The Veterans Crisis Line is staffed by caring, qualified crisis responders who are there to help. Many of these responders are veterans themselves.
|
President's Message - May/June 2026 Vance McCrumb
Your new President is, Allen F. Knecht. He is a fairly new member and will need the same support I received. More about Allen later in this article. We accomplished what I set out to do when I followed Stan Harrison as President. That was for our Chapter to acknowledged and receive our third National Chapter of the Year award! Our third award isn’t because I was our President. But, ‘Together We Made A Difference.’ During my first year I didn’t submit for consideration because I hadn’t gathered enough information and in year two there wasn’t a convention. The last year of my presidency was a convention year so I gathered my ducks in a row and started putting some thoughts to paper. The process also involves getting concurrence from Michigan State Council President, John Riling III. Big shout out to the Kinzinger’s and Berry Bourne for editing my submission. They took it over the top. I also submitted our website for VVA Website of the Year and Tim Driscoll for the VVA National Veteran of the Year awards. They didn’t like our website but as you know Tim became the second Chapter member to be recognized as the VVA National Veteran of the Year! The first one was John Kinzinger in 2007. Much of the information for Tim’s write up came from his wife, Kathy and some insight from Sandy Wilson. Kathy and Sandy were more aware of his work on a State and National level than I. I wonder how many Chapters have three VVA National Chapter of the Year awards and two VVA National Veterans of the Year. Not many I sure. While on the topic of awards our chapter has the distinction of having four members as Saline Area Chamber of Commerce’s Distinguished Veteran of the Year. They are, Sandy Wilson, Tim Driscoll in 2016, the late Gerald Austin in 2025, and Stan Harrison this year. President Knecht
High School: St. Ignatius, Graduation 1963 College: University of Dayton, Bach Chem Eng. 1969 University of Dayton, MBA, 1983 Married 1973 Marlene V. Knecht, Son and Daughter Military: ROTC 2nd Lt. 1969 Basic ROTC Training: Indiantown Gap, PA 1968 Engineers Officer Training: Fort Belvoir, VA 1969 Fort Riley KS 35th. Engr.Construction Bn - Heavy Equipment Platoon Leader 1969-1970 Chemical Biological Radiological Emergency Response Team Leader Fort Sherman Colon, Panama Jungle Operations and Survival School 1970 South Vietnam: 19th Combat Engineer Bn (18th Engineer Brigade) S3 Assistant Operations Officer - Central Highlands, 1970 - 1971 Battalion Procurement Officer - Cam Rhan Bay Annex 1971 Civilian: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. Inland Div of General Motors Sheller Globe Corp Toyota Gosei N.A. Hwaseung Rubber Corp Interests: Choir St. Francis Of Assisi Parish Ann Arbor Deer Hunting Walleye Fishing Gardening Cooking / Baking Distinguished Veteran Award George Perrault, B I recorded Stan’s presentation as well as his remarks and posted it on You Tube. The video’s duration is five minutes and 19 seconds. If you are reading an electric copy on your computer, click here. If you are reading a printed copy, open your browser and type in this address, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0znYWyfei5U. Stan and Claudia
|
This is my final President’s Report.
