Sailors and Marines Help Homeless Vets

The "this didn't seem to make the MSM" file is getting pretty fat these days. Another example of our men and women of service truly serving. Military dot com reports.

SAN DIEGO - More than 650 Sailors and Marines from commands throughout San Diego volunteered for the 18th Annual Veteran's Stand Down July 15 to 17 at San Diego High School.

Stand Down, organized by the Vietnam Veterans of San Diego (VVSD), is a weekend event held each summer to provide hundreds of homeless veterans with a wide range of necessities including food, clothing, medical, legal and mental health assistance, job counseling and referrals, and most importantly, companionship and camaraderie.

Held each summer? Helps hundreds of veterans? Fabulous.

"The Stand-Down is for all veterans, not just Vietnam veterans," said Lt. Cmdr. Joshua A. Crowder, the military volunteer coordinator. "It is a great opportunity to provide service for those who have served their country and fallen on hard times."

Naval Base San Diego Dental Clinic's mobile unit provided dental care to hundreds of veterans.

"I feel like this is not just something I want to do, but something I have to do," said Dental Technician 3rd Class Martina Smith, who works at Naval Base San Diego's Dental Clinic. "These veterans have done so much for us, I feel proud to be able to give something back to them."

During Stand Down, the veterans were given the opportunity to relax, interact, and get to know the volunteers, while receiving much needed services.

"The most interesting thing I have experienced here is getting to meet and learn from all of these veterans," said Lance Cpl. Christopher Spencer, a motor transport mechanic at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. "I have had the chance to talk to veterans from every single war from World War II to the Persian Gulf. It has been an amazing experience."

Operation CARAT and Operation Stand Down. These are the op names that should be on the lips of the Rather's and Brokaw's -- not what a Gitmo prisoner claims is abuse.

Thanks to the Mudville Gazette for their Open Post.