Some of the 'Services' and 'Programs we have available
EVERY YEAR ON NOVEMBER 10TH
Welcome to Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida 'a Source for Veteran Resources'
180 W. Idaho Ave, Ontario, Oregon 97914
541-889-1978
BI-MONTHLY ARTICLES AND A FEW STORIES OF INTEREST
Veteran Articles published Bi-monthly
Food Boxed at Veteran Advocates Food Pantry to hand out to Veterans/Military and their Families
Food Boxed at Veteran Advocates Food Pantry to hand out to Veterans/Military and their Families
The Chairman of Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida, Ronald Verini, writes two articles every month for publication in a Regional Newspaper, this article.."MY MELTDOWN AND THE ELECTION" will be published November 16, 2024. Here is a part of Mr. Verini's article, and you can read the full article by clicking the red bar below.
My Meltdown and the Election…
November 16th, 2024 My Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
The election is over, for now!!! The Nation has spoken and we are at peace and tranquility throughout our land. We all need to know that by embracing our own inner harmony and by doing so, we bring a sense of control to the chaos and demands of the world around us. Thus, the world is a better place.
My spider in Vietnam that I befriended is a testament to the fact that with having no control of the incoming rockets my world around me had a short time of that inner-peace, because of that spider. That is until I freaked out and realized I was where I was and I needed to get the h--l out of there!!!!
Yep, the election is over and we are still in a fight for care and benefits. Amazing that we have taken sides, fought a fight for partisan control and what we end up with is having the same issues, same attitudes, same challenges and a whole list of new and some of the same old folks in positions of power that we now have to navigate to continue the mission of supporting our military, veteran’s and their families. Yes, the election is over and it has just started a new cycle. We are again able to get the word out about our needs since the airwaves and the print papers are no longer awash with political ads and rhetoric of pontificating politician’s. Now the airwaves are filled with excuses, celebrations, sadness and joy and the necessity for us to tell our story to those that will listen to the essentials we deserve.
The world did not stop because of this election, our Nation is still the most powerful in the world and the election with all its infighting and national upheaval, our Democracy and Republic still stands. Neighbors are back to being our neighbors and the blending of our differences into the strengths of working together infusing our Country.
I might have a view of the world with a different perspective and others might also see the world with a different lens, but when we start the process of interacting with each other and that action might even be called, in this case, an election! Now we come out of it stronger, even if we have left some pieces of ourselves on the ground. Painful, at times, and worth the effort knowing that the effects of the process end up being a much more interconnected Nation. We are stronger and like we have learned in “Basic Training” you can achieve more than you ever imagined. The team, your survival skills, discipline, people working together are all the results of your training. Just like this election, it is a basic training like exercise that comes out the other end a better conclusion than what we started with…
If you have gotten this far in reading this, you know that we, as a veteran family have got to stay on focus. The US Marines figured out a while back that meditation of about 15 minutes a day brought about a better result of dealing with anxiety, stress, depression and even insomnia. Not sure if they are still incorporating this in their training but thought that it might not be a bad idea for the Nation to take on some of the practices of our military for a calming effect after all the disorder and confusion.
Yes, you are right to think that this column today is a ‘ramblings of an old veteran’ and you would be right. The pressure of this election was great, but to tell you the truth, some of the time you and I spent in the service would make this election seem to be a joyous party, in comparison.
Food Boxed at Veteran Advocates Food Pantry to hand out to Veterans/Military and their Families
Food Boxed at Veteran Advocates Food Pantry to hand out to Veterans/Military and their Families
Food Boxed at Veteran Advocates Food Pantry to hand out to Veterans/Military and their Families
MARCH 2024
The Food Pantry at Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida has really expanded and grown over the last few years. There has been such an increase of our Veteran and Military Families needing help to handle the increasing problems of 'food insecurity'. We do have a 'modest' pantry open every Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30am to 3:30pm. Give a call to 541-889-1978 to let us know you are coming to pick up Food Box. Please let us know how many in your family and about when your coming.
Also, if you are interested in volunteering to help our veterans and the Food Pantry please give us a call or come on in and see what we are doing...
Sometimes the food donations we receive are unable to meet the demands, but we still hand out the product we receive. So if you need a little something to help you get from one paycheck to the other come on down. Each Family can get a Box twice a month.
Who Is Doug Collins? A Look at Trump's Pick to Head the VA
Food Boxed at Veteran Advocates Food Pantry to hand out to Veterans/Military and their Families
Who Is Doug Collins? A Look at Trump's Pick to Head the VA
Nov. 2024 by Patricia Kime & Rebecca Kheel
President-elect Donald Trump has nominated an Air Force Reserve chaplain and former congressman to be the next secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Former Rep. Doug Collins, 58, a Georgia Republican who last ran for office in 2020 when he vied for a U.S. Senate seat, served two years as a Navy chaplain before joining the Air Force as a chaplain after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
In his announcement Thursday, Trump said Collins, who campaigned heavily for the president-elect, would be a "great advocate for active-duty service members, veterans and military families to ensure they have the support they need."
Read Next: Police Records Show Defense Secretary Nominee Was Involved in Alleged Sexual Assault in 2017
"We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform," Trump said. "Thank you, Doug, for your willingness to serve our country in this important role."
Collins is a colonel in the Air Force Reserve. He deployed to Balad Air Base in Iraq in 2008 with the 94th Airlift Wing, based in Dobbins, Georgia, according to media reports. His most recent duty station was Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, where he served as an individual mobile augmentee to the command chaplain, according to the service.
The Air Force Reserve was asked to provide additional releasable information from Collins' service record but did not do so by publication.
On the social media platform X, Collins said Thursday that he was honored to accept the nomination, adding that veterans deserve "the best care and support."
"We'll fight tirelessly to streamline and cut regulations in the VA, root out corruption, and ensure every veteran receives the benefits they've earned," Collins wrote. "Together, we'll make the VA work for those who fought for us. Time to deliver for our veterans and give them the world-class care they deserve."
The VA provides disability compensation to more than 1 million veterans and family members, and roughly 9 million veterans are enrolled in VA health care, the country's largest integrated medical system
Collins had previously posted on Veterans Day that he believes the VA's medical system "is broken and our veterans pay the price."
VSAFE is a new VA Fraud Assistance Protection for vets
'Disturbing' Number of VA Mental Health Appointment Cancellations Prompt Lawmakers Call for Reform
Who Is Doug Collins? A Look at Trump's Pick to Head the VA
Learn. Detect. Protect.
Find resources about fraud targeting you. Know the signs of a scam, get advice about what to do, and learn how to report scams and identity theft.
Report suspected fraud!
Protect yourself and others; call the VSAFE Fraud Hotline at 833-38V-SAFE (8-7233).
833-388-7233
TO REPORT SUSPECTED FRAUD
Your 2024 State Veteran Benefits
'Disturbing' Number of VA Mental Health Appointment Cancellations Prompt Lawmakers Call for Reform
'Disturbing' Number of VA Mental Health Appointment Cancellations Prompt Lawmakers Call for Reform
January 2024 by Jim Absher Military.com
Everyone knows about the federal benefits available to veterans, but did you know many states also offer great benefits to their veterans? State benefits range from free college and employment resources to free hunting and fishing licenses. Most states also offer tax breaks for their veterans and specialized license plates, and some states even provide their veterans with cash bonuses just for serving in the military.
We have compiled a handy summary of the benefits each state and territory offers. Each summary page also has a link directly to the specific State Department of Veterans Affairs, so be sure to check it out. There may be a benefit available to you or your family that you didn't know about!. To choose your State click on the Red Bar below
'Disturbing' Number of VA Mental Health Appointment Cancellations Prompt Lawmakers Call for Reform
'Disturbing' Number of VA Mental Health Appointment Cancellations Prompt Lawmakers Call for Reform
'Disturbing' Number of VA Mental Health Appointment Cancellations Prompt Lawmakers Call for Reform
November 2024 by Patricia Kime, Military.com
A bipartisan group of House lawmakers wants the Department of Veterans Affairs to streamline its scheduling processes for medical appointments amid reports that veterans are falling through the cracks when seeking mental health services at the VA.
Led by Reps. Marilyn Strickland, D-Wash., and Mike Waltz, R-Fla., 13 lawmakers cited an Oct. 17 investigation by Military.com and feedback from constituents raising concerns about continuity of behavioral health care for veterans.
The representatives described the Military.com report as "deeply disturbing" in a letter sent to VA Secretary Denis McDonough on Friday.
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"Veterans who take the step to schedule behavioral health care are often doing so because they are in critical need of support. Yet too many report long wait times or a lack of available appointments," they wrote.
Military.com interviewed more than a dozen veterans and VA employees who described scheduling and staffing issues at VA hospitals and clinics that led to appointment cancellations by facilities and long waits for care.
They described wanting to get mental health treatment and waiting for months for an appointment, only to have it canceled at the last minute without explanation -- a situation that left them feeling abandoned.
One veteran in Strickland's district saw seven of his 16 behavioral health appointments canceled.
"More must be done to provide timely and effective care to our veteran and military community," Strickland said in a statement Friday to Military.com.
Data provided by the VA showed that, from 2020 through 2023, the cancellation rate for mental health appointments by facilities averaged 10.6%, with a high of 12.1% in 2020 early in the COVID-19 pandemic to 9.2% in 2023.
During an address Oct. 29 at the National Press Club, McDonough said the VA is providing medical care to more veterans than at any point in its history and has undertaken a hiring effort to ensure that former service members get the care they need
One last Marine Corps WW II Navajo Code Talkers dies at 107
October 2024 - Associated Press
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — John Kinsel Sr., one of the last remaining Navajo Code Talkers who transmitted messages during World War II based on the tribe’s native language, has died. He was 107.
Navajo Nation officials in Window Rock announced Kinsel’s death on Saturday.
Tribal President Buu Nygren has ordered all flags on the reservation to be flown at half-staff until Oct. 27 at sunset to honor Kinsel.
“Mr. Kinsel was a Marine who bravely and selflessly fought for all of us in the most terrifying circumstances with the greatest responsibility as a Navajo Code Talker,” Nygren said in a statement Sunday.
With Kinsel’s death, only two Navajo Code Talkers are still alive: Former Navajo Chairman Peter MacDonald and Thomas H. Begay.
Hundreds of Navajos were recruited by the Marines to serve as Code Talkers during the war, transmitting messages based on their then-unwritten native language.
An Army device can diagnose traumatic brain injuries
With a drop of blood in 15 minutes
October 2024 by Patty Nieberg - Task & Purpose
A little over two decades ago, military scientists sat around a conference table to eat breakfast and discuss biological clues for diagnosing traumatic brain injuries among service members. The meeting took place at a combat casualty conference in St. Petersburg, Florida, where researchers and doctors discussed TBIs soldiers could suffer on the battlefield.
It was the morning of Sept. 11, 2001.
Within days, the U.S. would enter a series of wars that would last nearly two decades and TBIs would become “one of the signature injuries of troops wounded”in those conflicts. Since 2000, over half a million troops have been diagnosed with at least mild TBIs from combat or training.
That meeting on the morning of 9/11 “marks the inception” of the Defense Department’s involvement in TBI blood-based biomarker research, said Damien Hoffman, biomedical engineer and product manager for the Army’s traumatic brain injury tool.
More than 20 years later, the Army co-developed a test that researchers could not have envisioned that morning: A battlefield device that, by testing a single drop of blood, can give combat medics better insight into a soldier’s head injury.
The Analyzer Traumatic Brain Injury program is a test developed by the Army in conjunction with Abbott Laboratories. With one drop of blood, the ATBI device can detect early indications of a potential TBI within 15 minutes, researchers said.
The impact of having such a diagnosis in the field could be large.
For a field medic, a positive test could allow medical personnel to push an injured patient toward computed tomography or ‘CT’ scan, while a negative test would allow them to rule it out.
And beyond the frontlines, knowing who needs evacuation, and who can wait may be key information in the future. In Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S military medically evacuated countless troops for treatment of suspected TBIs. But in a conflict where the U.S. might not have air superiority, Hoffman said the test can help the military limit evacuations, treat troops locally and get those healthy enough back to the front lines.
“Given the large numbers of expected casualties with all severities of traumatic brain injury in future large-scale combat operations,” the test can help medical providers prioritize more severe cases and “eliminate unnecessary evacuations,” Army Lt. Col. Bradley Dengler, neurosurgical consultant to the Surgeon General said in a release.
Soldier brain health
The tool is part of the military’s focus on troop brain and head injuries that have prompted millions of dollars in research, new offices and programs that consider these issues early in service members’ careers. In August, the Pentagon announced that the services would conduct baseline cognitive assessments during Initial Entry Training. Along with the assessments, the Defense Department also published new rules on safe distances to limit troops’ exposureto heavy blasts or what the military calls “blast overpressure.”
In the Army, officials plan to evaluate soldiers’ cognition every three years after their initial screening for early intervention and to “identify any unusual cognitive change,” according to an Army release. While the schedule and ongoing evaluations are new, the testing is part of a program that began in 2007. For nearly two decades, over 3.4 million assessments have been collected, analyzed, and stored at the Neurocognitive Assessment Branch Data Repository at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas.
Ongoing TBI research
With the ability to detect TBIs faster and more accurately, research in the civilian and military worlds are expanding what two of the main TBI blood biomarkers (GFAP and UCH-L1) can teach scientists about treatment and other diseases.
“Getting the rule-out test was the tip of the iceberg for these two biomarkers, in my opinion,” Hoffman said.
Military Suicides Rose in 2023
Continuing Upward Trend Pentagon Sees as 'Real Change'
November 2024 by Patricia Kime, Military.com
Suicides increased among U.S. military personnel last year, an ongoing trend Pentagon officials say they plan to address with a $125 million investment in prevention and mental health programs next year.
The rate for active-duty personnel rose to 28.2 per 100,000 members in 2023, from 25.1 per 100,000 members during the previous year, according to new data released by the Pentagon on Thursday. That year-to-year increase is not statistically significant but when compared with the past 12 years, shows long-term "real change," defense officials said.
"We continue to see a gradual, statistically significant increase in the active component suicide rates from 2011 to 2023. This tells us that it's most likely a real change. Stated differently, there is a low likelihood that this change is due to natural variation or chance," Liz Clark, director of the Defense Suicide Prevention Office, said Thursday on a call with reporters.
According to the report, 363 active-duty troops died in 2023 by suicide, up 32 service members from last year, while 69 reserve members took their own lives, compared with 65 in 2022.
Ninety-one Guard members died by suicide in 2023, down from 99 in 2022.
The deaths occurred despite concerted efforts in 2022 by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who ordered the department and the services to make suicide prevention a top priority.
In the past year, DoD has been working to implement initiatives recommended in 2022 by a suicide prevention review board, completing 20 of the board's 83 recommendations so far, said Dr. Timothy Hoyt, deputy director of the Office of Force Resiliency, on the call.
"While some progress has been made, Secretary Austin has been clear that there's still much work to do and that we won't let up," Hoyt said.
Veterans Not Covered by Toxic Hazards
Wait Decades for VA Recognition, Report Finds
Sept. 2024, by Patricia Kime, Military.com
The passage of the PACT Act gave millions of veterans the chance at expedited disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs, but thousands of others exposed to environmental hazards in military service wait roughly 31 years to receive similar recognition from the VA, a new report has found.
In a report released Wednesday by Disabled American Veterans and the Military Officers Association of America, the groups said the VA's disability claims filing process -- in which veterans must prove that their health conditions are directly related to military service -- is cumbersome for those who are unaware that they were exposed to toxic substances or those who don't connect a latent illness with their military service.
In "Ending the Wait for Toxic-Exposed Veterans," retired Army Lt. Col. Gary Sauer said he knew he had musculoskeletal injuries from jumping out of military aircraft but initially did not connect two illnesses -- non-Hodgkin lymphoma and a rare kidney disease -- with military service.
He now believes they were caused by exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, at Ford Ord, California, where he served early in his career. In 2017, Fort Ord was found to have more than 80 times the maximum amount of several PFAS chemicals set for drinking water by the Environmental Protection Agency this year.
"We're using that [water] to prepare food. We were drinking it straight from the water fountains. ... We were showering in it, brushing our teeth," Sauer said in the report. "So, the exposure of that was pretty significant."
Sauer is waiting on a claims decision, having filed tests that show he has PFAS chemicals in his blood decades after exposure.
The report found that the VA takes an average of 31 years to recognize an exposure for an individual veteran after it first occurs, and establishes a presumptive service connection -- a designation by the federal government that eliminates the requirement to prove a military tie -- for exposure-related conditions after about 34 years.
This is too long to help many veterans, the report authors noted.
"Despite major toxic-exposure laws enacted every decade or two over the past century, the
time veterans have to wait from the moment of exposure to meaningful VA compensation and medical support remains shamefully long -- more than three decades on average, according to our research," the report stated.
In response, VA officials acknowledged that veterans have waited "far too long" to receive benefits, but the PACT Act, which extended benefits to several populations of ill veterans, including those exposed to burn pits and other airborne hazards during the Global War on Terrorism, has allowed the VA to expedite claims for millions of veterans and their survivors.
"We're currently delivering more care and more benefits to more veterans than ever before, but make no mistake -- we will not rest until every veteran gets the care and benefits they deserve. We are grateful for the feedback from our partners, and we will continue to work with them to fulfill our shared mission," VA Press Secretary Terrence Hayes said in a statement Thursday.
Homeless vets sued the VA and won.
Now the government has to build thousands of homes.
September 2024 By Nicholas Slayton, Task & Purpose
A federal judge ruled that current leases for oil drilling and schools on the nearly 400-acre site are illegal and must end.
A federal judge ordered the Department of Veterans Affairs to immediately develop a plan to build nearly 2,000 new supportive housing units for veterans on its 388-acre campus in West Los Angeles.
Judge David O. Carter’s ruling on Friday, Sept. 6, was a major victory for a group of veterans who sued the VA over the use, or lack thereof, of the massive campus. They sued over a number of different aspects of how the VA utilizes the space, which was gifted to it in 1888. The plaintiffs, many of whom are experiencing homelessness themselves, argued that the VA was not building enough housing on the available space, while the VA fought back, saying it was building enough under a previous agreement and leasing out other parcels on the campus was providing revenue for services.
Judge Carter disagreed with the VA. He ordered the VA to build 750 temporary housing units in the next 12-18 months to provide immediate shelter. Additionally, Carter requires that the department construct 1,800 more permanent housing units on the VA campus. The decision came after a three-week non jury trial.
“Each administration since 2011 has been warned — by the VA’s own Office of the Inspector General, federal courts, and veterans — that they were not doing enough to house veterans in Los Angeles,” Carter wrote in his decision. “Despite these warnings, the VA has not made good on its promise to build housing for veterans.”
The Department of Veterans Affairs previously agreed to a master plan to build 1,200 new housing units, the result of a previous lawsuit, but only 233 are open now. The decision in this new suit gives the VA six months to develop a new plan for the additional 1,800 units and a town center for veterans living on the campus. The VA’s plan must have all of the new housing and supportive facilities finished and open within six years.
Why food insecurity is a challenge for troops & families
The challenges result in a disproportionate rate of food insecurity
October by Shannon Razsadin and Dave
Flitman - MilitaryTimes.com
Our national defense is strong because of the incredible men and women who raise their hands to serve and the people who love and follow them throughout their service. Military service comes with incredible opportunity and sacrifice. Our all-volunteer force has been preserved by generations of military families who believe in a cause bigger than themselves and a bright future for themselves, their family and our nation.
While many thrive in service, we must grapple with the reality that too many military families, particularly junior and middle enlisted families, are experiencing food insecurity, defined as the inability to consistently afford or access adequate meals.
According to Military Family Advisory Network’s latest research, one in four (27.7%) active duty military families are food insecure compared to 13.5% of U.S. households. MFAN’s findings are consistent with the Defense Department’s own research, which found that 24% of service members experienced food insecurity in 2022.
While the military is a microcosm of the broader population, the unique challenges and lived experiences of service members result in disproportionate rates of food insecurity. The nuances and complexities of military life, including the consequences of financial hardship, lead many to skip meals or choose less nutritious options.
How is it that those who put country before self experience food insecurity at more than twice the rate of civilians? The answer may be traced to the unique demands of military life, most notably frequent moves.
Military families move every two to three years on average. During a permanent change of station, families undergo a complete reset. Many military spouses are forced to leave their jobs and find new employment opportunities. Families must also pay first- and last-month’s rent to secure their next home and stock up on household essentials while also navigating new doctors, schools, child care and community — all without the support of an extended network.
Simply put, this reset is taxing on both pocketbooks and overall well-being.
Policy efforts to address food insecurity in the military are underway, pointing to a significant step in reducing the stigma surrounding this issue.
The Defense Department’s Taking Care of Our People initiative seeks to strengthen economic security for service members and their loved ones. The basic needs allowance, a monthly payment for military families whose household income falls below 150% of federal poverty guidelines, has been rolled out force-wide.
What does Project 2025 mean for military veterans?
Project 2025's proposals for the VA calls for changes to vets healthcare eligibility and disability
Aug. 2024 by Jeff Schogol, Task & Purpose
For Task & Purpose coverage of Project 2025’s proposals for the U.S. military and Department of Defense, click here.
Project 2025, a policy guide that could be the blueprint for a second Donald Trump term, would revamp the Department of Veterans of Affairs with proposals to increase privatization, narrow the eligibility criteria for health benefits and replace civil service-style employees with political appointees in its ranks.
The document begins with an historical summary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, VA, and its current challenges meeting an aging, migrating population of veterans while modernizing and keeping costs within its budget. Chapter 20, which is dedicated to VA reforms, was written by Brooks D. Tucker, former VA Chief of Staff during the Trump Administration.
“Our goal is to assemble an army of aligned, vetted, trained, and prepared conservatives to go to work on Day One to deconstruct the Administrative State,” the manual states. “The VA must continually strive to be recognized as a ‘best in class,’ ‘Veteran-centric’ system with an organizational ethos inspired by and accountable to the needs and problems of veterans, not subservient to the parochial preferences of a bureaucracy.”
Task & Purpose reached out to six national veterans advocacy organizations for comment for this story. Three said they had no comment on Project 2025’s policy recommendations, the others did not respond, nor did two experts on veteran affairs at a major defense policy research organization.
Some veterans argue that Project 2025’s goals would impact veterans directly before any changes to the VA. In a July 9 op-ed, Michael Embrich, a veteran and former member of the secretary of Veterans Affairs’ Advisory Committee on the Readjustment of Veterans, wrote that the proposed cuts to federal agencies like the FBI and Justice Department could “disproportionately affect” the 300,000 veterans who make up roughly 30% of the federal workforce.
But the project devotes an entire section to overhauling major pieces of the VA.
In a similar fashion with its goals for other federal agencies, Project 2025 envisions a VA that is run by more political appointees. The policy calls for rescinding all “delegations of authority” granted by the Biden Administration and transferring Senior Executive Service employees out of positions designated for presidential appointees to “ensure political control of the VA.”
YOU TOO CAN HELP SERVE AND THANK OUR COUNTRIES VETERANS
About Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida
Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida was founded by a group of veterans who saw a need for better support and resources for the veteran community. Our organization is committed to providing assistance to veterans in need, whether it's help finding a job, connecting with mental health resources, or accessing affordable housing. We believe that every veteran deserves access to the care and support they need to thrive after serving our country.
Join Our Team
Are you passionate about supporting veterans and giving back to your community? Join our team of dedicated volunteers and make a difference in the lives of those who have served. We offer a variety of volunteer opportunities, from helping with fundraising events to providing mentorship to veterans in need. Contact us today at 541-889-1978 to learn more about getting involved with Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida.
TIME TO HONOR THE VIETNAM WARS MOST SECRET WARRIORS
Top-secret group operated in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1964 to 1972.
September 2023
by Col. Paris Davis, MilitaryTimes.com
https://www.army.mil/vietnamwar/
The nation is commemorating the 50th anniversary of America’s withdrawal from Vietnam through Veterans Day 2025, per presidential decree. But we cannot allow any lingering ambivalence on the legacy of the war — or anything else — to further delay honoring the extraordinary contributions of our most covert warriors of that era.
When I recently received the Medal of Honor for the 19-hour battle my Army Special Forces unit fought in Bong Son, Vietnam in 1965, President Joe Biden said, “It’s never too late to do the right thing.”
Indeed, we are well past time to do what’s right, and finally honor the elite U.S Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, Studies and Observations Group, or MACV-SOG, with a Congressional Gold Medal.
This revolutionary, top-secret group operated in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1964 to 1972. Its members fought deep within enemy territory to gather invaluable intelligence for the highest levels of government, including the White House. Their tasks included strategic reconnaissance, sabotage, direct-action raids, psychological operations, deception operations, and rescue missions. The group targeted the Ho Chi Minh Trail, a crucial enemy supply line for the North Vietnamese enemy. Aerial reconnaissance was challenging, making the intelligence provided by SOG teams on the ground invaluable.
Casualty rates for SOG reconnaissance teams exceeded 100%, meaning every man was wounded at least once and approximately half were killed. Of the 1,579 Americans missing in action from the Vietnam War, 50 are from the group. At least 11 SOG teams, perhaps more, simply vanished.
The covert operations of SOG remained unacknowledged by military leadership until partial declassification began in the 1990s. Members of the unit had signed confidentiality agreements and their wartime activities remained mostly secret for decades. As SOG member John Stryker Meyer wrote in his book, Across the Fence: The Secret War in Vietnam, “If I died, no one would tell my mother the truth.”
The Congressional Gold Medal for MACV-SOG would help the American public better understand the members’ extraordinary service, sacrifices, and contributions to our nation. The men of this unit battled not only the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese Army, but also the harsh terrain, debilitating climate, and the chaos and uncertainty of guerilla warfare. They served with valor, often in situations where survival was the only measure of success. Let’s face it: The nation can handle the truth of their service.
Some Stories that Inspire, and have 'Positive Energy'
U.S. military’s longest-serving woman 4-star general retires from Air Force
U.S. military’s longest-serving woman 4-star general retires from Air Force
U.S. military’s longest-serving woman 4-star general retires from Air Force
October 2024 by Patty Nieberg, Task & Purpose
The first woman to lead the U.S. military’s massive logistical enterprise and one of just a handful to ever reach the rank of four-star general in the U.S. military retired Friday. Air Force Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost passed command of U.S. Transportation Command to Gen. Randall Reed in a ceremony at Scott Air Force Base attended by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
Promoted to General in August of 2020, Van Ovost was the senior officer in that rank among the four women four-star generals and admirals across the U.S. military.
As the head of TRANSCOM, Ovost was responsible for coordinating nearly all movement of U.S. troops, weapons and supplies around the globe. The logistics command dispatches hundreds of military and civilian-owned planes, ships, trains and trucks every day.
“Just a few days ago, we celebrated the 37th birthday of TRANSCOM — a command that was born out of necessity that was built to deploy U.S. forces. Over time, our mandate has expanded to project, maneuver and sustain the joint force at a time and place our nation’s choosing,” Van Ovost said at the change of command ceremony. “If we were a necessity, we are indispensable now.”
At the ceremony, Austin spoke of Van Ovost as a trailblazer for women in the service.
“You’ve always had a message for women in uniform. And that message is: ‘Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it,’” Austin said. ”Every time that you encountered an obstacle, you kept at it.“
CBS News reported in 2023 that only 10 women have ever reached the four-star rank across the military, including the Coast Guard. Of those, Van Ovost was the fifth woman in the Air Force to reach the rank. However, the military she retired from Friday holds far more opportunities for women than when she joined, an era when women not yet allowed to fly fighter jets, Van Ovost’s lifelong goal.
So she found a workaround.
“You wanted to fly Mach 2. But back then, women weren’t allowed to fly fighters. So once again, you made the path wider,” Austin said. “You became a test pilot. And you flew more than 30 aircraft, including F-15s and F-16s.”
Van Ovost retired with more than 4,200 flight hours in more than 30 aircraft.
100 Marines showed up for an Iwo Jima veteran’s 100th Birthday
U.S. military’s longest-serving woman 4-star general retires from Air Force
U.S. military’s longest-serving woman 4-star general retires from Air Force
October 2024 by Matt White - Task & Purpose
Eddie Vincek landed on Iwo Jima about an hour after the first wave of Marines hit the beach. A member of 1st Battalion, 28th Marine Regiment, it was his first taste of combat, he told an interviewer with his Veterans of Foreign Wars post.
“Working on a dairy farm,” he told the VFW, “I was used to seeing animal blood, but not human blood covering over the ground.”
On Sept. 29, Vincek celebrated his 100th birthday at a Ruritan Club in Chesapeake, Virginia, where he was a farmer for most of his life after leaving the Marine Corps in 1946.
For the party, 100 active-duty Marines showed up to help him celebrate. The Marines came from Training Company, Marine Corps Security Force Regiment, in Yorktown, Virginia, about an hour from Chesapeake.
The Marines stood in formation to sing Happy Birthday for “Corporal Vincek.”
On Feb. 19, 1945, Vincek was assigned to A Company, 1st Battalion, 28th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division for the Iwo Jima landing. In fierce fighting, the 28th Regiment was the only Marine unit to reach its objective for the day at the base of Mount Suribachi.
It was also Marines from the 28th Regiment — though not Vincek’s battalion — who first planted a flag on top of the mountain (and a second one the next day), leading to the iconic photograph and design of the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial.
Two men from Vincek’s 1st Battalion were awarded the Medal of Honor at Iwo Jima. Of the battalion’s 22 officers, only two emerged from the battle uninjured.
“I was one of the few that walked off carrying my own gear,” Vincek told the VFW. “So many others had been killed or wounded and weren’t able to carry their own gear off the island.”
We found 4 bottles of whiskey made by airborne paratroopers
U.S. military’s longest-serving woman 4-star general retires from Air Force
The origin of the military’s iconic mantra: ‘Embrace the suck’
October 2023
Whiskey has likely been around for some of your most memorable late-night shenanigans in the barracks or downtown. If there’s anything America’s airborne paratroopers know, it’s how to fight and how to drink good whiskey.
So we talked to four Airborne-qualified master distillers who took their well-researched opinions and made some of the best whiskeys out there. Although they make good whiskey, remember that you have gone too far if you find yourself in the brig. Drink responsibly.
First, a brief history of whiskey in America
In the aftermath of the Revolutionary War, America was struggling to pay off its war debt (ah, the good ol’ days when America cared about keeping the nation’s debt under control). Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton proposed a tax in the late 1700s on domestic liquor as a means of paying it off — which was met with opposition from whiskey makers in Pennsylvania.
The Whiskey Rebellion that resulted was short-lived, but it was not the last time whiskey would be involved in war. The brown elixir fueled soldiers throughout the Civil War, especially the North, who were paid better and could afford it.
Gen. Ulysses S. Grant slammed Old Crow whiskey, and President Abraham Lincoln allegedly likened the General’s success on the battlefield to his liquor consumption. The New York Herald reported in a Sept. 18, 1863 edition of the newspaper that Lincoln was approached by a group calling for Grant to be removed from his position, claiming he was a drunk.
The tall hat-wearing president allegedly responded with a quirky quip, asking the group if they knew what Grant was drinking.
“If I can only find out, I will send a barrel of this wonderful whiskey to every general in the army,” Lincoln allegedly said. Historians contest the legitimacy of the quote because of the anonymous sources, but the legend lives on to this day.
Whiskey’s relationship with soldiers, sailors, Marines, and airmen is not a coincidence, in Derek Sisson’s opinion.
The origin of the military’s iconic mantra: ‘Embrace the suck’
The origin of the military’s iconic mantra: ‘Embrace the suck’
The origin of the military’s iconic mantra: ‘Embrace the suck’
by Sarah Sicard, Observation Post
One of the best pieces of advice, for people in careers both in and out of service, is to learn to deal with things or take the bad in stride.
But the military, famed for its ability to turn a phrase or ruin anything with an absurd acronym, came up with its own colloquialism for making the best of any situation: “Embrace the suck.”
Though it’s impossible to trace back the phrase definitively to its first user, it became popularized in 2003 by Marines in Iraq.
Retired U.S. Army Reserve Col. Austin Bay authored a book in the mid-2000s called “Embrace the Suck,” in which he explains the meaning of the phrase.
“The Operation Iraqi Freedom phrase ‘embrace the suck’ is both an implied order and wise advice couched as a vulgar quip,” Bay wrote.
He likens the slang phrase back to legendary military strategist Prussian General Carl von Clausewitz and his views on “friction.”
“Clausewitz went to war when he was 12 years old,” Bay wrote. “Over the last few decades, critics have argued that his treatise ‘On War’ is a bit dated in terms of theory. However, everyone with military experience agrees that Clausewitz understood ‘the suck.’ He called it ‘friction.’”
For Clausewitz, it’s this “friction, or what is so termed here, which makes that which appears easy in war difficult in reality.”
Troops, in their resilience, in effect, mitigate the chasm of difference between training or planning and the often harsh realities they face on the ground. And they do it with aplomb, because they must.
Marines: 0, Samurai sword: 1
The origin of the military’s iconic mantra: ‘Embrace the suck’
Air Force Veteran Finally Graduates 50 Years Later
The U.S. military may be a professional war-fighting organization, but it is also filled with people, and people can be very stupid sometimes. That’s why last week, Task & Purpose put out a call for readers to share the dumbest moments they had in uniform. We were not disappointed.
From drunken samurai sword fights to bored forklift drivers, a clear theme emerged: boredom is one step away from a chewing-out by the nearest platoon sergeant.
The best example of this is a story that one Marine veteran named Mike Betts sent us about the time he and his buddies got drunk on salty dogs (a cocktail of gin or vodka and grapefruit juice) in Vietnam. One of the Marines pulled out “a cheap samurai sword he got in Japan,” Betts recalled. Our reader then took the sword and, as one does while inebriated, “commenced my best samurai impression, slashing at anything and everything in the hooch.”
You can see where this is going: at some point during the demonstration, our brave Samurai smacked something that loosened the blade and sent it flying from the handle, striking the sword owner in the chest “and inflicting a pretty nasty wound.”
Nobody wants to have to explain that kind of trouble to someone in charge, so our reader and his fellows snuck the wounded Marine past the officer and sergeant on duty that night and “hustled him off to the hospital” before anyone could notice. Luckily, he was “stitched up and pronounced fit for duty,” Betts said.
“Needless to say, I felt terrible about hurting him,” he added.
Air Force Veteran Finally Graduates 50 Years Later
The origin of the military’s iconic mantra: ‘Embrace the suck’
Air Force Veteran Finally Graduates 50 Years Later
Vietnam War kept Bob Kroener from walking across stage with USC classmates in 1971.
Having to wait an extra year to participate in his graduation ceremony due to the coronavirus pandemic paled in comparison to the 49 years that had already passed for Bob Kroener, 78, who finally attended his graduate-school commencement on May 17.
The now-retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and civil engineer missed his pomp and circumstance in 1971 due to his deployment during the Vietnam War. So, when he was thumbing through the University of Southern California's alumni magazine a few years ago and saw pictures of that year's graduation festivities he felt it was finally his time to walk across the stage.
"I was sitting there looking at it and I thought, You know, I never got to go through graduation,” he said. “So I picked up the phone, and I called over to the Marshall School of Business."
During the call, USC officials inquired if he had received his diploma and whether he had other information that would help them locate his decades-old records. The school also asked for his student ID number, to which he replied, “I'm too old for that, we only had a Social Security number."
Back to school
The road to Southern California started north of the border. Then a captain in the Air Force after receiving an undergraduate degree from the University of Detroit, Kroener was stationed at a military base in Canada when he learned that he secured one of 26 government-funded spots offered to Air Force officers for graduate school. From a snow-covered mountaintop in Newfoundland he was informed of the schools he could apply to.
"I heard the University of Southern California and I said, ‘I'll take it. I'm going back to sit on the beach after being in 110 inches of snow for a year.’ It wasn't too hard of a decision to make,” said Kroener.
However, it wasn't just the weather that Kroener appreciated about going to school in Los Angeles. He was able to take advantage of the wide variety of corporations that would open doors to students like himself.
"I went to [oil company] Atlantic Richfield to do a paper, I went to Mattel toy company to do a paper, I went to Continental Airlines to basically write a master's thesis, myself and another captain,” he said. “All you had to do was say you're a student doing graduate work at USC. And I mean, they just opened the doors."
Kroener earned his MBA in 1971, but before the graduation ceremony took place he was deployed to Robins Air Force Base in Georgia. As part of his duties, he managed combat engineering teams by setting up their directives and getting them all the equipment needed to prepare for combat in Vietnam. He eventually retired as a lieutenant colonel in 1993.
Some Ongoing Stories of Interest For Our Veterans
Kris Kristofferson, country music legend, US Army veteran, dead at 88
Kris Kristofferson, country music legend, US Army veteran, dead at 88
Kris Kristofferson, country music legend, US Army veteran, dead at 88
October 2024 by Nicholas Slayton - Task & Purpose
The singer, actor and scholar served for several years in the Army, earning a Ranger tab before pursuing a celebrated career in music.
Singer, actor, boxer, Rhodes Scholar, activist and U.S. Army veteran Kris Kristofferson died today. He was 88. The son of a general and an outspoken critic of American wars abroad later in his life, Kristofferson helped define “outlaw country” as a genre.
“It is with a heavy heart that we share the news our husband/father/grandfather, Kris Kristofferson, passed away peacefully on Saturday, Sept. 28 at home,” his family said in a statement announcing his death. “We’re all so blessed for our time with him. Thank you for loving him all these many years, and when you see a rainbow, know he’s smiling down at us all.”
Born June 22, 1936 in Texas, he moved around often due to his father’s military service. He enrolled at Pomona College, where he was a celebrated athlete, competing in rugby and football, among other sports. He also won a Golden Gloves boxing tournament. While there he studied literature, and eventually received a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University. It was there that he started recording music.
The self-described military brat, Kristofferson’s family was heavily involved in the armed forces. His father, Lars Kristofferson, had been a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps and stayed with it when it became the U.S. Air Force, reaching the rank of major general. Kris’ brother Kraigher became a Navy aviator and served during the Vietnam War. After finishing his studies, Kris Kristofferson joined the U.S. Army at the age of 25. He was commissioned a second lieutenant.
While in the U.S. Army, he attended Ranger School, earning a Ranger tab and also eventually a promotion to captain. He trained as a helicopter pilot at Fort Rucker and was later stationed in Germany with the 8th Infantry Division. He would later recall that he had issues with the rigid structure and deference to authority in the military, but stayed on longer than his initial three-year term. He was eventually set to teach English literature at West Point, but left the Army to pursue his dream of being a musician.
Tips to achieve the ultimate dirty Navy-style coffee mug
Kris Kristofferson, country music legend, US Army veteran, dead at 88
Kris Kristofferson, country music legend, US Army veteran, dead at 88
Feb. 2023 by Sarah Sicard MilitaryTimes
The Navy may have the most complicated rank structure when it comes to its ratings system, but there is another, much more uncouth method for establishing hierarchy among sailors: Filthy coffee mugs.
It is a commonly-held truth in the seafaring service that one can tell a higher-up from a newbie based on the amount of sludge that lives in the bottom of one’s coffee cup.
So, in the interest of salt, here are some professional tips, from Navy veterans, to get an optimally seasoned mug.
1. Always drink black coffee. Milk or creamer curdles and introduces bacteria into the mix. Sour lactose creates a hostile environment — not ideal for going years without washing your mug.
2. Drink the whole cup of coffee. Don’t leave even a drop behind. You want to season the mug with a faint film, not swigging day-old coffee every morning.
3. For extra flavoring, take the leftover coffee grounds from the filter and let them rest in the cup for a few days before dumping it out. Treat your mug like a cast iron skillet.
4. If you need to, rinse it lightly with just a little water. This is only to be done in cases where the buildup is starting to become untenable.
5. Don’t wash the mug with the soap. Ever. You might be tempted every now and again to give it a good soak. Don’t. You will lose all the flavoring, respect from your near-peers and any chance at an honorable discharge from the U.S. Navy.
The history of the HK416 in modern warfare
Kris Kristofferson, country music legend, US Army veteran, dead at 88
DoD SkillBridge: The best military transition program you didn’t know existed
march 2024 by Joshua Skovlund, Task & Purpose
When the HK416 started showing up on SOF compounds throughout Iraq, people noticed.
In the early 2000s, operators in the U.S. military’s special operations community started using the Heckler & Koch HK416 as one of their primary battle rifles. It was initially meant to replace the Colt M4A1 but never realized that potential.
Not just anyone in SOF had the opportunity to carry this German-made rifle into combat though. Rangers, SEALs, Green Berets, and others in SOF often work in the same areas as their higher echelon counterparts, but still carried the M4A1 or even FN SCAR during that timeframe.
When the HK416 started showing up on SOF compounds throughout Iraq, hanging off the shoulder of operators grabbing a quick bite to eat in the chow hall — people noticed. It was the next new thing, but most never got a chance to use it. Unlike the SR25 sniper rifle, MultiCam uniforms, EOTech holographic sights, and high-cut helmets, the HK416 was one bit of kit that never made it into the wider U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) inventory.
The HK 416 is a step away from the traditional operation of the Colt M4A1. Instead of a gas-operated, direct impingement system, it uses a gas-operated, short-stroke piston-driven operating rod. Ultimately, the piston setup was more reliable in testing, but compared to the M4A1, it’s more expensive and heavier.
The operation of the HK416 is relatively similar to what operators were used to with the M4: the safety selector switch, magazine release, charging handle, and Picatinny rails were all the same or very similar. The cleaning procedures are different though, with the M4’s bolt carrier group and chamber needing to be cleaned more often when compared to the HK416’s piston system, which blows gas forward and away from the bolt carrier group — but still results in a different, but regularly required maintenance.
DoD SkillBridge: The best military transition program you didn’t know existed
DoD SkillBridge: The best military transition program you didn’t know existed
DoD SkillBridge: The best military transition program you didn’t know existed
January 2021 By Harm Venhuizen. MilitaryTimes
When separating from the military, it’s not uncommon for servicemembers to discover gaps between their resume and the civilian job they want.
Worries about putting food on the table can make going back to school, getting on-the-job training, or taking an internship seem like costly ways of filling that gap. Luckily, there’s a way servicemembers can gain the experience required by civilian jobs while still on the military’s payroll.
The DoD SkillBridge Program lets active-duty personnel from all four branches spend the last 180 days of their military service interning at a civilian job with one of more than 500 industry partners.
Participants continue to receive military pay and benefits, whether they’re getting certified by Microsoft in cloud development, learning to weld, or taking advantage of any one of the hundreds of other opportunities available.
As part of the DoD’s requirements, all training programs offer a “high probability of post-service employment with the provider or other employers in a field related to the opportunity,” according to the SkillBridge website.
In his internship with the Global SOF Foundation, retired Navy commander Chuck Neu says he not only tripled the size of his professional network, but also discovered a talent for sales.
“Without that exposure to cold-call sales from doing SkillBridge with the Global SOF Foundation, I likely would have ended up on-base as a contractor or a government civilian, which is really not what I wanted to do,” Neu told Military Times....
For more on this story click the 'Red Bar' below.
VA's updated list of Agent Orange sites outside of Vietnam
DoD SkillBridge: The best military transition program you didn’t know existed
How a WW2 banana shortage changed the course of Twinkie history
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) released in January an updated Department of Defense (DOD) list of locations outside of Vietnam where tactical herbicides were used, tested or stored by the United States military.
“This update was necessary to improve accuracy and communication of information,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “VA depends on DOD to provide information regarding in-service environmental exposure for disability claims based on exposure to herbicides outside of Vietnam."
DOD conducted a thorough review of research, reports and government publications in response to a November 2018 Government Accountability Office report.
“DOD will continue to be responsive to the needs of our interagency partners in all matters related to taking care of both current and former service members,” said Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper. “The updated list includes Agents Orange, Pink, Green, Purple, Blue and White and other chemicals and will be updated as verifiable information becomes available.”
Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides during service may be eligible for a variety of VA benefits, including an Agent Orange Registry health exam, health care and disability compensation for diseases associated with exposure. Their dependents and survivors also may be eligible for benefits.
How a WW2 banana shortage changed the course of Twinkie history
DoD SkillBridge: The best military transition program you didn’t know existed
How a WW2 banana shortage changed the course of Twinkie history
June 2022 by Sarah Sicard, Observation Post
Is there anything sweeter — literally or figuratively — than biting into the plastic-wrapped chemical compound of luxuriously spongey cake with vanilla cream that is a Twinkie?
Perhaps not. But the original Hostess delicacy was once something else entirely. The preservative-filled dessert that many once believed could withstand nuclear war got its start as a banana cream shortcake, until World War II changed everything.
In 1930, a baker named James Dewar began experimenting while serving as manager of Continental Baking Company’s Chicago area plant in River Forest, according to the Chicago Tribune. He wanted to prove that shortbread could serve a purpose outside strawberry shortcake.
“The economy was getting tight, and the company needed to come out with another low-priced item,” he told the paper. “We were already selling these little finger cakes during the strawberry season for shortcake, but the pans we baked them in sat idle except for that six-week season.”
While in St. Louis on a work trip, Dewar saw a billboard for “Twinkle Toe Shoes,” and thus found the name for his compact confections.
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Our phone is 541-889-1978, and we are located in Ontario, Oregon at 180 W. Idaho Ave.