Happy New Year!! What an amazing job you have all done in 2023 celebrating Americanism. July thru December, all Colorado auxiliaries brought great spotlights on Americanism thru distribution of flags, educating students and communities.

Many of you shared your activities and promotions via emails, Facebook, and Instagrams. Please keep all this going as we go into 2024. I share often with National Ambassador, Linda Roloff. I can tell you she is loving it! We have many opportunities to celebrate our military successes and history of all our branches of service.
• January 25 – Anniversary of the US and Allied Victory at the Battle of the Bulge.
• February 9 – Anniversary of the US Victory of the Battle of Guadalcanal
• February 19 – Coast Guard Reserve Birthday
• February 28 – Anniversary of the US led Victory in the Persian Gulf War
• March 3 – Navy Reserve Birthday
• March 5 – Seabee Birthday. Yes, they are still active. United States Naval Construction Battalions, better known as the Navy Seabees, form the US Naval Construction Force (NCF)
• March 13 – K-9 Veterans Day
• March 25 – Medal of Honor Day
• March 26 - Anniversary of the US Victory at the Battle of Iwo Jima
• March 29 – Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day
 
What are the anniversaries of your local Post side and Auxiliary side? What are the anniversaries of your local veterans memorial sites? Put a spotlight on all these dates. Educate, celebrate, and be present to your veterans and communities.
 
The reporting is coming in pretty well by some auxiliaries. I know more of you have activities completed not reported yet. Please put on your follow up to do list to complete your report before going on to your next project. This ensures all your work and projects are included in your auxiliary’s total numbers at the end of our auxiliary year.
 
I want to highlight and encourage all auxiliaries to be sure to include all of our US branches of service. Space Force previously existed within the Air Force since 1982, as the Air Force Space Command. Space Force was established on December 20, 2019. The branch’s motto is Semper Supra “Always Above”. Air Force Academy’s class of 2020 included 86 graduates to become the Space Force’s 1st company-grade officers. September 15, 2020, a virtual mass swearing-in was held for about 2,400 troops transferring into the Space Force from locations around the world. December 10, 2020, the 1st 7 people to enlist directly in the Space Force graduated from basic training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas. Space Force flag was unveiled at the White House in May 2020. Official Space Force song is also called Semper Supra unveiled in September, 2022.
 
What grouping of flags do you have on your Post’s Missing Man Table display? What branches of service insignias do you have hanging on your wall today? It is our Auxiliary’s responsibility to educate our Post and Auxiliary members, our students, and community about all branches of service. Share your love of USA and how VFW Auxiliary of Colorado is doing just this.
 
Amazing Americanism Audrey is ready to share all your wonderful work doing the best your auxiliary can do celebrating and honoring the amazing Americanism traditions and history we all need to know and participate in! FYI – There will be a reward for knowing some facts about our newest branch of service...Space Force.
 
Respectfully submitted,
 
Marilyn Peters
Department Americanism