Delegation forming to welcome home vets

Local veteran Lee Ratliff thinks it is time the community honored service men and women as they return from overseas tours of duty.

Ratliff, along with Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Commander Chapter 003 Gary Rice, is interested in speaking with others willing to form a delegation to welcome the defenders home.

Ratliff said he got the idea when one of his neighbors, Rhonda and Terry Tucker, placed a welcoming sign outside their home in honor of their son, infantryman Justin Murphy.

The idea is for local veterans to pay a brief visit to the serviceman, offer a salute and word of thanks to him and to God for his safe return, Ratliff said.

If you are interested in working with Ratliff on this project, contact him at 325-3635 or Rice at 769-1083.

More veteran news

Staff Sgt. Steve Terry, 212th Military Police and former minister of the Hodgenville Church of Christ, is training for a 400-mile fundraiser run from Abingdon, Va. to Virginia Beach, Va. to raise money for combat veterans and their families at Walter Reed Army Hospital and Bethesda Naval Hospital.

For more information, call Jen Rempp, president of Hooah (Helping our own American Heroes) at 210-825-3734 or Terry at 703-975-0903.

Check out the Web site at www.helpingourownamericanheroes.org.