Whether scheduling a Missouri National Guard event at the VFW post in St. Martins or arranging fuel vouchers for veterans to make appointments at the Truman VA Medical Center, Phil Kalaf has a heart to serve those who have served.
As the commander of Basinger Sone Memorial Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1003, he stays busy with the logistics of a recent merger of the St. Martins Post 35, organized in 1986, with the Jefferson City Post 1003, organized in 1922.
In recent months, he has also been among those volunteers working to bring the Moving Vietnam Wall back to Jefferson City.
The Basinger Sone Post is among the top 10 largest chapters in the state with a membership of about 675.
The merger about 1½ years ago has benefited both chapters: 1003 gained a place to host Bingo, and 35 gained more workers to host the organization's main fundraiser.
Maintaining a building allows the organization to host community events for schools, civic clubs and particularly the National Guard. Those funds them help the organization with its main purpose, to help veterans.
As the VFW regains momentum, Kalaf hopes to see dinners renewed and the St. Martins building to become a get-together place again.
This is Kalaf's first term as commander of the merged chapter, but not his first as a post commander.
Committees and other officers each have their own duties and responsibilities in the management of the organization and the upkeep of the facilities. But the commander is involved in most of the conversations, and necessary decisions fall on his shoulders.
"I like the VFW, and I enjoy being in a decision-making position, of how we're going to support our veterans," Kalaf said.
In particular, Kalaf has been focused on cultivating a strong relationship with the National Guard. For example, the VFW chapter has been invited to help with the Museum of Missouri Military History's grand opening Oct. 3.
The VFW post would not survive without the auxiliary, which brings support through man power and community involvement, he said.
Kalaf joined the VFW about 18 years ago after being asked by friend and fellow Vietnam War veteran Don Hentges.
"It had a good social flavor," Kalaf said. "At the time, two to three nights a week, families would be up here playing cards and the bar was full."
He remembers frying up burgers because he liked to cook.
Within five years, he was entering leadership positions.
For the last 12 years, Kalaf also has been involved with the Jefferson City Veterans Council, serving the last four years as vice president.
"Without the council, we wouldn't be able to offer the community projects like the moving wall," Kalaf said. "We need the resources of all the organizations represented."
The veterans council created the Veterans Plaza at the corner of McCarty and Monroe streets.
The council also annually hosts a POW-MIA Ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda, as well as holding Memorial Day services at the National Cemetery and Veterans Day services at the Capitol.
"These things have to happen, because we've got to make sure people understand the purpose of the days," Kalaf said. "That's our job."
For the same reason, the council decided it was time to host the Moving Vietnam Wall again, which will be open to the public Thursday through Monday at the Capitol.
When the wall first visited Jefferson City in 2005, Kalaf said he was more of a visitor instead of a volunteer.
"I was moved by it," Kalaf said.
This time around, he was involved early in the process, helping with contracting and other behind-the-scenes logistics.
"It's a huge project and takes the community's support to pull it off," he said. "I've never been involved first-hand with anything like this."
More than 200 volunteers will be involved during the five days the wall is on the Capitol grounds. But hundreds of volunteer hours happened in advance of this week.
The effort is two-fold to honor those named on the wall and to educate the public, particularly the youth.
"The kids need to see it," Kalaf said. "That's part of our job, what we're here for - to make sure our citizens don't forget."
Kalaf deployed three times in four years to Vietnam with the U.S. Navy before returning to Mid-Missouri in 1972. He then worked 35 years for Modern Business Systems and then part-time a few years for Altrea.
Reared by a Lebanese immigrant, Kalaf said his family did not have a history of American patriotism. Instead, he joined the Navy after seeing the proud response of his hometown of Meta to his older brother in the Navy uniform.
His desire to be of service to people, especially his fellow veterans, probably comes from his father, who modeled service operating a grocery store in Meta, Kalaf said.
"What goes around comes around," Kalaf said.
Five years ago, when his wife gave him a kidney, his outlook on life changed, Kalaf said.
"It's not about me; it's about what we can do."