By Nick Diamantides
Staff Writer
The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is giving 16-year old Lindsey Ungerman a 3-day, all-expenses-paid trip to Sacramento. Ungerman, who is a member of the Signal Hill Police Department’s Explorer Post, is going to the state capital as a finalist in a VFW essay competition.
Air Force General Tommy Franks uses the catch phrase “Freedom is not free,” to express the price paid by United States military veterans to keep America free. Throughout its 108-year history, the VFW has worked hard to remind Americans to show appreciation to the men and women who once served or are now serving in one of the branches of our nation’s military. Several years ago the VFW initiated an essay contest to encourage middle and high school students to honor those who were willing to serve in America’s armed forces.
Ungerman recently became a finalist in this year’s competition, which required that she compose an essay on the theme “My Role in Honoring America’s Veterans.” Contestants had to write the essay and record it on audiotape for a panel of judges.
In her essay, Ungerman said, “I understand what I have been given through the sacrifices of our military. I see a veteran in a wheelchair, and a lump forms in my throat, and I understand why a tough Airborne Ranger or Marine has a tear in his eye when they play ‘The Star Spangled Banner.’ America’s veterans have placed our country above self, and that has sponsored a debt that can never be repaid in full.
“They have shown me–through their resolve, courage and sacrifice–the power of liberty. They have earned my everlasting admiration, respect and gratitude. I will honor them all the days of my life.”
Ungerman’s recorded speech first won the competition at the Santa Ana VFW Post. From there it won in the organization’s county level and then the district that encompasses much of Southern California. Twenty-five winners from all over the state have been selected as finalists. The state winner will be selected after the three-day tour, which takes place January 17-19. Later all the state winners will go to Washington D.C., where the national winner will be selected.
During their stay in Sacramento, the 25 students will enjoy a banquet hosted by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. “I’m looking forward to that, and I feel very honored to have been selected as a finalist,” Ungerman said.
Her mother, SHPD Police Sergeant Colleen Vincent, said that the family has five generations of veterans and has always held military service in high esteem. “My brother is a captain in the U.S. Navy, both of Lindsey’s grandfathers served in the Air Force and her great grandfather was an officer in the U.S. Army Mounted Cavalry Division during World War I,” Vincent said. Lindsey’s father, who passed away several years ago, was a veteran who served multiple tours of duty in Vietnam. “Her stepfather was a nuclear engineer on a navy submarine,” Vincent added.
To this day, Vincent’s home in Anaheim is adorned with flags and military insignia. “We are big on the military,” Vincent said, adding that her family has always taught love for God and country to the succeeding generations.
Lindsey has embraced those beliefs enthusiastically. She serves in her church’s youth ministry and is glad to be a member of the Signal Hill Explorer Post. She is also a goalie for her school’s water polo team, and takes an after-school acting class.
“I am tremendously proud of her,” Vincent said. “So many kids are getting involved in wrong things, it’s just wonderful to see how she is living her life.” Vincent explained that she wholeheartedly supports the Explorers. “In the Explorer program, we try to instill things in the kids that most young people are not getting enough of,” she said. “Things like appreciating the freedom and quality of life we have in America, loving and respecting people, and being aware of the need to contribute something to our society, our nation and our world.”
Lindsey seems to have those things instilled in her. “I feel very good about being in this competition because I really believe the things that I wrote,” she said. “I have donated to the Wounded Warrior Project to provide aid to our injured troops returning from combat. I believe the greatest casualty of war is being forgotten. I will not forget.”
Lindsey’s sister, 13-year-old Sierra, was this year’s winner at the VFW Post level for the mid-school essay competition. The national winner of the High School essay contest will receive a $30,000 scholarship to attend the college or university of their choice.
