BIRTHDAYS FOR VETERANS - A FINAL TRIBUTE
TO AMERICA'S HEROES
Again in 2011 Dr Ditch initiated a no-cost/not for profit, but bountiful effort, towards providing a final tribute to our quickly dissipating roster of World War II veterans; as a result the Birthdays for Veterans program was created. At the request of families and friends, World War II veterans are recognized for their selfless contributions and service during that global conflict; highlighting their service, courage and sacrifices. What happens is, at the request of families and friends, Synaptic contacts a senior military General or Admiral representing the service, branch, or unit, of a select veteran and that senior officer voluntarily sends a birthday card or special note (and sometimes a coin/medallion, photo or patch of the organization) to the veteran; over a few dozen veterans have received such tributes. Most of them are in their late eighties and early nineties and all have been overwhelmed by the acknowledgement and recognition for their efforts. One recent recipient, a 93 year old, former 8th Air Force B-24 Bomber Pilot was quoted as saying (upon receipt of the card and coin) “this validates what I did – I guess I was important.” His card was received from the current Commander of the 8th Air Force. To date members from all services have been recognized; they have included a number of Army Air Corps Bomber crew members, a fighter pilot who made Captain and led a group of 48 P-51 Mustangs over Germany – on his 20th Birthday, a set of brothers who lied about their age and served on a battleship and destroyer at the age of 15 and 16 in the Western Pacific, a Seabee who served on Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and a retired high school teacher who was wounded while serving as an infantryman in the Colmar Pocket Campaign in Western Germany.
If you have a friend or family member who served in World War II, and should be acknowledged for his or her service, please contact us. There is no cost to the member, family or participants other than the stamp for the birthday card.
Birthday for Veterans Contributing Honor Roll:
Commander, Air Combat Command
*Commander, the Pacific Fleet
*Commander, 5th Army
*Commander, 3rd Marines
Commander, U.S. Navy Seabees
Commander, 8th Air Force
*Commander, 1st Fighter Wing
Commander, 28th Infantry Division
Commander, 82nd Airborne Division
Commander, 56th Fighter Wing
Commander, 309th Fighter Squadron
Commander, U.S. Pacific Command
Commander, U.S. Pacific Air Forces Command
Commander, U.S. Army Pacific Command
Commander, 12th Air Force
Commander, 62nd Airlift Wing
Commander, Third Corps
Chief of Staff of the Air Force
Commander, 508th Bomb Wing
Commander, VMGR-352 (USMC)
*Indicates multiple veteran cards
Philanthropic Initiatives & Projects
Captain Clarence
"Dutch" Schulze III, WWII B-24 Bomber Aircraft Commander holds up birthday
letter from the Commander, 8th Air Force
Civil Air Patrol - the United States Air
Force Auxiliary
All of the members of Synaptic from the President on down to those who maintain this webpage are members of the Civil Air Patrol; all-volunteers support Emergency Services, Disaster Response and Homeland Security missions. Countless hours are committed each year to supporting the missions of the Civil Air Patrol; many of which have been attributed to saving lives. Today, CAP handles 90 percent of inland search and rescue missions, with approximately 75 lives saved each year. Our members are generally the first on the scene transmitting satellite digital images of the damage within seconds around the world and providing disaster relief and emergency services following natural and man-made disasters, including such phenomena as 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, Texas and Oklahoma wildfires, tornadoes in the south and central U.S., North Dakota flash flooding and the October 2006 earthquake in Hawaii, as well as humanitarian missions along the U.S. and Mexican border.
In addition, CAP members are dedicated to counter-drug reconnaissance and to teaching a new generation about aerospace and its impact on our future. Its cadet programs ensure our youth receive some of the finest leadership training the nation has to offer. Its founding CAP fathers, many of whom flew their own airplanes and performed life-threatening missions without any formal training, the organization’s 60,000 members are now provided with top-notch, year-round professional development training opportunities and with aircraft equipped with the most advanced technologies available for search and rescue. Indeed, Civil Air Patrol makes a huge impact each and every day, going above and beyond to make a profound difference in America's communities. Synaptic is proud to say that its members are also members of the United States Civil Air Patrol.
WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT
Every year Synaptic is proud to contribute a portion of its earning to assist the men and women who proudly serve and support our returning combat wounded. One of the more recent efforts has been its desire to couple theWounded Warrior Project of surviving wounded to the operational support of the Civil Air Patrol; the United States Air Force Auxiliary. This is a novel concept that is hoped to carry with it great rewards for the wounded members, the Wounded Warrior Project, the Civil Air Patrol and the nation that all of them serve. To find out how you can become involved in the Wounded Warrior Program please go to http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org . As the project motto says “
BELLS ACROSS AMERICA - NATIONAL
FIREFIGHTER FOUNDATION
One of the most treasured initiatives, both generated and supported by Synaptic, has been the nation-wide tribute to fallen firefighters. In 2010 Dr. Ditch, the Synaptic President, conceived of a means for bringing the activities of the Annual National Fallen Firefighter Weekend, conducted every October Fallen Firefighter Memorial at Emmitsburg, Maryland, to the rest of the nation. Since introducing this nation-wide (now international) memorial effort it has spawned an enormous following of fire service and clergy members. For the fourth year, bells will ring from coast to coast as a grateful nation pauses on Sunday, October 12, 2014 to honor those firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2013 and previous years. Fire departments and their places of worship will join the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation for the Fourth Annual Bells Across America for Fallen Firefighters, part of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
For more information on Bells Across America the National Fallen Firefighter Foundation webpage.