WCMOA IS BACK!

Please mark your calendars for our first in-person meeting in over 14 months! Sunday, June 13th, 1200-1500, Redding Country Club. We’ve reserved an outdoor venue at the club to facilitate the comfort of all our members and guests. All appropriate protocols will also be observed. 

A special ‘Welcome Back” price is offered: Just $20 per person, plus one free beverage, for a fantastic buffet meal. No program – just a great opportunity to reconnect and catch up on the fellowship we have been missing for too long.

Skip to the RESERVATION PAGE HERE to reserve your place!  Bring a guest.  Prospective new members are FREE!!

Hope to see you there!

Al Smith

President, WCMOA

2021 YAA Program

Regretfully the Western CT Military Officers Association will not be holding the Young American Awards Program this year.  Our Executive Board met and after much discussion we decided the pandemic has presented us with too many restrictions and limitations. As you know, the program is built around genuine contact with the awardees, school counselors and administration, and student parents and we feel it would be impossible to do justice to the program, especially without our unique recognition of the students and their parents at our in-person military banquet.

After having a YAA function each year for over 45 years, this was obviously a difficult decision to make. But the good news is we are very much anticipating having a bigger and better Young American Awards Program in 2022!

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED,
A TRUE AMERICAN SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO,
OF WHOM I’D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALISED THE FAMILIES,
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS,
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE,
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM,
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN’T HELP WONDER,
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE,
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT BROUGHT,
A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES,
AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED,
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
“SANTA DON’T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON’T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS..”

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN’T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL,
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED,
FROM THE COLD NIGHT’S CHILL.

I DID NOT WANT TO LEAVE,
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR,
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, “CARRY ON SANTA,
IT’S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE.”

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
“MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT.”

100th Anniversary of Wilton Post 86

Past WCMOA President and current American Legion Post 86 Commander CAPT Bill Glass Presides over 100th Anniversary of Wilton Legion Post!  Read about it HERE.

Young American Awards 2020