From the Executive Director's Desk,

Greetings Veterans and Service members!

We are commemorating Veterans' Day in New York City with many ceremonies and events. On Thursday, November 11th, the United War Veterans' Council, in conjunction with the Mayor's Office of Veterans' Affairs, will be hosting the annual Veterans' Day Parade. The event will start at 10:00 am, at the Eternal Light Monument at Madison Square Park, 23rd Street and Fifth Avenue, followed by the parade. After the parade there will be a Veterans' Fair held at the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum. Representatives from New York City agencies, the United States Department of Veterans' Affairs, the New York State Division of Veterans' Affairs, the New York State Department of Labor, and Helmets-to-Hardhats, will be on hand to talk to returning Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom service members and veterans of all eras. I urge you to attend and to pass the word about this important day to all of your fellow veterans, service members, friends, and loved ones who know people who are serving, or who are recently discharged. This is an opportunity to ask questions and get answers regarding your benefits from local, state, and federal agencies and community-based organizations.

On the evening of November 11th at 9:00 pm, HBO will be premiering "Last Letters Home: Voices of American Troops from the Battlefields of Iraq." This is a very moving documentary that features families who have lost loved ones in the War on Terrorism. This film is produced and directed by Academy Award winner, Bill Couturie, (HBO's "Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam"), the documentary special debuts, Thursday, November, 11 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO. Other HBO playdates: November 14 (4:15 pm), 17 (1:30 pm, 8:00 pm), 22 (11:00 pm), 23 (9:00 am), 27 (2:45 pm) and 30 (4:00 pm). HBO2 playdates: November 12 (10:00 pm), 15 (12:30 pm) and 19 (2:45 pm). In an effort to reach as many viewers as possible, HBO and participating cable affiliates will open the signal during the telecast, making the program available to almost all cable households, not just pay-cable subscribers. If you wish to receive information or have a question about the upcoming broadcast, please email lastlettershome@cegny.com. Additional information is also available at http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/lastlettershome.

Please take note of all events that will be taking place around New York City. Contact information and links to their Web sites are listed below.

Also, keep in mind our servicemembers who are serving at home and abroad. Drop them an email or send them a letter.

I hope to see you all at the parade on November 11th!

Until then . . .

Take care and Semper Fi,

Clarice Joynes
Executive Director & Military Liaison

The 2004 Veterans' Day Parade will kick-off at 11 a.m., Thursday, November 11, 2004, in Madison Square Park, 26th Street at Fifth Avenue. The Parade will be preceded by an Eternal Light Monument Ceremony at 10:15 a.m. honoring veterans from past wars and Armed Forces members currently serving. Following the Parade, all veterans, military members and their families are invited to a Post-Parade Veterans' Day Fair, from 1 to 6 p.m., at the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum, 46th Street & 12th Avenue, for an afternoon of military pageantry. During the Veterans' Day Fair, representatives from the Federal, State and City Veterans Affairs offices will be on hand to assist our newest veterans answer questions about their benefits. Admission to the Veterans' Day Fair is free for all veterans, parade participants and their families. The United War Veterans' Council is urging veterans from all eras to participate in this year's event. For more information, please call the Veterans' Parade Hotline at (212) 693-0474, visit the Parade Web site at www.thankyouforservingNYC.com, e-mail Pat at PatUWVC@aol.com or click on the flyers below:

• Veterans Day Parade Application Form
• Component Parts of the Veterans' Day Parade 2004 NY

The HBO documentary special "Last Letters Home: Voices of American Troops From the Battlefields of Iraq" debuts on Veterans' Day, Thursday, November, 11, 2004 at 9 p.m. This tribute to men and women killed during Operation Iraqi Freedom features family members of eight men and two women who share their loved ones' letters. HBO and participating cable operators are opening the broadcast signal in an effort to reach as many cable subscribers as possible. The documentary, inspired by a series of New York Times op-ed articles, is also being supported by LIFE Books, who have published a 128-page companion book. Net proceeds from the sale of the book and DVD will go to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund which provides unrestricted grants to families of military personnel who have given their lives in the current operations. For more information, please visit www.hbo.com.

The New York City Police Department Marine Corps Association is inviting all Marines in the 5 boroughs to its commemoration of the 229th birthday of the United States Marine Corps, at 10 a.m., Friday, November 5, 2004 in the One Police Plaza Auditorium. Guest speakers include Lt. Gen. Jan C. Huly, Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies, and Operations, Headquarters, US Marine Corps and "Gunny" R. Lee Ermey, the host of the History Channel's "Mail Call". For more information, please visit the association's Web site at www.nypdmarine.com.

The Commanding Officers of 1st Marine Corps District & Recruiting Station New York announce the celebration of the 229th birthday of the United States Marine Corps. The 2004 Marine Corps Birthday Ball will begin at 7 p.m., Saturday, November 6, 2004 at Huntington Town House, 124 East Jericho Turnpike, Huntington, NY 11747. Tickets cost $65 per person and can be purchased by filling out the form below and mailing it in with your payment to the address indicated on the form. Please call Gunnery Sergeant Worrell at (516) 228-5642 or Sergeant Major Reese at (516) 228-3684, ext. 13 with questions.

• 2004 Marine Corps Birthday Ball Registration Form

The United Veterans' Day Parade Committee is holding its annual Veterans' Day Parade at Noon, November 7, 2004 at Lafayette Avenue and East Tremont Avenue in the Bronx. The parade will proceed east to Veterans' Memorial Park where a ceremony will be held to honor all veterans. The committee is also looking for donations to help defray the costs of this year's parade. Please contact them at The United Veterans Day Parade Committee of Greater New York, Inc., C/O American Legion Post 253, 241 Longstreet Avenue, Bronx, NY 10465 for more information, or click on the flyer below:

• United Veterans' Day Parade Committee Flyer

Family and Friends of all Veterans are invited to a Mass to celebrate and bless New York's Veterans at 12:30 p.m., Sunday, November 7, 2004 at St. Clare's Church, 138th Avenue and Brookville Boulevard, Rosedale, Queens, 11422. Members from every branch of the service, from every time period and theatre of operations are encouraged to participate and be recognized for their service. Please call the church at (718) 949-0123 for more information.

The Montford Point Marine Association, Inc. cordially invites all veterans to their Annual Dinner Dance, from 4 to 6 p.m., Sunday, November 7, 2004 at Antun's Caterers, 96-43 Springfield Boulevard, Queens Village, New York. The Association will recognize Lt. Col. Denice Williams, US Marine Corps, during the event. The Association is asking for a donation of $70 per person for this semi-formal event. For more information, please call the Montford Point Marines at (212) 267-3318, Joe Davis at (718) 978-7631, Kenneth Rollock at (201) 569-7113 or click on the flyer below:

• Annual Dinner Dance Flyer

The Center for the Study of War and Society, Department of History, University of Tennessee - Knoxville is presenting "Veterans' Day 2004: Sharing Stories", Wednesday, November 10, 2004 from 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. at the 92nd Street Y. This panel discussion consists of veterans, family members, historians and publishers who will share their remembrances and describe how they were able to bring their stories to print. Tickets are $25 and can be ordered online at www.92y.org or by calling (212) 415-5500. Online orders will receive a 50% discount on service fees.

The United States Army Band "Pershing's Own" will perform two special concerts in New York. On Friday, November 19, 2004, at 1 p.m., a free concert will be held at Trinity Church, Broadway at Wall Street, New York. No tickets are required. For more information, please call the Trinity Church Wall Street concert hotline at (212) 602-0747. The second concert will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, November 20, 2004 at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall. The concert is free but tickets are required. Please call the Army Public Affairs Office in New York at (212) 784-0115 or the US Army Military District of Washington at (202) 685-2888 for tickets for the Saturday concert. For more information, please click on the flyer below:

• US Army Band "Pershing's Own" Concert Flyer

The Old Guard of the City of New York is hosting its 178th Annual Military Ball and Dinner at 7 p.m., Saturday, November 20, 2004 at The Astoria World Manor, 25-22 Astoria Boulevard, Astoria, Queens. Brigadier General Michael Swezey, Commander, New York Army National Guard, will be honored during this Military Formal/Civilian Black Tie event. Tickets cost $75 per person and there is free on-site parking. Please click on the flyer below to make a reservation for this year's event. For more information, please contact the Adjutant, Old Guard of the City of New York at (212) 724-9268. All tickets will be held at the door.

• 178th Annual Old Guard Military Ball and Dinner Flyer
• Old Guard Military Ball Advertising Contract

The Queens Korean War Veterans' Memorial Association, in conjunction with the Mayor's Office of Veterans' Affairs and the Office of New York City Council Member John Liu are compiling a list of names of those who died during the Korean War and were Queens residents at the time of enlistment (home of record). Anyone with information regarding Queens veterans who died in Korea during the war (June 27, 1950 - July 27, 1953) are encouraged to submit the veteran's name and any supporting documentation to Council Member Liu's office, 135-27 38th Avenue, Suite 388, Flushing, NY 11354. All names submitted will be verified through the National Archives and Records Administration.