President Jimmy called the special Veterans Day meeting to order promptly at 12:30 p.m. to “celebrate and thank those who have served the nation in an honorable manner”. The day’s song was an inspiring video of Joint-Base Lewis McCord-based servicemen and women over a medley of military songs produced at JBLM by the Army First Corps rock band.
Tom Mesaros led the day’s Inspiration with his personal military experience in the Army – not facing danger each day – but well aware of “the risks and selfless acts to ensure our freedom and way of life from a veteran who got more serving than I ever gave”.
Rotarian anniversaries were acknowledged with a ‘Top Gun’ themed video, thanks to the talents of our Rotary office, followed by Seattle Rotary Service Foundation (SRSF) co-chair Dave Kraft for a campaign update. “Our goal is to raise $250,000 and as of this morning more than $130,000 has been donated or pledged,” he said. He described how SRSF key grants have supported programs sponsored by the club’s Community Service Committee for Fare Start, Pike Place Market Food Bank, and Wellspring Family Services. SRSF funding supports the club’s Business Mentor committee to mentor UW students and local businesses, and supports the Rotary Boys & Girls club with grants to expand nutrition to three meals a day, and air purifiers. “These grants and their impact would not be possible without the donations of our members,” he said. “What we do as Rotarians and ongoing support of the annual campaign does make a difference”. SRSF committee member Alvaro Jimenez concluded by saying “we are making a significant contribution to our community and making a positive impact even greater by contributing more”. President Jimmy reminded Rotarians that membership includes an agreement to make an annual contribution to fuel grants for the good works we fund through SRSF.
As a retired Army Major General, President Jimmy asked fellow Army veteran and Rotarian Matt LeMaster to join retired Navy Rear Admiral, Bill Center in a discussion about Veterans Day. “For military leaders, their success is based on the teams they develop,” president Jimmy said, “and that humility is a trait that is expected of senior military leaders. I don’t know much about humility, but I’ve noticed those who have it don’t talk about it that much”.
Army veteran and Rotarian Matt LeMaster introduced past Rotary president and Rear Admiral (ret.) Bill Center as a Naval Academy grad who rose to rear admiral and flag officer during 35 years in the Navy, and in 2020 he was named UW Distinguished Alumni Veteran.
“I knew pretty early in my life that a military career in my future,” Bill said. “Victory at Sea with great Richard Rogers music and history of the Navy during WWII inspired me to someday be the Captain of a cruiser. The day I graduated from high school I went out and enlisted in the Navy.” Bill’s trajectory in the Navy took him to places he’d never seen and finally to that of a Naval engineer and National Security Policy planning.
Matt LeMaster was an Army engineer before turning to a career as a trial lawyer. “Each path in the military was a wonderful experience,” he said, “describing how his nephew is entering the service as an infantry officer calling from WSU with his assignment.”
At the 14-year point in his career, Bill was assigned to be a chief engineer on the aircraft carrier MIDWAY. He was not excited about the assignment and could have resigned in protest, but as it turned out he would have “never become an admiral without that assignment”. He said his wife would never let him leave the Navy as “she was worried about his ability to make a living in another line of work”.
Promoted to admiral Bill found himself working on arms control operations around the world, including four years at the Joint Chiefs of Staff working on some “thorny problems” for the likes of recently deceased General Colin Powell and General Barry McCaffery. “General Powell was an incredible human being,” he said, “and it sad to see him pass.
Bill lamented how the military community is somewhat isolated from the general population, and the “all-volunteer force is a huge success as we are now attracting extraordinary people in the military”. He said a growing lack of understanding between the military and civilian segments is “not good for society or democracy. We need a military that is part of the society as a whole”.
Admiral Center concluded with his reaction to those who spontaneously thank him for his service, whether in uniform or just wearing Navy gear. “People started saying ‘thank you for your service’ about 20 years ago after Desert Storm and the 9/11 attacks,” he said, “and now I say thank you by asking them to help a wounded warrior or homeless veteran.”
Bill and Matt said Veterans Day can be celebrated with a parade or somber reflection at a veteran’s cemetery. “There are a lot of people who want to divide us,” Matt said, “but we are a great country and Veterans Day is a day to lock arms and celebrate each other and service to our nation”.
President Jimmy concluded by saying “Seattle #4 values military service to our nation”. He thanked past Rotary president Admiral Bill Center and Rotarian Matt LeMaster for their remarks.
Rotarians won’t want to miss next week’s program, the Tacoma Museum of Glass story, as a world-class facility promoting glass art. He recognized all military branches, including the Space Force, and paid tribute to all who have served the nation. He concluded by asking Rotarians to seek out someone in their life and thank them for their military service.
Rotarians inspire hope.
