The NJROTC Cadets competed in the Northwest Drill and Rifle competition at Spanaway High School against 10 other high school JROTC units in the areas of Drill, Color Guard, Physical Fitness and Air Rifle.

Port Angeles took first place in Armed Drill, first and third place out of 20 teams in Color Guard, third and fourth place in Physical Fitness out of 14 teams, second in Dual Armed Exhibition Drill, second in Sporter Air Rifle and second in Precision Air Rifle. Congratulations! Individual medals also were won by many of the cadets.

All active, reserve and retired military and National Guard and their dependents, plus disabled veterans receive FREE gate admission on Friday, April 20, with valid military ID at the Spring Fair in Puyallup. The fair is open 10 a.m.-10 p.m. For more information, call 253-841-5045 or go to www.thefair.com. The fair runs April 19-22. Go and enjoy!

The Military Officers Association of America/Olympic Peninsula Chapter will be having a general membership meeting at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 21, at The Cedars at Dungeness, 1965 Woodcock Road. CWO4 Hart from the Naval Undersea Warfare Center at Keyport will be talking about the role of Navy divers. All officers that served in the U.S. armed forces are welcome to attend. Lunch cost is $16. Call me at 683-6419 to RSVP or if you have a question.

The American Legion Post 62 welcomes all veterans to march with them in the Irrigation Festival Grand Parade. If you would like to march, contact the Commander at 683-5915. We will be with the VFW, the Legion Riders and other service groups. Show your community pride and support our local parade!

Please get involved with the issues going on with the state and national budgets. Let your elected representatives know your position on military pay, benefits, retirement and health care. There are hundreds of us here on the peninsula that will feel the impact if some of the suggested cuts, changes or fees are implemented — yes, I am one of them. I am sending e-mails, signing post cards and letters and trying to raise the awareness of my fellow vets and the public.

I am proud I served my country for almost 21 years.  We all followed all the rules, we all made the necessary sacrifices. Now the government wants to change the rules on us and shred the promises made to us. The only recourse is to stand with my fellow vets and citizens and say NO!

An easy way for you to have a say is to become a member of a service organization. Congress listens to numbers and if we keep the numbers in these organizations big, Congress will listen.