NCOA Past Grand Knight CMSgt Ted Pilihos, USAF (Ret), presents fellow chief John Talbot, with the NCOA Vietnam Service Medallion in recognition of his service while assigned to Da Nang Airbase during 1969 and 1970. 

​Rogue Chapter Vice Chairman Ken Wilson presented an NCOA Vietnam War Medallion to Alaska Airlines flight attendant Nancy Garcia on behalf of her brother Vernon Schrock who was KIA in Vietnam. The presentation took place on the return flight of Honor Flight of Oregon after a trip to Washington DC. Many tears and much applause erupted when this spontaneous presentation took place during the flight home.

Magnum Force Chapter member Scott Mader stepped in to assist the Easter Bunny who just could not be everywhere at the same time.  The chapter helped sponsor Bridgeport Township's Easter Egg Hunt put on by Bill Wheeler of Bridgeport Township's Parks and Rec department.  Suffice it to say, a good time was had by everyone!

Rogue Chapter Chairman Terry Haines, assisted by trustee David Haines presented a Korean medallion to Air Force veteran Otto Williman and Vietnam Medallions to Army veteran Gene Newman and Navy veteran Harry Rich at a recent veteran's breakfast. One of the recipients joined NCOA as a result.

​NCOA Central Valley Chapter Chairman CMSgt (Ret) Jim Sullivan and NCOA Spirit of Sacramento Auxiliary Chairman Tammy Sullivan recently presented a Korean War Medallion to John McKay.

A warm welcome goes out to the Spirit of Sacramento Auxiliary's newly-elected Board of Trustees.  Pictured L-R are Trustee Melissa Carnahan, Vice Chairman Ellie Witt, Chairman Tammy Sullivan, Treasurer Scott Rodowick, and Secretary Pam Wright.

The NCOA Magnum Force Chapter held their annual chapter Christmas gathering and Awards Presentation.  The event was a great success.                  

Members of the NCOA Mountain Post and Mountain Post Auxiliary Chapters were on hand at the Colorado Springs Airport to welcome the Gold Star Families returning home from 2022 Snowball Express.

Snowball Express is a five-day healing retreat that serves the children of fallen military heroes, surviving spouses, and their families. Throughout the annual event, these families have an opportunity to bond with the only people who can truly understand their loss: one another.

Snowball Express was started after the publication of a letter from a soldier to his wife. U.S. Army Private First Class Jesse Givens had left the letter behind when he deployed to Iraq, instructing her in a note on the envelope to only open it if something happened to him. Following his death in Iraq while serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom May 3, 2003, his wife opened the letter. It conveyed how much he loved his family and the things that he wanted them to do. Among his requests was that his wife make sure she took their children to Disney Parks.

After the letter was published, readers believed hundreds of other families were in the same situation and took the families to Disneyland Resort in 2006 as most participants lived in California.

Gary Sinise became involved with Snowball Express 2007 and has volunteered his band The Lt. Dan Band to perform every year since. As the event grew larger, it moved to Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas in 2009. The program officially became part of the Gary Sinise Foundation in 2017 and moved to Walt Disney World Resort in 2018.

Gary Sinise shared, “While our hearts are heavy at the circumstances that brought these families together, I am grateful we can honor them, remembering their loved ones who are no longer with us, as we wrap our arms around each and every one of them. As we approach the holiday season, I am so glad that for the first time since our amazing event in 2019, we are once again able to bring these deserving families together to create new and wonderful memories at the most magical place on earth, Walt Disney World Resort.”

During a recent Honor Flight, NCOA Rogue Chapter Vice Chairman Ken Wilson presented Korean War Medallions at the Korean Memorial in Washington, DC, to Marine Corps veteran Thomas Clark, Navy veterans Dominic LaRosa and Harry Nystrom, Army veteran Dick Traugh, Air Force veteran Bob Cline, and Army veteran Allen Wilkes.  

Two life members of LeRoy’s Spanish Trail Chapter, Dr. Anne Fesler-Butts, M.D., LTC (Ret) and Arthur Fesler-Butts, SFC (Ret) of Apache Junction, AZ, presented a WWII Medallion to Corporal Garland James U.S. Army.  Check out James' full story on LeRoy's Spanish Trail Chapter's Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/3054706494757954).

Two life members of LeRoy’s Spanish Trail Chapter, Dr. Anne Fesler-Butts, M.D., LTC (Ret) and Arthur Fesler-Butts, SFC (Ret) of Apache Junction, AZ, presented a WWII Medallion to 2nd Lieutenant Jack Holder U.S. Army Air Corps. Check out Holder's full story on LeRoy's Spanish Trail Chapter's Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/3054706494757954).