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PVA to honor
Paralyzed Service Members from Operation Iraqi Freedom in Nation’s
capital on Veterans Day
Washington, DC—Three
Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) servicemen who recently incurred
catastrophic spinal cord injuries while serving in Iraq will be in
Washington, DC on Veterans Day, November 11, as they join the national
leadership of Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) to honor present and
past veterans. The three servicemen—Army Sergeant Eugene Simpson of Dale
City, VA; Marine Lance Corporal James Crosby of Saugus, MA; and Army
National Guard Sergeant Gerald Santos of Davenport, IA—will be joined by
family members for the occasion.
Simpson, who is 28,
was injured by a roadside bomb in Tikrit last April 7 while on patrol
with a convoy in Iraq. Crosby, 20, was riding in a seven-ton vehicle
when a barrage of rockets exploded in the vicinity of his location on
March 18 of this year. Santos, 36, was on his way to 15 days of rest and
recuperation when the Chinook helicopter in which he was flying was
downed by hostile fire last November. The crash killed 17 soldiers.
In Washington, DC and across the country, PVA
and its 34 chapters will commemorate Veterans Day through participation
in multiple events. In Washington:
Arlington National Cemetery Ceremony— 11:00
a.m.
The recently disabled servicemen will join PVA
leadership at the annual ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. After
the ceremony, PVA National President Randy L. Pleva, Sr. will lay a
wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. President Bush is scheduled to
address those gathered.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Ceremony— 1:00 p.m.
PVA will once again participate in this
ceremony honoring veterans of the Vietnam War. PVA’s leadership will lay
a wreath at the Wall at the conclusion of the event. National President
Randy L. Pleva, Sr. and Executive Director Delatorro L. McNeal served in
that conflict.
National Reception—A Tribute to America’s
Veterans— 1:30 p.m.
PVA will honor the three OIF soldiers during a
special reception to be held at the PVA National Headquarters in
Washington. During the reception, PVA will also honor 8-year-old Holt
Mica of Mansfield, TX as the national winner of its 2004 Veterans Day
Poster & Essay Contest. VA Secretary Anthony Principi is also scheduled
to speak at the reception.
“As a veteran, this day evokes both sweet and
bitter emotions for me, as we recognize our brothers and sisters in arms
while knowing that other young men and women are going through what we
as veterans went through many years ago,” stated PVA National President
Randy L. Pleva, Sr. “It is our obligation and duty to make sure no
person forgets that freedom comes with a very heavy price.”
About Paralyzed Veterans
of America
The Paralyzed Veterans of America, a
congressionally chartered veterans service organization founded in 1946,
has developed a unique expertise on a wide variety of issues involving
the special needs of its members -- veterans of the armed forces who
have experienced spinal cord injury or dysfunction. PVA is a leading
advocate for:
Quality health
care for its members,
Research and
education addressing spinal cord injury and dysfunction,
Benefits
available as a result of its members’ military service,
Civil rights
and opportunities which maximize members' independence.
The PVA raises
consciousness about the plight of paralyzed veterans through:
Research and Education Programs
Publications
Local Chapters
Sports and Recreation Programs
Professional Resources
Advocacy and Legislation
For more about the
Paralyzed Veterans of America and how you can contribute to the cause,
visit the
PVA Website, email
info@pva.org or write:
Paralyzed Veterans of America
801 Eighteenth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006-3517
Phone: 1-800-424-8200
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