Getting patriotic VFW and Auxiliary seek student essays and tapes

“A young man sat cramped in a machine gun turret of a bomber, wondering if the exploding flak popping up all around him would bring down his plane. The young man was my grandpa. He is a World War II veteran. Stationed in Italy, he flew 26 combat missions. Thinking about my grandpa, I began to realize how we really should honor our veterans,” wrote Peter J. Angstadt of Oregon in his first place-winning VFW youth essay last year. The piece was one example of the thousands of essays and tapes that have become a yearly tradition in Secaucus and around the nation.

As in the past, Secaucus Memorial VFW Post #3776 and its Ladies Auxiliary will join this year with VFW Posts across the country to help sponsor the first round of two contests designed to inspire a sense of patriotism in American youth.

“We have two contests; the Voice of Democracy is for high school students and the essay contest is for middle school students,” said Al McClure, chairman of the contests for Secaucus, last week. “In Voice of America, young people give us a tape. In the essay contest, they give us an essay.”

The 2000-2001 VFW Voice of Democracy Scholarship Contest was designed to foster patriotism and love of one’s country and is intended to encourage good citizenship. The contest is conducted each year during the fall school term, allowing high school students the opportunity to win valuable scholarships and awards while expressing their opinion on America. Students record their feelings concerning the proposed theme on tape. This year’s theme is “What price freedom?”

The National essay contest is designed to give young students the opportunity to use their writing skills, abilities, and voice their opinion. The theme for the essay contest is “What does it mean to be patriotic?”

McClure said traditionally, the local award committee – which is made up of four people – gets about 25 tapes and more than 100 essays each year.

“Some teachers make it a class project,” he said.

The Voice of America contest is open to all students from public, private or parochial schools in grades 9 to 12. Students in grades 7 to 8 are eligible to enter the essay contest.

All eligible students will be judged on their interpretation of the contest theme. A positive approach should be used to express the entrant’s viewpoint. The finished written essay should not take less than three minutes nor longer than five minutes when recorded on a cassette tape. The deadline the Voice of America contest is Nov. 1. The deadline for the essay contest is Dec. 1. A veterans’ post may advance one winner from each school into the district (county) competition. One winner from each district will advance to the department (state) competition. One winner from each department (54) will advance to the national competition. Each state winner is provided with an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., plus the opportunity to compete for national scholarships. The first place national winner receives a $25,000 scholarship.

“We select a winner and three runners-up,” McClure said. “The winner gets a savings bond for $150, and the runners-up get bonds for $100.”

McClure said Secaucus – which has been involved in the program for about 25 years – has seen one person make it to the state competition, but never to the national contest.

Long history

The Voice of Democracy Program began in 1946 and was originally sponsored by the National Association of Broadcasters. Initially, there were four winners selected, representing the north, south, east and west regions of our country. Each winner received a $500 savings bond and a wristwatch. In the second year of the program, a student by the name of Charles Kuralt, the late television news broadcaster, was one of the winners. Other notable winners include Mariette Hartley, Anita Bryant and Senator John Ashcroft.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States and its Ladies Auxiliary became involved in assisting the National Association of Broadcasters in the late 1950s and took over primary sponsorship in 1961. When the National Association of Broadcasters wanted to end the program, as they could no longer sponsor the program nationally, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, in partnership with the Ladies Auxiliary, took the initiative and became the sole program sponsor.

As a result of the cooperation the organization received from high school teachers across the nation, the participation from many public, private and parochial schools increased. Because of the active program promotion and participation, the national scholarship funds have steadily increased from four national winners in 1962, with total scholarships of $3,750, to a current level of 56 national scholarships totaling in excess of $139,500.

Students may contact the post at 866-4238 where they may leave a message for McClure or Auxiliary Chairperson Evelyn Bonin.

Veteran’s Day ceremonies to be held on two days

Veteran’s Day services will be held in two parts this year because of the success of the program last year.

Al McClure, commander of the Secaucus Veterans of Foreign Wars post, said a prayer service will be held on Friday, Nov. 10 at 11 a.m. at the Immaculate Conception Church. On Saturday, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m., veterans will gather at Town Hall for the traditional ceremony.

In a related matter, Major General Paul Glazar of the Army National Guard presented the New Jersey Distinguished Service metal, the state’s highest military honor, to three Secaucus veterans at a ceremony held on Sept. 7.

John J. Cingirre, who served in the Army in World War II, William Cook Jr., who served in the Navy in World War II, and Michael Vitulano, who served in the Marines during the Persian Gulf War, received metals honoring them for their services. The program, which started after the Spanish American War and covered veterans from the Mexican Border Expedition and World War I, was suspended after World War Two. The program was re-instituted in 1988. Military people who have received the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Air Medal or other such honors are eligible for this award. The three Secaucus vets were among 221 honored throughout the state.

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