No Alaskan Veteran Dies Alone Project

01/11/2026

LADIES ONLY - Join us at First Presbyterian Church of Wasilla on January 24, 2026 at 10:30 AM for a seminar about end of life support! See you there!

06/27/2025

We are at the LINKS Resource Fair today until 6PM! Come say hi!

02/13/2025

Today we honor J. D. Irwin's heroic actions on February 13, 1861.

After Cochise and a band of Apache warriors had captured a boy, the 7th Infantry's 2nd Lt. George Bascom had immediately pursued with 60 men on a desperate rescue mission. No word had reached Fort Breckenridge that the greatly superior Apache force had surrounded Bascom and his men and imperiled their own survival.

Accustomed to using his medical skills to save lives, Irwin was determined to now use his military skills to save his comrades. Unfortunately only 14 men could be spared from the garrison, these to be Irwin's rescue party. No horses could be spared for the mission, so Irwin and his 14 soldiers departed Fort Breckenridge on mules. Faced with a trek of 100 miles in the midst of a winter blizzard, the logistics of the mission were as improbable as the possibility of encountering the much larger enemy force, defeating them, and rescuing the captives. Nonetheless, the Irish-born surgeon was determined to try.

On February 13, 1861, Irwin's small rescue party encountered Cochise and his warriors at Apache Pass, Arizona. But it wasn't a battle so much as it was a tactical engagement. With a carefully laid out plan and maximum placement of his 14 men, Irwin succeeded in convincing the Indian warriors that he had arrived with a much larger force, causing them to withdraw. Bascom's 60 men were liberated and joined Irwin and his 14 soldiers. The unified force then pursued Cochise into the mountains where they were able to engage him and rescue the captive boy.

Irwin's heroic rescue occurred almost a year before the Medal of Honor was introduced to the US Congress. Indeed, Irwin himself did not receive the Medal of Honor until January 24, 1894...more than 30 years later. But his actions the cold mornings of February 13-14, 1861 are recorded in history as the first Medal of Honor action.

12/05/2024

Today we honor Specialist Ross A. McGinnis. According to official accounts by survivors, McGinnis stood up and was preparing to jump out of the vehicle. “That is what the machine gunner is supposed to do,” Baka said. “He's supposed to announce the gr***de, give a fair amount of time for people in the vehicle to react, and then he's supposed to save himself. No one would have blamed him if he did that, because that is what he was trained to do.” Instead, he pushed the gunner strap out from under him and laid his back on top of the gr***de. This country was built on the actions of such heroes and has been sustained throughout history by patriots like Ross McGinnis. Thank you for your sacrifice.

11/27/2024

Our state has the largest percentage of veterans, but the fewest end-of-life care programs to assist them during their final moments. Our volunteers provide in-home companionship and support for dying veterans who are alone or have limited resources.
No Alaskan veteran should have to die alone which is why we stand watch over our nation's finest men and women until the end.

With your help, no Alaskan Veteran in the Mat-Su Valley will have to die alone. DONATE NAVDAP mitigates the shortage of healthcare providers by improving and strengthening community health for our aging veterans.Together, we will improve quality of life for every veteran in the Mat-Su Valley. Find O...

11/27/2024

Today we honor Marcario García for his courage and bravery during WWII.

García was born in Mexico in 1920 and his family immigrated to the United States when he was just three years old. During World War II, García, a non-American citizen with a grade school education, enlisted as an Army infantryman on Nov. 11, 1942.

García is the first Mexican immigrant to ever receive the Medal of Honor. Sadly, García was killed in a car accident on December 24, 1972. He was buried with full military honors in the Houston National Cemetery.

11/25/2024

Today we honor Army Ranger legend Colonel Ralph Puckett Jr. for his actions between November 25 and November 26, 1950. He was 1 of 146 service members who earned the Medal of Honor during the Korean War. He was the last living recipient until he passed away on April 8, 2024, at the age of 97.

11/22/2024

Today we remember the ultimate sacrifice made by Major Charles Joseph Loring, Jr. during the Korean War. For his actions, Loring was posthumously awarded a Medal of Honor. The Loring Air Force Base in Limestone, Maine, was named in his honor in 1954.

11/21/2024

Thank you for your sacrifice and the burdens you carry for all of us, Kyle Carpenter.

Kyle Carpenter is the youngest living Medal of Honor recipient. He received the Medal of Honor for his actions on this day in 2010 while serving in Afghanistan with the 9th Marines.
Lance Corporal Carpenter's platoon had established Patrol Base Dakota two days prior in a small village in the Marjah District in order to disrupt enemy activity and provide security for the local population. LCpl Carpenter and a fellow Marine were manning a rooftop security position on the perimeter of the patrol base when the enemy initiated a hand gr***de attack, one of which landed inside their position.
Without hesitation, and with disregard for his own safety, LCpl Carpenter moved toward the gr***de to shield his fellow Marine from the deadly blast. When the gr***de detonated, his body absorbed the brunt of the blast, severely wounding him, but saving the life of his fellow Marine.

11/12/2024

We’ve officially launched our website!

Here you can refer veterans, volunteer, or donate! Our website is easy to navigate and we've added alternative text for the visually impaired.

Visit us now: www.navdap.org

With your help, no Alaskan Veteran in the Mat-Su Valley will have to die alone. DONATE NAVDAP mitigates the shortage of healthcare providers by improving and strengthening community health for our aging veterans. Together, we can improve quality of life for vulnerable and socially isolated veterans....