Butler veteran honored in Harrisburg
The Butler Chapter of Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Association honored one of their own at a ceremony for the Veterans Administration Volunteer Service Award in Harrisburg last week.
Lambert Rosenbaum, treasurer of the DAV in Butler, was chosen out of hundreds of disabled veterans chapters for the award.
Allen McClymonds, commander of Butler Chapter 64, said the high-ranking officers of the state DAV organization look for those who go above and beyond in volunteer work.
“(Rosenbaum) was surprised, he wasn’t expecting to get it,” he said.
Rosenbaum serves as a mentor at the veterans court in Butler County, helping veterans to stay out of jail and acclimate back into civilian life. He also runs the Forget-Me-Not Fundraiser at the Big Butler Fair and contributes to various veterans organizations, according to McClymonds.
“I’m sure he does a lot I don’t know about,” he said.
The award-winning, retired Army sergeant major served from 1968 to 2010, in Vietnam and Operation Iraqi Freedom, and now gives back with the Disabled American Veterans group.
“I mean, I was surprised. I’m very proud of our volunteer service program. It’s clearly a group collective effort,” he said. “I got recognition, but it’s the group of great members at Chapter 64.”
Rosenbaum said he enjoys his work with the veterans court and contributing to the female veteran house Robin’s Home, the Jean B. Purvis Community Health Center and the VA community living center, where homeless servicemen and women are cared for.
“When vets come back, if they’re broken and make a wrong turn, this court tries to help turn them into a better society instead of incarcerating them,” he said. “The chapter also buys canteen gift cards for the homeless veterans, and we’ve sponsored a wheelchair van at the VA.”
The award was a clock with an engraved plaque commemorating the recognition.
McClymonds said the presentation was extra special, as the senior vice commander of the state organization also held the rank of sergeant major.
“That’s a high rank,” he said. “I’m very proud (he won). There’s almost 100 chapters in Pennsylvania.”
Rosenbaum said he’s always proud of the group he serves with and what they are able to accomplish.
“There are no heroes, It’s working together to achieve. This is the general result of people helping,” he said.“ What the DAV does is help each other.”
