The Arkansas Department of the Veterans of Foreign Wars ("VFW") recently inaugurated its new "special veterans" permanent college scholarship fund in honor of one of its most beloved and famous life members,
Nick Bacon, who is the only living Arkansas recipient of the Medal of Honor and who has dedicated his entire adult life to the service of America's military and veterans, especially Arkansas' veterans. The new scholarship's official name is: "The Nick Bacon VFW Special Veterans Scholarship Fund" ("the Fund").
The Fund was officially announced during a VFW State Reception-Ceremony-Dinner hosted by the Jacksonville VFW Post 4548. The announcement ceremony was conducted by Rev. Jim Pat Mills, the Fund's Chairman and life member of Coal Hill VFW Post 8532; and Nick Bacon, of Rose Bud, accepted a commemorative plaque from Mills and expressed his "humble appreciation" to the crowd of veterans, friends, and media.
Other ceremony speakers were Carthel Parrott, VFW State Commander; Rev. Roy Dozier, VFW State Chaplain; and Ashley Little, Post 4548 Commander, who presented the new Fund a $10,000 Post donation. Also, in attendance, was special guest, Thomas Tradewell Sr., VFW National Commander, representing the VFW national headquarters in Kansas City.
Most Americans know that the Special Olympics are the nation's ultimate sporting event for severely disabled athletes; but not many Americans know that the term, "Special Veterans", is commonly used to honorably refer to severely disabled American military veterans of foreign wars (aka, "wounded warriors" and "combat-disabled vets"), who have been rated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (the "VA") as at least 60 percent service-connected disabled. The Fund has been created to honor Special Veterans, who are active members of one of Arkansas' 116 VFW Posts or who were active members at the time of their death.
The Fund will award annual college scholarships to selected, deserving children and grandchildren of these Special Veterans during the Annual VFW State Convention, beginning, this year, at the June convention in Little Rock.
Applicants can obtain the Fund's Scholarship Application Packet by sending their written requests to: The Nick Bacon VFW Special Veterans Scholarship Fund, 300 South Rodney Parham Road, Suite 1-164, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205.
Little Rock, Ark. —
