Dazz

Greetings AMVETS Members,

September was an eventful month,  Here’s a summary of highlights:

Patriot Day is observed every year to commemorate the victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. 

This day was a National Day of Service and Remembrance, honoring the nearly 3,000 lives lost and the heroes who responded to the tragedy.

Key Aspects of Patriot Day:

• Date: September 11th, annually.
• Purpose: To remember and honor the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
• Service: It is also designated as a National Day of Service and Remembrance, encouraging acts of volunteerism and community service.
• Observances: On Patriot Day, the U.S. flag is flown at half-staff, and a moment of silence is observed at 8:46 a.m. EDT to mark the time the first plane struck the World Trade Center.
• Sept. 18, 2025 – Air Force Birthday
• Sept. 19, 2025 – POW/MIA Recognition Day
• Sept. 29, 2025 – Gold Star Mother’s and Family’s Day – A day to honor the families of fallen Servicemembers.

National Suicide Prevention Month took place throughout September to raise awareness about suicide as a serious public health issue. The observance seeks to remember those lost, support survivors, and encourage proactive prevention efforts. It is supported by mental health advocates, prevention organizations, and communities nationwide.

Key dates during National Suicide Prevention Month.

• World Suicide Prevention Day: On September 10, people around the world unite to raise awareness about suicide and remember those affected.
• National Suicide Prevention Week: This was observed during the first full week of September.
• 988 Day: Held annually on September 8 to raise awareness and promote the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
  

George Hardy, Tuskegee Airman Who Fought in Three Wars, Passes at age 100 on September 25, 2025

At 19, he was one of the youngest pilots in the all-Black unit to see combat in World War II. “I used to say the Army’s No. 1 job was segregation,” he said. “Winning the war was No. 2.”

George Hardy in 1944 in his graduation picture from the aviation cadet training program at the Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama. In addition to 21 combat missions during World War II, he flew 45 missions in the Korean War and 70 in the Vietnam War.Credit…U.S. Army Air Forces.

Colonel Hardy, a Philadelphia native, was 19 and had never even driven a car when he began aviation cadet training in September 1944 at Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama. By early the next year, in the closing months of the war in Europe, then-Second Lieutenant Hardy was assigned to an Army Air Forces base in Italy, from which he flew 21 missions accompanying bombers to their targets over southern Germany in early 1945.

One of our own, AMVET Belinda Boldoe (AMVETS Post 44 – State Service Officer), was selected to receive a prestigious award from the Veterans of Foreign of Wars.  The Veterans of Foreign War 2024-2025 John A. Biedrzycki Accredited Service Representative of the Year Award. 

VFW Presents Acclaimed John A. Biedrzycki Award

Army veteran selected as VFW Accredited Service Representative of the Year

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) has selected Army Desert Storm Veteran Belinda Boldoe as its 2024-2025 John A. Biedrzycki Accredited Service Representative of the Year. Awarded annually, the Biedrzycki Award is presented to a VFW Accredited Service Officer who has demonstrated exceptional achievements in support of the VFW’s veterans’ service mission and related programs.

“Service to veterans is as ingrained in the VFW as the word veteran,” said VFW National Commander Al Lipphardt. “Every day, our global cadre of accredited representatives works tirelessly to ensure our government Honors the Contract and this award, which Belinda Boldoe so rightfully deserves, exemplifies and honors the very best of the best.”

Boldoe, who serves as both the Georgia Department of Veterans Service Appeals Officer and VFW Department of Georgia Service Officer among other roles, assisted more than 2,500 veterans and family members and facilitated the recovery of more than $800,000 in veterans benefits in 2024. A resident of Stone Mountain, Georgia, she is highly regarded by her colleagues, clients and comrades for her professionalism, technical expertise and genuine, honest and teamwork-oriented nature.

VFW Accredited Service Officers are legally recognized and authorized by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to prepare, present and prosecute VA benefits claims. Importantly, VA-accredited representatives never charge for assistance with VA disability compensation claims. In 2024 alone, the VFW’s Accredited Service Officer network has secured more than $14.6 billion in compensation and pension on behalf of veterans and eligible family members, and every dollar has gone to beneficiaries.

“It is always an honor to recognize a professionally trained, VFW Accredited Service Officer who exemplifies our values in every action she takes on behalf of the veterans, family members and survivors we represent,” said VFW National Veterans Service Director Mike Figlioli. “Belinda consistently delivers results not only for the Georgia Department of Veterans Service, but for the entire VFW. It is only fitting that we take the time to recognize her achievements and dedication.”

Originally from Washington, D.C., Boldoe served in the United States Army for more than 11 years as a signal communication officer, earning her VFW eligibility during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Throughout her Army career, she held several critical positions including company commander, theater communication manager during Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and project manager for testing and procuring new Signal Corps equipment.

“It is truly an honor to be selected as the John A. Biedrzycki Accredited Service Representative of the Year for 2024-2025,” said Boldoe. “This is not a job for me; this is my heavenly assignment from my Lord and Savior to take care of his people.”

Boldoe maintains her Bronze Legacy Life membership at Henry County GA VFW Post 12180 in Stockbridge, Georgia, where she serves as the Post quartermaster. She has two children — one of whom she is proud to call a fellow VFW member.

WE WELCOME OUR NEWEST MEMBERS!
Shanell Mitchell – Lifetime Member – USMC, William Partee – Joined last month (August 2025) and Jerold Davis (USAF).

AMVET Arthurine Wright was honored with a certificate and a plaque for winning the Post 3rd & 4th Quarters Recruiting Awards and Recruiter of the Year Award – Charles Wyatt’s recruiting efforts.

This is an annual award (01 September 2024 – 31 August 2025). The award will be placed on our wall.

AMVETS NATIONAL CONVENTION 2025, GREENBORO, NC. – COMMANDER’S GALA BANQUET

EXPO AT GREENFORREST CHURCH

 

The month of August was a busy month: A few observances included:

AMVETS National Convention was held on 20-23 August in Greensboro, N.C.
Our Commander, A. Wiggs & 1st Vice Commander, Roy Montgomery were in attendance representing our organization.

National Purple Heart Day (August 7, 2025): A day to honor service members wounded or killed in military service.

National Airborne Day (August 16, 2025): Honors the nation’s airborne forces.

We had a good productive general membership meeting as well.
On Saturday, August 9, 2025, it was a pleasure to see several new guests, who hopefully enjoyed the meeting and will soon become members!

Our guest speaker for our meeting was SSG April Stallings-Suarez who delivered an impeccable and informative presentation. SSG Stallings-Suarez was formerly an active duty Soldier stationed in Fort Irwin, CA, she completed various tours of duty and served her military contract until it ended. She rejoined in the status of Army Reserve Soldier. She is currently a representative for the Veterans Care International (VCA). https://veteranscareinternational.com/, as well as being a successful entrepreneur and certified Veterans Administration Medical Provider. (See Bio below).

SSG – APRIL STALLINGS-SUAREZ IS A MEMBER OF THE U.S. ARMY RESERVE.
SHE PREVIOUSLY SERVED ON ACTIVE DUTY AND HAS HAD MANY OVERSEAS ASSIGNMENTS.
BORN IN EDISON, NJ, SSG SUAREZ, HAS DEDICATED HERSELF TO THE FIELD OF HEALTHCARE, HER AREAS OF EXPERTISE ARE SPORTS THERAPY, AND MEDICAL MASSAGE TO NAME A FEW.
SSG SUAREZ HOLDS A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN HUMAN PERFORMANCE AND SPORTS SCIENCE; OBTAINED FROM TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY.
SHE EMBARKED ON A TRANSFORMATIVE JOURNEY THROUGH THE HALLS OF DAYMAR INSTITUTE MEDICAL MASSAGE SCHOOL IN THE ART OF MEDICAL MASSAGE.
SSG SUAREZ ALSO HOLDS A MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATION.
SHE IS CURRENTLY A PHD CANDIDATE (EXERCISE & SPORTS SCIENCE),
AND IS A REFERRED MEDICAL PROVIDER WITHIN THE VA.
SSG SUAREZ IS THE FOUNDER & CEO OF Body and Soul Sports Massage Therapy, LLC, IN STOCKBRIDGE, GA.
SSG SUAREZ IS MARRIED TO HER AMAZING HUSBAND CARLOS WHO IS ALSO A MILITARY SOLDIER AND THE APPLE OF THEIR EYES, LIL OLIVIA, THEIR BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER.
SSG SUAREZ TAKES PRIDE IN SERVING HER FELLOW VETERANS IN PROVIDING THEM WITH THE HEALTHCARE THEY DESERVE AND EARNED.

SHOUT OUT!
The women of AMVETS are very multi-talented ladies! As they say in the Army! “We get more things done in 8 hours, than most people do all day”! Our Commander, A. Wiggs, is one of those exceptional women, who practices what she preaches!
This songbird recently delivered a beautiful solo (with her choir) at Greenforrest Baptist church in Decatur, GA. The sanctuary was filled with praises and worship during the Sunday service. Commander Wiggs, thank you for your leadership and blessings!

Thank You Sir and Best Wishes As You Continue In Your Future Endeavors!

*Video courtesy of
AMVETS Nat'l Organization

Can you believe that we’re in the 7 month of the year? With only  5 months until December! Time surely moves quickly!

July holds a significant place in military history with events like the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the sinking of the USS Indianapolis, and the establishment of the U.S. Naval Academy. Other notable events include the establishment of the U.S. Army Air Corps and the WAVES, as well as the beginning of Operation Crossroads, an atomic weapons test. 

Some of our members shared and spent time celebrating the 4th of July, which we all know is our wonderful independence to this great nation! Whether you participated in patriotic events, or Bar-B-Q’d spending time with friends and family, we hope that you enjoyed your 4th!

It was fun joining our comrade, Jim Closs (AMVET member/Sr. Vice Commander, VFW Post 5290), Conyers, GA  and AMVET Bobby Rand and his lovely wife, as we enjoyed the various foods, music and comradiere of family & friends!

And the amazing fireworks! What a grand display by the members of VFW Post 5290, on those fireworks!

Guest Speaker: AMVET Elaine Edwards, COL (Ret), U.S. Army:

• I wrote a book called Lift Every Voice. I start each chapter off with a Negro Spiritual. To me it was very appropriate to start each chapter with a Negro Spiritual.  Negro Spirituals speak to us about our lives, experiences, and how we express ourselves.
• I will discuss why I wrote the book, how I wrote the book, tell something about the story, and how you can write your story.
• I went to the AL Archives in Montgomery, AL and local libraries in Marengo County, the area I was studying. In the genealogy section of the library there’s nothing in there on Black Families in Marengo County.  That’s a big void, because that’s where my family came from.  I saw books on early AL Settlers, but I didn’t see anything about Black Families in that community.  So, I set out to feel that void.
• How did I do that? In 1988, I was stationed at Fort McPherson, GA.  I went to the GA Archive.  In 2011 I retired.  In 2012 I became a care giver.  My Mom tells me various stories.  The ideal came to me to connect her story to my ancestor (Jackson Rembert).  The story starts off in 1830 when Jackson Rembert is born.  My ancestors came South Carolin and travelled to Alabama.  The connection of my mother’s stories back to Jackson. That’s what the book covers.  It took me two (2) years from 2023 to 2024 writing this book, 2025 working on refining the book and working with a publisher to refine it and working with my editor getting it hone down. Scheduled to be published in the fall.
• How to write about people you never met and no one you know knows them. How do you create that story?  You create your story from newspaper articles, census, and other documents.  You get with people who are living, they know people who have already died, and you make that connection.
• How can you tell your story? You can have someone interview you based on the questions I’m going to send you digitally.
• Elaine had her display of references, list of genealogy groups you can join in your area. “Cast down your bucket where you”.
• I told you why I wrote the book, how I wrote the book, a little bit about the book, and how you can write your story.
• A percentage of my proceeds will go to Post 44 and a discount to anyone interested in purchasing the book.

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AMVETS State Executive Convention was held on 20-22 June, at Warner Robins, GA.

• Commander Arnetha Wiggs
• 1st Vice Commander Roy Montgomery
• Judge Advocate Albert Wright
• Post Mental Health Coordinator Arthurine Wright
• Quartermaster Evans Dowdy
• Provost Marshal Arthur Long & Mrs. Long

Bobby Rand (Lifetime Member), and others, joined the event and attended the gala evening affair.

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RED SHIRT FRIDAY (Remembering Everyone Deployed)
Thanks to everyone who wore their RED Shirt! Where Them Shirts At!

 
Photography/Videography – Dazz Media Services
Contributor: D. Scott (Adjutant)
 

The last few weeks of June were difficult for our AMVETS GA Post 44 members.

Please allow me to divert from the norm and reflect on our comrade, Carolyn (CJ) Jamison.

As I reflect on the privilege of serving with my AMVET sister, Carolyn Jamison (CJ), I quietly reminisce, replaying all the good memories.

I met CJ 8 years ago….

From the very beginning, she embraced and greeted me, stating, “ I’m glad you’re here, we need more females!

CJ and I were a part of the Grand AMVETS Ball Committee for our 4^th Annual Veterans Gala event. CJ has a brilliant mind and brought so many great ideas to fruition, which were planned, implemented, and executed. The event was one of the most memorable, I believe, within my tenure with the AMVETS. We could not have pulled it off without CJ‘s brilliant creativity, her forward thinking, and her leadership skills.

As we would all agree, CJ was definitely verbal in a positive way when she needed to get her words across and meaningfully convince us that her way “was the best way”. She was right!

CJ was a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy for over 18 years.
A memorable moment for me was when CJ presented as our guest speaker, explaining the role of her voluminous duties of being on a naval ship in berthing compartments. Can you imagine that?

She shared stories of how she worked on several navy vessels.
I felt claustrophobic just envisioning working in tight quarters and small places, what a pioneer she was!

CJ worked tirelessly and was an active member of her church Greenforrest Community Baptist in Decatur, GA, and held several positions, from choir member, to finance officer to name a few.  For over 50 years she was active in her sorority of Delta Sigma Theta, the Decatur Alumni Chapter. She was also a Silver Life member of the NAACP and very active in the DeKalb County branch 5192 for many years.

I will always cherish the two days before her transition, when our executive committee met for our virtual monthly meeting. I was a little late jumping onto the meeting, but as soon as I did, the board members all said hello, and CJ shouted out, with a smile on her face, “Young lady, you owe us $75.00!

I couldn’t do anything or respond accept laugh out loud. CJ hadn’t even said good evening.  She didn’t play about our AMVETS finance funds! I owed $75 for the successful June Fish Fry, where through joint efforts we raised over $2,400.00.

I’m certain that I speak on behalf of the entire body of AMVETS GA POST 44 and all the many people who are blessed to have known CJ.

We will miss you CJ, and we will never forget you.

Respectfully,

Dazz Spencer (AMVETS GA POST 44 Historian)

Photo Credits of thanks to:

COL. Leola McNeil (Ret), AMVETS GA POST 44

W. Phillips, Engagement Mgr. (MITK)

Our June monthly meeting was held on Saturday, June 14, 2025.  We had a good turnout.  We also swore in our newly elected officers.

Remember, our meetings are open to all veterans and their families. Come on out and join us, we look forward to meeting new veterans and a continued resource and support system of “Veterans Helping Veterans”.

With much sadness, we inform you of the untimely passing of our Finance Officer, AMVET Carolyn Jamison (CJ).  We are beyond ourselves with grief of this news, especially since CJ was so active in our organization, and we’d only seen her two days before during our June monthly executive online video meeting:

This email distribution is sent on behalf of our Commander,  Arnetha Wiggs.

It is with heartfelt sadness that I inform you of the death of our beloved CJ, Carolyn Jamison.

CJ joined our AMVETS Post 44 in June 2017, as a lifetime member.  She has been an active member since that time and has been a strong supporter of Veterans.   She is our current Finance Officer.   CJ loved the Lord and had a “No nonsense” personality.  She was a member of Greenforest and served as a Choir member of the Celestial Choir, a Counter and the treasurer for the Keenagers ministry.   She received her 50th year pin from Delta Sigma Theta this past April.

I remember she was somewhat torn about missing our AMVETS meeting that morning, so she stopped by our meeting before we started, on her way to the Delta Sigma Theta pinning ceremony.  She was a trooper. CJ had her 68th birthday in January.

She was my traveling partner to the SECs in Warner Robins, to her visits at the VA, and to our sorority events.  As you know, she was waiting on a kidney, but God called her home yesterday, Thursday, June 12, 2025.

She will be deeply missed.   And I shall carry that beautiful spirit with me for all the days of my life.

Please know that our Chaplains, Harvey Johnson, Willard Bolden, Jim Closs, and Arthurine Wright will be available for grief counseling at our meeting tomorrow.

We held our annual Fish Fry on May 17th. Wow, what a fun and productive day! Many people came by to partake in a great dish, yummy desserts, and beverages, and celebrate being in the company of veterans, family, and friends. This was a nonstop day of cooking and enjoying fellowship. Spearheaded by our Project Manager, Patricia Thomas, we had all hands on deck. Shout-out to the following people for stepping up “above and beyond”, in making this event such a huge success!

Patricia Thomas – Project Manager, CJ – Carolyn Jamison – Finance Treasurer, Johnathan Horner, House Manager, American Legion Post 66, Roy Montgomery – 1st Vice Commander, Evans Dowdy – Quartermaster, Albert Wright, Arthurine Wright, AND A HOST OF MANY VOLUNTEERS!  THANK YOU! Our fundraiser was so successful, we plan on doing it again! Stay tuned for a date, hopefully in July!

Happy Month of May, Comrades & Friends. It has been a busy month for AMVETS Post 44 as we continue to do our community outreach, helping Veterans and providing all kinds of assistance. For the month of May, AMVETS Post 44 held Executive Officer Position Announcements. We will keep you informed about the nominations and elections in June.

On May 10, we had our monthly general membership meeting.  It was very informative.  Ms. Janine Marshall, RN, BSN of Neurolumen, LLC, guest speaker, delivered a powerful update regarding a Pain Treatment Modality utilizing three healing therapies: low-level laser, LED and electrical stimulation. This treatment introduces veterans and patients to new technology to help with neuropathy, chronic and acute pain, as well as conditions associated with decreased circulation and increased inflammation. Member Jim Closs spoke on how effective this treatment as been for him.

Our monthly meeting was held on Saturday, March 8, 2025.  The AMVETS executive committee awarded several AMVET members with Awards and Citations!  Congrats to all who received these awards!