{"id":115,"date":"2022-09-10T22:26:28","date_gmt":"2022-09-10T22:26:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/iwillnotforgetcampaignpowmiaoutpost422\/?p=115"},"modified":"2022-09-10T22:26:28","modified_gmt":"2022-09-10T22:26:28","slug":"70-years-not-forgotten-the-independent-study-reflection-locating-the-last-known-whereabouts-of-volk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/iwillnotforgetcampaignpowmiaoutpost422\/2022\/09\/10\/70-years-not-forgotten-the-independent-study-reflection-locating-the-last-known-whereabouts-of-volk\/","title":{"rendered":"70 Years Not Forgotten: The independent study reflection locating the last known whereabouts of Volk\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>On June 8, 2021, the interactive investigative capstone journey at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater began seeking the last known whereabouts and location of 1<sup>st<\/sup> Lt. Jerome A. Volk. Volk\u2019s investigation started out as a crowdsource collaboration at the Whitewater campus through an <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/outpost422.com\/2022\/02\/22\/outpost-422-seeks-members-for-pow-mia-search-and-rescue-research-planning-committee-and-inclusivity-campaigns-through-madison-college-honors-project\/\">ad<\/a> <\/strong>with the university press. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Capstone: Wisconsin legislators reject bill funding repatriating POW MIA remains through UW research\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QnBz-y_u7Fo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The ad began the call to action for the POW MIA and recognition of the 70<sup>th<\/sup> year of Volk\u2019s disappearance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The purpose of the investigation sought the retrieval of documented archive regarding Volk\u2019s last flight on a bombing run in North Korea for an <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/332737917_Interactive_Journalism\">interactive journalism capstone<\/a><\/strong> project, which incorporated records into a <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/S2ou8y8jA_A\">public affairs feature<\/a><\/strong> examining documents through slide show presentation on YouTube. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The slide show interacts with a future monumental display offering <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/1CS0XnHOqjo\">historical narration<\/a><\/strong> through flow code interaction narrated by Volk\u2019s niece, Jeri Volk-Barry, who maintains the public relations duties with her uncle\u2019s namesake at Volk Airfield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI speak to you today as a family member of a Wisconsin MIA whose remains have never been repatriated,\u201d the words shared by Volk\u2019s niece advocating for his return with her address to senators at public hearings. \u201cI was named after my uncle, 1<sup>st<\/sup> Lt. Jerome A. Volk, who was killed during a low-level bombing run on November 7, 1951.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The interview with Volk-Barry took place at the University of Wisconsin-Madison <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/biotech.wisc.edu\/\">Biotechnology Center<\/a><\/strong>. Volk-Barry has a deep connection to the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/mia.biotech.wisc.edu\/\">University of Wisconsin Missing-in-action Recovery and Identification Project\u2019s<\/a> <\/strong>President Charles Konsitzke. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Both obliged interviews providing in-depth information regarding the UW MIA Project\u2019s success and current mission surveying an MIA\u2019s location in Belgium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cNo one should underestimate the pain of not having closure,\u201d Volk-Barry said. Her family witnessed her father mourn and grieve endlessly his entire life, which robbed his ability to recover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The investigation wrapped up on May 6, 2022, followed by a revelation after our interview. Konsitzke began working with the university developing a cold case binder with her uncle\u2019s information collected from the Wisconsin Air National Guard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Both UW Whitewater and UW Madison have connected with the director of the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dpaa.mil\/\">Department POW MIA Accounting Agency<\/a><\/strong> notifying the director both campuses are profiling the last known whereabouts of Volk and his MIA profile from the interactive class project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen I started the project in 2015, we started working with cases and a family member approached us,\u201d Konisitzke said sharing his mission\u2019s history. \u201cA family member approached us by the name of Jeri Volk-Barry. There was that \u2018aha\u2019 moment when she informed us that Jerome Volk was her uncle and missing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>70 Years Not Forgotten<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Volk served with the Wisconsin Air National Guard, who took a death-defying leap and re-entered service as a P-51 Mustang pilot while attending Marquette University. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to information gathered and provided by the Wisconsin Air National Guard, \u201cVolk volunteered for training at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, Nevada, where <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/afthunderbirds.com\/p-80-or-f-80-shooting-star-how-this-air-force-fighter-changed-everything\/\">Skunkworks<\/a><\/strong> launched the F-80 Shooting Star after World War II in 1943.\u201d Volk\u2019s last flight with the 35<sup>th<\/sup> Fighter-Bomber Squadron recorded his plane shot down by enemy artillery fire on November 7, 1951. November 7, 2021 marks his 70<sup>th<\/sup> year still missing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The purpose of the investigation sought the development of a business concept called \u201c<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.indeed.com\/career-advice\/career-development\/social-responsibility\">social responsibility<\/a><\/strong>,\u201d which doubled as a team building project and PSA called \u201c<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/bradley-burt-617497879\/the-i-will-not-forget-campaign-pledge-mixdown?si=a63f048ab7d44cd796e5e62ee543579f&amp;utm_source=clipboard&amp;utm_medium=text&amp;utm_campaign=social_sharing\">I Will Not Forget<\/a><\/strong>.\u201d The following recalling of events witnessed many public figures \u201c<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/bradley-burt-617497879\/outpost-422-capstone-interview-with-dept-of-finance-secretary-peter-barca-mixdown?si=c80add671413471ca7fb9ece5394dc51&amp;utm_source=clipboard&amp;utm_medium=text&amp;utm_campaign=social_sharing\">playing politics<\/a><\/strong>,\u201daccording to an interview with Dept. of Finance Secretary Peter Barca (D-Burlington), with the POW MIA issue during the 2021-2023 session.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Prior to the Barca interview, the first interview revealed the connection between a senator doubling as the Truax Airfield public relations officer, the niece of the missing pilot and the director of the project listed on the bill connected through the senator\u2019s district. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Upon contacting Maj. Eric Dunford, program manager for Volk airfield, the name drop of Volk\u2019s niece was mentioned. Jeri Volk-Barry, of the 43<sup>rd<\/sup> Senate District, backed a <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.legis.wisconsin.gov\/2021\/proposals\/sb602\">bill<\/a><\/strong> authored by her senator, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/outpost422.com\/2022\/02\/25\/70-years-not-forgotten-senator-shares-his-role-with-recovering-wisconsin-pow-mia\/\">Roger Roth<\/a><\/strong> (R-WI), that would allocate $360,000-worth of state funding to a program that located three MIAs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The most common denominator amongst POW MIA advocates throughout the investigation shared their primary purpose&#8212;bringing closure to families through the repatriation of remains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The crowdfund search began in September of 2021, where an ad was placed with the Royal Purple, who <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/royalpurplenews.com\/33979\/lifestyle\/brad-burt-mia-memorial\/\">wrote a piece<\/a><\/strong> regarding the search efforts at Outpost 422, which is an ongoing journalism class project searching for the lost on campus. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The Senate Bill 602 Capstone 486 Investigation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The debate over politicizing the POW MIA issue revealed Rep. Jim Steinke (R-5<sup>th<\/sup> District Assembly Leader) and Assembly Majority Leader Robin Vos (R-Assembly Speaker) withheld the opportunity for legislative approval. The two ranking members serve on the joint committee on finance for the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Upon interview request with the governor, two members of his cabinet came forward sharing their perspective regarding the decision for denial of the bill. The bill received bipartisan support, yet the bill did not pass. The investigation provided insight regarding the politicizing of the POW MIA issue during the election year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFor the life of me, it\u2019s difficult to understand,\u201d Dept. of Finance Secretary Peter Barca said when asked why the bill did not pass. \u201cFinancially, we certainly have the resources. We have over a $2 billion surplus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The investigation retrieved records, flight logs and data from the Wisconsin Air National Guard, documents provided by the Volk family, along with several interviews. The first interview took place in Appleton, Wisconsin, at Sen. Roger Roth\u2019s office, who noted he \u201cdoubles as a public affairs officer at the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goang.com\/locations\/wisconsin\/truax-field.html\">Truax Field Air National Guard Base<\/a><\/strong>.\u201d Roth authored the bill who noted that \u201cthe <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dpaa.mil\/\">Department POW MIA Accounting Agency<\/a><\/strong> is failing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The Next Phase of the \u201cI Will Not Forget\u201d Campaign<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As POW MIA Recognition Day approaches, the lobby continues advocating for bringing home Volk. Outpost 422 \u201cI Will Not Forget\u201d campaign teams up with Jesse Schworck, Lion of Judah, House of Rastafari founder, building bridges for inclusivity by tabling annually at the University Center. The group helps those struggling with social isolation from the pandemic learn new methods for mindfulness grounding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/outpost422.com\/\">Outpost 422<\/a><\/strong> website works as a mandated reporter while the campaign develops workshops for those feeling left out find a group that supports them. The coverage of the fall 2022 semester reports through UW-W blogs as a federal lobby seeking <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/WmGYoG6VrgI\">Schworck\u2019s <\/a><\/strong>ministry as a method of keeping the POW MIA memory alive. In closing, the journey unearthed Volk\u2019s exact location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The next phase of the journey will connect with the William S. Middleton Veterans Administration Hospital by building bridges for hope between veterans being discharged after mental health treatment in the University of Wisconsin system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The POW MIA issue, through academic honors workshops, opens doors to new horizons by connecting both the veteran and their families with hope, tranquility and mindfulness public affairs creative non-fiction journaling preparing them for a career as professional writers contributing to the various blogs Schworck\u2019s philanthropy chaplain sanctuary provides.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On June 8, 2021, the interactive investigative capstone journey at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater began seeking the last known whereabouts and location of 1st Lt. Jerome A. Volk. Volk\u2019s investigation started out as a crowdsource collaboration at the Whitewater campus through an ad with the&nbsp;<a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/iwillnotforgetcampaignpowmiaoutpost422\/2022\/09\/10\/70-years-not-forgotten-the-independent-study-reflection-locating-the-last-known-whereabouts-of-volk\/\">&hellip;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8320,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-115","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/iwillnotforgetcampaignpowmiaoutpost422\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/iwillnotforgetcampaignpowmiaoutpost422\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/iwillnotforgetcampaignpowmiaoutpost422\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/iwillnotforgetcampaignpowmiaoutpost422\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8320"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/iwillnotforgetcampaignpowmiaoutpost422\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=115"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/iwillnotforgetcampaignpowmiaoutpost422\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":116,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/iwillnotforgetcampaignpowmiaoutpost422\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115\/revisions\/116"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/iwillnotforgetcampaignpowmiaoutpost422\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=115"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/iwillnotforgetcampaignpowmiaoutpost422\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=115"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/iwillnotforgetcampaignpowmiaoutpost422\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=115"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}