Today’s Star Spangled Salute honors Retired Navy Seal Scott Moore who is going to honor a request made by his daughter a couple years ago. His daughter Sarah, lives in Colorado and loves mountaineering. So does her dad Scott who climbed Everest in 1989. Sarah has climbed Denali, the highest peak in North America, and in 2019 she asked Dad to join her to climb it again, and then Covid hit. Well, the climb is back on and in a few days Father and Daughter start their climb. Have a safe climb you two and Scott, THANK YOU for your service.
Today’s Star Spangled Salute honors 97-year-old World War II Veteran Bill Gossett. Almost 80 years ago Bill attended Lincoln College for a short time before transferring to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, but he ended up joining the U.S. Army Air Corps before finishing a degree. When Bill returned from the war he took over the family’s dry cleaner business and got busy with life, learning to run a business, family and more. In 2019 Bill finally decided he wanted to finish what he started as a goal of self-fulfillment. He finished in 2020, but had to wait until this year for the ceremony. Congratulations Bill and THANK YOU for your service.
Today’s Star Spangled Salute honors Marine Veteran Tom Chaney. In the Mid 80’s he was stationed in Alaska. He had a short term relationship with a woman before moving to Hawaii. It’s been 34-years since that relationship and Tom had no idea he had a daughter. This past weekend the two met for the very first time. All thanks to a 23 and me gift McKenna got from her adoptive parents for Christmas. It first matched her with Tom Chaney senior and that’s how she found her dad. She sent him a message and Tom responded 20 minutes later. They are both looking forward to catching up on the last 34-years. Congratulations Tom and THANK YOU for your service.
Today’s Star Spangled Salute honors Veteran John Miller, the owner of Fall City Farms. However, this isn’t a normal farm, this is a 320 square foot shipping container that John converted into a hydroponics farm. After 14 years in the military he needed to find a new sense of purpose. So he trained in California at Archis Acres – Veteran Sustainable Agriculture Training (VSAT). The soil-less planting is a little different than traditional farming, but Miller said this is where he finds his peace. When it’s time to harvest, he knows this is his purpose. Congratulations on your success and finding purpose John and THANK YOU for your service.
Today’s Star Spangled Salute honors Navy Veteran Ginger Miller. Ginger went from a dream military career to living in her car. Ginger joined the Navy right after high school, but a series of accidents forced a medical discharge. Her husband, Marine Veteran, suffered from PTSD, and soon with a young child they were homeless. It took her a while to realized that the VA had services for homeless Veterans and more specifically, minority Veterans. The biggest disconnect is Veterans have a great amount of pride and see these services as a hand out. Ginger has since turned things around and is now on a mission to let other Veterans, specifically minority Veterans that these services at the VA are not handouts. As Veterans they served their country and earned these benefits. Thank you Ginger for helping and THANK YOU for your service.