Another military chair of honor has been unveiled on a Kentucky college campus. The POW-MIA chair was recognized during Eastern Kentucky University’s football game Saturday.
Rolling Thunder Lexington President Todd Matonich said the chair will remain empty until all POW-MIA’s, all prisoners of war or those missing in action, return home. He added there are 81,000 plus people on that list.
“That’s 81,000 family members that are still figuring out or trying to figure out what has happened to their loved ones. So, it’s our job, both as a community and as well as an organization to make sure that people don’t forget. The only man that is forgotten is the one that is purposefully forgotten,” said Matonich.
Matonich said there are 14 Vietnam Veterans alone on Kentucky’s list. According to Matonich, the Veterans organization is open to members of all ages whether military or not. “You don’t have to be a veteran to be a member. You don’t have to own a motorcycle to be a member. We’ve got junior members that range in age from one to 17 and we’ve got members, some are veterans and some are not, of all ages. Our oldest member is 84 years old. So, you’re never too old to contribute,” noted Matonich
Matonich, who served in the U.S. Navy during Desert Storm and Desert Shield, said it was an extremely smooth process to see the chair of honor positioned in Roy Kidd Stadium. Similar chairs are found at the University of Kentucky and Georgetown College.
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