Blue Mountain Eagle
Veterans
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
A9
Aircraft fascination leads to Army service
From Feb. 2007 to May
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Army as a specialist E-4. He
A broken neck cut short worked doing aircraft pneudrau-
George Hiller’s plans to pursue lics systems
a career in the Army, but it didn’t repair, and was
dampen his interest in aircraft a door gunner
nor his desire to give back to on CH-47 Chi-
other veterans.
nook helicop-
Hiller said ever since he was ters.
a young boy, he was fascinated
Hiller’s ser-
with planes in general, especial- vice took him
George
ly military aircraft.
to South Ko-
Hiller
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his grandfather, who was a pri- North Caroli-
vate pilot, back and forth from na; Afghanistan; and Wheeler
the Chicago area, where Hiller $UP\$LU¿HOGLQ+DZDLL
grew up, to a family summer
During his service in Af-
home in the Gunnison, Colo. ghanistan, from 2009-2010,
area.
he received an Air Medal with
He was a freshman in high “V” Device, a combat action
school when the 9/11 terrorist badge, an Army Commenda-
attacks happened, and that “so- WLRQ0HGDODQGRWKHUFHUWL¿FDWHV
OLGL¿HG´KLVGHFLVLRQWRJRLQWR and achievements for volunteer
the military.
work.
Blue Mountain Eagle
It was while Hiller was in
Hawaii that he broke his neck
and received a medical dis-
charge.
“I did everything I could to
try to stay in,” he said, but just
couldn’t keep up with his as-
signments and duties.
Despite the injury which
cut short his military career
plans, Hiller said, “I enjoyed 99
percent of my experience and
wouldn’t change any of it for
anything.”
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ommends the military to others.
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who had a good friend in Grant
County, moved here for a cou-
ple of months while weighing
options.
He enjoyed his time in Grant
County and plans to return here
to vacation and hunt. But his de-
termination to continue working
with aircraft compelled him to
move to Michigan where the job
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He plans to head to college to
pursue his airframe and power-
plant license to become a certi-
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Hiller will also be closer to
family there and will take care
of his ailing grandfather who
helped give wings to his interest
in aircraft.
The move also offers him
the opportunity to volunteer for
the Honor Flight Network – a
program which helps provide
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morials in Washington, D.C. –
which has a station in Kalama-
zoo, Mich.
“Giving back my military
service allows me to help other
veterans,” Hiller said.
“My life’s not about me – it’s
about helping others.”
VFW, Legion serve vets and the community
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monies and remembrances on
Grant County is home to Memorial Day, Veterans Day
several groups dedicated to and other special patriotic oc-
serving both local veterans and casions.
communities.
The American Legion
Three towns have active Auxiliary is a patriotic ser-
American Legion posts – John vice organization for spouses
Day, Prairie City and Monu- and family members of mili-
ment. Dayville’s post is cur- tary personnel. Traditionally,
rently listed as inactive, and in in years past, the group was
need of a commander.
comprised of mostly wives.
The local Veterans of For- However, with an increasing
eign Wars Post 3597 is head- number of women serving in
quartered in John Day.
the military today, husbands
Any honorably discharged and other male family members
veteran or person currently are welcome into Auxiliary
VHUYLQJLQRQHRIWKH¿YH8QLW- membership.
ed States military branches –
In addition to serving the
Army, Navy, Marine Corps, needs of veterans, involvement
Coast Guard and Air Force – in local schools and communi-
may join the American Legion. ties is also a key component to
VFW membership is for the groups.
active or honorably discharged
Jim Jerome, the District 10
RI¿FHUVRUHQOLVWHGSHRSOHZKR adjutant for the American Le-
meet one of the following re- gion and VFW Post 3597 quar-
quirements: served 30 consecu- termaster, said, “The big thing
tive or 60 nonconsecutive days for any veterans organization is
LQ.RUHDUHFHLYHGKRVWLOH¿UHRU involvement with the citizens
imminent danger pay, or been of the community.”
awarded a military campaign
The Legion and Auxiliary
medal for overseas service.
head up youth leadership and
Veterans may belong to both citizen programs, Girls and
organizations.
Boys State, and both the Legion
Blue Mountain Eagle
and VFW sponsor youth essay
competitions – Americanism
Essay for the Legion, and Patri-
ot’s Pen for the VFW.
The Auxiliary also runs the
annual Memorial Day poppy
program which raises commu-
nity awareness and by-donation
funds to help hospitalized vet-
erans.
Anyone interested in be-
coming a member of the Amer-
ican Legion, Legion Auxiliary
or the VFW, or participating in
any of the groups’ service activ-
ities, is encouraged to contact
their local representative.
To learn more, visit:
American Legion, Oregon,
http://www.orlegion.org/
American Legion Auxilia-
ry, Oregon, http://www.alaore-
gon.org/
Veterans of Foreign Wars,
Oregon, http://www.vfwore-
gon.org/
American Legion
and VFW meetings
American Legion
Ellis Tracy Post 77
Commander and Adju-
tant Art Pereira
Meets at 7 p.m. the third
Thursday of the month
Alec Gay Hall
176 S.E. Dayton St.
John Day, OR 97845
541-575-1841
tant Earl Pettit
P.O. Box 395
Monument, OR 97864
Alexander Harper
Dayville Post 115
Currently inactive; no
commander
Veterans of Foreign
Prairie City Post 106
Commander Ed Negus
Adjutant Tom McAuslan
P.O. Box 540
Prairie City, OR 97869
Monument Post 148
Commander and Adju-
Wars Post 3597
Commander Gregg Starr
Meets at 7 p.m. the third
Wednesday of the month
240 S. Canyon Blvd.,
John Day
541-932-4113
The first installment of the 2015-
2016 property tax is due Monday,
November 16, 2015 by 5 p.m.
November 15th at 2 p.m.
Outpost Pizza, Pub and Grill
Grant County Little League has
supported youth softball and
baseball programs for many years;
join us at our annual meeting
and become a voting member,
board member or coach!
The success of these
programs depends on
your participation.
02914
Payments may be made at the Tax
Collector’s office in the Grant County
Courthouse in Canyon City or the
payment may be mailed and
postmarked no later than November
16, 2015. Please remember that
delinquent taxes accrue interest at the
rate of 16% per year.
If you have any questions,
please call the Tax Office at
541-575-0189 or the Tax
Assessor’s direct line
at 541-575-0107.
PO Box 185
Canyon City, OR 97820
02823
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