SIX AREA VETERANS GET CONGRESSIONAL RECOGNITION

Six area veterans were recognized last month for their past and current service to their country. Representative Paul Cook of Yucca Valley held the Heroes of the 8th District Recognition Ceremony in Apple Valley, and recognized more than 50 veterans who served their county on the battlefield and at home as community leaders, emergency first responders, youth advisors, and volunteers. Among those honored in Apple Valley May 27 were Phil Cisneros and Mike Hammer of Twentynine Palms, George Huntington and Dennis Teeters of Yucca Valley. Cisneros served 43 years in the Marine Corps, five terms on the Twentynine Palms Water District Board of Directors, and is a volunteer at the Retired Activities Office on the Twentynine Palms Marine Base. Hammer served two tours in Vietnam, and retired from the Army in 1985; he is currently the chaplain of VFW Post 7264 in Joshua Tree. Huntington served four tours in Vietnam in the Navy, was a member of the Yucca Valley Planning Commission for 14 years, and was elected twice to the Yucca Valley Town Council. Teeters served in Korea for two years before joining the Air Force Reserves for 20 years. He is currently the Captain of the Morongo Basin Emergency Communication Services for the San Bernardino County Fire Department. Honored posthumously was Mac Dube of Twentynine Palms. Dube served 38 years in the Marine Corps, was mayor of Twentynine Palms three times, and was the field representative for County Supervisor Bill Postmus. Allen Pagdilao of Twentynine Palms, who couldn’t make the ceremony in May, will be recognized by Rep. Cook’s office at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Twentynine Palms Eagle Lodge. Pagdilao was a corpsman in the Navy for more than 20 years. After retiring, he started working as a transition service officer for the Disable American Veterans, and is a former commander of the Twentynine Palms DAV Chapter 60.