MEMBERSPOTLIGHT


family, he said, “It has opened up a number of paths for nearly our entire family to join in the future. Seeing both (mom and Mike) put so much of themselves into their respective organizations led me to joining the Auxiliary when I was given the chance.” Pate was the fi rst male in the VFW


Auxiliary to attend a National Council Meeting – at National President Francisca Guilford’s Homecoming in Alaska. “It was amazing! I was the only male in


Anna and David Pate David Pate had a lot of inspiration to join


the VFW Auxiliary. His mother and stepfather, Joan and Mike


Penney, have been involved with the VFW and Auxiliary for years. His wife, Anna, is a Specialist in the U.S. Army who, last year, was deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan. His stepfather and grandfather both served overseas. With so many eligible veterans in the


MYVETERAN John H. Hansen’s U.S. Air Force service


took him across the globe, from Kessler Air Force Base in Mississippi to far-fl ung destinations like Tripoli and Rome. Back home in the U.S., Hansen, who always


had a fl air for writing, worked in the car wash equipment industry and also wrote for trade magazines. The former Senior Vice Commander at VFW Post 1040 also authored “The News” for a special group of co-workers and fellow veterans. They referred to themselves as Yesterday’s Heroes. The bunch, who continued to meet at different cities long after retirement, would reunite every year to catch up and reminisce about their days in the service. “They wore Yesterday’s Heroes baseball hats


and had a great time,” said Hansen’s widow, Dorothy Hansen, Life Member of Auxiliary 1040. Hansen passed away in 2013. To his daughter,


Katie Young, her dad will always be a hero. “The glimmer in my dad’s eyes when he would capture a memory on experiencing


attendance, which was daunting, but it felt like a huge step in the right direction for the Auxiliary,” he said. “Being one of the fi rst male members is kind of a big deal to me and the warm welcome I’ve received from the majority of members has been amazing. To date, my favorite aspect of being a member is the fact that so many of the members who have been a part of our organization for years are genuinely interested in hearing what I have to say and have actively reached out for my opinion on our future and ways we can improve overall.”


Hansen (right) poses with a comrade and friend in Tripoli.


lands overseas such as Greece, Italy and Libya and elsewhere while in the Air Force said it all,” she said. “He never went into great detail and I think that is why his once-a-year reunion with his Yesterday’s Heroes meant so much to him, so he could share the details with those he knew experienced the same. To say I miss my dad is an understatement.”


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