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Each year, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) holds essay contests for middle and high school students. The contests offer cash prizes and scholarship opportunities, with different essay themes each year.

Rochester Middle School eighth grader Emily Hammack entered the 2023-2024 Patriot’s Pen essay competitions for middle schoolers and won the local Centralia VFW Post 2200’s contest, which qualified her for the district level.

Hammack won that, too, and then took first place in the Washington state VFW’s contest. As the state level winner, she went on to compete nationally representing Washington, where she wound up placing sixth overall.

Her essay was one of more than 73,000 essays submitted nationally for the 2023-2024 Patriot’s Pen contest, according to the VFW’s website.

On Tuesday, May 14, Hammack and her family were in downtown Centralia’s American Legion Grant Hodge Post 17, where she was honored and congratulated by local and state-level VFW members.

She was also given her final prize check from Washington state VFW Commander Craig Dougherty, state VFW Vice Commander Perry Taylor, state VFW Judge Advocate Frank Persa and VFW Post 2200 Commander Roger Towers.

“Sixth place winner Emily Hammack of Rochester represented the VFW Department of Washington, and was awarded the $2,000 Clyde A. Lewis Department of New York and Auxiliary Award,” Dougherty said.

Along with the check, Hammack received an award certificate paired with a portrait of the National VFW Commander-in-Chief Duane Sarmiento and VFW Auxiliary National President Carla Martinez.

“I am here on their behalf to congratulate you and thank you very much for entering,” Dougherty said.

The theme for the 2023-2024 Patriot’s Pen essay contest asked students “how are you inspired by America?”

“Democracy and the different features are what inspired me, like its rich history,” Hammack told The Chronicle. “History is definitely one of the things that inspired me about it.”

The essay Hammack wrote and submitted for the Patriot’s Pen contest is as follows:

“America inspires me in countless ways. Its rich history, diverse culture, and the values it upholds ignite a fire within me to pursue my dreams and make a difference in the world. The American dream, the belief that anyone can achieve success through hard work, resonates deeply with me. It serves as a constant reminder that no matter where we come from or what our circumstances may be, we have the power to shape our own destinies.

“One of the aspects of American democracy that inspires me the most is the freedom of speech. This fundamental right allows individuals to express their thoughts, opinions, and ideas without fear of persecution. It is through the freedom of speech that progress is made, as it encourages open dialog, the exchange of diverse perspectives, and the challenges of established norms. “This freedom empowers individuals to stand up for what they believe, to advocate for change, and contribute to the betterment of society.

“Another attribute of American democracy that inspires me is the pursuit of equal justice. The United States has a history of fighting for civil rights and striving towards equality for citizens. The principles of fairness, equality, and justice are deeply ingrained in the American ethos. This commitment to equal justice inspires me to be an advocate for those who are marginalized or oppressed, fight against discrimination, and work towards creating a more equal and inclusive society.

“Freedom of speech and individual rights are closely intertwined but not the same. While freedom of speech is one aspect of individual rights, it encompasses much more. Individual rights include a range of freedoms and protections, such as the right to privacy, the right to due process, and the right to equal treatment under law. These rights are essential in upholding the principles of democracy and ensuring that every individual is treated with dignity and respect.

In conclusion, America’s history, culture, and commitment to freedom and justice inspires me to be a better person, and to strive for a better world. The American dream reminds me that anything is possible with hard work. The freedom of speech empowers me to express my thoughts and make my voice heard. The pursuit of equal justice motivates me to fight for equality and stand up against injustice. America’s inspiration fuels my passion to make a positive impact and contribute to a society that upholds the values of freedom, equality, and justice for all.”

On top of the $2,000 check she received Tuesday, Hammack had already won an additional $750 in cash prizes for winning the local, district and state level VFW Patriot’s Pen essay contests leading up to her competing nationally. 

While getting ready to start high school after this summer, Hammack is planning on saving the prize money for college.

Though Hammack is no longer eligible to compete in the Patriot’s Pen contest, she will be able to compete in the VFW’s Voice of Democracy audio essay contest for high school students.

There, she can compete for a share of more than $1 million in scholarship opportunities, including a $35,000 scholarship for the contest winner.

To learn more about both the VFW’s Patriot’s Pen and Voice of Democracy contests, including how to enter and submission deadlines, visit https://www.vfw.org/community/youth-and-education/youth-scholarships. 

The VFW is a national nonprofit organization that aims to foster fellowship among U.S. veterans of overseas conflicts along with advocating for veterans resources and programs at the federal level. For more information, visit https://www.vfw.org/. 

Though he is legally blind and nearly 82 years old, Charles Ament, of Centralia, isn’t letting it keep him from competing in his third consecutive Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Veterans Golden Age Games, which will be held from Aug. 24 to Aug. 29 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

With a mission of promoting “fitness for life,” the games provide an opportunity for veterans 55 and older to compete in the Golden Age Games in 17 different events.

The competitions range from swimming and cycling to cornhole and disc golf. Athletes can also compete in track and field events. It is a qualifying event for the National Senior Games.

“It is a national showcase for the preventative and therapeutic value of sports, fitness and recreation for all older American veterans,” Ament told The Chronicle. “The event provides an opportunity to improve their quality of life and assist and encourage veterans to live an active and healthy lifestyle.”

The competition is broken up into three divisions, which include ambulatory, wheelchair and visually impaired.

A U.S. Navy veteran who served in the Navy’s famous Seabees construction unit, Ament has macular degeneration, which has left him completely blind in his right eye and with cloudy vision in his left after he was initially diagnosed 30 years ago.

“After I turned 65, that’s when I had to stop driving,” Ament said.

Despite losing most of his eyesight, he has competed in five different Golden Age Games events over the past two years in the visually impaired division. He’s competed in cornhole, horseshoe, boccia ball, bowling, shuffleboard and disc golf.

“They make us all wear blindfolds, so it’s an even field,” Ament added.

In 2022, during the 36th annual Golden Age Games in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Ament won the gold medal for cornhole and horseshoes, the silver medal for boccia ball and the bronze for shuffleboard for his age bracket.

Last year, he took home the gold medal for boccia ball and the silver for cornhole, horseshoe, shuffleboard and disc golf during the 37th annual Golden Age Games in Des Moines, Iowa.

He also got the chance to try the air rifle exhibition last year, but wasn’t a fan. He’s looking forward to trying archery in Salt Lake City this year.

Now that Ament has had a chance to taste the competition, he wants to let other veterans who might also be interested in competing in the Golden Age Games know about them. 

“A lot of veterans don’t know about them, but, if they did, I think they might want to compete,” he said.

Those interested in competing next year must be ready to register quickly, as competition spots are limited.

“Registration opened up back in February I think, and it closed in about four hours,” Ament said.

There are around 1,100 veterans competing in the Golden Age Games this August, he added.

Ament discovered the Golden Age Games through recreational therapist Jacqueline Cismowski of the Blind Rehabilitation Center at the American Lake VA Medical Center in Tacoma. He still goes there every Wednesday for adaptive sports training along with almost a dozen other veterans also preparing for this year’s Golden Age Games.

“There are actually three or four coaches up there who help us train for our games,” Ament said.

He’s thankful for the Blind Rehabilitation Center, as staff there helped him adjust to living with visual impairment and have also trained him on how to use special technology that enables him to still use a computer and watch TV, as he’s a Seattle Mariners fan who still follows the team.

“I’ve been through their program four times now. It’s a very good program for someone who’s visually impaired,” Ament said. 

Along with training to compete in the Golden Age Games, Ament also enjoys woodworking — having just recently crafted five custom cutting boards for his children — and weaving rugs, several of which are displayed in his home.

Originally from Minnesota, Ament joined the Navy at the age of 17 on May 31, 1960, just days after his high school graduation. He joined through the Navy’s old Kiddie Cruise program, which offered 17-year-olds the opportunity to serve and finish an enlistment by the time they turned 21.

“I turned 18 on June 2, birthday in boot camp,” Ament added.

After graduating boot camp, he wanted to be a Seabee and got his wish. Ament ended up being stationed in Rhode Island at the Davisville Naval Construction Battalion Center, the Seabees’ original home base.

“I went through a couple of different schools there, tile-setting and block-laying, which I didn’t want to do, but that’s what we were going to be doing on our deployment,” Ament said.

After training, Ament underwent additional basic infantry training at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and mobile airstrip training at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in North Carolina.

“This was in 1961 when Vietnam was just getting started, but then we deployed to Cuba for nine months where we built dependent housing at the base,” Ament said.

After building new housing at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Ament spent two and a half months finishing more dependent housing at the naval air station in Puerto Rico. Following that, he returned to Davisville before getting orders to Christchurch, New Zealand, to be part of a Seabee detachment going to Antarctica.

In New Zealand, he prepared for Antarctica along with helping the New Zealand National Guard repair and rebuild their barracks.

“We spent three months there, and then it was on to Antarctica for five and a half months,” Ament added.

There, he worked at the Navy’s former New Byrd Station as a part of Operation Deep Freeze, which was a joint-national operation aimed at setting up research stations on the frozen continent and involved scientists from over 60 countries.

The Seabees were responsible for building, reclaiming and fortifying the research stations.

After Antarctica, he helped with steel work and plumbing on a nuclear power plant under construction until June of 1963.

“Then it was back home and out of the service,” Ament said.

He worked in carpentry and construction in Minnesota for a while, but eventually moved to Washington state as Minnesota winters aren’t the most conducive for construction.

Ament and his wife, Kathleen, eventually settled in Snoqualmie before he got a job working for Weyerhaeuser and moved to Centralia, where he lives to this day.

While preparing to go to the 38th annual National Veterans Golden Age Games in Salt Lake City, Ament is also accepting donations to help fund his week-long trip there.

Most of his meals will be provided to him while there, but Ament is responsible for paying for his own airfare and lodging. Last year’s trip cost him around $2,200.

“If you are interested in providing partial or full financial support, thank you for your generosity,” Ament said.

Those interested in donating toward his trip can contact him at ckament@msn.com or 360-589-6770.

For more information on the Golden Age Games, visit https://department.va.gov/veteran-sports/national-veterans-golden-age-games/.