H21 Southern Branch and Division 4 of the Combat Infantrymen’s Association celebrated Veterans’ Day both in Austin and San Antonio by participating in the Parades and Ceremonies.

VETERANS’ DAY PARADE AND MEMORIAL DEDICATION:

In Austin, we had members Bobby Briscoe, Roger Gilmore, Fred Castaneda and Commander, Tony Martinez, march in the parade and participate in the ceremonies by laying the wreath of the CIA at the foot of the mock-up tomb of the Unknown Soldier on the South Steps of the Texas Capitol building after the ceremony of the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

In addition, on November 12th, both Commander Tony Martinez and Fred Castaneda participated in the dedication ceremony of the Veterans Memorial at Cedar Park, Texas.

SAN ANTONIO VETERANS’ DAY PARADE

Also, in San Antonio on Saturday, 12 November 2011, Senior member Darrell G. Harris drove his roadster in the Veterans’ Day Parade there (the 3rd largest parade in San Antonio).

HONOR RECOGNIZED: NEVER TOO LATE

Tony Martinez, commander, H21 Southern Branch in Austin and Division 4, is due to receive his Bronze Star medal (after 40 years of Delay) for his actions in Vietnam while he was in the 11th Brigade of the 23rd Infantry Division (Americal).  Texas Congressman Lloyd Doggett will be presenting the medal and award to Tony when it arrives in Austin. However, a subsequent ceremony will be held in Washington, D.C.  in April, 2012, when Tony attends the reunion of Bravo Company of the Americal Division unit. Forty years delayed, the medal recognizes valor and courage that our brothers in Vietnam gave for their buddies–and it is never too late, only merely delayed.

CIB SUPPORTS BOY SCOUT TROOP 8787

In the participation of the Combat Infantrymen’s Association for Community Service,  Boy Scout Troop 8787 participated in a Community Service event at the October, 2011 meeting at VFW Post 8787 in Austin. Along with the joint cooperation of the Alamo Chapter of the 82nd Airborne Division Association, the scouts and leaders donned woodland BDU shirts, then helmet, then a real T-10 parachute and reserve. Then they “hooked up” to a cable in a mock door of an aircraft and “stood in the door” before leaping all of 1 inch from the ground.

With their parents taking photos of the scouts, they were then awarded a professional certificate of participation, as well as a miniature set of novice Airborne Wings–i.e., the ones earned by US Paratroopers.  Yes, Boy Scout Troop 8787 was “adopted” by the CIB Association chapter, and we will be supporting them when they put out the flags on the Veterans’ graves in preparation for Memorial Day Ceremonies in May, 2012, at the Pflugerville, TX, cemetery (in which the CIB Association will be represented in the ceremonies).

CIB CHAPTER TO WELCOME NATIONAL COMMANDER-ELECT

This CIB chapter also looks forward to the visit of National Commander-elect Ralph Cross in April, 2012, as we will be participating with the parachute-donning fundraiser at the American Heroes’ Celebration / Muster Day activities in Camp Mabry, Austin, Texas, on April 21st and 22nd in 2012.

Remember:  Brother Cross will be the first to don the parachute in support of the chapter.

Copyright (c) 2011, Combat Infantrymen’s Association and Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

In this episode of the Austin, Texas, Chapter – H21 Southern Branch of the Combat Infantryment’s Association podcast series, we continue the interviews with CIB veterans from all the wars and campaigns since World War II. Here, we interview a combat infantryman during the Vietnam War who served as a member of a six-man SRRP (Short-Range Reconnaissance Patrol)  team with the 11th Light Infantry Brigade of  23rd Infantry Division-Americal.

Tony Martinez was only 19 years old when he was in Vietnam. In a candid moment, he was captured in a photo by his buddy as Tony was ready to guide in the resupply helicopter during a mission, and he was ready to “pop-smoke.”

As you will hear in this podcast audio episode, Tony returned to an ungrateful American public that rejected the Vietnam Combat Infantryman.

After withdrawing from everyone and everything and being what he called a “vagabond,” Tony was saved from near tragedy by the patience, understanding and dedication of his beloved wife (to whom he is still married after 35 years). It is important to note that she did not harass Tony with the same expressions as most wives did to returning Vietnam vets suffering from PTSD and other disorders:  “Get over it” or “the war’s over” or “what’s wrong with you?” or “you’re crazy,” etc. Instead, she helped him through his adversities and helped to guide Tony to set his foot on a road to success — after 38 years of struggling with the post-Vietnam “demons.”

Tony reached a milestone recently by attending a reunion of his combat outfit and seeing his company after all these years at this event.

What is interesting is Tony’s perspective of the wonderful help offered to him by the Mental Health clinic of the VA today–but also, the overburdened system that does not offer the right treatment in other departments.

Tony now sees his direction as a “giving back” to the returning CIB veterans from their Middle East tours-of-duty, so he can (in his own way) ensure that they do not suffer for 35 years the plight of the “Vietnam Veteran Syndrome” of anguish, suffering and misery due to the neglect and rejection of the American public.

As Tony says in his departing words, “Welcome Home, guys. . .We love you, and we’re here for you.”

Copyright (c) 2008, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

In this episode of the H21 Austin, Texas, Chapter of the Combat Infantrymen’s Association, we share with you the complete and unabridged article about the current problems of the resurrection of PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) symptoms for the Vietnam Veterans– especially for the combat infantrymen. Thanks to the VFW Magazine for their article in the November, 2007, issue.

As you will see when you investigate this article, even some of the officers of the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) organization are still haunted by the symptoms of PTSD, especially with the triggers caused by today’s environment, as well as the time they have on their hands as they retire.

However, as you will see, the VA does have recognition of the problem and treatment available for Vietnam Veterans. And for the Combat Infantrymen who earned their CIB (Combat Infantryman’s Badge) during this conflict, that badge is recognized as a “stressor” in the qualification and administrative requirements section for getting into the VA system for assistance.

Copyright (c) 2008, Matrix Solutions Corporation. Copyright (c) 2007, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States and VFW Magazine. All Rights Reserved.

In this episode, we deliver 2 items of news to the local chapter:

(1) Notice of the chapter meeting scheduled for Saturday, 2 August 2008, at 18:00 hrs. at the meeting room of the complex located at 7707 IH-35 South, Austin, Texas 78744.

The topics to be discussed are given in the audio file of the podcast episode.

Please confirm your attendance with the Commander or XO. And, if you have any questions or need directions, please contact either:

Commander: Bobby Briscoe –

Telephone:
(512) 804-0789

or

Executive Officer: John Torres –Telephone: (210) 849-5732

(2) The second item discusses a reminder of the upcoming event, the Combat Infantrymen’s Association National Convention at the Academy Best Western Hotel, Colorado Springs, Colorado from October 9-12, 2008.

A brief synopsis of the agenda items for the days of the event–as well as registration details–are mentioned. We hope to have a good presence at this annual event of the organization. We also plan to propose some suggestions for this event, as well as the local chapter. Please plan on attending the meeting, as we will vote on these issues.

For more details and registration forms for the upcoming Combat Infantrymen’s Association National Conventionk please refer to pages 15 to 18 in the newsletter of The Blue Badge. If you wish to view the pdf document of the May, 2008, edition, then please click here:

Or you may go to the web site of the CIB Association and get all the issues availabale of the newsletter, including back issues, and especially the May, 2008, issue of the Blue Badge.

We will be posting another espisode during the week of August 4-8, with a summary of the meeting scheduled for 2 August 2008.

Copyright (c) 2008, Matrix Solutions Corporation and the Combat Infantrymen’s Association. All Rights Reserved.