Commandery News of the Hawaii Commandery, Military Order of Foreign Wars.

Hawaii Commandery THE Military Order of Foreign Wars

Table of Contents:

Vol. VII, Issue 3, September 2018 Commander’s Comments…………………………………………….. p. 1 Chaplain’s Corner…………………………………………………………. p. 2 Youth Challenge Awards Ceremony …………………………….. p. 3 Schedule of Hawaii WWI Centennial Events ……………….. p. 4 Commandery Prepares for the Armistice Centenary ……. P. 5 WWI Cadet Essay Contest…...………………………..…...….…... p. 5 Commandery Operations …………………………………………. .. p. 6 50th Vietnam War Medal Presentations. …….……………… p. 7 Partnering with other Veterans Organizations …………….. p. 8 Companion News ………..…………………………..………….….….. p. 9 Upcoming Events ……………………...…………………………..……. p. 10

Cover Photo: USS Missouri, BB 63, site of the Japan Surrender Ceremony , September 2, 1945.

Photo by Companion Arthur Tulak. If you have patriotic photos you’d like to share, submit them for consideration for the cover of our next issue!

Commander’s Comments.

Aloha!

Aloha my fellow Companions. At our last meeting we enjoyed fellowship at the Sunset Lanai on Camp H. M. Smith and welcomed several new candidates for membership! Congratulations and thank you to our newest members, We have reports that there are several more along the way, we need to follow through and make sure they process their membership applications and dues, if you need any assistance brining a new member on board, please contact our secretary, LTC Straus Scantlin We’re doing good, lets increase the momentum and build the Commandery stronger every quarter!

We will have many opportunities to invite potential companions as guests to come along and serve beside us this year with our continued support of the World War One in Hawai’i Centennial Commemorative Task Force, chaired by Past Commander, COL (Ret) Arthur Tulak. Veterans’ Day Ceremonies on 11 November, 2018 will be a big event as we mark the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day when the guns ceased fire on the 11th hour of the 11th day. The State of Hawaii has moved its ceremony from the Kaneohe Veterans Ceremony for this year to the WWI Memorial. With the City co-sponsoring this event, we expect to have one joint City/State event this year instead of the usual three we traditionally support. This means we’ll all be at one spot to commemorate both Veterans’ Day and 100th anniversary of the Armistice Day. This is a perfect opportunity to attend and invite along potential companions, I will be inviting several from work and comrades from deployments past. Additionally, we have our traditional JROTC, ROTC, Civil Air Patrol, Sea Cadets, and Youth Challenge essay and awards events, please keep your eyes peeled for the signup sheet and emails, these are very rewarding events. I continue to be amazed at all of our involvement in events, and valued service the Hawai`i Commandery provides to memorialize our fallen, celebrate the service of our current veterans, assist and recruit our current serving military, and encourage our future leaders through our essay and awards programs; I’m really proud to be a companion of the MOFW and thank you all for your dedication to the order.

I’m eagerly awaiting turning the command of the MOFW Hawai’i Commandery back to Commander Companions Chris Spear who should be returning from the middle east at the end of October I think that will justify a social event!

I am reiterating my challenge to you to bring a friend who you think would be a good companion of the commandery to the awards ceremonies or any of our events, tell them “I need someone to take pictures,” or “would you hold the awards for me?” These types of events showcase what our commandery is all about and why we have joined and stayed in, much better than attending a business focused meeting.

Mahalo and “Deus et Libertas” LTC (ret) Curtis “Manny” Manchester Senior Vice Commander 1

Chaplains Corner

By Chaplain (LTC, Ret) John Molina Patriot Day this year reminds me of an invitation I received to offer the opening prayer at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Dinner which was held in Washington DC shortly after the September 11 attacks in 2001. I was serving at Ft. Benning, GA on that fateful day and was on the dentist chair when we got the news of what was happening in New York...I watched on TV as the first tower burned and crumbled and then as the second airplane hit the second tower. It was all so surreal and totally bizarre! I had spent many years living across from Manhattan on the New Jersey side of the Hudson River and from my apartment window I could see the NY City skyline along with the twin towers...it was a familiar site and a very painful experience seeing the devastation taking place.

At the Hispanic Caucus event that evening there was a very large number of people attending, to include many celebrities and politicians. I remember in particular John McCain and Hilary Clinton who were two of the primary speakers that evening. Hilary, who would follow me after the opening prayer was running late and the MC asked me if I could extend my prayer and give the Senator some extra time to arrive. It all worked out well, and as I completed my "long" opening prayer (in English and Spanish) along with a moment of silence (not a pin drop could be heard) in remembrance of those who had perished in the attack; Hilary was standing behind me!

Something which I learned that evening is the importance of entering into times of "silence". Silence and prayer are somewhat synonymous, especially when we consider the possibility that in prayer we are not really informing God about anything that God does not already know (omniscience is notion of a divine and all knowing God). That evening, for a brief moment, the silence provided us the means for our disturbing turmoil of thoughts to die down amid the wreckage, sadness, fear, and senseless loss of precious lives our nation had experienced a few days prior.

The following prayer exercise is based on the teachings from Francisco de Osuna who was a Franciscan friar (1492 1542). His book The Third Spiritual Alphabet has greatly inspired numerous people through the centuries and perhaps you too may find it useful during your prayer time and moments of silence. Francisco offers us the following approach to prayer.

1. Dam up the fountain of your soul, where love is always springing forth.

2. It will be forced to rise.

3. Yet, it will remain quiet and at rest within you; wait for that quiet.

4. You will see the image of God reflected in your own clear waters, more resplendent than in any other thing; provided the disturbing turmoil of thoughts dies down.

Here is a brief commentary on the above prayer tool by a present day Franciscan priest, Father Richard Rohr. "Try to stay beneath your thoughts, neither fighting them nor thinking them. Hold yourself at a deeper level...stay in your body self somehow, and do not rise to the mind. Resist any desire to repress or express, just allow...It will feel like 'nothing' or darkness. Stay 'crouched' there at the cellular level without shame, long enough for Another Source to begin to flow and well up as light or sight or joy...the love flows through you from the Source, as an energy more than as an idea. You cannot 'think' God. God is never an object of consciousness like any other thing, person, or event that you know. God is always and forever the subject, the doer, the initiator...God in you and through you sees and loves God--in yourself and in others too."

In closing, I encourage you to remember and not refuse the exhortation of an old Hebrew prophet: "For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: In returning and rest you shal be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength." Isaiah 30:15 2

Youth ChalleNGe graduation and awards ceremony to present awards from the MOFW and MOWW

By Companion “Manny “Manchester Once again, I had the privilege of representing the Military Order of Foreign Wars (MOFW) and the Military Order of World Wars (MOWW), presenting awards to two cadets at the 2018 graduation ceremony for the Hawai’i National Guard Youth Challenge at the Pearl City Cultural Center on June 13th, 2018. The mission of the Hawai’i National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program is to intervene in and reclaim the lives of 16-18 year-olds who have dropped out of high school, producing program graduates with the values, life skills, education, and self-discipline necessary to succeed as productive citizens in America’s future. This award-winning program has been recognized as one of the nation’s most effective and cost efficient programs for targeting youth who are at the greatest risk for substance abuse, teen pregnancy, delinquency, and criminal activity.

As I presented awards directly to two cadets on stage I could see the confidence in their eyes and their handshakes, I can see why this program has one of the lowest rates of recidivism of any program for its target audience, these youths are charged with positivity and are all given opportunities for education, professional training and jobs immediately after graduation. As much as I truly enjoy, am honored and privileged to present awards for both the MOFW and MOWW, I would like to see both organizations, not only send a different representative, but I will challenge our orders to send two companions each or potential companions to this amazing event. One as a presenter and another as photographer and future presenter. This is the event to inspire a potential companion recruit and to get a new companion hooked on our orders, I tried but failed to get one of my recruits to show up to this awards ceremony, but really want to see some new companions on the stage, I’ll even go as a photographer in the future!

Another way we could provide even greater service to this outstanding program would be to serve as a mentor for a specific cadet, one of my friends, Tim Fawcet, just did this and found it a very rewarding experience. Please let me know if you are interested in attending future Youth ChalleNGe ceremonies or being a mentor.

Watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWFhEuNasN0

Top and center: Acting Commander Manchester presents the MOFW Leadership Medal to Cadet Lexus Dominguez Left: CmdSgtMaj Ret. J.D. Williams, Ms. Tiffany, Cadet Kaila Lewis (Academic Medal); BG Ret.,, Bruce Oliveira, BG Moses Kaoiwi Jr., Director of the Joint Staff, Hawaii National Guard, and; Companion Manchester

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Schedule of Hawaii WWI Centennial Events 0600 hrs — Battle’s O’er worldwide bagpipe tribute A nationwide, mass playing of the retreat march, When the Battle’s O’er outside cathedrals and other locations 6:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 11, 2018. This is the time when the Armistice was actually signed on November 11, 1918. It came into effect at 11 a.m. Our bagpipers will play at front gate of the state’s WWI Memorial, the War Memorial Natatorium.

To sign up and get involved: http://www.collegeofpiping.org/sign-up-for-battles-oertribute/

0700 hrs— Veterans Organizations set-up tables to distribute poppies, information on programs/activities.

0800—1900 hrs — WWI History Museum/Theater Open to public with exhibits and costumed re-enactors from the Hawaii Historic Arms Association, Hawaii Swimming Hall of Fame, Hawaii State Library, Red Cross of Hawaii, Friends of the Natatorium and others.

Historians will be on hand for talk story and Q&A sessions. A schedule of continuous film screenings will include the 2018 animated film “Sergeant Stubby: An American Hero” https://tinyurl.com/pnplpud. Watch the trailer here https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab0pd9oNf7Q.

0930 hrs— Military Band performance begins

1100 hrs — Bells of Peace Honoring the moment when the Armistice went into effect at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

Churches and temples across the country are encouraged to sound their bells 21 times at 11am local time. The national commission is also developing sample content for local churches to include in their services that weekend. Churches and temples can sign up and get more information here: https:// www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/546-events/bell-tolling/bells-of-peace/4558-bells-of-peaceconcept.html

1100 hrs — Veterans Day Service begins 1111 hrs— Commemoration of Armistice 100th minute of silence 1215 hrs — Veterans/Armistice Day service concludes.

1300 (T) Raiatea Helm Concert on the Centennial Main Stage Ms. Helm will perform a program of old-Hawaii classics including compositions by WWI veteran a beloved composer, R.A. Anderson.

1400 hrs — Royal Hawaiian Band concert at the Kapiolani Park Bandstand 1830 hrs — Harry James Orchestra concert and dance The legendary Harry James Orchestra will open their concert with a selection of WWI-era tunes. WWII-era and big band jazz will follow with the dance floor available for all to enjoy an evening of swing.

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Commandery Prepares for the Armistice Centenary The capstone of Hawaii’s two-year centennial commemoration of the First World War will be on November 11, 2018 at the Hawaii WWI Memorial in Waikiki. All Oahu-based Companions are asked to participate.

All the Veterans Organizations that are Commemorative Partner Organizations of the Centennial are invited to set up a table under a common 40 x 40 tent to distribute poppies to participants. The organizations so invited are MOFW, VFW, American Legion and Military Order of World Wars. Companion Major, Ret. Rory Cain in Australia sent a few hundred poppies for this special occasion. Poppies will be distributed at no cost, but donations will be requested. Over 1,000 persons are expected to attend, and we need to man this tent from 0800—1300. In addition, those who have volunteered to participate in the Parade of Flags at the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery are needed to conduct that same ceremony with the 4x6 foot Hawaii Commandery Flag. If you have not already ordered your MOFW Cap and polo shirt, now is the time to do it, so that you are in the proper uniform for Veterans Day. Unlike the Punchbowl ceremonies, wreaths will be limited to the Senior Military Commanders and the Governor. An F22 flyover has been requested, and the Hawaii Historic Arms Assn will have a WWI equipment display in the outdoor tented WWI museum. This is an occaCadet WWI Essay Contest The Hawaii Commandery is supporting the Hawaii World War One Centennial Essay Contest with essay judging, certificates, and certificate holders. The Essay contest provides a medal to each competing school to award to their top essayist. Depending on the number of schools participating, additional medals can be allocated to schools with strong response and quality essays.

Essays should be submitted to Cadre for grading no later than October 19, 2018, for the Fall semester, and March 22, 2019, for the Spring semester. JROTC Cadre shall then provide their winning essays to the Hawaii WWI Centennial Task Force, for editing for publication not later than October 26, 2018 for presentation of medals and certificates prior to Veterans Day 2018, and by/ March 29, 2019 to permit announcement of winners and presentation of the medal to winning cadets at the end-of-year awards ceremonies in April/May. The HI WWI CTF will also judge entries to establish the top 3, and best-ofcategory.

Selected essays will be published in the MOFW Commandery News, and other Veterans publications, as well as the Hawaii WWI Centennial Commemoration website. The HI WWI CTF will also judge all entries to establish the top 3, and best-of-category.

Winners receive a certificate recognizing their essay, signed by Companion Major General Joe Logan to accompany the medal. MOFW Companions will be asked to volunteer in early November to present these medals to Cadets during JROTC classes on-campus.

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Commandery Operations: Commandery Meeting at the Sunset Lanai The Commandery held its June meeting on the 22nd at the Sunset Lanai and welcomed MOFW candidates CAPT Ross Lee and Brenda Reichel. Ross is a Captain with the U.S. Merchant Marine, and Brenda is a candidate for hereditary companionship based on the qualifying service of her father.

Awards Chairman Tulak provided a report on another successful year of Cadet Awards Ceremonies, and thanked all volunteers who committed their time to make these events memorable for the Cadets and their families in attendance. While we accomplished the mission, the number of volunteers from the ranks of the Commandery dropped this year, requiring the brave few to cover more schools per person.

The Commandery received a very nice letter from C/LTC Larissa L. Tsai from the Kapa’a High School Army JROTC accompanied by a Thank You Card Signed by 37 Cadets.

From L-R: Brenda Reichel, Capt Larry Dicks, Secretary LTC Straus Scantlin, CAPT Ross Lee, COL, Ret. Peter Hirai, , Dr. Fred Staedel ,and; Arthur Tulak.

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50th Vietnam Veteran Recognition Program Commandery honors its own On June 22d, the Commandery took great pleasure in recognizing departing Companion Lt Col, USAF Ret., Jim Burkholder for his superior record of Volunteer service as a Vietnam Veteran served with the From 1 Jan. to 30 Dec. 1969, Lt. Col. Burkholder served as a fighter pilot with the 366th Tactical Fighter Wing at Da Nang Air Force Base, and with the 444th Tactical Fighter Wing at Phu Cat Air Force Base. After completing his Military Service in the Air Force, Lt. Col. Burkholder, devoted himself to Community Service to Veterans in Bonners Ferry Idaho, serving 4 terms as Commander of his American Legion Post, 12 years as Chairman of the County Memorial Day activities. In Hawaii, Lt. Col. Burkholder faithfully participated in annual Memorial Day and Veterans’ Day ceremonies. As a Companion with the Hawaii Commandery, Jim was a stalwart supporter of the Commandery’s 50th Vietnam War Commemoration essay program, the Hawaii 50th Vietnam War Commemoration events, and the annual Memorial Day and Veterans Day events at the State Veterans Cemetery in Kaneohe, proudly marching with the Commandery flag in all weather.

Jim has moved to Washington State on the mainland and will be sorely missed, leaving Dr. Fed Staedel as our only resident Vietnam Veteran Companion on Oahu.

First Row: Companion Tulak reads the citation while Acting Commander Manchester prepares to pin the 50th Vietnam War Commemorative Medal.

Second Row: Reading of citation ; Acting Commander Manchester congratulates Companion Burkholder; Companion Burkholder with certificate.

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Partnering with other Veterans Organizations: Past Commander Tulak invited as Keynote Speaker to 80th Hawaii VFW / 59th VFW Auxiliary Convention A demonstration of the great cooperation the MOFW has achieved with other Veterans organizations in Hawaii, Companion Tulak was invited to be the keynote speaker at the 80th Hawaii VFW and 59th VFW Auxiliary State Convention on June 21, 2018 at the Pagoda Hotel in Honolulu.

Specifically, the invitation was to both provide some remarks on the WWI Centennial Commemoration and preparations for Veterans Day 2018 at the Hawaii WWI Memorial, and to also speak on matters of National Security.

Companion Tulak gave an address on the major elements of the unclassified versions of the National Security Strategy and the National Defense. The main points of the NSS and NDS is the characterization of Communist China and the Russian Federation as the primary threats, both challenging America’s power, influence, and interests while attempting to erode America’s security and prosperity. The NSS characterizes both nations as “revisionist powers” and singles out China as seeking to “displace the United States in the IndoPacific region.” A shared characteristic of both countries is their use of hybrid warfare in peacetime competition, to achieve military objectives below a threshold that would trigger a direct military response and potentially a larger military conflict.

Companion Tulak explained that the world is now experiencing territorial conquest by military means simultaneously in the European and Pacific theaters by dictatorial regimes for the first time since the Second World War. In addition, the increasing levels of unrestricted or hybrid war actions carried out by Russia and Communist China against the U.S. and its Allies points to a return to Cold War conditions that many security analysts are now calling Cold War II. A key characteristic of the Cold War was the strategic efforts of deterrence to keep our adversaries from launching military action. In today’s complex security environment, the U.S. and its Allies are hard pressed to deter hybrid actions carried out in what is COL, Ret. Arthur Tulak delivering his keynote remarks. At the known as the Gray Zone between peacetime compe- 80th VFW and 59th VFW Aux. Convention tition and conflict. This new kind of Cold War has some of the traditional proxy wars that characterized the firs Cold War, evidenced by by Russia’s seizure of Crimea and the proxy war that followed with Ukraine in 2014 in the Donbass Region that has so far claimed 10,500 killed and 24,778 wounded, 1,414,798 Ukrainians internally displaced, and 925,500 having fled abroad.

The Pacific Theater component of the Second Cold War is characterized by Communist China’s seizure of isles and maritime features in the South China Sea to build a series of military fortresses that Admiral, Ret. Harry Harris called “The Great Wall of Sand” designed to push the U.S. out of the Pacific theater.

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Companion News— Companion Larry Dicks was promoted to the rank of Major in the United States Air Force, in a ceremony held at Tommy Bahamas Restaurant in Waikiki on July 30th.

Special guests included Larry’s family: bride Brenna, mother, Margie Wyllie, and stepfather LTC Gordon Wyllie (USA, Ret).

Many senior leaders from the Joint Intelligence Operations Center were also there to celebrate. The presiding officer was Col Matthew Rau (USMC, the JIOC Commander). Other VIPs included Col Mark Swentkofske (USAF, Larry’s USAF service element Commander) and Lt Col Scott Brandimore (Larry’s direct watch supervisor ). Other guests included members of Larry’s watch team. The oath of office was given by LTC Gordon Wyllie (USA, Ret)., which was followed by the symbolic pinning of rank on Larry’s uniform caps. Representing the Commandery was Past Commander Arthur Tulak.

Photos: Left: Lt Col Scott Brandimore congratulates Major Dicks after reading the orders of promotion on the rooftop of Tommy Bahamas in Waikiki. Right; Larry’s wife Brenna and mother Margie Wyllie pin the rank of Major on Larry’s field cap and blue garrison cap.

Companion Jim Burkholder reports that he and his wife Ruth are

settling in to their new home in Bremerton

Washington, getting acclimatized to the colder weather, and thankful for the two fireplaces in his new home. While the automobiles have arrived, he and Ruth are still waiting on their household goods, delayed by hurricane driven port closures. Jim reports that he is vastly outnumbered by non-Air Force Veterans, and that 90% of his neighbors are Navy or retired Navy.

Congratulations to Companion Mike Madsen and family celebrating the September wedding of

their

youngest daughter.

Companion John Molina and wife Debbie

departed Hawaii on June 18th, and are buying a 4,455 sq ft. home

in Mount Dora, Florida, north of Orlando (John reports tht Mt Dora is the highest point in Florida!). Once they close on the house, they'll have a lot of renovation work to do. John and Debbie are looking forward to seeing more of their family, which includes nine grandchildren.

Feeling left out? Share your news with your fellow Companions!!

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Upcoming events: • 2 SEP—73rd Anniversary of the surrender ceremony aboard the battleship USS Missouri

• 9 SEP —Civil Air Patrol Awards Ceremony 1800 hrs at the Hickam O'Club.

• 14 SEP — 71st Air Force Ball, 1730-220 hrs at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, 2259 Kalakaua Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2018-pacaf-71st-air-force-ball-tickets-47448921000 • 18 SEP—71st Birthday of the U.S. Air Force (18 September 1947, President Truman signed the National Security Act which established the US Air Force as an independent service,).

• 21 SEP — National POW/MIA Recognition Day. Ceremony, 1000 hrs, National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

•

28 September Commandery Meeting

• 30 SEP —Gold Star Mothers/Family Day. • 03 OCT—NOAA 48th Birthday (anniversary of establishment under Dept. of Commerce in 1970).

08 OCT Columbus Day • 13 OCT—243rd Birthday of the United States Navy • 13 OCT — The 2018 Hawaii Navy Ball will be held on 13 October 2018 from 1700-2330 at the Hilton Hawaii Village Resort. Please visit the following link for additional information and to purchase tickets. https://www.tickettailor.com/events/hawaiinavyball2018/165458 • 20 OCT—Army Retiree Appreciation Day, 0800-1200 hrs, Hale Ikena, Fort Shafter.

• 3 NOV—35th Annual Waianae Veterans Day Parade 0900 hours, from Pokai Bay to the Waianae Mall (followed by the JROTC Drill Meet).

• 10 NOV — 243rd Birthday of the United States Marine Corps

• 11 NOV— Veterans Day Ceremony at the Hawaii World War Memorial and Natatorium.

• 11 NOV— Veterans Day Sunset Ceremony at the Battleship Missouri (1630 hrs, Tentative) • 12 NOV— 72nd Annual Wahiawa Lions Club Veterans Day Parade

Hawaii Commandery, Military Order of Foreign Wars A non-profit 501 (c) 3 Veterans Organization Oahu Veterans Center, 1298 Kukila St. Honolulu Hawaii, 96818

Mahalo to our 2018 Sponsors:

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