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  Broken Promises or Ramblings of an ‘Ol Veteran?

December 8, 2019 Veterans Corner Article by Ronald Verini

Back in the 60’s and 70’s when Vietnam was raging on and the hippies were running around with the slogan ‘Make Love Not War’ our nation was divided, a little like it is today in many parts. Back then we sent our men and women to a war zone to fight an enemy far away to an unpopular war. Today we struggle with sending our men and women to various war zones that also have a dividing political pull that has brought about the same type of pull that  some say weakens our nation. In both cases our troops are caught in the middle. 

Think about the fact that we send these men and women to fight, sacrifice and at times die for us.  What do you think those troops are thinking when over there fighting for us and some of us are back here squabbling about weather we are going to abandon the very people that have supported us in fighting in the war zones… I remember the Montagnards and interpreters in Vietnam and now the Kurds in Syria and our interpreters in Afghanistan/Iraq that have helped us in those wars. Now our troops are coming back with some serious problems, get into trouble with the law, go to jail, come out to be deported because they were not a  citizen when they served our country. They served us knowing that this also would be a path to citizenship and come to find out the rules have changed and we used them to fight for us and then tossed them out of our country because of a new rule! They come back wounded with PTSD or TBI, have a problem adjusting and instead of helping them with their wounds we turn our back and let them fend for themselves and they make bad choices. We should be helping them not turning our backs on them. 

Maybe in all these cases our men and women feel that they have been a pawns in a series of ‘pushes and pulls’ that when they come back that they should not only be treated for the open wounds of war but the invisible wounds of war or the gases/toxic fumes that were all around them on the battlefield…

No wonder some of them gravitate to alternative medication to get over the pain they have, real pain  from a IED, or real confusion that has altered his/her mind with PTSD… what ever the reason we are not doing enough. 

In ‘Nam it was the lure of marijuana on the battlefields and also the drug of choice for many right here at home with the hippies. Some troops came back smoking it and some never put it down… some went to jail because of it. Today there is a Bill legalizing MJ and if it clears the house, this could permit the VA to recommend use for our Veterans… Crazy world that we put our troops in and we expect them to be ‘normal’ when they come back, is that right?

You might think that I have been rattling on and not getting to a point and you are somewhat correct because I am pulled since I got back from ‘Nam as to why our Country sends our men/women to fight, and forget the consequences of war. Our friends that fought along side of us, and those soldiers that we turned our backs on and then deported them, those invisible scars that are not attended too, our fight for health care from Agent Orange, toxic waste, oil wells, Burning Pits, or just the fact that the rules keep changing and making it more evasive and harder to find help, only continues to confound those who in serving our country return to different sets of rules and definitions than when they signed up.

Just a little side note as where the thoughts for this column started: Yep, we were sitting around the coffee table at Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida with a Vietnam, Korean, WWII and Gulf War Veterans talking about their different experiences of service. This is their collective thought about when they came home and were expected to assimilate back into civilian life and all is supposed to be ‘normal’. Right!!!!

“Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed”. Alexander Pope, 1688 to 1744, Poet, Satirist, scholar

  Veterans History and Stories Told   

November 10, 2019 Veterans Corner Article by Ronald Verini

Every veteran has a story. Some filled with subjects that can never really and completely be talked about, others filled with some of the most hilarious subjects that keep you laughing. Many stories are centered only on wartime service, others deal with the trials and tribulations of military service. The fact is though a ‘lot of stories’ are being told, for it is estimated that in the US the number of men and women that have served in the military from our Revolutionary War 1775 through our present occupations in 2019 number between 40 to 50 million people. Yes, and a lot of untold stories that can never be told, for those that never made it home, who “gave all” to this great country and our freedoms, those number over 1,700,00. 

How very important is it then, that we take the time, the effort and the desire to spend hearing, learning and understanding the experiences of those men and women who chose to support our values and freedoms by making the choice to serve our great country. They indeed have much to say in sharing their reasons not only for serving our country, but for how their service has altered or changed their lives. Yes, their reflections bridge the gap between hilarious and those plagued with physical and mental wounds. We can learn a lot by just caring enough to listen and learn. And maybe then if we are moved enough, we might actually take action to assist those that truly need our voice and our help to regain a normalcy and a life in our communities.

For those whose voices that will never again be heard, I list here the history of some of the actions and names of our Oregon “Fallen Heroes”. Since the 1840’s there have been approximately over 6,000 Oregonians that have died fighting for our nation. During the Civil War period, Oregon mustered about 1,800 troops, and of those troops 46 were recorded as Killed in action. During WWI 968 Oregonians died including a pair of brothers, George & William Fallin both KIA in 1918. The National Archives show that between 1939 & 1945 during WWII, that there were 3,757 Oregonians who died of their wounds, died in POW camps, were missing or died in non-combat causes. From 1950 to 1957 during the Korean War, 269 Oregonians died in that conflict, some still missing. Maj. Felix Asla Jr., USAF, from La Grande and Cpl. Dwayne W. Barton, US Army from Wasco County, both remains are still missing.

The Vietnam War 1957 to 1975 there were 709 Oregonians that died in that conflict. Just about every town in Oregon had someone KIA. From Ontario: SGT Frank Mathews, 20; SP4 Ted Sharp, 20; PFC Felipe Villanueva, 22; SP4 Joseph Whitaker, Jr. 20 and others. From Vale: PFC Delos Buxton, 23; CAPT Derald Swift, 29. From Arock: PFC Kelly Davis, 19. From Harper: SGT Gary Friend, 20. From Huntington: CAPT Charles Moore, 37.

Yes, those stories will never fully be told: though their families and relatives generally keep their memories alive by sharing their pride of their service to our country. 

Veterans Day reminds us that it is important to ‘hear’ and listen to the stories our veterans have to tell, and it gives us as a community a chance to honor those that have served and that continue to serve our well-being.

Tomorrow, Veterans Day, breakfast for Veterans at the Armory hosted by Argus at 8:30 to 10:30 then lunch for Veterans at VAOI at 11AM to 3PM. Later a film, titled ‘Homemade’ will show at the Reel Theatre at 7:00pm: this is a documentary about the reintegration of a soldier back into civilian life and his battles. After the showing a panel discussion takes place. 

Then on Nov 13th (from 1PM to 3PM) join us at Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida (180 W. Idaho Ave, Ontario) in Honoring Jerry Haines for his National Volunteer award from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization: presented by Major General Garshak- The Adjutant General, Brig. General Schwartz and Chief Master Sergeant Bongiovi. Jerry will also receive the Spirit of Freedom award from Senator Crapo’s office. 

“War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse.” John Stuart Mill, 1806 to 1873, Philosopher, Economist

 Preserving Our Freedoms

October 13, 2019 Veterans Corner Article by Ronald Verini

We were sitting around the coffee table at Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida talking about the latest submarine being commissioned and my curiosity got the better of me and this story emerged, so I thought I would share it with you. It is the freedoms of our Nation and prevention of war that makes our military strength so important. My personal opinion.

The year was 1841, and Oregon was still a ‘Territory’ and being explored by the United States Exploring Expedition, which included Brigs and Sloops of the US Navy. At that time there was a rather extensive naval and sea operation along and up the mouth of the Columbia River from Astoria to Fort Vancouver, which housed the Northwest Naval operations of the US Exploring Expeditions. In August of 1841 a Lt. Charles Wilkes purchased the American Brig ‘Thomas H. Perkins’ for US Naval service, in order to house the Officers and crew and equipment of the USS Peacock which had been wrecked on a sandbar in the Columbia River just a month before. The USS Peacock then became the 1st ship to be named ‘USS Oregon’.

There were actually three ships of the US Navy to be named USS OREGON. The aforementioned 1841 USS Oregon, a ‘never-launched’ monitor (small warship) that broke up when being launched, and the 3rd commissioned in 1896 the USS Oregon (BB-3), which was a battleship that saw action in the Spanish-American War.

And now the 4th USS Oregon (SSN-793) a Virginia Class Submarine and the Navy’s newest attack submarine that was christened October 5, 2019 in Groton, Connecticut at the General Dynamic Electric Boat Shipyard. Mrs. Dana Richardson (native of Corvallis, Oregon) and wife of Ret. Admiral John Richardson (past Chief of Naval Operations) christened the nuclear submarine with sparkling wine from Oregon and water from Crater Lake.

The keynote address was delivered by U. S.  Rep. Greg Walden, who said the submarine, has the capability to prevent nuclear war. Construction began in 2014 and is the 20th Virginia-class Submarine. The USS Oregon will be joining the fleet in 2020 and the cost is expected to be around the $2.7 Billion dollar mark.

One of the features of this class of submarine is that according to Vice Admiral James Kilby, the Oregon is outfitted with the most modern weapons and sensors, will disappear beneath the waves and never be detected until a time and place of it’s choosing. It “truly represents naval combat power” said Vice Admiral Kilby. Also with the newest design changes this class of submarines will need one less period of maintenance in the shipyard thus they will be able to do more deployment time over their lifespan.

Interesting also to note that there were actually 8 more ships that had names referring to SS Oregon, one ship named USS Oregon City, one ship named USS Oregonian, also a SS Beaver State (T-ACS-10) and believe it or not, one ship of the Confederate States Navy named CSS Oregon.

By the way, Idaho also has a Virginia-Class Submarine named for the state, USS Idaho (SSN-799). Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced the name on August 23, 2015 at a ceremony in Idaho.

Then during the War of 1812 the United States Navy purchased a Schooner in 1812 and placed it in service in 1813, named it the USS Ontario (though not named for us here in Ontario, Or) but for its service in the small squadron on Lake Ontario to protect upstate New York from a British and Canadian invasion. A short life for she was sold in 1815. And there was another USS Ontario (AT-13) which was launched in 1912 and served as part of the Atlantic Fleet during WWI, and also during WWII served in the Pacific Fleet. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 1946 and sold to a private party.

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.” Ronald Regan – 1911 – 2004, 40th U. S. President, 33rd Governor of California, Actor and Union leader

Ethics: Truth Versus Lies?

September 15, 2019, Veterans Corner Article by Ronald Verini

As our country has just passed a milestone of 18 years of war and death, physical and mental injury, and is now entering into a unknown period of more of the same, many comments and observations from our local veterans around the ‘coffee table’ are becoming questions about “well just why did we used to go to war”, and “weren’t we commanded as troops a bit differently?”.  Their answers and conversations often reflect upon the reporting of ‘war correspondents’ such as Ernie Pyle, Edward R. Murrow, Ernest Hemmingway and more recently mentioning Anderson Cooper, Daniel Pearl and James Foley. The reality of a war correspondent (a journalist who covers stories firsthand from a war zone) is certainly not new, for instance around about 400 BC during the Greek Peloponnesian Wars, Thucydides wrote a history of the events he observed as a commander during those wars. Many Generals often quoted the writings of other commanders and war correspondents, General Patton being probably the most famous for those references.

As a person who enlisted for our country and was deployed to a war zone and saw first hand many operations of how war was administered, I now frequently reflect on the comments, observations and meanings of not only the journalists, but those vocal politicians, those ‘think-tank’ analysts, TV and radio commentators, and am still ‘scratching my head’ over some of their perspectives!! I think Bill Moyers, a prominent journalist and former White House Press Secretary was one of a few reporters that had a very unique insight into an assessment of our current era. One of his statements I think sums up some of the problems that our nation is facing: “Terms like ‘Liberty’ and ‘individual freedom’ invoked by generations of Americans who battled to widen the 1787 promise to’ promote the general welfare’ have been perverted to create a government primarily dedicated to the state and the political class that runs it. Yes Virginia, there is a class war and ordinary people are losing it”, from his “Help” speech in 2007.

Moyers often pointed out that Americas’ international ‘conflicts’ seemed to be based upon the: “failure to embrace a moral vision of America based on the transcendent faith that human beings are more than the sum of their material appetites, our Country is more than an economic machine, and freedom is not license but responsibility”. That quote was from his “For Americas Sake” speech in December 2006, and from his “Power of Democracy” speech in 2007: “Here is the crisis of the times as I see it: We talk about problems, issues, policies, but we don’t talk about what Democracy means – what it bestows upon us – the revolutionary idea that isn’t just about the means of governance but the means of dignifying people so they become fully free to claim their moral and political agency”.

The role of the ‘boots on the ground’ war correspondent has proved to be quite different not only with the area of conflict, but with the progressive innovation of communication equipment and the promotion of various types of journalistic reporting depending on the ‘political/social agenda’ of the company hiring the journalist. What you as an individual read and interpret of a war correspondents’ writings, are generally formed from your own personal viewpoints. The general consensus of most veterans, especially those that were active in war zones, is that the reporting from WWII was probably the most unbiased though the newer concept of ‘embedding’ correspondents with units in the battle zones certainly gives the concerned public a taste of ‘what it is really like’.

By the way: I just read about another Marine imprisoned by ICE after two tours, a bomb blast, traumatic brain injury, trouble with the law and now after being in our country since 3 years old Jose Segovia is facing deportation to El Salvador, a country that he doesn’t know. What did we promise him?

“American traditions and the American ethic require us to be truthful, but the most important reason is that truth is the best propaganda and lies are the worst. To be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable we must be credible; to be credible we must be truthful. It is as simple as that.” Edward R. Murrow, American Journalist, Broadcaster and War Correspondent; 1908 to 1965; attended WSU, Pullman, Wa. 

Another Perspective on Suicide Prevention 

August 18, 2019 Veterans Corner Article by Ronald Verini

I have personally known a few veterans that have taken their lives in the battle to overcome deep seeded personal emotional problems. Here in our western treasure valley, one young veteran who was so hopeful to help other vets, sadly ended his bright future under insurmountable emotional pressures.

Presented here is a very penetrating article discussing ‘veteran suicide’ by a military widow who lost her husband to suicide in 2005, a Marine Major who was preparing for a second Iraq deployment. Kim Ruocco now holds a master’s degree in clinical social work and has overseen the creation of the ‘TAPS Suicide Model of Support” program emphasizing the best approaches to care for survivors of military suicide.

“We see suicide in the headlines almost every day, most recently with another tragic veteran suicide on a VA medical campus in North Carolina. Recent CDC data shows national suicide rates are higher than they have been in several generations, and our military and veteran communities have suffered disproportionately. In a letter to commanders last week, Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David. L. Goldfein reported that 78 airmen have died by suicide so far this year, a rate alarming enough to spur the service to order an Air Force-wide safety-focused “stand down”. Additionally, the far smaller Marine Corps lost 77 of its own to suicide in 2018. Marking a 10-year high. Meanwhile, the Department of Veteran Affairs has reported that veterans from all service branches continue to die by suicide at a rate of roughly 20 every day. What is going on? Allow me to attempt at least a partial response. “

Mrs. Ruocco continues, “One problem is that there is an excessive focus on suicide prevention. The standard response following death by suicide or increasing suicide rates is to double down on prevention efforts: reviewing risk factors, teaching warnings signs, and broadcasting crisis hotlines. Focusing solely on prevention may inadvertently stigmatize survivors, peers and providers with subtle messages of guilt, shame and blame. Highlighting what was missed, or should have been caught, may just reinforce the torment they are already wrestling with. Although prevention efforts are well meaning and part of the process, they do not take into account the devastating impact that suicide has on those exposed. A 2015 report issued by the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention cited research that showed survivors of suicide loss are at increased risk of suicide themselves. A separate study conducted the same year by the National Institute of Mental Health found that soldiers belonging to Army Units with five or more suicide attempts in a year, faced double the suicide risk.”

The ‘TAPS” = Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, is a “Model of Support”, a non-profit, life-saving, best practices organization that Mrs. Ruocco helped found and is a vice president of, has assisted countless survivors of ‘military suicide loss’ and bases her recommendations on the compilation of data the organization has compiled, and she continues her article, “Taps is leading the way in a national call to action to do better in responding to suicide, in particular by codifying postvention as a standard industry practice. Postvention is a proactive intervention following a suicide that decreases risk and promotes healing for those exposed to the event.” “The most critical part of that model is the stabilization. Suicides are traumatic events for everyone, but especially for those who witness the deaths, discover the bodies, or provide cleanup at the scenes. According to the 2017 Department of Defense Suicide Event Report (or DODSER), approximately 76 percent of military suicides occurred either in the home, the barracks, a friend’s house or the workplace. This statistic highlights how many of our family members and service members are exposed to significant trauma, which can complicate grief and exacerbate existing mental and behavioral health issues in survivors.” To read the full article by Kim Ruocco, log onto the article published in the Military Times: https://www.militarytimes.com/opinion/commentary/2019/08/09/we-can-do-more-suicide-prevention-cannot-be-the-only-strategy/. 

“Battling for our Wounded Warriors to have a better tomorrow for what they battled for US yesterday.” Roxanne Ward.

Is the VA Health System Too Big?

July 21, 2019 Veterans Corner Article by Ronald Verini

I was stopped by one of our local Korean War veterans last week and asked why it was that there are always changes in the programs and policies at the VA (US Veterans Administration). Of course I couldn’t resist immediately quipping that ‘ if anybody had the real answer as to why our Federal Agencies and Politicians and Administrators made some of the decisions they make, well then they should win the Nobel Prize’. But that in my opinion the reality of the ‘consistent changes’ in the VA system, stem from needing to keep up with several factors. With the growth of our country comes the need to enlarge, alter, tweek, entice and retain a force of able bodied and minded men and women to ‘be there’ to protect, defend and maintain the values and principals and freedoms we enjoy as a free society. To do this most parts of a ‘Military Operation’ are continually changing. For example, the first ‘veteran benefits’ were offered to ‘soldier Pilgrims’ defending the settlements of Plymouth Colony in the 1630’s, when they passed a law that the Colony would ‘support’ those soldiers who became ‘disabled’ during battles with our Native Americans. From then on until the Continental Congress needed to encourage enlistments during the Revolution, it was the individual States and communities within those States that offered and provided medical care not only for the disabled veterans but all that needed care. If those services were not offered the communities and States would not have the degree of ‘protection’ that they needed. The first federal government hospital was established in the early 1800’s along with the expanded programs to include pensions and benefits not only just for the veterans, but also their dependents and widows.

So you can see that from this first 200 years that the need to alter, change, and grow the programs to ‘enlist’ and maintain a Military force was essential. 

Following the Civil War States took care of their own veterans through establishing ‘veteran homes’ for medical and hospital treatment for all injuries and diseases (whether or not it was service oriented). These State homes also took care ‘regular discharged’ members of the Armed Forces.

Big changes when the U. S. entered the 1st World War. Disability compensation, vocational rehabilitation, insurance, etc, and it took 3 different Federal Agencies to administer all these additional and ‘revised’ programs.

So following WWI, Congress combined all these programs into one department, the Veterans Bureau, and that was in 1921. Just 9 years later in fact on this actual day July 21, 1930, President Herbert Hoover signed Executive Order 5398, which created the Veterans Administration and elevated it to a ‘Federal Administration’.

Following WWII, Congress enacted quite a few new benefits and programs for War Veterans, the most significant being the World War II GI Bill, and that alone elevated the VA into 2nd place for ‘funding’ just under the War and Navy Departments.

When you have an Government Agency with an annual budget between $198 Billion and $220 Billion dollars, and employees of about 377,000 people, human nature tells us that there are bound to be a few things that are going to need adjusting on a regular basis, and communicating and putting these adjustments into practice is not an easy task to do. On top of that put a group of elected people together (the US Congress) to make decisions about how to use that money, you then have a situation that many would call overwhelming. 

The fact that every State in the Union that houses VA Facilities has a State office of Veterans Affairs, is a testament to the desire and hope and mission by all, to be able to service and accommodate the needs of our Nations Veterans to the utmost of their abilities. The number of Veterans in the US is approximately 20 Million with of course not all of them requiring the services and benefits of the VA system. However, with the onset of continuing physical and mental health problems affecting more and more veterans, the need for their care and wellbeing will always be the number-one priority. 

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” Leo Tolstoy, Author/Writer 1828 to 1910

  "SHOULD WE KEEP THE PROMISES MADE?"

June 23, 2019 Veterans Corner Article by Ronald Verini

Absolutely amazing the diversity of stories from not only our area veterans, but the stories, full of pride and honor, that the families of veterans are sharing about their relatives, their past generations that served in the military for our great Country! So many sons and daughters, great grandsons and great granddaughters that have brought in different ‘mementoes’, service medals and assorted pieces of military uniforms, but most importantly, that have brought with them the ‘emotions, the tears and smiles of the stories they remember either hearing or being told’ about their ‘loved ones’ time in the service. These certainly are the things that ‘bind families together’, that bring a certain presence of pride, dignity, honor, sense of belonging and purpose to all our lives. When one can identify through not only heritage, but relate to a sense of belonging because of a ‘family member’ giving actions to a ‘higher cause for all’, then, there is purpose and reason and a determination to nurture those values, share them and pass them along in the hopes of participating in ‘making them and the world better’. 

This certainly however, does not mean that ‘all is rosy and sugar coated’ in military service to our country. Many of our ‘Sons and Daughters and family members’ never made it back home to their families and loved ones. Many were not able to even ‘honorably’ fulfill their duty to their Country. Many have not totally recovered from suffering physical and mental injury. And many have realized, and are realizing that what was promised them when ‘signing on to serve our country’ is not what they received or will wind up with. 

Case in point in pursuing that last statement about not receiving what they were promised: ICE (a Department of Homeland Security) is deporting some of our vets before checking their military service. Affected, among others, are the ‘immigrant recruits’ that were part of the “Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest” (MAVNI) recruitment program. This program offered ‘naturalization’ for recruits who served in essential positions such as medical or critical-language roles. (This reminds me of the many stories still circulating from just about any conflict that we have been engaged in, that we had and have ‘left behind’ many of the local population that really ‘helped us to navigate the language and geography of the country, with the promise we would protect them by taking them ‘home’ with us, only to leave them to their own fate.)

Other situations are the problems veterans have when they go to sign up for help at the VA Hospital. It is important to know that the larger majority of veterans who have served our country, do get the care and benefits they were told they would get.

However though, if a veteran has not registered with the VA immediately upon separation from the military he/she will experience the continually changing rules concerning the care and benefits. So, the care or benefits offered might not be the care or assistance originally promised. All I am saying is promises made should be promises kept: especially for those that we ask and those that volunteer to defend our country and our freedoms. If you have questions about your ‘eligibility’ for VA Health care, log onto https://www.va.gov/health-care/eligibility/to start the process and find some answers.

If you served during the “Cold War Era” (1945 to 1991), you can now learn of the ‘health issues’ that you might be eligible for, which include Radiation, mustard gas, and herbicides among a few others. Just log onto https://www.va.gov/health-care/health-needs-conditions/health-issues-related-to-service-era/cold-war/. This site will tell you the steps to take to see just what you should do.

“Promises mean everything, but after they are broken, sorry means nothing.” Unknown but righteous. "SHOULD WE KEEP THE PROMISES MADE?"

SOME DOORS TO OPEN FOR THOSE MONEY PROBLEMS

May 26, 2019 Veterans Corner Article by Ronald Verini

“”Why is it that I always plan to pay my bills and never end up with any money left over and usually don’t even have enough to pay what I owe?” Most of us have asked that question all our lives, yet there seems to be a majority of veterans that are never quite able to make those‘ ends meet’. Several reasons for this pop to mind, and one is; when we are in the service the money we earn is pretty much available for any ‘enjoyment’ we want to pursue because all our necessities we don’t pay for! So we start forming a habit of not ‘saving for a rainy day’ and thus live paycheck to paycheck. Of course the military is not in the business of helping us plan on being prudent with our money, nor are they concerned about preparing us to think about all the stuff we need to pay for when we leave the military. As a result, this country has an abundance of not only ‘homeless’ vets (and for other reasons too) but veterans that are so far in debt that they cannot even pay the interest (and that is usually high double digit interest) on the loans they have entered into and promised to pay. There are so many ‘easy money loan’ businesses, that even some states outlaw them doing business in those states. There are also many non-profit organizations that offer ‘no-charge’ financial counseling and financial education. Most of those do not have ‘brick & mortar’ offices in our area and thus are ‘online’ services. 

We do however, have here in our region, several financial institutions that offer ‘free’ education on financial management, how to make a budget, how to improve your credit score, and overall long term financial planning. So you might want to ask the folks where you do your banking, if they offer any education on financial planning. The following listed here I personally know they do offer ‘free’ education on how to work with your financial matters; Malheur Federal Credit Union, has available ‘online’ a free “Financial Education” resource and “Credit Score Builder”. They are easy to navigate online or you can call Ms. Vonnie Paul at MFCU at 541-823-4494. Columbia Bank also has free financial education services called “Financial Beginnings” You can call Columbia Bank at 541-889-8606 and ask to speak to one of the ladies that are knowledgeable on the Financial Beginnings program, or call Financial Beginnings direct at 1-800-406-1876. Also, our local Community In Action on SW 3rd Ave across from Lions Park, offers a “Financial Literacy” program for Individual Development Accounts which include pre & post purchase, energy assistance, and is flexible in cost depending on your financial health. Their phone contact is 541-889-9555.

And by the way, the VA’s Veterans Choice Program (VCP) will help you resolve ‘adverse’ credit reporting and debt collection issues as a RESULT OF USING THE VCP. Other obligations you have outside of the VCP services do not qualify for assistance. The VA Adverse Credit Helpline is 877-881-7618. For comprehensive information on the Veterans Choice Program (VCP) you can log onto the following site:

www.va.gov/COMMUNITYCARE/programs/veterans/index.asp If you are a Veteran who has not yet applied for VA Healthcare Benefits, you can apply online at the following site: www.va.gov/health-care/apply/application/introduction. Or you can contact your local Veteran Service Officer (VSO) in Malheur County, Mr Connie Tanaka, 316 Goodfellow, Ontario, OR 97914, phone 541-889-6649. In Idaho, Payetty County Veteran Service Officer, Marcia Morgensen, 1130 3rd Ave N, Room 106, Payette County Courthouse, Payette, ID 83661, phone 208-642-6010.

Interesting to note that on this day in 1948, the US Congress passed a Law that permanently established the ‘Civil Air Patrol’ as an auxiliary of the US Air Force. I found this of interest because as a youngster I was a member of the ‘CAP” in New Jersey. Two men who received their early training in the Civil Air Patrol were George Boyd and Wallace Higgins, who later were members of the ‘Tuskegee Airmen’.

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” Benjamin Franklin, 1706 to 1790, Inventor, Statesman, Author, Scientist, Humanitarian and ‘wise man’

 Solving Decades-old Problems One at a Time

April 28, 2019 Veterans Corner Article by Ronald Verini

Well now, another obstacle and hurdle for military spouses has actually been dealt with here in Oregon! Imagine something actually accomplished that will make life and ‘family relationships’ even better! Representative E. Werner Reschke from Klamath Falls, Oregon sponsored HB 3030, which qualifies licensing for military spouses. HB 3030 provides for active military families, by allowing state professional licensing boards to issue temporary authorization for work if a person meets all four of the following criteria: Spouse of a U. S. Armed Forces member stationed in Oregon; Holds current authorization issued by another state; Provides board sufficient proof that person is in good standing with out-of-state licensing board; Has demonstrated competency.

“Many military spouses work as professionals across industries, from teaching and nursing to physical therapy and cosmetology. Frequent relocations of military families from one base to another causes a burden on the active members spouse. Certification does not automatically transfer to Oregon, said Rep. Reschke. However with HB 3030 a huge burden is lifted, by issuing a temporary license in order to begin work in a timely fashion!

Another decades old problem that just about every veteran faces when they transition from military life to a civilian lifestyle, is presently being addressed by many organizations and groups now. Imagine this: you are just starting a brand new job, and all at once you are ‘waking up to the fact’ that your life now, is not even close to what you had been use to! Because now not only did you sign up to protect each and every one of us in the USA, and protect all our Freedoms and Values, but, you now are going to be held to rules and structures in absolutely everything you do 24/7. And this includes what you can eat and when you can eat it, when you can and can’t go to the bathroom, how long you can sleep and when you can’t sleep, what clothes you can and can’t wear, well, you get the point. Your life now is structured and driven to be a “Team” effort, and how to be able to rely and trust your team mates’, and you get quick lessons in the consequences of not performing at top notch and working together. So this lifestyle becomes ‘you’ and ‘you’ become it. Granted as the years of enlistment run up, there is some slack, but not very much mainly because you have other people’s backs and they have yours. Then, your time is up, you are discharged. Not much help or advice in making that transition.

We at Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida see so many veterans that became totally lost by not having the ‘mentors’ or friends to help instill a structure in and be a ‘guide’ for and during a period of transition. The ‘root’ of that problem however is that the military system has not yet designed a program or format to follow when exiting any branch of the armed forces. Logic observation certainly shows that there is an extreme difference between a structured ‘government service military life’ and the ‘social issues’ in civilian life Imagine at the same time on top of that transition, there are marital problems, emotional and PTSD problems, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) complications, much less other physical wounds to cope with and balance while opening doors to another new life. It is a no brainer then that over 25% of the ‘homeless in our country are veterans, and that there are now ‘Veterans Courts’ set up in at least 25 States, and no wonder that there is a very large ‘incarceration’ of veterans in State and Federal prisons.

Many organizations and groups in larger metropolitan areas have a corps of ‘Transition Mentors’ to help those beginning a new civilian life. In rural areas such as ours here in the Western Treasure Valley, we at least have many veterans that take it upon themselves to “Be There” for those veterans in need. 

“Making it in life is a lot like busting Broncos, you’re going to get thrown a lot, the simple secret is to KEEP GETTING BACK ON.” A sign hanging in my office………..