Blue Star President Tom Long first proposed the idea of a Veterans Assistance Fund at our March 12, 2020 meeting in order to provide a quick and efficient way for veterans in need of emergency financial assistance (i.e., medical and dental co-pays and deductibles, plumbing repairs, etc.) to get the help they need. The COVID-19 Virus immediately followed which created a greater need for a fund of this manner. The Blue Star Salute Foundation membership was unable to meet for several months due to the virus, which delayed both the vote to formally establish the fund and to determine how to generate the necessary seed money.
One week prior to the June 2020 meeting, Vietnam Veteran and Navy Seal Joel Adkins passed away and his family asked that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Blue Star Salute Foundation. Some called it divine intervention when the first two weeks raised $2,950.00 in contributions, exceeding our initial goal of the seed money by 50%. When the vote to establish the fund was cast on June 11, 2020, it was named the Joel Adkins Memorial Veterans Assistance Fund to honor the decorated sailor who gave his all in distinguished service to his family and friends, his community, and his country.
Following his graduation from Minor High School in May of 1965, Joel joined the United States Navy and was trained in Special Operations and became a member of Navy Seal Team 3. He deployed to South Vietnam in late 1968 and performed missions from the USS Forrestal in the South China Sea into Cambodia and Laos and returned stateside in January 1970. Like other special forces soldiers and sailors, Joel's military records were sealed for 50 years and are due to be released in October of 2020.
Following his service in Uncle Samuel's Navy, Joel attended the University of Alabama and was active in the Mechanical Industry for 44 years where he began as a field superintendent and worked his way to ownership of a successful mechanical business of his own. Joel was an appointed member on the State Board of HVAC Contractors, as well as an active member of the Alabama ABC Association where he was recognized with many awards.
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