JUNE 2025

Column 64

   
The Buglers Call to Ceremony marked the start of the Memorial Day activities on Friday, May 30. The CHCF veterans’ group was able to observe their first annual Memorial Day ceremony on A yard. The turnout for the solemn celebration was a mixture of the incarcerated population, along with a very respectable showing from the institution’s free staff. In all, there were approximately 200 people who turned out to celebrate and pay tribute to our fallen veterans. It was very good to see veterans from C and D yards who were able to participate as well.

Following the bugler call to ceremony, RL, USMC, who served as the MC then acknowledged and thanked the guests and staff attending the event. The invocation was provided by BH, USN, who said a prayer honoring the fallen veterans. JB, USMC, then did a very heartfelt rendition of the national anthem. This was followed by moving reading of the meaning of Memorial Day by J.D., USAF.

RL announced that unfortunately, none of the invited guest speakers from the Veterans Administration were able to attend the ceremony and in spite of being invited to speak and participate in the activities, honoring the fallen veterans, warden V (A.) was unable to take part in the activities. It was also unfortunate there were not more CHCF administration and staff who participated in the ceremonies. Captain M. was the only one of the administrative staff to attend the entire program and C/O P was the only attendee from custody.

Following this was the personal acknowledgments and tributes for the following veterans by the CHCF veterans. RL said a few words about CHCF veterans VD, MS, LF, RH and EB who all passed away in the past year. This was followed by a tribute to his fellow Marines who had fallen in Vietnam.

JB gave a moving tribute to his fallen comrades who he fought with in Afghanistan and Iraq, where he earned the bronze star as a result. PF, USA/Special Forces, then gave a brief but compelling tribute, honoring the comrades he had served and fought beside while serving in Vietnam. Mr. A., USN then spoke about his uncle who is a pilot that was shot down during World War II. Finally, “Coach“ H, USMC finished the personal acknowledgments by saying he wasn’t singling out one person, but he wanted to honor all the Brothers who served in Vietnam.

Following the personal acknowledgments, RL talked about the proud history of the Battle Hymn of the Republic after which the veterans and free staff joined in together to sing this old ballot, one of the earliest songs honoring our country and the brave men and women who fought for it. This was followed by a dedication to fallen veterans.

The laying of the wreath was done by BI, USA and EB, USMC and concluding the ceremony was the playing of Taps, followed by a moment of silence.

Considering this was the first Memorial Day event put on by the CHCF Veterans group, it went very well, in spite of some unforeseen glitches, and they are looking forward to a larger and better event for the next Memorial Day. The Veterans group would like to extend a thank you to PWC nurse C. and nurse K. for attending and showing their support. They would also like to give a shout out to Dr. V from E facility and Dr. M from B facility for being there to show their support. The Veterans group also thanks Dr. A. for being there, as well as her support at all of the previous veterans’ events at CHCF. Also, a thank you for Mr. F. for taking photos of the event. And to the many other staff who showed up to honor and support this Memorial Day event, thank you very much.

The Veterans Support Group urges you to submit a 22 form to the CRM office if you are a veteran or patriot and would like to join.

I suppose that I am still Dead Man Talking since I still have a death sentence. Even if death row at San Quentin has been shut down and all of the condemned prisoners transferred to other prisons around the state and mixed in with all the other prisoners. I am still a Dead Man Talking, so I write about the things that I experience during this version of my death sentence journey. It may not be very interesting, but it is prison life.

Best wishes,

Dean Carter
June 8, 2025.

California Health Care Facility
Dean Carter C97919
Box 213040
Stockton, CA 95213
USA