VHP VOICE
Connecting Students with Veterans
TM
to Honor Veterans, Preserve America's Heritage and Develop Future Leaders
September 19, 2018: Volume 8, Issue 1
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Through Veterans Heritage Project™ generations, families, and communities are connected; service is celebrated; lives are improved; and futures are established. Your support is needed to bring VHP to more schools and communities.
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"Saluting Stories of Service" Celebration Fundraising Dinner
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Dance to big band swing music. Hear directly from a veteran and student on how VHP has made a difference in their lives, and meet our special guest (pictured left).
Purchase a ticket to win one of our fabulous door prize packages...you may even win a trip to Washington, D.C.!
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Thank you, "Saluting Stories of Service" Sponsors!
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Special Announcement Regarding
Gold Star Families
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VHP has a history of recording the stories of spouses and parents who lost their loved ones in service to our Country; we are grateful, therefore, that Veterans History Project at the
Library of Congress is now accepting the stories of Gold Star Families
. It is important to share the sacrifice of the service member, as well as the impact on the family, with future generations. Consider sharing your family's story by signing up on our
website.
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Alumni News
Let us know what you are up to!
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Emily Dalmolin
(2010-2016) graduated from University of Arizona in 2018 a commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. After 16 weeks in Fort Lee, Virginia, she heads to Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas as a quartermaster officer.
Ashley Durham
(2010-2014) is currently a Research Specialist for CDC and USDA-funded research projects at ASU and taking classes on the side in preparation for a Masters in Physician's Assistant Studies.
Greg Gorraiz
(2005-2008) graduated from Stanford University in 2012 with a B.A. in American Studies. He did Teach for America for two years, spending four more years teaching third grade in Brooklyn, New York. He is currently a first-year medical student at the University of Pittsburgh, studying anatomy.
Michelle Hugo
(2011-2015) is a student at University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. She spent a summer in northern Uganda on a medical mission.
Syndi Nnorom
(2010-2014)
visited South Korea after graduating Arizona State University in 2018 with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering. She will pursue her PhD at Rice University in Houston, Texas.
Annalee Monroe
(2011-2014) graduated Stanford University in 2018 with a degree in Political Science. She is currently seeking a job working for a nonprofit, hopefully in Washington, D.C.
Madison Ann Pascale
(2009-2012) is a commissioned U.S. Naval Academy ensign flying helicopters at Naval Air Station Whiting Field near Milton, Florida.
Michael Zucker
(2012-2014) is in his first year at Case Western Law School, and intends to study National Security Law.
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VHP Launches 15th Year of
Connecting Students with Veterans
™
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On Saturday, August 18, at the Hilton Phoenix Airport, over 60 Teacher Advisors, students, and chapter volunteers gathered to launch another year of VHP at our annual Chapter Kickoff Training. During the training, chapters were able to meet in their regional publishing groups, walk through the program timeline, and review new resources to support their work.
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Students used their artistic skills and best "Vanna White" presentation to share calendar posters during our timeline review
.
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Breakout sessions allowed collaborating chapters for each edition of
Since You Asked
™
to plan for the year ahead.
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Display tables at the training provided visual guidance and hands-on exposure with chapter management resources.
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We were pleased to add the opportunity for students to learn leadership directly from a veteran! Brig. Gen. (Ret.) J. Derek Hill's session included examples of how students ca
n use the concepts of clear expectations, backwards planning, and delegating to build their skills and develop a strong team.
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Prior to our annual Chapter Kickoff Training on August 18, we
celebrated our volunteers
w
ith a luncheon, prize drawings, and sharing of program impact made possible by their passion for our mission.
Door prizes were graciously provided by Chipotle, Dave and Busters, Desert Botanical Gardens, Fox Restaurant Concepts, Odyssey Aquarium, OHSO Brewery, Phoenix Art Museum, and the Phoenix Symphony. Thank you for being great community partners.
Thank you to both the
Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services
and
National Bank of Arizona
for providing grant funds to recognize and train our very valuable volunteers.
At our Chapter Kickoff Training, we were proud to release to our chapters the 15-part video tutorial series, which helps schools
learn how to become a chapter
, walks them through the oral history, publishing, community engagement, and archiving activities in our year-round program. A very special thank you to both
Fiesta Bowl Charities
for grant funding, and the professional services of
Gene Ganssle at G2 Productions
for helping us create a high-quality, professional resource for our chapters.
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Welcome, New Chapter Schools
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We are excited to have
Annunciation Catholic School
in Cave Creek, and
Canyon Ridge School
in Surprise
bring VHP to their schools!
Rhodes Junior High
in Mesa has also started a chapter after taking a year to plan their participation. Each school has dedicated teacher advisors and students, as well as awesome parent and community support!
We also want to welcome back
Show Low High School
, who has hosted a VHP chapter since 2010, but took last year off to plan for incorporating VHP into a class curriculum. We look forward to working with Advisor Becky Adams and her students!
Maricopa Community Colleges, and the VHP Chapters at Glendale Community College and Paradise Valley Community College, are growing their VHP participation by extending Veterans Heritage Project as a service learning opportunity to students and faculty at
Estrella Mountain Community College, Gateway Community College, and Chandler-Gilbert Community College
.
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ANNOUNCING
The 2018
Since You Asked
™
Book Theme
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A Salute to the Korean War
We are thrilled
to focus on our Korean War veterans this year. As usual, our chapter schools will still interview veterans from all conflict eras, but will specifically seek to capture more stories of Korean War veterans in their communities. If you are a Korean War veteran and would like to get connected with a school chapter, please sign up on our
website
.
For our Community Reception & Book Signing events, we will work with volunteer Susan Kee to incorporate special elements that further honor our Korean War veterans.
Two new resources are also available to our chapters to support additional learning about the "forgotten war." The
Korean War Fact Sheet created by Barbara Hatch and Susan Kee will assist students as they prepare for veteran interviews. A lesson plan on the Korean War, developed by volunteer Captain David Price, USN (Ret.), is also available to complement our veteran speakers.
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Below are special opportunities for veterans and students:
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As a way of saying "thank you for your service," all military personnel (active or retired) are invited to join acclaimed author and speaker, Fr. Nathan Castle, OP for a
free Veterans Day Workshop hosted at Black Rock Bouldering Gym on Veterans Day. The focus of this workshop is to assist veterans in their ability to move beyond the emotional and spiritual trauma that is often associated with military service. Call 602-828-0749 for more information.
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VETERANS…are 3X MORE LIKELY to be infected with hepatitis C vs. the general population. Most veterans with chronic hepatitis C were likely infected
during the Vietnam War era. A healthcare provider can
perform a simple blood test
that delivers results in as little
as 20 minutes. Click
here
for additional information,
visit
1-800-GO-LIVER (1-800-465-4837).
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VHP High School Students - enter your audio essay on "Why My Vote Matters" by October 31, to
VFW's
Voice of Democracy Program
f
or a chance to win the national first place $30,0000
scholarship.
A complete list of other national scholarships range from $1,000-$16,000, and the first-place winner from each VFW Department (state) wins a minimum scholarship of $1,000 and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C.
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AmazonSmile
is a simple and automatic way for you to support Veterans Heritage Project every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at
smile.amazon.com
, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that
Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to VHP!
"
I have chosen VHP as my charity of choice in the Amazon Smile program. A donation of 0.5% of my purchases will be donated to the organization. What a great way to make a difference at our beloved VHP!!
" - Debbie Yin
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Ask your employer to
Sponsor a Veteran Speaker
as a way to honor their service for Veterans Day
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Veterans' amazing stories inspire teamwork, perseverance, goal setting, leadership, and personal responsibility. Bring this inspiration to your workplace by asking your employer to donate $1,000+ to VHP. Honor veterans service with an invitation for a lunchtime presentation during the month of November. Contact
michelle@veteransheritage.org
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Arden Rowley, Korean War Veteran, POW and Author
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Special Opportunity to Support Our Chapters
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Cheer on the Coyotes while supporting VHP Chapter Schools
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Arizona Coyotes Vs. Boston Bruins
6:00 pm Saturday, November 17
Military Appreciation Night
Coyotes players will wear camouflage jerseys during warmup. The first 7,500 fans will receive a Coyotes camouflage hat.
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VHP Chapter Students at four participating schools are selling tickets to raise funds to support publishing, reception, and supply costs. For every ticket sold, $5 goes back to the chapter.
Choose your school link below to purchase a ticket and join us at the November 17 game for Military Appreci
ation Night t
o
honor local active and veteran military members.
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Dinner Out to Support Veteran Interviews at Shea Middle School
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The students at Shea Middle School are partnering with 32 Shea, our local neighborhood cafe, to raise funds to help support their portion of veteran interview publishing costs.
Visit 32 Shea, located at Shea and 32nd Street, on
November 5 and
November 7 between
4 pm and 10 pm, and 20% of your dinner bill (alcohol not included) will be donated to the
VHP Chapter at Shea Middle School, i
f you let your server know that is why you are there.
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- September 23 - 10 am - POW/MIA Event at Rio Vista Recreation Center, Peoria
- October 6 - 9am - 2 pm, Chapter Publishing Training at Shadow Mountain High School Media Center
- October 19 - December 29 - President George Bush’s Portraits of Courage Exhibition at the Arizona Historical Society (Heritage Center at Papago Park)
- November 3 - 8:30 am - 12:30 pm, Anthem Veterans Day Parade
- NOVEMBER 11 - VETERANS DAY
- November 11 - 3:00 - 5:00 pm, Town of Carefree Veterans Day Celebration co-hosted by VHP Chapter at Cactus Shadows High School
- November 11 - 10:00 am, Annual Veterans Day Ceremony at the Anthem Veterans Memorial, student speaker is Boulder Creek High School/North Valley Regional Library VHP Chapter President Emma Suttell
- November 12 - City of Phoenix Veterans Day Parade
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Let's Add YOU to this photo!
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As you can see from the photo on the left, we have a lot of great volunteers! They help fulfill our mission by serving as teacher advisors, providing chapter support as a chapter advocate, speaking to schools and community groups, or participating on our board and committees. Students also volunteer!
Several days this summer we enjoyed the company and help from
Shadow Mountain High School
students
James Lednicky, Christopher Bonnel,
and
Carla Rock
! They lent a hand in the VHP office with book inventory, data entry, and assembling materials for mailing. Thank you! James is now studying Engineering at ASU, Christopher is studying m
olecular and cellular biology
at the U of A, and Carla returned to Shadow Mountain as a senior and president of her VHP Chapter.
If you want to help out occasionally in the office, or join one of the committees below, give us a call at (602) 218-4036
and we will get you connected with the right person.
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Editorial Committee
: Review and provide electronic copy edits of student essays to prepare for publishing in
Since You Asked
. Formalized training provided.
Scholarship Review
: Review submitted scholarship essays utilizing criteria to make scored recommendations. February only.
Marketing/PR
: Develop marketing materials, social media calendar, press releases, and media pitches.
Special Events
: Create awareness, build relationships, and raise funds through the planning, organizing, and support of special events.
Finance: Build and review financial models, budget projections, and financial policies.
Expansion
: Review business models and develop a recommended model for expansion of VHP to other states.
VHP Ambassadors
: Advocate for VHP’s mission through testimonials, community presentations, exhibit support, and donor visits.
Board of Affairs
: Identify and recruit
potential new board members, and draft and monitor Board-related policies and procedures for Board approval.
Policy and Procedure Committee: Work with Executive Director to function as Human Resource department by m
aintaining best practice and policy implementation for non-profit and employee management.
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Veteran Presentations at Cactus Shadows High School
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Thank you to the VHP Chapter at CSHS and our wonderful veteran speakers for a full day of learning through oral history! Students were able to rotate through each class hour to hear from a different veteran. We were excited to have returning and new speakers, including Special Forces veteran David Clukey pictured above. We look forward to our next series of speakers at CSHS on October 25 and November 20.
VHP Chapters
- Contact the VHP office to line up speakers at your school!
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Thank you to our September 13, 2018
Veteran Speakers!
COL. (Ret.) Tom Kirk, Jr. (SYA VIII)
U.S. Air Force, Korea, and Vietnam
COL. (Ret.) James (Jim) Kelsey (SYA VI)
U.S. Army, Vietnam, and Cold War
LTC (Ret.) David S. Clukey (SYA XIII)
U.S. Army, OEF, Afghanistan, East Africa
David Lucier (SYA X)
U.S. Army, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan
Rear Admiral (Ret.) Ronald Tucker (SYA V)
U.S. Navy, Vietnam, Persian Gulf
Danielle Mekailek (SYA XIV, MCCD Edition)
U.S. Army, Iraq
Special Note
: PBS was in attendance during the presentations and will air a story about VHP on Arizona Horizon in early October. We will announce the details as we learn them.
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Arizona Council of History Education Conference
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On Saturday, 25 August, I had the great opportunity to help "man" the Veterans Heritage Project table at the Arizona Council for History Education conference - a gathering of educators, nonprofit programs, and businesses in support of history education. At the VHP table, we were able to welcome many curious visitors interested in military history, including a young high school student and her mother from the Navajo Reservation in Ganado (pictured bottom right). Mrs. Hatch is eager to drive north to this community to talk more with the high school's military club to hopefully have some veterans interviewed there!
- VHP Alumna, Annalee Monroe
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Canyon Ridge School 9/11 Remembrance Assembly
By VHP Advisor, Christopher Raso
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Andy Simoneschi, a first responder and survivor of the World Trade Center tragedy in 2001, joined learners at Canyon Ridge School for the ninth annual remembrance assembly on September 11, 2018.
“It is important to remember the heroes of that day,” Andy reflected,
“All those firefighters and police officers who made the ultimate sacrifice are the real heroes. I lost close friends, people that I was responsible for. Keeping their memory alive, and helping kids to realize the importance of living well, are the reasons I am here.”
Besides conveying his memories of that day 17 years ago, Simoneschi offered an inspiring message to students regarding the value of family, education, and appreciation for our country.
“These children are the future of our country, and the main idea I want to leave them with is that they can grow up to do great things,” said Simoneschi. “That journey should always include gratitude for everything in their lives and those who provide it. They need to remember to be special and to be the individual they really want to be."
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Thank you,
Fiesta Bowl Charities,
for providing great volunteer experiences and enhancing our oral history program with a $5,000 grant to support chapter training and technology supplies. We appreciate your investment in youth and education!
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Thank you,
Arizona Humanities, for your continued investment in the youth and veterans of Arizona with a $10,000 grant to support our March 31, 2019 community reception and book signing! We are so fortunate to have your partnership! You have helped strengthen our program through your encouragement, and dedication to your mission to create "opportunities to explore our shared human experiences through discussion, learning and reflection."
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Thank you to the
Employees Community Fund of Boeing Arizona
for supporting our mission of Connecting Students with Veterans with a $3,500 grant! The employees at Boeing are great partners in providing civics education and honoring veterans!
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IN MEMORY OF
Larry Dahle, Jesse Gersten, JoAnn Hesson, Dennis Mitchem, Bill Sawyer, Art Sloane, Hugo Tringali, Rudolph Vidmar, and Frank Ziede
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Veterans Heritage Project honors the beloved veterans we have lost and their spouses. Your stories live on in our memories, our books, and our hearts.
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Farewell, Senator John McCain
By Barbara Hatch
Over the years, many people have asked if we interviewed John McCain. Certainly he fits the profile of a veteran whose story we would like to hear. Son and grandson of Navy admirals. Fighter pilot shot down on his twenty-third mission in an A-4E
Skyhawk
over Hanoi and held prisoner of the North Vietnamese for five-and-a-half years in Hoa Lo prison, better known as the “Hanoi Hilton.” Beaten, tortured, solitary for two years. Both arms and a leg fractured during the crash into Truc Bach Lake, rifle butts dislocating his shoulder when he was dragged out. Refusing early release when his captors tried to use him as a bargaining chip for concessions due to his family’s high military status. According to POW code, the first captured should be first released. His release in 1973 at war’s end and retirement from the Navy as a Captain in 1981.
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Two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and five times reelected to the Senate from the state of Arizona. His presidential run against Barack Obama in 2008. A conservative, a lifelong Republican, but a man who reached across the aisle to compromise, helping President Clinton normalize relations with Vietnam in 1995. But you know all this.
The airwaves have celebrated his life, his strengths, his flaws. Arizona veterans turned out in numbers to greet his flag-draped casket at the Phoenix Capitol. Mourners lined up to see him lying in state in the rotunda. National audiences listened to hand-picked speakers discuss his life. Three former presidents attended his funeral—Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama—the latter two acknowledging how Senator McCain made them better presidents by challenging their ideals. All recognized he saw country and honor first, not the physical makeup of his friends or adversaries.
My memories of John McCain are more personal. His letters recognizing the importance of Veterans Heritage Project appear in Volumes I, II and XIII. Other POWs we interviewed gave us perspective on McCain’s experience. He graciously signed a copy of
Worth the Fighting For
for one of my VHP students. He listened patiently as Annalee Monroe addressed the families on Memorial Day in the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona (pictured together left).
Captain McCain, we salute you.
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Canyon Ridge School and the
"Remembering John McCain" class activity
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We want to give special recognition to Canyon Ridge VHP Advisor Christopher Raso for incorporating a special activity in his class after the passing of Senator McCain. Fifth through eighth grade students were asked to research, engage in a class discussion, and develop a collective class timeline regarding Senator John McCain. Concluding the activity, they wrote a reflective piece on the accomplishments and legacy of the late Senator.
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Board of Directors
Colonel Donald "Craig" Houk, CPP
Brigadier General J. Derek Hill
Mary Ellen Reilly, Esq.
Joseph Brophy, Esq.
Anita Daghestani
Brigadier General Peter Palmer
Arch Rambeau
Roger Sandeen
Shelly Yeck, MBA
Staff
Michelle DiMuro, CFRE
Barbara Hatch
Brittany Henritze
Advisory Council
Jane Barnes
Mike Burns
Vic Connor
Tim Ganahl
Frank Lambert
David Lucier
The Honorable Rick Romley
Major General Carl. G. Schneider
Dave Ward
Phil Yin, Ph.D.
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Board President, US Army, Retired
Board Treasurer, USAF, Retired
Board Secretary, Wilkes & McHugh, P.A., Veteran
Partner at Jennings, Haug & Cunningham, LLP, Veteran
Learning & Development Manager, Wells Fargo
US Army, Retired, Consultant, General Dynamics
Retired Sr. VP & Officer, General Dynamics
Principal, RSVP & Associates, Veteran
Manager, General Dynamics, Alumni Parent
Executive Director
Founder and Program Director (Volunteer)
Program Coordinator, VHP Alumna
Advocate and Care Coordinator, Medal of Honor Foundation
Retired Business Executive, Veteran
Retired Business Executive, Veteran
Retired Business Executive, Veteran
Retired Business Executive, Veteran
Community Leader, Veteran
Arizona Veterans Court Judge, Veteran
USAF, Retired
Retired Vice President Group Finance, Avnet
Executive VP & General Manager, Desert Silicon, Veteran
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Veterans Heritage Project | 602-218-4036 | www.veteransheritage.org
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