Southwick Veterans War Memorial as seen in November 2016 that features the additions of the Persian Gulf, Iraq, and Afghanistan wars. (WNG File Photo)
SOUTHWICK – The Select Board approved the request from VFW Post 872 during their meeting on Monday night to make two additions to the Southwick War Memorial.
Troy Henke, Chairman of VFW Post 872, sent a letter to the Select Board on September 26 requesting two separate additions to the war memorial. The first addition is to include the wars in Beirut or Lebanon to be added to the memorial, which currently includes veterans from Southwick who were deployed and dealt with attacks and hostile fire in the Persian Gulf, Iraq, and Afghanistan wars.
Henke pointed out that there are two individuals from Southwick, Todd Wescott and Steven B. Wentworth, who should be a part of the memorial as they fought in either the Beirut or Lebanon conflicts. Westcott is the current Boy Scout Troop 114 Scout Master and a town employee. Wentworth was a marine who was killed during an attack on October 23, 1983.
In the letter, Henke requested to the Select Board that he’d like the additions of Wescott and Wentworth to be included on the war memorial in time for Veterans Day.
“That makes it a bit more poignant as to why it should be included,” said Henke. “This is a very good time to do that.”
The Southwick Veterans Memorial policy was started in 1947 when it began honoring veterans who served in the American Revolution, War of 1812, The American Civil War, The Spanish American War, World War I and World War II. In the early 1960’s, the Korean conflict was added to the memorial, followed by the Vietnam Conflict in the early 1980’s. The third and latest addition to the memorial came in 2016 when the Persian Gulf War and Global War on Terrorism Theaters of Iraq and Afghanistan were included in the memorial.
The policy has certain criteria for veterans to have their name on the Southwick War Memorial and is as follows:
1. Be a resident of the Town of Southwick at the time of their initial entry into the Armed Forces of the United States and have deployed to a recognized combat theater, or be a resident of the Town of Southwick at the time of their deployment to a recognized combat theater as a member of the Armed Forces of the United States.
2. Provide documentation to the town establishing the Veteran’s residency, service, nature of discharge, and deployment details.
3. Less than Honorable and Dishonorable discharges will not be considered for inclusion on the Southwick War Memorial.
The second addition that Henke has requested is for the Select Board to endorse the Post-Service Resident Panel that is in the preparation stages of being constructed at the Southwick War Memorial.
The Post-Service Resident Panel is for veterans who aren’t originally from Southwick, but after they returned from military service or deployment, have lived in Southwick for a lengthy period of time and call Southwick their home. The exact regulations for the post-service resident panel are as follows:
1. Veterans to be included must have a connection to the Town of Southwick based upon actual domiciled residency in the town for a period not less than 40 years or established domiciled residency in the town within 1-5 years following discharge from the Armed Forces of the United States and lived in the town for the remainder of their lives and
2. Served as a member of the United States Armed Forces deployed in a recognized combat theater and
3. Provide documentation to the town establishing the Veteran’s residency, service, nature of discharge, and deployment details, and
4. Verifiably determine that the Veteran is not included on any other municipal service or war memorial in the municipality listed on their service documentation.
5. Any resident who was a Veteran of the town at the time of entry into the Armed Forces of the United States and died while on active duty will be eligible for inclusion on the post-service resident panel if otherwise unable to be listed under any other included theaters.
6. Less than honorable and dishonorable discharges will not be considered for inclusion on any post-service resident panel.
Before the panel can be constructed, VFW Post 872 will be looking at ways to fundraise enough money. Henke noted that he’s not exactly sure how much the project would cost, but could cost around $7,000 or $8,000 and is a long-term project.
Henke stressed the importance of the Select Board approving and endorsing the project in order to begin the fundraising.
“Their approval is absolutely necessary in order to be able to do that,” said Henke.
The Select Board tabled the discussion of the Post-Service Resident Panel until their next meeting. While Select Board member Joe Deedy said that approving the panel isn’t the issue, brainstorming ideas for VFW Post 872 to raise money will be the key issue to be discussed.
