Over 11 years ago, the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001 pushed the United States into war. In addition to the thousands of innocent victims of the terrorist attacks, thousands of men and women in uniform have also lost their lives. We honor the members of our armed forces by remembering them and by honoring those who survived.
The men of the Vietnam Veterans Group of San Quentin (VVGSQ) also answered the call of duty when they enlisted to serve in the military. Asked On The Line conducted brief, informal interviews with a few of the members.
Of the 42 members, 22 were in the Army, 9 were in the Navy, 8 were in the Marine Corps, 2 were in the Air Force, one was in the Coast Guard and 25 members were on active duty during a war. The ages of the members vary from 39 (Chris Schuhmacher) to 77 (Lawson Beavers). The longest-standing member is Harry Barton, 17 years, and the most recent member, Pedro Espinal, was voted in on Sept. 30.
Asked On The Line asked some of the VVGSQ members what they like most about the group.
Schuhmacher is not only the youngest member, he is also the group’s chairman. “My favorite thing about the group is the camaraderie among the men and the positive impact of the projects we take on. It’s important to have an opportunity to give back to people in the community,” said Schuhmacher. “I am going to try to build camaraderie, even more so than now, so that we can be a source of support for each other and make the best of a bad situation. I’d like for us to do this with honor and dignity, which is what prompted us to join the military in the first place.”
Pedro Espinal also likes the camaraderie of the group. “Brotherhood is important because you feel accepted by a community and can contribute.”
Beavers described the VVGSQ as “a very caring group that wants to give back to the community.” He especially likes the Holiday Toy Drive. “I like the expressions on the children’s faces,” said Beavers.
The VVGSQ was formed in 1987. Chief sponsor is corrections officer Lt. Evans; Lt. Luna is co-sponsor.
The group puts on events such as the Holiday Toy Program for children visiting their fathers at San Quentin, Operation MOMS that collects snacks and toiletries from the mainline population to ship to soldiers stationed overseas, and the Veterans Scholarship Award, to help high school graduates with college expenses.
