The criteria for joining one of Aiken County's smallest organizations for veterans are extremely tight and involve such elements as bullets, mortar rounds and improvised explosive devices.
The Military Order of the Purple Heart has an Aiken-based chapter named in memory of Marine Cpl. Matthew Vincent Dillon, who was injured in his first tour of duty in Iraq and killed in his second, in 2006, at age 25. Dillon's parents, Neal and Lucy Dillon, are among the group's auxiliary members and were essential in the group's founding, having given their blessing in memory of their fallen son.
Warrenville resident Clarence "Cooney" Palmer, an Army National Guard veteran who was wounded while serving in Iraq, said the local group's aim is "to serve our vets the best we can," with particular emphasis on those who were wounded.
Activities, bankrolled by a variety of fundraising efforts, have included providing meals for patients in the veterans hospitals in Augusta, building wheelchair ramps for local homes and working "wherever we could find a need," Palmer said. Support has also gone, with help from local Marine Corps League units, to help bankroll a scholarship in Dillon's memory, to assist Junior ROTC students to make the leap to college life.
The chapter dates back to 2008, and Palmer is one of the original members, having joined with John W. Rolfes, William Reese, Clarence A. Palmer, John C. Wilson, Jackie L. Widener, John A. Spawn, Daniel R. Smith, Donald C. Skinner, William P. Lott, Leroy Harris, Edward L. Hammons, Joseph F. Fresolo and Ray V. Chipley.
"We strive to serve the veterans community still. We are small in numbers, but large in enthusiasm," Neal Dillon said, noting that the original group included veterans who were wounded in World War II and Korea. Those members have died, and the current population is mostly composed of vets who saw action in Vietnam and Iraq.
Meetings are held at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10601, at 250 Hudson Road, at 10 a.m. on the second Saturday of each month, and potential members are welcome to get in touch with a member or attend a meeting to learn more, Palmer said.
"If you are a direct descendant of a Purple Heart recipient, you are eligible to be a member of our auxiliary," he added. "Even if they have passed on or they don't live in the area, they can still join our group. We try to provide as much as we can for the area and be involved as much as we can."
The national organization, on its website, notes that members "proudly continue to serve our country by helping America’s active duty, veterans, her families and those who have borne the burden of battle."
