Cold War Veterans Blog

Gulf War vet works to restore post
Marine City man hopes to revive VFW facility, rekindle support for veterans

MARINE CITY — Persian Gulf War veteran Jesse White is taking the first steps to revive the Veterans of Foreign War post in the city.

“It’s a passion,” the 41-year-old gunsmith said. “It’s a missing element in town, and it’s something that should have never been able to die.”

White, who fought in the war in 1990 and 1991 as a lance corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps, is gathering signatures of local residents in an effort to restart the defunct post, which closed several years ago and was absorbed by the Algonac VFW post.

A new VFW post must register 35 new or reinstated members, with a minimum of 25 new members, Rob D. Weiss, the VFW’s state adjutant and quartermaster, said.

To qualify as VFW members, veterans must have served in a foreign land where they received hostile fire or eminent danger pay or have medals signifying they fought in wars or expeditions, Weiss said.

White said he has collected 27 signatures, mostly from veterans, and continues to solicit signatures through a sign on the front lawn of his business, Marine City Gunsmith, 228 Fairbanks St.

Inside his shop just west of the Belle River, several bumper stickers decorate the front counter, including those bearing the POW-MIA logo and military-related mottos, such as Semper Fi.

Outside the shop hang several Marine Corps flags and a small A-frame sign that states: “Veterans Revive Local VFW sign petition here.”

White, who moved to Marine City in 2006 after growing up in St. Clair Shores, said he wants to start a new post because it is important for veterans to have a place to go, to support each other and to share their stories. He said he is eyeing a site, a purple building that used to be a bar, but also is considering options such a renting space from the city.

More importantly, he said, is the first step — finding veterans willing to participate in Marine City.

“Stories need to be preserved,” he said. “It was discouraging to find out (the post) was shut down. So I’m going to change it.”

White said he is unsure about the details of what happened to the former VFW post.

Jim Fernandez, the quartermaster at the Algonac Post and a Marine City resident, said the Marine City post closed five to six years ago. The Algonac post now puts on a Memorial Day parade in Marine City and cares for the flags in its cemeteries, Fernandez said, adding he hadn’t heard of White’s effort.

He said he also didn’t know the exact details of the Marine City post’s dissolution but said it had to do with aging members.

“Most of them are quite elderly, the veterans they have in Marine City,” he said. “Their numbers got so low that they couldn’t keep up with it.”

White said the demographics of the VFW are changing along with those in charge of the organization.

“The attitude has changed,” he said. “The leadership is younger and looking for younger vets. There is a real need for younger membership.”

Weiss said it is important for communities such as Marine City to set up VFW posts to support local veterans, which includes securing assistance for veterans from the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs. He said it also is important for veterans to provide community service.

“With a war going on right now, and even without a war, we need to remember our troops and provide for them,” he said. “It is very important that veterans are taking care of veterans.”