MilVets Library: Thank-you letters from Operation Iraqi Children and People To People International, June 2006

Original at http://columbiamilvets2005-2006library.blogspot.com/2006/06/thank-you-letters-from-operation-iraqi.html





The description of MilVets' Spring 2006 school supply kits drive from the Operation Iraqi Children website (scroll down or search for "OIC Collection at Columbia University"):

Eric Chen, Vice-President of the U.S. Military Veterans of Columbia University, wanted to bring Operation Iraqi Children to campus. He began planning an OIC collection at the end of 2005. MilVets, Columbia's student-veteran organization, with the Hamilton Society, Columbia University College Republicans, Columbia University College Democrats, Students United for America and the Foundation for the Defense of Democracy Fellows, agreed to sponsor the project which was carried out during the Spring semester. Posters and collection boxes were put up around campus and the donated supplies were boxed and sent to the OIC Warehouse on May 13, 2006.



Pictured are Columbia students who helped with the project including MilVets President Oscar Escano, a former Army Ranger who served in Operation Enduring Freedom, 2006-2007 MilVets President Luke Stalcup, a former Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal team leader who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and MilVets councilmember Todd Murphy, a former Marine who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The thank-you letters to MilVets from Operation Iraqi Children and People To People International (click to enlarge):








* A note from the project organizer.

VP note on Operation Iraqi Children Spring 2006

From OIC website - OIC in Action Providers: Click Here! to learn more about the efforts that have been undertaken by various groups around the world to provide School Supplies for the children of Iraq.

As the MilVets VP, I organized an OIC school supply kits collection drive that took place during the latter part of the Spring 2006 semester. By the end of the project, my top goal was for OIC at CU to look right, and it did. I had the sponsors I wanted, we had up around campus the large color flyers I wanted, I had the collection boxes in most of the places on campus I wanted, and the drive projected the message I wanted to the campus. We even collected a decent amount of donations, thanks especially to the General Studies community and Students United for America. I didn't get Spectator coverage for the project, but we did get a solid plug (above link) on the OIC website and an official thank-you letter.

On a personal level, I carried out a worthwhile project I wanted to do for its own sake.

For MilVets, we checked the block on a community service project and worked with a range of political campus groups - which was hitherto taboo - on a pro-military apolitical campus project.

Here are the thank-you letters from Operation Iraqi Children and People To People International to MilVets for the Spring 2006 school supply kits drive.



Eric Chen
MilVets VP

OIC at CU on Operation Iraqi Children website

From Operation Iraqi Children's "OIC in Action" web-page:

Click Here! to learn more about the efforts that have been undertaken by various groups around the world to provide School Supplies for the children of Iraq.

MilVets Library: MilVets Logo and Symbolism

Original at http://columbiamilvets2005-2006library.blogspot.com/2006/06/milvets-logo-and-symbolism.html

MILVETS LOGO AND SYMBOLISM
Task:
Develop a visual logo that is unique to MilVets, and represents a diverse membership and the values set forward in the MilVets About Us statement. The logo must have a simple reproducible design and must not imply DoD affiliation.

Primary meaning:
The Olive Wreath symbolizes our greater purpose of Peace and the corporeal ring symbolizes our life transition to ‘Civilization’. The Spearhead symbolizes our military background. The scarring on the Spearhead symbolizes the war experience in the group.

Secondary meaning:
Olive Wreath - Columbia affiliation: It is the same olive wreath as in the inscription beneath the American flag on Low Plaza, donated by the Grand Army of the Republic (see here and here for background). An olive wreath is also below the Columbia flag on Low Plaza. Therefore, it symbolizes Columbia and Columbia military heritage, and to an extent, our American affiliation. An olive wreath can also symbolize nobility.


Spearhead – Warrior Ethos: Our military is commonly referred to as the "tip of the spear", which is appropriate. At the same time, the spearhead is not a branch nor even U.S. Military specific symbol - it is an ancient symbol of the Warrior Ethos. MilVets is less about defining ourselves by the uniforms we wore or still wear. Our group is more about the common experiences we each internalize in our own way and the values we choose to carry forward from our military histories.

The Spearhead points up for eternal vigilance. Its placement at the center of the Olive Wreath symbolizes the living spirit of the nation’s warrior-defenders in the heart of MilVets.

Aesthetic:
Clean, simple, good balance and symmetry, unmistakable up-down orientation, mostly closed and self-contained design. The primary meaning, if not the secondary meanings, should be obvious. The design should be easily reproducible as a logo on a banner, stationery, apparel, etc..

Concept and symbolism by Eric Chen. Final design by Mike Nicholas with final detailing by Luke Stalcup. Todd Murphy contributed artistic suggestions. Spring 2006 - Oscar Escano, President.