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WARREN – In any professional setting, being inducted into the Hall of Fame is a distinct honor – and Valley veteran Tom Humphries of Girard now wears that honor.
Humphries received a phone call last month informing him he was about to be inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame.
“My first reaction was, ‘Wow! “ said Humphries. “I know there are a lot of people helping veterans, and it was very humbling, really. “
Humphries served in the Air Force during the Vietnam War from 1965 to 1968, then served three years in the Air Force Reserve until 1971.
Since his release, Humphries has said his work for veterans has continued and that he now defends prisoners of war and missing soldiers.
“I spent quite a few years trying to get documents on prisoners of war and IAMs. I did it for about 20 years ”, he said. “I know a lot of families who lost their father and they never knew what happened. It always burned my heart to make this information available. “
Humphries has worked with several organizations and is traveling to the nation’s capital to try to get information published. He said that because the records are confidential, the government does not like to release information, and he said he had had limited success.
“It’s a trying and stimulating process” he said.
CEREMONY
According to the Department of Veterans Services, 20 Ohio veterans will be honored at the 30th annual induction ceremony in November. According to the DVS website, arrangements will be made to honor inductees in person and in a safe environment. There will be a virtual induction program that will begin on Veterans Day, November 11. Humphries said he plans a phone call for his arrangements in the coming weeks.
The initiation class spans 13 counties in the state and five military branches. Of the 20 inductees, only Humphries comes from the Mahoning Valley. William Clark, a World War II veteran originally from Braceville and now Lorain County, is also inducted.
“The 2021 class was chosen from 142 nominations. This year’s class joins 915 Ohio veterans who have been inducted since 1992 and represent all eras, branches of service and backgrounds, ” the DVS website says.
Humphries, who has been involved with many volunteer groups such as the United Way, attributes the importance of his volunteerism and community involvement to his Hall of Fame nomination, but believes his military service is what really threw them down. bases of his life.
“It was a base for me all my life” said Humphries. “I have always been proud and have always been involved with prisoners of war… it has been a pleasure to serve our community. It is very humiliating. We are all doing it for the right reasons. We all try to help our neighbor. When you are recognized for that, it is very special.
NOMINATION
Humphries believes some former colleagues from his 22-year-old with the Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber are the ones who named him.
“It really is an honor and a very humbling experience. I feel blessed to have such nice people around me who I have worked with all these years ”, said Humphries.
Kim Calvert, vice president of marketing and member services for the chamber, confirmed that she submitted Humphries to the Hall of Fame – but the nomination was on behalf of the chamber as a whole. She said a chamber attendant saw a call for applications and that Humphries was the first person that came to her mind.
“While we knew him as a dynamic and inspiring leader – always working tirelessly to achieve the best results for the entire valley and its future – we also knew him as a proud Air Force veteran who was honored to having served his country. “ Calvert said.
She added that while Humphries had a big impact on the bedroom, he also had a “Unwavering commitment to the army”, citing Humphries’ contribution to Operation SOAR, a program dedicated to the protection of Youngstown Air Reserve Station in Vienna, as well as the launch of the Eastern Ohio Military Affairs Commission to highlight the value from the air station.
Calvert said the nomination was submitted in June and included a summary of his post-military accomplishments, awards and accolades, among other accomplishments.
“Making the appointment was a real team effort. The majority of Tom’s accomplishments during his stay in the bedroom have been well documented through numerous marketing articles that we have created over the years ”, Calvert said. “Much of the nomination was written thanks to the experience of the team having worked with and learned from Tom over the course of several years.”
When Humphries was announced as the inductee, Calvert said she and the rest of the chamber were thrilled.
“We were all delighted when we learned that Tom had been chosen among the 20 nominations out of 142” she said. “He deserves and deserves the honor, but knowing what that means to him is what touched us even more. “
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