Submitted photo Jeremiah Schmunk, leaning against the vehicle in back, and other members of his company in 2004. He was killed near Bagdhad on July 8, 2004. His mother, Shirley Schmunk, leads an effort to support brave soldiers serving their country.

Jeremiah Schmunk

Shirley Schmunk wears her son’s dog tags along with an identical plate engraved with an American flag.
It was a gift from the men who served in Iraq with her son, Jeremiah. The 20-year-old was killed July 8, 2004, near Baghdad.
We must never forget Jeremiah and others who serve their country.
This is the anthem sung by Shirley and the other members of ACES (American Citizens Encouraging Support), who strengthen the strong, courageous men and women who have volunteered to protect us.
Jeremiah Schmunk was an Army specialist attached to Charley Company, First Battalion, 161st Infantry Division. He graduated from Moses Lake High School in 2002, and right away joined the Army National Guard. He was attending Columbia Basin College when called up for active duty two years ago.
The 20-year-old was driving a Humvee in a three-vehicle convoy when, on a July 2004 evening, they were ambushed by insurgents with rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons. No other American was hurt in the incident.
“At the time Jeremiah and the boys were going over, I didn’t like the fact that they were going,” Shirley says. “But I still felt that this was what he believed in. He honestly felt he was doing the right thing.”
Much of Charley Company’s efforts went toward rebuilding Iraq’s infrastructure, including water and sanitation projects. The young men befriended the children there, passing out hard candy and grooming a field so the kids could play soccer.
ACES founder Carol Boe says she didn’t want service members to be treated like lepers, as was her younger brother when he returned from Vietnam in 1969. Boe says that upon his return from Vietnam, her brother pulled into a bus depot wearing his uniform. A young couple spat on him, calling him “baby killer.”
“We believed the best way to ensure this didn’t happen again was to go out in the community and encourage support for our military,” Boe says.
So in 1990, Boe organized a celebration at theTri-Cities Airport for a soldier who was returning from the Gulf War.
Then, “we decided to hold a rally in Richland to support the troops,” she says. “At the first rally there were about 75 people,” she says. One week later, after distributing flyers, about 500 people came to John Dam Plaza.
Since her son’s death, Shirley has attended the funerals of two Washington state service members who were killed overseas, as well as meeting service members at the airport.
“You think you’re just one person, ‘What are you going to do? How much does it matter?’ It was surprising how many people would come up to us afterward and thank us for being there,” she says.
ACES also boosts the morale of soldiers overseas by sending out CARE packages. They “adopted” a Yakima group sent to Iraq and a K-9 outfit serving in Afghanistan.
“We are there for the families, and the kids — anybody who needs help,” Shirley says.
ACES currently has about 60 core members in the Tri-Cities, but many more chip in.
“People don’t have to support every effort, but do what you can,” Boe says. “They can visit them in the hospital, send care packages or adopt Veteran’s families, especially around Christmastime.”
Boe says that ACES will soon become a nonprofit organization and, perhaps, qualify as a United Way participant. In the last 15 years, they have welcomed home more about 1,000 service members.
“We chose the name ACES for these volunteers,” Boe says. “ACES was the name used by the military to describe the best fighter pilots and we felt we wanted to be the best troop supporters.”
Any are welcome to support ACES. To help, call 946-6318 or 943-3940.
he believed in. He honestly felt he was doing the right thing.”
Much of Charley Company’s efforts went toward rebuilding Iraq’s infrastructure, including water and sanitation projects. The young men befriended the children there, passing out hard candy and grooming a field so the kids could play soccer.
ACES founder Carol Boe says she didn’t want service members to be treated like lepers, as was her younger brother when he returned from Vietnam in 1969. Boe says that upon his return from Vietnam, her brother pulled into a bus depot wearing his uniform. A young couple spat on him, calling him “baby killer.”
“We believed the best way to ensure this didn’t happen again was to go out in the community and encourage support for our military,” Boe says.
So in 1990, Boe organized a celebration at the Tri-Cities Airport for a soldier who was returning from the Gulf War.
Then, “we decided to hold a rally in Richland to support the troops,” she says. “At the first rally there were about 75 people,” she says. One week later, after distributing flyers, about 500 people came to John Dam Plaza.
Since her son’s death, Shirley has attended the funerals of two Washington state service members who were killed overseas, as well as meeting service members at the airport.
“You think you’re just one person, ‘What are you going to do? How much does it matter?’ It was surprising how many people would come up to us afterward and thank us for being there,” she says.
ACES also boosts the morale of soldiers overseas by sending out CARE packages. They “adopted” a Yakima group sent to Iraq and a K-9 outfit serving in Afghanistan.
“We are there for the families, and the kids — anybody who needs help,” Shirley says.
ACES currently has about 60 core members in the Tri-Cities, but many more chip in.
“People don’t have to support every effort, but do what you can,” Boe says. “They can visit them in the hospital, send care packages or adopt Veteran’s families, especially around Christmastime.”
Boe says that ACES will soon become a nonprofit organization and, perhaps, qualify as a United Way participant. In the last 15 years, they have welcomed home more about 1,000 service members.
“We chose the name ACES for these volunteers,” Boe says. “ACES was the name used by the military to describe the best fighter pilots and we felt we wanted to be the best troop supporters.”
Any are welcome to support ACES. To help, call 946-6318 or 943-3940.