Local Vets Presented with Quilts of Valor

Local veterans Michael Chaney, Don Latham and Walter Tapp were presented with Quilts of Valor at the Aug. 14 Franklin County Veterans' picnic. 

Robin Koob, who moved here from Virginia twenty years ago, grew up surrounded by the military and she felt it was important to start a Quilts of Valor group in Franklin County. This was the group's first presentation. Dianne Weide assisted with the presentation.

Sergeant Michael Chaney joined the Marine Corps in 1992 and was honorably discharged in 2000. He was stationed at Camp Pendleton in California for most of his service, but was sent to Okiana, Japan, for six months. His main duty was line operator in communications. From 1992 to 1993, he was involved in “Operation Restore Hope,” as well as other peace-keeping missions just prior to the Black Hawk Down Incident. 

Captain Don Latham joined the U.S. Army in September of 1969 and received an Honorable Discharge in September of 1973. He completed basic training in Fort Knox in  Kentucky and advanced infantry training at Fort Riley in Kansas, as well as primary helicopter flight training at Fort Wolters in Texas and advanced helicopter flight training at Fort Rucker in Alabama. 

Sergeant Walter Tapp joined the Iowa Army National Guard in 1981. He served from 1981 to 1985 and 1987 to 2007, at which time he was honorably discharged. He completed basic training at Fort Jackson in South Carolina and AIT training at Fort Lee in Virginia. He was deployed to Sharm-el-Shiekh, Egypt, mid-2003 to early 2004. Wally received three weeks of training with special forces in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, and was deployed to As Asad, Iraq, for 16 months in 2006 as part of “Operation Iraqi Freedom.” In 2007, he retired with 24 years of service. 

"The veterans that came home from Vietnam got no fanfare or recognition. Therefore it's time that they be honored and recognized for their service," Koob said. "And even though veterans coming home from Iraq or the Middle East don't suffer the same stigma that the Vietnam veterans did, they still deserve to be publicly recognized."

The all-veterans picnic was held after the presentation.