Did you know veteran Indigenous men and women make up the highest per capita rate of people serving in the U.S. Armed Forces since the American Revolution?

Did you know Native women continue to serve at one of highest rates in the country (11.7% vs 8.4%, respectively).

Did you know  “ayeuteaen” is the word for warrior in the Narragansett language?

Did you know native people have served in every single conflict since the Revolutionary War and indigenous men and women make up the highest per capita of people serving in the U.S. Armed Forces since the American Revolution?

Lorén Spears, executive director of the Tomaquag Museum, (tomaquagmuseum.org) in Exeter and co-chair of the monument committee, said at the ribbon-cutting for the Rhode Island Indigenous Veterans Monument on Sept. 20 that it is important to honor the service of the Indigenous people that helped to form this country.

“Literally since the Revolutionary War, we have served in the armed forces, and I think that is an untold story that is often completely overlooked,” she said. “For us, it is really important that they be recognized and honored.”

The monument project recognizes Indigenous people from tribal nations such as the Narragansett, Wampanoag, Pequot, Nipmuc, and Osage.

The project started three years ago by Charles B. Smith Sr., a cemetery specialist at the Rhode Island Veterans Memorial Cemetery and co-chair of the monument committee.  The historic project is the first of its kind to honor Indigenous v eterans in Rhode Island to all who served — past, present and future.

”Every nationality in the Rhode Island Veterans Cemetery has a memorial marker stone to commemorate their service that they gave their all for this country,” Smith said on the Honoring Indigenous Veterans website Committee (honoringindigenousvets.org) . “Native Americans are the only group that does not have a memorial marker stone.”

Smith, a member of the Seaconke Wampanoag Tribal Nation, said that’s why he founded the Intertribal Monument Project. “I believe Native American veterans should be honored with a memorial at the Rhode Island Veterans Cemetery because of all nationalities, they have fought in every war this country has ever been in,” Smith said. “My father fought in three wars — World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.”

Two of the elder Indigenous veterans — Alberta Wilcox, a 93-year old World War II nurse veteran and member of the Narragansett Tribe, and Philip Stanton, a 91-year-old Air Force combat veteran of the Korean War — cut the ribbon.

Other Indigenous veterans participating in the event were:

Maija Hill, a member of the Narragansett Tribe, a veteran of the U.S. Army, and a proud mother of three. She is the daughter of a U.S. Air Force Korean War veteran, mother to a daughter who is currently serving in the U.S. Air Force and a mother of a son who is also a veteran of the U.S. Army. 

John A. Cianci, a veteran service officer, is a retired U.S. Army master sergeant who served in the Persian Gulf War and Iraq War combat theater. He is a member of VFW Post 5392 in Tiverton.

Code talkers recognition Congressional medals program

On Nov. 20, 2013, in Emancipation Hall at the U.S. Capitol, 33 tribes were recognized for the dedication and valor of Native American code talkers to the U.S. Armed Services during World Wars I and II. Of the tribes recognized, 25 were presented with their Congressional Gold Medals.

The Code Talkers Recognition Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-420) requires the Secretary of the Treasury to strike Congressional Medals in recognition of the dedication and valor of Native American code talkers to the U.S. Armed Services during World War I and World War II. “Code talkers” refers to those Native Americans who used their tribal languages as a means of secret communication during wartime.

Under the Act, unique gold medals are struck for each Native American tribe that had a member who served as a code talker. Silver duplicate medals are presented to the specific code talkers, their next of kin, or other personal representatives. In addition, bronze duplicates are available for sale to the public.

The Navajo Nation was awarded Congressional Gold Medals in 2001 under Public Law 106-554.

Honor Flight ‘Hope’ scheduled for Oct. 22

Send-off for Honor Flight “Hope” is scheduled to take place in the lower-level baggage claim area at T.F. Green Airport on Sunday, Oct. 22, at about 5:20 a.m.

This flight will include quite a few area veterans, including Dave Hellner, Larry Hirsch, Steve Ornberg, Jim Romanella, Dave Sayles, and John Turano.

Southwest Flight 3844 is scheduled to arrive at back at T.F. Green at 11:40 p.m. on Sunday Oct. 22.

Family members and friends can track the return flight status by logging on to the Southwest Air website via the flight number. Family and friends may meet the group at the airport lower-level baggage claim area for the welcome home celebration when they arrive home at 11:40 p.m.

Wreaths Across America mobile exhibit

Join the Phebe Greene Ward Chapter of the National Daughters of the American Revolution in welcoming the Wreaths Across America Mobile Education Exhibit on Saturday, Oct. 28, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Crandall Field, 188 Main St., Ashaway.

Join in the children’s Halloween costume parade, the Rhode Island National Guard climbing wall and see the Rhode Island Gold Star Families Memorial Monument. Visit with VFW and Auxiliary Post 8955 and American Legion Post 16 and support the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts by bringing canned food to the Boy Scouts food drive.

Amancio-Falcone-Gaccione VFW Post 8955

New members to VFW Post 8955 are always welcome to attend our next monthly meeting on Oct. 4 at 6:30 p.m. at the Post Home, as we will be presenting our Voice of Democracy and Patriots Pen winners. We meet the first Wednesday of each month. There are two qualifiers for membership in the VFW, as set out in our National bylaws. An individual must meet both to become a member. They are as follows: 1. Honorable Service — must have served in the Armed Forces of the United States and either received a discharge of Honorable or General (Under Honorable Conditions) or be currently serving. 2. Service in a war, campaign, or expedition on foreign soil or in hostile waters. 

If you know of a comrade or family of comrade in distress, please contact Comrade Dora Vasquez-Hellner, at 401-212-6377 for assistance.