Military Order of the Purple Heart - Department of Arizona

12/17/2025

Updated list of year round veteran discounts from the VA.

As a way to say thank you, many retailers and businesses offer a Veteran discount year round. We've compiled a list of deals for you.

12/16/2025

Congratulations to Patriot Roger Gilbert who is the Fort Lowell Chapter 442 "Patriot of the Year". Commander Phipps presented the Johnny Thompson Patriot of the Year Award to Patriot Roger Gilbert. Roger has also been nominated to compete for the Department Patriot of the Year award. Roger is a reliable and consistent advocate for veterans in financial need for rents, utility bills, & auto repairs. We appreciate the many hours of work Roger has devoted in support of our chapter’s Purple Heart activities. Please accept our gratitude for the service you have provided to the chapter and to our Nation's veterans.

12/16/2025

Quilts of Valor were presented at Ft Lowell Chapter 442's Dec 13th meeting to Patriot Jack Van of Eloy, AZ and veteran Mike Hale of Green Valley, AZ. Jack received his Purple Heart serving in Vietnam with the Air Force. Mike received his Purple Heart serving in Vietnam with the 101st Airborne Division. Congratulations. Thank you to Bernadette Polley from Northwest Tucson Quilts of Valor for making the presentation.

12/14/2025

Thank you to the ladies groups at the Bridge Church, Tucson. On Friday evening Dec 12th they assembled hundred Christmas gift bags for the residents of the AZ State Veterans Home Tucson. Ft. Lowell Chapter 442 members Mike Dyer, Danny Lemon, John Grand, Dave Bertagnoli, John Moore, & Roger Gilbert help transport gift bags to storage until Christmas Eve. As a bonus while we were waiting we got to sample the wonderful Christmas cookies the ladies had made.

12/14/2025

Department Commander Phipps places wreaths with son Sam at Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery Marana.

12/13/2025

Ft. Lowell Chapter 442 Tucson participated in Wreaths Across America at Evergreen Cemetery, Southlawn Cemetery, & Marana Veterans Memorial Cemetery this morning. Thank you to the community, Veterans groups, and the members of our Chapter that helped place the wreaths.

12/03/2025

Hiring Our Heroes small business grant program for veterans and spouses:

Hiring Our Heroes Small Business Grant Program provides funding to help Veteran- and military spouse-owned businesses grow and thrive.

12/01/2025

The Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a volunteer non-profit organization and is the official civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force. Civil Air Patrol conducts 90% of inland search and rescue in the U.S., as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and other agencies.

12/01/2025

The November issue of the Department Newsletter, the Purple Heart Artery" is available. Enjoy!

11/30/2025

Ft. Lowell Chapter 442 hosted bingo for the patients at the Tucson VA Hospital today (Nov 29th). Thank you to Patriot Cody Phipps, Patriot Dave Bertagnoli, Patriot Danny Lemon, and volunteers Yolanda Lemon, Cherie Stallman, Sam Phipps, and Susan-Lea Campbell Skuhr. The grand prize was a beautiful handmade quilt from the ladies at Canyon Del Oro Bible Church.

11/27/2025

Thanksgiving Message from the National Commander:

Dear Patriots,
As we enter this special season, we take a moment to reflect on the people, experiences, and memories that have filled our year with meaning. This is a time to pause, look back with gratitude, and look forward with hope.
We are thankful for another year of life, another year of freedom, and another year to grow together. We celebrate the ways we’ve strengthened our character, embraced accountability, and stepped boldly into new levels of responsibility and leadership.
Our collective impact is real. Through perseverance, unity, and a commitment to completing what we start, we continue to shape the world around us in powerful and positive ways.
May this holiday season bring peace, joy, and renewed purpose to each of us. Here’s to gratitude, growth, and the promise of a bright new year ahead.
This season also invites us to deepen our understanding of our mission, our purpose, and our goals. We are here to uplift others, to make life better for those around us, and to find fulfillment in knowing that our efforts help build a brighter future for the next generation.
This Thanksgiving, spend time with those you love, and extend a helping hand to someone in need. We have so much to give; let us share even a small part of ourselves with others.
Continue to be grateful, allowing only your best to shine through the clouds, providing that rainbow for others to see, to follow, and to believe in. May your light inspire hope, your strength encourage perseverance, and your kindness remind others that they, too, can rise above any storm.

Happy Holidays!

11/19/2025

Ft. Lowell Chapter 442's monthly PH luncheon was held at Noble Hobs in Oro Valley, AZ. Food was good and we had a good time. We were planning on eating on the patio but one unnamed member thought it was too cold. 🤣However, there was a severe storm warning and it started to rain so inside was good. No luncheon in December due to the holiday season. From left to right Patriot Moore, Patriot Lemon, Patriot Phipps, Sam Phipps, Patriot Zimmerman , & Patriot Grand