Veteran Affairs

Honoring Their Courage and Sacrifice, Happy Father’s Day

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY June is here and let’s not forget Dad. Father’s Day is a day honoring fathers, celebrated on various days in many places around the world. It complements Mother’s Day. Happy Father’s Day to all the father’s reading this ad and Happy Father’s Day to all the mother’s reading this if you are a sole parent, mom and a dad of the family. Grandfathers, step-dads, uncles, brothers and sisters, you all deserve to be noted for what you do to be a figure in a child’s life. If dads not there someone who steps in as a fatherly…
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Ramble on … June 2019

Ramble On. … By JP Brady WARNING: This could be dangerous. That’s what the sign should have read. But it didn’t. In fact, the Alabama County Rd 548 sign was almost invisible. We missed it the first time by. Leaving Marietta, GA and riding back roads on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, taking GA Hwy 78 over the GA/AL line, we quickly spotted our next turn, County Rd 66. Fine. So far. But where was County Rd 548? It was supposed to be our next right. Right. Making our way into Heflin, AL, I realized we had missed our turn. Now…
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Rolling Thunder

Rolling Thunder - 1st Amendment Demonstration Run Rolling Thunder is the largest 1st Amendment demonstration run in the United States, and every year during Memorial Day weekend motorcyclists roll into our Nation’s capital to emphasize the urgency of keeping POW/MIA issues current. “With the economic recovery and healthcare reform taking center stage, the POW/MIA issue is one that nobody in our government wants to address anymore. If they keep dragging their feet, sooner or later anyone who was captured alive will have passed away. But for their families, there is never any closure. Searching for and returning remains is a…
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American Legion Riders Chapter 237 9th Annual Poker Run Raises $6,415 for Friends of Citrus and the Nature Coast

American Legion Riders Chapter 237 9th Annual Poker Run Raises $6,415 for Friends of Citrus and the Nature Coast, Topping $60,000 in Donations Since 2011   BEVERLY HILLS, Fla. -- On Friday, February 15, available members of American Legion Riders Chapter 237, along with others from American Legion Post 237 in Beverly Hills, gathered at the Post to celebrate the $6,415 raised during their January 26 9th Annual Poker Run. They presented that amount to Friends of Citrus and the Nature Coast.   On hand to appreciate this creative group presentation and accept the donation were Friends of Citrus and…
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American Patriot’s 1-3-19

American Patriot's   We have successfully reached the year of our Lord 2019 and hopefully this year we, as a nation will be able to successfully navigate the pitfalls, we have seen in years past. This year I pray we come back together as a united nation, wherein we deal with the problems we, ourselves, have made. Sadly, our nation’s oldest veteran Richard Overton who reached the age of 112 years passed away last Thursday. He was born in Bastrop County, Texas in 1906 and served in the US Army’s all black 1887th Engineer Aviation Battalion from 1942 to 1945.…
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Terry Longpre 06-20-18

American Patriot’s As I write my column(s) I mention the military, law enforcement, and our first responders. In this column, I want to address those who I consider to be those responders.   According to the dictionary the words First Responders means; A certified person who has completed a course and received certification in providing pre-hospital care for medical emergencies.   In my world, I personally consider anyone (EMS and Fire Department personnel) who responds to an emergency such as a fire, auto accident or medical issue or a disaster a first responder. The above list could also include law…
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Terry Longpre 05-21-18

American Patriots Welcome Home After missing for 47 years the remains of Army Maj. Donald G. Carr (Texas) were recovered and identified by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. Major Carr was assigned to Mobile Launch Team 3, 5th Special Forces Group, Republic of South Vietnam. There are still 1,598 American service personnel as well as civilians declared missing from the War in Vietnam. We will keep looking and bring them all home. Medals of Honor Retired U.S. Navy SEAL, Master Chief Special Warfare Operator (Sea, Air, and Land) Britt K. Slabinski, will receive the Medal of Honor on May 24…
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Meaning of Memorial Day

I have approached this subject several times over the years, Memorial Day is not the official start of summer, nor should it be the reason for a 3-day long weekend of parties, barbecues, or car sales. Memorial Day has had several names over the 150 years of its existence; however, the reason for Memorial Day stays the same. The day is for honoring and showing respect for those who have been killed while serving in the military, beginning with the Civil War through current military engagements. Over the years Memorial Day has diminished as a national holiday and has became…
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Terry Longpre 04-26-18

American Patriot’s Last week I wrote regarding the ‘Memorial Day Flag Placement’ at Sarasota National Cemetery on May 26th. This week, I want to address the 15th Annual Memorial Day Ride (Bike Run) to Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell. I received an email from a friend of mine, Retired Marine Corps Colonel Ron Rook who has orchestrated this run since its inception. The run is sponsored by the Tampa Bay Chapter of the Defenders Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club a group which I was a member at one time. This run is to pay tribute to those fallen men and women…
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Terry Longpre 04-19-18

American Patriot’s Once again, my column is behind the ‘breaking news’ cycle. When I started to write this week’s column last week the lead in sentence was “It is a just a matter of time before the United States reacts to the chemical attacks in Syria.” Well, the ink hadn’t even dried and we did react with support from Great Britain and France. My question today is, where was the United Nations and the neighboring countries in this matter? After all, this type of activity is against all human common decency and sense. I am sure we will become the…
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Terry Longpre 04-13-18

American Patriot’s As a youngster, I skateboarded down the south side of the ‘new’ Desoto Bridge. That was back in the day when the boards were made of wood, about 18”x6” and had wooden wheels. On my ride down the bridge unencumbered by any traffic (imagine that) I reached the bottom and the wheels disintegrated leaving me with a road rash. As someone who has lived here for a while I personally feel it will not benefit those who travel the bridge to have a ‘fly’ anything (over or under) bridge built. If you need a new bridge build it,…
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Terry Longpre 04-06-18

American Patriot’s On March 29th, I attended the Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Ceremony at the Sarasota National Cemetery. It was humbling to see the nine hundred (900) plus in attendance. Along with the Vietnam Veterans, there were wives and family members who supported them during their time ‘in country.’ Not enough is said about the support from families during the war in Vietnam. Without them, those serving would not have fared as well as we did. I want to personally thank those family members for those who served to protect us. The keynote speaker was General Henry H. Shelton, US…
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Terry Longpre 03-30-18

American Patriot’s   Over the years I have sadly witnessed our society falling apart and somewhat of a revolution in the United States. For many years, the decline of the mainstays of America has increased due to the continual, unrelenting beating from those who have nothing to do but complain instead of helping to make us an even better nation. We have heard screams from career politicians whose only real claim to fame is just that, being a politician. I have said in the past one of the things which bothers me was the attack in Benghazi almost six years…
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Terry Longpre 03-22-18

American Patriot’s Last Thursday I attended the 46th Annual Sarasota Community Prayer Breakfast along with 399 other Christians. To my amazement not one word was spoken regarding anything to do with politics. It was very pleasant to sit and listen to people who believe in Christianity and what it means to us personally, to this country and the world. Victoria Finely presided over the morning's schedule and did an outstanding job and the presentation of the Colors was done by Sarasota VFW Post 3233.  There were readings from the Bible and the Torah and Assistant State Ride Captain Henry Hyde…
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Terry Longpre March 8, 2018

American Patriot’s It is my opinion in this day and time if you attack or threaten to attack school children no matter what your age, you should be charged as an adult with an act of terrorism and what every state statues apply. Also, parents need to monitor and teach their children respect for all, which most do. It is those where the parents fail children and young adults who will become wayward and want the attention drawn to them by an act of violence or threats usually on a social media site. If the media would report the news…
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Terry Longpre March 1, 2018

American Patriot’s Sadly, once again a school was attacked by a deranged individual. The Second Amendment is not the problem, those who kill others are the problem. People say guns kill, which is a fact. A weapon will not kill by itself, it is the person with their finger on the trigger which makes the decision to kill. My parents had the first sporting goods store in Manatee County selling hundreds upon hundreds of weapons and I have had a weapon since I was six years old. I spent four years in the military and twenty-seven years in law enforcement…
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