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PICKETT CARRIES VFW GUIDON IN ANNUAL 22K “SUICIDE” HIKE
GLASTONBURY, CONN. (Sept. 20, 2025)–Department of Connecticut Veterans of Foreign Wars Commander Charles M. Pickett continued a proud tradition of leading an annual 22k suicide prevention hike by the leading MCL detachment in the state. Organized by the Peter P. Monaco Jr. Detachment 40 of the Marine Corps League, hundreds of veterans and service members…
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VFW CONNECTICUT ADOPTS COMPREHENSIVE BYLAW REVISION
ROCKY HILL, CONN. (September 10, 2025)—Following an 18-month committee effort, the Department of Connecticut Veterans of Foreign Wars has adopted an approved comprehensive Bylaw revision. The governing document was streamlined from 21 pages to seven, restructured the state committee system, and mandated a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) manual for the Department. The proposed Bylaw revision…
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PICKETT GIVES REMARKS AT 2025 AMERICAN LEGION CONNECTICUT CONVENTION
TRUMBULL, CONN. (July 11, 2025)–Department of Connecticut Commander Charles M. Pickett addressed the Department of Connecticut American Legion Annual Convention on the topic of “mutual helpfulness” at the Trumbull Mariott. “For God and Country… For God and Country we associate ourselves together for the following purposes: We recite this, the preamble of our constitution, dozens…
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PICKETT PRESIDES OVER CONNECTICUT OFFICIAL INDEPENDENCE DAY CEREMONY
HARTFORD, CONN. (July 4, 2025)–As part of the official observance of Independence Day, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Connecticut organized the annual program at the State Capitol on July fourth. VFW Connecticut Commander Charles M. Pickett presided as master of ceremony for the event, which was organized in conjunction with the Department of…
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VFW CONNECTICUT ELECTS FIRST IRAQ / AFGHANISTAN VETERAN TO LEAD STATE
ROCKY HILL, CONN. (June 15, 2025)—The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States Department of Connecticut elected their first Iraq and Afghanistan War veteran to lead the nation’s largest and most established war veterans service organization in the state. Charles M. Pickett, an English teacher at The Sound School in New Haven, was elected…
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PICKETT SUBMITS TESTIMONY IN SUPPORT OF VSO SALES TAX EXEMPTION
Committee on Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee Public Hearing February 26, 2025 Testimony in Support of H.B. No. 5065 AN ACT EXEMPTING CERTAIN SALES TO MILITARY AND VETERANS-RELATED ORGANIZATIONS FROM THE SALES AND USE TAXES Committee Co-Chairs, Senator Fonfara and Representative Horn, and distinguished members of the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee, thank you for…
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Letters: A clarion call for Middletown
Dear Middletown residents, The Connecticut State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown will be running out of space by July 2027 and will close. Fortunately, in late January 2025, the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) posted an invitation to submit proposals (DVA -RFP 25-01) for site offerings for the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA), “throughout the State…
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Middletown Press: New Haven vet helps launch Save OurCemetery effort to expand state cemetery in Middletown
By Cassandra Day, Staff WriterFeb 16, 2025 https://www.middletownpress.com/news/article/connecticut-veterans-cemetery-expansion-middletown-20166024.php MIDDLETOWN — A grassroots campaign of war veterans hopes Connecticut lawmakers will address an “impending crisis” by adopting a resolution to expand the State Veterans Cemetery after Middletown denied a state Veterans Affairs request to buy 90 acres of adjacent city land three months ago. Organizers are urging the…
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PICKETT SUBMITS TESTIMONY IN SUPPORT OF CEMETERY & SHUTTING DOWN CLAIM SHARKS
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Save Our Cemetery (SOC) Campaign Gains Momentum
NEW HAVEN, CONN. (Feb. 8, 2025)–The Save Our Cemetery (SOC) campaign, a veteran-led effort advocating for the expansion and salvation of the Connecticut State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown, continues to grow and influence this issue. Connecticut organizations, including the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), VFW Auxiliary, Disable American Veterans (DAV), Marine Corps League…
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VFW Connecticut Bylaw Committee Readies Revision
ROCKY HILL, CONN. (Jan. 30, 2025)–The VFW Department of Connecticut Bylaw Review Committee is nearing completion of a complete revision of the governing document of the largest and oldest war veterans organization in the state. The 2025 VFW Connecticut Bylaw Revision (Version 9) is in the “final committee draft” after reaching a consensus among the…
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VFW Connecticut Organizing Veteran Foundation
ROCKY HILL, CONN. (Nov. 30, 2024) — The Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Connecticut is creating a non-profit organization to help local VFW posts and veterans in need. Under the administration of VFW Department Commander Stanley W. Borusiewicz Jr. and the efforts of Adjutant/Quartermaster Domenic Guiliano, the “VFW Connecticut Foundation” has been incorporated in…
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Connecticut Veteran Cemetery Committee Created
NORWICH, CONN. (Nov. 18, 2024)–VFW Connecticut Commander Stanley W. Borusiewicz Jr. created the temporary Connecticut Veteran Cemetery committee in reaction to the public disclosure of the impending closure of the state cemetery. VFW Connecticut Sr. Vice Commander motioned for the creation of the committee after having attended the rejection of the granting of a land…
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New VFWCT Administration Unveils New VFWCT Website
ROCKY HILL, CONN. (July 20, 2024)—The Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Connecticut has launched a totally-redesigned website, leveraging Internet technology to better address a diverse audience. In the first month of his administration, Commander Stanley W. Borusiewicz Jr oversaw and orchestrated the change. Senior Vice Commander Charles M. Pickett leveraged years of experience and…
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PICKETT ELECTED VFW CONNECTICUT SENIOR VICE
First Afghanistan and Iraq War veteran elected to second-highest office ROCKY HILL, CONN. (June 16, 2024)—The Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Connecticut has elected their first Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran to the senior, state-wide office. Moving up in rank, Charles M. Pickett was elected to be the Junior Vice Commander at the Department…
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VFWCT BYLAW REVISION ENDORSED BY FOUR DISTRICTS
NEW HAVEN, CONN. (May 19, 2024)–Four of the six Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of Connecticut Districts have endorsed an extensive revision of the department bylaws. The “2024 VFW Connecticut Bylaw Revision” offers a comprehension review and reduction of the rules document governing state-level VFW operations, from 21 to seven pages. The bylaw revision was…
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VFWCT BYLAW REVISION SUBMITTED TO STATE
NEW HAVEN, CONN. (April 14, 2024)–An extensive revision of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of Connecticut bylaws–which reduces the governing document from 21 to seven pages–has been submitted through proper channels to the department adjutant. The “2024 VFW Connecticut Bylaw Revision” offers a comprehension review and reduction of the rules document governing state-level VFW…
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VFW Special Interest Plate Committee Halfway to Goal
NEW HAVEN, CONN. (April 3, 2024)–The Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Connecticut Council of Administration, VFW Special Interest Plate Committee announced they are halfway to achieving a milestone goal to establish a branded VFW license plate. The VFW Special Interest Plate Committee was formed in Aug. 2023 by VFWCT Commander Richard DiFederico to investigate…
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VFWCT Doubles National Youth Scholarships
OLD SAYBROOK, CONN. (January 29, 2024)—The Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Connecticut Council of Administration voted to double their national VFW Voice of Democracy and Patriot’s Pen scholarships, reaffirming the department’s commitment to these core VFW youth and education programs. Department Junior Vice Commander Charles Pickett made the motion at the quarterly meeting, to…
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PICKETT NAMED VFWCT2 2023-2024 TEACHER OF THE YEAR
WALLINGFORD, CONN. (November 25, 2023) — The VFW Department of Connecticut District 2 named Charles M. Pickett as the 2023-2024 VFW Smart/Maher VFW National Citizenship Education Teacher Award for the district. The VFW identifies and recognizes America’s best educators who instill a sense of national pride in students in the annual program. Currently the junior…