Museum, were the driving force behind the Memorial Day ceremony. They were thrilled to remember the men who had gone through the ordeal of that crash. Their shared interest in the crash, and determination to piece together the story had not only resulted in that day’s events, but had directly contributed to putting the story of that crash back into memory — for the general public and for descendants of the men involved.

BEGINNING THE SEARCH Nicholas became aware of the crash during one of the many summer hikes organized by the Park City Historical Society.

That hike was up Iron Mountain, and Sandra Morrison, executive director of the Park City Museum and head of the historical society, mentioned to Nicholas that a plane had crashed there many years ago and that it was local folklore that one could still find metal shards of the plane with a metal detector. That exchange planted a seed in Nicholas’s mind, and over time he met many people who had heard of the crash, though none could provide any details.

“I met people who could reconfirm a plane had crashed, but they couldn’t provide any information,” Nicholas said. In 2016, october

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Nicholas was introduced to Jim Hewitson, a native of Park City.

During their conversation, the topic of the plane crash came up.

“Jim said, ‘Oh, my older brother Kenny might be able to help you,’” said Nicholas, who was introduced to Ken Hewitson shortly thereafter, an 85-year-old Park City native. Nicholas said upon meeting him, he immediately asked Ken about the plane.

“He looked right at me with this twinkle in his eye and he goes, ‘I know quite a bit about it. I went up there twice in the summer of ’42.’ That was kind of like fuel on the fire,” said Nicholas. What began as a kind of treasure hunt to find the engine of the plane that Hewitson said he’d seen as a young man, over time turned into something much more important.

Leatham, a third generation Park City native who, along with Nicholas, has made it his personal mission to collect and present the details surrounding the crash, hadn’t heard of the accident until Nicholas approached him about it. As it turns out, Leatham has what Nicholas says is a “cosmic” connection to the crash: Leatham’s uncle would turn out to be one of the three young men who found the body of one of the two airmen who died in the crash.

“I’d grown up in Park City and I’d never even heard of this plane crash,” said Leatham, and only in researching it did they discover his connection to the crash.

CREATING A VILLAGE Nicholas and Leatham began working together in earnest to piece together the story of the downed aircraft. Their efforts have taken them virtually across the country and into contact with a network of interested and involved people. va l o r : a s a l u t e t o u ta h ’ s v e t e r a n s a n d m i l i ta r y

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“As we’ve worked on this over the last three years, we have a village that has grown up around us that helps us,” said Nicholas.

“That village now exceeds over 100 people from eight different states that in some way have contributed to this research.” One person in particular, Mary “Dixie” Dysart, from the U.S. Air Force Research Agency at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama, had a huge impact on the duo’s base of knowledge about the crash. Nicholas had been given a large directory of numbers to Air Force agencies and people potentially relevant to his research.

When an online request for information went unanswered for weeks, Nicholas picked up that directory and “started dialing for dollars,” he said. His cold calling paid off when Dysart answered the phone. Nicholas explained what he was looking for and she told him there was a six-month backlog to even acknowledge an online request, but she would personally look into his request.

“Two days later, in my email, was a copy of the accident report from this crash,” said Nicholas. “That became our bible. Its impact on our research cannot be understated.”

After further research together toward the end of 2016, Leatham and Nicholas decided they needed to hike up Iron Mountain to look for the crash site and the plane’s engine that Hewitson and others had seen for themselves. As soon as the snow was gone that spring they headed up Iron Mountain.

“We really didn’t have many details at this time. We thought the plane had flown directly into Iron Mountain and it was somewhere near the summit, so that’s where we were looking,” said Leatham.

“As I was going through the bushes there, I looked down and I saw this little piece of metal, and it was kind of half buried.” Leatham bent down to pick up the metal scrap, a piece of aluminum with rivets that had rusted away. That same weekend, coincidently, there was an air show in Heber City, a town about 15 miles from Park City, that brings in WWII-era bombers. Leatham said they took the aluminum scrap to the air show and showed it to the crew of a B-25 named “The Maid in the Shade,” hoping they might be able to verify that it was part of an airplane.

“I took that over there on a Saturday afternoon and talked to the mechanics,” said Leatham, “and they verified that it was part of an airplane and that it was consistent with planes made at the time of the crash.”

CHANGING DIRECTION Invigorated by that find, Leatham and Nicholas took another trip up Iron Mountain on July 4, 2017, hoping to find more. It was on the way down the mountain that day, after finding nothing, that Leatham said he felt like he needed to try to get in touch with the families of the airmen involved in the crash. They knew the names of all the airmen who had been on the flight that day from the official report.

“I went home that evening and I got on ancestry.com and I began to type in the names of these guys and little bits of information would pop up,” Leatham said. “I tried to find the 24

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closest link I could to those airmen’s names, someone who’d been on ancestry.com and was doing a lot of research, and I put out a blind email on Ancestry to these seven people that I thought might know the airmen,” said Leatham. Within a half hour he received emails back from members of the airmen’s families. “That really began the snowball.”

From that point on, instead of a hunt for missing airplane pieces, their quest had now become to piece together the story of the airmen in order to honor and remember them.

“The jackpot for us was getting in contact with the Anderson family, that lives up in Ogden. Sgt. Jack Anderson was just a 20-year-old young man and he couldn’t get a parachute on in time to bail out, so he went down with the plane,” said Leatham.

“They contacted us and began to send us information about him and his life. They were very, very pleased that we were looking into this.” Through one means or another, Leatham and Nicholas made contact with family members of each of the seven men who were on the plane that night. As their network of contacts kept growing, Leatham and Nicholas knew they needed to get the story out.

“We decided to do a lecture at the Park City Museum on Veterans Day 2017, and we had about 100 people come to that,” said Leatham. “The Anderson family came down for that lecture and it was really a heartwarming thing.”

Since that Veterans Day presentation, Leatham and Nicholas have given lectures in Park City, Hill Air Force Base, Rotary Clubs, and other places around Utah in an effort to tell the story. The event in the Park City cemetery on Memorial Day 2018 has been the pinnacle so far, of their efforts to bring the story to light. “Our grand finale was having this Memorial Day program in which we had all the relatives come in,” said Leatham. “It was top notch.”

Nicholas said that Leatham had communicated, a year earlier, his vision for the Memorial Day ceremony, and because of the ever growing network of people — the “village” as he puts it, they were able to pull it off in equally grand fashion.

“It was really Steve’s vision,” said Nicholas. “It didn’t rain until after the ceremony. The Utah Chapter of the Commemorative Air Force did a missing man formation. We had the Honor Guard from Hill Air Force Base. We had the vice commander and the head of the Utah National Guard speak,” Nicholas said.

To top it all off, 32 family members of the airmen had traveled from six different states to attend the ceremony. Since none of the family members knew much about the plane crash, Nicholas and Leatham hosted a reception for them at the museum that weekend, the Saturday before Memorial Day, where they told the story of the airmen just for the families.

“It was very emotional for those family members because they all realized how close to death their ancestors came, and if they had gone down with the plane, none of them would have been there,” Nicholas said. “There were a lot of tears that were shed.” october

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(ABOVE) SALT LAKE CITY. 1940s. A Douglas B-18 Bolo (not the one that crashed on Nov. 17, 1940) at the airport where the 5th and 7th Bomber Groups stationed at Fort Douglas kept their aircraft. “Bolo” is the name that the U.S. Army Air Force gave all B-18 planes. photo courtesy of ron fox / utah state historical society . (BELOW) The B-18 crashed into a mountain four miles west of Park City. Due to bad weather the crew bailed out. Six crew members used their parachutes, but one did not survive as well as another crew member that was not able to leave the plane. Survivors went on to finish their service during WWII. photos courtesy of steve leatham

WILLIAM E. BASYE 1ST LIEUTENANT PILOT

MABRY ‘TEX’ SIMMONS

RAYMOND L. TOGERSEN

2ND LIEUTENANT CO-PILOT

PRIVATE 1ST CLASS RADIOMAN

JACK D. ANDERSON ROBERT E.L. PIRTLE SERGEANT FLIGHT ENGINEER KILLED IN CRASH

SHARING THE STORY Nicholas and Leatham began their research with five fundamental questions: What exactly happened? When did the crash occur? Why did the crash happen? Where exactly did the plane crash? And, most importantly to Nicholas and Leatham, who had been involved in the crash? Although their research continues, they’ve ultimately been able to answer those fundamental questions, piecing together a tale almost lost to history: On Sunday, Nov. 16, 1941, a B-18 bomber piloted by 1st Lt. William Basye, 27, of Independence, Missouri, and co-pilot 2nd Lt. Mabry Simmons, 25, from Pampa, Texas, took off from Lowry Field in Denver and headed for Salt Lake City. The plane had left Salt Lake earlier that day for Denver, to pick up the commander of the 88th Reconnaissance Squadron, Maj. Robert E. L. Pirtle, 34, who had driven his wife and three daughters to Denver where they were to live during the 88th’s upcoming overseas deployment.

In the days before the crash, Operation Plum had been initiated — a secret mission in which the 88th, part of the 7th Bomber Group, was given the mission to transport 35 B-17 bombers to the Philippines. Pirtle’s 88th Reconnaissance Squadron, and the crew of the B-18, all stationed at Fort Douglas in Salt Lake City, were scheduled to leave as part of that operation on Dec. 5, 1941, for San Francisco, with further travel to Hawaii, and then the Philippines.

In addition to the pilots and Pirtle, Sgt. Jack D. Anderson, 20, of Ogden, Utah was the flight engineer, and Pfc. Raymond L. Togerson, 22, of Mason City, Iowa, was the radioman. In Denver, october

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MAJOR, COMMANDER 88TH RECONNAISSANCE SQUADRON KILLED IN CRASH

C.A. SMITH

EUGENE V. BYNUM

2ND LIEUTENANT PASSENGER

STAFF SERGEANT PASSENGER

the crew picked up two more passengers who needed to return to Salt Lake: 2nd Lt. C. A. Smith, 27, from Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and Sgt. Eugene V. Bynum, 30, from Shay, Oklahoma.

The majority of the flight passed without incident during the moonless, pitch-black night. At 11:20 p.m., with a half hour left in the flight, Basye checked in over Fort Bridger, Wyoming, approximately 75 miles east of Salt Lake, to find out the weather in Salt Lake, which came back as partly cloudy. Less than 15 minutes later, the plane encountered unforeseen weather and Basye had to begin flying with instruments through the cloud cover. Due to some confusion in the cockpit, the pilot thought he was over Coalville, Utah, but was instead 30 miles to the east, over Knight, Wyoming. By midnight, Basye thought he’d flown past Salt Lake City and made the decision to turn south and come back to Salt Lake from the south, avoiding a storm coming into Salt Lake from the north. He turned and climbed to 14,000 feet, knowing that he’d have to climb that high to avoid the Wasatch Mountains.

The plane, actually over Park City, encountered a violent thunder and sleet storm, and with it vicious turbulence that Basye thought would tear the plane apart. The windows became covered in ice with considerable icing also on the wings. At 12:12 a.m., the situation had devolved so much that Pirtle gave the order to abandon ship and told the other airmen on board to get out.

Bynum jumped first out the side door, followed by Togerson.

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, CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATHER. 1942-45. (LEFT) “Sarah the Sand Blower” nose art on a North American B-25D Mitchell. Serviceman attends to port side engine. (CENTER) North American B-25D Mitchell medium bomber with 17 airmen posed between tail and left wing. (RIGHT) North American B-25 Mitchell medium bomber named “Gretchin” is parked on the ground with crew. rogers collection / ww2online.org

OVER ‘THE HUMP’

I

L I V I N G W I T H T H E E X T R E M E S O F WA R

was born and raised in Salt Lake City. I enlisted to become an airman in the Army Air Corps. I went to airplane and engine mechanics school in Glendale, California. I graduated and came back to Salt Lake as part of the 7th Bomb Group in June 1941. In November we received secret orders, we were going overseas — code name “Plum.” We didn’t know where at the time, but it was the Philippines.

We went from Salt Lake to Angel Island in the San Francisco Bay. I can remember telling a friend as we saw Chinese writing on some buildings, “Wouldn’t it be funny if we ended up in China?” Aboard the USS Republic, we sailed out from under the Golden Gate Bridge on Nov. 20. On Dec. 6, we crossed the equator and the following day, it was announced, “Here the state of war exists between Japan and the United States. Good luck, you’re on your own.” That was quite a shock.

The Pensacola signaled our ship and said, at night, if they saw a light, they wouldn’t order it out, they would shoot it out. And they meant business. We were zigzagging and finally got into the Fiji Islands. It was so good to see land. Our stay there was very short. We ended up going up the Brisbane RALPH P. HOLDING River (Brisbane, Australia) and camped on CREW CHIEF the Ascot Race Track in tents. Funny thing 7TH BOMBER GROUP was, about 4:30 in the morning, you’d hear WWII TALKS all these horses running around the track.

Then we went to a place called Amberley Field and we were assembling A-24 dive-bombers and P-40s that were going to be used up in Java. They flew the P-40s over to Perth and loaded them on USS Langley. In the meantime, I went by train from Brisbane to Sydney to Melbourne and got on the USS Holbrook.

We sailed around the bottom of Australia and got to Perth where

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they loaded 32 P-40s onto the Langley — the first aircraft carrier the Navy had — then they turned into a seaplane tender called an MI-5.

Our convoy had the Holbrook, Langley and the cruiser Phoenix as our escort, steaming toward Java. At the last minute, the Navy made a commitment, they would stay with the Dutch, so we were again on our own. The Langley sailed toward Java where it was sunk with the 32 P-40s on board. Our ship went on to Karachi, India. We were fortunate not to see any Japanese aircraft.

We got to Karachi in March 1942 — it was what you’d call a cultural shock. There are these Victorian coaches, camels, native Indians and the betel nut. We were out of a place called Malir Cantonment, and it was a British training grounds. Then we moved back to what they called their main airport, into a dirigible hangar that was so big you could almost get clouds in it. We were in the Sin Desert and, a short time later, we traveled by troop train from Karachi over to a place called Allahabad, which is on the Ganges River. It was closer to where the action was. The monsoons were late that year and it kept getting hotter every day. It was reported that the temperature was about 139 degrees in the shade. We had two fellows die of the heat.

They asked for volunteers but didn’t say where we were going. I thought any place was better than Allahabad, so I volunteered. The nearest logistics base was a place over in Assam, India, about 500 miles from Kunming, China. The Japanese were in the area and we were in unarmed C-47 transports flying over “the Hump” at 18,000 feet in bucket seats, no oxygen, light-headed and freezing cold. (Note: The Hump was the name given by Allied pilots in WWII to the eastern end of the Himalayan Mountains over which they flew military transport aircraft from India to China to resupply the Chinese war effort and units of the U.S. Army Air Forces based in China.)

At that time, the American Voluntary Group, the famous “Flying Tigers,” a bunch of P-40 pilots, were still there. They would come back after a combat mission, do a victory roll about three feet off the ground

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were helping the men jump out, was thrown from the plane when it bucked violently. Simmons and Smith were at the door at the same time Pirtle was thrown out and Simmons, bumping into Smith, was also thrown out the door. Smith was knocked back into the bay of the plane and, because of the plane’s fierce movements, he struggled to get back to the door but made it out of the plane. Smith was the last person to exit.

and then go up into an Immelmann (an aerobatic maneuver that results in level flight in the opposite direction at a higher altitude), come back and land. I’ll tell ya, that will get your heart pumping.

The area was very primitive: there was no electricity, no refrigeration. We had a large flagpole and when Japanese would come in for an air raid, they would raise a red ball up on this pole.

If the Japanese were within about 60 miles, they’d have two red balls. And, if there were three red balls, they were bombing you.

The whole squadron was about ten B-25s, pilots and crews and ground crew, probably about 120 people. As crew chief, I didn’t do much combat flying. My job was to make sure those planes got in the air: engine changes, changing spark plugs, oil change, whatever needed to be done to maintain that aircraft. And changing tires, the gravel runways would chew up the tires pretty fast. It really was a team operation. In other words, the flight crews had their job to do, the ground crews had their job to do — there was no class distinction or anything of that nature. It was a very close-knit organization. It was work and you did whatever was needed, as long as it took.

When I left China, I weighed 109 pounds. We were not as bad off as the POWs because we could have all we wanted to eat, but we got to the point there was not a lot of food value; and we didn’t have much appetite anyway.

I left China in June 1944 and went back to Karachi, India, staying a couple months to help train Chinese pilots in B-25s. Then I went to Bombay and returned back to the states in September. I went to Rapid City, South Dakota, for the winter, with 40-mile per hour winds and 40 below temperatures. Then in May of ’45, I headed down to Alexandria, Louisiana, part of a B-29 outfit. When I had an opportunity to get a discharge, I was sent back to Fort Douglas where I started. It was good to be home.

I started at the University of Utah and met a young lady and ended up getting married. At one time, I thought I was going back in the military and I told Pauline. She said, “That’s fine, but you’ll go in without me.” So, that took care of that. I worked for the telephone company for 41 years.

—INTERVIEW WITH VALOR, AUGUST 2018 including excerts from interview with kued’s utah’s world war ii stories. kued.org

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By this time, Bayse had gone out through the plane’s top hatch.

Anderson never made it out of the airplane, as he wasn’t able to get a parachute on in time to get out. The men who bailed out somehow survived the leap into 50-mile-per-hour wind and as they were drifting to the ground, the unpiloted plane began to make an uncontrolled turn toward them, directly intersecting their path of drift. The roar of the incoming plane was deafening as it passed the drifting men. The plane missed everyone but Pirtle, whose parachute was caught by the leading edge of one of the plane’s wings, whipping him under the wing and over the top of the plane, likely killing him instantly. His body was found the next day just north of the Park City cemetery, three miles from where the plane came to rest.

The plane hit Iron Mountain at about the 8600-foot level, bouncing a quarter mile and coming to rest in a pass about 200 feet from where it originally struck. The rest of the men drifted about four miles from where they bailed out of the plane, landing in scattered locations northeast of Park City. Upon landing, the men all made their way toward the city lights, crossing fence lines and the railroad tracks, eventually making it to the Park City Miners Hospital where they were treated for minor cuts and bruises and shock.

CONTINUING THE MISSION The men who survived the crash went on to continue their military careers, and eventual civilian lives: Basye won the Silver Star, the third highest award for valor, in a battle over China, as well as the Flying Cross, and went on to command the 5th Air Force.

Simmons won the Silver Star while in battle against the Japanese in the Solomon Islands. Smith went on to become a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force, and eventually became the mayor of Lava Hot Springs, Idaho. Bynum and Togerson continued their military careers, eventually being promoted to staff sergeant and master sergeant respectfully.

Leatham and Nicholas continue to research, write and give presentations about the crash in an effort to never allow the incident and the men involved to be lost to memory.

“Our mission is to honor and to tell the story of the courage of those airmen and what it took to bail out of that plane that night, in the middle of a snow storm with a 50-mile-an-hour wind blowing,” said Leatham.

And, they continue on with their mission.

Brock Jones is an assistant professor of English at Utah Valley University. He has served in the U.S. Army and the Utah National Guard for more than 16 years.

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Remembering WWI

‘WAR AND THE HUMAN HEART’ S O N G S O F BAT T L E, LO S S, LOV E AND HOPE FOR THE FUTURE

by Dana Rimington for valor maga z in e

A

s a former Army musician who served in the Vietnam war, Jeff Gettleman says he gets thanked often for his service. However, he wonders with the decreasing number of families in the U.S. having a direct relationship with the military, if they really understand what his service entailed. Gettleman wants to help civilian communities better understand a veteran’s experience, which is why he’s spent the last six years putting together a unique musical program.

With the help of Craig Jessop, director of the American Festival Chorus & Orchestra and dean of Utah State University’s Caine College of the Arts, Gettleman’s program is coming to fruition on Nov. 3 at USU’s Daines Concert Hall, where the American Festival Chorus & Orchestra will perform a Veterans Day Commemoration of World War I titled “War and the Human Heart.” The performance isn’t a typical Veterans Day concert. Audience members won’t hear the usual patriotic music or the recognizing of veterans when their branch of service song is played.

“Everyone is welcome, and veterans will appreciate the messages, but we decided to do things a little bit different than a typical classical music concert,” said Gettleman. “We have incorporated several elements to engage the audience a little bit more and help get the message across.” The concert won’t include just music; readers will be seated throughout the audience, a narrator will be featured, quotes and poems about WWI will be relayed as a musical number comes up, images will be featured on a screen, and subtitles of songs written in other languages will be displayed in English.

The performance also ties in with the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day, now Veterans Day, when the armistice was signed between Allies and Germans, signaling the end of

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11/03 AMERICAN FESTIVAL CHORUS & ORCHESTRA PRESENT VETERANS DAY PROGRAM “War and the Human Heart” combines chamber orchestra, chorus, film and live narration in a moving performance that honors the experience of war for every veteran, past or present. Ages 8+. 7:30 p.m., Daines Concert Hall, Utah State University, Logan. $15-30. Purchase tickets at americanfestivalchorus.org or arts.usu.edu.

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the Great War. Consequently, Gettleman is putting together a week of events throughout campus at Utah State University and the community, with brown bag lunches, lectures and film screenings.

As Gettleman started researching music for the program, he noticed the strong connections in music pieces depicting war. “War is a significant event if you are affected by it, so composers wrote pieces that related to it. Music can communicate on a different level then if you’re reading a book or article, which we hope will get the message across to the audience and help them understand what a veteran’s experience is like on an emotional level,” said Gettleman.

Jessop is a retired lieutenant colonel, having served with the U.S. Air Force Band and Singing Sergeants.

“We are in a way brothers, bonded by this common interest of ours with our love for music, our time served in the military, and our love and empathy for those serving and the impact on their families,” said Jessop, referring to his partnership with Gettleman.

“We really want to give our audience a deeper appreciation for those who valiantly serve our nation in the Armed Forces. Even though the songs are in English, French and German, they exhibit the universality of the human experience, providing a common opportunity of communion in honoring those who have sacrificed so dearly — and give the audience a moment to commemorate the armistice of World War I.” Gettleman’s program aims to help the community experience the impact of war. “We hope the music helps the audience contemplate war itself. Is it a good way to resolve disputes or are there better ways?” questioned Gettleman. “When you are a powerful nation, there is always a cost. Where should the line be drawn? Ultimately, it is us that sends the people over to fight. But because of this disconnect discussed in many articles over the past 10 years, many people think that Afghanistan is a long way away and, since we don’t understand why we are there anyway, not many people care about paying attention to the policy, because they have no involvement with the military.”

The concert’s musical repertoire is seldom heard ,according to Jessop, which is why the two partners are looking forward to the community hearing the pieces.

To purchase tickets, visit americanfestivalchorus.org or arts.usu.edu.

Dana Rimington has more than 12 years covering stories involving education, military, government and business in northern Utah. She focuses her efforts as a marketing content writer for businesses across the country. october

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‘THE BREADTH, WIDTH AND DEPTH’ OF WORLD WAR I REMEMBRANCE GOES FAR BEYOND OUR BORDERS Following the signed Armistice, the guns of war fell silent at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. The victorious allies observed Armistice Day beginning on Nov. 11 the following year, which in the United States became Veterans Day. In the United Kingdom, Canada and other Commonwealth Nations the observance moved to the nearest Sunday as Remembrance Sunday. However, in all these nations, the meaning of the day is the same, remembering and honoring veterans.

Veterans Day honors all our nation’s veterans, those who returned home and those who did not. However, the breadth, width and depth of this observance go far beyond our borders and encompasses more than the wars of recent memory. Attention focuses on wars and battles against terror since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The service and sacrifice of Vietnam and Korea still loom large, but the number of World War II veterans grows continually smaller. Yet, Veterans Day 2018 shares roots with other nations that stretch back a century to the end of the Great War. In the United States, veterans are honored on Veterans Day by display of the national flag, not at half-staff, as on the morning of Memorial Day, but flying proudly in tribute.

In the United Kingdom, Canada and other nations, veterans are remembered with small red poppy lapel pins, which are worn not only on Remembrance Day, but also for other observances throughout the year. The British and Colonial troops lost more than 888,000 lives in WWI, and the loss, while catastrophic, was yet personal. A poem, “In Flanders Fields,” written by Canadian physician Lt. Col. John McCrae conveys these feelings in part: In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.

Armistice Day observances in nations around the world, whatever they may be called, are scheduled for Sunday, the 11th of November. As all veterans are remembered, the centennial of its origin brings to mind those who fought in the Great War. We are reminded that in our nations wars, America does not fight alone. —JOHN M. HARTSVIGSeN FOR VALOR

11/08 UTAH’S WORLD WAR I COMMISSION’S VETERANS DAY COMMEMORATION OF ARMISTICE 100TH ANNIVERSARY Utahns can recognize and appreciate our soldiers, both past and present, during a ceremony at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 8 at the Utah State Capitol Rotunda, SLC. This will kick off Veterans Day weekend and not conflict with other community events. Learn more WWI events at veterans.utah.gov or heritage.utah.gov/history/wwi The commemoration will conclude with an open house at Memorial House in Memory Grove from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. On at the Capitol’s 4th Floor Gallery will be an exhibit of original WWI posters curated by Fort Douglas Military Museum on display through end of December.

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Attention

Veterans

Our staff of trained professionals stand ready to assist you in many ways, such as: • Outreach Activities - Help with VA Pension, and Aid & Attendance - Service Connected Disability Claims • Job Fairs - Getting you employed, skills workshops, etc.

• etc.

• • The Homeless Veterans Stand-Down - Providing food, shelter, and clothing The Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs is here to serve you. We operate: • The Utah Veterans Cemetery and Memorial Park • Four Veterans Homes from Ogden to St. George • The State Approving Agency for Veterans Education Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs 550 Foothill Drive, Suite 150 Salt Lake City, Utah 84113 Phone: 801-326-2372 Email: veterans@utah.gov www.veterans.utah.gov