Larry Smith, former Vancouver mayor pro tem, receives two awards from Association of the United States Army
The Community Military Appreciation Committee (CMAC) is promoting a highlight video featuring interviews with a dozen local veterans that will be shown on cable television as well as be posted on the CMAC website.
Veterans from World War II as well as those who have served in recent times shared their experiences in the military with Martyn Meisner, who produced the video to be shown on Veterans Day. Meisner is with MMM Productions.
The video will be on CVTV, cable Ch. 23/323 at 11 a.m. Wednesday and again at 8 p.m.
Here is the trailer for the film:
The committee also recently featured retired Col. Larry Smith, the former Vancouver mayor pro tem, who received two awards from the Association of the United States Army.
The CMAC meetings have been online in recent months in response to the pandemic. Last week’s meeting did feature Smith, the former U.S. Army combat infantryman who co-founded CMAC in Southwest Washington.
Smith received the Major General Ronald H. Markarian Award for Outstanding Cooperative Success. This award was originally scheduled to be presented at a meeting in Sacramento, Calif.
The award was in part for Smith’s “outstanding leadership and success in collaborating with all major support organizations in Southwest Washington. As a founder … of the Community Military Appreciation Committee, he promotes civic appreciation for our nation by supporting veteran organizations, civic groups, schools, government, police, fire, and other first responders.”
The second award was recently announced by AUSA headquarters and was originally scheduled to be presented at its national meeting in Washington D.C.
The Award for Distinguished Service goes to an individual “who has significantly demonstrated outstanding leadership in planning, organizing, or directing major events that have resulted in a tangible benefit to the community or Army families.”
Both awards were presented by Curt Loop, Oregon state president of the AUSA, which includes Southwest Washington.
The Community Military Appreciation Committee objectives are to preserve and promote military history, recognize veterans and their families, support deployed military members and their family, recognize community and national events, and make recommendations pertaining to the well being of veterans and military families.
Note: Clark County Today reporter Paul Valencia, a U.S. Army veteran, is among those interviewed for the video. Valencia served three years as an Army soldier and journalist.
