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WestoverMAYoungMa-rinesinfrontoftheVeteransMemorialafterspendingaSaturdaymorningre-aggingSt.ThomasCemeteryinWestSpringeldMAforVeteransDay.Theyhelpedre-agmorethan500cemeteryplots.--SubmittedbyEdwardMitrookWestoverYoungMarinesalsomarchedintheVeteransDayparadeinWesteldMAalongwithmembersoftheWest-eldRiverValleyMarineCorpsLeague.Inthepicturewear-ingdressbluesisCpl.DonDorringtonanIwoJimaveteran.Mr.Dorringtonis88yearsoldandmarcheswiththeMarineCorpsLeagueandWestoverYoungMarineseveryMemorialDayandVeteransday.--SubmittedbyEdwardMitrookByStacyAndersonFoothillsCOOnSaturdayNov9th2013FoothillsYoungMarinesperformedacolorguardceremonyfortheParalyzedVeteransofAmericaMountainStatesChapterattheirannualawardsbanquet.Anotherorgani-zationcancelledunexpectedyandwegladlyaccepted.ItwasabusyVeteransDayweekendlledwithmanycolorguardeventsbutweknewthisonewasspecial.Whenwearrivedwesetupourgearandstartedtowatchastheroomlledwithguests.Itquicklybecameapparentthatthiscolorguardwouldchallengeourskillstomakeitowinthespacepro-vided.Theaislewasoff-centerandtheroomwaslledwithVeteransandthoseonAc-tiveDuty.Theywereatthebanquetinappreciationoftheircommunityservicethroughouttheyear.ItwasntuntilaftertheceremonythatweweremadeawarethatCongressmenEdPerlmutterandMikeCoffmanhadalsowitnessedourper-formance.Afterthebanquetwehadtimetovisitwiththeveteranssharesomelaughsandtakepictures.Itwastrulysuchanhonortobethere.IwassoproudtoshowoffourYoungMarinestoacrowdthatcouldappreciatetheirdedicationtogettingthejobdoneright.AColorGuardfortheParalyzedVeteransofAmericaByYMPvtCalebVanApeldoornCapitalCityNCShortlyaftergraduatingrecruittrain-ingIhadtheopportunitytospendtwoweekswithmyfatherMasterSergeantB.VanApeldoornRetwhoisaVietnamVeteran.DuringmyvisittoRochesterNYonSaturdayafternoonJuly272013IhadthehonortobeapartofaWoundedWarriorsceremony.IttooktoplacetohonorthreewarriorswhohadbeenwoundedwhileservinginAfghanistan.DuringtheceremonyIheldthePOWMIAagwiththePatriotGuard.ThePOWMIAagrepresentsthepris-onersofwarandthosewhoaremiss-inginaction.Beingapartoftheceremonygavemeabetterunderstandingofwhatthemenandwomenofourmilitarygoendureandjusthowimportanttheirsac-ricesaretomywayoflifeandmyfree-dom.Duringtheceremonytherewasonesoldierinparticularwhomadeanim-pactonmylife.Thissoliderhadsufferedburnstohisentirefaceandears.Evengo-ingthroughwhathehadinthistimeofwarhewasstillveryproudtoserveintheArmyandhadnoregrets.Thisimpressedmealotandmademeproudtobepartofacountrythatstandsupforwhatitsbeliefs.SeeingthisceremonyremindedmetobethankfulforeverythingIhaveandforthemenandwomenwholaydowntheirlivesforuseveryday.Ionlyhopetobeasbraveandstrongasthesemenwhowerehonoredthatday.RememberingAnotherGroupofAmericasVeteransIparticipatedinfourVeteransDayceremonies.TwoofthemwereatSt.AndrewsPresbyterianChurchinPurcellvilleVAwhereIparticipatedinthecolorguard.ForanotheroneIwenttotheBallsBluffCivilWarCemeteryforaceremonywiththeVFWofLeesburgVA.ThelastonewasinLovettsvillewhereIcarriedthewreathwithanotherYoungMarinefortheirspecialceremony.IamgladthatIcouldshowmyappreciationfortheveteranswhohaveservedus.--SubmittedbyYMPVTNoahEsperColWesleyFoxVAESPRITPage23