Some of the 'Services' and 'Programs we have available
Some of the 'Services' and 'Programs we have available
Don’t Tell Me That…
Dec. 4th, 2022 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
Another lie and I will explode. Don’t tell me that I am not able to get care for an injury that I had because of my service. Don’t tell me that I have to wait. Don’t tell me I missed the date to sign up for help. Don’t tell me I am having flashbacks of my service and I don’t have the proper paperwork. Don’t tell me that I cannot get help getting to the VA Hospital because I smell bad (I smell bad because I am homeless) and the others in the vehicle will not like it. Don’t tell me because I am in a wheelchair, I can’t get transportation to the VA. Don’t tell me another thing that you will not do for me because of some lame excuse of government rules. Don’t tell me I have to fill out forms on a computer, I don’t have a computer. Don’t tell me I can’t get a meal, I am hungry. I was evicted. Then the other day I was talking with a veteran and I heard these words that I have heard too many times before: “I am about ready to kill myself”.
The above comments are some I have gotten over the years since Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida was started in 2008 here in Ontario. I am sure these comments occur in many locations like the VSO, American Legion, VFW, DAV and even the VA. There is help for mostly everyone of these comments with few exceptions. The few that are missed or not caught in time have (I am sure) caused the death and suffering of some of our men/women that have served and are serving today.
Not one of the organizations that help veterans have all the answers. Some have more ways to help than others but the challenges of help for our veteran and active-duty military and their families is a vast system that takes much in the way of money, individuals, equipment, locations, transportation, knowledge, passion and a host of other things to make the help needed get to the right person when needed. It does not happen with a touch of a button or turn of a switch. Help occurs when someone takes the time to listen. Actually, hear what the person is saying and then take the time to find a solution. Time is a valuable commodity and is a very important component of the help process.
Our community here in the Western Treasure Valley is very fortunate to have many agencies that are able to help but are still lacking in ways to understand the unique challenges of our military and veterans.
Some veterans have seen what the ultimate inhumanity to man is really like. They have watched the devil, hate and despicable horrors that governments can create for the sake of power and rule over other people. Religion, revenge, territorial gain, power and control of others wealth, water and many other reasons to kill, torture and maim others. Nationalism is another one that rules its ugly head. I hear much about we are fighting for the security of our Nation. I question that many of the conflicts that we are in are for our security of our Nation because we have fought Wars just recently that have lasted for years and have walked away, only to leave the land and peoples to the enemy and I do not see that our Nation is any more at risk then it was before we came home.
So: back to our community and the warriors that we have sent off to these foreign places to be killed or mutated in some way. Remember that in conflicts, we are also the ones that are inflicting the pain and suffering on others. We have festivities for our warriors and days of thanks for those that have died. We then go back to our lives and let others care for the ones that keep watch every day and do much of the dirty work of war. We continue sending these men/women to fight for us, whether the cause is right or wrong in our eyes we need to support those that maintain our peace and tranquility here at home. Always remember that the people that we/you send to Washington D.C. are the representatives that we have put in power that are making the decisions with your blessing by the power of the vote.
Please support our men/women that serve. You certainly don’t have to support the conflicts plus you have the power to do something with casting your ballot and voice.
“War does not determine who is right – only who is left.” Bertrand Russell (British mathematician and influenced philosophical logic).
“Space Force” is Up and Running
Nov. 20th, 2022 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
Yep, our new United States Space Force (USSF) is operational and I am sure they will be continuing to grow in scope, scale and complexity. As the world and technology moves forward our need to protect space from becoming a threat to our Nation is one of the top priorities of its mission. Just think about all the technology that we rely on that is generated from space. Satellites provide weather information, GPS, financial data, global commerce runs on satellites, your cell phones and computers would be less effective. Our military is interwoven in using space and all we have up there to function in war and in peace.
If we are not able to have a dominance in space from the rest of the world, we risk much and possibly everything would be at stake. Our national security is at risk. Space is not something that we can sit back and take a passive role. We need to spend the money now to protect our future tomorrow (we already do all of this).
I am also sure that our legislatures will make sure they penny pinch the new service and we will suffer from the naysayers that will fight spending on this new service. Then we will rush to catch up (and cost us dearly). Just like we drag our feet on providing health services for the veterans that have served. Congress will again, some day get its act together but I think, in general, they are much too partisan right now to think clearly.
Space Force, Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, National Guard all need to work together as a team because it is no longer just land, air and sea that wars will be fought on, we now have space as the new domain for war and conflicts. This new territory is so vast and every nation that wants control of their own political power and take over others will use this new frontier to accomplish that mission.
Space Force is not the same as NASA and I am sure will confuse many. The focus is to protect what we have up there now and in the future. Space Force has been talked about for decades but really took off when then President Trump got behind the project and was finally established in 2019.
So, we have this new bureaucracy that was originally part of the Air Force as the Air Force Space Command. I think that I am always amazed that money can always be found for projects like this but our veterans have to continue to beg for issues that have affected their health from the wars and conflicts of the past.
I am sure over time this new branch will develop and possibly with the consolidation of operations that are going on in the Army, Navy and Air Force Space Command, this might even be a good thing in the future. Right now, it is like all bureaucracy’s that we have created in government, it is here to stay and develop into a force that will protect its very existence.
It has its own specifically designed uniforms, its own official song called “Semper Supra”, its own chain of command, so there is no stopping this one! I feel betrayed but also, I support every one of those men and women that are serving in whatever military service they are in and also support them when they are veterans looking to get health benefits, later on.
In any case, they are set up very similar to the Navy and the Marines. The Space Force is managed under the Air Force, yet they are a separate military branch.
I think that, just like when in 1947 the U.S. Air Force was formed when the Army Air Corp existed, it was the future that was being looked at as a value and it turned out that that vision was good. Maybe this also will turn out to be a good plan, I do know that for about 40 years the Air Force Space Command has been doing the mission of what the Space Force is doing now. The only change is, it’s now a separate service. Time will tell if it was needed. Bragging rights of a new branch is sure a costly venture at a time when we are spending billions on projects that our children’s children will be paying taxes on long into the future.
Yep, what we need is another branch doing the same thing that will cost us more in just the additional chain of command, let alone the cost of all the other items for a new service! Great thinking...
“Semper Supra (Always Above)”. The U.S. Space Force motto.
What Would Alexander Think?
Nov. 6th, 2022 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
Unrealistic programs and goals are a problem for veterans and their families. A goal of ending homelessness or suicides with a goal of 100% is not credible, especially if the numbers are figured with fuzzy math. Goals must be specific, measurable, attainable and time targeted.
What is valid is homelessness and suicides. With that said, I think that working in various ways to develop different attacks to these two issues is certainly a righteous goal. I also get tired of all these well-detailed objectives that take a tremendous amount of manpower and create levels of bureaucrats with a number of staff that suck up money that could be used for the problem of homelessness and suicides. Ever wonder how many times we have heard statistics and unrealistic goals that spring up through government so a political party can spout off some crazy number to pass a bill.
I was in the Grocery Outlet the other day and I got a chance to talk with one of our wounded troops of Vietnam and he was saying how proud he was in serving our Country. He went on to talk about how Alexander the Great, one of the most respected commanders of all time, led by leading and not by proxy. Alexander would not touch a drink of water unless his troops drank. I was amazed at the knowledge that this Vietnam soldier had talking about Alexander the Great and then realized that he was comparing what he went through and the challenge he had because of the loss of the backing of our country. He looked at the Love and Respect that Alexander the Great had and what the Troops of today have when being sent to fight.
I started to think about what this Vietnam soldier was saying and thought about the rubbish that is happening right now in our Nation. The hyper-polarization in our politics and immense amount of money from sources that have no names or faces and can’t be traced. The lack of civility among our politicians and now throughout our civilian population is affecting our military and security of our Nation. How can all of this not affect the men/women that we send to war? The strength of our military is backed by the cohesiveness of our country and that support that is so vital for a soldier’s will to fight. The backbone of the fighting troop has to be truth, love of country and the belief that our nation is behind the effort. Our nation has to back and support our military when they come home and is why it’s so important that the VA has the tools to help our veterans. If our Nation does not Love itself and respect its core then how can we expect we in the military fight with the passion and drive to win battles and continue securing our freedom? How can we ask our men/women to pay the ultimate sacrifice of death for a Nation that is divided with such vitriol?
My research has revealed some folks have formed such a hate that they cannot see the other viewpoint, even if that viewpoint was the same as theirs! I am amazed that the help for veterans of the Vietnam war even occurred this last year with such differences between the parties. I believe that because this happened, it has restored my faith that our Nation will heal and pull together and our military and all our veterans will be better for it. I still think about the legislatures that voted against us getting the care needed. Cost of war is caring for veterans when they come home. I truly believe that those that voted against this bill shows we have a way to go in bringing our Nation back from the dysfunction and moral bankruptcy that has wrought havoc on our military and veterans. I believe disagreement is the start of a healthy discussion about how we come to a solution. Open eyes and minds will prevail as we move forward through this time and back or forward to a political process of healthy compromise. Then and only then will our military fight with the passion to keep us safe. Then and only then with our veterans cared for will we continue a bright future. Hard to imagine that anyone would send us off to war and see us come back in a body bag or sick that they would say, the cost of care is a reason to not help. Ask: What kind of person would say something like that? I know but can’t print what I am thinking!
“Upon the conduct of each depends the fate of all”. Alexander the Great (Undefeated in Battle).
Making sense of VA Gobbledygook
Oct 23rd, 2022 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
Talking with local veterans in the Western Treasure Valley about the new PACT Act- Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics legislation many are just fed up with the times they were turned down in the past. The new Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough has been out and about talking about the new legislation and encouraging veterans to apply for help. I certainly have been one to pound the table and let all veterans know that because they have been turned down before, please try again and seek help. Obviously, no guarantee but worth a shot. We all have a problem with being turned down again and that is not a pleasant feeling but can you imagine if you really got the help, you deserve, how that might improve your disposition and your health? Great feeling, feeling better!
Many cases veterans have been waiting for 50 years trying to get the help they have deserved all that time, begging and waiting for help. I still shutter at the thought that many of the legislatures’ that we sent to represent us here in the Treasure Valley voted against this legislation. Remember they are the same ones that profess to be helping veterans and they actually do from time to time when a veteran calls their line and asks for help. Hard to turn us down when we are pleading for help on the phone. Those legislatures do a good job at having their staff help when you call and I certainly encourage that call. What I am talking about is the big picture of support on Bills that help all of us so the individual calls don’t have to take place.
I have seen a ray of hope that both parties in the legislature have the capability of working together and just maybe those of us that end up with brain caner or some other deadly disorder won’t have to fight for care but get the help they need, when they need it.
I am amazed that time lines are placed on issues that are treated at the VA. As an example, any veteran diagnosed with brain cancer while serving or developing it within a year of discharge was automatically eligible for benefits. All others have to file a claim and just to give you an idea of what happens to claims, just about half of the veterans that have developed brain cancer since 1990 have been denied benefits. I would say our fight for care is still with us, and will be for a long time.
Hopefully the PACT Act is just our foot in the door of getting the help we need for the illnesses that we have because of our service. By the way, brain cancer such as glioblastoma is covered under this Act. Many other cancers are also covered, so please check to see if you might be able to get the care you need for if you have been diagnosed with the presumptive 23 illnesses that are covered under this act, that also includes many other illnesses other than cancer.
I encourage you to contact the VA at 1-(800)- 698-2411 or seek local help with your Veteran Service Officer in your county. Here in Malheur County, it would be Connie Tanaka at 541-889-6649. Each county has a Service Officer assigned to it so please try and get the help you need. Connie, as well as the many other service officers throughout the nation has an understanding of the problems that confront our veteran community and they keep up on what statutes and regulations are in place. With this knowledge these officers might be able to cut through all the gobbledygook and assist you with VA claims for benefits. Over the years the forms that the VA have gotten clearer, but at times, they are so abstract and I find unintelligible to the normal person. Reach out a hand and get the professional help from the professionals that are paid to understand. I think it would be worth the effort. Don’t be discouraged by the past turn downs. Remember that with all these new presumptive conditions that are listed in this Act you don’t have to prove that your service caused your condition. You only have to meet the service requirements for the presumption. This one act opened up the health care needs that we have been fighting for decades to get. Amazing that it happened just before an election!
If there is something one wants badly, one must often be bold.” Liz Carlyle (American Author)...
“Hookers for Jesus”?…
Oct 9th, 2022 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
Only 7% of our U.S. adult population has served in the Armed Forces. With all the wars, conflicts and situations that we have been involved in in the last 20 years or so we have produced the largest number of veterans in the U.S. since the Vietnam War. This increase in veterans in our communities and the timing of the mid-term elections has brought some relief with Congress beating their chests bragging about helping our military veterans in need. Help came for the veterans exposed to Agent Orange, Burn Pits and other toxic exposures, especially those that have served in Vietnam, Gulf War and many post-9/11 eras.
In any case, elections, politics and timing and the fact that some, not all, of our Congress cares about our needs. That is a good thing for us because if it wasn’t for all of this coming together at the same time, we would be still groveling on the sidelines begging for help in many of our situations that have been caused by war.
I am amazed that we have fought for over 13 years to expand benefits for burn-pit sufferers while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Also, the 50 years or so fighting for help of those of us that served in Vietnam and suffered, some died, from exposure to chemicals in that conflict.
I get tired of hearing those in Congress trying to nickel and dime us and wait us out and watch some of us suffer and die because of a few billion dollars. We served to keep our Nation free. We served in wars that keep the fight off our lands. We served and
it is your responsibility as a Nation to care for our wounds if you want others to serve in the future.
If it is necessary to save money, maybe it should not come at our expense but maybe find the billion or so in lost military equipment. Call up Sen Rand Paul and get his report he publishes every year on waste, $54 Billion in 2020 alone. Now that is something to take to the bank. I am amazed that Congress manages to bring home the pork to their home states.
Some of these pork barrel spenders are the same ones that are voting against money for us veterans and for some projects that are questionable. Even our Department of Justice is guilty of misspending, at least, I think it is. They gave over $500,000 to “Hookers for Jesus”. Now, you might think that this group is doing great things for our Nation, I think that the name alone tells me that the money given to them might be better used to help our veterans that have served. We must pick and choose our priorities.
Use some of that money helping to reduce the barriers to employment for military families and help with licensing reform. This would help when our families are moved from state to state that don’t have reciprocity in job qualifications.
Did you know that Social Security benefits are automatically adjusted annually to keep pace with inflation, yet with veteran benefits we have to go through Congress every year passing legislation to provide COLA for veterans and surviving family members receiving benefits. Probably makes them feel good and they can brag about helping veterans and their families. I am always amazed how veterans have to fight for our health
and other benefits and Congress makes a big deal about giving us what we already deserved.
I just read part of the report “Where’s the Pork?” published in June 2022, they showed waste, fraud, corruption and taxpayer abuse. Our federal debt passed $30 Trillion. With that in mind this last year Congress brought back earmarks, these are member pet projects that are attached to bills that usually have nothing to do with the bill except to entice that member to vote for it because of the pork that they get attached to the bill. One example but only the tip of the iceberg.
My update today only reinforces the fact that each administration has done a bad job at managing our money. Seems like our political parties like to grandstand and talk the talk but not one party with few individual exceptions in each party are willing to work across the aisle and do the hard work of representing us. I think we are going to have this stalemate for a while so I hope we get to take advantage of their grandstanding, elections and the headlines they like to have saying they are helping veterans so it translates into votes for them and help for us.
“Life begins when you get out of the grandstand into the game.” P.L. Debevoise.
Respect, Dental Care and the Park Service
Sept 25th, 2022 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
I read a story the other day about two young boys in Batesville, Indiana stopping their bikes, getting off and standing at attention and paying respect for a military funeral. They did this without anyone telling them to do it, and they stayed there in respect until taps and the gun salute was completed. They then jumped back on their bikes and continued on their journey. Now that is a story that our Nation needs to hear. This story was shared by Jacqi Hornbach with Fox News. I thought that it was worth repeating.
Another interesting story is a company that is working with plant medicines like cannabis and psilocybin to treat chronic anxiety, treatment-resistant depression and PTSD. I am amazed that some folks are discarding something that might be extremely valuable, thinking that they are disposing or thinking that these products are totally dangerous or worthless. It’s like throwing the baby out with the bath water.
I think that this is such a positive story that might even stem the flow of Veteran Suicides. Allied Corporation is one of these publicly traded companies that is working on the medical side of these products. Johns Hopkins Medicine will be leading a three-year study with a Federal Grant through the National Institutes of Health and funded by NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse. Even our Federal Government is getting involved in this research of these plants because the data is so promising.
Another positive story is: Gold Star Families and Military veterans now get FREE entrance to any National Park. I think there might be a few exceptions so you might have to check with the National Park Service. In any case the agencies that are participating are the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Forest Service and the US Army Corps of Engineers.
Go to www.nps.gov and order your pass. Go to that web site and punch in ‘Entrance Passes” and ‘wala’ your there to enjoy a life time of free visits. Amazing all this good news that is happening everyday throughout our Nation and very little press.
Regarding dental care for veterans. If you ever been a prisoner of war or have a service-connected dental disability you are covered for dental care. Then there are about eight different classifications that you would have to check if you are qualified under any other class. Dental health is important and you might go to: www.dentably.com and click the “Dental Care Resources For Veterans” and you should find a host of ideas for you to get dental care. A happy note: there is help if you dig a little and work at it. You have to put in the effort to get the result needed. This will be worth the effort for a happy smile. By the way when you get to that site, they list 9 other web sites that might be of some help! It does not take a tremendous amount of time; you do need to be a little nimble and be patient. Also, for those that are reading this column and are not veterans this ‘dentably’ web site might help and give you tips if you are underserved with dental care. Hope this helps.
There is one resource that is available to every veteran and family member that receives health care at a VA health care facility that is underutilized. That resource is the “Patient Advocate”. If you have a concern about your care and you have discussed it with your treatment team and your concerns are not being addressed you have the “Patient Advocate” who can, if it is appropriate, help you file an appeal for your concern. Good news for many that have utilized this source. The Patient Advocate is there to help you and with most concerns are taken care of quite effectively and don’t have to go much farther. Remember that when you receive care at the VA they are, in most cases very passionate in helping you but also restricted by the rules placed on them by Congress. They are human and make mistakes so please make sure you take charge of your own health and be proactive in getting the care you deserve.
The VA of yesterday is not the VA of today. Technologies, treatments, benefits and rules change over time so give the VA a chance. Might be pleasantly surprised. Then again: I would also be proactive with your own care. Never let your guard down, it is your health and it could mean life, death or good/bad health.
“The destruction of the world didn’t happen overnight, and neither will saving it.” Tahereh Mafi, (an over-caffeinated U.S. Author).
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Ignorance at the Highest Levels
September 11th, 2022 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
Easy to ignore the lone veteran out in the middle of wherever if there is no one fighting to get care out to him/her. The VA has always said that they bring the care to our veterans where they are when they come home.
The disruptions in service to our veterans is huge and is creating a monumental challenge for our veterans, right here in town. I don’t usually get into naming names but in this case, I am going to explain the challenge that faces our VA system and why we are in such disarray. Yep. This latest crisis started under Trump when his administration decides that we need to privatize the care given our veterans. So as usual our government gets the cart before the horse and starts to close clinics, pull services in communities like Ontario and puts on the chopping block long standing hospitals. They do this before the system for privatizing is in place. Then to make matters worse the Biden administration continues down the same path and the spiral down the rabbit-hole continues.
Seems like it is all about the money and little about the veteran. Money, and lots of it is being pumped into the VA on many feel-good projects that get started with big fanfare and Congress just keeps doing the same thing over and over with each election cycle looking like hero’s and passing another great bill that will solve the VA dysfunctions with modernization started under Trump and Wilkie and continuing under Biden and McDonough.
I keep having hope but my nerves are getting frayed and I certainly understand the frustration of many veterans that have been pushed around, like myself and some of our local veterans that had the services of the Vet Center and then they dropped us like a hot potato, never to be seen again here in Ontario. Good people that are in place that served our community from Boise but because of the many changes and the fits and starts of service the system has not provided the care, promised. I don’t blame the folks that are the boots on the ground at the Vet Center, I blame the system of changes that run right up the chain of command from the VA chiefs, Congress and right up to the President of the United States. Money is not the only solution to our problems in helping our military veterans. The system is incredibly broken and with all the mismanagement that has built up all these years, it is going to take the ability of a team of quality folks that has sustainability with no connection to any party agenda that is acting independently and without strings attached to any administration, to figure this one out. In the meantime, we need to do the best with what we have and continue the fight to get our just due.
How about the VA bring more local control and decentralize some of the major decisions?
I wonder if reaching out to organizations like the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) a 501-c-3 that helps government leaders solve their most pressing challenges would be the way to go considering that what we have had in place hasn’t worked? The process sucks and our veterans are dying because of all the mismanagement. Considering our elected officials and the folks they have put in place have not been able to do the job the idea of taking a new direction might be necessary? My ideas are of value, and I did not form a committee or spend millions of dollars to come up with them. Amazing!
Thinking about the consequences of war is one part of the equation. Humanity also has an obligation to peace. Our war veterans that have seen and experienced the horrors of conflict should be in the meetings our government has when planning for war. The fact that they have fought and have had boots on the ground might be able to speak of the importance of peace, or at least talk on the importance of preparing for the human costs during and after the conflict. Maybe sitting down with the widows of some of our fallen soldier’s might also help before the final decision to go to war is in place. The crusade for helping our veterans needs to be in place before we go to battle.
Please: Remember 9/11 and commemorate every one that serve to protect, even that lone veteran in the middle of wherever.
“Ignorance makes most men go into a political party, and shame keeps them from getting out of it.” E.F.L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax.
"A LITTLE GIRLS VALUES"
August 28th, 2022 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
I am shocked to think that we have hungry veterans and their families in Ontario, Payette, Fruitland, Nyssa, Vale and all around the Western Treasure Valley. We are in the heart of farming potatoes, onions, wheat, corn and we even raise cows and other sources of food and at the same time we have desperate folks in need.
Hunger for a child hurts our Nation and brings the parents and adults that are attempting to provide for them too tears. We have grandparents taking on the responsibility of caring for kids that the parents are not able to provide the basis needs.
Without folks giving to help in this effort to feed those in need we would be a sad community, indeed. Many giving because it is the right thing to do, not because of recognition and publicity but because they care. Thank You.
Child neglect is some of the buzz words that are thrown about from time to time and can, in some cases, be eliminated by parents having enough food on the table to feed the family. We some times talk about mental health issues brought about from combat or by a catastrophic event and I would say to you that hunger is in that arena of events that would produce mental health issues that are mind boggling with those in the middle of it.
Yep! You might read this and then go on with your life and do absolutely nothing to help and no one else will know. That would be in lock step with many others and in sync with some that we send to Congress. Amazing that many talk a good talk and then think our problems in our community will be taken care of by others or by government. I noticed that we have folks in our community talking about being kind, unselfish, generous and then after they finish the talking, it is back to self-gratification. Values are in the hearts and souls of each and every one of us. I do not think that being lectured about values does much so this is certainly not that. Practicing and applying values seems to make our community a better place. A little harder to do than just talk about high principles, but more rewarding.
I believe that no one should go hungry and I also believe that we each have to make the decision for ourselves to help our fellow man/women or not. I do not condemn anyone for not helping his or her neighbors, family, or person in need. That decision is for the individual to make, as I believe that we all have our own responsibility of controlling our own bodies, minds and abundance.
I also believe that these folks that are hungry are mostly far from poor. Most of them that I meet are rich beyond the means that they have. The other day while we were giving out food boxes at Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida’s to a family, one of the children happened to look up at the food we had in the box and noticed that we placed a few extra health bars for the family and she said, “look mommy we might have enough extra to help some homeless person”, that generosity of that little girl brought tears to the eyes of the person giving out the box. Yes, the family that was getting the food was struggling but the compassion that was being taught in that family went far beyond the norm.
Needs in the veteran community, as well as the civilian community go way beyond the physical and emotional. Needs go to the very soul of the spirit and sometimes can only be accomplished with Love that is truly sincere and some food.
Amazing what compassion can do for a community and for individuals making our environment a better place to raise a family and a safer place to live.
I started this column today because of one little girl that thought more about helping others, even so her family was struggling she was thinking about others. I know that this little girl has given me hope that with all the challenges that we have with politics, agendas, dislike, mistrust, war, famine, natural disasters and everything else that might come to mind, there is light at the end of this tunnel.
A little girl with a personal core value that defines who she is, and I think who she is goes to the character and future that our Nation will be in good hands.
“True education is concerned not only with practical goals but also with values. Our aims assure us of material life, our values make possible our spiritual life.” Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (American architect) .
Respecting Old Glory by Cutting Out Stars
Aug 14th, 2022, Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
I want you to know that respect for our flag has different meaning and interpretations for many of us here in the good ‘ol USA.
I happen to think that saving the stars of a weathered flag to remind us of the sacrifices that our men and women have given is righteous and the correct thing to do. Retiring the remainder of the flag brings new meaning and respect that will live on for years after the rest of the flag is gone.
It is no longer possible to retire all of our flags today in ways that were agreeable in the past (such as burning), many are made out of synthetic materials and various methods are now in place to shred them and then bury the shreds… I personally think that this is a very disrespectful thing to do since the flag is now all chopped up and will not disintegrate back to earth for hundreds or thousands of years and just linger in the ground because of what the material it is made from.
Well back to the stars, yes, there are differences of opinion on this issue and I see no disrespect in what we are doing. This Nation is based on our freedoms and our ability to make our own decisions. You have the right to disagree and I respect that but I and we have the right to honor and retire our flag in a very respectful way and also at the same time honor our military members.
In the flag code, it states that when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, the flag should be destroyed in a dignified way. I think we have discovered the perfect way to retire our grand ‘ol flag.
You might also check out a national organization called “Stars For Our Troops” that started in the year 2010. Since that time, they have distributed over 1,200,000 Stars and are working on their second million.
Here is a song that was produced about the star program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dr_t9C6uo-Qhope you enjoy it! It is called “White Star” by a proud veteran: William Notro sings about the star he was about to receive from the star program www.starsforourtroops.org.
I am proud of our “Grand ‘Ol Flag” and take my responsibility of respecting our United States Flag very seriously. I served, many that I served with bled for it, some died for it. The ‘it’ in this previous sentence is what the flag symbolizes and that encompasses freedom, independence, hope and the very soul of our very Nation.
On the official U.S. Department of Defense website: https://www.defense.gov/News/Feature-Stories/Story/Article/2206946/how-to-properly-dispose-of-worn-out-us-flags/marked June 11th, 2022 the feature article on “How to Properly Dispose of Worn-Out U.S. Flags by Katie Lang, DOD News states: last paragraph…… “….people can also bury the folded flag in a dignified box, or recycle them—an option that’s common for flags made of synthetic or nylon material that can be hazardous if burned. Some groups, including the nonprofit Stars For Our Troops, carefully cut embroidered stars out of the flags and give them to veterans with a note that reminds them that their service won’t be forgotten.”
I would think that if the Department of Defense is advocating the practice and even mentioning the Stars For Our Troops program and the cutting out of the stars that what we are doing is truly respectable and the right thing to do.
So, onto the challenge that was sent to the Argus Observer in regards to the front-page article about Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida cutting out the stars and using those stars to remember our veterans, we took the lead of the Department of Defense and an organization by the name of Stars For Our Troops and will continue to support our troops in our local area. We supply our veteran, active-duty military, their families with food, a place to have coffee every day of the week and a smile.
I certainly hope the emotions and passion that was directed to us cutting out stars gets directed to helping feed our military in need and all the other serious issues that should be on our/your plate to support our troops. P.S. I still respect those that don’t agree, but wanted to have you know the reasoning behind what we are doing. Every star we cut represents the blood, sweat, tears and last breath of every soldier that have served. Things change with time; thus, traditions are modified. Sometimes it is difficult to step into new understandings. See quote below.
“Our flag does not fly because the wind moves it. It flies with the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it.” Author Unknown.
Fighting the Battle
July 31st, 2022 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
No civilian knows or understands the sacrifice or life of a military member better than a fellow veteran. I have served with and remember some that have served with me in Vietnam and cherish memories. Some did not make it back and others came back affected for life.
Not a day goes by that I do not reflect on my service and wonder how our Federal Government in all its wisdom can bicker about helping any veteran that has served. I think that without our military and the men/women that serve we would not have a Nation. Period.
I wrote about the PACT Act recently and the fact that after 47 years help is going to be offered to some of our veterans that have been harmed due to their service. After 47 years the Congress wakes up and extends a hand. Then, I suppose, they want a Thank You from those that they help? How about an apology from them for taking so long?
What about all of the military members and families that reach out every day and get turned down? Why do we need to reach out to our elected officials and ask them to help us get what is owed? I certainly want to thank those officials for helping us get the services that we need but I just don’t understand that we have to beg, request or jump through hoops to get what we should have.
Our Nation would not be here as it is without us. I do not think I am asking for much considering what we have done since the beginning of our great experiment called the United States of America. All the diplomacy in the world and the negotiations we have as a Nation would fall flat if we were not backed by the strength of our military. That leverage of having a strong military gives us something that few Nations have, and also keeps us as safe and as free as our Congress and Administration have the common sense to use.
The cost of our present-day military and continuing care for our veterans long after wars end is part of our responsibility. The care promised to our veterans by our Nation is grossly understated, especially if you compare the services given our elected representatives to those given our veterans. Shortchanging our veterans and their care has been occurring since the beginning. Amazing that one of the, if not the greatest asset, that our Country has we would not plan ahead to cover future obligations to care for today’s veterans when they need it years to come.
I listen to the challenges of veterans every day and am astonished by their needs here locally. We hand out food boxes to active duty, National Guard, veterans that have served and families of veterans.
Think about it, our military is promised much when we sign to serve. Maybe we need to think about what we are promising for our future military because we certainly have not been able to keep up with the promises of the past. Obviously, we need to honor our past commitments but do you think we might think about the future and come up with a solution that we have the ability to afford?
In the meantime, we have what we have to work with and should do our best to use every means at our disposal to get the services needed. Yes, the fight will continue as long as our promise’s outweigh the services offered. We all need to “Got Your Six” which means in military jargon, someone is looking out for our backs! That someone is each and everyone of us looking out for each other’s back. ‘Got Your Six” is not just slang it's real.
By the way, if you want to really help a fellow veteran and have the time, or make the time, you might volunteer in helping other veterans. If you need some suggestions, please send me an email at: help@veteranadvocates.organd I will get back with some ideas for you. That goes for you civilians out there also.
Keeping our promises made to our servicemen and women is the duty of everyone in our Nation to help keep those commitments made. Even if the Federal Government (our elected officials) don’t, we here in our communities by supporting organizations that support our troops will be able to help. Too many wounds remain open, together I know we can do better. Won’t you help a little?
***Important note: This PACT Act that passed the House and Senate got kicked back to House and Senate because of a snag in language, failed with the reversal of support from 25 Republicans senators. Again: Confirming to me the crap about America First Slogans!!! Both parties better wake up. More veterans will be dead before this bill ever passes. Disgusting action from Congress, again.
“If you build the guts to do something, anything, then you better save enough to face the consequences.” Criss Jami, Philosopher.
Here We Go Again.
July 17th, 2022 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
I want to know why Congress and The Administration, with few exceptions, can hear about a dying military veteran being turned away from an Emergency Room at a Florida VA Hospital and not scream at the top of their lungs. He was unconscious so was not able to show his military identification. If true as reported: the staff at the hospital are crap for doing this and Congress and the Administration is the same for continuing to allow the hiring of people that don’t have our interest in their hearts. I am tired of hearing these stories. Even if there is a sliver of truth it should not happen.
It was reported in “Yahoo News” that the same man was treated at the same VA hospital for heart issues previously. I don’t get it. As I researched this there is more than a sliver of truth. Bad people, bad decisions, lack of oversite, broken system. Our men and women deserve the best care, all the time. How can our military run at full capacity and with great attitudes if they don’t get the support they are promised?
Yep, they conducted an official IG investigation and you can read the report yourself: Department of Veteran Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Report #20-04443-167 dated May 31st, 2022. The VA Hospital has some great recommendations to work on from this report…but the veteran above is dead, nothing will bring him back. Whether the VA Hospital was totally at fault for his death or not, is not the total point. The fact that something like this happens and the VA continues to have these events is horrendous.
I am, in general, very pleased with the care we receive at our local VA Boise Health System and the tremendous staff that serve us in Boise. As long as there are reports in the system like the one reported above, I am constantly looking over my shoulder wondering if it can happen here? These reports shake the very foundation of a system that is constantly in flux and it would be nice to have some solid stability and not have to worry about the care we get. Yes, it would be nice that our wounds and ailments are treated without us having to fight for care. Some of us die before the care is even offered so stories like this one above shakes my core and you also should be concerned.
It is important that you take charge of yourself and take on the responsibility of making sure you get the care you deserve and need. There are many avenues of reaching out for help and locally we have our own Veteran Service Officer, DAV, VAOI, Legion, VFW and even the Patient Advocate in Boise might give you direction. In any case, help is out there but you need to make sure you are in charge and if you think you are not getting the care you deserve, dig deeper, ask questions and use every channel at your disposal. Remember to always keep your composure and your success might improve, especially with a clear head.
I put some of the blame on Congress and Administration, obviously, they cannot be everywhere watching but don’t you think they would, when raising money and setting the rules of how that money is spent, they might do a better job hiring folks that will have the ability to manage a system that is in place or do something to change the system for the better? Stop tossing money at it and maybe look at what we have and fix it or develop a product that works? What a novel idea.
The VA is much too large and expansive for all of it to run at peak efficiency at all times. It is like a ‘whack a mole’ game, you straighten out one section and the next section pops its head up and you then fix it and another part falls apart and its head pops up, and it continues.
Connecting the records of the DoD and the VA together got a big push recently with the Federal Electronic Health Record Modernization program. I am sure that the VA/DoD Medical Sharing Office that serves to act as a liaison has its hands full just on the health side of the veterans’ issues. Might take a few more years to connect all the dots with the what /when/where of the military-members’ service record, helping to prove service-connected health issues. Probably won’t be in my lifetime? There is hope that less burden will be placed on the veteran in proving what the government already has documented.
“With every mistake, we must surely be learning.” George Harrison (lead guitarist for The Beatles).
Continued Ramblings of an Old Veteran
July 3rd, 2022 Veteran Column by Ronald Verini
This is the ramblings of an old veteran that might impart some valuable information, then again it might not. In any case, enjoy our July 4th celebration of Independence Day tomorrow.
Liberty Mutual Insurance gives a discount, Home Depot, Lowes and even Apple has one. Just about all of the car companies. Check around and you might be pleasantly surprised and end up with a little savings. How about Jockey and Hanes? There are hundreds of places that offer discounts to veterans and active duty, if you ask. You need to jump through hoops on some and others just show your ID. Don’t be shy you might save a little and all because you served our country. An easy place to search for these discounts is www.blogs.va.gov and search the word ‘discounts’ and that will take you to the page of holiday discounts and gift giving guide for Veterans, veteran discounts available year around, travel deals and a host of other neat places for you to save money.
Moving on to other thoughts: The VA has put together, what they call a Fiscal Year (FY) 2022-28 Strategic Plan. You can even read the whole thing at http://www.va.gov/oei/docs/va-strategic-plan-2022-2028.pdf Then if you need more information on the plan, you might contact the Office of Enterprise Integration’s Strategic Planning team at sps@va.gov. So, they have a plan and you will have it at your fingertips, and use it for leverage if looking for service and having a problem. You might be able to show that it is in their plan and maybe they might take their own advice. Never know what will get you the service you are entitled to. There are 225 pages of things that the VA will be striving to accomplish and are intended to contribute to our well-being, encourage independence, and enhance our quality of life. Wow, might work? Certainly, worth a look.
I was talking to a veteran at Grocery Outlet the other day and he happened to mentioned his job was “Explosive Ordnance Disposal” while he served in Vietnam. He went on to say his job was one of the most exciting and worthwhile one he has ever had. He obviously saved many lives but also experienced the horrors of war, while doing his job. I thought that, here is a man that had one of the most dangerous jobs on earth, and today, is just a regular guy shopping for groceries trying to figure out which flavor ice-cream to buy. I just thought that that was neat.
Thinking about the civilians that go about their lives being protected by our military every day not even giving these men and women a thought. We have many Heroes walking amongst us and we need to take better care of their needs. They keep our Nation safe, so we might live as free as we are today. Then as I was driving home, I thought about the Infantry, Combat Engineers, Cavalry, Medical and by the time I got to the house thought about the Pararescue, Special Ops that have special teams in most of the branches, how about Transportation and those in the Air and Forward Observers. The list I had was mind-blowing to me knowing some of them are struggling to get health care recognized as service connected after they come home and sign up for the VA. Wow! I am sure I missed some MOS that was as harrowing as those mentioned but give thanks for all these men and women that serve in these tough positions, each and every day.
Thinking about the care of our veterans I have noticed more use of marijuana so figured I would give a little update regarding its use and the VA. No veteran will be denied health benefits because of its use. The VA follows federal law and will not recommend MJ or allow it to be used in any facility, no matter what the state rules say. Just know that the VA will not pay for your self-medicating!
If you are struggling with substance-abuse problems, you are not alone. Many of us need a little help with street drugs, prescription drugs, tobacco, booze and other things. You can call 24/7 the Veterans Crisis Line: 800-273-8255, then select 1, or text: 838255. Just a few ways to get help.
“I saw your sons and your husbands, your brothers and your sweethearts. I saw how they worked, played, fought, and lived. I saw some of them die. I saw more courage, more good humor in the face of discomfort, more love in an era of hate, and more devotion to duty than could exist under tyranny.” Bob Hope (a Hero to many Veterans).
FAKE VETERANS CONTRASTING WITH HOMELESS HERO'S
June 19th, 2022 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
I was approached the other day asking for help, saying he was a veteran and that he served in Vietnam. After asking him a few questions about his service I just knew he was a fake. He had no idea what unit he was in, did not know what his MOS was or even what a MOS is. Of course, I could have asked him also about grid squares or maybe sky hooks depending on what service he was professing to be a part of. I was so mad at having this scum tell me he was military and using the military for his own gain. Unfortunately, I was on my way to visit with a veteran that had some serious problems he was dealing with and could not follow through with this guy trying to impersonate a veteran. Would have been nice to, at least turn him in and maybe have him arrested. I am sure the authorities have bigger fish to fry and this probability would have not gone very far considering how busy our police have been but it would have given me some pleasure.
Now that I got that off my chest, I thought that I might touch base a little on the fact that this problem has been getting to be more visible since it is easier to panhandle and more organizations are opening their doors to help veterans in need.
Don’t be fooled, they either have paperwork regarding their service or a few simple questions might expose them quickly.
In Oregon this would fall under the Oregon Criminal Impersonation Laws: ORS 162.365 Criminal Impersonation. (1) A person commits the crime of criminal impersonation if with intent to obtain a benefit, to injure or defraud another or to facilitate an unlawful activity, the person does an act in the assumed character of: (b) An active member or veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States. There is more to the wording of this law but I thought you would have an interest in seeing a part of it. It goes on to talk about the penalties being a Class A misdemeanor and then talks about other impersonations. Not sure about the laws in Idaho but on the Federal level the “Stolen Valor Act of 2013” gets into more of the fraudulent representations about having received military decorations or medals.
I know that I am a little sensitive about panhandlers posing as veterans, especially since there is help for our veterans just not enough, the need to beg on the streets is much too much for me to grip. There are veterans on the streets begging but considering the places they might get help, that would not be the best place, in my mind, for them to be. If you see a veteran in need, please let them know about some of the services that are available and if you don’t know where to send them let one of the support organizations know about the veteran and maybe they might be able to reach out a hand and let the veteran know where we might be able to get some help. Please remember that not all veterans in need want help, we also have to respect that fact! This is always a balancing act of the personal freedom and respect; it is sometimes hard to understand. Now that the weather is getting better, we might be seeing more of our veterans on the streets, hopefully not panhandling just enjoying the great outdoors.
Just as a side note: It has been noted that 1 out of 4 panhandlers in the United States has served in the military at some point in time. So, the numbers are not small but do you think that dollar that you give helps? Maybe… or maybe not. No one can really know. What we do know is that lending a helping hand up when the person on the street is a hell of a lot better than a hand out. Supporting organizations that give these folks a chance is a way that you know you are helping to get a person out of the downward spiral and onto a road of success.
Think about the military and its structured life then the return to civilian life after being affected by the stresses of combat without much, or any preparation by the military structure of assimilating back into civilian life. The chaos is too much for some and some end up homeless, hurting, in trouble, dead or in jail.
“Most people need love and acceptance a lot more than they need advice.” Jhiess Krieg (Senior PCB engineer- Heerbrugg, Switzerland).
Homeless Veterans Out and About
June 5th, Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
I want to know why with all the land and buildings that the federal government and the VA in particular has, why are homeless veterans not allowed on the grounds to establish their shelters? Our government talks a good talk about ending homelessness for our veterans and blab, blab, blab, then throws a bunch of money and sets up commissions, study groups and nice sounding bills to end homelessness, suicides and all of those problems and then leaves until the next time the issue is raised by the news. After all the hoopla dies down it is business as usual and the VA still has buildings that are empty, nice grassy areas that you’re not supposed to walk on and gates to keep out veterans that don’t have an appointment but just want to find shelter.
Set up a place for veterans that are homeless to maybe take a bath or shower? That would be a neat approach to helping out a veteran on the streets and might even get him/her on the road to recovery or cleaned up and back into society. Or why not just leave them on the street and tell them that they should call a number to get an appointment and then tell them to fend for themselves and figure a way of getting to a VA location that is 40-50 miles away. Of course, the veteran that is homeless doesn’t have a car and can’t get a ride because he/she smells so bad that no one will take them to the appointment at the VA so now the system can say they reached out a hand and the veteran had a chance but did not take advantage of the opportunity that was offered. Sarcastic but true.
I see veterans in need every day, I get calls from those veterans, I give them numbers of many places to get help. I then go to sleep at night thinking about the abysmal results of a system that is run from afar and not on the streets where the veterans are that need the most help.
Congress, long ago abolished the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, a place that housed wounded veterans, absorbed into the VA now.
The VA is committed to end homelessness for veterans but I believe that with all the hoops that are necessary to jump through the prosses is mindboggling. The numbers are going down and are about 38,000 by official HUD count. I believe that with all the flaws, wasted money and hoops I think hopefully over time homeless veterans will be few.
Never before has our Nation worked so hard to alleviate the homeless problem as they have over the last few years because of all the news stories and pressure from veterans themselves. The squeaky wheel gets the grease! Thank you to the many that have helped in this matter, now don’t let it go, keep the fight going. We have a long way to go.
Think about the fact that some of our homeless veterans are sleeping on our streets, or in cars, panhandling or preforming other tasks in public, we need to continue the fight to get the ones that want help and get off the street the help they need.
I believe every community has a responsibility because they are veterans and many of them are there because of the time they served us on the battlefields where we sent them, and they came back changed and, in some cases, broken.
The private sector with all the charities and support groups for veterans are not able to totally help these veterans without the leadership and direction of all government sectors from the federal government to the city level. NIMBY is not an option to eliminate the problem.
It takes folks with the guts to do something as leaders and tackle issues like this in a community. Ruffling some feathers and confronting the problem head-on. I have learned that doing the right thing and going for a cause that might not be popular is still the right thing to do even if you fail. I have failed at some of the issues that I have worked on in the past. It was still worth the effort. If you don’t swing the bat, you will never hit the ball. See: quote below, and think where your community is? Not very good numbers considering the size of our Country and the number of homeless veterans out and about. I also take these declarations of ending ALL veteran homelessness with a grain of salt.
“Three states ( Delaware, Connecticut, Virginia) and 82 communities have declared an end to veteran homelessness, amazing.” Facts from U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness.
Facing Problems- Returning from Conflicts
May 22nd, 2022 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
You would think that with about 44% of our veterans who served in Afghanistan and Iraq have come home with problems after serving on the battlefield, we would be ready and prepared with the facilities to help? War after war, conflict after conflict we see the same issues and then wonder why we have so many suicides, homelessness, divorces and veterans with problems that should have been addressed since we have known from the past wars that it takes planning before, and not after they get home. We then scramble to put the pieces together. We continue to not preplan or get everything in place because it would be costly, so we don’t and then it ends up costing us more and our men and women suffer in the meantime and have to fight for the care they should have received when they first came home.
Our health care system in the military service doesn’t have the capabilities of being connected to each location the servicemember is stationed and to be cross-referenced from active duty then to the VA Health Care system in a seamless manor. In some cases, we have to prove we were boots on the ground in a location that would be considered a war zone, hazard zone, funny that the military sent us there and should have that information at the click of a mouse. I know that there are times in conflicts that we end up in locations that are not in our records but you would think that in those few times we should not have to prove it and our word trusted, so the care might be given, period.
I am amazed that with all the databases that the federal government has they can’t connect the dots. I am talking about deployment data with health treatments and war data about environmental issues and toxins used and burn pits, weapons deployed and levels of ear shattering noises that destroy eardrums and all the other military challenges of conflicts. If all this data was linked and integrated then just maybe most of our issues for care might be resolved. Our reintegration and assimilation into civilian life would be much easier.
We are just beginning to see the results of the conflicts of the recent wars and the needs of our veterans. The issues of todays warriors will be similar to the wars of the past with additional challenges of women veterans, longer deployments and shorter rest periods in between, different weapon systems, more diverse, more families with kids and this has only begun, it will be years before the present warriors are lining up at the VA. Will the VA be ready for them? Hope so.
Our problems are specific to us that have served and does not necessarily cross over to the civilian sector. The images you are seeing on social media and the TV regarding the horrors of wars are much different than our everyday traumas we experience in civilian life. There are few exceptions to that last comment when I see isolated violence created on our own soil.
I am pleased that the news stations have not cleaned up the horrors of war and maybe we will understand that when we send our men and women to war the consequences of that action will need to be handled years after they come home. Maybe we will get all the help we need. Congress, are you seeing the same impinges as I am? Get out of your partisan trench and work together to get us the help we need now.
If we wait for the committees, data collection under the old systems, experts to review every piece of information and then determine the needs of our veterans it will be too late for the ones that have died from lack of care and the ones that have committed suicide waiting for the right fix.
Trust the fact that we know the pain we are feeling, the trauma in our heads and we need help now. The VA has given our men and women the very best care they can, given the tools and money they have to work with.
I do think that when I talk with some veterans that are overmedicated from prescriptions given at the VA that maybe our VA is overworked and understaffed so they take short cuts. That’s another part of this story that I will touch on at a latter time.
“The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their Nation.” George Washington.
One Veterans Perspective of America
May 8th, 2022 Veterans Column By Ronald Verini
America has fought tyranny, slavery and intolerance and as a veteran I tell you straightaway, what I think America is and what it is not. America is not perfect and it is a nightmare for some. It is folks disagreeing and some on the same page. It is a melting pot for some and feeling like an outsider for others. It is the greatest Nation on the face of this earth and I was willing to give my life for a cause in Vietnam that I did not understand but thought that if my leaders said we needed to stop Communism in a far-off country, then I needed to step up and sign on the bottom line and serve. Many thought that the Vietnam War was wrong and some of my own comrades that came back fought against it. As a Veteran I was proud that I served and would serve again if I thought the cause was righteous. Seems like I would do, much more investigating before I signed on that line again.
Our Nation is smokestacks, cars, vast spaces, apple pie, cows, skyscrapers, wheatfields, ghettos and mansions all within shouting distance of each other. We have vast open spaces and crowded cities. I love America and would not think that there is any place else in this world that I would consider living.
America is all these things that I talked about but none of what they represent is what I think the real America is: I think that we are a dream and an idea that is developing as the years go by. The wars that we have fought and the battles won and lost have exposed the enemies of freedom and our borders are a testament to the fact that with all our challenges the world wants to come here and be part of the greatest experiment ever, a Nation that offers a dream and hope of a better tomorrow.
America will fight, our men and women will shed blood and we will die on the battlefield for what we believe is a worthy cause. America and its political party system is going through a time that we need to find a way to work together as a team and see the larger view of Freedom. The idea that was developed into the Nation we have today is forever changing because of the sheer size and number of citizens and the ever-changing demographics.
Our Nation has been built on the sweat and tears of immigrants. I enjoy the diversity and as a veteran look back at our military and know that without our Native Americans, Japanese, Italians, Germans, Blacks, Hispanics and others that fought against our enemy some wars and battles might have turned out a little different. As a veteran I appreciate the fact that our Country with all its flaws seems to come together when the chips are down and we come together as a team for a common good. As a veteran I see a bright future and a Congress and Administration that are working together. Not always on the same page, as far as how to get things accomplished but certainly on the same page of what our dream of freedom is and the common good that will prevail and move our Nation to the next level of success.
Level heads will win the day and again we will continue to be the envy of the World. We are good.
The American dream and idea are alive and well, just might need to be polished from time to time.
Talking with a veteran the other day at the VA in Boise about his service and this article, he mentioned that he was having trouble getting help for some toxic fumes he breathed in when he served but in the same breath mentioned the great care he received at the Boise VA. He understood that Congress was the problem. He agreed that our Nation was the best, by far, after all his travels abroad.
The military men and women that serve have a unique look at the World through a lens that few civilians will ever experience. We are behind the scenes and also get a chance to see the way other military are treated and when we visit on leave, we have a chance to be tourists and enjoy the sights. My view on America is more in tune with, not only boots on the ground in our community and overseas but with the interaction of our Legislature, VA and tolerance, not necessarily in agreement with whatever Administration is in power.
America is hope.
“America is too great for small dreams.” Ronald Reagan (40th President of the United States).
A NATION DIVIDED SO WHY DON'T YOU VOLUNTEER?
April 24th, Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
The first thing I remembered when I came home from Vietnam was drinking a cold beer. No there were no parades or welcome wagon waiting for us.
Most folks that I ran into after my return had little to say. Some mumbled that it was nice to see me home but most shunned the fact that I was even there in Vietnam. Today even after all these years I think about the awkwardness of my homecoming and am sad to think that it has stayed with me all these years. Being as young as I was my brain was impacted and held onto those memories. I know that it is not what I should be dwelling on all these years and I should get over it. I remember the troops that were in body bags and the stench the war brings. I remember how I was received by a Nation divided. I do not apologize for my feelings but know that some of us that returned from that war are bitter and we should all move on and get over it. Some can’t and you are going to have to understand that. If you don’t then that is your problem, not ours. OK it’s our problem too.
The harsh reality of war and the consequence of physiological impact on individuals that come home from war and conflicts are part of the cost of war. There are people like me that are not able to handle the horrors of war and then come home and try to assimilate back into society as if nothing was different from the time before they left for conflict. Yes, I sometimes seem normal but that is only because I am from time to time. I am probably one of the happiest people that I know because I came back from Vietnam and I was not one that was actually a combat veteran so I was one of the lucky ones that served in ‘Nam. Others were not so lucky and that is the reason I work with organizations that support our veterans and their needs.
I enjoy each moment of every day that I am here on this earth. I enjoy the pleasures of life and I attempt to help others that have not been as fortunate as I have in my life.
I also do not understand why some of you civilians don’t reach out and volunteer your time to help some of our veterans in local organizations or maybe a veteran neighbor struggling. Call me if you want some ideas for volunteering! I don’t understand because you have sent us to war, you have sent us to conflicts by voting for folks that create the wars and conflicts. You send us by not voting, you send us by keeping your mouth shut, you send us by sitting back and not paying attention. You send us and then you ignore us when we come home. Not all civilians do these things, some actually make a positive difference and I certainly appreciate the ones that do.
Some of us feel guilty about surviving while many of our compatriots didn’t make it. I also talked with a pilot that served in Vietnam and he mentioned that when he returned it was to a supportive family and friends and got on with his life as most of the others in his squadron. ‘Most others’ are the operative words in his conversation. Some came back broken and he understood the challenges of those that needed help. By the way, he was being treated for bladder cancer that was just added to the problems associated with Agent Orange from Vietnam. Only took them 50 years to add that one, after many of us died waiting for care.
I don’t mean to sound over-the-top but I have never forgot the time in ‘Nam, the time I came home and the fight all these years for the health care deserved by other veterans that also served. Hell, I am talking about Vietnam, our WWII veterans went through many of the same fights when they came home. More recently our troops fighting for health issues from burn pits. I guess some things never change.
Many of us came back to a Country divided because of Vietnam. Again, our Country is divided, not because of a particular war but because of partisan split over immigration, racial issues, women rights, voting issues, drugs, guns, gender challenges, what’s taught in our schools and a host of other divides that we as veterans and as Americans have to juggle.
I guess I had it easy when I returned home.
“We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.” Ronald Reagan.
Learning To Speak Civilian
April 10th, 2022 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
I do not think that I have ever really understood the way civilians speak and I am sure that many civilians are not sure what I have just said to them. That is how it has been since I served and I came back to civilian life. Yes, there are occasions that my communication skills have been in tune with those around me but more so they have not.
Nations have gone to war over the miscommunications of one individual. Battles have been fought, people have been killed, Nations have fallen because of a misunderstanding.
Why I am writing this today is the other day I was in a group of folks having a discussion and the miscommunications between those sitting there at the table was tremendous. I was confused and then realized that we were talking different languages, all speaking English but some were getting upset because they did not communicate in the same way. In the long run everything turned out as best it could but I realized that each of us seem to communicate in different ways and much is developed when we are younger and, trust me, it is hard to change. Some of us never change and that is a problem. I have changed but will revert back to my old ways. That then becomes the responsibility of the person I am talking with to understand what I am saying. This is not a one-way street. We have to be able to communicate with each other and that takes an understanding of the identity of the person with whom you are having a conversation.
I do not apologize for my lack of communication skills because I expect others to understand. I also keep an open mind to understand the other person that I know is on a different planet. There are times we do not meet in the middle and that is fine. We should just make sure we don’t take the misunderstanding to a level that harms the relationship. I know I have learned to let things go and I expect the other person to do the same.
This column is about communication from the military to civilian life. Well that skill is important but it also translates to job skills you have had in the military and applying for a job. You now need to figure out how you are able to communicate that skill you learned in the service to civilian life. You might think that your MOS in the service is your limit. Hell, civilians don’t even know or care what a MOS is. So, this is where your language skills and you learning how to translate from military to civilian starts to develop. You think about applying for a business management position. You might not know it but that when you were leading a squad back in Iraq or Afghanistan made you a leader and under your command of working with thousands of dollars of equipment you can now say that your skills included, financial management, budgeting, resource allocation and human resource development.
You might be a little rusty in your verbal skills of translating from military to civilian but forge ahead and use your communication skills that you have learned from the interaction with officers, enlisted , civilian and the prisoners you have taken in war. That makes you an effective communicator (you can do this while you are still learning the art of communication with your spouse or neighbor).
Teamwork in the military translates to teamwork in civilian work, because you had to work and develop teamwork with people that you have been forced to work with. So, your ability to work under pressure is another skill you might put on that resumé!
As you are on the battlefield fighting the enemy, on the ground with hand-to-hand combat, or in a bunker firing from afar, or sitting in an office shuffling paperwork you have the skills of problem solving that many civilians only wish they had.
I recommend before you send that resumé or go for that job interview you have a civilian that is not familiar with the military review what you have put together before you start the process. That way the language you are using and your approach might be in tune with civilian talk. Make the necessary changes and then move forward with your plan.
There are no set of instructions on your transition but there are many organizations that are dedicated to help you succeed, look for them because they ain’t going to look for you.
“If you don’t take charge of your transition, it is a dark and lonely road.” Captain Brian Stann (Military Service Initiative Summit).
Quarreling over Nickel and Dimes While Some Die…
March 13th, 2022 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
We spend trillions of dollars fighting wars all over the world and then nickel and dime the care our veterans receive when they come home broken. What the hell is some of our government representatives thinking when they vote against a bill that offers care for our veterans that have suffered from toxic exposure in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars? The bill passed through the House but not without tremendous opposition, 174 against it. Most of them voted for an almost similar Bill that, I think, short changed some of the issues.
I don’t know about you but the price tag is a lot less than the suffering of those veterans that have been waiting for Congress to do something for years. I am tired of the bickering in Congress about veteran care. I have an idea: why don’t the ones that voted against the bill slap on a uniform and pull duty next to a burn pit and breath in the fumes for themselves, and then swap their gold-plated health care they receive as Congress people and use the VA . Maybe that will get them off their butts and do the right thing for us? Then just maybe the suffering of some of us because of the agent orange will get the care needed.
I am bitter because when I signed up for health care when I came back from Vietnam, I missed a (arbitrary) signup-by date for me to receive health care from the VA without strings attached and then they tied my care to the money I made as a civilian. Yes, it is personal when I talk about VA health care because the promises made to me were broken after I served my duty in Vietnam.
Now getting back to the issue at hand, the Honoring Our PACT Act that would help our veterans suffering from illnesses linked to battlefield pollutants from Iraq and Afghanistan. This Bill also addresses some of the issues that Vietnam veterans are still suffering from being exposed to Agent Orange, and addresses some of the health issues from exposure to radiation during nuclear waste cleanup.
I am shocked that Congress is bickering about this and are talking about a watered-down version because of the cost. Veterans have been getting the short end of the stick and have been fighting for care that they deserve and the fact that we have to fight for this care is despicable.
In the last two years we have had over 12 thousand veteran suicides. That is a number that should be alarming and I believe many are connected to the care that they have to fight for, rather than care that they should get because of their service. We, as a Nation, suck at giving our veterans the care needed because our elected officials want to pinch pennies and bicker about letting our veterans smoke a little weed then about getting them the care needed.
Yep! I write about our veterans’ health care and the needs of our veterans but it all comes down to: we have a Congress that are listening to themselves in their cocoon and not hearing the pleas of the men and women they have sent into battle. Our men and women that have done the dirty work and come back broken are, at times, too weak from war to continue the fight for our health. They are right and we end up getting the short end of the stick.
We should not have to fight for our health care. 174 folks voted against the Honoring Our PACT Act that had the support of the Veterans of Foreign Wars , Disabled American Veterans, The American Legion, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Wounded Warrior Project, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Military Officers Association of America, Blinded Veterans Association, Minority Veterans of America and others. All of these organizations have shown their support of this legislation that will address many of the toxic issues facing our veterans exposed in war and nuclear waste cleanup. Getting all of these organizations to agree on anything as a unit is amazing in itself so I would hang my hat on the fact that this legislation is righteous and should be passed. What is in the heads of those that voted against it, except maybe some political mumbo jumbo that there is a better way or maybe we can save some money or whatever, rather than vote on a Bill that can do some good now. The 12 thousand suicides did not have time to wait for Congress to come up with the perfect answer, they needed help then.
“It’s time Congress got its priorities straight.” Mitch McConnell. ..
Rations of Food and Beer
Veterans Corner Article February 27, 2022 by Ronald Verini
The other day I was going into the grocery store to pick up a few items and just happened down an aisle where two veterans (I knew because of their Army and Air Force hats) were discussing the culinary attributes, and lack of, that each of their services offered when they were serving. Well my attention was even more spurred when I heard one of the guys say that they never should have stopped giving out beer to the troops on a daily basis. This was a perfect invitation for me to join in this robust conversation and of course inquired as to when was there ever a beer ration, and when and where was he serving that he got free beer?
His reply was that he never did get free beer but it sure would have been game changer and that he heard many stories about beer rations beginning in this country during the French and Indian Wars and that the practice continued up through the Civil War. That’s was when the slogan ‘An Army always travels on its stomach’ was really used to try and get a return of the daily beer rations. Thanked the guys for their service and for enlightening me on the history of beer rations. They said they didn’t think we would ever see that again. I sadly agreed.
Did some research on both those items, the beer rations and an Army traveling on its stomach mainly because they sounded really compatible.
Before any kind of ‘official’ system to organize the distribution of food to our Military personnel, in 1775 the Provincial Government of Massachusetts set up a ‘daily allowance’ of rations to be provided to its troops. It had the following items: 1-One pound of bread, 2- ½ pound of beef and ½ pound of pork (and if pork could not be had 1 ¼ pound of beef), and one day in seven there shall be 1 ¼ pound of salted fish instead of the meat allowance, 3- one pint of milk, if milk was not available the one gill (which equals ½ cup) of rice, 4- ONE QUART OF GOOD SPRUCE OR MALT BEER, 5- one gill of peas or beans, 6- six ounces of good butter per week, 7- one pound of good common soap for 6 men per week, 8- ½ pint of vinegar per week per man, if it can be had. This same ration was approved by the US Congress in November of 1775 with the wording ‘or cider’ appearing after beer.
A year before in 1774 during the French and Indian War, British General James Murray ordered that ‘Spruce Beer’ be made a required item in the daily rations. He required this beer because the effects of the spruce/hemlock beer were the best ‘preservative’ against scurvy and that the lives of our brave soldiers require this utmost attention. The surgeons of the day agreed to this deterrent at least twice a day and mixed with their ration of rum. This remedy was carried on into the American Revolutionary War, and ordered at least a quart of spruce beer be consumed each and every day. Beer rations started to disappear when the new ‘dehydration’ and ‘free-dry’ technology for vegetables and fruits took affect nearing the end of the Civil War. Interestingly by time and circumstance, between 1860 and 1868, there appeared numerous quotes in the US newspapers , books and speeches about attributable remarks by Napoleon Bonaparte and Frederick the Great concerning an Army and its rations.
Most famous is Emperor Napoleons remarks with an eight-year-old boy named Tristan. Tristan told the Emperor that he did not work every day, to which Napoleon asked ‘do you eat every day’? Tristan replies yes and Napoleon says that you should work every day then because no one should eat who does not work, and Tristan then says if that’s so then I will work every day. “Such is the influence of the belly” Napoleon replies and ‘it is hunger that makes the world move’.
‘An army, like a serpent, goes upon its belly’, Fredrick of Prussia used to say; ‘Few men know how important it is in war for soldiers not to be kept waiting for their rations; and what vast events depend upon an army’s not going int action before it has had its coffee’, Marshal McMahon; and Napoleon when asked what a soldier most needed in war, ‘A full belly and a good pair of shoes’.
Quote from the book ‘Life of Andrew Jackson’, James Parton mentions three folks referring to the Army/Food remark.
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