Rural Missouri - May 2019 - 5

| PERSPECTIVES

Inspiration from the generations
by Caleb Jones | cjones@amec.coop

Today's generation of lineworkers, however, has
learned to work smarter. They have equipment and
training that gets the job done faster and safer.
To paraphrase an Oldsmobile ad, this is not
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receive electricity from an electric cooperative were
delighted to have a single light hanging from a cord
in the living room and maybe one or two outlets.
It took a generation or two before the reality of
having electricity in the home caught up with the
GUHDP , DP WROG WKDW WKH ÀUVW JHQHUDWLRQ RI HOHFtric cooperative members wrote postcards to their
cooperative after storms took out the power, asking
them to reconnect their service the next time they

had a crew working nearby.
Today's electric cooperative member wants and
needs an uninterrupted supply of electricity. They
depend on this "silent servant" to power their hightech lives. Even a momentary outage lasts too long
for a wired generation whose electricity-powered
devices are constant companions.
Each generation of electric cooperative employees looks at the cooperative as their "baby." They
nurture it through its growing pains, treat its injuries after storms and take pride in its accomplishments. And like the caretakers of those Century
Farms, they seek to leave their cooperative better
than it was when they arrived.
Recently I had coffee with Frank
Stork and Barry Hart, my predecessors as CEO of the Association of
Missouri Electric Cooperatives. What
started as an informal coffee became
an education for me as I listened to
their stories of how they built on the
unity among Missouri's electric cooperatives to make the program stronger
in Missouri than perhaps anywhere
else in the nation.
It reminded me of just how far the
electric cooperative program has come
since the days those men and women
begged for $5 membership fees to get
the cooperatives started.
I relish the time I spend with the
current employees of Missouri's 47
electric cooperatives. But I will always
cherish the legacy passed down to me
from the generations that have come
before me.

ne of the things that really stands out
to me as I drive around the state is the
many Century Farm signs I see. These
signs are a reminder of the generations of
people who tenderly cared for the land so it could
be passed down to the generations that followed in
better shape than it came to them.
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to till the land. Their sons and daughters moved
up to straddle-row cultivators and a double hitch.
Their grandkids improved production with tractors,
hybrid seeds and education, including degrees in
agriculture from Missouri's colleges.
We've come a long way since corn
was shucked by hand and tractors
ran on iron wheels. I often wonder
what those early farmers would think
if they could fast forward to today and
see the advances each generation has
made as they go about the business of
earning a living from the land.
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the period of time during which children are born and grow up, become
adults and begin to have children of
their own. School teachers see this if
they stay in the same school. Eventually the sons and daughters of former
students come to class, often armed
with stories mom or dad told.
In the electric co-op world, we talk
about generations all the time. Sometimes we speak in wonder at how
those "pioneers of power" got the job
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trucks and digger/derricks to set
SROHV %UXWH VWUHQJWK EXLOW WKH ÀUVW Generations of electric cooperative leaders got together for coffee recently. From left are Caleb
power lines in rural Missouri.
Jones, Boone Electric Director Jay Turner and retired AMEC CEOs Barry Hart and Frank Stork.

Jones is the executive vice president
and CEO of the Association of Missouri
Electric Cooperatives.

GUEST COLUMN

New award honors Missouri veterans
by Jim Ortmeyer | info@ruralmissouri.coop
wo new Missouri Veterans Awards became
available in early February of this year. Desert Storm/Desert Shield for service between
Aug. 7, 1990 and June 7, 1991 and Iraqi
Freedom/New Dawn for service between March 19,
2003 and Dec. 15, 2011 have joined the ranks with
Vietnam, Korea, World War II and a limited amount
of World War I awards.
The Missouri Veterans Recognition Program traces its roots to an April 23, 1919 Act of the Missouri
General Assembly. This act authorized the Missouri
Adjutant General to procure and present, as a token
of appreciation of the state, a medal to each member
of the National Guard of Missouri who served with
a Missouri unit and veterans who served with the
regular armed forces in the Spanish American War,
Mexican Border Service or World War I. The original
82,500 medals were made of bronze and silk by D.
L. Auld Co. for $20,200 or about 25 cents each.
It was not until 2000 that Missouri veterans would
be recognized once again with a Missouri medal.
The World War II Awards Program was announced
that year which allowed every Missouri veteran and
spouses of deceased veterans who honorably served

during the period of Dec. 7, 1941 to Dec. 31, 1946, living survivor of a deceased Veteran meeting the
to apply for the award. To date 46,989 World War II requirements.
Eligibility: Veteran must have served on active
awards have been presented.
In addition to the World War II award, veterans duty in the U.S. military during the applicable time
who participated in the D-Day invasion of Europe period for the award as shown above. The veteran
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from June 6 to Aug. 31, 1944 receive a
such veteran served within the United
replica of the 50th Anniversary Jubilee
States or in a foreign country. Veteran
of Liberty Medal. This medal was origimust be a legal resident of Missouri at
nally produced by the French governthe time of application, or was a legal
ment and was awarded during their
resident at the time he or she entered
Jubilee Celebration in 1994. More than
or was discharged from active duty,
5,276 of these have been awarded.
or at the time of the veteran's death.
In 2003, the Korean War Award
Veteran must have received an honorwas released for veterans who served
able discharge or if still serving be in
from June 27, 1950 to Jan. 31, 1955.
an honorable status.
To date, 18,475 Korean Awards have
For more information contact the
been presented.
Veterans Recognition Program, P.O.
In 2006, the Vietnam War Award
Box 1808, Jefferson City, MO 65102,
was authorized for veterans who
573-638-9561, toll-free 1-866-834served from Feb. 28, 1961 to May 7,
Jim Ortmeyer
3431, email ng.mo.vets@mail.mil or
1975. To date, 31,194 Vietnam awards
visit us on the web at www.moguard.
have been presented.
The criteria for the awards is the same with the com/veteran-awards.
exception of the Jubilee of Liberty.
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Who is authorized: Any Veteran that meets the
eligibility requirements, or any spouse or eldest director of the Veterans Recognition Program.
MAY 2019 | RURALMISSOURI.COOP

http://www.moguard.com/veteran-awards http://www.moguard.com/veteran-awards http://www.RURALMISSOURI.COOP

Rural Missouri - May 2019

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