March 19, 2024

Organization benefit veterans

Freedom is not free. The men and women who fight for our freedom know this all too well. In many cases, veterans will return home to find life has moved on while they have been doing the most honorable thing someone can do for our country. This means perhaps they cannot find jobs, support their families or sometimes even find the right health care.

That’s why organizations such as the American Legion, the VFW and AMVETS exist. They help our veterans with health care, education and financial needs. However, our local organizations also go above and beyond and fund things such as bus trips to the Des Moines Vietnam Veterans Memorial or people who will come in and speak about PTSD and suicide prevention or help place flags at all Veterans graves in the cemeteries for Memorial Day.

Becoming a member of any of these organizations is like joining one of the world’s largest families. Like a family, each of these organizations wants nothing but the best for their members. Yet, there are so many veterans (who are eligible for these groups) who don’t reach out to these associations. More often than not, they are not aware of them and what types of services they offer, do not know which association they are eligible to join or do not know how to contact these specific organizations. Here in Jasper County these organizations are an invaluable resource that veterans and their loved ones can go to for support, information and comradery.

If you are a veteran these organizations are available to you and your family. Joining and supporting these organizations is not just beneficial to those who served but also to all who will serve in the future. To all those who have served, you have volunteered once for your country, but now I ask you to volunteer again for those who have made and will make the same sacrifices that you have made. Without people like you, these organizations would disappear, meaning everything they stand for would disappear along with them.

In Jasper County, there are six American Legion Posts located in Newton, Kellogg, Baxter, Prairie City, Colfax, Mingo, Newburg and Monroe; one VFW location in Newton and one AMVETS location in Colfax. If you cannot find the contact information for any of these locations, feel free to contact the local Veterans Affairs office in the County Annex building or call me at 641-792-7993.

Kurt Jackson

Newton