Dubois County Marines Recall Iraq, Afghanistan at VFW Post 673 Feb. 21

VFW Post 673 in Jasper will host "Semper Fidelis: Dubois County Marines at War" on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, the second program in the Post's Global War on Terror (GWOT) series. The event will feature local United States Marine Corps veterans recounting service in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, and organizers are inviting the public to attend.

The GWOT series launched in November 2025; organizers reported the first program drew strong attendance and a positive community response. The Feb. 21 program returns the focus to personal narratives that connect wartime service to Dubois County families, civic institutions, and local veteran support networks. The Post’s announcement lists the physical location as 3131 N. Newton Street, Suite 3, Jasper, and offers a public point of contact at (812) 482-2727 and P.O. Box 1009, Jasper, IN 47547.

VFW Post 673 plays a broad role in county life beyond hosting speakers. The Post serves areas within the Greater Jasper and Northeast Dubois school systems and extends membership and services to combat veterans; the Dubois County Herald specifically notes, "All Combat Veterans are invited and encouraged to join." Regular business meetings are held monthly on the second Wednesday at 7:00 PM, with a social hour and food and drinks following. Locals also know the Post as a social hub, MapQuest and Yelp listings mention pizza popular in Jasper as well as Saturday live music and dance nights.

The Post maintains an active leadership roster that spans generations of veterans. Senior Vice Commander Ralph Hughes, Junior Vice Commander David Flynn, Quartermaster Jeremy Mundy, and Adjutant Johnathon Fuhrman represent members who served in the Gulf War and War on Terror, while several trustees and officers are Vietnam and Korea-era veterans. That mix of service eras underpins the Post's dual mission of remembrance and practical support: listings of the Post describe programs offering advocacy, mental wellness support, financial education, and VA claim assistance.

VFW Post 673 has a track record of community remembrance. At a recent POW/MIA ceremony, David Flynn said, "Making it apparent and making the community aware of everybody who does serve and some that pay the ultimate sacrifice, it’s key to keeping the community involved and interested and knowing what people do for our freedom." Flynn has also described ceremonial symbolism, saying, "Red is for heroism, white is for happiness they’ve had for this country." Family members at those ceremonies have underscored local loss and sacrifice: Becky Beckman reflected, "For someone to die so young, he lived a very happy, full life," and Tom Beckman recalled a volunteer mission that cost a life, saying, "He volunteered for one that he didn’t need to, he was finished but took one more and didn’t make it back."

Organizers have not published a start time or a speaker roster for the Feb. 21 program; residents planning to attend may contact VFW Post 673 at (812) 482-2727 or visit the Post at 3131 N. Newton Street, Suite 3, Jasper. For Dubois County, the event is more than history-telling: it sustains civic memory, channels local support services for veterans, and helps shape community priorities around veteran health, benefits access, and public recognition in the years after deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.