Brooks on Brooks!

If the Shelby County Commission chamber had been a classroom and Commissioner Henri Brooks had been Pablo Pereyra's teacher, the admonishment that she directed at the real estate agent during a May 12th Commission meeting likely would not have caused such a firestorm.

But that was not the scenario that played out. Brooks' upbraiding of Pereyra was a key element in a scene that set off a chain reaction, including calls for Brooks' resignation, an apology from her, or a resolution of censure from the Commission.

     During a meeting Tuesday afternoon with the editorial staff of The New Tri-State Defender, Brooks moved to put the swirling controversy in what she considers the correct context.

Shelby County Commissioner Henri Brooks makes her point.

"Any move to do anything to me can't be done. Nothing can be done to me," said Brooks, noting that she was right for admonishing Pereyra, asserting that her "detractors" and "opponents" are stirring a media firestorm in an effort to singe her chances of winning the race for Juvenile Court clerk.

"My campaign is focused on July 18 (early voting). I'm gonna get my base out and I will be winning. Juvenile Court can start packing up now," said Brooks.

Making it clear that she didn't want to dwell on what transpired at the Commission meeting or respond to sound bites, Brooks, however, did want to set the record straight.

"He (Pereyra) made a mistake and I corrected him," said Brooks, a former teacher.

During the Commission meeting, Brooks determinedly voiced concern about the awarding of a $1.7 million county roofing contract to a firm that employed 25 Hispanic roofers and no African Americans. At one point, Pereyra was given the floor, using the opportunity to draw upon his Hispanic background to make the case that Hispanics are the "minority of minorities" in Memphis. That's when Brooks unleashed a sternly-worded shot of her view of relevant history.

"You asked to come here. We did not, and when we got here, our condition was so egregious, so barbaric," said Brooks. "Don't ever let that (the minority of minorities reference) come out of your mouth again because, you know what, that hurts your case. Don't compare the two, they're not comparable."

In the session with the TSD editorial staff, Brooks said, "I knew something was going on when that man spoke. He didn't have to speak. He had the vote. He got up to talk about his experience and they knew that would push my button. It made me angry. What I said was a fact."

Brooks said she became suspicious of Pereyra after he acknowledged that he represented a real estate company in Nevada that purchased tax property from the Shelby County Land Bank, which the commission had approved by a vote of 4-3.

"He said he is the representative of Anthony Joseph Sy (also known as Anthony Syevades)," said Brooks, pointing out that Sy had acted as an unlicensed broker in 740 real estate purchase transactions on behalf of buyers at foreclosure auctions, which landed him in U.S. District Court.

"We're getting ready to take property away from a black man and give it to a man in Nevada who has 740 counts of fraud," she said.

The other issue that concerned Brooks was the $1.7 million roofing contract that the commission had awarded to B Four Plied Inc. to replace the roof on a county-owned building at Shelby Farms.

Brooks argued that B Four Plied Inc. should hire employees from the dominant ethnic group in Shelby County, which is African American. She said she advocates for African Americans who put her in office, and that the whole shebang is all about economics and fair play.

Q&A

The New Tri-State Defender: Was B Four Plied Inc. in compliance when the company received the roofing contract?


Henri Brooks: You can institute policy to implement a law and it would have a disparate impact on black folks. That's what's going on. We're not getting any contracts. The policy is cumbersome. We don't even get a piece of anything. If we do, they want to use our name only. Then they pay you off. It's a sad situation. It's going to get worse.

TSD: You took umbrage at the company that was awarded the roofing contract. Why?


HB: We are both ethnic minorities. The workforce should reflect the demographics of the county. That's fair. That's humane. That's equal. It has been my philosophy, my intent...and we've talked about it on the County Commission, that when a company receives a county contract or taxpayer dollar project, at least the workforce should reflect the demographics of the county.

This particular contract really caught my attention because it came down three times. We sent it back each time for the same reason, because it did not have any black employees. ... And black people are the dominant population here in this county. To ignore that makes me very uncomfortable.

We talk about the poverty in this city...we have to understand what the underpinning of poverty is. Those policies that we make to implement law, those are the kinds of things that are...malignant. For some reason, they don't understand. When we don't make money, we cannot pay taxes. When you don't pay taxes, then you're not a productive citizen.

You can have all kinds of small businesses and skip over black people, but you're in compliance with the law. So it's those policies that we use to implement the law. We're still in compliance with the law, but we're still having a disparate impact on another group of people. That statement in itself doesn't mean that you're trying to give special attention or preference. You're just trying to be fair.

We have a fiduciary responsibility to be good stewards of the taxpayers' dollars, to make sure it's evenly spread and that people who come here do not give the appearance of being discriminatory. Title VI and Title VII come into play here. No one has ever filed a lawsuit against the county; it is ripe for a Title VI lawsuit and a Title VII.

TSD: Explain the reason for the "sheet" comment regarding your fellow commissioner, Chris Thomas?


HB: That resolution had been down three times. It was on its third hearing, and each time we'd send it back for the same reason. Each time during committee, Chris Thomas was the one who wanted to push it, always wanted to give a speech that we need to move forward, that we're complying with the law. When I referred to the sheet, I was talking about a cover-up.

TSD: How can you change a policy that you say is unfair to African Americans?


HB: We got to get the people with the courage to change it. Seven votes can buy Japan. You need seven courageous votes to take a stand for right. You don't have enough black people with backbone to stand up and speak the truth. I'm saying be fair and equal.

TSD: Is there a percentage of African-American businesses getting contracts in Shelby County?


HB: One of the certification agencies here, when that question is asked about doing business with black people, they aggregate the total number that certified companies are doing, and they say this is the amount of business that black people are doing. That's not the way you do it. That's making figures lie. What you do is, you take the number and you divide by the number of participation. I filed a lawsuit against the state of Tennessee in 1998 for contracts: 0.1 percent. It hasn't changed.

TSD: Is there a standing committee that oversees contracts?


HB: We all do that. All 13 of us can sit on and vote on every committee. Some of us are assigned to various committees as chairpersons. But we can all sit and have a vote on the committee.

TSD: It appears you're the only local leader leading the charge. Why?


HB: When you start talking about the money, the pocketbook, economic issues, people get a little crazy, and they'll pull out every rabbit that they can out of the hat to keep you from getting your fair share. That's wrong. We're not saying that anybody should get more than the other. It should be fair across the board. Nobody should discriminate – red, black, green, yellow. And then no one should be denied the opportunity to participate, particularly when you have a federal law, state law and county ordinance. So why won't other people say what I say? You think about it.

TSD: Is there a difference between minorities as it relates to the law?


HB: Quite frankly, there's an unspoken rule. Ethnic minorities do not compare themselves. If you look at Title VI, you'll find that Hispanics are mentioned and blacks are mentioned as protective beneficiaries. It just says that we have suffered discriminatory expenditures of federal dollars. So we're both in the same group. Title VI protects us both. So there's no need to compare each other.

TSD: Do you think your admonishment of Mr. Pablo Pereyra was misconstrued?


HB: In Memphis and Shelby County, the backdrop here...everything is about race, whether we want to admit it or not. It's just a fact. It's a reality. I'm not in denial. If most of us would come out of denial and deal with the substantive issues of race or talk about it in a substantive way, in a setting, then I think we might move a little further than where we are now. It takes individuals who are intelligent, who have knowledge of history...who have some self-esteem...who have knowledge of self to be able to talk about that. And I can do that.... As I expressed in committee, I am who I am and I am proud to be who I am. I am a black woman and I am proud of my ethnicity.

TSD: If the issue was the same and Mr. Pablo Pereyra were to address the commission again, would you respond the same way?


HB: Yes I would. I stand by my comments. I said nothing wrong. It was factual. It was correct. As a schoolteacher, I corrected a young man who made a mistake. If you get up in front of me and make a historical or factual misstatement, I will correct you. I would not want anyone to think that his condition, or his story...well, his experience here in America is just like mine. It's not. It's totally different. And I can say that in a non-confrontational way, in an instructional way. If he doesn't understand, he needs to understand. So I would like to think that I helped someone with an accurate knowledge of history.

TSD: Your "detractors" or "opponents" have called you a racist. Can you respond to that assertion?


HB: How can I be a racist? They need to go and look up the definition of racist. People are talking, but they don't know. They're speaking hateful terms or ugly terms... so their intent is to malign or marginalize me. But what they've done is marginalize their intellect because they're not taking the time to just go to Webster and look up the definition of racist. Now do I love my people? Of course I do...and proud to be a black woman...very proud to be black and, secondly, female. I support my people. I support the least of these. Some of the least of these are not my people. They don't look like me. They look like the gentleman who stood before me, that came before the committee.

TSD: Will the fallout jeopardize your chances of winning the Juvenile Court Clerk's race?


HB: This is not going to hurt nothing. My base is going to vote for me anyway. I have sense enough to know...I'm old enough and have seen the polls to know that white people in this town do not like opinionated, strong, intelligent black women who speak truth to power, know what they're talking about, and can back it up with research.

I'm really clear about who my supporters are. This is not going to hurt my chances at all. The only thing that will hurt my chances is that our people won't come out to vote. ... I'm gonna get my base out and I will be winning. Juvenile Court can start packing up now. I've already started going down there.

People have been so supportive. And what has really been encouraging ... the black women who have been so supportive. Goodness gracious! What they've done is send people to my campaign headquarters. When black women support you, you know you're doing the right thing.

TSD: Will the fallout hurt other Democratic candidates if they align with you?


HB: I do not pay them (detractors) any attention. They're going to put the most negative spin on this as they can. I don't listen to them; I listen to the people who actually put me in office and have kept me in office for decades. This is not my first scrape. I have been burned in effigy at high noon on War Memorial Plaza for speaking up or for exercising my First Amendment right. And I'm going to continue to exercise my First Amendment right. It is not my intent to cause anyone to lose votes for aligning with me.

TSD: Do you think you need Hispanic, white and black votes to win the Juvenile Court Clerk's race?


HB: I need everybody's vote. I want everybody's vote, because what I'm doing is the right thing for families, youth and children. Remember, I'm the one who filed the complaint with the Justice Department in 2007 because of the violations of the constitutional rights of children. I didn't say black children. I said children at Juvenile Court. I need everybody's vote, because what I want to do is fix a serious problem that's been going on for decades.

TSD: Is the good ole boy network alive and well? And are you still fighting it?


HB: Sure. I've always fought the good ole boy network. That's who runs this town. I say that with knowledge because I've been sitting as a policymaker on the local level for eight years and I've sat as a policymaker on the state level for 14 years. And I do have a tendency to read; I can read. So I understand where the dollars are going. And I do follow the money, and the money is not coming into the black community.

TSD: Why is there so much media attention when you speak on issues affecting African Americans?


HB: The powers that be want us to be docile. They want us to be submissive and they want us to be quiet while they run around and do what they want to do...wreak havoc on families and children economically. I can't be quiet about it. I wasn't raised that way. I have to do for the least of these. So I can't do for the least of these if I don't speak up for the wrong that I see. ... It is incumbent upon me as an elected leader, as an elected official, as a policymaker, to ensure that the policies are fair for all citizens no matter what their ethnicities are – all citizens.

TSD: Do you believe in diversity?


HB: I think it should be a melting pot. In a melting pot, it all comes together and there's no fine line. With diversity, you got to have these lanes – some over here, some over there. I don't really like that word. It's so intentional, made up, so phony to me. Melting pot is real.

Cohen: ‘I run on my record’

At the intersection of Union and Cooper, an 11-year-old boy stricken with polio waited eagerly for the convertible transporting the future 35th president of the United States to pass his way en route to the riverfront to  deliver a campaign speech. Transfixed by the thrill of seeing Sen. John F. Kennedy, Steve Cohen aimed his camera, framed the senator, and fired the shutter that day in September of 1960.

Today, the vintage black and white photograph of a beaming Kennedy sitting atop the convertible with then-Memphis mayor Henry Loeb and then-Senator Albert Gore Sr. hangs conspicuously among Cohen's extensive collection of photographs, posters, artwork, hundreds of campaign buttons, and other political paraphernalia in his Spanish Tudor-style home on the periphery of Overton Park.

President Obama signs the Speech Act into law on Aug. 10, 2010.

The paraphernalia are decades-long records of events and personalities that inspired and shaped Cohen. His brush with Kennedy subsequently would seal his fate as a public servant in local, state and national politics.

"My father took me with him to vote in 1960. He let me pull the level for John Kennedy," said Cohen, who registered to vote at 21 on the same day he ran for public office. He would become a delegate and vice-president of the Tennessee Constitutional Convention in 1977, serve two years on the Shelby County Commission, and 24 years in the Tennessee State Senate.

In 2006, Cohen beat 14 opponents in the Democratic Primary and ushered in a new era as the first Jewish person in Tennessee's history to win election to the U.S. House of Representatives from the state's majority African-American Ninth Congressional District.

The Democratic Primary is Aug. 7th, and Cohen is seeking a 5th term. Democratic challengers attorney Ricky E. Wilkins and activist Isaac Richmond are vying for the seat. Republican Charlotte Bergmann is making another run, and Paul Cook is tossing his hat in the ring as an independent.

Early voting is July 18 to Aug. 2.

After Cohen made his mark as a freshman congressman, casting votes that were endeared by the NAACP and other organizations, he and his supporters in the African-American community would find common ground on most issues.

"The NAACP has given me an 'A' every single year. Harold Ford Jr. got a 'C,'" said Cohen, noting that some powerful African Americans around the country "express sadness that I have an opponent." He pointed out Kansas City Cong. Emanuel Cleaver II, former AFSCME secretary-treasurer William "Bill" Lucy, former Georgia state senator and past NAACP chairman Julian Bond, and Georgia Cong. John Lewis.

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen is an avid collector of political buttons.

Cohen has had his share of opposition – but what politician hasn't? However, those who know him have discovered that his political astuteness and work ethic tend to work to his advantage. In fact, he has been victorious in each congressional race since his maiden launch in 2006. He beat Nikki Tinker in 2008, former Memphis mayor Dr. Willie W. Herenton in 2010, and Tomeka Hart in 2012.

Wilkins is running a fierce campaign in an attempt to unseat Cohen. Undaunted by the move, the congressman, a fierce campaigner himself, said unequivocally, "I run every race the same way. I leave no stone unturned. I take every election seriously. And I run on my record.

"There's not a day – when I'm home – that I don't meet with my constituents and respond to the issues," said Cohen, declaring himself a hands-on congressman – such as writing, addressing and sealing thank you notes and proofing all documents.
"This is part of who I am," he said. "I've done this all my life. I haven't changed. I'm a Type A personality. I've been this way since I was a child. I've had a lot to overcome. And polio survivors are known to be Type A personalities."

In a feature story in March, Wilkins pointed out that he's running a campaign based on his qualifications and the issues. He also said he's the right person to represent the district, which is 60 percent African American and 33.5 percent white.

Is this a subtle argument on Wilkins' part that an African American should represent the district? He wouldn't entertain the notion, but noted that he understands the constituents and their needs, having been raised by a single mother struggling in South Memphis.

Cohen counters, saying, "Nobody brought up that you have to be African American, poor, or raised by a single mother when Harold Ford Jr. was in Congress. Nobody questioned his ability to represent the district coming from a wealthy and powerful family.

"I don't think people are buying that. It wasn't a condition necessary for Harold Ford Jr. to go to Congress. The public wants somebody who works hard, who's going to be there for the city, and deliver. The fact that I'm white is not an issue."

Delivering for Memphis...

Although Wilkins has laid out his platform and what he intends to do if he's elected to Congress, Cohen said quite frankly, "These are things I've already done."

Pro-choice. "He's never done anything or gotten any recognition for his efforts," the congressman said. "I've been pro-choice all my life."

The Affordable Care Act. "Well, I've voted for it, campaigned for it. I've spoken for it, and I've signed people up. I've never seen him as part of the debate."

Working with President Obama in Washington. "He's not going to. President Obama wants to work with me. We have a good relationship and that's for the good and benefit of Memphis."

Cohen touted his relationship with the president at a news conference at his home in April, where he announced that Obama had endorsed his re-election bid for the third consecutive time. He read the endorsement to the media.

"Congressman Steve Cohen has been a leader on justice and civil rights issues and has worked tirelessly on behalf of his constituents. His focus on bringing good jobs, affordable health care, and world class education to Tennessee is why I am proud to once again support his re-election."

Cohen said Wilkins talks about the district's problems, what his office hasn't done to fix them, but has never written his office – "not once."

"Talk is cheap," he said. "I know politics. I've been in it all my life."

The district is contained entirely in Shelby County and includes the city of Memphis and portions of Collierville and Germantown. When it comes to governance, Cohen said there's a public sector and there's a private sector.

"Some people say the city is in bad shape economically. So they ask what have I done. Well, I've done a lot," he said, explaining the difference between the congressman's job and the mayor's job. "The congressman is not responsible for the overall health of the city. That's the mayor's job."

On the federal level, however, Cohen pointed to a number of projects that he's supported with federal dollars. "We got major funding for the MED – now Regional One Health – which was in the Affordable Care Act," he said.

"I worked to get funding for the Dr. Benjamin L. Hooks Job Corps Center, brought jobs to Memphis with the American Steamship project, and got federal funds for the City of Memphis' Second Chance program."

He pointed to another project currently on his desk, a Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant that he's trying to secure that would transform the area around Vance Avenue into a mixed-income housing community.

In 2012, the congressman announced that Memphis would receive a Tiger IV Discretionary Grant to establish a 12-mile regional multimodal corridor between Main Street in Memphis and Main Street in West Memphis, Ark., via the historic Harahan Bridge over the Mississippi River.

He also said he's working with Mayor A C Wharton Jr. to get the federal government to grant a Promise Zone status to Memphis in an effort to eliminate poverty. The first criterion, he said, is to secure a Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant.
"It would be a major accomplishment for Memphis," Cohen said.

On justice, racial disparities, and crime issues, Cohen said he has the president's ear particularly on issues that would benefit or affect African Americans, such as commutation of sentences involving crack cocaine.

He recommended to the president and the Senate confirmed the following judicial nominees: Judge Bernice Donald for United States Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, Judge John Fowlkes for District Court Judge for the Western District of Tennessee, Ed Stanton III as U.S. Attorney for Tennessee's Western District, and recently Sheryl Lipman for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee.
As a ranking member of Congress now, Cohen said he has the influence and the support of the Obama administration to deliver for Memphis.

About U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen...

Cohen is a fourth-generation Memphian. After graduating from Coral Gables High School in Florida, he returned home to Memphis and graduated from Vanderbilt University in Nashville in 1971 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, and from the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law of the former Memphis State University in 1973 with a Juris Doctor.

After establishing a legal practice in 1978, Cohen went on to devote his life to public service. He is an avid supporter of the arts and a longtime sports fan, particularly the Memphis Grizzlies. His community involvement includes serving on various boards and commissions. He also is a lifetime member of the NAACP.

Cohen has been honored numerous times throughout his career – for policymaking and legislative leadership, his voting record, and for advocating on behalf of various groups and issues.

Memphis VA not immune from national scandal pushback

The Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Memphis

By Wiley Henry

Before the VA hospital scandal made its way to Washington, D.C., and landed squarely on the desk of President Barack Obama, the Memphis VA Medical Center was mired in its own scandal in 2012, the year three patients died in the emergency room. An investigation ensued and the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) Office of Healthcare Inspections concluded that the deaths resulted from inadequate care.

Widespread problems with the nation's hospitals for veterans – including recent reports of delayed treatments, preventable deaths, and efforts to falsify records – drew a strong rebuke from the president: "I will not stand for it," said Obama, who met with Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki in the Oval Office last week prior to a news conference.

The VA facility in Phoenix particularly drew the ire of the president and prompted the OIG to investigate. The inspector general announced the department's findings on Wednesday (May 28th): At least 1,700 veterans at the medical center were not registered on the proper waiting lists to see the doctors, thereby causing veterans to be at risk of being forgotten or lost.

A number of reports were released by the OIG within the last few days in response to a number of allegations that were brought to light by confidential complainants and substantiated by the OIG after concluding its investigations.

The sweeping allegations of misconduct and questionable medical practices at the veteran facilities have drawn sharp criticism from Ninth Congressional District U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, who pledged his support to the nation's veterans. He has also invited Shinseki to come to Memphis to reassure the nearly 200,000 veterans served by the VA hospital here that their concerns are taken seriously.

On Tuesday (May 27th) afternoon, State Rep. G.A. Hardaway and State Rep. Karen Camper, a veteran herself, facilitated a town hall meeting for veterans at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library. They took notes and recorded the veterans' testimonies in hopes of locating resources that may be available at the local, state and federal levels.

Following the investigation of the Memphis facility a year ago, the inspector general mandated corrective action. The call for corrective measures came after an anonymous complainant alleged that a patient with a drug allergy was given the wrong medication and died. A second patient died after being administered multiple sedating drugs and left unattended. And a third patient with very high blood pressure died after treatment was delayed.

Last week, Tennessee's U.S. senators, Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker, inquired about updates on changes made at the facility via a letter sent to Robert A. Petzel, the Department of Veterans Affairs' undersecretary for health.

Changes at the VA hospital...

According to the Memphis VA hospital, changes have already begun in the emergency department. The hospital will spend approximately $5 million to renovate and expand the Emergency Department (ED) to improve urgent care delivery and access for its patients. The work will be executed in three phases and take about 1.5 years to complete.

One of the primary changes includes relocating the admissions area to the first floor of the Bed Tower. Structural changes also include closing some entrances and opening others to accommodate the flow of patient, employee and visitor traffic.
Only patients with "true" emergencies, or life-threatening issues, will be permitted to enter through the emergency room.

Other changes have already begun to take place, hospital officials said Wednesday in response to an inquiry from The New Tri-State Defender. A new nurse manager with ED experience, for example, has been hired along with 14 additional nurses. Training for the nursing staff also will be expanded to ensure they are competent and certified.

A Patient Care Assistant desk has been established that navigates 25 percent of patients with minor complaints to an appropriate provider instead of directly to the ED. And to expedite dispositions, patient flow coordinators have been established in the ED to communicate the status of patient tests with providers.

Additional administrative staff has been hired as well and an Admissions Office has been designated to coordinate admissions and transfers. Still other changes are being made as well to improve medical care for its veterans, according to the written response for the Memphis VA.

Reiterating his support...

Cohen said three congressional staffers at his Memphis office work daily on veteran affairs and that much of their constituent service is centered on veterans.

"With more and more of our nation's veterans returning from combat suffering from PTSD and serious injuries, I will continue supporting the president's efforts to make sure they are treated with the utmost respect and receive timely, high-quality care at the Memphis VAMC or any other VAMC," Cohen said.

Some of the problems with veteran hospitals could be solved if Congress appropriates more funding for more doctors and health care professionals, said Cohen.

There was a proposal to increase funding for the nation's veterans hospitals, he said, "but the Republicans refused to fund it. They stopped it in the Senate. Some of the problems are a lack of funding and the Republicans refuse to fund it."

Having their say...

The veterans who came out to the town hall meeting on Tuesday afternoon had much to say about the VA fiasco that is triggering calls for reform. Several were quite vocal about their own personal experiences regarding health care and other veteran issues.

Some of them talked about the city providing homes for struggling veterans and homeless people and using vacant school buildings, if they could be repurposed as transitional homes or facilities. One veteran spoke about his dissatisfaction with the VA hospital.

More than 70 veterans and their families attended the meeting.

"The goal was to get information directly from the veterans through their testimonies," said Hardaway.

Randy Wade, a Navy veteran who served in Vietnam, advocated for veterans in his former job as district director for Cohen. At Tuesday's hearing he polled the veterans to ascertain the number who were dissatisfied with the treatment they've received from the VA hospital.

"About 99 percent are unhappy," said Wade, who expressed his dissatisfaction with the Department of Veterans Affairs and the local VA hospital. Wade's former co-worker, Willie Henry Jr., Cohen's deputy director, was present and spoke briefly.

Hardaway said hospitals such as Regional One Health (formerly the Regional Medical Center) could stand in the gap for the VA hospital in terms of immediacy of services.

"We want to look to see what we can do to bring in the MED, Methodist, the University of Tennessee – whatever local medical services we have – to complement the services that the VA hospital isn't delivering."

The VA hospital, Hardaway said, should be held accountable for the job that it is charged to do to ensure accessibility and provide affordable care to veterans. He said the veterans' testimonies would be shared with some of the state agencies and made available to Sen. Alexander's office as well.

Hardaway's deceased brother was a Vietnam-era Marine and his father, also deceased, was a World War II Army veteran.

"It's personal to me," he said.

(TSD freelance reporter Ashley Grandberry contributed to this story.)