• SKELTON CHAIRED ARMED SERVICES • BACKED RANK-AND-FILE TROOPS • BOLSTERED MILITARY IN MISSOURI RICHMOND – American Legion Commander Mark Foley got an unpleasant surprise from an unexpected source, he said on Veterans Day, setting off discussions among state policy leaders. The surprise involved Ray County’s most picturesque entrance, the Ike Skelton Bridge over the Missouri River. The bridge is named for the man who supported everyday military members and helped increase the growth of military installations in Missouri, Isaac Newton “Ike” Skelton. There is no surprise that a bridge and other facilities are named for Skelton. The surprise is a Missouri department – at a time when this state seeks to establish a military-friendly reputation – rejected placing a Purple Heart sign on the Ike Skelton Bridge. IKE SKELTON Before his death in 2013, one-time U.S. House Armed Services Committee Chairman Skelton had earned a reputation for positioning the B-2 stealth bomber group at…