The Carroll County Sun News Profile of the Week

Name: Blair E. Cross

Honored by The Carroll County Sun for: Being elected chairman of the Joint Veterans Committee of Maryland, a group that lobbies for several veterans organizations

Age: 59

Residence; hometown: Whiteford, Harford County; Cockeysville, Baltimore County

Education: Graduate of Towson High School, Baltimore County

Family: Wife: Jane Leeson Cross, 55; seven children: Edward Cross, David Cross, Robert Cross, Roland Cross, Brenda Mays, Laura Peters and Sharon Cross; 12 grandchildren

Place of worship: Methodist, but not affiliated with a specific church; says he has substituted helping the needy for formal religious activity.

Activities/hobbies: Camping and fishing; volunteer services mostly with the Veterans of Foreign Wars -- been active since 1970; is a veteran of the Korean War; belongs to the American Legion, the Disabled Veterans Association, association of the Purple Heart; formed the Concerned Veterans of Harford and Cecil Counties, a veterans organization that allows them to become politically active supporting the candidates of their choice and trying to remove those that do not support veterans issues

Accomplishments: Raising seven children; having the respect and caring of people that look up to him, being a community leader.

Recipient's comments: "I'm proud of the fact they elected me chairman.

It's an honor to be the chairman of the Joint Veterans Committee of Maryland, it shows they feel you have the leadership qualities to lead such an organization. My involvement in veterans associations over the years has led to the fact that they recognize my leadership ability. My entire life has revolved around community service, living the VFW motto -- honoring the dead by helping the living. One of the issues in accepting the chairmanship is helping the veteran and his family. In politics today, we have a lot of ambitious young politicians who have no idea who the veteran is and what he's about. They couldn't care less. I'm sometimes very vocal on veterans issues. On the Maryland level, we need to make sure that institutions like the veterans hospitals and the veterans cemetery receive state aid to maintain the facilities."