VFW VA District 7

Old Vets Scorched by the Strain of New Wars

Posted at 11:36 AM on Sunday, November 15, 2009 by dist7

Old Vets Scorched By Strain of New Wars Tom Philpott | November 12, 2009 Even Old Vets Scorched By Strain of Current Wars A small group of U.S. war veterans, the age difference among them as wide as 70 years, gathered last Saturday at American Legion Post 177 in Fairfax, Va., for a special event at the annual Veterans' Day Community Fair. They had agreed to participate in a "living history," co-hosted by VFW Post 8469, and organized by its commander, Floyd Houston, a man committed to ensuring local war heroes, old and young, don't fade away. For two hours they told war stories and stood by to answer questions that never came from local Boy Scouts seeking to earn merit badges for their time there. The public too was welcomed but didn't show. What they missed was more than the usual compelling personal accounts of war. They missed how deeply some veterans of past wars are disturbed by burdens being carried by the current generation of volunteers. Avon Blevins, a retired Navy chief, began his talk by pulling a few mementoes from a paper bag. He was a teenage radioman aboard USS O'Brien when that destroyer escorted 50 landing craft, with 200 infantrymen apiece, toward Omaha Beach on D-Day, June 6, 1944. "We took them in on the first wave. We got them there on target and on time.Patrolled up and down the beach all day and fired when they asked us to fire," Blevins said. O'Brien's guns took out enemy pillboxes and a machine gun nest. It was relieved that evening by its sister ship, USS Meredith. When O'Brien returned at dawn, its crew could see the Meredith on fire and sinking from an explosion later confirmed to have been caused by a German mine. Three weeks later, an eight-inch German shell from a shore battery would rip into O'Brien below its bridge, causing 32 casualties, Blevins said. After repairs, the ship sailed to the Pacific. Blevins was still aboard when Japanese Kamikaze aircraft struck, twice. In the second attack, a plane with 500-pound bomb penetrated to the ship's ammunition magazine. "Almost blew the ship in two. We had a lot of casualties," Blevins said. "We had part of the pilot too. I never will forget he had three or four uniforms on. I had one of his shoes until an officer took it away from me." John Swart was 19, part of 8th Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, which landed at Utah Beach in the second wave ashore at Normandy. "Some troops got out in water over their heads, carrying 30 pounds packs. Where I landed was probably knee high," he said. The first town they liberated was Sainte Marie du Mont. At dusk that evening, Swart recalled, he and other troops watched in horror as Army gliders tried to land in fields the German had planted with telephone poles. "A lot of those boys were butchered up," Swart remembered. Swart's own mortar platoon suffered 60 percent casualties within weeks. He was wounded twice that year, in July and November. For the second set of wounds he spent 10 months in various hospitals before discharge. He let the scouts passed around one of his Purple Heart medals. Lehman Young, a former Navy test pilot, recalled delivering an F4U Corsair fighter to a base in California early in WWII. He had arrived with extra fuel and so, before landing, decided "to do some sightseeing." He was set on flying under the Golden Gate Bridge until he was close to it. Instead he flew up the coastline. Suddenly he saw puffs of black smoke in the air ahead of him, exploding shells from anti-aircraft batteries. "I wasn't supposed to be there," Young said, holding his cane and smiling. "I did a real quick 180, got back over the bay, got down real close to the ground, went up in the mountains and hid for a couple of hours." Young said he had five forced landings while flying naval aircraft, but "that was as close as I came to getting shot down." By the time retired Army Col. George Juskalian, 95, arrived at Legion Post 177 in his wheel chair, the Boy Scouts had moved on. But sharing his experiences through three wars, including capture by the Germans in Tunisia, wasn't his priority this afternoon. Where should we start, I asked him. "It starts with my anger at our present military policies. We have military personnel redeploying to theaters of war five and six times and we're not doing anything about it," said the colonel, his voice rising. "We expand the Army by about 20,000, which is a drop in the bucket. But nobody is mentioning the draft. Nobody! Most of the country doesn't even know we're in a war! After eight, nine years of fighting, when in the hell are we going to level with them? How are we going to continue this all-volunteer business, especially for the Army and Marines taking the losses?" Yes, he said, because of a poor economy the military is meeting recruit requirements. But before civilian jobs grew scarce, the services were lowering standards, Juskalian said. "Who's kidding who?" "I don't hear anybody at the White House, anybody in the Pentagon, any of these generals we have, anyone in the Congress using the word 'draft.' It's become a dirty word! We can't rely on volunteer effort forever!" He said he reads letters in newspapers from military spouses worried that loved ones are going off to war, again and again, perhaps this time never to come back, while they raise their young children alone. "Well it bothers me. Jesus Christ, I could cry," he said, voice growing soft and eyes moist. Eventually he recounts some of his own experiences in WWII and wars in Korea and Vietnam, not mentioning until prompted by Houston his two Silver Stars. Soon Juskalian returned to why he was there. "If it's a war worth fighting for," he said, "the whole country has got to fight for it." Houston, with a son returning to Afghanistan the next day, agreed. To comment, e-mail milupdate@aol.com, write to P.O. Box 231111, Centreville, VA, 20120-1111 or visit: www.militaryupdate.com.

Suicide Epidemic Among Vets of All Ages

Posted at 01:29 PM on Wednesday, November 11, 2009 by dist7

Suicide Epidemic Among Vets of All Ages

Dennis Guthrie

Surgeon General

Veterans of Foreign Wars

SUICIDE

We must talk about SUICIDE like we do breast cancer so that those who are having problems and who might be thinking about it can have alternative ways to deal with those thoughts and will not act on them.

Suicide is as complex as the person who is having those thoughts. It can be and generally is for veterans the results of dealing with PTSD, which a subject for another time.

The attitudes such as "play when your hurt" and "cowgirls don’t cry" and "get back on that horse if you get bucked off" and fear showing weakness for possible retribution from NCO or officers are some of the problems that combat soldiers have admitting they are having problems. It is expected of them to continue on with the mission. The new mission that should be given each soldier when getting home should be "get well", and "take care of yourself". They need to know that having night mares, night sweats, and spousal abuse, is not normal and they need to seek help.

NOW IS THE TIME WHEN I GIVE YOU THE FACTS TO BACK UP WHAT I’VE BEEN SAYING.

A letter I received from the National VFW June of ‘09 had some of those numbers and facts. At that time there had been more deaths from suicide since 9/11 among our active duty troops, National Guard, and Reserve units then all the deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan combined. Since 9/11 there have been 1,900 men and women complete suicide while on active duty. Fact: Suicide accounts for 15% of all casualties in OEF/OIF active forces. The Marines reported suicides in 2006 of 25, in 2007 – 33, and in 2008 – 41 according to DOD by September of 2008. American casualties were 4,700 + and there had been 821 confirmed suicides while in Iraq and Afghanistan.

We can help those who have come home. They are our brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, grandsons, and granddaughters. They are the most recent Veterans to put it all on the line.

The Center for Disease Control estimates that 18 veterans from all wars complete suicide each day which is 6,570 a year.

In Oregon as a veteran you are twice as likely to complete suicide as a non veteran. Every two days somewhere in Oregon a Veteran performs suicide and I believe if you were to check your own state it would be about the same.

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WHAT CAN WE DO?

As in all functions at the State and Post level, someone will have to step up and want to make a difference. We need to get the word out through State News Papers, Post News Letters, and word of mouth. We need to be talking about what to do for those who are having these problems. We need to give them alternative places to go to and talk about what is bothering them, such as "Vet Centers", VA Clinics with PTSD trained staff for one-on-one or group sessions, Churches, perhaps our VFW Posts where Vets can gather to talk out what is bothering them with other Vets, that may have similar experiences . Remember that the holidays are the worst time for suicides. The sooner we get the word out the better the chances of saving a life.

I’ve been working with the Director of our Veterans Affairs in Oregon who is quite aware of the stats on suicide and has been a very great help getting the word out through all the Veterans Organizations. We are working with local Law enforcement, EMS, and local Veterans who can be the first on the scene when a veteran or family members calls for help. We can make a difference. We are the VFW, we made a difference when we served, many of us had no one to reach out to when we came home, and it is time for us to make a difference in the lives of those Vets of all ages that need our help now.

Some State Departments of Veterans Affairs have set up SUICIDE HOT LINES, and there are Two "HOT LINES" Nationally. They are:

VA SUICIDE HOT LINE 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

NATIONAL SUICIDE HOT LINE 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433)

FOLLOW UP

FOLLOW UP!

These phone numbers are no help if we do not get them out to those who could need them. I have made copies of these numbers with some of the signs and symptoms to look for on 8.5"X11" and have handed them out at the Post and at the National Guard Armory. I also have put these numbers on business card size and handed them out so Vets can have them in their Wallets to hand out or use.

We as Veterans need to bring the silent epidemic out of the DARK so we can deal with it as it is. If we only save one Veteran per Department that would 54 fewer dead Veterans and who knows how many family members who will not have to live with the suicide for the rest of their lives.

SOME OF THE WARNING SIGNS:

 

Talking about suicide or making plans, obsessing about death, giving away treasured belongings, taking unnecessary risks, increase in drug or alcohol use, withdrawing from friends and family activities. These are only a few possible signs that may help, but some Veterans are very good about masking their feelings.

I am asking each Department Adj. or Adj/QM. to get this article to the Department Newspaper Editor to publish it and then publish the hotline numbers and the warning signs so that each Veteran receiving your Department paper may cut or tear it out, make copies, and distribute them. I also ask that each Post Cmdr. make sure that this article is published in the Post News Letter or Newspaper and discussed and copies of the Hot Line numbers and Warning Signs are available at Post meetings and at Post homes. I am also asking each Cmdr to ask the Ladies Auxiliary President to discuss this article and also have handouts available. This is how we get the word out and this is how we save lives!

Yours in Comradeship,

Dennis Guthrie

Your National Surgeon General

Veterans of Foreign Wars

4495 NE 25^{th St.}

Redmond, OR 97756

541-548-6990 (Home)

541-280-5161 (Cell)

Information was taken from the internet, VA, DOD, and my personal experience.

It is very important to have the person who was "talked down" to see a professional within 24 hrs. There have been many cases where the vet who is "talked down" turns around the next day and completes the suicide., A word no one wants to use or a subject no one wants to talk about. We are in the midst of a silent epidemic. Thirty years ago breast cancer was not talked about openly. We knew it was there, but very few people knew enough about it to talk about it. It took those who survived the ordeal to come out and make it a topic which most people can talk about comfortably today. First Lady Betty Ford was one of those who talked about it in 1974.

Home Depot offering Post Improvement Grants

Posted at 09:32 AM on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 by dist7

Holiday Mailing Deadlines for Military Delivery

Posted at 08:47 AM on Tuesday, November 3, 2009 by dist7

Recommended Mailing Dates to APO/FPO Addresses

WASHINGTON — For military service members stationed around the globe, holiday gifts are a big morale boost. To help the families and friends of U.S. military personnel, the Postal Service offers a discount on its largest Priority Mail Flat Rate box.

The recommended mailing date for the most economical postage to overseas military installations, including Iraq and Afghanistan, is Nov. 13.

Mail sent to overseas military addresses is charged only domestic mail prices. The domestic mail price for the Priority Mail Large Flat Rate Box is $13.95, but for packages to APO/FPO addresses overseas the price is reduced to $11.95. Additional discounts are available for customers printing their Priority Mail postage labels online at Click-N-Ship.

Flat-Rate boxes are free at any Post Office, or can be ordered online at shop.usps.com. Postage, labels and customs forms can be printed online any time using Click-N-Ship.

The Postal Service continues to show support to those serving in the armed forces by offering free Military Care Kits, designed specifically for military families sending packages overseas. The mailing kits can be ordered by phone by calling 1-800-610-8734 and asking for the Care Kit. Each kit includes two “America Supports You” large Priority Mail Flat-Rate boxes, four medium-sized Priority Mail Flat-Rate boxes, six Priority Mail labels, one roll of Priority Mail tape and six customs forms with envelopes.

For online ordering of the Large Priority Mail APO/FPO Flat Rate boxes featuring the “America Supports You” logo and APO/FPO addressing block, Click here. More information about mailing letters and packages to military destinations is available online at Supporting Our Troops.

“Mailing holiday gifts to service members early will help insure that a piece of home arrives in plenty of time to make the celebration complete," said Pranab Shah, vice president and managing director, Global Business.

To ensure delivery of holiday cards and packages by Dec. 25 to military APO/FPO addresses overseas, the Postal Service recommends that mail for service members be entered no later than the mailing dates listed below. Mail addressed to military post offices overseas is subject to certain conditions or restrictions regarding content, preparation and handling. APO/FPO addresses generally require customs forms. To see an online table of updated APO and FPO addresses and mailing restrictions by individual APO/FPO ZIP Codes, Click here, select “Pull-Out Information” and click on “Overseas Military/Diplomatic Mail.”

MILITARY MAILING DEADLINES

Military Mail Addressed To	Express Mail® Military Service (EMMS)1/	First-Class Mail® Letters and Cards	Priority Mail®	Parcel Airlift Mail (PAL) 2/	Space Available Mail (SAM)3/	Parcel Post®
APO/FPO AE ZIPs 090-092	Dec-18	Dec-11	Dec-11	Dec-4	Nov-28	Nov-13
APO/FPO AE ZIP 093	N/A	Dec-4	Dec-4	Dec-1	Nov-21	Nov-13
APO/FPO AE ZIPs 094-098	Dec-18	Dec-11	Dec-11	Dec-4	Nov-28	Nov-13
APO/FPO AA ZIP 340	Dec-18	Dec-11	Dec-11	Dec-4	Nov-28	Nov-13
APO/FPO AP ZIPs 962-966	Dec-18	Dec-11	Dec-11	Dec-4	Nov-28	Nov-13

VFW Washington Weekly - September 25, 2009

Posted at 07:12 PM on Saturday, September 26, 2009 by dist7

In This Issue:

1. Health Care Victory for Veterans

2. VFW Testifies on Bills

3. House VA Subcommittee Hearings

 

1. Health Care Victory for Veterans: Key House leaders have agreed to offer an amendment that will put to rest any concerns that VA health care will change under the nation health care reform debate.  VFW has been in talks with House VA Committee Chairman Bob Filner (D-CA) and Ranking Member Steve Buyer (R-IN) on this important issue.  The amendment being offered will ensure that veterans enrolled in VA are automatically deemed as having qualified health care coverage, and also allow veterans using VA health care to purchase other types of insurance through the health insurance exchanges.  VFW will continue to monitor health care reform legislation in the House and Senate.

Read more Washington Weekly

Post 8469 VFW Members at George Mason University

Posted at 12:23 PM on Friday, September 18, 2009 by dist7

BLUE AND GRAY VFW POST 8469 VETS IN THE CENTER OF RECENT PRESIDENTIAL VISIT TO GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY

Blue and Gray VFW Post 8469 of Fairfax has long been involved with nearby George Mason University (GMU). A little over a year after 9-11-01, overseas veterans started trickling in to the roughly 30,000 student population in the sprawling Virginia campus. The veterans sought each other out and they noticed two older veterans auditing classes; the late Al Smith (a former 8469 Post Commander) and Blaine Friedlander (a former 8469 Post Commander, as well as a former District 10 Commander). Both attended college after their VFW qualifying overseas service and both understood the need for campus veterans to find each other and have the comradeship of peers with similar experiences. Along with former Post Commander Sandy MacNabb, the older VFW members helped the younger vets properly navigate the maze of campus paperwork to establish their GMU Student Veterans Association (SVA) and they made the young vets welcome in the nearby Post Home just off Fairfax Station Road down Rt 123 and young vets are now a significant demographic within the Post. The GMU presence inside the Post is strongly augmented by having Vietnam veteran Dr. D.R. Butler who is the Associate Athletic Director for Community Relations and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Public & International Affairs at GMU as a Post member as well.

Last year the GMU SVA was instrumental in convincing the University to spend money during lean economic times to establish a staff position titled "Director of Military Services" for the University. That new Director, Michael Johnson is on the magazine cover (second from left) and his efforts are doing a lot to help the student vets adjust to college life. On the left side of the cover photo is VFW Post 8469 member Jon Zapien. Jon, recently an Army Special Forces Staff Sergeant who served two tours in Afghanistan, achieved international notoriety by saving German special forces soldiers in combat while assigned as their liaison and being awarded Germany's highest award ever presented to a foreign soldier, the Ehrenmedaille, or Honor Medal, during a ceremony in Berlin. Third from left is Post member Jacabo Flores, a Marine Corps veteran of Iraq is a perennial volunteer at VFW Post Poppy drives, is pursuing a Civil Engineering major and he recently was elected as President of the GMU American Society of Civil Engineers. The bearded gent on the right side of the cover photo is recently medically retired Army Staff Sergeant Joshua Lawton-Bealous. Josh, VFW Post 8469's Junior Vice Commander, is also the president of the GMU SVA, runs a website called THE VIRGINIA VETERAN, founded the non-profit Education for Virginia Veterans, which successfully lobbied to have a bill (HB1109) introduced in Virginia's General Assembly to provide significant college tuition help for Virginia's veterans. Josh also organized the now annual GMU Race for the Kids, a five kilometer fun run around Patriot Circle on GMU with all proceeds going towards college education for war orphans from the Global War On Terror. Joshua's military awards include; the Bronze Star Medal, the US Army Combat Medical Badge, the US Army Parachutist Badge, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Army Commendation Medal, the US Army Good Conduct Medal. This generation of veterans is a caring, active, and very savvy demographic and the student vets at GMU may just be a bit ahead of the organizing curve because of some early assistance of VFW comrades who had "been their before" and were able and willing to lend a hand. It is no wonder then, that when President Obama wanted to kick off the new GI Bill on 1 August 2009 with a short-fused event nearby Washington that would honor our young vets as well as the Bill's sponsor, Virginia Senator (and VFW member) James Webb, the well organized vets of GMU were known to be able to get things organized. Secretary of the VA, retired General Eric Shinseki lingered with the student vets after the ceremony and admonished the crowd about their new GI Bill benefit - "make it count." We have no doubt they will.

Virginia Itinerary for VFW National Commander Tommie Treadwell, September 21 - 23, 2009

Posted at 08:34 AM on Friday, September 11, 2009 by dist7

  Please plan to join Commander Treadwell during his visit to Virginia at the Post nearest you.  Out of courtesy and needed planning, please RSVP to the Post you are planning to attend.

   **********Monday Sept 21 

Arrive at Reagan National Airport 10:45AM on Midwestern Flight 1611– pickup appox. 11:00am

Airport to Arlington Post 3150 – 30 minutes – arrive Post appox. 11:30am

(1)   (1)  Arlington Post 3150 -  11:30am to 1:00pm – Lunch at Post.   Post phone# 703-525-0108

Leave Arlington Post 1:00pm for Dale City Post 1503  - 30 miles, 45 minutes – arrive 1:45pm

(2)   (2)  Dale City Post 1503  - 1:45pm to 2:45pm   Post phone# 703-670-4124

Leave Dale City Post 2:45pm for Mechanicsville Post 9808 – 82 miles,  90 minutes – arrive 4:15pm

(3)   (3) Mechanicsville Post 9808 - arrive 4:15pm – finish day at 9808.  Spend night at Holiday Inn Exp in Mechanicsville.  Dinner at local restaurant.  Post phone# 804-746-9808

   *******Tuesday, Sept 22

 Breakfast at HI Express appox. 8am.

Holiday Inn Mechanicsville to Richmond Post 9224 - 8 miles, 15 minutes. Arrive 9:15am

(1)      (1)  RIchmond Post 9224 – arrive 9:15am – leave 10:00am for Richmond Post 6364 – 10 miles, 15 minutes.  Post  Commander phone # 804-226-9562

 (2)   Richmond Post 6364 – arrive appox 10:15am – leave 11:00am for Hopewell Post 637 – 31 miles, 45 minutes.  Post phone# 804-288-9597

 (3)   Hopewell Post 637 – arrive  appox.  11:45am – LUNCH at Hopewell Post.  Leave 1:45pm for Phoebus Post  3219 – 88 miles, 1hr, 15 min.  Post phone# 804-452-4244

 (4)   Phoebus Post 3219 – arrive appox. 3:00pm.  – Dinner at local restaurant. Leave after dinner for Norfolk –Stay night in Norfolk/VA Beach  area.  Post phone# 757-723-2667

   ******** Wednesday, Sept 23

  Breakfast at hotel.  Leave hotel appox  8:00am for  Virginia Beach Post 392 .

(1)   Virginia Beach Post 392 – arrive appox. 9:00am – leave 10:00am for Ocean View Post 3160 – 21 miles, 30 min.  Post Commander phone # 757-430-3803

(2)   Ocean View Post 3160 – arrive 10:30am – leave  11:30 for Tidewater Post 4809 -  11 miles, 30 min. Post phone# 757-588-7172

(3)   Tidewater Post 4809 – arrive 12:00pm – Lunch at Post.  Leave 3:00pm (or as needed) for Airport  4:55pm flight on Delta 6091  Post phone# 757-461-5646

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