WILMINGTON – A Salute to Troops dinnner featuring popular Congressman Allen West (R-FL) was held at the North Carolina Republican Convention Friday evening.

The event kicked off with the presentation of the colors by the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Department.

During dinner, Rep West took photos with a line of well wishers during dinner.  This was not a short line. The poor man must be used to not being able to have dinner as the long line seemed to stretch down the ballroom.

After dinner, Vice Chairman Tim Johnson took over emcee duties.  He introduced Lt. Col (Ret) John Falkenbury, director of the USO in North Carolina and its Chief Operating Officer.

Falkenbury told the crowd that the oldest USO is located in Fayetteville NC while the oldest continuously operated USO is located in Jacksonville NC.  North Carolina is the fourth largest military state in the nation and he explained the vital role that his group plays in the life of the deployed military service member.

With suicides at an all-time high in the U.S. military, the USO’s care packages can mean everything to a lonely, sad soldier, stuck out in the desert.  Missing his family and thinking of home, the gift of a video game system or books gives them something else to focus on.    With the Marines deploying five and six times each, PTSD is at an all-time high.

He asked for donations to help that organization, and to stop by a Kangaroo Gas Station and drop any  amount of money in the bucket for the USO.  Or “google” their website and donate money online.  They and a number of veterans organizations need all the help they can get.

“That organization gets it,” Falkenbury concluded.

Next up on the bill was 2nd Lt. Ilario Pantano, USMCR.   He ran in ’10 against Congressman Mike McIntyre (D-NC7) and narrowly lost.  McIntyre knows to watch his back, as Pantano is coming for him in ’12.  If tonight was any indication, Pantano has a huge following.  When this blogger was at CPAC this year, Pantano was a speaker.   He’s extremely dedicated and he truly feels what he says.  He’s not just another fake politician.

During the West speech, this blogger could tell that Pantano deeply holds his beliefs.  He constantly nodded his head whenever West made a great point.  We must elect Pantano to Congress next time.  This man has a future and your blogger would love to see him run against Sen. Kay Hagan in ’14.  Of course, we must ask Pantano, first!

Pantano gave a “shout  out” to Benjamin Netanyu. He joked that we should reset the American borders to 1959 before Hawaii’ was a state and so Obama could not be a citizen.

He next mentioned Frank Rouse, a friend of your blogger and the late former Chairman of the NCGOP.  Today would have been his birthday and he asked the crowd to remember his wife, Jane Rouse, his daughter Mary Catherine, and his son, Franklin.  May God continue to bless them all.  Frank Rouse played a key role in getting Jesse Helms elected to Congress in 1972, among his other achievements.

Pantano then mentioned how the liberals and socialists are trying to deny God and the existence of God to our society.  This hurts our troops and their psyche.  We  must  stand up for these principles.

We must honor these men and women with the leadership they deserve.

Next up, Chairman Hayes introduced Congressman West.

As the evening’s main speaker, Col. West kept the crowd on its feet, cheering and clapping.  He mademore points than can be presented here, thus your blogger video taped his speech.

Amazingly, he tossed in a number of North Carolina angles, specifically for this audience.  Most speakers that come to these events, stick to national happenings, but the Congressman really brought it home to this audience of NC Republican faithful. KCC lost count of the standing ovations Congressman West received.

Presently, we are uploading the West speech and we hope to have it online for you by Saturday morning.  Watch for it!

Comments are closed.