Veterans Day this year is Monday, November 11th. For the officers and members of IBEW Local 98, however, every day is Veterans Day.
IBEW Local 98’s membership includes many proud military veterans. To both honor them and provide them with the help and resources they need and deserve, we formed the Local 98 Veterans Committee last year and appointed veteran and Local 98 member Bryan Gabriel to lead the effort. To date, the Local 98 Veterans Committee has donated hundreds of pairs of new socks to local veterans. The committee is also sponsoring a coat drive to keep veterans in-need warm this winter.
I, along with Bryan Gabriel, have been able to assist Local 98 veteran members with military discharge upgrades in order for them to receive benefits. The committee is also working with several Local 98 veterans to get them either started with a disability claim or upgrade their current rating to a higher percentage. The committee is also researching all 98 Local members who ever served in the military in order to inscribe their names on a wall of honor at our new Navy Yard union hall.
In addition to our own Veterans Committee’s work, we’re proud to have supported the Veterans Multi-Service Center for many years with funding, food and materials, as well as with in-kind electrical work. Local 98 also proudly supports the Travis Manion Foundation.
Named for First Lieutenant Travis Manion, USMC, who made the ultimate sacrifice for the safety of his patrol in 2007, the foundation carries on the legacy of selfless service and leadership embodied by Travis and all those who have served, or continue to serve, our nation. The foundation strives to unite and strengthen communities by training, developing, and highlighting the role models that lead them. It developed programs, training opportunities, and events designed to empower veterans and families of the fallen, and then inspire them to pass on their values to the next generation and the community at large.
IBEW Local 98 also provides in-kind electrical work and funding for the city’s Vietnam and Korean War Memorials. Like they were there for us, we always answer veterans’ calls for help.