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Description
Feb. 27, 2014 - City Councilman At-Large David Oh, the only veterans on City Council, presented a resolution declaring 2014 The Year of the Veteran in Philadelphia. He was joined by Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell (3rd District), Councilman Mark Squilla (1st District), and Council's Veterans Advisory Commission Director Scott Brown. One of the objectives of 2014 will be ending veteran homelessness in Philadelphia.
Interviewer/Producer: Teresa M. Lundy, City Council Media Fellow
Videographer/Editor: Joe Aquino, City Council Media Fellow
A
City
Council
resolution
passed
by
all
members
of
City
Council
recognizing
2014
as
the
year
of
the
veteran
in
Philadelphia,
to
highlight
and
celebrate
the
accomplishments,
as
well
as
to
continue
to
raise
public
awareness
of
issues
related
to
veterans
and
the
ongoing
initiatives
to
serve
serve.
Those
who
have
served,
whereas
Philadelphia
is
a
birthplace
of
the
United
States
Army
United
States
Navy
and
United
States
Marine
Corps,
establishing
a
link
between
our
city
and
those
who
have
served
our
country
dating
back
to
pre-revolutionary
war
times
and
whereas
veterans
from
past
Wars
and
peace.
A
A
Having
served
our
country
in
the
Armed
Forces
puddings
in
themselves
in
harm's
way
willing
to
make
the
ultimate
sacrifice
to
protect
us
and
preserve
our
liberties
and
whereas
there
are
roughly
eighty
eight
thousand
veterans
living
in
Philadelphia
with
service
spanning
World
War
two
until
the
present
men
and
women
of
all
races,
religions,
ethnicities,
gender
identifications
and
physical
abilities,
and
whereas
a
new
generation
of
veterans,
including
many
female
veterans,
are
returning
from
service
and
choosing
to
live.
Work
and
further
their
education
in
Philadelphia
and.
C
One
Philadelphia
program
has
chosen
the
yellow
birds
by
Kevin
powers,
a
tale
of
a
veterans
experience,
while
at
war
as
it
is
selected
for
discussion
and
events
to
be
held
throughout
the
city
in
52,
existing
libraries
and
whereas
Philadelphia
will
host
the
veterans.
Wheelchair
games
in
August
2014,
with
over
600
competitors
from
all
over
the
nation
traveling
to
Philadelphia
in
order
to
picture
participate.
Now,
therefore,
be
it
resolved
by
the
city
council
of
the
city
of
Philadelphia
that
a
hereby
recognizes
2014
as
the
year
of
the
veterans
in
Philadelphia.
C
D
Council
president
Darrell
Clarke
councilman,
o
councilman,
scuola,
councilwoman,
blackwell,
council
members,
colleagues,
the
veterans,
commission
and
fellow
veterans
good
morning
more.
It
is
with
great
honor
that
I
accept
the
job
as
director
of
xions
Advisory,
Commission
and
county
director
of
Veterans
Affairs
for
the
city
of
Philadelphia.
D
I
am
truly
humbled
by
this
choice
and
thank
all
who
have
helped
me
get
here.
They'll,
contrary
to
my
first
piece
of
news,
media
released
I
am
a
veteran
who
served
in
the
United
States
Navy.
I
served
aboard
the
USS
Briscoe
DD
977
destroyed
in
the
early
nineteen
nineteen
nineties
early
two
thousand
and
I
myself
am
a
hundred
percent
service-connected
veteran,
who
utilizes
the
VA
health
system
on
a
daily
basis.
I
come
from
a
long
time
of
veterans,
my
father
grandfather
and
great-grandfather,
which
I
me
remember.
D
Every
time
underneath
my
beret
I
have
spent
many
hours,
volunteering
with
claims
for
my
fellow
veterans,
just
as
someone
did
for
me,
working
as
your
director
I
intend
on
collaborating
all
veterans,
organizations
that
put
veterans
first,
I
want
to
continue
to
work
side-by-side
with
Wanda
pate
and
Joyce
McEwan,
who
are
here.
They
together
have
carried
this
office
for
the
past
two
years,
diligently
and
productively.
D
I,
though
I
know
that
Edgar
would
expect
a
lot
from
our
office
and
we
as
a
staff,
intend
on
doing
just
that
we
will
continue
to
have
roundtables
fairs
and
presentations
for
our
veterans.
The
office
will
work
to
introduce
numerous
other
activities
and
events
throughout
the
year
holding
to
faith
a
filled
agenda.
My
promise
is
that
I'm
not
perfect
I
need
the
help
of
good
veterans.
D
Thank
you
that
people
first,
the
perimeter
sunrise
house
stand
down
Yousef
our
vets,
success,
point
man,
ministries,
a
couple
directors
and
commanders
here:
Andre
Mears,
the
Latin
American
post
number
8
40
here
we
go
here-
is
bill.
Cole's
5th
district
up
here
with
me:
John
Peterson,
commander
of
405,
the
Union
League
Dave
Adams,
a
radio
personality
somewhere
here,
I
see
it
ok,
al
Willis,
WP,
roach,
post
number,
21
and
recipient
of
the
Congressional
Gold
Medal
World
War
two
right
here
in
our
presence.
D
My
personal
commander
Southwest
pill
southwest
Philly
post
959,
who
reminded
me
that
my
dues
were
due
John
Thomas
key
he's
up
here,
as
he
always
does
greater
philadelphia
veterans
networks,
and
you
are
not
alone
what
a
group
to
end
with
you.
Veterans
are
not
alone
in
Philadelphia.
These
groups
here
today
are
just
a
smidgen
of
what
is
offered
in
Philadelphia
I,
truly
believe
that
our
office
and
these
organizations
mentioned
and
numerous
more
will,
Betty
better
the
city
services
to
our
veterans.
Thank
you
to
the
to
every
veterans
group
here
today.
D
Fellow
veterans,
thank
you
for
being
so
important
to
us
so
good
to
our
country
and
for
being
in
this
city
check
this
council
chamber
today,
except
this
resolution
on
behalf
of
all
veterans
organizations
and
all
veterans
throughout
this
great
city
of
ours.
I'm,
truly
moved
at
my
introduction,
and
this
citation
are
with
the
within
the
same
agenda
this
morning.
I
will
assure
you
that,
while
at
the
helm
of
this
office,
I
will
keep
this
resolution
the
year
of
the
veteran
2014
and
you
the
veterans
of
Philadelphia,
my
first
priority.
D
God
family
and
a
love
for
your
country
are
what
those
who
have
served
are
taught
I
hope
to
work
as
hard
for
veterans
as
all
of
the
directors
before
me
did.
Thank
you
all
for
this
resolution
that
will
remain
always
on
display
in
room
127
our
office
as
a
reminder
that
veterans
are
always
number
one.
Our
first
public
hearing
will
be
marched
5th
at
2pm,
where
we
all
be
present
and
will
be
here
in
council
chambers,
again
March
5th
at
two
o'clock.
Thank
you
very
much.
A
E
Want
to
say
that
this
is
the
most
exciting
thing
that
has
happened
to
this
office
besides
having
the
new
director
come
in
with
us,
Scott
Brown,
and
that
we
look
forward
to
great
things
having
greater
than
we
can
imagine
now,
and
we
can
have
veterans,
come
in
and
see
another
veteran
in
the
office
and
know
that
we
aspire
for
greatness
students
office
thanks
to
councilman.
Oh
thanks
to
councilman
Darrell
Clarke,
thanks
to
all
the
council
members
who
have
fought
diligently
to
make
this
office
grow
as
it
has.
Thank
you
well.
D
It's
a
in
my
speech,
you'll
see
it's
having
the
resolution
for
the
year
of
the
veteran
and
being
introduced
as
the
new
director
is
an
awesome
experience.
I've
worked
with
councilman
scrilla
in
his
office
and
with
Councilman
L
on
a
lot
of
veterans.
Think
so
it
just
kind
of
doesn't
feel
like
it's
anything
that
we've
been
out
of
the
ordinary.
It's
definitely
been
a
sure
fit
and
has
worked
well
and
I
love
and
Councilman.
Oh
noes
of
service
that
I
appreciate.