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Commending Hawkins-Reeve Post 7916 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 13, 2026
WHEREAS, Hawkins-Reeve Post 7916 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Occoquan, an affiliate of one of the oldest and largest war veterans service organizations in the country, will celebrate its 80th anniversary on June 26, 2026; and
WHEREAS, established in 1946 by a group of 37 combat veterans from the areas of Occoquan, Woodbridge, and Lorton, Hawkins-Reeve Post 7916 adheres to its mission to “honor the dead by helping the living” through its service to veterans, families, and the larger community; and
WHEREAS, Hawkins-Reeve Post 7916 honorably takes its name from United States Naval Reserve pilot Lieutenant Junior Grade Claggett Hartwood Hawkins and United States Army Air Corps pilot Second Lieutenant Charles Douglas Reeve, both of whom died in the line of duty in 1944; and
WHEREAS, Hawkins-Reeve Post 7916 has been designated an “All-American” post by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, which recognizes the post as one of the top Veterans of Foreign Wars posts among more than 6,300 worldwide; and
WHEREAS, the post supports Memorial Day and Veterans Day remembrances, Flag Day commemorations, and POW/MIA ceremonies and participates in the laying of wreaths and flags at Quantico National Cemetery; and
WHEREAS, Hawkins-Reeve Post 7916 is fully engaged in supporting the Occoquan community through its mentoring work with local youth in Scout troops and the Championship Woodbridge Little League baseball team, as well as through its Voice of America Patriot Pen and Teacher of the Year programs; and
WHEREAS, described by Occoquan Mayor Earnie Porta as “a stabilizing force for the good of Occoquan,” the post regularly gives back to the community, including by cleaning and refurbishing the abandoned Occoquan Meadows Cemetery, donating to the local food bank, and preparing hundreds of meals, including Sunday dinners and Christmas, Easter, and Memorial Day meals to serve those in need in the community; and
WHEREAS, with great compassion and concern for the well-being of their fellow veterans, the members of Hawkins-Reeve Post 7916 have made an impact on countless lives, earning the esteem and admiration of all Virginians; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That Hawkins-Reeve Post 7916 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars be commended on the occasion of its 80th anniversary for its exemplary legacy of service and support for veterans, service members, and families in the Commonwealth; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Hawkins-Reeve Post 7916 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for the organization's service to veterans and the Occoquan community.