Some of the 'Services' and 'Programs we have available
JAN. 27th VIETNAM WAR ENDS FOR THE US
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
1/27/1973 WAR IN VIETNAM FOR US ENDS THROUGH THE PARIS PEACE ACCORDS...
JANUARY EVENTS THAT ACTUALLY CHANGED THE WORLD !!!!
The Chairman of Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida, Ronald Verini, writes two articles every month for publication in a Regional Newspaper, this article.."EVEN AFTER WE COME HOME..." will be published December 28, 2024. Here is a part of Mr. Verini's article, and you can read the full article by clicking the red bar below.
Even After We Come Home…
December 28th, 2024 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
You never know when one moment might be the next? Think about that one!
Yes, reliving a moment in time is sometimes the most horrible experience some of us have. To also continue that experience over and over and over can be deafening and debilitating. To some, they never have that original moment ever come back, and that is a good thing. We all know that our mind has the power to heal and some of us also know that it can destroy.
The part that gives me hope is the part of our mind that can heal. We know that there is not one solution to activating that mechanism in the mind. It can take place by a natural phenomenon that happens or a process that involves sessions of therapy or even drugs. It might even happen while taking a stroll along the beach or in your neighborhood or possibly digging in your garden.
I do know that admitting that a problem exists is certainly a good first step. Having an open mind to seek a solution is also a reminder that if you try something and it doesn’t help that there are more treatments than you can imagine. So, the journey of finding your route might be a little difficult but I can assure you that the time and effort is going to be well worth the effort. And, just think, you get to meet all these interesting people along the way that you have never, in your wildest thoughts would have ever been in contact with, ever before. Just like you plan a vacation and you decide you want to travel by plane, train, car or whatever your journey to that destination can be as exciting as the destination itself.
Now you might wonder why I am writing about this today? Well, it is because my travel in the quest for help for PTSD has had some interesting turns and some unexpected results. Good ones and some bad. I also know that since I am only one, of the many out there in our community that are traveling on this trip, I thought that sharing my thoughts might encourage others to make the effort to restore some type of normalcy to your life. I am also convinced that not one person, on the face of this earth is what is considered normal. I have been around many folks and what I truly believe is that each of us has our own normal and that is determined by our own interpretation of what that looks like. So, know that you are closer to normality than you have ever been before, because you make that decision, yourself. A refreshing way to look at our discussion today.
A few of us will experience PTSD in our lifetime. About 11 to 20% (National Alliance on Mental Health) of Veterans will show the signs of this mental challenge, that is compared to less than 4% of the general population. We certainly support the care of our fellow brothers and sisters that have been physically wounded and we also need to keep the pressure on Congress to fight hard for the solutions to the mental health effects of war. Our men and women in the Western Treasure Valley have been blessed with many ways to get help, but there have also been situations that have hindered our care. Transportation has been one. Local VA support in our communities for mental health here in the community so we don’t have to travel to Boise when the help is needed now, not later. Sometimes psychological trauma needs help when the event is taking place and cannot wait for a ride to Boise to get help.
JANUARY EVENTS THAT ACTUALLY CHANGED THE WORLD !!!!
1/27/1973 WAR IN VIETNAM FOR US ENDS THROUGH THE PARIS PEACE ACCORDS...
JANUARY EVENTS THAT ACTUALLY CHANGED THE WORLD !!!!
President Abraham Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation – January 1, 1863
The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the American Civil War, declared all enslaved people in Confederate-held territory to be free. Although its immediate impact was limited, it marked a crucial step toward the abolition of slavery and reshaped the war’s moral and political dynamics.
Delve into the history of the USA’s southern states on: Country Roads of the Deep South
You may also be interested to read: Poignant history comes to life before your eyes at the National Civil Rights Museum
Named after Janus, the Roman god of all beginnings, January brings a new year and a new start, and with that opportunities for breaking new ground – some more momentous than others. From watershed moments, to technological innovations and discoveries that changed the course of the future; these historic January events all had a profound effect on the world.
Time zones are adopted by 25 nations – January 1, 1885
The adoption of time zones and standard time was a transformative global development involving 25 nations. Coordinated by the International Meridian Conference, this initiative aimed to synchronize timekeeping worldwide, enhancing communication and transportation efficiency. Sir Sandford Fleming’s proposal of dividing the world into 24 time zones, each one hour apart, revolutionized time standards. This event laid the foundation for the contemporary global time system, facilitating international coordination and shaping modern temporal practices. One of the January events that changed the world, the new standard time was adopted on new year’s day in 1885.
Astronomer Edwin Hubble announces the discovery of galaxies outside the Milky Way – January 1, 1925
Up until the mid-1920s, the prevailing scientific belief was that the Milky Way constituted the entirety of the universe. It was also thought that the universe was static and unalterable. However, two groundbreaking January events and revelations, disclosed in January 1925 and January 1929 by astronomer Edwin Hubble, revolutionized our cosmic understanding. Hubble’s findings demonstrated, firstly, that the universe far surpassed its earlier estimated size and, secondly, that it undergoes continuous expansion, challenging prior notions and significantly advancing our comprehension of the cosmos.
Steve Jobs debuts the Apple iPhone, putting the internet in everyone’s pockets – January 9, 2007
Seamlessly integrating communication, computing and multimedia in a handheld device, the iPhone has revolutionized the world. One of the most influential recent January events, it was unveiled by the Apple CEO at a convention in San Fransisco in 2007. Its touch interface, App Store and sleek design transformed the mobile phone industry, setting new standards for its competitors. The iPhone’s impact extended beyond just the technology – influencing social dynamics, commerce and culture. It catalyzed the rise of mobile apps, altered business models, and fostered a connected global society, fundamentally reshaping how people live, work and interact.
1/27/1973 WAR IN VIETNAM FOR US ENDS THROUGH THE PARIS PEACE ACCORDS...
1/27/1973 WAR IN VIETNAM FOR US ENDS THROUGH THE PARIS PEACE ACCORDS...
1/27/1973 WAR IN VIETNAM FOR US ENDS THROUGH THE PARIS PEACE ACCORDS...
1973 in the Vietnam War began with a peace agreement, the Paris Peace Accords, signed by the United States and South Vietnam on one side of the Vietnam War and communist North Vietnam and the insurgent Viet Cong on the other. Although honored in some respects, the peace agreement was violated by both North and South Vietnam as the struggle for power and control of territory in South Vietnam continued. North Vietnam released all American prisoners of war and the United States completed its military withdrawal from South Vietnam.
U.S. Congressional opposition to the Vietnam War forced the U.S. to cease bombing communist forces in Cambodia in August and in November Congress adopted the War Powers Resolution which limited the U.S. President's authority to wage war.
27 January
The Paris Peace Accords, formally titled the "Agreement on Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam,", intended to halt the fighting between North and South Vietnam and end U.S. military involvement in the war were signed in Paris. The governments of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam), the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) and the United States, as well as the Provisional Revolutionary Government (PRG) that represented the VC signed the agreement.[6]: 177, 214 The U.S. agreed to withdraw its remaining military personnel from South Vietnam within 60 days. North Vietnam agreed to a ceasefire and to return all American prisoners of war. North Vietnam was permitted to leave 150,000 soldiers and to retain the territory it controlled in South Vietnam.[25]
The U.S. and North Vietnam also pledged to withdraw their military forces from Laos and Cambodia and cease military operations there.[22]: 36
The ceasefire was observed in some areas, but South Vietnamese troops still fought to regain control of villages captured by PAVN/VC forces the day before.[22]: 3
Lieutenant Colonel William B. Nolde was killed near An Lộc, the last American soldier to die prior to the ceasefire envisioned in the Paris Peace Accords.[25][24]: 32
United States Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird announced that the draft of young American men into military service would be ended. A few men continued to be drafted until June 30, 1973, when the federal government's authority to induct expired.[25][27][28]
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
1/27/1973 WAR IN VIETNAM FOR US ENDS THROUGH THE PARIS PEACE ACCORDS...
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
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
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
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.
MAJOR LEADERSHIP SHAKEUP........
budget battles coming to VA in 2025
Dec., 27, 2024 By Leo Shane III
The year ahead will be a period of major changes for the Department of Veterans Affairs, with new leadership, new priorities and likely its biggest budget in history. But how much all of that will impact veterans benefits and health care is less clear.
The department, which now boasts a $350 billion budget and more than 400,000 employees, will start 2025 with VA Secretary Denis McDonoughand his administration wrapping up four years of expansion and outreach efforts.
President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration in January will mean at the least a clearing out of that Democratic leadership, replacing political appointees with his own picks.
During his last administration, VA issues were a major focal point of Trump’s White House. On the campaign trail last summer, he hinted at a repeat during his return to office, with plans to further expand medical care options for veterans and continue reforms in federal hiring (and firing) practices.
The following are some of the top Veterans Affairs stories to follow in 2025.
A new VA secretary
In November, Trump nominated former Georgia congressman Doug Collins as his pick to be the next Veterans Affairs secretary. The choice was a mild surprise among veterans advocates, given that Collins did not sit on the Veterans Affairs committee or champion many veterans bills during his eight years in Congress.
But Collins, 58, has already been endorsed by several veterans groups and is not expected to face the same level of opposition as some of Trump’s other cabinet picks.
Collins served in the active-duty Navy for two years as a chaplain and re-enlisted in the Air Force Reserve following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. He deployed to Iraq in 2008 as a member of the 94th Airlift Wing, and still serves in the reserves.
His confirmation hearing before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, expected in January, will offer a preview of policy priorities for the upcoming administration. Shortly after his nomination, Collins released a statement promising to “streamline and cut regulations in the VA, root out corruption, and ensure every veteran receives the benefits they’ve earned.”
While he does not have any problematic veterans policy stances on his resume, Democratic lawmakers may question his efforts to help Trump overturn the results of the 2020 election, and his public stances undermining the validity of those results.
But Republicans in the Senate have already signaled strong support for Collins’ nomination, and he could be approved by the chamber in time to take office just after the inauguration.
Congress finalizes sweeping bill
TO HELP VETERAN CAREGIVERS.....
Dec. 2024, By Leo Shane III
House lawmakers on Monday finalized a sweeping veterans bill to expand caregiver benefits for elderly and infirm veterans and update medical options for veterans outside the department’s health care system, sending the legislative package to the White House to become law.
The legislation was originally passed by the chamber last month but had to be reapproved this week after technical changes were added by the Senate last week. The measure now heads to the White House, where President Joe Biden is expected to sign it into law in the coming days.
Advocates have lobbied for months for passage of the bill, expected to cost roughly $1 billion over the next decade. They’ve argued the reforms are needed to catch up with the care demands placed on veterans’ caregivers, who save taxpayers tens of millions of dollars annually with their around-the-clock personal medical care.
“We have spent almost two years working tirelessly with our coalition partners to ensure a better future for our veterans, caregivers, survivors, and their families,” said Elizabeth Dole Foundation CEO Steve Schwab in a statement after passage.
“Through this life-changing and lifesaving legislation, we are one step closer to our vision of an America where veterans and their families thrive.”
The measure — its full title is the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act — features significant improvements to current caregiver support programs within the Department of Veterans Affairs.
It would expand access to home-based and community-based services at every VA medical center. Supporters have said that will allow tens of thousands more veterans to receive medical care at home rather than in nursing home institutions, if they choose to do so.
The bill would increase the cap for in-home care programs from 65% of nursing home costs to 100%, potentially providing thousands of dollars more a month to eligible families. In some cases, that figure could go even higher, if VA officials decide that at-home care is “in the best interest of the veterans.”
The legislation would also create a mental health care grant program for family caregivers in the VA’s current program. And the bill closes a loophole to stop veterans from losing their burial benefits if they choose to die in hospice care rather than a VA facility.
VA health care
With VA health care, you’re covered for regular checkups with your primary care provider and appointments with specialists (like cardiologists, gynecologists, and mental health providers). You can access Veterans health care services like home health and geriatric (elder) care, and you can get medical equipment, prosthetics, and prescriptions. Find out how to apply for and manage the health care benefits you’ve earned.
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.
A Marine’s disciplinary record from 100 years ago
reveals rank-and-file life as much the same
Dec. 2024, by Jeff Schogol, Task & Purpose
An entry in a Marine’s service record from 1926 shows that even though the Corps has come a long way in 100 years, Marines are always gonna Marine.
A currently serving Marine recently shared a disciplinary record for his great-grandfather on Reddit. He asked that his name not be included in the story because he is still in the Corps, and he identified his great-grandfather by his first name only: Edmund.
Edmund served in the Corps from 1922 to 1953, the Marine said. The record shared on Reddit lists his rank in 1926 as a sergeant.
The document appears to be authentic based on its general typeface and content, according to the Marine Corps History Division. It also appears to be a Page 11 entry in the Marine’s Service Record Book. A Page 11 is reserved for administrative remarks, including — but not limited to — punitive action.
It’s worth noting that most Marines are likely to get into some sort of trouble during their careers in the Corps. Even the Marine legend Chesty Puller — who retired as a three-star general — once accidentally discharged a .45 caliber pistol while indoors. He fined himself $100, although the penalty for negligent discharges at the time was a $20 fine.
Edmund’s record lists six offenses considered minor, such as being late for reveille roll call, being absent for just over an hour one morning, and creating a disturbance after Taps.
Looking at the record from 1926, it is interesting to note which infractions the Marine Corps considered the most serious at the time. Edmund was put on restriction for three weeks for “Not airing out bedding & raising a disturbance.”
However, when it came to “Fighting in quarters with dangerous weapons,” he received only a warning. Edmund’s great-grandson said he was struck by the disparity in how Edmund was disciplined for the two offenses.
“I thought it was pretty funny, just how it balanced out and all,” the Marine told Task & Purpose. “Not airing out the sheets, he got restriction for, but fighting, it’s just like — yeah, don’t do that again.”
The Marine said he had requested Edmund’s service record through the National Archives and Records Administration because he wanted to present it to his father as a Christmas present. However, he was “blown away” when he received more than 900 pages in records about his great-grandfather, he said.
AIR FORCE EXPANDS SKILLED JOBS FOR RETENTION BONUSES
HOPES TO HOLD ONTO AIRMEN WITH SPECIALIZED TALENTS
Nicholas Slayton-Task & Purpose
The Air Force is expanding the number of career fields eligible for large retention and reenlistment bonuses in the new fiscal year, in an effort to hold onto skilled troops when their talents are in demand elsewhere.
The Department of the Air Force released a memo listing 89 career fields in the U.S. Air Force in the 2025 fiscal year, up from 73 the previous one. The expanded list went into effect on Dec. 16, according to Ann Stefanek, an Air Force spokesperson. The jobs range from signal intelligence to nuclear weapons to maintenance for combat drones.
The list leaked online earlier this week and made the rounds on Air Force-focused social media pages. Military.com first reported on the veracity of the list. Stefanek told Task & Purpose that the expansion of eligible fields came after analyzing what skilled positions were in increasing demand outside of the military.
“[The Department of the Air Force did it] to make sure we can retain our talent because they’re in high demand in the private sector,” Stefanek told Task & Purpose.
Nearly a dozen of the fields are in cyber systems and operations, from cybersecurity jobs to data entry and tech support. Others are focused on aircraft maintenance while several are aimed at special operations roles, including pararescue and combat control. Language-based jobs are also prioritized, with several fields focused on Chinese, Korean, Russian and Persian speakers up for the extra pay. Unlike the previously expanded list, some fields previously eligible for retention bonuses are not on the new list; the memo notes that airmen have until Feb. 15, 2025 to sign a new contract in an eligible field to receive the retention bonus.
Earlier this year the Air Force’s requested budget asked for $1.1 billion dedicated to troop bonuses and retention programs. In order to qualify for the retention bonus, airmen must match the Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) of the eligible job. If a specified AFSC has a certain skill level listed, they must have reached that qualification to earn the bonus.
Airmen eligible for the bonus can make as much as $180,000 extra per their specific career zone; that cap was raised earlier this year as part of an ongoing effort by the Department of the Air Force to retain its current skilled troops. A career cap is set at $360,000, per the Air Force memo.
The Air Force, as with other branches in the military, has struggled with recruiting new troops in recent years, including missing its target in 2023. Several branches of the armed forces have expanded and raised different bonuses for enlisting and staying in the military.
SOME OF THESE STORIES MIGHT CATCH YOUR ATTENTION...
Lessons from the Air Force Kitchen Police: Volunteer for Everything. Even Pots and Pans
Lessons from the Air Force Kitchen Police: Volunteer for Everything. Even Pots and Pans
Lessons from the Air Force Kitchen Police: Volunteer for Everything. Even Pots and Pans
December 2024 by Ed Meagher - The War Horse
When I reported to Air Force basic training on June 15, 1966, I was a 19-year-old college dropout. Despite two years of college ROTC, I really had no idea what to expect.
The first few days at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, consisted of brutal heat, a blur of shouted commands never executed correctly, endless marching from one place to another, screamed instructions to get organized, get in line, get in formation, move faster, fill out this form, listen to this lecture, eat quicker, sleep faster.
And do it all again.
At the end of one very long day, just before lights out, we were formed up, yet again, and told that the following morning at four we would start a week of KP, kitchen police, mess duty. After being roused at 3:45 a.m. and marched quietly across a dark, hot, silent base to the rear of the chow hall, our cadre turned us over to a mess sergeant and departed.
We were told to be at ease, perhaps for the first time, and it came as a bit of a shock. We could relax in place and even talk if we wanted. It was literally the first unsupervised, unstructured period since we had arrived.
I had noticed the recruit next to me several times during the previous several days. He was a slick-sleeve like the rest of us, but that is where the resemblance to any of us stopped. His uniform was a slightly different, lighter shade of green than the rest of ours. His hair was just a bit longer than the rest of our bald heads. He knew how to march, how to organize his locker, and how to make his bed perfectly. He always seemed to know what was going to happen next and was completely prepared for it.
The strangest thing though was how the instructor cadre treated him. They never screamed at him and never seemed to need to correct him. At one point, I even saw him have a brief conversation with one of the drill instructors.
I was curious, so I asked him. He told me to mind my own business.
We were called back to attention and marched into the kitchen area where we were given a lecture about the rules for KP duty, everything from hygiene to safety. Then we were told that we would be assigned to various duties and what they entailed. We were once again put at ease, and my slightly different recruit must have felt bad about telling me to mind my own business. He told me his name was Greg. I introduced myself as Ed. And just then we were called back to attention by a mess sergeant with a clipboard.
Tips to achieve the ultimate dirty Navy-style coffee mug
Lessons from the Air Force Kitchen Police: Volunteer for Everything. Even Pots and Pans
Lessons from the Air Force Kitchen Police: Volunteer for Everything. Even Pots and Pans
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.
That time the US military burned down one of its own bases with a ‘bat bomb’
Lessons from the Air Force Kitchen Police: Volunteer for Everything. Even Pots and Pans
DoD SkillBridge: The best military transition program you didn’t know existed
WILD BATS WITH NAPALM,
WHAT COULD GO WRONG????
by Joshua Skovlund, Task & Purpose
Bats use echolocation to find food and places to rest. Add in an incendiary device glued to their chest, and you now have a firestorm that can wreak havoc on any enemy. Or so Pennsylvania dental surgeon Dr. Lytle S. Adams thought during World War II.
The problem is that you don’t know where they will go once released. Add to it that it’s generally a bad idea to mix explosives, adhesives, and wildlife.
On Dec. 7, 1941, Adams made a fateful trip to the Carlsbad Caverns National Parkduring a vacation to New Mexico. He was awed by the hundreds of thousands of bats that nested in the caves.
The bats were still on his mind later in day as he drove away when news came across the car’s radio of the attack on Pearl Harbor. According to the National Institute of Health, he was “outraged over this travesty, [Adams] began to mentally construct a plan for U.S. retaliation.
The idea Adams came up with — a ‘bat bomb,’ with 1,000 bats carrying napalm into a city full of wooden buildings — led to one of the U.S.’s most bizarre weapons development programs of all time, one that Adams believed could bring about a quick end of the war but did little more than burn down a flight training base in the U.S.
Adams knew that buildings in Japanese cities were predominantly built of wood. His idea was to develop an empty bomb case that, rather than hold explosives, would hold 1,040 bats toting napalm-like incendiary gel with timed fuses. Dropped over Tokyo, the bats would create a hellish cyclone with incendiary devices throughout Tokyo, hopefully bringing about an end to World War II
Adams put his idea in a letter to the White House, where he had professional contacts who got the letter to President Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt was interested, if cautious, telling staffers, “This man is not a nut. It sounds like a perfectly wild idea but is worth looking into,” according to author Jack Couffer’s book, “Bat Bomb: World War II’s Other Secret Weapon.”
Couffer was a young filmmaker who had grown up studying bats and other birds as a teenager. He would go on to a career making dozens of nature documentaries, but he was drafted into the Army early in World War II and assigned to the bat bomb project and witnessed much of its three-year development.
The development and testing, dubbed Project X-Ray, was based in New Mexico. The program developed a metal bomb casing with three horizontal layers, similar to upside-down ice cube trays, where bats would nest. To keep them docile — or as docile as a bat strapped with a bomb can be — they would be placed in an artificial cold-induced hibernation. The “bat bomb” was designed to be released from high altitudes just before dawn, when bats naturally seek out a place to sleep during the daylight hours.
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
DoD 2023
When thinking about leaving 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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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We are a "No Dues' nonprofit organization with the coffee pot always on and lots of conversation always available. Bring your questions regarding any veteran services you are concerned about, and we will do our best to steer you in the right direction.
Our phone is 541-889-1978, and we are located in Ontario, Oregon at 180 W. Idaho Ave.