Also please 'check-out' the Daily postings on our 'Facebook' page, click the 'facebook' logo below.

Welcome to Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida 'a Source for Veteran Resources'

180 W. Idaho Ave, Ontario, Oregon 97914

541-889-1978

Also please 'check-out' the Daily postings on our 'Facebook' page, click the 'facebook' logo below.

Welcome to Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida 'a Source for Veteran Resources'

180 W. Idaho Ave, Ontario, Oregon 97914

541-889-1978

2nd Annual VAOI 'ESSAY CONTEST' HONORING VETERANS

OPEN TO ALL ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN, MALHEUR,PAYETTE,WASHINGTON,CANYON COUNTIES

Dear Superintendent, Principals, Teachers and Parents:

Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida in conjunction with the Argus Observer is holding its second annual Essay Contest to honor our Veterans. This year’s Essay will be:

“Why is there a special day to honor our Veterans?”

Please make sure all students who would like to participate receive a copy of this packet.

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Here is a list of the guidelines that need to be followed:

1. This contest is open to all elementary, middle, and high school students in Malheur, Payette, and Washington Counties. There will be a first-place winner ($100), second place winner ($50) and third place winner ($25), in each group (elementary, middle and High Schools students).

2. Elementary school students must write 50 to 100 words. Middle school students must write 75 to 150 words and high school students must write 150 to 300 words.

3. Entries will be scored on clarity of thought (content), proper grammar, punctuation, spelling and adherence to contest theme and guidelines.

4. Entries must be submitted to Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida no later than November 5th, 4:00PM. Any late entries may not be considered for prize money. Entries may be put together in a packet and dropped off at Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida, 180 West Idaho Avenue, Ontario OR 97914. Masks are required! You will have to ring the doorbell and ask to give them to Charlene Pelland.

The packets may be emailed to veteranadv78@gmail.comor you may get the packet off of our website: www.veteranadvocates.org. Packets may also be picked up at Veteran Advocate of Ore-Ida or at the Argus Observer at 1160 SW 4th Avenue, Ontario Oregon 97914

5. By submitting an entry, the student agrees that the work is original, and unassisted and parents have given permission. Veteran Advocates of-Ida holds the right to publish any submissions to this contest, with credit given to the author.

We will all be looking forward to reading your essays and thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on Veterans Day!

Why is there a special day to honor our Veterans?

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Signature Date

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School Name Grade

INFORMATION AND ESSAY SHEETS (HOME SCHOOLED MAY ALSO ENTER)

2021 Veterans Day Essay Contest Information Sheet

Please Print

____________________________________ ________________

Name Date

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School Attending Grade

__________________________________ ____________________

Teacher contact phone number

_________________________________

Email address

____________________________ Parent Permission

Parent Name

______________________________ ______________ _____ ___________

Home address City State Zip

Do not Write below this line- For Judges only

Score 1 to 5, with 5 as the best:

Content: ______

Neatness: ______ Total Score: ___________

Grammar: ______

Followed rules of Format: ______

Spelling: __________

Punctuation: _______

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR ESSAY CONTEST

WELCOME A FEW RESOURCES OF INTEREST (click on pics for more)

Veteran Articles published Bi-monthly

1-855-948-2311 - This is the phone number for the 'White House' VA Hotline

Veteran Articles published Bi-monthly

The Chairman of Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida, Ronald Verini, writes two articles every month for publication in a Regional Newspaper, this article "TYPHOID MARY" will be published October 10, 2021. Here is a part of Mr. Verinis' article, and you can read the full article by clicking the red bar below.

"TYPHOID MARY"

October 10, 2021 Veterans Corner Article by Ronald Verini

Our freedom is never absolute. We must be able to transcend some of our own self-interests for the welfare of our community, as a whole. If we are not thinking about the greater good for all of us and only the individual freedom of myself then we would not be able to live in harmony with all around us. “Give me liberty or give me death.” was said by Patrick Henry. Some folks have taken this to their death bed and clumsy, at best leadership in some cases,toxic politics, and hardheaded folks are taking personal freedom and turning it against their neighbors and friends.

In the early 1890’s “Typhoid Mary” fought the authorities and sued to have her rights while contaminating many people because she did not want the government to tell her what to do. She fought for her rights and freedoms and by exercising them infected others and killed many.

In general: We have lost being civil to each other, we have been so divided that we have lost the compassion for each other and we have lost the humanity of understanding the importance of common good.

Our personal freedom is in jeopardy because we are destroying the very fiber of our Nation. We are dividing our Nation and seem to be unable to work together for the common good.

This is no longer about COVID, this has gone beyond the argument of wearing a mask or not, beyond getting vaccinated or not, this has gotten to the very core of our existence as a Nation united. We are killing ourselves from within. That is how I see it. Yet I see hope!!!

I bring up the inhumanity to each other and reflect on the Generals that we have in charge and how they also have become political pawns in the musical chairs of politics. I think about how all of this affects each and every one of we veterans that are fighting for the health care we desperately need. With all this turmoil what is going to keep level heads that determine when and were we go to war? How will we be treated when we come home?

TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE PLEASE CLICK THE RED BAR BELOW

Current & past Articles available

NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TO?

1-855-948-2311 - This is the phone number for the 'White House' VA Hotline

Veteran Articles published Bi-monthly

1-800-273-8255 press 1
Veterans Crisis Line

HOW TO CONNECT WITH A RESPONDER

Call

1-800-273-8255

and Press 1

TEXT - 838255

This free support is

Confidential
Available every day, 24/7

And serves

All Veterans
All Service members
National Guard and Reserve
Their family members and friends

Connect with the Veterans Crisis Line to reach caring, qualified responderswith the Department of Veterans Affairs. Many of them are Veterans themselves.

Dial 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1 to talk to someone.
Send a text message to 838255 to connect with a VA responder.
Start a confidential online chat session at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat.
Take a self-check quiz at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Quiz to learn whether stress and depression might be affecting you.
Find a VA facility near you.
Visit MilitaryCrisisLine.net if you are an active duty Service member, Guardsman, or Reservist.
Connect through chat, text, or TTY if you are deaf or hard of hearing.

More info on Crisis Line and Suicide Prevention

1-855-948-2311 - This is the phone number for the 'White House' VA Hotline

World War II, Korean War Marine’s stories brought to life in new graphic novel

Staff answering the White House VA Hotline. 1-855-948-2311 - service open 24/7

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.

Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255

More info from the VA on this service

World War II, Korean War Marine’s stories brought to life in new graphic novel

Marine Cpl. Marvin Strombo being grazed by a bullet in Korea His stories in a new magazine.

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.”

click here for more on this story

Traumatized Veterans Heal Through the Power of Nature

World War II, Korean War Marine’s stories brought to life in new graphic novel

2021 Military Calendar for Observances, Events & Holidays

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.

Read the full Article, click here.....

2021 Military Calendar for Observances, Events & Holidays

World War II, Korean War Marine’s stories brought to life in new graphic novel

2021 Military Calendar for Observances, Events & Holidays

MONTH OF AUGUST

Antiterrorism Awareness Month

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

Click here to read the full Year Calendar

Airmen assigned to the 210th and 212th Rescue Squadrons participate in a rescue exercise

A snowstorm and a plane crash stranded 13 in Alaska

Guardsmen who rescued them have won an award.

October 2021 by Rachel S. Cohen, Military Times

It could have been a scene ripped from an action film: Two simultaneous, high-stakes rescue missions. A late-spring blizzard in the inhospitable Alaskan mountains. Ill mountain climbers. A crashed plane. And a scramble for aircraft to carry 13 people to safety.

That Hollywood-esque adventure played out in real life over Memorial Day weekend this year, earning the Air National Guardsmen of the 176th Wing at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage the 2021 Jolly Green Rescue Mission of the Year award from the Jolly Green Association.

More than 75 airmen across 10 units in the wing responded to the dual emergencies in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, described in Air Force press releases on June 7 and Sept. 29. The 13.2 million-acre park is as large as Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park and Switzerland combined.

“Generating these sorties required all hands on deck as weekend-alert maintenance personnel were called in to repair and inspect nearly our entire fleet for continuous, extended-range rescue operations,” said Chief Master Sgt. Eric Chester, the 176th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron superintendent. “Our maintenance teams generated more than 250 percent of our normal aircraft capacity.”

The problems began the morning of Saturday, May 29, when two members of a group of mountaineers on Klutlan Glacier, near Mount Bona in eastern Alaska, fell ill with altitude sickness around 14,000 feet. Civilian rescue efforts in the area tried and failed to fly through thick clouds, high winds and whiteout snow to reach the climbers, the Air Force said, so the National Park Service called in the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center at JBER.

Learn More

click here for more on this Guardsmen rescue story

Navy SEAL Special Warfare Operator First Class (SO1) Ryan Larkin died by suicide on April 23, 2017.

Please be aware - help others with Suicide Prevention

As Afghanistan unravels, lawmakers can lead a new push to save vets, service members from suicide

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.

Find out more read the full article..

Hickam 15th Medical Group hosts the first COVID-19 mass vaccination on Joint Base Pearl-Harbor

92% of Active-Duty Troops Have Been Vaccinated

October 2021 by Patricia Kime, Military.com

More than 92% of active-duty troops have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as service deadlines for getting the jab approach.

But roughly 103,000 service members haven't even gotten their first shot despite deadlines for being fully immunized. That includes roughly 48,600 Army soldiers, 7,000 Navy sailors, 15,500 Air Force airmen and Space Force Guardians, and 26,800 Marines, according to statistics released by the services.

With the Air Force and Space Force deadline of Nov. 2 less than four weeks away, the airmen and Guardians who have not yet been vaccinated will miss the mandate unless they opt to get the one-dose vaccine made by Johnson & Johnson within the next two weeks.

According to data obtained Wednesday by Military.com, 90% of the Army, 98% of the Navy, 95.4% of the Air Force and Space Force, and 85% of the Marine Corps have been partially or fully vaccinated.

For the Coast Guard, which falls under the Department of Homeland Security, 92% of the active duty force has received at least one dose, while 86% are fully vaccinated.

An official told Military.com that Coast Guard men and women have been ordered to "be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as operations allow, starting immediately."

Find out more read the full story, click here..

Volunteer trainer Bill Rose, left, watches veterans work at the Second Battle of Saratoga

Veterans at Revolutionary battlefield dig find camaraderie

Searching for Revolutionary War artifacts at the Saratoga National Historical Park

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...

Find out more about Battlefield Digs..

SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL SERVICE DOG MONTH

All About Military Service Dogs

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.

What Are Military Dogs & What Do They Do?

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.

Microsoft Offers Its Military-Veteran Upskill cost free

The program, Microsoft Software and Systems Academy, or MSSA

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."

Read the full article

SEVERAL FACTORS PLAY A ROLE IN DEVELOPING PTSD

Recognizing Symptoms of PTSD

People living through traumatic events sometimes suffer it's effects long after

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:

Were directly involved in the traumatic event
Were injured or had a near-death experience
Survived an especially long-lasting or severe traumatic event
Truly believed your life or that of someone around you was in danger
Had a strong emotional or physical reaction during the event
Received little or no support following the event
Have multiple other sources of stress in your life

FRead More on Symptoms of PTSD

Some Stories that Inspire, and have 'Positive Energy'

Best Picks for the Week OCTOBER 3, 2021

National Resource Directory online for Veterans, Wounded, Ill & injured service members & Family

What Veterans Who Are Homeless or At Risk of Homelessness Should do for Help

members of the Army's parachute demonstration team, the Golden Knights

Here are 10 pictures picked for the week...october 3, 2021

Please click here for the pictures

What Veterans Who Are Homeless or At Risk of Homelessness Should do for Help

National Resource Directory online for Veterans, Wounded, Ill & injured service members & Family

What Veterans Who Are Homeless or At Risk of Homelessness Should do for Help

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.

No Veteran Should Be Without a Place to Call Home

VA is committed to ending homelessness among Veterans. Our focus is threefold:

Conducting coordinated outreach to proactively seek out Veterans in need of assistance.
Connecting homeless and at-risk Veterans with housing solutions, health care, community employment services and other required supports.
Collaborating with federal, state and local agencies; employers; housing providers, faith-based and community nonprofits; and others to expand employment and affordable housing options for Veterans exiting homelessness.

Click here for more on the VA Homeless Programs

National Resource Directory online for Veterans, Wounded, Ill & injured service members & Family

A National Directory database for veterans, family members, caregivers and service members.

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

https://nrd.gov/Health

https://nrd.gov/Employment

https://nrd.gov/Housing

https://nrd.gov/PVB

Click Here to "Log On" to the National Resource Directory & get Started!!

Service dogs can help veterans with PTSD

The Last Battle for Iwo Jima Legend Woody Williams, Only Surviving WWII Medal of Honor Recipient

National Resource Directory online for Veterans, Wounded, Ill & injured service members & Family

growing evidence shows service dogs may reduce anxiety in practical ways

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.

Complementing other forms of treatment

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.

Find out more - read the whole story about service dogs & veterans

The Last Battle for Iwo Jima Legend Woody Williams, Only Surviving WWII Medal of Honor Recipient

Hershel "Woody" Williams receives the Medal of Honor from President Harry S Truman, October 1945

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.

Read the full article...

How World War II led to the invention of super glue

The Last Battle for Iwo Jima Legend Woody Williams, Only Surviving WWII Medal of Honor Recipient

Dr. Harry Coover discovered 'super glue' during WWII

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?

Feel Stuck? Find out more

Some Ongoing Stories of Interest For Our Veterans

Puppies and veterans just breached the partisan divide in Congress

National University Is a Nonprofit Online School Created by a Veteran for the Military

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.”

More about Puppies and Veterans..

National University Is a Nonprofit Online School Created by a Veteran for the Military

(U.S. Army/Sgt. 1st Class Gary A. Witte)

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....

Read the full article, click here....

DoD SkillBridge: The best military transition program you didn’t know existed

National University Is a Nonprofit Online School Created by a Veteran for the Military

DoD SkillBridge: The best military transition program you didn’t know existed

James Montgomery, right, management analyst, Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Pea

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.

For more on this story click here

Trouble Navigating SkillBridge? 50Strong Is Here to Help

Veterans Can Now Learn About Their Toxic Exposure Risks with New VA App

DoD SkillBridge: The best military transition program you didn’t know existed

SkillBridge is a groundbreaking program to help transition service members into civilian life

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.

VA's updated list of Agent Orange sites outside of Vietnam

Veterans Can Now Learn About Their Toxic Exposure Risks with New VA App

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.

Click here for list of Agent Orange sites in USA

Veterans Can Now Learn About Their Toxic Exposure Risks with New VA App

Soldiers burn trash in an old dumpster at Joint Security Station Adl in western Baghdad in 2008.

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.

The last option sorts exposure risks by conflict, ranging from World War II to Operation Iraqi Freedo

Pin-ups-for Vets 2022 Calendar

Veteran Women pose to raise $$ for Hospitalized Vets & deployed personnel...

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...

Find out more & see more pics

Ron Verini (5th from the left) along with a few Volunteers and Board Members of Veteran Advocates of

Meet your citizen of the year 2020

Ron Verini, leader of nonprofit dedicated to veterans reluctant to take credit for his win

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.

Motivating volunteers

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.

‘It’s far from mine’

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

Our Campus Headquarters, Ontario, Oregon

THANK YOU FOR VISITING OUR WEBPAGE!

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.

Welcome to Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida 'a Source for Veteran Resources'

Welcome to Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida 'a Source for Veteran Resources'

CHECK OUT THESE RESOURES AND STORIES ON OUR WEBPAGES

This will take you to our very exciting "Facebook" page

Welcome to our Website, Here is the 'Quote' of the month for OCTOBER....

2nd Annual VAOI 'ESSAY CONTEST' HONORING VETERANS

OPEN TO ALL ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN, MALHEUR,PAYETTE,WASHINGTON,CANYON COUNTIES

INFORMATION AND ESSAY SHEETS (HOME SCHOOLED MAY ALSO ENTER)

WELCOME A FEW RESOURCES OF INTEREST (click on pics for more)

Veteran Articles published Bi-monthly

1-855-948-2311 - This is the phone number for the 'White House' VA Hotline

Veteran Articles published Bi-monthly

NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TO?

1-855-948-2311 - This is the phone number for the 'White House' VA Hotline

Veteran Articles published Bi-monthly

Call

1-855-948-2311 - This is the phone number for the 'White House' VA Hotline

1-855-948-2311 - This is the phone number for the 'White House' VA Hotline

World War II, Korean War Marine’s stories brought to life in new graphic novel

World War II, Korean War Marine’s stories brought to life in new graphic novel

World War II, Korean War Marine’s stories brought to life in new graphic novel

World War II, Korean War Marine’s stories brought to life in new graphic novel

Traumatized Veterans Heal Through the Power of Nature

World War II, Korean War Marine’s stories brought to life in new graphic novel

2021 Military Calendar for Observances, Events & Holidays

2021 Military Calendar for Observances, Events & Holidays

World War II, Korean War Marine’s stories brought to life in new graphic novel

2021 Military Calendar for Observances, Events & Holidays

A snowstorm and a plane crash stranded 13 in Alaska

Guardsmen who rescued them have won an award.

Learn More

Please be aware - help others with Suicide Prevention

As Afghanistan unravels, lawmakers can lead a new push to save vets, service members from suicide

92% of Active-Duty Troops Have Been Vaccinated

October 2021 by Patricia Kime, Military.com

Veterans at Revolutionary battlefield dig find camaraderie

Searching for Revolutionary War artifacts at the Saratoga National Historical Park

SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL SERVICE DOG MONTH

All About Military Service Dogs

What Are Military Dogs & What Do They Do?

Microsoft Offers Its Military-Veteran Upskill cost free

The program, Microsoft Software and Systems Academy, or MSSA

Recognizing Symptoms of PTSD

People living through traumatic events sometimes suffer it's effects long after

Some Stories that Inspire, and have 'Positive Energy'

Best Picks for the Week OCTOBER 3, 2021

National Resource Directory online for Veterans, Wounded, Ill & injured service members & Family

What Veterans Who Are Homeless or At Risk of Homelessness Should do for Help

What Veterans Who Are Homeless or At Risk of Homelessness Should do for Help

National Resource Directory online for Veterans, Wounded, Ill & injured service members & Family

What Veterans Who Are Homeless or At Risk of Homelessness Should do for Help

No Veteran Should Be Without a Place to Call Home

National Resource Directory online for Veterans, Wounded, Ill & injured service members & Family

National Resource Directory online for Veterans, Wounded, Ill & injured service members & Family

National Resource Directory online for Veterans, Wounded, Ill & injured service members & Family

Service dogs can help veterans with PTSD

The Last Battle for Iwo Jima Legend Woody Williams, Only Surviving WWII Medal of Honor Recipient

National Resource Directory online for Veterans, Wounded, Ill & injured service members & Family

Complementing other forms of treatment

The Last Battle for Iwo Jima Legend Woody Williams, Only Surviving WWII Medal of Honor Recipient

The Last Battle for Iwo Jima Legend Woody Williams, Only Surviving WWII Medal of Honor Recipient

The Last Battle for Iwo Jima Legend Woody Williams, Only Surviving WWII Medal of Honor Recipient

How World War II led to the invention of super glue

The Last Battle for Iwo Jima Legend Woody Williams, Only Surviving WWII Medal of Honor Recipient

The Last Battle for Iwo Jima Legend Woody Williams, Only Surviving WWII Medal of Honor Recipient

Some Ongoing Stories of Interest For Our Veterans

Puppies and veterans just breached the partisan divide in Congress

National University Is a Nonprofit Online School Created by a Veteran for the Military

National University Is a Nonprofit Online School Created by a Veteran for the Military

National University Is a Nonprofit Online School Created by a Veteran for the Military

National University Is a Nonprofit Online School Created by a Veteran for the Military

National University Is a Nonprofit Online School Created by a Veteran for the Military

DoD SkillBridge: The best military transition program you didn’t know existed

National University Is a Nonprofit Online School Created by a Veteran for the Military

DoD SkillBridge: The best military transition program you didn’t know existed

Trouble Navigating SkillBridge? 50Strong Is Here to Help

Veterans Can Now Learn About Their Toxic Exposure Risks with New VA App

DoD SkillBridge: The best military transition program you didn’t know existed

VA's updated list of Agent Orange sites outside of Vietnam

Veterans Can Now Learn About Their Toxic Exposure Risks with New VA App