The Veterans Sound Off Podcast
On each episode of the show we will travel across the State of Mississippi and visit each American Legion Post and discover how the members there are still serving America in their communities.
The Veterans Sound Off Podcast
Honoring Service: An Inside Look at American Legion Post 6 in Corinth
Discover the heartwarming stories shared by veterans of American Legion Post 6 in Corinth, Mississippi. In this episode, we delve deep into the experience of Commander Nora Moreland, her fellow members Terry Phillips and Mike Hurst, and how their military backgrounds shape their current pursuits in community service. We explore the vital role that camaraderie plays in the post's activities, showcasing unique anecdotes like a young child's touching moment while singing the National Anthem, signifying the strong bond between service and patriotism.
We also discuss the community projects spearheaded by the post, emphasizing how important it is to engage with younger generations through education about flag etiquette and remembering the sacrifices made by service members. By sharing insights surrounding their experiences and community impact, we aim to inspire listeners to foster their connections with local veterans and emphasize the spirit of service that continues long after active duty is over. Join us in exploring how the Legion goes beyond being an organization for veterans by becoming a nurturing family dedicated to support, remembrance, and community outreach. Listen and feel inspired to get involved!
Don't forget to subscribe and share with your friends and family. Drop us a line today at JDAllhands@outlook.com. If you'd like to become a sponsor of our show or advertise with us please send an email to jdallhands@outlook.com or call us at 662-902-6658.
This is the Veterans Sound Off Podcast. I'm your host, jerry Allhands, a veteran of the US Air Force and Army and a Mississippi Pass Department Commander of the American Legion. Each week, we visit an American Legion post and visit with the Legion family there. As we travel the state, we'll visit with other groups and organizations that are serving America's veterans and their families Today. If you enjoy this podcast series, I'm asking you to join in supporting us in whatever way you can, whether it's a monthly subscription or by sponsoring an ad. For more information on how you can support this series, please call 662-902-6658 or send a text Either way. We appreciate you and thank you for making this podcast possible.
Speaker 2:It's what they say Hard work, hard work. I earn my pay. Hard work, I grab my ruck and move on out. Hard work, I gotta go. I march and shout Hard work, work, let's go baby.
Speaker 1:Today we are in Corneth in the upper northeast corner of the state of Mississippi and visit with US Marine veteran Nora Moreland. She's commander of Perry A Johns Post no 6. All right, let's see Corinth, corinth.
Speaker 3:Corinth, corinth.
Speaker 1:It's.
Speaker 3:C-O-R, not Corinth. I don't care what Corinth is.
Speaker 5:Depends on what part of the state you're from. Most people call it Corinth. I don't care what Corinth means. It depends on what part of the state you're from. Most people call it Corinth with a C-A-R, but I think the correct name is Corinth, corinth, corinth. But nobody says that.
Speaker 1:I finally get Corinth, that's fine Corinth. Greece, corinth, greece. Somebody says say it like you're reading the Bible, corinthians, I can do that. They just got to get the Indians off of there. We're at post six, northeast Mississippi, as far northeast as you can go with the American Legion, I think you guys are. What? Probably are you 106 years old.
Speaker 5:This month, month, this, this year we uh, we started in 1919.
Speaker 1:Okay, 106 years it's. Uh, my post is that way as well, so it's kind of kind of great to look up. See all 106. I made 10 pictures up there on the wall of the commanders. So today we're going to start from my left to the right and if you'll introduce yourself and please give your name and title, my name is Nora Moreland.
Speaker 3:I am the commander of Post 6.
Speaker 4:I'm Terry Phillips. I'm first vice commander of Post 6.
Speaker 5:I'm Mike Hurst. I'm the adjutant for Post 6.
Speaker 1:And would somebody please let's start the day off with a prayer, if you don't mind?
Speaker 4:Dear Heavenly Father. Thank you, lord, for the many blessings you've given us. Please, lord, forgive us of our short failings. Lord, we pray that you watch over us and protect us. Watch over the Legion, lord, lead, guide and direct us. In Jesus Christ's name, we pray, amen. Amen.
Speaker 1:Well, here we are in Corinthians, mississippi. We're having a great time today and enjoying the American Legion family here, and we are with the American Legion, with Miss Nora, who's got a great smile on her face this morning. And even though she was a Marine. We won't hold that against her.
Speaker 3:Am a Marine, once a Marine, always a Marine.
Speaker 1:See, she didn't let me correct myself the other time but that is absolutely true. Uh, I did. Anybody got a box of crayons. I have this feeling that we're gonna need red she likes the red crayon, red crayon yes, okay we yell at paper he knows me, he knows you well, yes, all right, uh, tell us a little bit about yourself, nor what, uh, I know that you were. You are a marine I am a marine.
Speaker 3:I spent six years in the marine corps. I currently have a staff sergeant son that is in the marine corps and I don't know how long ago I joined this unit seven, eight years maybe and I am a. Is it actually called? I know it's a triple member. I am a legionnaire, I am a member of the auxiliary and I am a legion rider. But are you a son of the?
Speaker 1:auxiliary and I am a Legion rider. But are you a son of the American Legion?
Speaker 3:Yeah, no See, they didn't open their doors. Oh well, so yeah.
Speaker 1:I'll tell you. So, Nora, what did you do in the Marine Corps?
Speaker 3:Well, my MOS was 1171. It's water purification, Now. What my actual time spent in was usually behind a desk somewhere.
Speaker 1:That's not a bad thing.
Speaker 3:No, not now. At the time I wasn't too happy about it, but my last duty station, I got fapped out to the auto hobby shop and I absolutely loved it. I absolutely loved it. I've also figured out that I would have liked anything better than water purification. I told my XO that he couldn't promote me to an O4 and keep me in the MOS. I was in, wow.
Speaker 1:So you really didn't like water purification?
Speaker 3:No, I wanted an electrician. I wanted an electrician.
Speaker 1:It's an electrifying personality. Yes, yes, see, I understand. These aren't Terry. What makes you eligible to be in the American Legion?
Speaker 4:I'm a veteran. I was in the Army for 30 years. I started out as a cannoneer in the field artillery, then I became moved into the fire direction control center in artillery and then ended up doing quartermaster and evaluating water purification units and and uh spent time mobilizing reserve units that were uh over to the Gulf War.
Speaker 1:You did a lot in four years. Well 30 years, 30 years, 30 years. Thank you for your service. Thank you, nora. Thank you for your service.
Speaker 3:Thank you.
Speaker 1:Mike, mike, mike, mike, mike, mike, mike, mike. What makes you eligible for the American Legion?
Speaker 5:I'm a Navy veteran. I served from 83 to 86 on board the USS Yosemite. I was an engine man and I worked in the A-game division. I was responsible for repairs and maintenance of just about everything engines, steam equipment, air conditioning, hydraulics.
Speaker 1:He just said my favorite word, air conditioning. Yeah, we didn't word air conditioning. We didn't have much air conditioning in the Army, did we?
Speaker 4:No no.
Speaker 1:And nor water purification, those cold showers.
Speaker 4:I told you I spent most of my time behind a desk. She would have enjoyed the water purification if she had done it the right way. I went down and observed a water purification. Uh, if she had done it the right way. I went down and, uh, observed a water purification unit pump seawater out of the gulf of america and purified it into drinking water.
Speaker 1:Wow, that's, that's a job right there. Yes boy I was. Uh, I got to drink out of those, those large canvas bags that were always warm, hot, nasty.
Speaker 4:Oh no, let's move on to another, happier subject and don't want to look inside one of those.
Speaker 1:No, no, Moving on. Here we are today talking with the leadership of Post 6 in this great city. That I will not say because I can't say it Corinthians, Mississippi, All right, but the post is what we say 105, 106 years in existence, tell me what day that y'all meet, and time and location and all that.
Speaker 3:Second Thursday of each month we have a potluck at six Meeting starts. Actually, we start at seven, but we're going to start starting a little sooner. What was the other question? The address 511 South Tate Street, corinth, mississippi, 38834. We're located behind the Kroger's on Highway 72.
Speaker 1:There's a.
Speaker 3:Kroger out there. Yes.
Speaker 1:That way. That way, for those of us who are on the radio, she's pointing to my left, your right. The Kroger is right over there.
Speaker 3:Pointing towards Highway 72.
Speaker 1:Alright, and again, that's the second Thursday. At what time again? 6 o'clock, all right. And again, that's the second Thursday. Yes, at what time again? Six o'clock, six o'clock, all right.
Speaker 3:And the zip code once again 38834.
Speaker 1:And if you're anywhere outside of Corinthians, mississippi, that's y'all's new name, right, all right, it is a wonderful community, a nice town to come visit and do some shopping in, as my wife has told me several times in my credit card statement proofs.
Speaker 3:Then, see, you should know where SoCo is, because that's all. The shopping is in SoCo Corinth.
Speaker 1:Whenever I'm here, I'm here, she's out there. Maybe somebody needs to describe SoCo. Is that for south, south corinth, corinth is? That what it?
Speaker 4:means yes, all right. So south side of the railroad track, the main railroad tracks that came through, that created corinth as the crossroad city, the south side of it. Those businesses have been renovated and they now call it SoCo, okay makes sense and you just call it the crossroads city. When it was originally founded, it was crossroads, because the railroad tracks crossed, which is the reason for the history of Corinth being part of the Civil War because both sides wanted the intersection of the crossroads.
Speaker 1:Nice to know. I did not know that See. I'm getting an education today. You like red crayons on yellow paper? We got that part.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that's important, that's important, it is.
Speaker 1:Does red stand out on?
Speaker 3:yellow. It does Helps with that dysgraphia stuff, dyslexia, dyslexia yes, dysgraphia yes.
Speaker 1:This is all staying in, you know. Oh, mercy Nora. Let's talk a little bit about the post here. Tell me again I'll meet on the second Thursday at 6 o'clock, and typically what happens at a post-meeting.
Speaker 3:We open a meeting with prayer and our pledge and our POW MIA. That is one of the things that means a lot to me, because some of us gave little and some of us gave a whole lot, and if we can't remember those that gave a whole lot, then those that gave a little yeah we're just just part of part of it what does being in the american legion mean to you?
Speaker 3:it's an honor. It really is an honor. My grandpa is. He passed in 01, but my grandpa is a World War II Navy veteran and he's a lot of the reason why I joined the Marine Corps. But he's also a reason that I have a lot of pride in what we're doing. Reason that I have a lot of pride in what we're doing, because what we're my opinion, what the American Legion is for is to reach out to our veterans those active duty and after service and to be there because camaraderie ship is a real thing. There's times when only someone that's been where we've been understands what we're going through. And sometimes our family wants to be there for us and that's important. But I don't think our family sometimes understands exactly everything that a veteran goes through I have to agree with you 100 on that one.
Speaker 1:Your your grandfather world war ii vet. You said Navy.
Speaker 3:Yes.
Speaker 1:Pacific or East.
Speaker 3:Pacific. He had a ship USS Chevalier, I think it's pronounced right was sunk. He spent three days in the ocean before they rescued him, so I'm really very thankful that they rescued him. Um, yeah, in the pacific. He spent time in the islands trying to recover from that and some things that he took to the grave with him the skin condition for being in that oily water for those days, and I'm sure a lot of things that he refused to he never spoke of. I mean, I only remember one story that I'll not share here, but only one story that he ever really told about being on the ship, other than I will say he spent his 18th birth. Was it 18? He had to be 18 to get in without a parental signature. He was on the ship in the Pacific Ocean on his 18th birthday because he told his commanding officer hey, it's my birthday today. He's really, how old are you? 18.?
Speaker 1:Oh, my God man, terry, what's it mean to you to be in the American Legion?
Speaker 4:I think the service that the Legion does for veterans and for the community and veterans' families, that's probably the biggest does for veterans and for the community and veterans' families. That's probably the biggest thing for me. When I was very young I've given talks before to different groups Boy Scouts and things and I told them that my service started when I was a Cub Scout and I feel like that my service needs to continue on for the rest of my life and I found a way to do it here with the American Legion. Amen.
Speaker 1:You have a family member who was in the service before.
Speaker 4:My father was in the Army and I have uncles that were in the Army and an uncle that was in World War II in the Navy. But World War. Ii, korea and Vietnam. I have uncles in all of those.
Speaker 4:Any story that you like, just stands out for you. My uncle that was in World War II in the Navy when I was in high school and decided to join, uh, he gave me. He said I'll give you a piece of advice. When you go to basic training, when they're yelling at you and talking about how stupid you are, he said, just think they're talking to the person next to you and just do your job. And uh, that stuck with me through basic training and ever since you didn't get the.
Speaker 4:Don't volunteer for anything well, I, yeah, I got that one from my father like that one.
Speaker 1:I think we all got that one. Yeah, don't volunteer, get voluntold. Yeah, mike, what does uh being in the american legion mean to you?
Speaker 5:it's the uh, helping veterans and veterans' families and trying to get the ones that's in the service now that's young and just getting out explaining to them that we're always here for them, that once you're a veteran, you're always a veteran and no matter what branch you served in or what era you served in, everybody knows what it's like to be in the military. It's basically the same, so we've always got something to talk about.
Speaker 1:Anybody in your past that was in your family.
Speaker 5:I had an uncle. I think that was in World War II, but I don't know a lot about it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I want to thank you all for your service and for your family's service. I'm one of those people that I don't know who my family served before me. I'm not fortunate to have those stories passed on, but the history of our families in the past, you know, leads, I think, to why a lot of us joined the military. We didn't have to join. None of us were drafted, thank you, because I would have got stuck over there. Of us were drafted, thank you Because I would have got stuck over there.
Speaker 3:That's not a bad thing.
Speaker 1:When you're 6'4" it is. You're that strong, Put you out there and you catch those things that they're throwing at you. I want to catch those things. Anyway, tell me a little bit about this post. Tell me the history of Post 6. Anybody know the history here? Is it named after anyone?
Speaker 5:Yes.
Speaker 4:We have a copy of our charter on the wall from 1919. From 1919. It's named after Perry Johns, who was a World War I veteran from Corinth or from Alcorn County that died during World War I and is buried, I believe, in France. And that's who. When the post was, that was in 1917, and so when the post was, that was in 1917. And so when the post was created in 1919, him being the first person from Corinth that died in the war, that's who the post was named after.
Speaker 1:Are you aware if he still has family?
Speaker 4:in the area?
Speaker 1:Are they involved with the posting in any way?
Speaker 4:No, I don't believe that there's any in the area. Most of the descendants that I'm aware of are in Texas and we have reached out to them and to trustees of their estates.
Speaker 1:Tell me what's the Nora, what's the one thing that stands out for you in this past year that the post has done? That's just really something you're proud of.
Speaker 3:I'm really proud of our wreaths across America. Yeah, it's that. And I'm also proud of our flag etiquette teachings the flag etiquette teaching. We go to the county and the city schools for the elementary first through fourth and we teach them about our flag. We teach them about folding the flag. We teach them the proper way to do the Pledge of Allegiance. This past one we just recently had I'm truly excited about a young second-grade child that asked if she could sing and she got up and she sang our National Anthem for us and she was just absolutely amazing.
Speaker 3:I mean, she brought goosebumps.
Speaker 1:How old was she?
Speaker 3:Second grade so seven years old, wow, and she will be here on our Memorial Day.
Speaker 1:Do you remember her name?
Speaker 3:Mary Elizabeth.
Speaker 1:Would have to be a Mary. Elizabeth would have to be a Mary.
Speaker 4:Elizabeth. And she did that with no music and no writing in front of her.
Speaker 3:No words, incredible, she just got up and Her hand over her heart and sang.
Speaker 1:Do you find a lot of cooperation in the school system when you go to do these. No pushback.
Speaker 3:Not really. Yeah, Not that I have had yet, With me still working. I have not retired yet, so with me still working, it's hard for me to get us in all. Was there four? Biggersville, Costeux Central and the city school. There's four schools in our district and it's hard for me to get in each and every one of them, so I know that two of them three of them our county schools are very welcoming. I haven't yet tried to get into the city school, as often.
Speaker 1:Do you find that the children? Are they receptive? Are they engaged? I mean, obviously Mary Elizabeth is engaged.
Speaker 3:She's very engaged, I'd have to say yes. Yeah, I'll definitely say yes, because last year we went to Biggersville and done the POW MIA training with the fourth and fifth graders and I was extremely impressed with we had a question and answer time and I pray the next time we go and I told Terry he definitely needs to be there. I need somebody there with more experience to answer the questions that these children were coming up with, because I was just like mouth open and eyes big some of the questions.
Speaker 1:so yes, and what grade was it? 4th and 5th? 9, 10 year olds you know I've been out of school how many decades now? Let's not talk about that, because I think you're older than me, Nine ten-year-olds. You know I've been out of school how many decades now? Never mind.
Speaker 3:Yeah, let's not talk about that, because I think you're older than me Pledge of Allegiance.
Speaker 1:Is this still done?
Speaker 3:It is. Sometimes I question how accurate they are when they tell me it is, but yes, it is All four grades that we were with the other day. They all knew their Pledge of Allegiance.
Speaker 1:Do they actually still do it in the classroom?
Speaker 4:I've been told yes yeah, that the last group that we did at that school. We asked specifically if they do the american legion or the pledge of allegiance each morning and they said yes, wow and what's your, what's your experience with it?
Speaker 1:I mean, when you go there, do you feel welcomed? Are you comfortable as a veteran and as a?
Speaker 3:Yes, we actually had. I don't remember what grade it was. We actually had one of the teachers. When we were ready to hand them back over to her, she told them to stop wait, I have something I want to say. And she told her children I will give you a challenge today that when you are out and about in town, you will see veterans, because there's telltale signs they're, they're wearing their hat or they're wearing what we pan what?
Speaker 3:what I want to call garb. You know we're wearing our, our military garb. I challenge you to go up to that person and thank them for their service. And then she made each one of them walk by. They walked single file line out and they shook each. Was there three legionnaires there that day. They had the children shake our hand and tell us thank you for your service.
Speaker 1:How do you feel about that when somebody approaches you on the street? You don't know them and they just come up and thank you for your service? How do you feel about that when somebody approaches you on the street? You don't know them and they just come in. Thank you for your service. How do you feel about that?
Speaker 3:I think my favorite response that someone another Navy veteran told me was to look them straight in the eye and tell them thank you for being the type of citizen that I was was willing to fight for. I think that's my favorite one. Now, normally my response is I get a little tongue-tied and I'm able to say thank you because I didn't do it for the show, I'd done it to honor my grandpa. I wanted to be like my grandpa and I wanted to defend this country and to kind of piggyback off what I think Terry said it's part of the reason why I want to be here in this American Legion is my oath did not end in 97 when I got out of active duty Marine Corps and I still love this country. She may not be perfect, but she's my country and I'm not willing to run from this country.
Speaker 1:I don't think any of us are, terry. Same question Somebody comes up to you on the street and says thank you for your service. They want to shake your hand and it's normally. For me, in the past it's been younger people, but it's now and I've got to be careful to say this because 40s are young how does that affect you? When they come up and say that, what do you think?
Speaker 4:when I first, when the first time that it had happened with me, I didn't really know what to think, uh, but since then I have become real comfortable with it and it gives me a lot of pride. But, as Nora said, I always tell them thank you and a lot of times it's another veteran and I really didn't know how to take that. The first time another veteran did said thank you, because they're a veteran also. But we thank each other, and just recently I was in a store shopping and I had on a cap that had US Army on it, and an older lady came up to me and she said that her father was in the military and that she wanted to. She told me thank you, but she said she wanted to do something else that her father had told her to do and she saluted. And there we were, in the middle of a store, shopping and saluting each other, and then she wanted to know if she did it correctly, did she?
Speaker 3:She did, she did. Her daddy would have been proud.
Speaker 4:Yes, that's what she said, and I told her that.
Speaker 1:Mike, same question.
Speaker 5:I feel really good about it, but at first a lot of times I feel like I don't really deserve that recognition, because some of them have made more of a sacrifice than me. But I normally do like the other two and just thank them and uh move on yeah, and kind of a weird feeling the first time yeah
Speaker 1:and when it happens to me. Still it's sometimes it's it's uh disturbing I think. You know it's like kind of embarrassing a little bit, but I mean I appreciate it and and I come back with it and it gives me an opportunity to talk with someone. But just recently I'm in a store and I'm walking down the aisle and I'm looking at a guy that I would be calling sir and he beats me to the punch and then he sees my 82nd Airborne cab and says thank you for your service. And I'm still stuck on being called sir by a guy I wanted to call sir first. Then I looked in the mirror, saw all the white hair. So yeah, thank you.
Speaker 1:You know, I think it means a lot when the public does that, because your father a Vietnam vet. Those guys came back, those individuals, men and women, came back and were, in my opinion, very much abused. And I am afraid now with the Iraq-Afghanistan war and I told my wife this when the war started I said as long as the movies that are being made are positive, you will see good support from the civilian population. But the first negative movie, you're going to hear some negative things and to me it has spiraled downward. Let's get it going, let's go. Let's pause for a moment to hear from some of the people who have helped to make this episode possible with their financial support. A very special thank you to Dean and Judy Graves of Mount Vernon, missouri, for their financial support. Dean passed away recently without ever having heard the podcast, but he believed in this project and his support helps to make each episode possible and for that we say thank you.
Speaker 7:You can join in the mission to remember our fallen heroes, honor those who currently serve in their families and teach younger generations about the value of freedom. A $17 donation to Wreaths Across America sponsors a fresh balsam remembrance wreath. These wreaths have become a symbol of America's respect for those who have served and no longer walk with us. Sponsor a wreath today. Visit wreathsacrossamericaorg or call 877-385-9504.
Speaker 8:When a person calls 988, they're connected to a crisis counselor.
Speaker 3:Crisis is completely self-defined.
Speaker 4:If you're wondering if you should call, you should probably call.
Speaker 8:A caller can expect to talk about coping skills, talk about resources and ways to move forward beyond the call. They can call us, they can chat, they can text and when they come out on the other side they're feeling better. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifelineorg.
Speaker 6:Be willing to show up for your veteran, your friend, your loved one. Be willing to trust your gut, follow your heart, take a risk. Be the one willing to ask, to guess wrong, to even offend another, to keep them safe, to remind them that they are valuable. If you know a veteran, be the one to reach out and make them a part of your life.
Speaker 8:Hello, my name is Nora Moreland. I'm a proud US Marine of the World War II Navy veteran Mike Rapoff of Delbert Shea, who served in the Pacific. I would humbly ask you to sponsor our Veterans. Sound Off podcast.
Speaker 1:We need your help in keeping this podcast going. Your continued financial support enables us to produce these podcasts for you. Call 662-902-6658 today and we'll give you all the details on how you and or your business can become a sponsor. And now back to this episode of the Veterans Sound Off podcast. Let's let's talk a little bit about Boys State. We got that coming up here. What are y'all doing as a post for Boys State? What support do you have for it, or what do you know about Boys State?
Speaker 5:We sponsor Boys State every year. I don't remember how many we had last year. Did we have any?
Speaker 3:Yes, we had some, I want to say five, seven.
Speaker 4:I don't remember it being that many. But I know that we had some that came down and helped with some events that we did.
Speaker 3:That's one of the requirements for me to sign your Boy State papers is you should come help us volunteer some time with us. If we're doing yard work or some mulch, if we're doing an activity, sweep the floor, some sort of volunteer, not only to get me to sign for your papers but it also goes towards their. They have volunteer hours they need for school, so they get my signature for their volunteer time plus they get my my signature for their boy state you're the first one I've heard say that, and that is great.
Speaker 1:It is community help?
Speaker 3:Sure, that's what the American Legion is about. That's what Boy State is about. Is community help, community service maybe a better word community service and learning about our government, learning how they can be a productive member in our society.
Speaker 1:I'm going to take that back to my own post. If you want to go to Boys State, Girls State, you need to get involved in post events. I like that.
Speaker 3:One of my favorites was when we had a boy. The last time we'd done yard work, he and I had went out to our tank and was cleaning, pulling weeds, and then we were going to put the mulch down and he looks at me. He says what is the American Legion anyway? I was like really, and I started asking him some questions. So it was a good opportunity to have a conversation with him about what it is we do inside our community also.
Speaker 1:I like that, and you educated him. Did he have a family member who was eligible?
Speaker 3:He wasn't sure Okay.
Speaker 1:Well, we'll get him when he enlists.
Speaker 3:We will.
Speaker 1:All right, there's a good thing. What do you do in the public? How do you share with the public what the American Legion is?
Speaker 4:Well, one of the things that got me is the. I started my military service with the National Guard and the time that I was in the National Guard, no one ever mentioned the American Legion to me and I didn't know much about the American Legion or that I was eligible to be a member of the American Legion. So one of the things that I did after becoming a Legionnaire was contact the local National Guard unit and ask if I could come speak to their members and talk to them about the American Legion and the things that we do. And when I talked about the Americanism, one of them asked what do you do to promote that? And we I talked about the flag etiquette classes that we've done at the elementary schools and with the junior auxiliary to try to get them to understand that we can do a lot for the community as Legionnaires.
Speaker 4:And when I've been talking with some of my other veterans that I know that are not members, I talk with them about some of the things that we do that they may not be aware of that it's the, the legion, that is involved in that, like putting the flags on the graves at the national cemetery or putting out the wreaths across America at the National Cemetery or selling wreaths for them to take and put on their relatives' graves that are veterans in other cemeteries, and just trying to make them aware of the things that the Legion can do for the community and for veterans and their families. And Nora and I have talked about reaching out to other members of the Legion and members of the community and asked them what they would like to see the Legion do for veterans and their families and for the community.
Speaker 1:And you're getting responses back from that question. Well, we're just starting now. Just starting. How was the reception from the guard? I mean, you haven't been a former guardsman yourself.
Speaker 4:I was welcomed in as a member, that I had been in that unit, and so I started out telling them that so that they would look at me maybe a little different, that I wasn't just some outsider coming in to talk with them about some organization. I told them that I was a member of that unit and I started my service, my career, in that unit and that no one had ever talked with me about the American Legion. And I wanted to talk with them about it and let them know that they were all eligible to become members of the American Legion, and a lot of them in that unit did not live here locally and so I talked with them about the American Legion being throughout the state and you know other communities, and for them to reach out to their local post and find out when they meet and find out the things that they're doing and to go meet with them.
Speaker 1:Did you get anybody to take a bite, anybody?
Speaker 4:I don't know if they joined, but there were some people there that had an interest, and the two that spoke with me personally did not live in Alcorn County, so they were going to reach out to the post in their area right, mike, anything for you uh, one problem we have with the recruitment with the younger generation is they.
Speaker 5:They just don't. A lot of them seem don't seem to be interested. And I understand why because they're young and maybe just got out and they've got young kids and they've got to work and stuff. But I think we've got to do more to try to get the younger generation in this organization, because we're getting old.
Speaker 1:Speak for yourself because we're getting old. Speak for yourself On that subject here. How long, nora, was it before you joined the Marine?
Speaker 3:Corps. I got out of the Marine Corps in 1997, and I think I've been a member. It's been less than 10 years that I've been a member. I will say you made me think of something that in 2007, my husband my husband is a combat corpsman who got out of the Navy and he was in the national guard. Well, in 2007, the unit he was with in the national guard went to Iraq. So now I am what I'd like to call a married single parent. I'm married. He's in Iraq. I'm here with two kids. Yeah, that's a really weird place to be. If I had known about this post in 2007, this would have been a place I should have been then, because his unit wasn't here in Corinth, so, his unit being in another part of the state of Mississippi, I wasn't close enough to be part of the family readiness program. Nobody there reached out to me. People here didn't know about me, but I needed. I needed help. I needed help, and so I should have been here in 2007.
Speaker 1:But I didn't know. When you were on active duty, were you aware of the American Legion?
Speaker 3:No, well, yes and no. My first Knowledge of American Legion was in Michigan, where my grandparents' parents were. I was born. American Legion was very active there, but I grew up thinking it was family. Everybody there was family. I've told my auxiliary that some of my fondest memories of being at the American Legion was the women, the food. Fondest memories of being at the American Legion was the women, the food, I mean, it's still food at this age but, you know, at less than 10, food was extremely important the food, the family connection, the being concerned.
Speaker 3:If one of us kids got hurt, it was the auxiliary members that were coming over to check on us. If our parents, if our mothers didn't see us first. So I may have gotten a little bit off the question there.
Speaker 3:But my first knowledge was as a child because the Legion in my town was very active for weddings and family get-togethers and the poppies and the flags and even with that background, with the flags and and even with that, that background, with the American Legion, you still, I still, didn't put it together with my Marine Corps brain that I, I qualified, that this is where I needed to be. Wow, I think.
Speaker 1:Big step. Yeah, Terry, for yourself. Were you aware of the American Legion when you were in the military?
Speaker 4:I was aware of it, but I wasn't aware that I would fit in there or that I was eligible to be a member. I guess the first person that talked to me about it was an uncle that was a Vietnam veteran, that was a member. But then I'm a motorcycle rider and I had a friend that I went to basic training with, that we still ride motorcycles together and one day he said why don't you go on a ride with us? And I said who's us? And he said, well, it's a group from the American Legion, the American Legion Riders. And I went on a ride with them and when we stopped to eat lunch Mike said that he was the adjutant and he said are you a veteran? And I said yeah, and he said why don't you join? I've been here ever since.
Speaker 1:And how long was it from the time you got out of the service until you joined?
Speaker 4:I think 13 years.
Speaker 1:Okay, all right, mike, were you aware.
Speaker 5:I was aware of it. I wasn't quite sure what it was all about. Growing up, I thought I knew what the American Legion, where the American Legion building, was at, but I thought it was just where they had wrestling. I remember those days. I didn't join the Legion for about 21 years after I got out and the Legion riders drew me into that, then it got me involved. Okay, and how long have you been in now Since?
Speaker 1:2007. Okay, so the two of you came in because of the riders. Nora, why did you join the Legion?
Speaker 3:I don't even know. I've tried to think of why. I tried to remember when I came in. I don't know.
Speaker 1:For me in the service in the Air Force and the Army. I don't ever remember anybody from the American Legion coming on post or base to talk about the American Legion. I was aware of American Legion post VFW post, outside of the gates, knowing where it was. But, like you, am I eligible?
Speaker 7:You know, I mean, I'm not a Vietnam vet, not a Korean War vet.
Speaker 1:You know, I think Legion-wise we fell our fellow veterans by not going on the bases and letting the active duty troops, the Guard and Reserve troops, know that they're eligible and actually staying involved in that situation. I don't know if you have bases anywhere near this side of the state for you or not, but I encourage you to make that one of your recruitment efforts. Again, family efforts when those guys went off to Iraq and Kuwait and all that the first time you know, we had guard units all around us and tried to get the families involved and I feel like maybe we didn't do a better job of keeping the families involved.
Speaker 3:I think a lot if we involve the family. That's one of the reasons why post-six is we stress this is family, because I think a lot of times I'm gonna speak for myself, but I'm gonna use the word veterans with an s I think we, as veterans, can be very hard-headed and we don't need that. Yeah, I'm fine, but if we can reach the families and the families see what's going on, we tend to follow.
Speaker 1:On the subject of family, what are you doing here at this post that would involve a family? Why would a 30-year-old father, mother, couple of kids want to come to this post? Is there something for the children? Is there something for the parents?
Speaker 3:We are starting. Is there something for the children? Is there something for the parents? We are starting. We do have the junior auxiliary, which you have to be connected to a veteran under the age of 18. Then we have our auxiliary units that are for family members, spouses and two degrees either way for the auxiliaries. And then we have our sons. For the young men, we have our riders and our riders are active. Stumbling over is an r, are active in rides and doing stuff inside the community what do you do?
Speaker 1:Do you have family days? Do you have events that were involved? I mean, you've got a great poster, beautiful poster, beautiful grounds and everything like that. Is there a park nearby that we can have children to be involved? Is there I'm looking at involvement for kids?
Speaker 3:We have a city park. If you're talking about like a park, we have a city park but we don't really do a lot there. I know that Corinth is talking about trying to take our field I say our field, the county's field over here and creating a flower garden, a nature trail, and I'm really hoping that if that does come over here, that we can try to utilize that as to draw families in, and who doesn't like to see flowers and butterflies?
Speaker 4:some of the events that we have here are designed around family involvement. You know, like the the living history veterans history day that we had, we wanted families, people of all ages, to participate and be a part of that. I know for me personally, when we have different service events that we're doing, I've tried to get my grandsons involved and get them to understand what the legion is doing and understand about service to their community and and hopefully get them to also get some of their friends to participate in those events and having much success with that with my grandsons.
Speaker 4:I have uh, they've uh gotten where the race across america they've been participating for a few years now started out with the Boy Scouts before I got in the Legion, but they participate in that and putting out the flags and so some of those type of events getting them to come and participate, and I think they're enjoying it.
Speaker 1:How old are they?
Speaker 4:13 and 15. Boy do.
Speaker 1:I feel old Trying to get them to think about.
Speaker 4:You know like we've done with the junior auxiliary. You know that they can join the sons now and participate in events.
Speaker 3:We have our breakfasts also.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I get to see that on your Facebook page quite often, often, you know. It's just not fair that I'm three hours away and they're talking about bacon and biscuits and eggs and and carlene's cooking yeah, that's the other thing. Carlene is cooking. Carlene parker, she will not come be on the microphone, but we're going to give her a hard time.
Speaker 3:I was going. We had a function here where I think we were selling spaghetti. We were selling something and I was going around downtown in SoCo and advertising and taking pre-orders for the spaghetti dinner. Taking pre-orders for the spaghetti dinner, and every time I walked in and said my name I'm nora moreland, I'm with the american legion, post six, carly. We're cooking. And the first thing that would come up is is carlene starting to cook him? When are you starting to do that breakfast? Is carlene cooking? So carlene's cooking is an action word together that's the best recruitment tool you got.
Speaker 1:Yes, it brings lots of hearts do you know that she can blush?
Speaker 3:Yes, yes, I do After Thursday night's meeting. Yeah.
Speaker 1:What happened on Thursday night's meeting.
Speaker 3:This last one. I presented her with some flowers for appreciation for the things that she does for our Legion and I was just fine until she started to choke up. Then we had to turn away from one another because she went a little pink in the face and I needed to still be able to speak.
Speaker 1:Oh, great job. Tell me what's coming up in the future. The post here. What's coming up in the next six months?
Speaker 3:Pancakes and poppies and pancakes. And we're having. Have we come up with a name for the ride? And we're having. Have we come up with a name for the ride? We're having our. Legion riders are having a ride that same day with the poppies and pancakes.
Speaker 1:What is poppies and pancakes.
Speaker 3:Poppies and pancakes.
Speaker 1:Because I'm hungry and you're just.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so am I, and I think I'm hoping they didn't eat everything out there.
Speaker 3:Poppies and pancakes. The poppies are a very important um item in our american legion and in our auxiliary. They are a token of remembrance for those that have fought before us. I think it was world war ii, world War I with Flanders Fields and we are going to have a poppy coloring contest for the high school students. I had to stop and think because we gave the coloring sheets out to the first and fourth graders, trying to get them involved, and we'll go back and get those pictures to have a contest with them also. But the poppies and pancakes is for the high school students. We will have a contest and there will be pictures and a award for that and then after that we will have a legion riders ride and I believe the money that we're gathering for that one is going to Ronnie's retreat. We're trying to gather money to get power for Ronnie's retreat.
Speaker 1:Okay, poppy's and Piggy's for Ronnie's retreat. What day is this 19 April? For you civilians, that's April 19th. What time?
Speaker 3:9 to 11. Or should I have said zero, nine to 11? I had someone just comment on that to me recently. I still write 19 April 2025. It's the only way I know to write it. If you make me write it the other way, I have to stop and think yeah, and somebody asked me just some random person, you military, I'm like why? Yes, I am.
Speaker 1:Why.
Speaker 3:And they pointed out the difference in that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Do the same thing with your number seven.
Speaker 3:You put the I do sometimes, but I hear my daughter telling me I'm being extra, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Tell me about Ronnie's.
Speaker 3:Ronnie's retreat, that is. Oh, his last name just went out of my head McNutt. Joey McNutt, his brother, is a person that has committed suicide.
Speaker 3:He's a veteran that committed suicide and Ronnie and his family. The way that they are trying to reach out to the community is they have Ronnie's retreat. It is a shelter that they are trying to build for homeless veterans to get them services and needs that they need and to help get them back on their feet. It's a helping hand up to get them back on their feet and to be able to provide for themselves or at least be the best person that they can be. And from what I understand from the meeting the other night, they have gotten to the point where I think they have three homes set up. They need power and I'm currently going to be that's what I'm doing.
Speaker 3:After this program, this speech in here, I'm going home to learn more about. There is a grant that's available, I think, through the auxiliary that they can get money to go towards. Is it through the homeless, the veteran service projects and the Legion has to? Is it the Legion has to or the auxiliary has to come up with the 20%? The auxiliary has to come up with 20% of this grant money for us to be eligible to get the grant and we are currently working on our 20%.
Speaker 1:Is there a cutoff date to raise this money?
Speaker 3:No no.
Speaker 1:You mentioned that this is being done because this veteran committed suicide.
Speaker 1:And at this point we need to talk about 988 and how important that number is. And for those who aren't aware of it, 988 is a telephone number that was set up to help anyone who is having a moment of mental need. If you will, if you're feeling like not only the person who might want to hurt themselves or commit suicide, but just somebody that needs a moment to decompress or talk about whatever, you know you have an emergency, you call 911. If you're having a mental or emotional moment, call 988. If you're a veteran, you press one and you get hooked up with somebody who's a veteran or is trained to talk with us. You know, but in at any time, anybody can have a dark moment.
Speaker 1:You can have a situation happen that just brings that dark cloud over you and you have thoughts that maybe are not healthy thoughts and I can say this from a personal point of view where you may not have PTS, you may not have Agent Orange in your life, you just may be having a moment. Call that 988 number and take advantage of it. It's free, nobody's going to give you a hard time, somebody will get your information and once you have completed your phone call, I can promise you somebody's going to be calling you back to follow up on you. Anything else coming up that we want to talk about, anything going on in the post.
Speaker 5:Well, we'll have our Memorial Day in May, which we'll put out flags. We invite the Boy Scouts to raise and lower the flag at the National Cemetery. Immediately after that we come to the post and we have a flag retirement ceremony. The sons lead that and we invite anybody that wants to come come to that too and we invite anybody that wants to come come to that too.
Speaker 3:that is one that I would really like to push the invitation to. Also is our flag retirement ceremonies, flag education it's important I I can't beat that drum enough without sounding like a broken record but our flag education and flag retirement is important. There needs to be the knowledge. There's a difference between going out on the street and burning my flag and a difference in retiring my flag. There's a whole, complete different honor One's honor and one's very disrespectful and it's just really very important to me because I don't want to find out what Nora will do the day that I see someone burning my flag. I seriously don't think it will be just a simple about face and walk off.
Speaker 1:Not even close. No, I can see Nora becoming.
Speaker 3:Very irate Very irate.
Speaker 1:All of us? I think all of us would yes.
Speaker 5:We've seen Nora irate and it's not pretty, Nora, when is the flag retirement ceremony.
Speaker 1:Do you have a date set for that?
Speaker 3:It will be on Memorial Day.
Speaker 1:Okay, where at?
Speaker 3:Saturday.
Speaker 5:The Saturday before Memorial Day. Okay, where at Saturday, the Saturday before Memorial Day would be at the National Cemetery in Corinth?
Speaker 1:So will they meet up there or come to the post first and then y'all go to the cemetery?
Speaker 5:We'll all meet at the cemetery.
Speaker 4:And then we'll come back to the post for the flag retirement ceremony. It'll be done here.
Speaker 1:Okay, all right. Talking about flag retirements, you got a flag that needs to be retired. How do you know it needs to be retired?
Speaker 3:When it's faded, extremely faded, when it's tattered, torn. We actually have some postcards Me, being I work at the post office.
Speaker 1:Oh, you're the one.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I being I work at the post office. Oh, you're the one. Yeah, I'm the one. I'm the one. I just stick it in your mailbox. I have nothing to do with the postage stuff, but we have some postcards that will inform people that your flag needs to be retired. And the reason I bring up the post office thing is I had a person, a specific address, on my route, that their flag was not a flag anymore, it was just strips of material. It should never get to the point that it is just strips of material. It should not be hanging upside down because the rings on it have come apart. So when it gets tattered, when it gets faded, take it down with some respect, bring it to your local American Legion, your local VFW, your Boy Scout troops, any one of those three places that I know of In Corinth. You can bring it to the post office because they will give it to me.
Speaker 1:All right, Do you have my post? We have a what's the proper word here? We have a mailbox that has been discontinued, used. We have it painted red, white and blue and we have a sign on it. Do you all have one of those here to?
Speaker 3:drop off yes.
Speaker 5:Yes, and it gets full pretty regularly.
Speaker 3:We do have Seth Ricketts' ride every year. Do you know what date that is this year, may 10th?
Speaker 7:May 10th.
Speaker 1:What is Seth Ricketts?
Speaker 3:Seth Ricketts was an Army infantryman. I think I may be wrong on that, but he was killed in Iraq and we have had this is our 12th. I think it's like our 12th annual ride and they gather money, funds, and it goes to the Fisher House and we are now we have one in Memphis.
Speaker 1:Terry, if you don't mind, would you?
Speaker 4:please close us with a prayer. Yes, heavenly father, thank you, lord, for the many blessings you've given us. We pray that you watch over us as we go about our business. Lord, protect us as we travel home. In jesus christ name, we pray, amen, amen thank you, terry.
Speaker 1:And that was our visit with the perry a john's american legion, post six. Next week we return to post six and visit with cindy rhodes, president of american legion auxiliary unit six, along with pan mcgarver, the treasurer and chaplain, tina buck. That's next monday here on the veteran sound off podcast. On behalf of all hands media llc, I want to say thank you to those members of the Post 6 American Legion family who have helped to make this episode possible through their financial support. Thank you very, very much. A very special thank you to Jonathan Michael Fleming for his musical talents. You can find his CDs and videos on Facebook, instagram, amazon Music and YouTube.
Speaker 1:We hope you've enjoyed this episode and look forward to your feedback and ask that you subscribe to and share the Veterans Sound Off podcast with your friends and family. If you have a comment, suggestion or questions or you would like to become a supporter of this podcast, please send an email to jdallhands at outlookcom that's j-d-a-l-l-h-a-n-d-s at outlookcom, or by calling 662-902-6658, and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. This has been a production of All Hands Media LLC, with offices in Reno, mississippi. All Rights Reserved, everybody's on the plane.
Speaker 2:Hard work, hard work. We do what we play. Hard work, hard work, hard work is what they say. Hard work, hard work, hard work. I earn my pay. Hard work, work, hard work, work, hard work, work.
