In todays culture we are prone to quickly forget our past.  However, there's a group out there that refuses to forget and is assisting the families of our fallen soldiers in a very special way.  It's called the POW-MIA Foundation, and it's founder is Barry Minnich.

Inspired by the close relationship Barry had with his now deceased father in law, Barry formed the Foundation to assist families of not only the Vietnam War, but of later and current conflicts as well.

"My father-in-law was a Vietnam Veteran", begins Barry.  During one of his tours he was stationed on a Destroyer that was commissioned to carry the bodies of fallen soldiers home to the States."  After hearing may of these stories from him and other vets and their family members, Barry, also a veteran, along with his partners, formed the Foundation.

"One of the Foundation's missions is to send financially strapped families with a loved one's name on The Wall to D.C., so they can visit," says Barry.  "We buy their plane ticket and put them up in a hotel, give them money for food and allow them to have some sort of closure."  Assisting the soldiers and families of those that are currently serving, the Foundation is setting up to provide them with support and hopefully financial aid they may be lacking until those serving return home to their families.

"I feel this is my chance to try my hardest to give back to the military families that have done without for years while their families serve and, at times, pay the ultimate sacrifice.  I've had the pleasure to meet with Mrs. Michael Hoff, who is the lady that helped design the POW-MIA flag, as well as many other families that can benefit from a foundation such as mine."

Currently, Barry is planning an even to take place in March 2008, to help raise money and awareness for this foundation.  "We need more teamwork in the POW-MIA field, whether it's help in bringing closure to a family, or maybe just to know that we're able to send someone to Washington D.C., to see all the memorials that were put there for their loved ones and to view The Wall."

Barry and his foundation really adhere to the saying that many of us do: "When one American is not worth the effort to be found, we as Americans have lost."  If you are interested in assisting the POW-MIA Foundation, or need more info on the event, contact Barry at 904-781-2594 or email Ride4fallenbros@msn.com.  written by Oil Can