thedrifter
06-26-08, 07:49 AM
A show of appreciation for veterans
Car club provides rides while Rotary organizes picnic
By Fernando Romero
June 26, 2008
CHULA VISTA – At a small picnic in an Eastlake park, 25 wounded veterans brought the realities of the Iraq war to the event.
The occasion last weekend, sponsored by the Porsche and Chula Vista Rotary clubs, started with the car club providing snazzy, vintage models of the German-made vehicle to give the veterans a two-hour morning ride through the backcountry of East County.
“It was the nicest ride, feeling that wind in your hair and knowing you're in one of those cars – it was heaven,” said Robert Kramer, who fought in Iraq last year with the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines.
Kramer was injured in Ramadi in central Iraq by an improvised explosive device, or IED. The explosion affected his speech, among other injuries.
The ride ended at Scobee Park, which belongs to the Eastlake Business Center, and the Chula Vista Rotary Club treated veterans to hamburgers and hot dogs. Jan Millinger, who belongs to the Rotary and car clubs, said it was a privilege to host the veterans.
“It's an honor to be able to do anything for people who put their lives on the line for our freedom,” Millinger said.
Rotary member Dave Gardner couldn't agree more.
“When I heard about this, I came to help because I knew I had to do something for these guys who have done so much for us,” Gardner said.
Mike Otis, 40, a member of the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 28, said he was proud to have served his country under trying circumstances. Otis was injured by shrapnel when he was carrying out a mission near the Syrian border.
“We were there serving a purpose, rebuilding homes for the Iraqi people,” he said. “People would smile at us, and we wanted to work harder for them. The terrorists hate that. They want us to be hated, but we're there to help Iraqis rebuild their country, and with each passing day I think we're accomplishing that.”
Otis said his battalion buddies felt the support of Americans when his unit received about 1,000 care packages together with cards and letters from high school students and elementary schoolchildren last year. They passed some of those care packages on to U.S. military personnel stationed in faraway Iraqi posts.
“Those cards and letters were like new batteries for us, giving us the energy to continue on,” Otis said. “The care packages we gave soldiers in the middle of nowhere were more appreciated than gold – those men cried of happiness when they opened the letters and read the words of encouragement from children. The smokes, the chips, the candy, we all needed (those care packages).”
Michelle Rodriguez, who works at the Eastlake Wal-Mart, which donated the food for the event, was there with her teenage daughter serving as a volunteer.
“I want my daughter to see this,” Rodriguez said. “I want her to see these veterans, people willing to give their lives for us. They're a good example for her.”
Kramer, who served in Korea before going to Iraq, said coming back from the war front has been tough for him. “I'm back to being a nobody.”
Reminded that many at the picnic thought of him as a hero, he responded: “Soon they'll forget me and I'll be a nobody again. The reason I love the Marines is because it's the only thing I've been good at.”
Others, such as Navy Chief Maurice Meadows, who is based at the San Diego Naval Base at 32nd Street, have not seen combat despite being closely linked to the war.
“I was with the Navy Customs Battalion Tango, and it affected me greatly, seeing these soldiers come back from Iraq, talking about the war, their firsthand accounts,” Meadows said. “My blood would boil. I'm a qualified sharpshooter. I wanted to go there, do some butt kicking. Our chaplains were allowed to go and they would come back and tell us all these tales of war. But I also saw broken men and they would bring tears to my eyes.”
Steve Miesen, who is about to step down as 2007-08 president of the Chula Vista Rotary Club, said he is proud of his group for having hosted the veterans.
“It was great to meet some of the young men in our military and take them out and then have them meet some of our people – just great,” Miesen said.
Some Rotary officials were talking about turning the picnic into an annual event.
“I think it's an excellent idea,” Millinger said.
Fernando Romero is a San Diego freelance writer.
Ellie
Car club provides rides while Rotary organizes picnic
By Fernando Romero
June 26, 2008
CHULA VISTA – At a small picnic in an Eastlake park, 25 wounded veterans brought the realities of the Iraq war to the event.
The occasion last weekend, sponsored by the Porsche and Chula Vista Rotary clubs, started with the car club providing snazzy, vintage models of the German-made vehicle to give the veterans a two-hour morning ride through the backcountry of East County.
“It was the nicest ride, feeling that wind in your hair and knowing you're in one of those cars – it was heaven,” said Robert Kramer, who fought in Iraq last year with the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines.
Kramer was injured in Ramadi in central Iraq by an improvised explosive device, or IED. The explosion affected his speech, among other injuries.
The ride ended at Scobee Park, which belongs to the Eastlake Business Center, and the Chula Vista Rotary Club treated veterans to hamburgers and hot dogs. Jan Millinger, who belongs to the Rotary and car clubs, said it was a privilege to host the veterans.
“It's an honor to be able to do anything for people who put their lives on the line for our freedom,” Millinger said.
Rotary member Dave Gardner couldn't agree more.
“When I heard about this, I came to help because I knew I had to do something for these guys who have done so much for us,” Gardner said.
Mike Otis, 40, a member of the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 28, said he was proud to have served his country under trying circumstances. Otis was injured by shrapnel when he was carrying out a mission near the Syrian border.
“We were there serving a purpose, rebuilding homes for the Iraqi people,” he said. “People would smile at us, and we wanted to work harder for them. The terrorists hate that. They want us to be hated, but we're there to help Iraqis rebuild their country, and with each passing day I think we're accomplishing that.”
Otis said his battalion buddies felt the support of Americans when his unit received about 1,000 care packages together with cards and letters from high school students and elementary schoolchildren last year. They passed some of those care packages on to U.S. military personnel stationed in faraway Iraqi posts.
“Those cards and letters were like new batteries for us, giving us the energy to continue on,” Otis said. “The care packages we gave soldiers in the middle of nowhere were more appreciated than gold – those men cried of happiness when they opened the letters and read the words of encouragement from children. The smokes, the chips, the candy, we all needed (those care packages).”
Michelle Rodriguez, who works at the Eastlake Wal-Mart, which donated the food for the event, was there with her teenage daughter serving as a volunteer.
“I want my daughter to see this,” Rodriguez said. “I want her to see these veterans, people willing to give their lives for us. They're a good example for her.”
Kramer, who served in Korea before going to Iraq, said coming back from the war front has been tough for him. “I'm back to being a nobody.”
Reminded that many at the picnic thought of him as a hero, he responded: “Soon they'll forget me and I'll be a nobody again. The reason I love the Marines is because it's the only thing I've been good at.”
Others, such as Navy Chief Maurice Meadows, who is based at the San Diego Naval Base at 32nd Street, have not seen combat despite being closely linked to the war.
“I was with the Navy Customs Battalion Tango, and it affected me greatly, seeing these soldiers come back from Iraq, talking about the war, their firsthand accounts,” Meadows said. “My blood would boil. I'm a qualified sharpshooter. I wanted to go there, do some butt kicking. Our chaplains were allowed to go and they would come back and tell us all these tales of war. But I also saw broken men and they would bring tears to my eyes.”
Steve Miesen, who is about to step down as 2007-08 president of the Chula Vista Rotary Club, said he is proud of his group for having hosted the veterans.
“It was great to meet some of the young men in our military and take them out and then have them meet some of our people – just great,” Miesen said.
Some Rotary officials were talking about turning the picnic into an annual event.
“I think it's an excellent idea,” Millinger said.
Fernando Romero is a San Diego freelance writer.
Ellie