Frequent guest Walt Gislason brought his friend Ronald "Mack" Mackedanz to speak to the club this week. Walt introduced Mack by describing him as a man who is always in service. "When he hears of a need, he packs his bags and he goes, no questions asked." Mack is an activist, a Vietnam Army veteran, recipient of several military honors including the Silver Star for Gallantry, and the author of "Drafted: Greetings, You Have Been Selected by Your Friends and Neighbors." "Drafted" is an acclaimed first hand account of the experiences of a Vietnam infantry soldier, first at war in a foreign country and then returned home to a generally indifferent and unappreciative nation. Mack shared his stories of attacks in Vietnam, his poetry and lyrics written to honor our military personnel, and his belief that our veterans, all veterans, need to be shown respect and appreciation through action. Mack himself is currently very active helping former military personnel in many ways: he helps other veterans navigate the complicate VA system, he supports fathers with a support organization called "Dads for Dads", he works to provide wreaths for every military grave in Kandiyohi County, and he is a key player in the Patriot Guard Project. The Patriot Guard is an organization whose members strive to provide dignity and pride to fallen veterans and their loved ones in face of funeral protestors. Mack and company travel to military memorials to stand guard over the service by providing a human barrier between protestors and service-goers. As Mack describes himself "I'm just an old crusty Vietnam vet who is doing the best he can." We can all aspire to Mack's level of service. Thank you Mack, and thank you Walt.
