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180 W. Idaho Ave, Ontario, Oregon 97914
541-889-1978
NEED HELP!!!! PLEASE!!! The Covid-19 pandemic has left many local Veterans and their families in need. If you are fortunate to not need your stimulus money or part of it, please think about donating it to Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida. As a non-profit your donation would be tax deductible. Please call me, Thank You.....
Ron Verini - Chairman 541-709-8373
The VA’s federal watchdog has uncovered filthy conditions at facilities across the country. Yet some 40 percent of all VA hospitals recently suffered from severe shortages of housekeeping staff.
On a warm november day in 2017, Representative Mark Takano, a California Democrat, met with a whistleblower who had serious concerns about the 270-bed Veterans Affairs facility in Loma Linda. Later that day, Takano took a tour of the hospital, and was shocked by what he saw. Grime encrusted the water fountains; the floors of the operating room were noticeably dirty. Takano called for the VA’s inspector general to launch an investigation, which found “inconsistent levels of cleanliness” in the main hospital building, and unwashed floors, dusty cabinets, and a sterile instrument resting on a dirty rack in the inpatient dental unit. The rate of infection among Loma Linda’s patients was higher than the agency average, and the housekeeping department was largely incapacitated by high turnover, poor pay, and shaky management. A separate investigation found the bacteria Legionella pneumophila, which causes Legionnaires’ disease, in the water supply—a discovery that the facility had failed to communicate to clinicians.
Today, in the midst of a pandemic that threatens everyone, but especially people with preexisting conditions, including the many veterans who suffer respiratory illnesses likely brought on by exposure to Agent Orange and burn pits, problems with cleanliness at VA facilities endure. For nearly two decades, the agency’s federal watchdog has uncovered filthy conditions at facilities across the country. The problem is due, at least in part, to the fact that 40 percent of all VA hospitals suffered from severe shortages of housekeeping staff in fiscal year 2019—the most recent data available. More than 2,000 cleaning positions are vacant across the VA’s national network, according to granular workforce data released by the agency in late May. And despite Takano’s spotlighting of issues in Loma Linda, the facility still has 21 unfilled housekeeper positions.
The number of active coronavirus cases among Department of Veterans Affairs patients tripled in June, with more than 4,100 active cases at 138 medical sites spread across the country.
Veterans Affairs officials in recent days have downplayed the sharp increase in cases of the fast-spreading virus, saying that hospitalization rates among those positive patients have remained steady and lower than they were at the start of the pandemic in March.
But the number of active cases, which had dropped from around 3,000 at the start of May to 1,390 by the end of that month, had an abrupt turn around over the last four weeks, rising to 4,170 by early morning on July 1.
The Chairman of Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida, Ronald Verini, writes two articles every month for publication in a Regional Newspaper,this article "AN IDEA THAT ACTUALLY MAKES SENSE" will be published on July 5, 2020. Here is an part of Mr. Verinis' article, and you can read the full article by clicking the red bar below.
AN IDEA THAT ACTUALLY MAKES SENSE
July 5th, 2020 Veterans Corner Article by Ronald Verini
Sitting around the coffee table at Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida the other day someone said: “it’s not enough” in reply to a proposal that was on the agenda for our local City Council and that got me thinking about how often that one phrase comes up in just about every part of decision making. By the way, that person that brought this up actually had a proposal in his pocket that would have helped the issue being talked about!
Some critics say ‘it’s not enough’ and generally the one’s saying that are those that have not done much in the beginning and done very little to offer alternatives. The reason I bring this up is a recent headline in ‘Stars and Stripes’: “Trump unveils ‘bold’ plan to prevent veteran suicide, but critics say it’s not enough”. I looked into the plan and determined at least he has a proposal that will start the process and put in place 10 recommendations that will help move forward over the next two years some strategies that will help prevent some of the suicides that we are seeing today. President Trump signed an executive order on March 5th, 2020 creating a Cabinet level task force called PREVENTS (President’s Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End a National Tragedy of Suicide). I can criticize our government for not doing enough in the past that got us to where we are with the number of suicides we have today, or I can criticize it’s not enough, or I can say: This is a great proposal- because I think it is and we will have about $53.4 million in the VA’s budget request for fiscal 2021 to get this program in place. What approach do you think might be more productive?
Yes, I have been critical in the past and will be in the future and most times it is taking to task a procedure or structure that has or is destructive to the health or well-being of our military and their families. Not necessarily a proposal that actually helps in some way. If I have a problem with this, I would bring to the attention to those that matter an idea that might help but I would never just say, it’s not enough.
“TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE PLEASE CLICK THE RED BAR BELOW.....
By Nathan Jerauld, U. S. Army Veteran, Bronze Star and Purple Heart Recipient, Cicero, N. Y.
“If Senators Paul and Udall really want to honor our service members, here are a few things they could do with that money instead.”
In an essay on TheAtlantic.com last week, Senators Rand Paul and Tom Udall urged members of Congress to support their bipartisan joint resolution, the American Forces Going Home After Noble (AFGHAN) Service Act. The bill, they wrote, would “return our combat forces home from Afghanistan in an orderly and responsible way, while also setting a framework for political reconciliation in Afghanistan without a permanent U.S. presence.” It would also provide a $2,500 bonus to members of the military who have served in the Global War on Terror.
“Congress must step up and step in to ensure that another generation of Americans is not sent to fight a war with no end in sight,” Paul and Udall wrote, “especially when there is no military solution to the challenges facing Afghanistan.”
Members of our Congress once again demonstrated that they do not understand our country’s veterans. Last week, Senators Rand Paul and Tom Udall published an articlepromoting their new bill, the AFGHAN Service Act. In it, the senators commend the patriotism and bravery of the many men and women who served in Afghanistan for the past 18 years, including 2,300 fallen and more than 20,000 wounded service members.
hey write:
For their heroism and valor, our legislation says “Thank you” by ensuring we recognize and honor that service. Drawing from the billions saved by ending the war in Afghanistan, our bill provides a $2,500 bonus within one year to all the members of our volunteer military who have served in the Global War on Terrorism.
As one of the more than 20,000 veterans wounded in Afghanistan, I want to be clear: I am not honored. I am disgusted.
The senators’ bill embodies a sentiment that makes the military-civilian transition so difficult for veterans. Society assumes that those of us who went over there, saw horrible things, endured terrible pain, and who now struggle to function as normal human beings will be “honored” by lip service and a check in the mail. It is insulting.
As a veteran, I want to see my brothers and sisters in arms get the help they need. I want people to understand the sacrifices they made and the many battles they face. I want to see people show respect for veterans more than twice a year, on Veterans Day and Memorial Day. I want our country to honor its commitment to veteran services.
June 5, 2020 by, Rose L. Thayer, Stars and Stripes
Military and veteran health care providers would be required to ask service members and veterans who test positive for the coronavirus about their exposure to burn pits under bipartisan legislation introduced Wednesday in the Senate.
The Pandemic Care for Burn Pits Exposure Act, introduced by Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Mike Rounds, R-S.D., is designed to ensure that service members and veterans with exposure to burn pits, which often impacts the respiratory system, receive the care they need if they contract the coronavirus.
Burn pits were commonly used during the first several years of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and in other wars, as a place to get rid of anything the military no longer had use for, such as computers, tires, medical waste and aircraft engines. The smoke that drifted across military bases from these pits often included toxic chemicals linked to cancers and chronic respiratory illnesses.
If passed into law, the bill would require the Defense Department and Department of Veterans Affairs to ask service members and veterans who have tested positive for the virus if they were exposed to burn pits to ensure they receive proper care, according to a release from Klobuchar’s office.
Those who answer yes will be enrolled in the VA’s Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry, unless they choose to opt out. That registry collects names of veterans who voluntarily provide their information and details about personal exposure to burn pits on deployment.
“Many of our service members and veterans are particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus pandemic, especially those who were stationed near burn pits,” Klobuchar said in a statement. “As a result of being exposed to toxic substances from burn pits during their military service, many suffer from significant respiratory illnesses, and now they may face heightened health risks during the pandemic due to previous toxic exposure. This legislation would help to ensure that they receive the care they need.”
"Love's Travel Stop" at exit 374 on I-84, Ontario, Oregon, has always contacted us when they knew a veteran needed some help. Well now they have added to their support by awarding Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida a grant to help us assist our area veterans in need of 'Emergency assistance' with gas for their vehicle! We certainly give a huge "Thank You" to the management and staff of the Ontario, Oregon Love's and we continue to consider them a welcomed supporter of VAOI, and our area Veterans!
Love's address off of I-84 is 1041 NW Washington Ave, Ontario -
Phone is = 541-823-8282
There is also a Subway and a Chesters restaurant in this Love's.
Veterans needing 'Emergency assistance' with gas for their car/truck need to contact the Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida at 541-889-1978 to see if you qualify.
What is the White House VA Hotline?
The hotline’s pilot began under direction of the Veterans Experience Office on June 1, 2017, and entered phase two on October 15, 2017.
White House VA Hotline: 1-855-948-2311.
Calls are answered by a live agent 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. The hotline is staffed by more than 60 agents who have had extensive training on VA programs and services. Most of these agents are a Veteran, military family member, caregiver or a survivor.
The White House VA Hotline conducts immediate warm hand offs for at-crisis risk Veterans needing the services of the Veterans Crisis Line.
Trends identified by the hotline will be used to rapidly respond to systemic inefficiencies and empower VA employees to resolve Veteran concerns quickly.
March 28, 2020 by Dorothy Mills-Gregg, Military.com
The Department of Veterans Affairs is beginning to divide its inpatient units into two zones to separate non-infectious patients from those with novel coronavirus, officials said. And when the need arises, as the new phased plan predicts it will, officials plan to discharge non-critical patients and even build new facilities.
The plan is part of a four-phased pandemic response blueprint released Friday, weeks after the VA was criticized for not publicly disclosing its plan to help veterans and the federal government respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The VA is currently in Phase 2, "Initial Response," which means staff are focusing on mitigating local or regional outbreaks by creating two zones.
Phase 3 is when the condition becomes drastic -- patient demand surpasses the VA's capability or supply chain. All routine care will be reduced or stopped at VA medical facilities, and the VA staff will then begin using other spaces like an outlying ward or field hospital to take in veterans and possibly the civilian public.
In outbreak mitigation phase, standard and COVID-19 zones will have separate air flows and staff restrooms and break and call rooms to eliminate the chance of cross contamination. This new division is in addition to the VA's current practice of pre-screening patients and asking them to call instead of just walking into a clinic.
Click the 'red-bar' below for full story......
March 26, 2020 by Oriana Pawlyk, Military.com
As novel coronavirus cases continue to spread among the ranks, top officials and health leaders have emphasized that the military must take crucial steps to help stop it, including new health-protection conditions (HPCON) and increased social distancing measures on bases.
But photos taken just last week show troops training side by side or participating in large gatherings amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
Publicly released military photos show service members participating in drill exercises and live-fire training, among other activities that require them to operate in close proximity.
The U.S. military services began taking precautions as early as March 7. Some services and commands attempted to limit human contact as much as possible with telework and virtual meetings, while others began canceling events and overseas travel. The protective measures even applied to brand-new service members as the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard began screening all new recruits for coronavirus symptoms earlier this month to prevent potential spread throughout the force, officials confirmed to Military.com on March 4.
This week, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said that, while social distancing may be impossible inside a tank or on a submarine, "If you can avoid putting ... a large number of people in small rooms, you should do it."
By Meghan Holohan
When baby Jace started crying, his father, Jeff Lee, struggled. True, the wail of a baby triggers anxious concern in most parents — but this was different. Little Jace’s screams reminded Jeff of the sound of a wounded Marine.
“There was a pitch that Jace would hit that sounded like a person who was hit on the battlefield,” Jeff’s wife, Jolynn Lee, 49, of Hubert, North Carolina, told TODAY Parents. “He couldn’t stand to hear him cry.”
Jeff enlisted in the U.S. Marines immediately after high school and deployed to Iraq during the first Gulf War. He later enrolled in the Marines’ Enlisted to Officer program to further his military career, and he found himself back in Iraq during the Iraq War. In 2004, during the brutal first Battle of Fallujah, Jeff got shot in the shoulder and bicep. He duct-taped himself up so he could continue fighting, and he earned a Purple Heart and Silver Star. But the man who returned home from Iraq was not the same person his family remembered.
“That is where our lives changed,” Jolynn said. “I was familiar with post-traumatic stress disorder and combat trauma. You can’t be part of the military and not at least hear of it. Experiencing it was a whole different ball game.”
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.
November 25, 2019 By Dorothy Mills-Gregg, Military.com
For veterans who think they were exposed to toxic substances during their service, the Department of Veterans Affairs has a mobile application that will help them answer questions about what this potential exposure means for their long-term health.
Originally designed for VA providers, Exposure Ed now lets anyone view a list of service-related exposures -- broken down by type, conflict and date or location of service. It also has a map veterans can use to find the closest VA facilities and exposure-related programs.
For example, veterans thinking they came into contact with the Vietnam-era herbicide Agent Orange can use the "Exposures" button on the home page for immediate access to a list of illnesses related to exposure. Or, veterans can input in the time and location they served to view everything they might have been exposed to.
Related: After Decade of Fighting, the Blue-Water Navy Benefits Bill is Now a Law
The last option sorts exposure risks by conflict, ranging from World War II to Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn.
November 7, 2019 by Patricia Time, Military.com
Veterans with iPhones can now view their Department of Veterans Affairs medical records through their phone’s Health app.
VA and Apple began rolling out the capability during the summer but issued formal announcements this week, just ahead of Veterans Day.
“We have delivered veterans an innovative new way to easily and securely access their health information,” VA Secretary Robert Wilkie said Nov. 6 in a release. “Veterans deserve access to their health data at any time and in one place, and with health records on the Health app, VA has pushed the veterans experience forward.”
Veterans will see an aggregated view of their VA health care information such as lab results, medical history, procedures and medications.
Information from private medical providers also is available if that provider participates in the Apple Health program. More than 400 companies are on board, including Johns Hopkins, University of California San Diego, Quest Diagnostics and Allscripts.
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) begins deciding Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019 claims, Jan. 1, 2020, extending the presumption of herbicide exposure that include toxins such as Agent Orange, to Veterans who served in the offshore waters of the Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam War.
Prior to the measure, only Vietnam War Veterans who served on the ground in Vietnam or within Vietnam’s inland waterways were eligible to receive disability compensation and other benefits based on a presumption of herbicide exposure.
Qualifying recipients, in addition to affected Veterans still living, are certain survivors of deceased BWN and Korean DMZ Veterans.
Survivors can file claims for benefits based on the Veteran’s service if the Veteran died from at least one of the 14 presumptive conditions associated with Agent Orange. The law also provides benefits for children born with spina bifida if their parent is or was a Veteran with certain verified service in Thailand during a specific period.
We thank all the Supporters, Businesses and Friends for giving their time and resources in helping and caring for our Veterans, Military and First Responders and their Families.
We really appreciate your interest too, in 'Who we are and What we do'. If you have any questions or suggestions or would like to 'volunteer' or 'donate', well please contact us with an email, a phone call, or just drop on into the office.
You are always welcome to come and join us Monday thru Friday from 9am to 4pm. 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.
Re-dedicated this last June 2019, to the memory and Honor of one of our local Heroes. The Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida extend to you an open invitation to visit the Museum and Library and learn more about Sgt. Brennen and all of our local and regional Heroes who have served our great Country, and the many who did "GIVE ALL".
You may arrange special viewing appointments by calling our offices at 541-889-1978, Monday thru Friday from 9am to 4pm.
October 11, 2019, By Mathew Cox, Military.com
The graphic novel on former Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta tells the story of the first living recipient of the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War, according to the release.
Then Spec. Giunta, of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, was on patrol in the Korengal Valley of Afghanistan in October 2007 when his platoon was ambushed by Taliban fighters.
"Braving rocket-propelled grenades and intense smalls arms fire, Giunta advanced on the enemy, prevented the capture of a fellow paratrooper and turned the tide of the battle," the release states.
In July 2017, Giunta presented his Medal of Honor to his fellow paratroopers of the 173rd AirborneWE AT THE VETERAN ADVOCATES OF ORE-IDA, DEDICATED EARLIER THIS YEAR OUR 'MILITARY/VETERAN MUSEUM' TO THE MEMORY OF SGT. JOSHUA C. BRENNAN, ONE OF THE WOUNDED COMRADES THAT SPEC. SAL GIUNTA PULLED FROM THE TALIBAN FIGHTERS. SGT. BRENNAN LATER DIED OF HIS WOUNDS. SGT. BRENNAN WAS A LOCAL RESIDENT AND A GRADUATE OF OUR ONTARIO, OREGON HIGH SCHOOL.
"We are excited to share these stories with readers," Joseph Craig, director of AUSA's Book Program, said in the release. "It has been personally rewarding to learn more about these remarkable soldiers, and we have been fortunate to work with such a talented creative team to bring this history to life."
Is to provide a voice, for Veterans and Active Duty personnel of the Armed Forces of the United States of America and their dependents. To support, Honor, Recognize and Advocate for their needs as members of our Communities, States and Country
We support 'Our Mission' through Donations and an All Volunteer Staff. Pictured here to the right is a young High School Senior whose Senior Project was to raise money for our Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida programs, which he did by completing an engine swap in a Ford Taurus and thus raised $2,666.75. He is pictured with our Chairman and a few of our Veteran Volunteers.
We are a "No Dues" Non-profit organization that welcomes you for 'Coffee & Conversation' 5 days a week in our Ontario, Oregon Office. You can also give us a call regarding any assistance you may be seeking.
Your support and contributions will enable us to meet our goals and improve conditions. Your generous donation will fund our mission.