FREEPORT – Freeport resident Joyce Clarkson-Veilleux, a former U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, is part of a joint effort by the J. Arthur Stowell American Legion Post 83, where she was recently sworn in as commander, and the Freeport Masonic Lodge to place 26 American flags along Main Street in Freeport from Memorial Day through Sept. 18 to honor our country’s veterans. Her 24-year career in the military took Clarkson-Veilleux, now retired at age 55, around the world in a variety of capacities, including a stint in Afghanistan. Upon returning to Maine, she became involved in the Freeport American Legion, where she volunteers her time weekly. She also tried her luck in politics, running for a seat on the Town Council but was defeated by Tracey Clarke in the District 2 race this past March.

Clarkson-Veilleux recently took a few minutes to speak with the Tri-Town Weekly about the American Legion, her effort to place the flags on Main Street, and what Memorial Day means to her.

Q: Can you explain what this project is all about and why it’s important to have flags on Main Street?

A: Last year, one of our American Legion members was at the Memorial Day Parade in Freeport and was disappointed to see only a few American flags being flown. It seemed to him that other towns had many more flags displayed. I think it’s a wonderful sight to see.

Q: Where will these flags be placed?

A: We’re going to start down by the Thomas Moser lot and go along that side of the street (southbound) for 26 poles. We’re only going to be putting them on the lit poles so we don’t have to do anything extra at night.

Q: Will these flags be permanent?

A: They will fly from the week before Memorial Day to the week after Sept. 11.

Q: Was there any explanation as to why the flags weren’t displayed before?

A: I asked former Freeport Town Manager Dale Olmstead and he said there had never been flags on Main Street for as long as he was town manager, roughly 30 years. I remember as a child when I would come here for the summer that flags were flown along Main Street, so it’s been a while, but there is a history.

Q: As a veteran, what does Memorial Day mean to you?

A: It’s a time to reflect and remember all those that have gone before me, gone with me, and will go in the future.

Q: What are some of the things the American Legion will do to help veterans?

A: If we have a veteran who is having trouble keeping his or her house warm, we can help them pay for heat and also food if that is an issue. We also have a Thanksgiving basket program that we hand out to needy families in the area. We do other stuff to like take care of the cemetery flags and have a scholarship for a Freeport High School senior.

Q: Are your members primarily Vietnam veterans or from recent conflicts?

A: In the Legion itself there are very few Persian Gulf veterans or Iraqi war veterans. There just aren’t many younger kids from these wars living in the Freeport area. Our membership are veterans from World War II and Korea and Vietnam.

Q: For those who don’t know, what is the function or purpose of the American Legion?

A: The American Legion was founded back in the 1920s and was a community-based organization to help all veterans and their families not only with medicine, but with personal family needs. They were huge in the communities in the 1930s and ‘40s. They were also a huge lobbying body for veterans benefits.

Q: Is membership to the American Legion declining or is it holding steady?

A: Right now our membership is dwindling, but I anticipate the numbers to grow once more Vietnam veterans start to retire. We’re a strong organization and we’ve got a good base and (membership) is always cyclical in nature.

Q: What are the challenges that face veterans today?

A: Well, some things have gotten better actually, especially in the medical care area, as the Veterans Administration here in Maine has established several clinics, which makes it easier for people to get to their primary care physician. Losing the (Brunswick Naval Air Station) base has been devastating because of the loss of the commissary and access to discounted goods and food. A lot of veterans are on fixed incomes and having that little bit of savings was huge. Several people came to this area because of the base and the services they offered for veterans.

Joyce Clarkson-Veilleux, a former U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, is one of the Freeport American Legion members who will be participating in the town’s Memorial Day Parade May 27.