Photo By Lt.Cmdr. Jim Remington | Retired Air Force Staff Sgt. Jack E. Beck, a Vietnam veteran and resident of the Armed...... read more read more
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By Lt. Cmdr. Jim Remington
Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling Public Affairs
WASHINGTON - Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB) hosted nine residents of the Armed Forces Retirement Home June 5 as part of JBAB Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Commemoration Day.
Between the nine in attendance, the veterans collectively served the United States from World War II through Operation Desert Storm. The center, home to 468 veterans, offers visits such as this one to JBAB as part of a larger program that keep its residents active with opportunities to visit different local destinations five days each week.
Retired Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Chuck Daniels, a resident at the home for more than a year and a half, said their day at JBAB began with lunch at the Bolling Club.
“It was very good and I appreciate being invited. They treated us very well,” Daniels said.
Charles Vishee, a resident of more than three years and an Air Force veteran who served from 1946 to 1969, including tours of service in Korean and Vietnam wars, said he enjoyed the lunch they had on arrival at the base, “It was a long, leisurely and excellent lunch. They did an excellent job of service and presentation.”
Following lunch, the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard and U.S Navy Ceremonial Guard drill teams performed well rehearsed, challenging routines to honor JBAB’s guests.
“I was really impressed with it. I’m sure it took a lot of practice. They really looked sharp,” said retired Air Force Staff Sgt. Jack E. Beck, a 20-year veteran of the Air Force and resident of the home.
Vishee, who served as a flight engineer superintendent on four airframes during his career including the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, the Boeing B-50 Superfortress, the Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter, and the Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star said, “I was so impressed. It just brought tears and made my heart flutter.”
Daniels, who spent 10 years as a combat engineer, another eight years in guided surface to surface missiles, and finished his final seven years in communications to include service with the Green Berets, said he regularly takes advantage of the trips and activities that the Armed Forces Retirement Home offers, to include two visits now to JBAB.
“I was down here for the 50th anniversary of World War II flyover and it was great. So they take us to all these events. They’re always looking out for us. They try to keep us busy. And some of the fellas take advantage of it, some of them don’t,” Daniels said.
Even on campus Daniels said he has plenty to keep him busy. “It’s great over there. They’ve got a theater in house. They’ve got a fishing pond. They’ve got a golf course, arts and crafts. There are a lot of activities if you want to take advantage of them.”
Daniels also has good memories of the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard Drill Team’s performance just a few months ago at an antique car show that he attended and at which he also displayed his 1988 Mercedes sports car that has only 40,000 miles on it.
To conclude the ceremony, two U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guardsmen folded and presented the United States flag to Beck, who received it on behalf of all of the Armed Forces Retirement Home’s residents.
“I was very honored to receive this flag,” Beck said. “On behalf of my fellow constituents, we gratefully appreciate the receipt of this flag, and I’ll pass it along to our director so we can use it at the home and make sure that they mention that we got it here.”
The JBAB Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Commemoration Day was held as part of a nationwide program initiated in 2008 by the secretary of defense. The program officially launched in May 2012 with a presidential proclamation.
| Date Taken: | 06.05.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 09.29.2015 11:06 |
| Story ID: | 177473 |
| Location: | WASHINGTON, DC, US |
| Web Views: | 37 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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