2017 Beneficiaries
Following is a summary of some events, projects, causes, and initiatives that the Marine Corps Coordinating Council of Kentucky (MCCCK) and/or its individual members have administratively, logistically, and financially supported during the year so indicated:
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- December 2017 – Support of Toys for Tots (Jefferson, Shelby, Oldham and Spencer Counties) through individual personal toy donations by past and present MCCCK officers and directors, as well as sustaining members and spouses during an enlarged Christmas related social event at Science Hill Inn (Georgian Room), Shelbyville, Kentucky.
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- December 2017 – Houston Mills, Jr, President, MCCCK, continues to serve on a national level with the Toys for Tots Foundation, Board of Directors, as a member of the Audit, Finance and Compensation Committee.
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- December 2017 – Provided organizational assistance and guidance to Public Affairs Office, 1st Marine Corps District, New York City / Long Island, in its attempt to reactivate and restructure a Marine Corps Coordinating Council within the 1st Marine Corps District, focusing on governing documents, mission statements, recruiting and financial support.
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- December 2017 – Cooperative acquisition of grants and individual donations from Kentucky Marines and Friends of the Corps, totaling $87,775, for the benefit of the Semper Fi Fund (SFF), all of which was matched dollar-for-dollar by the Bob and Renee Parsons Foundation (GoDaddy.com), thereby resulting in $175,550 support of injured and wounded Marines nationwide. With this matched grant, the Marine Corps coordinating Council of Kentucky (MCCCK) has now been responsible, either directly or indirectly, for generating $1,097,032 in support of the SFF and its vital mission, since 2008.
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- December 2017 – Continued funding of a college or university “Marine Corps Coordinating Council of Kentucky Scholarship,” to be awarded annually to a worthy son or daughter of a Kentucky Marine, under the auspices of the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation (MCSF), which has been “honoring Marines by educating their children” since its inception in 1962. The Marine Corps Coordinating Council of Kentucky is proud to partner with the MCSF for the eighth consecutive year (2011-2018) in this truly important extension of its motto “Marines Serving Marines.”
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- December 2017 – Provided logistical support in the form of media advisories and senior officer participation at public ceremonial re-burial of remains of Kentucky Marine killed in action during the bloody Battle of Tarawa (1945), returned to Cave City, Kentucky following forensic identification utilizing DNA technology.
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- November 2017 – Provided direct financial tuition support of eight (8) wounded Kentucky Marines, enabling them and their families to participate in a physical and emotional therapeutic Warrior Adventure Program – Deer Hunt at Life Adventure Center, Versailles, Kentucky.
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- November 2017 – Funding support and cooperative partial sponsorship of annual Kentucky Marine Corps Birthday Breakfast at Lexington, Kentucky, attended by 120 active duty, reserve and veteran Marines from throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky, who honored “Marine Raiders,” through keynote address by Maj Emily J. Culver, USMC, Commanding Officer, Recruiting Station Louisville, who was recognized as Guest of Honor.
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- November 2017 – Funding support of Marine Corps Birthday celebrations hosted by the Marine Corps Recruiting Station Louisville (Louisville), Military Police “Alpha” Company (Lexington), and “Echo” Company, 4th Tank Battalion (Fort Knox).
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- November 2017 – Facilitated the acquisition of organizational and individual donations from the statewide Marine Corps community, in support of the Sgt Reckless Memorial Fund, for casting and placement of a larger-than-life bronze statue of Sgt Reckless, a Mongolian mare who served alongside Marines during the Korean War, at the International Museum of the Horse within the Kentucky horse Park at Lexington, Kentucky.
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- October 2017 – Provided full funding for the installation of a bronze plaque in a classroom at the University of Kentucky, Veterans resource center, Lexington, Kentucky, dedicated to the memory of a young Marine, the first of 22 Kentucky Marines, killed in action during the ongoing Global War on Terror.
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- October 2017 – Provided logistical guidance to out-of-state family of deceased Marine Corps veteran seeking burial honors during internment of cremains at rural cemetery in Harlan County, without services of a local funeral director.
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- October 2017 – Provided technical support and potential sources of funding to the Kentucky Historical Society for an historical firearms permanent exhibit at the Kentucky Military History Museum, Frankfort, Kentucky, focusing on the life and work of the late LtCol George M. Chinn, USMC, a Kentucky Marine considered to be the world’s foremost expert in the design and functioning of fully automatic military machine guns, to include the M-19 automatic grenade launcher, which he is credited with inventing.
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- September 2017 – Assisted visiting World War II veterans and families of Marine Corps aviation squadron (VMB) for bi-annual reunion in Louisville, Kentucky, with the identification and invitation of local Marine Corps League color guard and Guest of Honor for closing banquet.
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- September 2017 – Provided statewide publicity for financial support within Marine Corps community for hurricane relief efforts initiated by Marine Corps Coordinating Council of Houston – Galveston (Texas).
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- September 2017 – Assisted in the research and preparation of required documentation for the nomination of a highly decorated Kentucky Marine for induction into the Kentucky Veterans Hall of Fame.
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- July 2017 – Assistance to Thoroughbred Club of America, Lexington, Kentucky, with preparation of military service related portion of formal testimonial honoring a highly decorated Kentucky Marine veteran of the Vietnam War.
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- July 2017 – Provided research support to the Kentucky State Archives, Frankfort Cemetery Association, Marine Corps History Division, and the descendants of the legendary Lt Presley N. O’Bannon, USMC, concerning the spelling of the O’Bannon surname on the historic stone marking the O’Bannon grave at the Frankfort Cemetery, Frankfort, Kentucky, which proclaims that “as captain of the United States Marines, he was the first to plant the American flag on foreign soil,” during our 1805 war against the Barbary Pirates in Tripoli.
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- July 2017 – Facilitated the transfer of a World War II artifact (Japanese Army bugler music notebook recovered on beach during Battle of Guam) from family of deceased veteran to Marine Corps Band, Washington, DC, for historical retention.
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- June 2017 – Provided liaison support to families, funeral directors, and Inspector – Instructor staffs for three burials of Marine Corps veterans of World War II in rural Kentucky counties.
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- May 2017 – Administrative assistance and guidance to Marine Corps Coordinating Council of Indianapolis seeking affiliation with national Marine Corps Council, of which the Marine corps coordinating Council of Kentucky is a member.
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- May 2017 – Funding support of Louisville Armed Forces Committee (LAFC) annual Armed Forces Day Dinner at Louisville, Kentucky, during which local military personnel of all our armed forces are recognized and honored for individual achievements associated with their service. Complimentary dinners are provided to representatives of the Marine Corps League, Kentuckiana Detachment; Montford Point Marine Association, Louisville Chapter; and Women Marines Association (Louisville Chapter); as well as sponsorship of a Patriot Award honoring a Louisville area “Marine of the Year.”
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- April 2017 – Funding support of Officer Selection Teams (Lexington)(Cincinnati), MCRSL, sponsored and hosted Colonel “Rich” Higgins Memorial Mess Night, major officer candidate recruiting effort focusing on regional colleges and universities, to include food, beverages, and awards, primarily through individual member participation and generosity of those unable to attend, subsidizing grant, as well as dedicated award sponsorships.
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- April 2017 – Funding support of academic scholarship established by Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (MCJROTC), Seneca High School, Louisville, Kentucky, in memory of LCpl Robert A. Lynch, USMC, Seneca High School, MCJROTC alumnus killed in action on July 24, 2007 in Iraq, marking the tenth annual presentation of same since May 15, 2008.
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- April 2017 – Logistical and media advisory support of Marine Corps League, Presley N. O’Bannon Detachment #1342, Frankfort, Kentucky, commemorative ceremony at grave of Lt. Presley N. O’Bannon in historic State Mound within Frankfort Cemetery.
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- April 2017 – Logistical support of Keeneland Association, with the preparation of public address announcer’s script for audio visual tribute to Sgt Reckless, Marine Corps war horse during the Korean War, at “Military Day at the Races.”
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- April 2017 – Assistance to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Louisville, Kentucky, in acquiring color photograph of J.J. McGinty, USMC (Medal of Honor – Vietnam), who enlisted in Marine Corps at Louisville, Kentucky, from Congressional Medal of Honor Society, for inclusion VA Hospital “Wall of Fame.”
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- March 2017 – Funding support of Marine Corps League, Kentuckiana Detachment #729, initiative to purchase of new refrigerator for Volunteers Lounge at Department of Veterans Affairs Hospital, Louisville, Kentucky.
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- March 2017 – Provided financial support of the Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps program at Fern Creek High School, Fern Creek, Kentucky, to assist with travel expenses associated with out-of-state national marksmanship competition.
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- February 2017 – Funding support of the Montford Point Marine Association, Chapter #22, Louisville, Kentucky, Covington – Hagan Scholarships, awarded annually to deserving college bound African – American students.
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- February 2017 – Provided family of deceased Marine Corps veteran of the Battle of Iwo Jima with small quantity of volcanic ash from beach below Mt. Suribachi on Iwo Jima, for sprinkling on grave following burial in rural Morgan County, Kentucky.
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- February 2017 – Provided publicity within Louisville, Kentucky veterans’ community for specialized physical therapy / exercise program designed to alleviate debilitating effects of PTSD and TBI, sponsored by Bella.
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- February 2017 – Facilitated the submission of personal memoir of deceased Marine Corps veteran of World War II, detailing participation in Battle of Okinawa, to Marine Corps History Division, as provided by surviving son.