Joining Forces Blog

Lessons from a World War II Veteran on Longevity and Life

Alyce Dixon, the oldest-known living female African American veteran of World War II, visited the Oval Office yesterday to meet President Obama and Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett.

One of the first African American women in the U.S. Army, Alyce served with the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion during World War II. Alyce had the onerous job of going through stacks of undelivered mail stored in warehouses in Britain and in France, and designing a system to help ensure that the men on the front lines received their mail.

In Iraq, there were a few things that kept me and my guys smiling in the sweltering 100-degree heat. Eighteen hours on and six off, we all looked forward to that little precious time before hitting the rack to read your mail. In the early days of the war, internet access, particularly at the outposts, was rare to non-existent -- all we had were letters. Sometimes it took two weeks to a month for a letter to get to us, so I can only imagine how important Alyce’s job was to the men and women of World War II, who waited a half a year or more at times to receive that needed lift in spirit, and little piece of home.

After eliminating the backlog of mail in Great Britain, the mighty 6888th was deployed to France, where they were given six months to accomplish their mission. They got the job done in three. After she completed her mission overseas, Alyce returned to Washington, D.C. and worked another 35 years until retirement.

When the President asked her yesterday what the secret to her energy and youth was, she said “caring and sharing, sharing and caring.”

Alyce, who still lives in Washington, D.C., is cared for by the Department of Veterans Affairs at the District of Columbia VA Medical Center, Community Living Center.

Koby Langley is the Director of Veteran, Wounded Warrior, and Military Family Engagement at the White House.

USO Service Member Honorees and Volunteers of the Year Recognized at the 2014 USO Gala

All six USO service members of the year on stage at the 2014 USO Gala in Washington, D.C., Oct. 17, 2014. DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Daniel Hinton.

Every fall, the USO invites more than 1,000 guests to gather together and pay tribute to our men and women in uniform. This year’s annual gala in Washington, DC was attended by Members of Congress, military leadership, as well as service members and their families from around the globe. During the gala, the USO recognized service members from each military branch and volunteers who represent the epitome of valor and dedication to service.

Last week, Joining Forces was thrilled to greet the 2014 USO Service Member Honorees and Volunteers of the Year at the White House for a tour of the East Wing.

The 2014 USO Gala Service Members Honorees included the United States’:

• Army Soldier of the Year, Sergeant Andrew J. Mahoney
• Marine of the Year, Matthew E. Belleci
• Sailor of the Year, Petty Officer 1^st Class Troy A. Cromer
• Airman of the Year, John C. Hamilton
• Coast Guardsman of the Year, Petty Officer 3^rd Class Brett R. Bates
• National Guardsman of the Year, Andrew J. Mehltretter
• Volunteers of the Year LeAnn Thornton and U.S. Army Sergeant Geraldin “Thibaut” Lenkoue