Did You Know?
There is a grassroots effort in place to have Colonel Young, posthumously promoted to Brigadier General.
I first became aware of this project when Trooper Yolanda Williams (President of the Inland Empire Buffalo Soldier Heritage Association) asked me to participate in a letter writing campaign, to my State and National Congressional and Senatorial Representatives. Since that introduction, from Trooper Williams, there has been a ground swell of interest in this project and the Los Banos Chamber of Commerce and the Los Banos Chapter of the NINTH & TENTH (HORSE) CAVALRY ASSOCIATION, have taken a proactive roll to make sure this effort comes to fruition.
In 2007, when Trooper Bobby McDonald ran for National President of the 9th & 10th (Horse) Cavalry Association, his campaign slogan was; “Preserving, Promoting & Perpetuating the history of the Buffalo Soldiers”. That is our, Millstone! As members of this great organization we have a moral responsibility to the OBS (Original Buffalo Soldiers); those that have gone on to Fiddler’s Green and to those Originals who are still with us. We owe them our dedication and our trust that we will always attempt to do the right thing. If an organization or a group of organizations are trying to both figuratively and literally Promote the accomplishments of Col. Young, then it is our responsibility to get onboard and help guarantee the success of this endeavor.
I wish to salute to efforts of: Trooper David Ofwono, President of the Los Banos Buffalo Soldiers, along with Troopers: Geneva Brett, Kevin Craig, Jeff Periera, Phil Colman and Aimbrell Shanks, all Board members of the Los Banos Buffalo Soldiers - NINTH & TENTH (HORSE) CAVALRY ASSOCIATION; ...I salute them for rolling up their sleeves and getting involved.
How do we get involved?
The Los Banos Buffalo Soldiers Chapter has made it very easy for any of us who want to help and that should be anyone who is reading this article. Just go to their website:
www.losbanosbuffalosoldiers.org
Click on the “Promote Charles Young to General” link, and sign the petition. That’s all there is to it. Signing the petition is a three of four step process. Make sure you go through all the steps in order for your entry to be registered. I’ve already signed, just look for Trooper Ron Jones, California... I’ll be looking for your entry.
1 comment:
Dear Trooper Jones,
Thank you sir, for your support of the Los Banos Buffalo Soldiers grassroots efforts to have Colonel Young promoted to Brigadier General! We appreciate you adding our petition and website to your newsletter as well as your personal signature on our online petition.
For clarification purposes, I’d like to make a couple corrections to your article. At this time we’re not part of the National 9th & 10th Cavalry (Horse) Association. We are The Los Banos Buffalo Soldiers 9th & 10th Cavalry Association, an official IRS approved 501(c)(3) non profit organization. Our formation meeting was in February ‘09, in April we commenced a letter writing campaign for Colonel Young’s promotion with the help of a local continuation high school, unaware of any other similar efforts. In addition to the letter to President Obama from our Vice President and me included in your newsletter, our young adults mailed over 300 letters in three weeks, getting the attention of local and state elected officials. The efforts of our young, and response from our representatives, spurred us to create a petition to make it easier to garner support and gain the million signatures we believe would cause President Obama to examine the validity of our request for promotion, based on the merit of Colonel Young’s military service.
Since the publishing of your newsletter we received a letter regarding the National Minority Military Museum Foundation’s efforts towards posthumous promotion of Colonel Young. If you, or anyone else, know of any other similar efforts, please advise us so we can all work together in a concerted effort to achieve the honor and recognition due Colonel Young and bring the Buffalo Soldiers into the light of today as role models for America’s youth. Together Everyone Achieves More.
Thank you sir.
Captain Dave Ofwono
Los Banos Buffalo Soldiers 9th & 10th Calvary Association.
1350 E. Pacheco Blvd. Ste: B-167
Los Banos, Ca 93635
(209) 534-6371
http://www.losbanosbuffalosoldiers.org
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