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CHAIR OF HONOR

I was a Marine in the Vietnam War and stay connected to the military community through several veteran service organizations, including Rolling Thunder, which raises awareness of prisoners of war and those missing in action.

At the 2012 national conference, Joe D’Entremont, a Massachusetts chapter president, told us about something great he’d seen at a NASCAR racetrack.

“There was a seat left purposely empty,” Joe said. Next to it was a sign that said, This empty chair is reserved for our 82,000 American servicemen who are still missing. This chair will serve as a reminder of all the sacrifices made for our country by these American servicemen, who have for too long been forgotten by all but their families and friends.

Joe wanted all Massachusetts sports arenas to have a chair of honor—and invited me to the July 4, 2013, chair installation ceremony at Fenway Park, home to the Boston Red Sox.