The VFW Post 4982 and Veteran Affairs hosted a 25th Anniversary Reception Saturday afternoon at the Multi-Purpose Building to honor and recognize the local veterans who served in Operation Desert Storm/Shield.
SMSgt US Army (RET) Darrell Whited was the guest speaker for the reception. SMSgt Whited served in the United States Army from 1981 – 2010 and has been deployed to Operation Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom. He is the recipient of a Purple Heart and Bronze Star, Gold Combat and Army Commendation medals.
After retiring from the Army, Whited decided to jump back in the trenches and go to work helping to care of fellow veterans by teaching classes on how to take care of soldiers and veterans when they return home.
“We should take care of our veterans while they are still in the uniform and after,” said Whited. “Today, we have over 40,000 homeless veterans who served in Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom.”
Whited works and recruits other veterans to help him in his mission of providing beds for the homeless soldiers and reached out to the local unit by challenging the veterans in attendance. “I thank my fellow Desert Storm veterans. You are soldiers and I challenge you to pick up that flag and let’s help our soldiers who are in need.”
Quitman Mayor Eddie Fulton welcomed the guests to the reception. “Thank you for putting your life in danger. We had a president at the time that understands what war was and the horrors of war,” said Fulton. “You (veterans) mean a lot to us and to this county. You made us proud and the proudest was the day we welcomed you home.
During the reception a moment of silence was held to remember those local veterans who have since died.
Members of the 786th were deployed to Ft. Stewart, Georgia. After training, most of the unit was deployed overseas where they served until May 1991.
Those activated to active duty were 2nd Lt. Ethan Bond, 2nd Lt. Vernon Newman, Spc. Jared Barksdale, Spc. Roger Beckman, Pfc. Mark Bishop, Ssg. Ben Bozeman, Sgt. John E. Brewer, Spc. Tony Brown, Spc. James C. Carson, Pfc. Freddie Clements, Ssg. Walter Cooper, Spc. Jamie Davis, Ssg. Jerry Dearman, Spc. Larry Douglas, Spc. Nina Everett, Ssg. Robert Fleming, Ssg. Willie Floyd Sgt. Charles Fuller, Ssg. Sylvester Gates, Ssg. Kenneth Gibson, Ssg. Edwin Graham, Spc. Deanna Harlan, Ssg. James B. Harper, Spc. Vince Harper, Ssg. Terry Herring, Spc. Kenneth Herrington, Sgt. Robert Holifield, Ssg. Eugene Holmes, Ssgt. Larry Howze, Sfc. John E. Ivey, Spc. John Kirkland, Ssg. Jonathan Kufel, Sgt. George Leggett, Ssg. Marshall Leggett, Sfc. Oliver Leggett, Ssg. Oliver Leggett, Jr., Sgt. Curtis Lewis, Pfc. John Lott, Sfc. Buddy Manasco, Sgt. Lowell McCarty, Spc. Evelyn McClenons, Pfc. Terry McFarland, Spc. Cleetus McHenry, Sgt. Milton McLendon, Spc. John Mena, Sgt. Edward Minella, Ssg. Gerald Molony, Sgt. Gladys Nelson, Spc. Byron Nix, Spc. Freddie Parker, Sgt. Tom Pickens, Spc. Darrell Powe, Ssg. Terry Reese, Ssg. Dan Richardson, Pfc. Ben Robinson, Pv2. Jason Robinson, Spc. Jerry W. Robinson, Spc. Lessie Shanks, Pfc. Chadwick Sharp, Spc. Jeffery Shirley, Sst. Stanley Shirley, Ssg. Lindy Slay, Sgt. Kippy Smith, Pcf. Michael D. Smith, Pfc. Adrianne Strickland, Spc. Douglas Sumrall, Ssg. Leon Thomas, Spc. Robert Underwood, Spc. James Wilson Walley, Ssg. Ric Wege, Pfc. Antonio Williams, Pfc. Keith Williams, Pfc. Oscar Williams, III, Sgt. Ray Williams, Pfc. Denise Wilson, Spc. Thomas Wood, Sgt. Darryl Woodson.
