On Monday, December 16th, the Oklahoma National Stockyards auctioned a calf for the All American Beef Battalion (AABB). National Livestock and the AABB crew prepared a ribeye lunch for those in attendance. Senior Farm and Ranch Director Ron Hays got the details from Chris Carroll, Finance Division President of the National Livestock Credit Corporation.
The calf was donated by 3C Cattle Feeders and the Clyde Runyan family of Mill Creek, Oklahoma. They have donated a calf for this cause annually for the last 11 years. Runyan was with the 101st Airborne in Vietnam and always considered this a privilege to be able to give back to the troops. Runyan passed away in 2019 and his family continues the legacy of donating the calf in his honor.
Through these auctions, approximately 65,000 troops have been fed the sixteen-ounce steak, corn, hot roll, cheesy potatoes, and dessert or a similar meal, upon their return home from deployment or prior to their deployment in 2024 alone.
The calf was sold and resold more than thirty times. “We raised 54,000 dollars here today,” Carroll said. “We are one of the largest fund-raising events that they have. We are happy to help keep their mission going. The veterans who helped cook today for the Beef Battalion are just paying it forward for those that maybe did it for them.”
Contributors to this event have raised over $705,100 from the annual auction of a donated calf since 2006.
Bill Broadie was the founder and chairman of the AABB board and a fourth-generation cattleman from Ashland, Kansas, a Marine and a veteran who was wounded in the Vietnam War. He also worked for Superior Livestock Auction.
“When [Broadie] came back from Vietnam, he said that it was not to a warm welcome,” Carroll said. “He wanted to change how the soldiers were treated when they came back. That is how he and others started the All American Beef Battalion.”
Anyone may support this effort by calling 800-310-0220 and speaking with Debbie Wedel or by dropping by the National Livestock Office with a check written out directly to the AABB. They may also visit the All American Beef Battalion website to donate.
