LAKEWOOD, Wash.( Sept. 15, 2010) – Coinciding with National POW/MIA Recognition Day on Friday, a special ceremony at American Lake Veterans Golf Course will mark the dedication of the new nine-hole putting course to honor those who were prisoners of war and those who are still missing in action.
The flag-raising commemoration will take place Friday (Sept. 17) at noon during the semiannual golf tournament of Warrior Transition Battalion stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
“This tournament means a lot to the Battalion,” stated LTC Daniel Dudek, Commander of the local Warrior Transition Battalion. “It’s a way for recovering soldiers to take a break from their weekly routines at the hospital and around the battalion area,” he commented, adding, “It creates an environment where recovering soldiers gets to share in some fellowship and fun with other veterans and maybe make some new friends. ”
“Many hours of volunteer labor contributed to the creation of this unique putting course,” said Bruce McKenty, a retired Army officer and manager of the American Lake Veterans Golf Course. McKenty, who also serves as a director for Friends of American Lake Veterans Golf Course, its 501(c)3 charitable affiliate, noted the new putting course, like amenities elsewhere at the unique facility, is accessible for service members who depend on adaptive golf carts to play the game. “This is yet another way ALVGC serves those who serve, and aids in the healing transition of the brave individuals who are returning from combat.”
In the past year, the course completed a Rehabilitation and Training Center and embarked on a multi-million campaign to expand from nine holes to 18 holes and to enhance the facility’s overall accessibility. ALVGC, which is maintained and operated by volunteers, is the only course in the country designed specifically for wounded and disabled veterans. The course is adjacent to the American Lake Division of VA Puget Sound Health Care System and close to the Warrior Transition Battalion Complex at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
National POW/MIA Recognition Day is observed in the United States on the third Friday in September. The day was established by an Act of Congress in 1998 and the flag was first recognized by public law in 1990. The POW/MIA flag, created by the National League of Families, is a symbol of citizen concern about U.S. military personnel taken as prisoners of war (POWs) or listed as missing in action (MIA).
Information about the American Lake Veterans Golf Course, including details on how to support it, may be found online at veterangolf.org.
Contact:
American Lake Veterans Golf Course
(253) 589-1998
LTC Daniel Dudek Battalion Commander, Warrior Transition Battalion, Joint Base Lewis-McChord
253.966-4200
http://alvetsgolfcourse.com and http://veterangolf.org
