2008

REMEMBRANCE NEWS

 

 

 

Editorial

By Randy Gaddo

BVA Secretary, Founding VP and Root Scoop II Editor

It has come to my attention that some new associates of the Beirut Veterans of America, and possibly some not so new, have questions about the purpose of the BVA.

It is critically important that BVA members and associates understand the historical scope, the current purpose and the future goals of the organization so they can convey them accurately to others.

Bob Jordan is the founding president of the BVA. I am the founding vice president. When Bob Jordan called me at my Atlanta 6 th Marine Corps District office in 1992, he said he and a couple others were thinking about forming an organization. The organization was intended to be fraternal in nature, with a simple goal of ensuring that the men killed in Beirut were never forgotten. Thus the BVA was born with the motto, "Our First Duty Is To Remember."

Over time the motto remained but the vision of the original intent may have dimmed. As new members or associates got involved in the BVA, there was an inaccurate belief that the BVA was a political action group that should be fighting for veterans' rights or other non-fraternal issues. This was never intended. While the BVA board might consider supporting or endorsing such causes, direct initiation of such action by the board or members was never intended.

The BVA is primarily a coordination organization for those of us who share common experiences to communicate and join together in fraternal Remembrance. Our first and most important mission is to ensure that the American public never forgets that their servicemen lived a significant part of U.S. history, shed blood in the name of security for our country and died as heroes, with honor. We also stress the enormous role that families play in successful execution of national defense. Indeed, it is often the families who suffer the most.

Over the years since 1992, interest and participation in the BVA has ebbed and flowed. It is difficult to maintain an organization of this type and the further from the initiation point you get, the more challenging the task becomes. The BVA rallied up to and following the 2003 20 th Remembrance. Many new members joined, more people became interested. That interest has persisted.

It is actually quite impressive that we have managed to hold the BVA together for so long. Many other groups would have perished. It demonstrates that there is a strong will among us to stay connected and continue to honor our deceased heroes.

Right now, there are many good, talented people –Root Vets, family members, children, siblings and friends of Root Vets – who want to get involved. We have come to a unique crossroads in BVA development. The current situation in Beirut, so reminiscent of our earlier involvement there, has again focused attention on the BVA. We have been getting a lot of media interest in interviews with Root vets and their families. They want to know how we feel seeing Marines once again stepping on to Lebanese soil. The fact that it's the 24 th MEU and BLT 1/8 makes it all the more poignant. They want to know about the BVA.

As we move towards holding the 23 rd Remembrance we can expect that this interest will continue. This is not the time for us to be divided on our purpose. It is a time to be united in purpose. I would ask that if you speak to media or the public, or even friends or family, about the BVA, keep it simple and keep it positive. We are a brother and sisterhood. We are family. We exist as a BVA family to ensure that our brothers who died for our freedom shall never perish from the memory of America.

If we keep that uncomplicated vision at the forefront, together we can move the BVA to higher levels of existence in the future.