Veteran service organizations can’t run on good deeds and good will alone – they need money to pay staff, utilities and rent – that’s where Tulsa-based Coffee Bunker’s primary annual fundraiser, Bunker Bites, comes in. On November 6, at Tulsa University’s Student Union, 200 veterans, supporters, and community leaders came together. Guests paid $125 per person or $200 per couple to eat tasty hors d’oeuvres, buy raffle tickets to win 11 gift baskets and a 50/50 cash prize and watch three deserving people receive awards. It was loud, social and fun. Readers were introduced to Coffee Bunker in August’s publication.

Coffee Bunker’s mission is “to empower veterans and their families as they move forward.” They support veterans and their families transition to civilian life through personal and professional development.

Attendees sampled – and re-sampled – a wide variety of appetizers prepared by 10 local chefs. Each guest dropped their attendance ticket in one chef’s bowl to vote for the “People’s Choice Award.”

Chefs had personal reasons for participating. John Badgwell, an Army veteran in Tulsa, said, “I like to cook for the Coffee Bunker once a month because I want to give back to veterans.” He and another chef offered raspberry lemon cakes with homemade raspberry topping and cherry chocolate brownies with homemade cherry glaze.

Joaquinn Juarez cooks for the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. “My mom is a ten-year Navy vet and she went to the Coffee Bunker often. Someone at the Food Bank suggested I show up and compete.” His oh-so-good meatballs were rewarded with the People’s Choice Award, a white chef’s jacket. Dr. Michael Horton, Coffee Bunker’s Executive Director, said, “It’s a very prestigious jacket. They want that jacket.”

After the auction and People’s Choice winners were announced, Scott Blackburn and Dr. Robby Hedrick were inducted into Oklahoma’s Military Hall of Honor for their work at Coffee Bunker and presented medallions.

From the stage, Jim Lyall, President of the Board of Directors, remarked, “I’ve worked alongside our two inductees tonight for several years, and both of them wear the motto, ‘The spirit of a warrior in the Heart of a Patriot.’”

Blackburn served as Operations Manager from 2011 to 2019. Lyall noted, “Scott credits the veterans, the volunteers he had the honor of serving with, and the community partners for the success of the Coffee Bunker and the lives that are changed within its walls.” Blackburn is now a clinical therapist at Rightway Medical in Bartlesville.

Lyall then recognized Dr. Robbie Hedrick, a former Director of Transition Services. Among Hedrick’s accomplishments, Lyall added, “he led strategic initiatives and connected veterans and their families to critical resources in education, employment, and entrepreneurship. His leadership helped forge partnerships with (other service) organizations…” Hedrick now works as a Military Account Executive at Grand Canyon University.

The Honorable Rebecca Nightingale received the first-ever Lieutenant Colonel Bobby Armour Service to Veterans Award. As a Tulsa District Judge, she supervises the Alternative Courts program, including Veterans Treatment Court and Reentry Court.

Lyall explained, “Working with veterans and those recently released from prison is Judge Nightingale’s passion…Adjudication of Cases in Veterans Treatment Court necessitates the unique ability to blend appropriate justice and appropriate compassion.”

Mary Ligon, Coffee Bunker’s founder, concluded with a moving, deeply personal account of the organization’s beginnings. Daniel, her Marine son who experienced intense combat in Iraq, returned home with severe PTSD and died by suicide in 2007.

Ligon recalled him saying, “Mom, there’s no one to talk to. And there’s no USO or anything. And you know, civilians, they can be really nice, but they just can’t relate.” She “began to have this concept of a place…where they (veterans) could put up their boots…and just talk and connect.” She provided examples of the veteran center’s importance and relevance.

Coffee Bunker receives no local, state, or federal funding and relies entirely on grants, donations, and fundraising. Dr. Horton explained, “The funds from… Bunker Bites…will be dispersed…to all the programs we do for veterans, to include our food pantry, helping them with job searches…with education searches, and sometimes, emergency funding.” The event raised $70,000 – an impressive 30% increase over 2024’s $50,000 total. The lead sponsor among 19 listed in the program was Helmerich Payne, Inc.

Afterwards, Horton mentioned that “people left in good spirits with a willingness to donate more and it was a great exercise of teamwork.”

A community that knows Coffee Bunker makes a difference ensured the doors were kept open to help veterans and their families. •
by Richard Stephens, Jr., Lt Col, USAF, Ret. See Rich Travel Niche

Three Medals of Honor recipients attended a fundraising luncheon/live auction/clay shoot event at Cedar Gate in Kingfisher benefiting the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation.
The Medal of Honor Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established to support and advance the mission of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. Its core purpose is to honor and preserve the legacy of Medal of Honor Recipients by inspiring future generations through the timeless values represented by the Medal: Commitment, Integrity, Courage, Sacrifice, Citizenship, and Patriotism.

The Foundation designs programs that share the extraordinary stories of Medal of Honor Recipients, promote values education, and support the needs of the Recipients and their families.

The 3 Medal of Honor recipients who attended were: • Britt Kelly Slabinski, Senior Chief, US Navy, War on Terrorism, Afghanistan • Earl D. Plumlee, Staff Sergeant, US Army, War on Terrorism, Afghanistan • William D. Swenson, Captain, US Army, War on Terrorism, Afghanistan

The event aims to carry on a tradition established by President Abraham Lincoln in 186. In 163 years, over 40 million Americans have served in the Armed Forces, yet only 3,526 have received this distinguishment. The event is geared toward increasing awareness and honoring soldiers in the Oklahoma City area.

In addition to the Congressional Medal of Honor recipients, the Oklahoma group invited local heroes to take part in the lunch time program.

“It’s an honor to have these hero’s share their stories. It’s such an inspiring experience to meet these heroes and understand what they went though so that we have the liberties we have today,” said John Ungerecht, a supporter of the group. “We had 28 teams in attendance, and many lunch only patrons. The 3 MOH recipients availed themselves to all, taking pictures and visiting with folks. Great, very humble guys! Everyone had such a great time!”

Chartered by Congress in 1958, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s membership is comprised of those who wear the Medal of Honor, our nation’s highest military award for valor. As individuals who have gone above and beyond the call of duty, the Medal of Honor Recipients are committed to serving our country in peace as they did in war by championing the values of courage, sacrifice, integrity, commitment, patriotism, and citizenship.

The nonprofit Society preserves their stories and shares their values through Outreach and Education initiatives and its Medal of Honor Museum.
Ungerecht said that the event has already been deemed a huge success due to the corporate interest and sponsorship.

“Putting on an event like this relies heavily on individual and group participation. It becomes an incredible story when local businesses step in and lend their financial support. We couldn’t do what we do without them,” he said.

Allen Strider, a U.S. Army Combat Engineer, and organizer of the event, said John Nash, Secretary of Military and Veteran Affairs for Oklahoma, served as the keynote speaker.
“He did a really great job,” Strider said.

Strider said the auction included having each Medal of Honor recipient be part of a team for clay shooting.

“To raise more money, we auctioned off each one of them to shoot on somebody’s team,” he said. “Whoever paid the most money for one of the recipients got that recipient to shoot on their team with them.”

Strider said all proceeds benefit the Medal of Honor Foundation.

“Every bit of it. We don’t charge a dime for this. I never have charged for this, and I never will. This is what I do for those guys. They deserve it,” he said. “I’m a Veteran too from the Vietnam era. When you talk about the Medal of Honor people, the Silver Star, the Bronze Stars, the Purple Hearts, that rings home with me.”

Strider said he wants to make the fundraiser an annual event.

“Absolutely. I want to make it as big as I can get it,” he said. “I want to do 120 teams, but we need sponsors, we need some companies to stand up and recognize what we do and be one of our sponsors. I don’t care what industry you’re in, your support means a lot to us, and we could use it.”

Strider said they have three different company sponsor levels.

“We have three different sponsor levels. We have the Medal of Honor sponsor, we have the Silver Star sponsor, and we have the Bronze Star sponsor. And we have signs made up for that,” he said. “We always make sure we recognize these people because it’s appreciated. They have no idea the impact they have made. It makes a significant impact.”

For more information about sponsorship opportunities call Strider at (405) 465-3354 or email at [email protected]. •
By Van Mitchell, staff writer

Patricia Hocker is on a mission to give inspiration to Veterans and their families while at the Oklahoma City VA Medical Center, located at 921 NE 13th Street.

She is doing so via a rock garden that features painted rocks with inspirational messages.
“Four years ago, I became the chairman of the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary Veterans committee. The Veteran’s committee is a national outreach for the Salvation Army,” she said. “When I went down to the VA Hospital, I thought it looked bleak and not very welcoming.

There was a small sign in an area surrounded by some bushes. It said, ”take a rock and leave a rock for inspiration.” One of the hospital staff came by when I was there. She told me that occupational therapy did this for a few years, but they were no longer doing it. I knew then that I had to do something about that.”

Hocker said she asked three of her friends, Teta Turner, Shirley Brummett, and Becky Evans to help her.

“Shirley and Becky are artists and Teta and I do the best we can. I also invited ladies from our Salvation Women’s Auxiliary to help with the painting. My Bible study group also paints,” Hocker said. “I supply all the paint, rocks, and ideas for painting. I’m always happy when someone walks up to me with a box of painted rocks. We now have some “rock fairies” who leave painted rocks.”

Hocker said last year they purchased an attractive metal sign to go in the garden.
“I try to get down every 2 to 3 weeks to “plant” new rocks. When I get there, the garden is bare. It’s a challenge to keep the garden planted,” she said. “It has become a mission for Shirley, Becky, and I. It is a blessing for us as we bless our Veterans and their families. Whenever we are down there, we hear beautiful stories about what the rocks mean to that person or a loved one.”

Turner and her friends all previously worked together at Windsor Hills Elementary School in the Putnam City school district.

“We all worked in and we ended our careers at Windsor Hills,” she said.
Turner said she got involved with the VA Rock Garden after a close friend passed away while in the Oklahoma City VA Hospital.

“What frankly got me involved directly in it is two years ago on New Year’s Day we had a very close friend who died at the Veterans Hospital, and that’s when I began to get inspired to do something for the people who come down there,” she said.

“The garden was already going, but I had gone down to see him. And then when he passed away, of course, I wanted to do my part. And the rocks are not just for the Vets but for their families too.”
Turner said being a part of the VA rock garden has been a blessing.

“It became such a joyful mission that we’ve carried it on now for at least two years. And we can hardly keep rocks in there. They disappear so quickly. They give people a lot of joy,” she said. • by Van Mitchell, staff writer

Wreaths Across America

A mix of long rifles, muskets and pistols fired together at the Post Cemetery on December 20 – not in anger, but in honor of veterans – during the nationally held Wreaths Across America Ceremony. It was sponsored by the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).

Once 60 visitors assembled at the Post Cemetery, Leslie Dietrich, Regent of the Fort Reno Chapter of DAR, welcomed everybody and asked for the Colors to be posted. Allegiance was given to our flag, followed by a prayer of remembrance for deceased veterans.

Dietrich said the group lays wreaths “to remember, honor and teach about those who served in the military and protected our freedoms…and teach the next generation the value of freedom.” Their purpose is “not to decorate graves…” but express a “symbol of honor for their (veterans) sacrifice.” The National DAR has given service to living and deceased veterans since 1890.

Attendees then picked up the green wreaths that the DAR brought and put them on veteran’s headstones while reciting their name as a way to publicly show they are not forgotten. After Dan Wilson of Wakita laid a wreath, he said, “I love to see the respect given to those who have gone before us.” German and Italian soldiers buried at the P.O.W. Cemetery did not receive wreaths.

Members of the Sons of the American Revolution and The Guthrie Gunfighters, dressed in historical period clothing, formed a line and fired three volleys. Then, Chad Kautz played a mournful Taps. The Guthrie Gunfighters’ Trail Boss, Kent Smith, said, “We come out to support the museum in a unique way to honor our veterans.”

In 2022, the Worcester Wreath Company of Harrington, Maine, placed wreaths on 2.7 million veteran’s headstones at 3,702 locations in all 50 states and abroad with the help of two million volunteers and organizations providing support.

After both events, Kaufman opened the museum for individual tours and a reception, offering engaging conversation and a variety of food and beverages. She summarized the events by saying, “We are fortunate to have a cemetery that has a long period of history tied to it. With the German-Italian Memorial Service and the DAR’s Wreaths Across America service, they provide opportunities to honor servicemen buried there.”

“To be killed in war is not the worst that can happen. To be lost is not the worst that can happen…….to be forgotten is the worst.” Piere Claeyssens (1909-2003). •

The Charles Bachlor’s WWII Story

Charles “Ray” Bachlor, born in Tulsa in 1927, spent part of his teenage years in Houma, Louisiana, between 1940 and 1942, attending high school as a sophomore and junior. His family moved frequently. “We followed the oil fields,” he recalled. His father, Roy, managed a supply store for an oil field supply company. Located 57 miles southwest of New Orleans on the Gulf of Mexico, Houma was a quiet oil town-until the war arrived.

A ‘secret’ war on the Gulf
During WWII, German U-boats prowled the Gulf of Mexico. “Houma soon found itself in the midst of a ‘secret’ war-one in which one or more oil tankers were being torpedoed each week near Wine Island after being loaded with oil,” wrote Bachlor after the war. “The ‘U-boat’ would fire an explosive torpedo to spread the oil and then an incendiary to light it. Merchant seamen would have to dive into the burning oil. Sometimes the sub would surface and machine gun survivors. Those who managed to survive… were picked up by our shrimp boats and brought to the hospitals in Houma and Morgan City.”

“Ellender Hospital in Houma was overwhelmed, and folding cots covered the grounds outside the hospital. The sweet smell of burning flesh permeated the air long before you reached the hospital. Women of the town-including my mother-volunteered to help the overworked hospital staff.”

Kimberly Guise, a curator at the National WWII Museum, confirmed these accounts. Bachlor recorded a grim tally: between 1942 and 1943, 88 tankers sunk and 1,471 dead-Americans killed just offshore.

Back to Tulsa
Bachlor finished high school in Sand Springs in 1943 and briefly attended Tulsa University. He tried to enlist in the Navy but was drafted into the U.S. Army on March 1, 1945, as a private.

Basic training
He began basic infantry training at Camp Livingston, Louisiana, in March for seven weeks. One day, a paratrooper visited. The man’s appearance and the unique duty of an elite organization intrigued him. “I was afraid of heights so I joined the paratroopers to overcome that fear,” Bachlor admitted.

Paratrooper training
Transferred to Fort Benning, Georgia, he entered paratrooper training. “Our first week was in the sawdust pits where we were doing nothing but PT. Fifty minutes of PT and 10 minutes rest and 50 minutes more… And every day we’d go on long runs.”

The second week brought a new challenge: “We were jumping from a 34-foot tower… the scariest of all, because you dropped 34 feet and then this cable caught you after (falling 19 feet), then you go down a line to a sawdust pit.” All this to overcome a fear of heights!

By the third week, they were packing their own parachutes and, “We’d hang harnesses and learn to guide ourselves, pulling on our shroud lines.” That week, they were also dropped from 250-foot towers.

“Fourth week we jumped every day. And then we made a night jump and then we got our wings…So, we had to make two marches in combat situations and C-47 to came in, picked us up, and we would make a simulated combat jump. And, so then you graduated.”

The war ends
Bachlor trained for a possible airborne assault on Japan. Then, the United States demolished Hiroshima on August 6 and Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, with atomic bombs. National leaders wanted to avoid at least 500,000 American casualties during a land invasion of Japan. “There were a lot of people that were in the military that were happy about dropping the bomb…and I think it was only later that a lot of people had second thoughts about how terrible the bomb was…but in the end run, it saved a lot of lives,” he said. “It shortened the war.”

Japan officially surrendered on September 2, 1945. Bachlor’s orders to join the 13th Parachute Division at Fort Lewis were canceled. Instead, he remained at Fort Benning as a parachute school instructor, earning the rank of Staff Sergeant.

A Long military career
After leaving the Army in 1948, Bachlor earned an Engineering Physics degree, was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1950 and taught infantry basic training at Fort Chaffey, Arkansas, until May 1951. He later worked for the Security Advisory Group-Japan from 1952-1954 and taught at the Command & General Staff College, Ft. McArthur, Calif.

When Colonel Bachlor retired in 1979, he had served 34 years-rising from private to colonel, an achievement few attain. His life story stands as a testament to courage and dedication. He lives in Tulsa. •
story and photos by Lt Col Richard Stephens, Jr., USAFR, Ret.

Greetings, I’m SFC (Ret) George Shafer. I served as Chaplain at the American Legion in Guthrie, Oklahoma while earning my M.Div. I’m now the Digital Media Pastor for Generations Church in Guthrie. It’s a great Christian community.

As Veterans, we share an ethos that guide our decisions, ethics and moral compass. Concepts like timeliness, integrity, courage and selfless service. We learned the value of hard work and its positive impact on our organization, mission and fellow service members. But we often struggle with balancing these proactive values with the concept rest. When we take time to stop and rest, it can be followed by underlying guilt, even shame. We are culturally driven to do the work, to grind it out, no time off, even at the expense of neglecting those we care about. So, how do we avoid these consequences?

There is an amazing alignment between the science of health and wellness and the teachings in scripture concerning the need for rest, it’s called Sabbath. The same root word as sabbatical. The Sabbath is a staple of the Judeo-Christian culture, yet we witness daily the results of ignoring its benefits. Exhaustion, worry, anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, quick tempers, damaged relationships, work burnout, addictions and others are symptoms of our overworked and under rested lifestyles.

We were created in God’s image and likeness. We were made to rest. We were made to stop. We were made to meditate on God. Just reading those three sentences may make you cringe or laugh on the inside. “George, you don’t know my schedule.” “You don’t understand the pressure I’m under.” “I need to feed my family.” All valid points, but all too often these people arrive at jobs, even to church, burnt out, full of contempt and bitterness, going through the motions. Now more than ever we need to seek peace, joy, and contentment. These are three fantastic byproducts of the Sabbath, if we’ll only embrace and practice it!

Yes, adhering to the Sabbath is difficult. Attempting your first 24-hour Sabbath will likely be a rehearsal of all that you forgot to do! But it is through this challenge that the fruits of the Sabbath are revealed. Honoring the Sabbath requires you to schedule around it. Early Hebrews understood the Sabbath to begin once the third star is seen in the night sky on Friday evening and concludes when the third star is observed on Saturday evening. It shows us that the Sabbath is not ritualistic as it varies from week to week when the stars are visible to us.

For five years I have intentionally practiced my Sabbath. It has helped me find a balance that has created a closer, more intimate relationship with God and my family. I am healthier, clear-headed, more patient, and more flexible with change. The Sabbath has given me peace, joy, and contentment, and has been an integral part of refreshing my mind, body, soul, and emotions.

Communication has been key to sustaining my Sabbath. In-depth and consistent communication with my wife, my family, my job, and my friends has helped create the space necessary to observe the Sabbath. It also gave unspoken permission for the people around me to observe the Sabbath in their own time.

Take time to focus on your own Sabbath, find rest for your soul. Christ shares this promise: Matt 11:28, Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. • Rev. George F. Shafer, SFC (Ret.), M.Div., B.S., Chaplain (TAL Post 58)