By René Locklear White 
May 28, Memorial Day 2018
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​Honeysuckles. Go green Spring!  Our daughter is home on military leave.

Only one day left, then she returns to her military unit.

She is upstairs rummaging through boxes left on purpose, before she shipped off to boot camp and then tech-school. Books. Old movies. A Native American dream catcher.
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I am downstairs. My old military storage-chest rests in the center of our living room, partially open. I look inside for something to distract me from her leaving again. Cards. Un-played games. Blocks with no boxes. 

How many boxes did I leave, pick up and move since I joined the Air Force in 1989? I cannot remember.  
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Then, I get present to an old aircraft F-16 model-kit in my military chest. When she was born in 1995, I did not decorate her baby room with fun colors and plush toys. I assembled aircraft models to hang over her crib and give her air superiority.  

​How did life get so busy that I never finished this F-16 Fighting Falcon 22 years ago? I was a young Air Force Captain then. My first model was a small Army Apache helicopter.

Now, while she searches for treasures upstairs, I begin working on my old model. I get glue, tweezers, nail clippers and begin assembling the little F-16 engine and engine-air-inlet.  

A little while later, my daughter comes downstairs, “So what’s this mom?”

In our pajamas, together we begin assembling, where time and life stopped. I cherish each assembly in a new way; I feel she does too.

I am watching and listening as she builds the same F-16 aircraft she is now learning to actually land. My daughter attends Air Traffic Control School at the Air Force’s largest combat F-16 wing in the world, Shaw AFB.

Who would have ever guessed we would be sitting here 22 years later. I am retired Air Force. She is active duty. What timing! What are the chances? Or maybe this is a spiritual happening?   

Here we are, mother and daughter. Two Native American, female veterans. Treasuring time. Building something new together. Not just an aircraft, but new possibilities.

Fragrant memories. Go Air Force blue! Our daughter was home on military leave.

Special thanks to Better Homes and Gardens Marty Ross writer and producer and Bob Stefko photographer for interviewing me for this "Breaking Ground" article highlighting where combat vets and first responders find healing in our Boulder Crest Retreat Virginia's Wallis Annenberg Heroes Garden.

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We Are The Mighty recently produced a new episode of an ongoing digital series entitled "Beyond Barracks" for Veterans First Mortgage.
featuring Sanctuary on the Trail CEO and President, Chris and Rene' White. 

Led by retired Lt. Col. and Producer Francisco "Paco" Hamm, the director of this particular series, Jim Fabio is an incredibly talented director and artist, visited Sanctuary on the Trail to produce this special feature. 

Honoring and remembering our fallen men and women veterans on Memorial Day 2015 during a Navajo way sweat lodge ceremony at the Sanctuary on the Trail a Native American Church of Virginia.

By Rene' Locklear White (Lumbee)
and Chris (Comeswithclouds) White

      Native American Church of Virginia -- The two-star Air Force general who resigned, saying he "inadvertently made an unfortunate comment" about Indians during an airman's disciplinary hearing was my vice commander during a two-year assignment in the Republic of Korea. What was the context of Maj. Gen. Michael Keltz's remark?
    "Noble Savage." What did the person who authored “noble savage” mean? Was he or she describing people who are “barbarous and uncivilized” or describing “the others” as a people who “symbolize humanity’s innate goodness?”
      Gen. Keltz's comment was clearly about Indians and drunkenness. Now, after serving 34 years in the military, he ends it with four words directed to more than 10,000 Indians.
     I am tired. I help people deal with alcohol abuse, especially Native American Indians from the rez (Indian reservation). In fact, I have spent this last week doing just that; removing stitches; making meals; teaching life skills; and checking to see if someone is still breathing. It is 2:00 a.m. right now, and my husband is praying with someone. I believe helping a person stop drinking is harder than my 22 years of military service.
     Years after trading alcohol with settlers, living in poverty, homeless and dealing with regular occurrences of suicide, our Indian people are now literally drinking themselves to death. Many drink  cleaning detergents and cough syrups because they can't afford to buy FDA approved alcohol. Our people are dying and need help.
     I am disappointed. The people who coined words like, "primitive,” “uncivilized,” and “savages,” had passion too. They made a difference. But, the impact of those words on our Native American ancestors continues to linger.
     Power, control, powerlessness, authority, influence, sovereignty, independence and freedom are all contained in language and have vibrations.
     Unfortunately, the vibrations of Gen. Keltz four words will be felt for some time. By him and others. I'm sure it was not his intention. He is a kind man.
     I challenge Gen. Keltz to visit an Indian reservation after his retirement. Please consider starting in South Dakota or my Lumbee Tribe in North Carolina or stop by our Native American Church in Virginia. There is plenty of Indigenous people who are suffering and need help. We can begin with a traditional sweat lodge ceremony for Gen. Keltz to help him through this unexpected transition.

     Language is a Barrier. We must work on our language. To be present to what people around us are saying and what they are not saying. It is vital to removing the barriers that separate us
     Likewise, we cannot skirt our responsibility for what we are saying. The tongue is a sharp part of the body. Like a forest fire set by a small spark, the tongue is also a fire. It can set the whole course of your life on fire. A fire can be destructive and a fire can be beneficial.
     Are we any better? Our communications are complicated by texting and simplified into capital letters because we don’t make time to talk to each other.  When people type LOL they aren’t really "laughing out loud." When people don’t want to take time to explain something they text TTYL, but they never really "talk to you later." When people say, “praying for you”, they aren’t really.
     What next? We must continue to ask ourselves, "Are my words destructive or beneficial?"
We should help others understand that we “mean what we say” and we “say what we mean.”
     Out of the mouth comes truth of an authentic or inauthentic heart.
     I forgive him. Gen. Keltz is an extraordinary commander. It takes courage to resign. It takes acknowledging truth. I believe where there is no truth, there is no justice.


Gen. Keltz, you can reach us at this EMAIL.

Berryville VA - Native American Church President René White led the invocation for the annual holiday reception and luncheon (Oct. 10) for more than 100 veterans, men and women, young and old, enrolled in the Alcohol-Drug Rehabilitation Unit with the Martinsburg Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) from West Virginia.
     The president of VFW Post 9760’s Women’s Auxiliary invited René to pray over the free holiday feast consisting not only of ham and turkey and the fixings, but tables littered with notes and cards created by children from nearby elementary schools and spiritual food for these warriors dealing with PTSD and various drug and alcohol addictions.

     VFW Post 9760 hosted the annual event, orchestrated by the VFW Post 9760’s Women’s Auxiliary. Several VAMC counselors and drivers, including one dressed as Santa from the Martinsburg VAMC accompanied the two buses filled with warriors for the complimentary holiday home-cooked meal.

Fairfax, Virginia -- Native American Church of Va.  President René White Feather led the Veterans' Honor Ceremony dance at George Mason University today (Veteran's Day), thanks to the GMU's Native American and Indian Studies Alliance.
     More than 20 veterans and hundreds of others from around the world attended GMU's 12th Annual Veterans' Pow Wow to experience traditional Native American music & dancing, shop authentic Indigenous handcrafted items including jewelry, pottery, textile arts and apparel and eat fry bread.
     "What a privilege to be asked to be first in line to honor our ancestors," said René who is Lumbee and a female veteran.
     The Pow Wow head staff included: Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa), Master of Ceremonies; Manuel Rodriguez, Arena Director; Louis Campbell (Lumbee), Head Man Dancer; Elyse Sparks, Head Woman Dancer; and drum groups Stoney Creek and Youghtanund.
     The Pow Wow took place in Dewberry Hall of the Johnson Center, on GMU's Fairfax campus.

René (left) and Heather (right)

Washington D.C. -- The Native American Church of Virginia attended the U.S. Marine Corps birthday wreath laying ceremony today along with members from the Lumbee Warriors Association of North Carolina and other Native American members from across the nation. Hundreds attended the historic event, including the Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford (Message Below)

Native American Warriors Association members.

Native American Church of Virginia CEO Chris and President Rene'.

USMC 239th Birthday

A MESSAGE FROM THE COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS

In his birthday greeting 70 years ago, General Alexander Vandegrift, our 18th Commandant noted that, “A Birthday is a fitting time to peer backward – and forward.” That year, Marines reflected on an extraordinary year in combat during their amphibious drive across the Pacific. Despite the challenges and the horrific conditions, Marines prevailed at Guam, Saipan, and Peleliu. On 10 November 1944, Marines looked back with pride on their accomplishment – confident in their ability to meet future challenges.

In 2004, 20,000 Marines deployed to Al Anbar Province, Iraq – many Marines celebrated the birthday in places like Fallujah, Ramadi, and Al Qaim while decisively engaged in combat. That year, Marines also responded to crisis in the Pacific following a tsunami which claimed the lives of more than 200,000 people. On 10 November 2004, Marines looked back with pride on their accomplishments – confident in their ability to meet future challenges.

As we celebrate our 239th birthday, Marines are in combat in Afghanistan. Since we last gathered to celebrate our Corps’ birthday, we also responded to crises in the Philippines, South Sudan, Libya, and Iraq.

Some things change. This year found us in different climes and places that our predecessors in 1944 and 2004. We have adapted our organization, training, and equipment to the ever-changing operating environment. Some things remain the same. Marines attacked this year’s challenges with the same courage, commitment, loyalty, self-sacrifice, and adaptability as their predecessors in Peleliu and Fallujah. For that reason, on 10 November 2014, we Marines can look back with pride on our accomplishments- confident in our ability to meet future challenges.
Thanks for who you are and what you do. Happy Birthday Marines.

Semper Fidelis,

J. F. Dunford, Jr.
General, U.S. Marine Corps
Commandant of the Marine Corps