Stand Down Veterans Event

This is a reminder that on the 23rd, (ten days from today) the Stand Down on our Tribal Grounds will happen. Waccamaw, the South Carolina Indian Affairs Commission (SCIAC) and the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) will be holding a drive through assistance event for Veterans from anywhere. (Russians and North Koreans may be excluded :)) This will be done on our Tribal Grounds in Aynor (591 Bluewater Road, Aynor 29511) on the 23rd of October, 2020. You won't need to leave your car, you will enter at one end, stop at the stations and exit with several items made available to you by (MOAA). We will provide blankets, cold weather kits, food, medical/dental vouchers, temporary housing information, and many other materials. You must be a Veteran with an Honorable Discharge to participate. Please bring a copy of your DD214, VA Card, DoD ID Card or another way to show your eligibility.  We will use and follow all Covid-19 measures to ensure minimum exposure for our veterans. Our volunteers will streamline the process to a stop and go operation where veterans will simply drive by and we will place a backpack with the materials inside of their car. They may stop at a food stop, as well.  The South Carolina Indian Affairs Commission and our Veteran's program will be there as well, and we hope to interview several veterans for our library. Your interview will be a written interview and it's up to you if it will be made public. I ask and hope that every tribe, group, or organization will designate at least one veteran to be interviewed while the Stand Down is happening. You will be inside, seated and the interviewers will be masked and at a safe distance, from you. Marines may bring and interpreter. Air Force may bring a guide. Naval personal may bring a cup of coffee and Army personal may lie about combat!. State Guard are Veterans for this event, too, just bring verification. Chiefs and other leaders, why not stay for a while, and visit. We will practice social distancing. We are still working on setting up a free Covid testing on site, as one of the stations on site, as well. This will also be drive-through. We will also provide Food Lion Food Cards to assist our veterans in procuring food (the cards cannot be used for alcohol or tobacco products). Gas Cards will be provided, as well.  MOAA is offering Emergency Veteran Covid-19 assistance for veterans whose family has been impacted by the virus, in the form of a grant of up to $500. The process is very simple. The Veteran fills out one form. A MOAA member will be on hand to help and receive the requests for MOAA.   Turnaround time is very short. MOAA has been successful in assisting deserving veterans. This includes families who had been laid off or terminated from their jobs, because of the virus.  If veterans incurred medical bills from the virus, and/or have unpaid bills because of the virus, or have incurred educational costs for their dependents due to the virus (or other related issues). The maximum grant is $500 for the family. The process is very simple where the veteran fills out one form and a MOAA member completes a simple form and submits both to MOAA. Turnaround time is very short and we have been successful in assisting other deserving veterans. Please help me get this information out by posting on your Facebook page and forwarding to your friends. Let's make a difference in a Veteran's life. I hope all is well and you stop by for the Stand down October 23rd, 10 Am until. Walk easy, send any questions via email, please. Buster Hatcher Chief of the Waccamaw