Events

Law enforcement officers, elected officials, public dignitaries, family survivors, and the public are invited to join together on Monday, September 27, 2021, to honor the 40 Montgomery County law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty over the past 131 years.

The memorial ceremony will begin at 11:00 A.M. preceded with a procession of officers, retirees, and cruisers arriving at the ceremony site at Riverscape at 10:45 A.M. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Kathy Platoni, Psy. D., DAIPM, FAIS a well-respected Psychologist that works with officers after traumatic incidents and retired Col with the US Army.

Click here for more details.

Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame Class of 2019 Announced

COLUMBUS – The Ohio Department of Veterans Services today announced the members of the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame Class of 2019.

These 20 outstanding inductees will be honored for their accomplishments and achievements at the 28th annual Induction Ceremony in November for their post-military service. This stellar class of candidates represents 13 Ohio counties and four military branches.

• Howard F. “Bud” May Air Force Greene

• James I. Moorman Air Force Shelby

• John T. “Ted” Mosure Navy Franklin

• Katherine T. Platoni Army Greene

• Michael J. Pohorilla Army Franklin

• J. Lori Stone Air Force Mahoning

• Bertalan L. Szabo Army Summit

• Donald L. Tedrick Army Guernsey

• James W. Watercutter Marines Licking

• Merle F. Wilberding Army Montgomery

*Posthumous Award

The general public is invited, and Ohio Veterans are encouraged to attend the Induction Ceremony:

Induction of the 2019 Class of the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame
Radiant Life Church
7100 Post Road, Dublin, Ohio 43016

Thursday, November 7, 2019
9 am Continental Breakfast Reception
10 am Induction Ceremony

For more information: 614.644.0898, HallOfFame@dvs.ohio.gov or OhioVets.gov

The Class of 2019 was chosen from among 145 nominations. This year’s class joins 875 Ohio veterans who have been inducted since 1992 and represent all eras, branches of service and walks of life.

The Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame was established in 1992 by former Gov. George Voinovich to recognize the post-military achievements of outstanding Ohio veterans. Charter members of the Hall of Fame’s Class of 1992 included the six Ohio veterans who were elected President of the United States as well as Medal of Honor recipients from Ohio. Honorees of the past 27 years include astronauts, community volunteers, community leaders, safety officers, veteran advocates and government officials.

The members of the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame are honored in a permanent display near the Ohio Statehouse at the Riffe Center, 77 South High Street, Columbus, Ohio.

The Ohio Department of Veterans Services on behalf of and in collaboration with the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame Executive Committee administers the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame. Comprised of 13 veteran volunteers, the Executive Committee members serve as advisors to the Hall of Fame and their primary purpose is to select up to 20 honorees annually.

Bios and photos of the 2019 Class will be available at OhioVets.gov on or near Monday, October 1, 2019.

Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame Coordinator:
Sandra Puskarcik, 614.752.8941 (office)

Media Contacts:
Chief Communications Officer Jeff Rapp, 614.728.0235 (office) / 614.357.7305 (cell)
Public Information Officer Ryan Griffin, 614.466.7637 (office)

Open House at Veterans Museum

The Veteran Memorial Museum, 123 S. Main St., in Germantown is hosting an Open House on the occasion of the Museum's 10-year anniversary on Saturday, 18 May, Armed Forces Day.

A featured part of the open house, which is also a fund raiser for the 2019 appearance of the USA Patriots (formerly Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team) at Wright State University in October, is video presentations and special guest speakers.

Presentation #1 will feature the award-winning documentary, “The Fall League,” a documentary of senior softball which includes the WWAST and experts in the field of camaraderie built thru group activities like sports and the military.  Speakers will include documentary producer and Waynesville resident, Tim Gebard, and featured guest in documentary, Dr. Kathy Platoni, COL (RET), US Army and still serving as COL, Ohio Military Reserves/State Defense Forces.  Dr. Platoni Is a nationally known author and veterans advocate who served in Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom (Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay and Afghanistan), and is the Editor for Combat Stress E-Magazine.

Presentation #2 is a video presentation by Mr. Al Bailey, President for Honor Flight-Dayton, featuring Dr. Henry Chong, Univ. of Maryland.  The video captures Dr. Chong’s reflections as a little boy growing up in South Korea and what it meant to his family having American forces protecting them.

Presentation #3 will share details of this year’s appearance in the Greater Dayton area of the USA Patriots.  This is the team’s 4th year appearing locally and raising funds for local Miami Valley veteran organizations like Fisher Houses (WPAFB & Dayton VA), Honor Flight-Dayton, Combat Outpost Robinson, and to send a Dayton-area amputee child to the USA Patriots Kid’s Camp.

Wright State University’s Veteran & Military Center will be on site to invite and accept veterans who are willing to record and share their service via the Veteran Voices Project, an oral history program affiliated with the Library of Congress Veterans History Project.

The Open House runs from 11am until 5pm, and everyone – all veterans and their families – are welcome to attend.  The presentations begin at 1pm and a $5 donation is requested.  Due to space limitations in the museum’s theater, this is open to the first 100 attendees.

"The Veterans Memorial Museum Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit institution dedicated to educational and memorialization activities, in regards to the experiences of US Armed Forces Veterans.

For more information or seating information:  ddshortt@aol.com or call 937 855 4763

Keynote Speaker @ Ohio EMS Conference

Serving those who serve

Tuesday, May 22nd

I had the honor of presenting a keynote speech "When Helping Hurts — The Silent Epidemic of Trauma in First Responders" at the Ohio EMS Conference

Ohio EMS Conference