thedrifter
03-29-09, 04:19 AM
Giving back to the vets
March 29, 2009
BY MICHAEL DRAKULICH Staff Writer
Oak Forest resident Craig Miller doesn't have any regrets about his time in the Marine Corps.
In fact, he calls the 12 years he served - both active and reserve -some of the best years of his life.
Through his time in the Corps, Miller said he saw the world, and the experience paved the way for a stable career so he could provide for his family.
But he realizes not all military personnel feel the same way. So Miller wants to strengthen the network of area military personnel and their families.
Miller is a legacy, following in the footsteps of two uncles who served in the Navy. He has their awards and medals displayed in his basement, among them a Purple Heart.
Having learned about the service from his uncles, Miller joined the military himself after high school. He became an aircraft mechanic, repairing and servicing attack aircraft that flew sorties into the Middle East.
After serving, which included two tours during Operation Desert Storm in 1991, Miller came back stateside to begin a civilian career. He got married and began a family of his own.
He soon became involved in all the activities a career guy and father would. Though he supported the military, he didn't have much to do with veterans' affairs until last year.
That was when Oak Forest Ald. Richard Simon (2nd), asked Miller to help arrange to bring a replica Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall on a visit to Oak Forest.
Miller volunteered, but it didn't end there. Despite the commitments of his family, he has carved out a little more time to take part in the Oak Forest's recently formed veterans commission.
Miller said he has always been cognizant and supportive of veterans' issues. He just needed a bit of a nudge from Simon, a veteran himself, to become more involved.
"I got involved to support the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan even if I disagreed with their missions," he said.
If that statement sounds like it has a ring of Vietnam to it, Miller said it should. He said like many Americans, he learned that sometimes military personnel are asked to do things that may be a moral turnoff to the rest of the public. But he does not want members of the military who have served in the current conflicts in the Middle East to suffer the same disrespect coming home that soldiers in Vietnam suffered.
Through his work with the veterans commission, Miller said he wants to keep veterans' concerns alive and keep veterans in the Oak Forest area well connected with each other.
That includes being a confidante to some area families as they deal with the difficulty of having a loved one serve overseas during combat. Miller has been a liaison between the U.S. Department of Defense and the family of Christopher Abeyta, a Midlothian soldier who was killed in Afghanistan March 15.
He says if there is one thing for him to accomplish as a veteran and as part of the city's commission it's to give veterans a "go-to" place so they don't feel forgotten.
He said with the United States being militarily involved for so long in Afghanistan and Iraq, he has seen initial public support wane significantly.
"Right after 9-11, patriotism and support for our country was a fad. Now it seems like "Oh, another three dead, another four dead. What's the weather going to be?"
Miller also is involved with the American Legion and often takes part in the honor guard at a serviceman or servicewoman's funeral.
He said he's noticed that some veterans in the Oak Forest area have gotten together informally and rather infrequently. Miller aims to pull veterans together into a useful network so they can be of service and provide aid to each other.
He said meeting regularly at designated times is an important way of doing just that.
In time, and through a little bit of exposure, he hopes that the public becomes a little more sensitive the the unique challenges veterans face.
Michael Drakulich can be reached at mdrakulich@southtownstar.com or (708) 802-8841.
Ellie
March 29, 2009
BY MICHAEL DRAKULICH Staff Writer
Oak Forest resident Craig Miller doesn't have any regrets about his time in the Marine Corps.
In fact, he calls the 12 years he served - both active and reserve -some of the best years of his life.
Through his time in the Corps, Miller said he saw the world, and the experience paved the way for a stable career so he could provide for his family.
But he realizes not all military personnel feel the same way. So Miller wants to strengthen the network of area military personnel and their families.
Miller is a legacy, following in the footsteps of two uncles who served in the Navy. He has their awards and medals displayed in his basement, among them a Purple Heart.
Having learned about the service from his uncles, Miller joined the military himself after high school. He became an aircraft mechanic, repairing and servicing attack aircraft that flew sorties into the Middle East.
After serving, which included two tours during Operation Desert Storm in 1991, Miller came back stateside to begin a civilian career. He got married and began a family of his own.
He soon became involved in all the activities a career guy and father would. Though he supported the military, he didn't have much to do with veterans' affairs until last year.
That was when Oak Forest Ald. Richard Simon (2nd), asked Miller to help arrange to bring a replica Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall on a visit to Oak Forest.
Miller volunteered, but it didn't end there. Despite the commitments of his family, he has carved out a little more time to take part in the Oak Forest's recently formed veterans commission.
Miller said he has always been cognizant and supportive of veterans' issues. He just needed a bit of a nudge from Simon, a veteran himself, to become more involved.
"I got involved to support the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan even if I disagreed with their missions," he said.
If that statement sounds like it has a ring of Vietnam to it, Miller said it should. He said like many Americans, he learned that sometimes military personnel are asked to do things that may be a moral turnoff to the rest of the public. But he does not want members of the military who have served in the current conflicts in the Middle East to suffer the same disrespect coming home that soldiers in Vietnam suffered.
Through his work with the veterans commission, Miller said he wants to keep veterans' concerns alive and keep veterans in the Oak Forest area well connected with each other.
That includes being a confidante to some area families as they deal with the difficulty of having a loved one serve overseas during combat. Miller has been a liaison between the U.S. Department of Defense and the family of Christopher Abeyta, a Midlothian soldier who was killed in Afghanistan March 15.
He says if there is one thing for him to accomplish as a veteran and as part of the city's commission it's to give veterans a "go-to" place so they don't feel forgotten.
He said with the United States being militarily involved for so long in Afghanistan and Iraq, he has seen initial public support wane significantly.
"Right after 9-11, patriotism and support for our country was a fad. Now it seems like "Oh, another three dead, another four dead. What's the weather going to be?"
Miller also is involved with the American Legion and often takes part in the honor guard at a serviceman or servicewoman's funeral.
He said he's noticed that some veterans in the Oak Forest area have gotten together informally and rather infrequently. Miller aims to pull veterans together into a useful network so they can be of service and provide aid to each other.
He said meeting regularly at designated times is an important way of doing just that.
In time, and through a little bit of exposure, he hopes that the public becomes a little more sensitive the the unique challenges veterans face.
Michael Drakulich can be reached at mdrakulich@southtownstar.com or (708) 802-8841.
Ellie