THIS WEEK’S PROGRAM: Army Captain Dawn Halfaker, a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, sacrificed her right arm and suffered numerous other wounds while leading troops in combat in Baquba, one of the most volatile cities in Iraq’s dangerous Diyala Province.Dawn’s platoon saw significant combat during the five months she spent in Iraq. In addition to nearly constant rocket and mortar attacks on the police station where they were stationed, their patrols hit several improvised explosive devices. She has worked as a legislative assistant with Congressman Douglas Hunter and a technical consultant with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. She started her own national security consulting company in 2006. She serves as chief executive officer of Halfaker and Associates, LLC, which works in the areas of security policy, physical security, emergency management services for military bases, administrative and technical support, and training. Dawn is a member of the board of directors of the Wounded Warrior Project. “The Wounded Warrior Project brings a lot of support to the table,” she said. “They really inspire our wounded war fighters, motivating people to reach new goals. The people at WWP help you figure things out when your whole life has suddenly changed and you’re dealing with your losses.”
Dawn’s full bio is at:
Right: Henk Knipscheer at the Rotary St. Martin Nord club, inaugurating the new dialysis unit.
Rotarian Henk Knipscheer, the club's Director of International Service,closed the final loop last week on a project that began during the last
Rotary year. Begun by then Pres. Elizabeth Harr Bricksin after a holiday trip to St Martin and a meeting with the Rotary Club there, Arlington Rotarians joined forces with their club and District, Rotary International, and District 7610 to raise $30,000 for a dialysis machine urgently needed by the hospital on the island. Last week Henk reported on his recent trip to the island to represent Arlington and District 7610 at the official presentation of the machine to the hospital. Henk explained that the hospital has six machines that handle patients from 4 a.m. To 11 p.m. every day. If one goes down patients must fly to Guaudeloupe for treatment, Henk said, a very expensive procedure. The new dialysis machine will relieve this pressure, he added. Henk made a special presentation to PP Ken Small who did a great deal of the coordination and paperwork necessary for a successful international Rotary service project.