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A steak and a smileBy Holly Martin Occasionally, there comes an idea that everyone can grab a hold of. One that farmers and ranchers can get behind, regardless of where they live or their political leanings. All American Beef Battalion is one of those missions. AABB aims to show support for American soldiers by putting steaks on their plates and smiles on their faces. AABB is the brain child of long-time cattleman and Vietnam war veteran, Bill Broadie. About a year and a half ago, Broadie was tired of hearing all of the bad news about the war and the American soldiers fighting in it. He wondered what he could do. He turned to what he knew--beef--and the good people in the beef industry. All American Beef Battalion was born. Broadie's original idea was to provide a steak to all soldiers in the combat zone. And not just any old steak. AABB wants the steak to be one they will remember, long after the steak knife has been put away. As their goals took shape, Broadie's idea was expanded to include deployment and homecoming steak feeds for soldiers and their families, as well as helping military families in need. AABB hopes to provide "beef debit cards" that will allow those families to buy beef with donated funds. "This is a good way for the American people and the beef industry to say 'Thank you and we appreciate what you are doing,'" Broadie told me. "It's not about where you stand on the war. It's about where you stand on the kids." Broadie admits it can get emotional for him. "There's not a town in this country that isn't affected by the war." Broadie himself spent more than seven of his 20 months of service in the hospital due to injuries from the Vietnam war. Not only were the physical injuries sustaining, but so too is his compassion for fellow soldiers. Broadie hopes the Beef Battalion long outlives him. The people who want to destroy America will not go away, Broadie says, so the need to support our troops will be here for many years to come. And, with so much conflict among cattle industry groups, Broadie hopes the Beef Battalion is a unifying force. Their group isn't affiliated with any other and he hopes that all cattlemen see the benefit in promoting American beef and promoting American troops. What AABB needs now is funds to get their projects off of the ground. Shortly before the first of the year, the group was granted 501(c)(3) status. The group has raised a little more than $12,000 since Christmas, mainly by word of mouth. You can help by keeping the word moving and the funds flowing. The agricultural industry has always had strong ties to patriotism. Let us all step up and show American soldiers, we support them and their sacrifices. It is their protection that guarantees our freedom. Visit All American Beef Battalion at www.steaksfortroops.com or contact Broadie at: All American Beef Battalion, P.O. Box 458, Ashland, KS 67831, 620-635-5870.
Holly Martin can be reached by phone at 1-800-452-7171 ext. 1806 or e-mail at hmartin@hpj.com. 1/28/08 Date: 1/23/08
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