Sgt James F Carty, DSC VFW Post 1545

I had some medical situations taken care of this past month at Stratton VA Hospital in Albany, NY. What I would like to put out to all veterans that use this facility, the care I received was outstanding.

The doctors that did my procedure along with the entire medical staff were considerate, caring and professional. As a matter of fact, they even called me the next day to check my condition to make sure I was not having any problems.

I just wanted to let any veteran know that I have always had great care there and if you do not take advantage of the care that they provide, you should investigate it. 

The United States Space Force (USSF) was established on Dec. 20, 2019, as the sixth branch of the armed forces, marking the first new service in 72 years.

Created to address growing importance and threats in the space domain, it focuses on building a specialized force by integrating expertise from various military sectors, including space operations, cyber, intelligence, and engineering. 

U.S. space capabilities are crucial for national security and influence critical capabilities such as GPS and communications. 

The sixth branch of the U.S armed forces was established on Dec. 20, 2019, when President Donald J. Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020. 

Under this act, Air Force Space Command, headquartered at then-Peterson Air Force Base, ceased space operations, was inactivated and the USSF assumed operational control of the space units previously commanded by AFSPC.

From there, the Space Force moved forward with building and defining the new service while simultaneously maintaining legacy missions and infrastructure.

My question is, how come we don’t know what those “drones” are doing and where do they come from? Does the government know and just doesn’t want us to know, like the balloon fiasco a few years ago? 

Our Post plans on delivering gift cards to the Volunteer Group at Stratton VA Hospital this December on the 20th along with the Windham Rotary. We each will donate $ 500 toward their needs. More about that in two weeks. 

This week’s MIA: The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that U.S. Army Warrant Officer Albert R. Trudeau, 22, of Teaneck, New Jersey, killed during the Vietnam War, was accounted for September 11, 2024.

In October 1971, Trudeau was assigned to the 68th Aviation Company, 52nd Aviation Battalion, 17th Aviation Group. On Oct. 26, Trudeau was serving as the pilot of a CH-47B “Chinook” helicopter when it went down over water in bad weather while flying from Tuy Hoa to Cam Ranh Bay in Vietnam. Remains of four of the 10 Soldiers on board were recovered during search and rescue operations following the crash, but Trudeau was not accounted for.

From May 7 to July 9, 2024, a DPAA Underwater Recovery Team excavated an aircraft wreck site which correlated to Trudeau’s crash site. The team excavated roughly 336 square meters of underwater surface area, which resulted in the recovery of possible osseous remains, possible life support equipment, and various other identification media. All evidence was collected and turned over to the DPAA laboratory for analysis and identification.

Trudeau’s name is recorded on the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., and the American Battle Monuments Commission’s Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, along with others who are unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for. Trudeau will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, on a date to be determined.

I want to remind everyone that our post is available for rental use. Contact me at vfwpost1545@gmail.com for information. Also, should you want to donate to our post to support our efforts, you can scan the QR code. All donations are tax deductible as we are a 501 c 19 veterans’ organization.

Please keep our troops still serving our Nation in your thoughts and prayers. Let us all come together as a nation. God Bless America. 

Marc Farmilette – Past Commander