R.I.P. DD214 - MDShooters Founder

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  • KiloTango

    Member
    Mar 11, 2021
    23
    R.I.P. DD214. Thank you for creating an amazing place for the community. The positive impact you have made is immeasureable.
     

    lx1x

    Peanut Gallery
    Apr 19, 2009
    26,992
    Maryland
    Wow .

    R.I.P. Don.

    Met several times.. and all those times he always had a smile. Great guy.. will be missed.
     

    Ammo70

    Member
    May 16, 2021
    5
    Alexandria, VA
    Thank You

    The generosity of this community is incredible. Thank you for supporting Don's kids during this difficult time. We have almost reached our $25,000 goal and hope to surpass it thanks to all of you. My family will remember this kindness always.

    https://gofund.me/c795f34a

    With great appreciation,

    Amber
    (sister of Don Foster)
     

    Ammo70

    Member
    May 16, 2021
    5
    Alexandria, VA
    DD214's Obituary and Mass Information

    On May 13, Don Wayne Foster, Jr., passed away after a short illness. He was surrounded by his loved ones. Don was born in Lubbock, Texas, on May 8, 1973, to Don Foster, Sr., and Shirley Dearing Foster. He grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he was graduated from Chaparral High School; later he attended Arizona State University. At 20, he joined the U.S. Navy, rising to serve as a Naval Aviation Warfare Systems Operator for P-3 Orion aircraft.

    He proudly served his country in several deployments in the Persian Gulf. After his military service, he continued to support the Armed Forces as a defense contractor detailed to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Twenty (VX-20), based at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland.

    Don was an avid outdoorsman, and enjoyed nothing more than fishing, shooting, biking, or sitting around a campfire with his children. A strong advocate of the Second Amendment, he founded Maryland Shooters, an online gun-rights community now numbering nearly 30,000 members and exerting a salutary influence on state law. He was known for his sharp wit and kind spirit. He was a Catholic convert, and found strength and comfort in his faith.

    He is survived by his parents; his children Chase (21), Alisa (16), and James (14); his sisters April Ponnuru (Ramesh) and Amber Schwartz (Tyler); his two nephews and three nieces; and his companion Lisa.

    A funeral Mass will be held on May 20 at the Basilica of Saint Mary in Alexandria, Virginia, at 10:00 a.m. ET. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to a scholarship fund for Don’s children via GoFundMe or his brother-in-law Ramesh Ponnuru (608 S. Fairfax St. / Alexandria, VA 22314). https://gofund.me/c795f34a

    A live stream of the mass will be available here: https://vimeo.com/551917398/6cfaced142
     

    Ammo70

    Member
    May 16, 2021
    5
    Alexandria, VA
    Urgent Request for DD214

    We are doing everything that we know to do to obtain Don's DD214 Military Discharge Papers so that he can have military honors at his funeral on Thursday. That would have been very important to him and it is very important to my parents and his children especially.

    Unfortunately, due to staffing issues because of COVID, there are major delays in receiving the paperwork. If anyone on here as the ability to track this down quickly, (perhaps someone on base), we'd be incredibly grateful. We have to receive the paperwork today to make this happen by Thursday.

    I can be reached on my cell at (703) 304-2046 or amberschwartz7@gmail.com if you might be able to help us.

    Thank you,
    Amber (Don's Sister)
     

    eruby

    Confederate Jew
    MDS Supporter
    We are doing everything that we know to do to obtain Don's DD214 Military Discharge Papers so that he can have military honors at his funeral on Thursday. That would have been very important to him and it is very important to my parents and his children especially.

    Unfortunately, due to staffing issues because of COVID, there are major delays in receiving the paperwork. If anyone on here as the ability to track this down quickly, (perhaps someone on base), we'd be incredibly grateful. We have to receive the paperwork today to make this happen by Thursday.

    I can be reached on my cell at (703) 304-2046 or amberschwartz7@gmail.com if you might be able to help us.

    Thank you,
    Amber (Don's Sister)
    You may have tried this, but if not, hopefully this is bona fide:

    https://vetrecs.archives.gov/VeteranRequest/home.html#BasicInformation



    From the VA:

    https://www.va.gov/records/get-military-service-records/



    If you’re the next of kin of a Veteran who has passed away
    You can request a copy of the Veteran’s military records in any of these ways:

    Mail or fax a Request Pertaining to Military Records (Standard Form SF 180) to the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC).
    Download Form SF 180 (PDF) (link below)
    Write a letter to the NPRC. Send it to:
    1 Archives Drive
    St. Louis, Missouri 63138

    Visit the NPRC in person
    Contact your state or county Veterans agency
    Hire an independent researcher
    You may be considered the next of kin if you’re related to the Veteran in any of these ways:

    Surviving spouse who hasn't remarried, or
    Parent, or
    Child, or
    Sibling

    https://www.archives.gov/files/sf180-request-pertaining-to-military-records-exp-april2018-1.pdf



    One more link:

    https://nvf.org/how-to-get-a-copy-of-dd214/
     

    Dave91

    Ultimate Member
    Nov 25, 2009
    1,988
    Anne Arundel
    While I never knew him personally or interacted with him on this site from what I recall, I have enjoyed being a part of this forum for twelve years now, and have met some great people and learned and shared a lot. So, I owe that to him. My condolences to his friends and family.
     

    AKbythebay

    Ultimate Member
    Such horrible news. My sincere condolences to Don's family. Thanks for your service not only as a member of the armed forces, but as the founder of this online community. You fought for us all your life, right up to the end. Rest in peace DD
     

    Ammo70

    Member
    May 16, 2021
    5
    Alexandria, VA
    We miraculously located the form! Thank you all.

    We miraculously located the form. Thank you all!


    You may have tried this, but if not, hopefully this is bona fide:

    https://vetrecs.archives.gov/VeteranRequest/home.html#BasicInformation



    From the VA:

    https://www.va.gov/records/get-military-service-records/



    If you’re the next of kin of a Veteran who has passed away
    You can request a copy of the Veteran’s military records in any of these ways:

    Mail or fax a Request Pertaining to Military Records (Standard Form SF 180) to the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC).
    Download Form SF 180 (PDF) (link below)
    Write a letter to the NPRC. Send it to:
    1 Archives Drive
    St. Louis, Missouri 63138

    Visit the NPRC in person
    Contact your state or county Veterans agency
    Hire an independent researcher
    You may be considered the next of kin if you’re related to the Veteran in any of these ways:

    Surviving spouse who hasn't remarried, or
    Parent, or
    Child, or
    Sibling

    https://www.archives.gov/files/sf180-request-pertaining-to-military-records-exp-april2018-1.pdf



    One more link:

    https://nvf.org/how-to-get-a-copy-of-dd214/
     

    FHJ69

    Active Member
    Mar 13, 2011
    458
    Upper PDRMC
    Rest in peace DD214. My thoughts and prayers to his family and friends. He made such a huge positive mark on this world by the creation of this site and the efforts he put in. I never met him but he helped my life become a better place. Thank you DD214.
     

    Overwatch326

    Active Member
    Aug 13, 2016
    365
    Sorry to hear this. I always enjoyed his posts when I came across them, and he just seemed like a good guy. Thoughts and prayers with his family, and may he rest in peace.
     

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