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State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly 2
Regular Session, 2025 SR 11 3
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By: Senator J. Petty 5
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SENATE RESOLUTION 8
TO COMMEMORATE THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY ON FEBRUARY 13, 9
2025, OF THE ROBERT W. JACK VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS 10
POST 1322 IN THE CITY OF VAN BUREN, THE OLDEST 11
VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS POST IN ARKANSAS. 12
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Subtitle 15
TO COMMEMORATE THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY ON 16
FEBRUARY 13, 2025, OF THE ROBERT W. JACK 17
VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS POST 1322 IN 18
THE CITY OF VAN BUREN, THE OLDEST 19
VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS POST IN 20
ARKANSAS. 21
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WHEREAS, veterans in the City of Van Buren and Crawford County, 23
understanding the importance of providing support to veterans, service 24
members, and their families, were granted a charter to organize a Veterans of 25
Foreign Wars Post on February 13, 1925; and 26
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WHEREAS, the Veterans of Foreign Wars traces its roots to 1899 when 28
veterans of the Spanish -American War and the Philippine Insurrection founded 29
local organizations to secure rights and benefits for their service, as many 30
veterans arrived home from war wounded or sick and found no medical care or 31
veterans' pensions waiting for them; and 32
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WHEREAS, charter members of the Robert W. Jack Veterans of Foreign Wars 34
Post 1322 representing veterans of the Spanish -American War were Charles 35
Meador, Charles Blevins, and J.P. Brown; and 36 SR11
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WHEREAS, charter members of the Robert W. Jack Veterans of Foreign Wars 2
Post 1322 representing veterans of World War I, also known as the Great War, 3
were Hugh G. Pope, G.O. Gooding, A. Dewey Lewis, George R. Wood, Robert G. 4
Boatright, Claude L. Sartain, W.A. Baxter, Frank X. Rooney, J.S. Kenny, T.J. 5
Garner, W.E. Lynch, Roy R. Johnson, Roy Franklin, Hugo A. Seelbinder, Harry 6
Line, Phillip Cornelius, and Allen Taylor; and 7
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WHEREAS, the charter members of the Robert W. Jack Veterans of Foreign 9
Wars Post 1322 unanimously chose to honor the memory of Robert W. Jack 10
because Jack gave his life on September 22, 1918, during the waning hours of 11
the Battle of Saint-Miheil in France, and was a good friend to charter member 12
Hugh G. Pope; and 13
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WHEREAS, the Robert W. Jack Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1322 rapidly 15
became a beacon of hope and support for veterans that served in the Spanish -16
American War and World War I; and 17
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WHEREAS, for the past one hundred (100) years, the dedication of the 19
charter members of the Robert W. Jack Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1322 has 20
created more than a building or organization for veterans; it is a place 21
veterans can call home and a place that provides essential services to men 22
and women who have served the nation in the United States Armed Forces; and 23
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WHEREAS, the Robert W. Jack Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1322 predated 25
the establishment of the Department of Arkansas, Veterans of Foreign Wars of 26
the United States and is currently the oldest Veterans of Foreign Wars post 27
in Arkansas; and 28
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WHEREAS, in 2019, the Robert W. Jack Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1322 30
began work on Vision 2025, a project encompassing construction of a facility 31
that will embody a comprehensive approach to health and support for veterans; 32
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WHEREAS, Vision 2025 will include a mental health clinic, a physical 35
therapy clinic, and a physician's clinic as well as a Federal Emergency 36 SR11
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Management Agency-certified storm shelter, a community room, a historical 1
museum, and an outdoor walking trail; and 2
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WHEREAS, the mission of the Robert Jack Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4
1322 is to serve the veterans, citizens, and youth of the City of Van Buren 5
and surrounding communities with existing programs such as OPERATION: Daily 6
Battle, Hiking for Mental Health, Gaming Against PTSD, Voices of Democracy 7
and Patriot's Pen youth essay contests, helping food -insecure veterans and 8
their families with food and assistance with bills, and providing wheelchair -9
accessible ramps; and 10
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WHEREAS, the Robert W. Jack Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1322 12
recognizes the ongoing and changing needs of its veterans and adapts the 13
services it provides to the needs of the veterans of the City of Van Buren 14
and Crawford County; and 15
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WHEREAS, the Robert W. Jack Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1322 serves 17
as a model for other Veterans of Foreign Wars posts throughout Arkansas and 18
the nation, 19
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NOW THEREFORE, 21
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY -FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE 22
STATE OF ARKANSAS: 23
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THAT the Senate commemorate and celebrate the one hundredth anniversary 25
of the Robert W. Jack Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1322 in the City of Van 26
Buren. 27
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT upon adoption, a copy of this resolution be 29
provided to Robert W. Jack Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1322 Commander 30
Matthew Hicks by the Secretary of the Senate. 31
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