By Mark Szymanski, mark.szymanski@evocatillc.com

In honor of National Nutrition Month, the national nonprofit Soldiers’ Angels announced Cincinnati as its newest Military and Veteran Food Distribution (MVFD) site. The organization, recognized as the largest provider of food exclusively to veterans in the country, provided food assistance to more than 49,000 Service Members and Veterans in 2024 alone.

“With inflation continuing to pressure our community, Soldiers’ Angels is fighting back by doubling our efforts to fight Military and Veteran hunger in 2025,” said Soldiers’ Angels President and CEO Amy Palmer. “This new Cincinnati food distribution site will provide vital support to Veterans and Service Members in the area and is one of many new initiatives we’ve created to combat food insecurity across the country.”

Now in its tenth year, Soldiers’ Angels’ monthly food distributions now serve veterans, active duty Military, Guardsmen, and Reservists in seven cities: Atlanta, Charleston, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, Orlando, and San Antonio, with a new location opening in Washington, D.C. later this year.  

Soldiers’ Angels has taken over the monthly events in Cincinnati from the VA Medical Center, which had previously hosted them since 2022. The organization aims to enhance the quality of food provided at the Cincinnati event, improve the distribution infrastructure, and raise awareness about food insecurity within the military-connected community.

“We are very excited to partner with Soldier’s Angels to expand our monthly mobile food drive addressing food insecurity among Veterans who may be struggling financially or facing homelessness,” said Nicole Comer, U.S. Air Force Veteran, Chief, Voluntary Service, Cincinnati VA Medical Center. “To date, we have provided relief for over 4,600 households. The additional support of nutritious meals and groceries will promote better health outcomes for Veterans in a more private and dignified way of receiving assistance.”

Soldiers’ Angels MVFD events in Cincinnati will take place on the fourth Friday of every month, providing 175 Veteran and Military families with, on average, 75 lbs. of groceries. Veterans and volunteers must pre-register at SoldiersAngels.org/Cincinnati each month to attend or support the event. 

NEXT EVENT:  Friday, March 28, 2025

WHO:  Hosted by Soldiers’ Angels

WHERE:  Cincinnati VA Medical Center – 3200 Vine St. Cincinnati, OH 45220 

REGISTER FOR SUPPORT: Register for notifications for all future events at SoldiersAngels.org/Cincinnati. Recipients must pre-register each month.

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By Mallory Carra

While deployed in Kosovo in May 2024, U.S. Army Reserve physical therapy assistant Elvia Azuara saw many stray cats running around one of the bases—including a sweet little black and white female kitty, known mostly as Fent.

Azuara noticed her one day during lunch and she fed fries to Fent. Soon, this became a regular bonding activity for them. “I guess she knew my routine,” Azuara said in an interview with Stacker. “Whenever I was there, she would just pop up out of nowhere and she would wait for her fries.”

But four months later, in October, Azuara got word that her deployment was ending—and she was devastated to leave the kitty, especially as winter approached. And that’s where Paws of War’s “War Torn Pups & Cats” program stepped in.

Ollie profiled the work of the U.S. nonprofit, which reunites military personnel with the animals they bonded with while serving overseas. Founded by Robert Misseri in 2014, Paws of War has helped rescue over 5,000 dogs and cats for nearly 1,000 veterans. The organization filled an increasing need for officers in the Air Force, Marines, Army, Coast Guard, and Army Reserves who served overseas, bonded with a dog or a cat, and didn’t want to leave them behind in an uncertain situation.

The organization serves a dual purpose by reuniting service members grappling with the aftermath of war with animals needing care. And for veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, their furry companions not only bring joy but also help them heal.

“We have troops all over the world and the sacrifices that those people make is pretty great,” said Paws of War volunteer Gary Baumann, who volunteers with the “War Torn Pups & Cats” program. “We feel like asking them to leave these animals behind is a sacrifice they shouldn’t have to make,” he told Stacker.

High costs but high rewards

Azuara heard about the program from service members who had previously been deployed at the base. After she bonded with Fent, she submitted her application to bring the kitty home to the U.S.

“I was a little skeptical at the beginning, to be honest, because I was like, ‘Oh, I don’t know why would they do it for free,'” she said, “but I don’t lose anything by just checking it out.”

The “War Torn Pups & Cats” program costs nothing for service members—donors primarily fund it. In 2023, Paws of War raised over $4 million from contributions and grants.

After a soldier like Azuara applies, Paws of War volunteers and staff members all around the world team up to work on the logistics, exploring how possible it is to bring the pet to the United States. Dogs and cats need to see a qualified veterinarian for documentation and rabies vaccines before traveling internationally, but sometimes that vet is located hours away. The care can also vary in cost, depending on local currency and pricing.

“Recently we had a dog in Africa and we’ve done a few from bases there,” Baumann said. “It literally takes a donkey cart, a boat, couple cars and then, usually a motorcycle, something that can go through a little bit of brush to get these the dogs or cats to the city where we can get them to a vet and start processing them.”

The most expensive part of the process is transporting animals to the U.S. It often involves flying them in a plane as cargo, which can cost around $4,000 or more. The pet also must enter the country at a government-authorized airport.

For instance, cats from other countries can enter the U.S. through several airports, but the CDC only allows dogs from high-risk rabies countries to enter through six, including John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City and Los Angeles International Airport.

Helping heroes

Paws of War accepts direct donations on its website to help support its programs, which include providing PTSD service dogs and a mobile veterinary clinic in Long Island, New York.

For the “War Torn” program, the expense is worth it for the organization, its soldiers, and the animals. Dogs and cats are believed to be capable of more complex emotions than most people realize and their reunions with the officers they bonded with may mean just as much to them as it does to the human.

For Azuara, the bond was as strong as ever. Three weeks after she put in her application, the program contacted her in November 2024 with good news: Fent was ready to travel to the U.S. and live with her.

The cat flew from Kosovo and entered the U.S. through JFK airport, eventually making it to Azuara’s home in Austin, Texas. Their reunion at the airport meant a lot to Azuara, who worried the kitty might forget her or not get along with her two dogs. But Fent—who Azuara renamed Frenzy—adjusted to her new home right away. Frenzy doesn’t get to eat fries anymore, but enjoys her proper cat food.

Now, Azuara is training to join the Travis County EMS. Having Frenzy, a major part of her overseas experience, in Texas has helped her readjust to the U.S.

“She’s definitely one of my huge grounding tools, when I was over there,” Azuara said. “When the situations were really stressful, she was something that would brighten up my day. And when I came back it’s really hard to transition and acclimate back into civilian life, but having her, it was kind of like having a little piece of where I was and a little reminder that, hey, it’s going to be okay.”

Story editing by Alizah Salario. Additional editing by Elisa Huang. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick.

This story originally appeared on Ollie and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.

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By Kate Clifford Larson

Harriet Tubman was barely 5 feet tall and didn’t have a dime to her name.

What she did have was a deep faith and powerful passion for justice that was fueled by a network of Black and white abolitionists determined to end slavery in America.

“I had reasoned this out in my mind,” Tubman once told an interviewer. “There was one of two things I had a right to, liberty, or death. If I could not have one, I would have the other; for no man should take me alive.”

Though Tubman is most famous for her successes along the Underground Railroad, her activities as a Civil War spy are less well known.

As a biographer of Tubman, I think this is a shame. Her devotion to America and its promise of freedom endured despite suffering decades of enslavement and second class citizenship.

It is only in modern times that her life is receiving the renown it deserves, most notably her likeness appearing on a US$20 bill in 2030. The Harriet Tubman $20 bill will replace the current one featuring a portrait of U.S. President Andrew Jackson.

In another recognition, Tubman was accepted in June 2021 to the United States Army Military Intelligence Corps Hall of Fame at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. She is one of 278 members, 17 of whom are women, honored for their special operations leadership and intelligence work.

Though traditional accolades escaped Tubman for most of her life, she did achieve an honor usually reserved for white officers on the Civil War battlefield.

After she led a successful raid of a Confederate outpost in South Carolina that saw 750 Black people rescued from slavery, a white commanding officer fetched a pitcher of water for Tubman as she remained seated at a table.

A different education

Believed to have been born in March 1822 in Dorchester County, Maryland, Tubman was named Araminta by her enslaved parents, Rit and Ben Ross.

“Minty” was the fifth of nine Ross children. She was frequently separated from her family by her white enslaver, Edward Brodess, who started leasing her to white neighbors when she was just 6 years old.

At their hands, she endured physical abuse, harsh labor, poor nutrition and intense loneliness.

As I learned during my research into Tubman’s life, her education did not happen in a traditional classroom, but instead was crafted from the dirt. She learned to read the natural world – forests and fields, rivers and marshes, the clouds and stars.

She learned to walk silently across fields and through the woods at night with no lights to guide her. She foraged for food and learned a botanist’s and chemist’s knowledge of edible and poisonous plants – and those most useful for ingredients in medical treatments.

She could not swim, and that forced her to learn the ways of rivers and streams – their depths, currents and traps.

She studied people, learned their habits, watched their movements – all without being noticed. Most important, she also figured out how to distinguish character. Her survival depended on her ability to remember every detail.

After a brain injury left her with recurring seizures, she was still able to work at jobs often reserved for men. She toiled on the shipping docks and learned the secret communication and transportation networks of Black mariners.

Known as Black Jacks, these men traveled throughout the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic seaboard. With them, she studied the night sky and the placement and movement of the constellations.

She used all those skills to navigate on the water and land.

“… and I prayed to God,” she told one friend, “to make me strong and able to fight, and that’s what I’ve always prayed for ever since.”

Tubman was clear on her mission. “I should fight for my liberty,” she told an admirer, “as long as my strength lasted.”

The Moses of the Underground Railroad

In the fall of 1849, when she was about to be sold away from her family and free husband John Tubman, she fled Maryland to freedom in Philadelphia.

Between 1850 and 1860, she returned to the Eastern Shore of Maryland about 13 times and successfully rescued nearly 70 friends and family members, all of whom were enslaved. It was an extraordinary feat given the perils of the 1850 Slave Fugitive Act, which enabled anyone to capture and return any Black man or woman, regardless of legal status, to slavery.

Those leadership qualities and survival skills earned her the nickname “Moses” because of her work on the Underground Railroad, the interracial network of abolitionists who enabled Black people to escape from slavery in the South to freedom in the North and Canada.

As a result, she attracted influential abolitionists and politicians who were struck by her courage and resolve – men like William Lloyd Garrison, John Brown and Frederick Douglass. Susan B. Anthony, one of the world’s leading activists for women’s equal rights, also knew of Tubman, as did abolitionist Lucretia Mott and women’s rights activist Amy Post.

“I was the conductor of the Underground Railroad for eight years,” Tubman once said. “and I can say what most conductors can’t say; I never ran my train off the track and I never lost a passenger.”

Battlefield soldier

When the Civil War started in the spring of 1861, Tubman put aside her fight against slavery to conduct combat as a soldier and spy for the United States Army. She offered her services to a powerful politician.

Known for his campaign to form the all-Black 54th and 55th regiments, Massachusetts Gov. John Andrew admired Tubman and thought she would be a great intelligence asset for the Union forces.

He arranged for her to go to Beaufort, South Carolina, to work with Army officers in charge of the recently captured Hilton Head District.

There, she provided nursing care to soldiers and hundreds of newly liberated people who crowded Union camps. Tubman’s skill curing soldiers stricken by a variety of diseases became legendary.

But it was her military service of spying and scouting behind Confederate lines that earned her the highest praise.

She recruited eight men and together they skillfully infiltrated enemy territory. Tubman made contact with local enslaved people who secretly shared their knowledge of Confederate movements and plans.

Wary of white Union soldiers, many local African Americans trusted and respected Tubman.

According to George Garrison, a second lieutenant with the 55th Massachusetts Regiment, Tubman secured “more intelligence from them than anybody else.”

In early June 1863, she became the first woman in U.S. history to command an armed military raid when she guided Col. James Montgomery and his 2nd South Carolina Colored Volunteers Regiment along the Combahee River.

While there, they routed Confederate outposts, destroyed stores of cotton, food and weapons – and liberated over 750 enslaved people.

The Union victory was widely celebrated. Newspapers from Boston to Wisconsin reported on the river assault by Montgomery and his Black regiment, noting Tubman’s important role as the “Black she Moses … who led the raid, and under whose inspiration it was originated and conducted.”

Ten days after the successful attack, radical abolitionist and soldier Francis Jackson Merriam witnessed Maj. Gen. David Hunter, commander of the Hilton Head district, “go and fetch a pitcher of water and stand waiting with it in his hand while a black woman drank, as if he had been one of his own servants.”

In that letter to Gov. Andrew, Merriam added, “that woman was Harriet Tubman.”

Lifelong struggle

Despite earning commendations as a valuable scout and soldier, Tubman still faced the racism and sexism of America after the Civil War.

When she sought payment for her service as a spy, the U.S. Congress denied her claim. It paid the eight Black male scouts, but not her.

Unlike the Union officers who knew her, the congressmen did not believe – they could not imagine – that she had served her country like the men under her command, because she was a woman.

Gen. Rufus Saxton wrote that he bore “witness to the value of her services… She was employed in the Hospitals and as a spy [and] made many a raid inside the enemy’s lines displaying remarkable courage, zeal and fidelity.”

Thirty years later, in 1899, Congress awarded her a pension for her service as a Civil War nurse, but not as a soldier spy.

When she died from pneumonia on March 10, 1913, she was believed to have been 91 years old and had been fighting for gender equality and the right to vote as a free Black woman for more than 50 years after her work during the Civil War.

Surrounded by friends and family, the deeply religious Tubman showed one last sign of leadership, telling them: “I go to prepare a place for you.”

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Kate Clifford Larson, Brandeis University

Read more:

• Harriet Tubman: Biden revives plan to put a Black woman of faith on the bill
• Faith made Harriet Tubman fearless as she rescued slaves
• Harriet Tubman film does not deserve the Twitter hate

Kate Clifford Larson received funding from the National Park Service and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Department of Tourism 

Feature Image: A portrait of Harriet Tubman in 1878.
Library of Congress/Getty Images

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Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) have called on President Joe Biden and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to issue a directive limiting the use of military personnel for domestic purposes, warning against potential misuse by President-elect Donald Trump after he takes office on Jan. 20. The senators emphasized the significance of establishing clear guidelines to prevent the deployment of the military against American citizens without explicit constitutional or congressional authorization.

The Posse Comitatus Act, which forbids the use of federal troops in domestic law enforcement unless authorized by the Constitution or Congress, serves as the foundation for the request. While the Insurrection Act provides a narrow exception in cases of insurrection, rebellion, or extreme unrest, Warren and Blumenthal called for further restrictions to prevent abuse.

“Any deployment of federal forces must occur only when state or local authorities are overwhelmed and unable to ensure public safety,” the senators wrote. They also emphasized the importance of consulting Congress before deploying troops and ensuring service members understand their obligations to reject unlawful orders.

The senators’ letter notes growing concerns over Trump’s rhetoric and past actions. During his first term, Trump considered invoking the Insurrection Act to respond to Black Lives Matter protests, and some allies urged him to declare martial law after his 2020 election defeat. More recently, Trump has suggested using the military to deport immigrants without permanent legal status and relocating troops from overseas to the southern border. He has repeatedly referred to political opponents as “the enemy from within,” raising alarms about potential overreach.

In an interview with Fox News before the election, Trump said, “I think the bigger problem are the people from within. We have some very bad people. We have some sick people, radical left lunatics. And I think they’re the—and it should be very easily handled by—if necessary, by the National Guard or, if really necessary, by the military.”

The Posse Comitatus Act, an 1878 law that aims to limit presidential power, generally prohibits federal troops from engaging in domestic law enforcement. However, the Insurrection Act creates an exception, allowing the president to deploy military forces during extreme civil unrest. Critics, including civil liberties groups, have warned that Trump could exploit this loophole to misuse military power.

Joseph Nunn, a counsel at the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law, has already raised concerns about the Insurrection Act’s broad discretion. “Unless Congress acts now to reform this dangerous and antiquated law, there’s little anyone could do to stop him,” Nunn wrote last year, pointing to fears that Trump would abuse his authority if re-elected.

Warren and Blumenthal urged Biden to issue a directive that clarifies the deployment of military forces domestically only when civilian authorities are unable to maintain order and protect civil liberties. They also stressed the importance of adhering to the Standing Rules for the Use of Force, respecting constitutional protections like the writ of habeas corpus, and ensuring transparency by publishing all relevant legal authorities.

The senators’ offices said their letter speaks for itself but appeared aimed at drawing public attention to the issue in hopes of deterring Trump from reversing any directive issued by Biden. “The Constitution is clear, and it is essential that we uphold the rule of law and protect the rights of all Americans,” they wrote.

Feature Image: Photo provided by NNPA

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By Rodney Walker
walkerprof1@gmail.com   

     Bill Goines is an American hero with an exceptional life story—they say it’s destined for the Big Screen. He completed three tours in Vietnam fighting the Communist Viet Cong and orchestrated over 100 dangerous missions without ever getting shot before attaining the highest enlisted rank in the U.S. Navy.      

    While the community of U.S Navy SEALs largely accepted him for his superior abilities, he still struggled for racial acceptance at home during the Civil Rights era–many anecdotal experiences in segregated downtown Norfolk.

     His story reflects the core essence of the films: “Hidden Figures”, “Black Panther” and “Captain America” all rolled into one. And his Combat V awards tell the story.

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Dear Editor:

Trump continues critiques of Walz’s military record with letter by 50 GOP lawmakers.  

So let us compare the length of service Tim Walz served and for all intense purposes honorably rising through the ranks in the military and serving for some 24 years. If I recall correctly in the military it is 20 and Out with full benefits. Most would call that a career in itself.  That in itself says a lot about the character of the man how would devote that much time, energy and effort into serving the United States of America, but now let’s see, 24×365=8760 days.  

Now we come to Donald J. Trump.  Lets see 0x0 still equals Zero, zilch, nada, geen, asnje, minini, la ahad, voch meky, eku nai, janiwkhitisa, etc., but no matter how you say it or in what language it is spoken it is still equals = NONE, not one Day, Not one Hour, not One Minute, NOT even ONE Second did he spent serving his country in The Military and I do not see that bone spur has in any way limited any of his abilities to profit off the backs of Working Class people.

Skip Speer

Cincinnati

Editor’s Note: The views expressed in this commentary piece do not necessarily the express the opinions of The Cincinnati Herald.

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By Tanya D. Marsh, Wake Forest University

The public furor continues over Donald Trump’s behavior during a visit to Arlington National Cemetery on Aug. 26, 2024.

Since that visit to the U.S. military burial ground outside Washington, D.C., news reports and campaign photos have emerged showing the former president grinning widely and giving a “thumbs-up” gesture while standing behind the grave of an American serviceman killed during the 2021 U.S. evacuation from Afghanistan. Visible in those images, too, are the graves of two U.S. Army Green Berets.

The Trump campaign later released video showing images of him in Arlington National Cemetery with audio criticizing the Biden administration for its handling of the withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Trump’s politicking and seemingly cavalier demeanor at a site marked by signs declaring itself “America’s most sacred shrine” have spurred many critical commentaries in the media, including from former military leaders.

For his part, Trump complained on Truth Social on Sept. 3, 2024, that reports of the incident were a “made up story by Comrade Kamala and her misinformation squad.” His campaign staff says it had permission from the family of one soldier buried at Arlington to take photos and video in the cemetery.

But as a legal scholar specializing in cemetery law, I know that their permission is irrelevant. They are not cemetery officials. The law allows cemeteries to make their own rules.

And Arlington National Cemetery has, by far, the strictest rules of any cemetery in the United States. It is clear to me that the actions of Trump and his campaign staff were outside the rules of a place that orders visitors to “conduct yourselves with dignity and respect at all times.”

A unique legal situation – and a unique cemetery

Arlington National Cemetery, where over 400,000 U.S. service members and relatives have been buried since 1864, is one of 164 national cemeteries established by Congress and administered by the federal government. These cemeteries were first created in 1862, during the Civil War.

Most of the cemeteries have since been transferred to the Department of Veterans Affairs or National Park Service, but Arlington National Cemetery remains under the control of the Department of the Army.

Arlington is no ordinary cemetery. Federal law says it is “a national shrine to the honored dead of the Armed Forces.” Therefore, the law says, “certain acts and activities, which may be appropriate elsewhere, are not appropriate” at Arlington.

In general, cemetery owners – religious organizations, local governments, nonprofits, for-profits and families – decide who may be interred on their land, the size and configuration of burial plots and the rights of plot owners. Cemeteries are permitted to define a visitor code of conduct and regulate what activities can take place at the cemetery.

These rules supersede the wishes of the family members of those interred in a cemetery. For example, cemeteries may prohibit families from placing plastic flowers on a grave, or require headstones to be in specific shapes or sizes.

A quick recap of events

Trump went to Arlington National Cemetery at the invitation of members of the families of two U.S. Marines killed in a bombing at the Kabul airport on Aug. 26, 2021.

After presenting a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which honors the nation’s war dead, Trump and his campaign staff visited the grave of at least one of those slain Marines, accompanied by members of the Marine’s family.

As Trump’s campaign staff took photos and video of Trump and the others standing among the graves, a cemetery employee approached to explain that political activity is prohibited at Arlington. A Trump campaign staffer allegedly ignored the warning and “verbally abused and pushed the official aside,” according to NPR.

The cemetery employee reported the encounter to military police but declined to press charges – reportedly for fear of being harassed by Trump supporters.

The next day, the Army itself took the unusual step of issuing a formal statement rebuking a public figure for inappropriate behavior in one of its cemeteries.

“Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries,” the Aug. 27 statement said, “to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidate’s campaign.”

Arlington’s rules

Many modern cemeteries permit all kinds of activities, even hosting running races or movie nights.

Not Arlington.

Its rules bar running, cycling, picnicking and animals other than service animals or military working dogs. “Disrespectful and disorderly” conduct is specifically prohibited at Arlington, and all visitors “shall observe proper standards of decorum and decency” while in the cemetery. The rules also bar “partisan political activities.”

In general, the public may take photos at Arlington, as may the media, with prior authorization and an escort. As of at least April 2022, however, no one may film in the cemetery for “partisan, political or fundraising purposes” – which is precisely what Trump appears to have done.

His team violated another rule, too – one stating that headstones may not be filmed without written authorization from the deceased’s next of kin. Trump’s campaign apparently received permission from at least one family to film their relative’s headstone, but it did not get permission from the families associated with all the headstones visible in the footage.

Penalties

The rules governing visitors at Arlington National Cemetery are not criminal laws. Violating them cannot result in jail time or even a fine. Instead, the cemetery’s executive director has the authority to remove violators from the cemetery and bar them from returning. The Army has said it “considers the matter closed” and has not said whether anyone has been told not to return to the cemetery.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Tanya D. Marsh, Wake Forest University

Read more:

• Military personnel swear allegiance to the Constitution and serve the American people – not one leader or party
• Belief in the myth of outlaw heroes partly explains Donald Trump’s die-hard support
• Trump treats the military as his own – and the troops could suffer

Tanya D. Marsh does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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Born on Sept. 10, 1936, and passing from labor to reward on June 10, 2024, Williams Harvey Goines left an indelible mark on his family, friends and country. His love and unwavering commitment to his wife of 58 years, Marie Davis Goines, and his historic legacy are remembered with pride and gratitude.

Early life and roots

Mr. Goines’ life began in Dayton, Ohio, but it was in Lockland, Ohio, where his roots took hold and his vision for his destiny grew. Raised in a supportive family, he was the oldest of five children born to Lauretta and Luther Goines. His siblings included Charles Goines, Beverly Goines Seay, Janet Goines Houseton and Gary Goines.

Growing up in a segregated community, he learned to swim in Mill Creek and the Little Miami River due to Lockland’s segregated pool. His story is a testament to the resilience and grit of an entire race of people who learn to pivot and succeed despite the hurdles.

As a youth, Bill’s entrepreneurial spirit shone as he cut neighbors’ lawns, eventually expanding his business with friends working alongside him. Additionally, the family farmed the land they owned, selling fresh vegetables to neighbors and local stores across the street from their Wayne Avenue family homes.

Lockland Wayne High School played a pivotal role in Goines’ formative years. As a segregated school, it provided an environment where African American students were taught exclusively by Black staff members. The school’s motto, “Lest We Forget,” was a constant reminder of the importance of remembering and honoring their heritage and the struggles their ancestors overcame.

Inspired by Frogmen

As a teen, while watching the 1951 film “Frogmen,” a seed of service sprouted in young Bill. Four years later, after graduating, he enlisted in the Navy. Despite challenges, including an injury in the high school wood shop class that cut the tip off his right-hand trigger finger. When questioned by Navy evaluators for his suitability for underwater demolition.” I told them I was left-handed.”

Mentorship and guidance

When interviewed by his great-niece Cherise Seay Pugh, she shared, “Uncle Billy always gave credit to his friend Nikki Giovanni’s father.” Jones Gus, Giovanni, “for mentoring him and for words of wisdom and encouragement. When asked about racism or discrimination, she said his answer never wavered: “Training, he knew he had to train and rely on his training.” Racism was not going to derail his goals.

Breaking Barriers

Inspired by the movie “Frogmen,” Goines’ road to becoming a Navy SEAL began with underwater demolition training. Despite significant obstacles, he remained diligent and advocated for himself, often facing discouragement.

After a rigorous year of training on an island in Southern Europe, which included underwater, ground combat skills, and air paratrooper training, four U.S. Navy officers, 85 U.S. Navy enlisted sailors, five Army Rangers, and two foreign naval officers began the training. Fourteen completed the training, one of whom was Goines, graduating in 1957. 

By 1962, under President John F. Kennedy, he was the first chosen for SEAL Team Two. Proficient in English, French, and Spanish, he taught Vietnamese forces to speak all three languages to aid in communication with local forces. He completed three tours in Vietnam. Later, as a Navy Parachute Demonstration Team member, he performed over 600 jumps.

A legacy of service

After retiring from the Navy, Mr. Goines became Chief of Police for Portsmouth, Virginia’s school system. He also dedicated his time to speaking to minorities about service and becoming a SEAL.

His remarkable life and career are recognized and displayed at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., at the Vietnam War tribute.

Mr. Goines’ awards and recognition include the Bronze Star, Navy Commendation Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, and Combat Action Ribbon. His remarkable journey from watching a movie to becoming the first African American Navy SEAL epitomizes tenacity and resolve.

A life well lived

Give a thought and prayer to his wife, Aunt Marie, family and friends, who will miss Bill Goines. He lived his call of duty humbly. His life, a testament to quiet determination and the enduring spirit of service, leaves a legacy that fills his family, community and country with pride and gratitude.

SEAL is the acronym for Navy Sea, Air, and Land Teams.

Personal Reflection

I, Sharen Sierra was born in Lockland, and my mother, Alice King (now deceased), was also a Lockland Wayne High School graduate. She instilled in me the importance of honoring my roots and those who came before me, such as Uncle Billy, whose family is near and dear to me. The Lockland Wayne Legacy lives on in the graduates, kids and grandkids.

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By Larry Davis and Mike O’Connor 

Another chapter in the inspiring life of 103-year-old Richard Stewart was written this past June 6 in Normandy, France, where the U.S. Army veteran was bestowed the French Legion of Honor Medal during the 80th anniversary commemoration of World War II’s D-Day invasion. In 1944, when Mr. Stewart, then an army private, hit the beaches of Normandy, he helped make history not only for his country, but for freedom in a larger sense. As a member of the Signal Corps, he was among only about 2,000 African American soldiers to take part in the invasion. Eighty years later to the exact date, the Lincoln Heights resident became one of 11 American D-Day veterans to receive the Legion Of Honor Medal – France’s highest decoration – during an emotional ceremony at the American Cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach. 

The medal was presented to Mr. Stewart by French President Emmanuel Macron at the observance, which also included U.S. President Joe and First Lady Jill Biden, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and numerous other world leaders.

Mr. Stewart returned home June 12 on a Delta Airlines flight at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. Members of the public and the news media were able to welcome him upon his arrival in the “Meet and Greet” area.

The June 6 ceremonies marked the second year in a row that Mr. Stewart was selected by the nonprofit Best Defense Foundation to be among fellow veterans honored during D-Day events in Normandy. All expenses were covered by the Best Defense Foundation in partnership with Delta Airlines, The Boeing Co. and Michelin North America Inc. The foundation’s mission is to help veterans and their families. Since 2018, it has provided “Battlefield Return” programs to Iwo Jima, Belgium, the Eagle’s Nest, Guam, Tinian and Saipan, Normandy and Germany. For more information, visit: bestdefensefoundation.org. 

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U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Zeita Merchant has made history as the first Black female admiral in the service’s 233-year history. Admiral Merchant, previously the commander of Sector New York, will now lead the Coast Guard Personnel Service Center in Washington, D.C., where she will oversee recruitment and scholarships.

Merchant said she initially joined the Coast Guard with the intention of financing her medical school education. “I always had this passion for service, but I never thought it would be in the form of military service. I really feel like this is God’s plan and not my plan,” she told the Clarion Ledger newspaper in Jackson, Mississippi.

Officials said the promotion highlights the Coast Guard’s ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion. Historian William H. Thiesen notes that African Americans have played a pivotal role in the Coast Guard’s history since its inception in 1790. “From the earliest days of the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service, Black sailors served alongside their white counterparts, with many making significant contributions during conflicts such as the Quasi-War with France and the War of 1812,” Thiesen wrote in a column for the Coast Guard’s newsletter.

He wrote that the Coast Guard’s rich and illustrious history of African American service is filled with bravery and accomplishment milestones. From Aaron Carter, the first African American to die in combat defending the Cape Florida Lighthouse in 1836, to “Hell Roaring” Mike Healy, the first African American commissioned officer and ship’s captain, Black Coast Guard members have consistently broken barriers and paved the way for future generations.

During World War II, the Coast Guard led the federal government’s first official experiments in desegregation, commissioning its first African American officers and assigning Black officers and enlisted men to the USS Sea Cloud. By the war’s end, 5,000 Black members had served in the Coast Guard, with one in every five reaching petty officer or warrant officer levels.

In the following decades, African Americans continued to achieve notable milestones within the service. Thiesen asserted that Lovine Freamon and Bobby Wilks became the first Black graduates from Officer Candidate School in 1954 and 1956. Merle Smith, the first African American graduate of the Coast Guard Academy in 1966, later received the Bronze Star Medal for his service in Vietnam.

Modern times have seen African Americans reach even greater heights within the Coast Guard. Vince Patton became the first Black Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard in 1998, followed by Erroll Brown, the first Black flag officer, in 2002. Jeanine McIntosh earned her wings as the first African American female aviator in 2005, and in 2009, Felicia Thomas became the first Black female to command a cutter.

Merchant’s distinguished career features key roles such as Special Assistant to the 27th and 28th Vice Commandants of the Coast Guard, Congressional Fellow for the Committees on Oversight and Reform and Transportation and Infrastructure, and Executive Strategic Planner for the Coast Guard Flag and Senior Executive Service Corps.

Her educational background is equally impressive, holding a Doctor of Business Administration and a Master of Quality Systems Management from the National Graduate School at New England Institute of Business. She also earned a Master of Public Administration from George Washington University and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Tougaloo College.

Additionally, Merchant completed the Executive Education Leadership in Homeland Security program at Harvard Kennedy School of Government and was a Seminar XXI National Security and Foreign Affairs Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

When a reporter asked what she would tell her teenage self, Merchant replied, “We get in our own way because we think we don’t deserve the best based on where we’re from. “I would tell my younger self that you got to get out of your head, get out of your own way and the world is truly yours to conquer.”

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