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thedrifter
11-02-08, 07:37 AM
RANCHO SANTA FE: DAR chapters support Wounded Warrior program

By TRACY ROLLING - For the North County Times

RANCHO SANTA FE ---- Two chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution saluted wounded warriors, corpsmen, medics, and support staff with a luncheon Saturday at the Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club.

Approximately 200 members and distinguished guests of the De Anza and Buena Vista chapters honored military personnel and collected items for Project Patriot, a philanthropic program created to support American troops fighting abroad.

One of the guests was Army Sgt. Brandon Vilt, who was injured in Iraq a year and a half ago.

A left-leg amputee, he declined to share details about how he was injured, but said he was initially taken to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, and later to San Diego.

“The Army has taken good care of me, but it’s been difficult at times," Vilt said. "I'm trying to move forward, and I’m working on doing all of the same things I used to do.”

Asked what's next, Vilt said, "The Army!" sharing enthusiastically about his recent reinstatement to active duty.

Army Capt. Matthew Flagg, the commanding warrior transition officer, said he oversees the recovery process for more than 60 individuals, including Vilt.

"When a soldier is injured in combat, it’s the commanding officer's job to help that individual heal," Flagg said. "We offer assistance to the soldier and their family through a variety of support programs. It’s my honor to see that they are taken care of and that they have a heart to win and get better."

Echoing Flagg’s sentiments was Marine Lt. Col. Greg Martin, commanding officer of the Wounded Warrior Battalion West at Camp Pendleton.

"Our mission is to assist the wounded Marines and sailors though all phases of recovery," Martin said. "Whether they need medical, spiritual, physical or mental help, we focus on offering a comprehensive recovery that will successfully transition them for whatever their future holds."

Realizing the recovery process begins in Landstuhl, the Daughters of the American Revolution National Society created Project Patriot to meet the immediate needs of the injured. Personal items such as clothing, electric razors, and phone cards are collected, placed in gift boxes and shipped to the Landstuhl medical center, where they are distributed.

Joanne Murphy, the De Anza chapter regent, received a supportive round of applause after announcing her church, San Rafael Parish, made 40 quilts to accompany the boxes bound for Germany.

Eva Stimson, a spokeswoman for the De Anza chapter said, “This is just one of many events and projects DAR organizes throughout the year.”

The DAR was established in 1890 and has 65,000 members in 3,000 chapters across the nation. The foremost prerequisite for membership is that applicants are descendents of a patriot of the American Revolution. Genealogy and family lineage are verified though an extensive application process.

To learn more about the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, visit www.dar.org.

Ellie