Brothers/Veterans,

Veterans Day Message!

We greet you with gratitude for your service to America on Veterans Day and always. We are thinking of you on Veterans Day, and thanking you for all you did for our country. We, who live in freedom will always be grateful to those who helped preserve it.

Veteran’s Day means freedom, sacrifice, and honor for those who served in the military. It also means to give thanks to people who served. We should be brave and strong-hearted when meeting veterans. Without Veterans Day, many Americans would forget the sacrifices that were made. Some paid the ultimate sacrifice with their life.

Some history on Veterans Day – The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed with much confusion on October 25, 1971. It was quite apparent that the commemoration of this day was a matter of historic and patriotic significance to a great number of our citizens, and so on September 20th, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed Public Law 94-97 (89 Stat. 479), which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of November 11, beginning in 1978. This action supported the desires of the overwhelming majority of state legislatures, all major veterans service organizations and the American people. Veterans Day continues to be observed on November 11, regardless of what day of the week on which it falls. The restoration of the observance of Veterans Day to November 11 not only preserves the historical significance of the date, but helps focus attention on the important purpose of Veterans Day: A celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. Please visit this link to see more history:
https://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetdayhistory.asp

Omega’s Military History – The War Chapter at Fort Des Moines was up and running by June of 1916 with Omega men in attendance. This was followed by Students Army Training Corps (SATC). Omega men were in SATC and this was a War Department special training program established in 1918 for college students. Brother Campbell C. Johnson, 18th Grand Basileus was assigned to the unit at Howard University and Brother John W. Purnell at Virginia College Institute (now West Virginia State University). This program was the predecessor for the present-day ROTC program and of the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP) during World War II.

In addition, Omega’s history with the military and veterans dates back to Colonel Charles Young, the second honorary member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Colonel Charles Young (March 12, 1864 – January 8, 1922) was an American soldier. He was the third African-American graduate of the United States Military Academy, the first black U.S. national park superintendent, first black military attaché, first black man to achieve the rank of colonel in the United States Army, and highest-ranking black officer in the regular army until his death in 1922. Brother Clarence F. Holmes, 6th Grand Basileus gave a Testimonial Banquet in honor of Colonel Young in 1917. One of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.’s International Achievement Week Award is named in honor of Colonel Charles Young.

We respect the freedom, sacrifice, and honor of those that served, those that are serving and those that will serve. We say thanks to all of the Commissioned Officers, Warrant Officers and Enlisted in all branches of service that have served.
A special thank you to:

The Buffalo Soldiers.

Buffalo Soldiers originally were members of the 10th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army, formed on September 21, 1866, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. This nickname was given to the Black Cavalry by Native American tribes who fought in the Indian Wars. The term eventually became synonymous with all of the African-American regiments formed in 1866.

The Tuskegee Airmen

The Tuskegee Airmen were a group of primarily African-American military pilots and airmen who fought in World War II. They formed the 332nd Expeditionary Operations Group and the 477th Bombardment Group of the United States Army Air Forces

The Golden Thirteen

The Golden Thirteen were the thirteen African American enlisted men who became the first African American commissioned and warrant officers in the United States Navy.

The Montford Point Marines

The Montford Point Marines are the first African-Americans to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps after President Franklin Roosevelt issues an Executive Order establishing the Fair Employment Practices Commission in June 1941. The recruits trained at Camp Montford Point in Jacksonville, NC from August 26, 1942 until the camp was decommissioned on September 9, 1949. The largest number of black Marines to serve in combat during WW II took part in the seizure of Okinawa, with approximately 2,000 seeing action.

The Long Blue Line.

In 228 years of Coast Guard history, African-Americans have been the first minority group to fight and the first to sacrifice. During the early years of the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service, many African-American cuttermen were slaves as well as free men of color. Regardless of their status, blacks served side-by-side with their white shipmates.

We say to those that are serving – “Continue coaching, teaching and mentoring those that are coming behind you.” Give them “uplift” so they may get to where you are and beyond. Encourage all to join mentoring organizations such as the Norfolk State University Alumni Association Military Affairs Chapter Foundation, Inc. (NSUAAMACF), The ROCKS, Inc., National Naval Officers Association (NNOA), National Montford Point Marines Association, Association of the United States Army (AUSA), Air Force Cadet Officer Mentor Action Program (AFCOMAP), The Mentoring Program with the United States Coast Guard and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).

The Third District’s Military Affairs Chairman is Brother Wm. Terry Calhoun and you can reach him at wmtcalhoun@aol.com.

Conrado B. Morgan
Colonel (Brother), U.S. Army Retired
District Representative
Third District, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc
3rddistrictdr@oppf.org / www.3rddistrictques.org