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American Gold Star Mothers, Inc.
A monument at the Ocala, Florida memorial park that mentions the organization
A Service flag with one gold star
American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. (AGSM), is a private[1] nonprofit organization[2] of American mothers who lost sons or daughters in service of the United States Armed Forces. It was originally formed in 1928 for mothers of those lost in World War I, and it holds a congressional charter under Title 36 § 211 of the United States Code.[3] Its name came from the custom of families of servicemen hanging a banner called a service flag in the windows of their homes. The service flag had a star for each family member in the Armed Forces. Living servicemen were represented by a blue star, and those who had lost their lives in combat were represented by a gold star.
Membership in the organization is open to any woman who is a U.S. citizen or legal resident that has lost a son or daughter in active service in the U.S. military (regardless of the place or time of the military service, regardless of whether the circumstances of death involved hostile conflict or not, and including mothers of those missing in action).
The Gold Star Mothers was founded by Grace Darling Seibold of Washington, D.C.[4]
When the United States entered World War I in 1917, George Vaughn Seibold, 23, volunteered, requesting assignment in aviation. He was sent to Canada where he learned to fly British planes since the United States had neither an air force nor planes. Deployed to England, he was assigned to the British Royal Flying Corps with 148th Aero Squadron. With his squadron, he left for combat duty in France. He corresponded with his family regularly. His mother, Grace Darling Seibold, began to do community service by visiting returning servicemen in the hospitals. re The mail from George stopped. Since all aviators were under British control and authority, the United States could not help the Seibold family with any information about their son....
The Chairman of Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida, Ronald Verini, writes two articles every month for publication in a Regional Newspaper, this article "GOLD STAR MOTHERS" will be published September 26, 2021. Here is a part of Mr. Verinis' article, and you can read the full article by clicking the red bar below.
"GOLD STAR MOTHERS"
September 26, 2021 Veterans Corner Article by Ronald Verini
Most of the time in the 'hustle & bustle' of our daily lives, when we hear about a particular event or thing or
significant circumstance, we do not generally pause and reflect deeply or with investigatory pursuit to understand or even acknowledge the magnitude of what just popped into our minds. For many today, the idea of weighing the significance of an historical event, its cause and effect, is not an immediate priority. Sometimes we never even get back to that thought, and sometimes we just totally forget it. And that’s a natural ‘human condition’ without even being subject to any major external happenings.
There will be days, months that go by without us realizing the incredible number of things that have taken place across time that actually have had an effect on us, at this point in time, without us even knowing about them or how they affected us.
The last Sunday in September this year of 2021, (which is the 26th of September-today), marks a day that has truly affected all of us. Besides being the date that British troops occupied Philadelphia, Pres. George Washington appoints Thomas Jefferson as Secretary of State, Albert Einstein publishes his ideas on relativity, the US Federal Trade Commission was established. A WWI Battle of the Meuse-Argonne started, gangster ‘Machine Gun Kelly’ surrenders, Seoul, Korea is recaptured, and Nixon and Kennedy hold the first TV debate, and Nolan Ryan sets a Major League record throwing his fifth no-hitter, this also is the day we Nationally Honor our ‘Gold Star Mothers’. The organization was named after the ‘Gold Star’ that families hung in their windows in honor of a deceased war veteran. After years of planning twenty-five mothers met in Washington D. C. in 1928 to establish the organization.
TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE PLEASE CLICK THE RED BAR BELOW
HOW TO CONNECT WITH A RESPONDER
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Connect with the Veterans Crisis Line to reach caring, qualified responderswith the Department of Veterans Affairs. Many of them are Veterans themselves.
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.
August 2021, by Todd South, Observation Post
Marvin Strombo stood next to the mailbox of his Montana home and opened the envelope. He froze, staring at the photograph in his hand. In the photo was a gravestone marked with the name of old friend, alongside dates: Martin Russell Dyer Jr., June 14, 1923 – June 30, 1944.
More than seven decades had passed since he’d met Dyer, when the two Marines bunked next to each other on a troopship destined for the battle of Saipan. But here his image was, bringing back old memories as Strombo sorted through the accompanying letter from an author who’d previously interviewed him about his experiences.
Back in the Second World War, Strombo, who was trained as a scout sniper, had just seen combat on Tarawa before heading toward Saipan. Dyer had already fought — and barely survived — Guadalcanal, intense fighting nearly two years earlier that set the stage for Marines and soldiers to battle their way through the Pacific en route to mainland Japan.
Strombo, who shared his stories with the inquiring author Joseph Tachovsky, would eventually do the same with graphic novelist and Air Force veteran August Uhl, who pieced them, and numerous other tales, together in the recently published third volume of “Full Mag: Veterans Stories Illustrated.”
June 2021 by Daniel Patrick Sheehan, The Allentown Morning Call
ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) — Mario Kovach stood at a trailhead near Hawk Mountain the other day, with the Appalachian Trail stretching to Maine one way and Georgia the other and a perfect blue sky spilling sunshine over everything — a red car parked on the side of the road, a gaggle of genial thru-hikers pausing among their heaps of gear to rest and drink water.
He slowly rotated his right forearm, displaying 20 surnames of men and women tattooed in a font patterned, he said, after the one on the tombstones at Arlington National Cemetery.
All died in service of their country.
Solesbee, Bell, Schwartz, Seidler, Weiner, Miller, Loncki, Moss. On and on. As members of the U.S. Air Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit, they were steel-nerved experts in the highwire job of defusing bombs, including the improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, that killed so many troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.
This was Kovach’s job, too, during his 20 years in the Air Force. The Pottstown native, who retired in 2018, survived five rotations through Afghanistan without serious injury, except to his psyche. It is this wound the retired master sergeant has been treating on the trail and other places where nature is still able to soften the sharp edges of the manmade world and hush its incessant screech and roar.
This is where Cindy Ross enters the story. She is a writer and lifelong hiker whose adventures in travel and education have filled nine books so far.
The latest, “Walking Towards Peace — Veterans Healing on America’s Trails,” is about the veterans Ross serves through the nonprofit River House PA, headquartered at the log cabin she and husband Todd Gladfelter built 30 years ago in East Brunswick Township, Schuylkill County.
The organization was born out of Ross’ experience with some veterans who thru-hiked the trail in 2013, meaning they walked all 2,180 miles. When the group paused in Albany Township, she and Gladfelter organized a dinner for them at the cabin, listening to the stories they told of war’s horrors and the unexpected happiness they found in the arduous but beautiful trek along the trail.
“It’s a place they can find peace,” said Ross, who speaks intently and earnestly, in the manner of someone sharing information you absolutely have to know.
MONTH OF AUGUST
Coast Guard DayAugust 4
Purple Heart DayAugust 7
U.S. Department of Defense BirthdayAugust 10
Agent Orange Awareness DayAugust 10
Navajo Code Talkers DayAugust 14
National Airborne DayAugust 16
Marine Corps Reserve BirthdayAugust 29
SEPTEMBER
National Suicide Prevention Month
National Service Dog Month
LABOR DAY-1st Monday September
V-J Day - September 2
Patriot Day - September 11
Constitution Week-September 17/23
Constitution Day - September 17
USAF (Air Force) Birthday-Sept 18
Air National Guard Birthday-Sept 18
National POW/MIA Day-3rd Friday Sept
Gold Star Mothers Day-last Sunday Sept
VFW Day - September 29
OCTOBER
Columbus Day-2nd Monday October
US Navy Birthday - October 13
Day of the Deployed-October 26
Navy Day - October 27
Halloween - October 31
NOVEMBER
National Veteran & Military Family Month
Warrior Care Month
National Family Caregivers Month
Nat. Veteran Small Business Week Nov 1
Election Day - November 2
Marine Corps Birthday - November 10
Veterans Day - November 11
Armistice Day - November 11
Thanksgiving - 4th Thursday November
DECEMBER
Civil Air Patrol Birthday - December 1
Pearl Harbor Day - December 7
US National Guard Birthday -Dec. 13
Wreaths Across America - Dec. 18
Christmas Day - December 25
New Years Eve - December 31
Let’s Come Together to Prevent Suicide
The Department of Defense (DoD) is committed to preventing suicide among Service members, veterans, and their families. Suicide prevention is a DoD priority throughout the year. Still, September — Suicide Prevention Month (SPM) — is a time when the Department brings added attention to the complex issue of suicide and emphasizes the valuable resources and support available year-round. This year, the DoD’s SPM theme, connectedness, highlights the critical role relationships and interpersonal connections to family, friends, the community, and resources can play in preventing suicide.
Research indicates that connectedness is a factor that can reduce the likelihood someone will consider or attempt suicide. Social connections that individuals can count on and a sense of belongingness can be protective factors against suicide. At the same time, loneliness and feeling like a burden can increase the risk for suicide for some individuals. In support of this theme, the 2021 SPM slogan is Connect to Protect: Support is Within Reach, emphasizing connections with others and the community, as well as with suicide prevention resources.
Each of us needs to focus on how we can “Connect to Protect” Service members, veterans, DoD civilians, and their families and show that support is readily available. We have a moral duty to protect each other — now more than ever.
The 2021 SPM Campaign Outreach Toolkit provides guidance and helpful resources for planning and executing your SPM and campaign program and activities.
September 2021 by Frank Larkin and Leroy Petry, Military Times
House and Senate lawmakers have an opportunity to save the lives of veterans and service members who are perilously disconnected and pondering suicide by supporting a burgeoning grassroots effort to designate an annual “National Warrior Call Day.”
The need for a renewed and reinvigorated national effort to stem military suicides is even more pressing following the rapid reversal of fortunes in Afghanistan, where more than 775,000 U.S. service members deployed at least once in the last 20 years and whose veterans already are suffering a high rate of suicide.
Wherever one falls on the continuum of supporting America’s longest war, the anguish and frustration of many who served there, their questioning of whether it was worth the precious price, will have a long shelf life for years to come.
The inaugural National Warrior Call Day, which if approved by Congress and signed into law by the president, would take place Nov. 21. The day would mark a coast-to-coast call to action to connect with vets and service members. It asks that all Americans make a call to a warrior, with someone who has worn or is currently wearing the uniform, and connect them with supports if necessary.
What is driving the push for the annual designation is the disquieting fact that as many as two-thirds of the veterans who take their own lives are terribly disconnected and have had no contact with the Department of Veterans Affairs network of services and supports. Connecting with these warriors, especially those who have cycled through Afghanistan and Iraq, can make all the difference.
September 2021
By Micharl Hill, The Associated Press
STILLWATER, N.Y. (AP) — Military veterans who carefully dug and sifted through clumps of dirt this month at a Revolutionary War battlefield in New York did more than uncover artifacts fired from muskets and cannons.
The meticulous field work gave the veterans — some dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder and physical injuries — a familiar sense of camaraderie and mission.
So while the archaeological dig at the Saratoga National Historical Park produced evidence from the tide-turning Second Battle of Saratoga, the teamwork behind the finds also benefited the veterans.
“We can all come together, share your battle stories, your deployment stories, and share your love for the history of what you’re digging,” said Bjorn Bruckshaw, of Laconia, New Hampshire, during a break on a recent hazy morning.
Bruckshaw, 38, was part of a three-person crew that spent the morning digging small holes at spots that set off metal detectors, then searching though the damp clumps to uncover ... old nails, mostly...
These are unprecedented times. Amid concerns over COVID-19 and the country’s preparation to address the medical needs of its residents, ability to flatten the curve, and the short and long term economic ramifications, I’m reminded of a famous quote by Fred “Mister” Rogers: “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping,’” he said to his television viewers. While this is true, there is a population of helpers often overlooked – military service dogs.
They’re trained to perform heroic duties such as explosive detection, patrolling, search and rescue, and subduing a foe. Military working dogs are found in each branch of the armed forces, including the Marines, Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Navy. Many times, these dogs can access areas humans cannot; their agility, superior sense of smell, and ability to detect movement are invaluable qualities to their handlers and our nation’s security.
August 2021 by Blake Stilwell, military.com
A Microsoft tech education program that military members and veterans could previously take by leveraging their tuition assistance or GI Bill funds is now offering its program at no cost, the company announced Wednesday.
The program, Microsoft Software and Systems Academy, or MSSA, will instead be funded entirely by Microsoft. It was previously held primarily in an in-person classroom setting but will now be 100% remote, a company official announced.
"As of February 2021, participants will no longer need to use their GI Bill to cover MSSA program costs," Chris Cortez, Microsoft's vice president of military affairs, wrote on LinkedIn. "And the training will be accessible through online delivery to all eligible U.S. military service members and veterans nationwide across time zones -- even if they are living outside the country."
Cortez and his team put in place the new model after shifting the program online during the pandemic.
"The pandemic understandably changed our in-person training model," he wrote. "Since moving to online-only instruction, we've had the opportunity to reassess our strategy and ensure our offering is best serving this community."
August 2021, U.S. Veterans Magazine
People who live through a traumatic event sometimes suffer its effects long after the real danger has passed. This is called post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.
While PTSD is often associated with combat veterans, any survivor of a natural disaster, physical abuse or other traumatic event may suffer from it. The good news is that with professional help, PTSD is treatable.
But the first steps in getting help are learning the risk factors, recognizing the symptoms and understanding the treatment options.
Knowing the risk factors
Several factors play a role in developing PTSD, such as individual personality, severity of the event, proximity to the event, the people involved in the event, duration of the trauma and the amount of support the person receives afterward.
You may be at higher risk if you:
When pursuing an education after the military, veterans are often faced with the choice between using the Montgomery GI Bill or the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Which of these benefits is right for you depends on your educational goals and service history.
Both the Montgomery and the Post-9/11 GI Bills offer up to 36 months of tuition assistance, but eligibility and payment structures differ. Although veterans can only use one GI Bill at a time, those eligible for both programs can extend their benefits to a maximum of 48 months, receiving another benefit for 12 months.
Post-9/11
Under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the VA will pay up to the in-state tuition price tag of public universities. For veterans enrolled in a private institution, tuition assistance is capped at a national maximum of $25,162.14 for the 2020 to 212021 school year.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill also offers benefits including a monthly housing allowance, annual book stipend of up to $1,000, and a one-time relocation payment for eligible recipients.
Montgomery
The Montgomery GI Bill breaks down into two types, the MGIB Active Duty and the MGIB Selected Reserve. MGIB-SR benefits, which are open to members of reserve and National Guard forces, pay a flat-rate check of $397 to full-time students each month.
The MGIB-AD, however, offers up to a $2,122 monthly rate. These rates change each year.
Instead of paying tuition benefits to the school, as the Post-9/11 GI Bill does, the MGIB sends a monthly check directly to the student. Students are not eligible for housing allowances or book stipends and cannot receive additional funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
MGIB benefits cannot be transferred to dependents.......
In most scenarios, the Post-9/11 GI Bill offers veteran students more financial assistance than the MGIB, especially when pursuing a standard, four-year degree at an accredited higher learning institution or passing your benefits to a dependent. There are a few exceptions, however. Namely:
Taking tests: When pursuing a license or paying for a standardized test, the Post-9/11 GI Bill may charge you a greater amount of benefits entitlement than the MGIB. This depends on the cost of the test and varies by scenario.
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Here are 10 pictures picked for the week...SEPTEMBER 19, 2021
Veterans who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness are strongly encouraged to contact the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at (877) 4AID-VET (877-424-3838) for assistance. If Veterans do not have access to a phone or the internet, only then are they to visit their closest VA medical center without calling in advance. VA also urges Veterans who are not homeless or at risk of homelessness to contact their VA medical center before visiting for any reason. These steps are necessary to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
VA is committed to ending homelessness among Veterans. Our focus is threefold:
August 2021
This is a National Directory for resources that you as a Veteran, Military, Family member, Caregiver might need to assist you and help you with your needs.
https://nrd.gov/Homeless-Assistance
https://nrd.gov/Education-Training
https://nrd.gov/Family-Caregiver-Support
May 2021, The Conversation
As many as 1 in 5 of the roughly 2.7 million Americans deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001 are experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder.
PTSD, a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening traumatic event, is a complex condition and can be hard to treat. Our lab is studying whether service dogs can help these military veterans, who may also have depression and anxiety – and run an elevated risk of death by suicide – in addition to having PTSD.
We’ve been finding that once veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder get service dogs, they tend to feel less depressed and less anxious and miss work less frequently.
The traditional treatments for PTSD, such as talk therapy and medication, do work for many veterans. But these approaches do not alleviate the symptoms for all veterans, so a growing number of them are seeking additional help from PTSD service dogs.
August 2021, by Richard Sisk, Military.com
Hershel Woodrow "Woody" Williams of Quiet Dell, West Virginia, became a Marine legend on Iwo Jima with a 70-pound M2 flamethrower strapped to his back. But he says he still has promises to keep at age 97 even after a lifetime of postwar service to veterans and Gold Star families.
Trying to live up to the responsibility that comes with the Medal of Honor, Williams spent 33 years after the war with what was then known as the Veterans Administration, first as a counselor and then overseeing 16 VA offices across West Virginia to advise veterans and widows on their benefits.
But that was not enough in Williams' mind to fulfill the duty he saw goes along with wearing the nation's highest award for valor.
He saw a void in the recognition of Gold Star families' sacrifices, whether their loved ones fell in combat or succumbed to what became known as the "invisible wounds" of war. So he set out to plug the gap.
Through his Woody Williams Foundation, he began to raise money and rally community support to put up Gold Star Families Memorial Monuments to those for whom wars never end after the fateful knock on the door, despite cease-fires or withdrawal timelines.
Currently, there are 86 monuments standing, with plans for 74 more. That might include one at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Virginia, near Marine Corp Base Quantico, if he can get the service to go along. Williams said he's been bugging the Marine Corps about that but has yet to make headway. "I haven't given up yet," he said.
Ah, super glue — the greatest-of-all-time fast-acting adhesive for all of your stuck-together needs.
Chances are, you have a tube of this in that kitchen drawer, you know, the one with all the takeout menus, rubber bands and random keys to who knows what doors (you should probably clean that out by the way), because it’s an undeniable necessity.
But before it occupied space in our junk drawers, and our hearts, it was accidentally developed for the U.S. military.
Too sticky for Army weapons
In 1942, companies across the country were looking to support the war effort, including the Eastman Kodak Company. One if its inventors, Dr. Harry Wesley Coover, accidentally created a new compound while attempting to make clear plastic gun sights for Allied soldiers.
The compound, cyanoacrylate, was incredibly durable but way too sticky to use. (Imagine getting Krazy Glue anywhere near your eye. No thanks!) So Coover and his team abandoned the substance, not wanting to get stuck, literally or figuratively, on it.
Over a decade later, Coover, who would become known as “Mr. Super Glue,” rediscovered the adhesive compound while researching heat-resistant polymers for jet canopies. Cyanoacrylate adhesives required no heat or pressure to stick items together and hold them permanently. Thus, in 1956, the patent for “Alcohol-Catalyzed Cyanoacrylate Adhesive Compositions/Superglue” was born. How’s that for a name?
August 2021
By Jonathan D. Salant | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Yes, puppies and veterans can paper over the partisan divides in the U.S. Congress.
The Senate last week took a break from debating the $1 trillion infrastructure bill and passed legislation by voice vote to teach military veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder how to train service dogs to help them, and then to have them adopt the animals. The House approved the measure in May.
The bill calls for a five-year pilot program under the Department of Veterans Affairs.
More than 300 House members co-sponsored the veterans bill, some of them convinced to sign on by Sherrill, who used a card featuring a picture of a Golden Retriever puppy to make her case.
With Senate passage, the legislation now goes to President Joe Biden for his signature.
“Experts agree that service dogs are one of the best mental health treatments to help bring relief, solace, and recovery for our veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress,” said Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-11th Dist., a Navy veteran and a bill co-sponsor.
”After dedicating so much to the nation, our veterans deserve the best care available and this program will help deliver it. It’s my hope the president signs it as soon as possible.”
April 2021 by Blake Stilwell, Military.com
These days, service members need to be wary of the multitude of online for-profit schools out to get a piece of their coveted Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. Depending on which “academic institution” is looking to sign them up, the term “Results May Vary” doesn’t come close to describing some of the “schools” out there.
But there are better choices for service members with non-traditional schedules who are looking for a good distance education to prepare them for life after the military. National University was founded by a veteran with similar issues and is today the second-largest nonprofit online school in America.
David Chigos’ transition to civilian life had been rough. As a retiring naval officer in 1967, he tried to enroll in night classes at San Diego State University. The only problem, he said, was that San Diego State didn’t offer night classes, so he was faced with the choice of going to school or working during the day. He knew there were veterans and civilians like him trying to balance both tasks.
In 1971, Chigos was working as a management development specialist for the General Dynamics corporation. The academic system in the U.S. kept many executives from pursuing higher education. So he did what any veteran might consider doing: fixing the problem by creating a college for the “real world” at a fraction of the cost.
“From the trunk of my car,” he founded National University, completely upending the idea of how academic programs were formed, he said. Chigos created academic programs with a no-frills look at the world. National University would offer classes that would lead to education and employment. His first class numbered 27 students....
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.
August 2021 by Blake Stilwell, Military.com
SkillBridge is one of the most groundbreaking programs the U.S. military ever introduced to help transition service members into civilian life. It allows veterans looking to separate from the military to work in training opportunities, internships and apprenticeships during the last 180 days of their enlistment while still receiving full pay and benefits.
The only problem is that navigating SkillBridge to browse those opportunities is a notoriously difficult task. 50Strong was founded to help bridge the gap between the way the military works and the way the civilian world works, and it starts with an internship tool. Simply click here and scroll down to the middle of the page to start browsing.
0Strong was founded by Kandi Tillman, a former corporate executive whose resume boasts some pretty impressive names, like Oracle, Proctor & Gamble and Standard & Poor. It’s safe to say she knows something about getting a job in the civilian world. When she met her now-husband, Kevin Tillman, he was a veteran struggling to get what he calls "a regular job."
Kandi helped her husband with every aspect of his job search, from resume writing to employer referrals. Eventually, he landed a job at Lockheed Martin. The pair eventually founded 50Strong with the mission of smoothing out the process for any and all veterans.
Their idea is that military norms to which veterans are accustomed often do not make the jump into the ways civilian companies look for and hire talent. 50Strong has developed a twofold approach to facilitating the process of helping veterans understand the way their new world works.
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.
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 Freedo
September 2021 by J.D. Simkins, Observation Post
Pin-Ups For Vets is releasing its annual calendar in an effort to raise money to support hospitalized veterans and deployed personnel.
This year’s edition, which features 12 women — veterans representing all five branches of the military decked out in 1940s vogue — marks the 16th year the company has released a calendar designed to raise morale while shattering stereotypes about women in the armed services.
The organization’s founder Gina Elise called this year’s initiative a great way to help “female veterans embrace their femininity again.”
“Many of the ladies have said that being involved with our organization has given them a renewed sense of purpose after transitioning out of the military,” Elise said. “It has given them a community again, and a mission to give back.”
Past issues have included veterans from all walks of life, including Kirstie Ennis, a wounded Marine veteran who received the 2019 Pat Tillman Award for Service at the 2019 ESPYS...
January 2021 By Leslie Thompson, Argus Observer
ONTARIO
In the absence of the Ontario Area Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Citizens of the Year awards, which have been celebrated annually since 1972, the Argus Observer aimed to help fill the gap created by the pandemic and offer the community the chance to nominate a citizen of the year.
Nominations for the Argus Observer Citizen of the Year for 2020 were open Jan. 1-8, and the community’s responses came pouring in for people throughout the Western Treasure Valley.
A unifying theme in all of these nominations was people who put their community’s needs before their own.
The person who garnered the most nominations for this inaugural award was Ron Verini, president and chairman of the board for Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida, a nonprofit dedicated to serving veterans. Trailing not far behind, but neck-in-neck, were Malheur County Health Department Director Sarah Poe, who is currently leading the local fight against COVID-19, and Jennifer Tolman, a pharmacist at Malheur Drug in Vale who, according to nominations is a vital part of groups that give back to the community.
Verini mentioned all the work these people do (and there isn’t room to list it all — it is extensive), which includes myriad services, such as running the nonprofit’s food bank, connecting vets with local services, finding housing, hosting a website and Facebook page, sitting and talking with local vets, building ramps, home renovations, setting up a station for the visually impaired to read books and putting together a military museum.
Along with others in the community who nominated Verini, many people from his core group of volunteers say they believe Verini deserves the award.
Haines said Verini is the initiator and motivator behind the nonprofit, which consists solely of volunteers.
“It takes a special gift and desire to motivate and inspire others to do the same,” said Haines. “This year has been unique. Ron has more than passed the test.”
When asked how he keeps inspiring volunteers, Verini had the following to say.
“I stay focused on the mission, and you treat people like you want to be treated,” he said. “I think it’s so important that folks understand that we are all in this together, truly. There is something about the human nature that comes to the surface on a positive level when people are treated with respect.”
Some of the volunteers have their own challenges, Verini said, including in some cases severe physical or mental challenges.
Upon finding out he won the Citizen of the Year award, Verini quickly went from disbelief to saying it was quite an honor “especially for Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida.” Then he quickly insisted (and still does) that the award really should go to the volunteers of the organization, without whom he says, “we don’t exist.”
“I am thrilled,” he said about the award. However, added, “It’s far from mine. VAOI would not exist if it wasn’t for the volunteers.”
He said that a core group of people helps get things done. That group includes Charlene Pelland, Doug Dean, Bob and Janet Metzger, Marilyn Justus, Vince and Claudia Schwartz, Billy Vance, Jan and Phil Jacques, David Looper, Margie Yasuda, Barbara Ogawa, Judy Snyder, Gerald Haines and John Breidenbach.
He furthermore said Veteran Advocates could not operate without community services, such as the Oregon Food Bank, Payette Senior Center and Community Action, nor without donations from businesses, such as the nonprofit’s number one contributor Grocery Outlet along with Albertsons, The Home Depot, Dr. Jeffrey Pitts, the Ontario Masonic Lodge and others.
“This is not my award,” Verini reiterated. “It’s an award that transcends anything I do.”
He said it belongs to the team of people who work together to provide services for vets and their family members.
“It’s unbelievable how many people are in that stream of support,” he said.
"If you give them responsibility and you let them take the lead, give a little bit of direction but respect what they have to say — I think that makes all the difference in the world, whether they are a volunteer, worker, political individual serving on the city council, whatever,” he said.
In turn, volunteers continue serving because they love what they are doing and are passionate about it.
“The volunteers take the lead, and I just give them direction
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
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. Our hours are 9am to 4pm, and with the Covid rules we have, masks are required as are number of people in the Office, so please call.
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.
Your support and contributions will enable us to meet our goals and improve conditions. Your generous donation will fund our mission.