BUNKER BRIEFING
JANUARY 2024
Oklahoma Military Hall of Honor
We are pleased to announce the following Coffee Bunker veterans were inducted into the Hall of Honor on November 9, 2023 at the Coffee Bunker annual Bunker Bites event. This was the inaugural induction ceremony for the Oklahoma Military Hall of Honor.
Sgt. Jim Lyall, U.S Army
Sgt Jim Lyall served in the Army from September, 1967 til May 1969. He was assigned to the Company C, 5th Battalion, 12th Infantry, 199th Light Infantry Brigade. The bulk of his time was spent in an area known as 3 Core protecting various area commands in and around Saigon. His service was noted by the Secretary of the Army as exceptionally meritorious, demonstrating outstanding professional competence, and a devotion to duty that inspired his associates to maximum achievement.
For this Sgt Lyall earned the:
- Vietnam Campaign Medal
- Vietnam Service Medal
- National Defense Service Medal
- Combat Infantry Badge
- Army Commendation Medal w/"V" Device
After his Army service, Jim continued his service to the community and to veterans. From 1980-2017, he served as Associate Director for the Community Service Council overseeing the Council's work with veterans and in support of veteran service organizations around the area. In addition, he led CSC to establish a statewide call center, headed an initiative to address homelessness (the Mobile Crisis Outreach Service which became COPES at Family & Children's Service), and provided leadership to the establishment of CSC's Emergency Heat Action Plan.
Among the many goals he accomplished in this position was his work with Mary Ligon and others to start the Coffee Bunker. This work, initiated in 2010, continues with the Bunker continuing to expand its vision and its capability to address the needs of veterans, active duty service members, National Guard, Reserves, and their families.
Col. Raymond F Knapp, USAF
Col. Ray Knapp completed his distinguished 34-year career in the United States Air Force with his retirement in 2010. Leadership at all levels of the military is challenged to identify and bring together all the aspects, factors, and variables of a system into a well integrated whole system. Col. Knapp excelled in the leadership of multiple systems throughout his career including missile operations, information, finance, and international relations.
In addition to his leadership in systems management, he held special duty assignments as an analyst for the Secretary of Defense, as the Deputy Team Chief of the Headquarters European Command, and for the Military Liaison Team to the Czech Ministry of Defense. Col. Knapp was in the Pentagon when it was struck by terrorists on 9/11. Thankfully, he was not injured but suffered the loss of several colleagues.
For his leadership, Col. Knapp was awarded the:
- Legion of Merit
- Defense Meritorious Service Medal
- Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
- Joint Service Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
- Air Force Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters
- Joint Service Achievement Medal
Col. Knapp’s distinguished service continued into his civilian life through his commitment to and volunteer service to veterans. In 2017 he was elected to the board of directors of the Coffee Bunker eventually serving as its Vice President and President. In this work he led the Bunker to develop its first strategic plan and its first set of management policies bringing needed stability to the organization’s structure. This work became the launch pad for a larger vision for the Bunker which is now coming to fruition through a full service transition services program.
Col. Knapp’s volunteer service continues today in his position as Chair of the Oklahoma Committee of Employer Support of the Guard and Reserves (ESGR). ESGR is a Department of Defense program that develops and promotes supportive work environments for National Guard and Reserves. The advocacy work of ESGR assures the stability of the civilian jobs of Guard and Reserve men and women especially as the deploy and return from deployments. Col. Knapp oversees the work of more than 3700 ESGR volunteers in 54 committees across all 50 states and other US territories and locales.
Capt. Clifford Richard, U.S. Army
Capt. Cliff Richard, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, entered the Army in January 1964 and served through January 1968. He received his initial training as a helicopter pilot at Ft. Wolters and advanced training at Ft. Rucker. After a brief stint in Germany, he arrived in Vietnam assigned to the Ist Cavalry Division in support of the 3rd Brigade. Cliff flew multiple missions during his time in Vietnam sometimes supplying new troops and supplies, sometimes rescuing, but always in assault mode. Cliff survived three crashes, two having been shot down.
For his service, Cliff was awarded the:
- Army Aviator Badge
- National Defense Service Medal
- Vietnam Campaign Medal
- Bronze Star
- Vietnam Service Medal
- Air Medal with Nineteen Oak Leaf Clusters
- Two Overseas Bars
After exiting the Army, he worked in the oil and gas industry until retirement. When Hurricane Katrina struck his home state, he was motivated to respond to his fellow citizens in their time of need. This experience led to him becoming deeply involved as a disaster relief volunteer and has served since then in almost every kind of natural disaster around the country. One day, a team commander unexpectedly asked Cliff to say a prayer for some victims. Later, he was asked to lead a team in a devotional thought prior to their moving out. Through these experiences and through the perception that team leaders had of him, Cliff became aware of his emerging identity as a Chaplain. He went through the appropriate training and launched his new role. He was soon made aware of possible opportunities at the Coffee Bunker. At the suggestion of the Executive Director, he did not have an official “start” as Chaplain but just became a presence and eased into his role working with veterans. As you can imagine, when veterans first engage Chaplain Cliff, and learn of his military experience, there is an almost immediate connection. Some veterans who come to the Bunker are broken, discouraged, and depressed. Some are looking for some direction and hope. Some just need encouragement and a little nudge to keep going. Others just need some extra fuel for their tank.
Whatever the need, they soon become aware that Chaplain Cliff cares for them and is ready to support. Just like when he was flying his helicopter, Chaplain Cliff sometimes delivers “supplies” sometimes “reinforcements” sometimes “first aid” but is always in a “willingness to help” mode. Chaplain Clifford Richard, along with all the Bunker’s Chaplains, invests himself in a way that creates a healthy, positive, healing culture and contributes significantly to the achievement of the Coffee Bunker mission. Cliff’s service to veterans extends to his fellow helicopter pilots. He is the founding member of the Oklahoma Helicopter Pilots’ Association and the Founder of the Broken Arrow Chapter of the Association.