NDQSA Veterans Day observations happened in two locations this year. In the top right picture, standing behind the granite panel engraved with the names of the fallen, we have Luke Clark, David Vaillancour, and Richard Russell. In the row behind them are Rick Liebendorfer, Dave McCray, Eddy McCann, and Pat McLaughlin. Our thanks to them for making this happen. Somewhere off camera are some very supportive wives, so a special thanks to them too. The membership is reminded that part of the purpose of the Memorial Trust is to insure that a wreath is laid every year in perpetuity.  The Trust also protects and preserves the rest of the NDQSA memorial to include the eagle and its base, pictured bottom right.  

On the left side top we have the members who traveled to Washington, DC for the national Veterans Day Observation at the Wall. This year’s ceremony by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund was at risk because of the government shutdown, and approval was last minute. Left to right are Bob Cuce, Barry Willever, Paul Peters, Ray Villanueva, and Bruce Geiger. The NDQSA wreath is the red, white, and blue on the left. Bruce Geiger also gets permission for a Khe Sahn Veterans Association wreath.  He and Ray Villanueva carried that wreath to the Wall for presentation honors.  The guest speakers were Tom Burke, the Vietnam Veterans of America National President, and Betsy Tanner speaking for the American Red Cross “Donut Dollies.” This was the first year VVA was a keynote speaker. The full speeches of Tom and Betsy can be heard at the link in blue at the bottom of this section. 

Your webmasters are probably holding the best for last. Because VVMF was faced with their approval challenge, when it finally came through they chose to ask Bruce Geiger to lead the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. Bruce has been working with them for many years and they trusted him with this great honor. We made a video clip of that part of the ceremony, and it is now preserved on the NDQSA YouTube channel. The link to that is in red. 

In the bottom left picture our wreath honors party is joined by Becky Gorby, who came to the event looking for her boys in red jackets, and your photographer/author Richard Burmood.