Vets & Military Families Monthly News Summer 2013

7/30/2019 Vets & Military Families Monthly News Summer 2013

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1Paid for by Grassroots Action Team

Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee.

Grand Rapids, MI 49525

Lest We Forget Sponsors

International

WWII Tour

BENTON HARBOR-

Southwestern Michigan'sLest We Forget organization is sponsoring the tour"WWII and The Western Front," commonly referred to asthe "Band of Brothers Tour." The tour, to take place insummer of 2014, will give you a tangible connection tothe most crucial moments of World War II. You willstand where the soldiers fought, see where the leadersmet, and walk where the civilians lived. The tour willrange from Churchill's Cabinet War Rooms in London, tothe D-Day beaches of Normandy, to the battlefields atBastogne and the historic sites such as CheckpointCharlie, Brandenburg Gate and the Wall in Berlin. For a

very nominal fee the tour can be extended three days toNuremburg, Munich and Salzburg where you will see theDachau concentration camp, Hitler's Eagle Nest at Berch-tesgaden and much more. You will truly experiencefirst-hand the war that changed the world forever!

This historic tour is produced by Education FirstEducational Tours (EF) of Cambridge MA, theinternational leader in educational tours for group travel.EF has been in existence for over 50 years and has over400 offices and schools in over 50 countries around theglobe.

Make history come alive for you and your

grandchildren. Showing them where you or a member ofyour family served during WWII will provide a sense ofhistory, reality and a greater understanding of yourmilitary experience. We will have a full-time EF tourdirector accompany our group and at each of the stopsthere will be expert, licensed local guides. Tour includeseight overnight stays (11 on the extended tour) in hotelsand one night ferry accommodation--crossing the EnglishChannel.

Vets & Military Families

Monthly News

Summer 2013

Good afternoon andthank you for reading. We lookforward to working with all of youto continue to grow the newsletter.We appreciate your involvement.

Remember, we have anonline source for the onlineversion of the newsletterwww.supportamericanvets.org. Ifyou have any questions about theonline sources, or the newsletterplease let us know. We want tobuild the online presence as a way to reach out to morepeople.

As always, thank you very much for reading.Our hope is to continue to expand the newsletter. Forthat, we need your input. So, again, if anyone has anysuggestions for topics to cover or wants to write theirown piece, we will gladly try to work it in. We hope youenjoy, and please share your feedback with us. Thankyou very much!

A Note From Hank

Thank you for Support!

We are working to present issues from all sources,

covering all 5 services.

We are working include items that help families... Very

important to vets.

We are working to include items and resources to help vet

help them self... Plus their love ones.

Thanks you for helping us reach our goal to help and

advocate. For that is how we are able to make a difference

in one vets life.
http://www.supportamericanvets.org/http://www.supportamericanvets.org/http://www.supportamericanvets.org/


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Some Useful LinksAir Force Times

www.airforcetimes.comNavy Times

www.navytimes.comMarine Corps Times

www.marinecorpstimes.com

Army Times

www.armytimes.comMilitary Times

www.militarytimes.comTRICARE

www.tricare.milAmerican Legionwww.legion.org

Veterans of Foreign Warswww.vfw.org

AMVETS

www.amvets.orgThe DAV

www.dav.orgDepartment of Defense

www.dod.govMilitary/Veterans Report

www.militray.comThe Pentagon Channel

www.pentagonchannel.milVeterans Administration

www.va.gov

Military Order of the Purple Heartwww.purpleheart.org

If anyone has a site

they would like to have

added to this growing list

please let us know!

Contact us anytime

at [email protected]

Also check out the

complete list of links that

appear in this newsletteron the last page.

Thank you for

your Support!

We would like to express our appreciation to all of thefighting men and women in the United States Military.

Thank you for your service to this country.

You will travel fromJuly 14th to 24th, 2014 (orthrough the 27th if you takethe 3-day extension). Anintroductory meeting isscheduled for Aug 21st,2013 at 7 pm at Lake Michi-gan College's Benton Harbor

campus in the Blue LectureHall. Be certain to attend tolearn more about this impressive itinerary which takesyou from England to France, Belgium and Germany.

The cost for this 11 day tour is $3,810 for students under20 and $4,205 for adults. With the three day extensionthe cost is $4,295 and $4,690. To view this tour online,go to www.eftours.com/1449819 . For questions callDon Alsbro at 269-921-7176 or [email protected].

A Note From: Lest We Forget

Speakers BureauThis notice from

LWF is to inform the readerof the development of aLest We Forget SpeakersBureau. Since our organiza-tion has conducted threeyearlong courses at LakeMichigan College, we havemany topics and many quali-

fied speakers to presentinformation from WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, andour involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.

We have developed formats for school childrenof all ages, and for veterans organization. Whatever theevent we will gladly produce the correct format Wewould be glad to present any topic of interest to anygroup.

As coordinator, I will be glad to help with thechoices of presentations and help with planning.

Gary C. Lulenski

Coordinator Speakers Bureau

[email protected]
http://www.airforcetimes.com/http://www.airforcetimes.com/http://www.navytimes.com/http://www.navytimes.com/http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/http://www.armytimes.com/http://www.armytimes.com/http://www.militarytimes.com/http://www.militarytimes.com/http://www.tricare.mil/http://www.tricare.mil/http://www.legion.org/http://www.legion.org/http://www.vfw.org/http://www.vfw.org/http://www.amvets.org/http://www.amvets.org/http://www.dav.org/http://www.dav.org/http://www.dod.gov/http://www.dod.gov/http://www.militray.com/http://www.militray.com/http://www.pentagonchannel.mil/http://www.pentagonchannel.mil/http://www.va.gov/http://www.va.gov/http://www.purpleheart.org/http://www.purpleheart.org/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.purpleheart.org/http://www.va.gov/http://www.pentagonchannel.mil/http://www.militray.com/http://www.dod.gov/http://www.dav.org/http://www.amvets.org/http://www.vfw.org/http://www.legion.org/http://www.tricare.mil/http://www.militarytimes.com/http://www.armytimes.com/http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/http://www.navytimes.com/http://www.airforcetimes.com/


3/25




Secretary of State Ruth Johnson was honored tobe part of Camp Graylings recent monument dedicationceremony celebrating the military training centers 100thanniversary.

The camp was founded in 1913 on a land grantfrom Grayling lumber baron Rasmus Hanson. It nowincludes 147,000 acres in Crawford, Kalkaska andOtsego counties. Its the largest National Guard jointtraining center, used year-round by the Guard as well asactive and reserve components of the Army, Navy,Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard.

Camp GraylinGs 100th anniversary

Need a RideForm: www.dav.org

Because so many sick and disabledveterans lack transportation to and from VAmedical facilities for needed treatment, theDAV operates a nationwide TransportationNetwork to meet this need.

Through the Transportation Network,DAV volunteers drive sick and disabled vet-erans to and from VA medical facilities fortreatment. The Transportation Network is aclear example of veterans helping veterans.The DAV stepped in to meet a substantial

community need when the federal government terminatedits program that helped many veterans pay for transporta-tion to VA medical facilities. The DAV has 189 HospitalService Coordinators around the country who coordinate

the transportation needs for disabled veterans.Use the DAV Hospital Service Coor-

dinator Directory to contact your nearestHSC for information or assistance. Pleaseremember that the DAV TransportationNetwork is staffed by volunteers; therefore, itis unable to cover every community. We hopewe can help you. Locate your nearest VAMedical Center
http://www.dav.org/http://www.dav.org/http://www.dav.org/volunteers/documents/HSCDirectory.pdfhttp://www.dav.org/volunteers/documents/HSCDirectory.pdfhttp://www.dav.org/volunteers/documents/HSCDirectory.pdfhttp://www1.va.gov/directory/guide/home.asp?isFlash=1http://www1.va.gov/directory/guide/home.asp?isFlash=1http://www1.va.gov/directory/guide/home.asp?isFlash=1http://www1.va.gov/directory/guide/home.asp?isFlash=1http://www1.va.gov/directory/guide/home.asp?isFlash=1http://www.dav.org/volunteers/documents/HSCDirectory.pdfhttp://www.dav.org/volunteers/documents/HSCDirectory.pdfhttp://www.dav.org/


4/25




Post-Desert StormFrom: www.michigan.gov

With the end of the Cold War, the "peace divi-dend" saw the downsizing of the U.S. military. The resultwas increased commitment to the Total Force conceptand increased use of the National Guard and reserve forc-es.

Throughout the 1990s, Michigan National Guardmembers saw duty at home and abroad. FromSeptember1995 to February 1996, Company D, 2nd Battalion, 238thAviation was activated for service in Haiti during Opera-tion Uphold Democracy. The 110th Fighter Wing sawservice in Bosnia in 1994 in support of the United NationsOperation Deny Flight and again in 1997 as part of the

U.S. Operation Decisive Edge.Nearly 1,200 soldiers ofMichigan's 46th Infantry

Brigade were called up to provide security and supportduring the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Ga. Servingwith them were members of the Michigan Air NationalGuard's 127th Wing Security Police Squadron.

Overseas,MichiganNational Guard soldiers fromDetroit's 1776th Military Police Company and the 210thMilitary Police Battalionwere called to a year of activeduty, December 1995 to December 1996.They served at

various U.S. military facilities in Germany so their activeArmy counterparts could deploy to Bosnia as part of Op-eration Joint Endeaver.

The U.S. Air Base at Taszar, Hungary, had thehelp of the 1439th Engineer Detachment from Grayling.The firefighters were activated December 31, 1996through August 12, 1997 in support of peacekeeping oper-ations that were ongoing in Bosnia.

When tensions began to reach the breaking pointwith Kosovo refugees being forced out of their homes inYugoslavia, the 110th Fighter Wing answered the call.Joining with other A-10 "Thunderbolt" units from otherstate National Guards and active-duty Air Force person-nel, the Michigan Air National Guard members formedthe 104th Expeditionary Operations Group and took over

a "bare bones" air base in Italy. Guard members were de-ployed from mid-May to early July 1997.Elements of the Michigan National Guard were

some of the last to serve at U.S. military installations inPanama before the return of those facilities to the Repub-lic of Panama. The 171st Airlift Squadron of the 127thWing is the last Air National Guard unit to perform mis-sions from Howard Air Force Base in Panama and mem-bers of the 1775th and 46th Military Police Companiesprovided law enforcement services and security as FortClayton, Panama was closed down.

Navy Ship Mail PolicyFrom: RAO Bulletin August 2013 (Lt. James EMOTichacek, USN (Ret) Associate Director, RetireeAssistance Office, U.S. Embassy Warden & IRS VITABaguio City RPPSC 517 Box RCB, FPO AP 96517 Tel:(951) 238-1246 in U.S. or Cell: 0915-361-3503 in thePhilippines. Email: [email protected] AL/AMVETS/DAV/FRA/NAUS/NCOA/MOAA/USDR/VFW/VVA/CG33/DD890/AD37 member)

All mail sent to Navy ships, squadrons and mo-bile units must now use nine-digit zip codes or it will bereturned to sender, according to a Navy statement 16

JUL. Mail without the nine-digit zip code that is currently

en route will also be returned as undeliverable, accordingto both Tuesdays statement and a July 12 service memofrom Navy Secretary Ray Mabus. The U.S. Post Officeshuttered two of its coastal military mail operations andinstead opened one processing center in Chicago, accord-ing to the statement. When they did so, they changedfrom manual sorting to an automated operation requiring

the longer zip codes, which include the commonly knownfive digits, separated by a dash from the lesser knownplus-4 digits. Commanding officers have been directedto provide sailors with their nine-digit zip codes so theycan, in turn, inform their correspondents. [Source: Stars& Stripes article 16 Jul 2013 ++]
http://www.michigan.gov/http://www.michigan.gov/http://www.michigan.gov/


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6/25




The 70th Anniversary of D-Day in 2014 is fastapproaching and the Lakeshore Lancers band ofStevensville Michigan has been invited by the D-Day70th Anniversary Commemoration and American Musi-cal Salute Committee to join as an official representativeof Michigan in Normandy France in June of 2014. Ourkids will join the American Liberation Victory Parade thatwill step off on the actual anniversary day, June 6, 2014 inthe French village of Sainte-Mere-Eglise, the first villageto be liberated by American troops.

A 3-time State Champion, the band alreadyrepresented the State of Michigan in 2004 at theinauguration of the World War II memorial inWashington DC. At the time, our students honored eachliving World War II Veteran of Michigan by wearing anepaulette that was eventually mailed back to them with acard to thank them for their service and provide them witha token of appreciation and gratitude.

With an invitation of such historical significance,we feel our mission should be meant for this generation toremember forever the meaning of D-Day and thoseMichigan citizens who made the ultimate sacrifice topreserve our freedom as well as the significant role theState of Michigan played in this war effort.

In particular, we are planning on honoring each ofthe 419 soldiers of Michigan resting at the NormandyAmerican Cemetery by pouring a little bit sand fromMichigan on their grave as a symbol of our remembranceof their sacrifice. The Michigan sand will be collectedfrom high schools of Michigan as an educational programand in return, we will bring back sand from Omaha Beachthat will be presented back to each participating school asa token of appreciation and a symbol of remembrance. Inaddition, we plan for our marching students to wear aribbon in honor of each of the last living WWII veteransof Michigan that will eventually be mailed back to themas a mark of our gratitude. Finally, our students willresearch the history of leading companies of Michiganduring World War II and build boards that illustrate theamazing contribution of our State to the war efforts.

To accomplish this extraordinary invasion, theallied forces relied on American manufacturingcompanies to produce military equipment such as theSherman Tank, bombers like the B-24, gliders such as theWaco CG-4A, amphibious vehicles like the DUCW, and

military transport vehicles like the GMC CCKW350, theDodge WC, or the iconic Jeep.

Continued...

We would like to express our appreciation to all of thefighting men and women in the United States Military.

Thank you for your service to this country.


7/25




What do all these have incommon? They were all manufacturedby leading companies from Michigan. Infact, the whole State of Michigan and itsbusiness leaders threw themselves insupport of the war effort like no other asthe backbone of what was once calledthe arsenal for democracy. One can

argue that never in the history ofMichigan, has our State had such aleading impact on the world as duringWorld War II.

Our band is quite large fora high school of less than 1000students. As a matter of fact, ourband has never travelled overseas.Most band parents simply do nothave the means to pay for such alarge expense. For this event, westarted a comprehensivefundraising program. We arereaching out to numerous leadersof Michigan to gather support::from local businesses, corporateleaders, private donors,foundations, the French American

Chamber of Commerce of Detroit,The Michigan Department ofMilitary and Veterans Affairs, theMichigan Department of Education,as well as our State andCongressional representatives. Theresponse is consistent andoverwhelmingly supportive as

everyone shows their patrioticsupport and desire to ensure thatsuch a project gets accomplished.

As we live in thesedifficult economic and politicaltimes, wouldnt it be extraordinaryif we could celebrate in 2014 ourglorious past while looking for-ward to a bright future that weowe to all those who served? Ithink you will agree that we owe itto the past generations, to the fall-en, to our last surviving veterans,and to the future generations.

For more information and for con-tribution interest, a website will beavailable soon: come visit us atwww.ddaymichigan.com!


8/25




National Gold Star RegistryFrom: Wendy Lynn Day

(www.goldstarfamilyregistry.com)The National Gold Star Family Registry is the

first comprehensive database of the United States fallenHeroes and their families ever developed. The Registrynot only affords family members the opportunity topublicly remember their loved one, but serves as ahistorical log of our Nations true Heroes. By providingeducational resources and personal accounts, the Registryensures that future generations may know who these

brave Americans werenot only how they died, but,more importantly, how they lived.The information in the Registry is compiled from

a number of different public sources including theDepartment of Defense and the National Archives.Adhering to Department of Defense guidelines forfamilies who receive the Gold Star Pin, the Registryonly includes the names of Heroes who have given theirlives on the battlefield.

From the Vietnam Wall in Washington, DC, tothe countless war memorials on courthouse lawns, theUnited States is peppered with stone monuments honor-ing those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Thesetreasures are powerful, but access is limited bygeography, and names inscribed in stone dont tell theHeroes full story. The National Gold Star FamilyRegistry serves as a 21st Century monument, utilizing thelatest in internet technology to memorialize those samemen and women in a whole new way.

How the Registry BeganThe National Gold Star Family Registry is a

project of Military Families United, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization whose mission is to Honorthe Fallen, Support Those Who Fight, and Serve TheirFamilies. Through various events held for Gold StarFamily members, Military Families United recognized aneed for families to be able to share the stories of theirHeroes with the world. In the beginning, familiesattending these events wrote their stories in a notebook toshare with other Gold Star families, this concepteventually took the form of the virtual memorial.

First launched in 2010, the Registry has beencontinually upgraded with the latest in technology andresources. This 21st Century memorial ensures thatanyone anywhere can honor and remember the Heroeswho have laid down their lives in defense of freedom.Whether they gave their life in Iraq, Afghanistan,Vietnam, Korea, WWII, or another conflict, the Registryis a place to ensure their memory will live on.

About Military Families UnitedMilitary Families United is a not-for-profit 501(c)

(3) charitable organization whose mission is to Honor theFallen, Support Those Who Fight, and Serve TheirFamilies. We are a national coalition of Gold Star andBlue Star families, veterans, and patriotic Americans whoshare a deep appreciation for our men and women inuniform and support them in their mission to keepAmerica safe. Founded in 2005 to provide an avenue for

military families to remind the nation of the importanceof supporting our military and the mission they have beengiven , the organization expanded to provide charitableprograms offering families direct support. Through aportfolio of unique services, events, and advocacyprograms, the organization seeks to ensure that futuregenerations of Americans will never forget the sacrificesof our courageous military.

The MPVA MissionFrom: www.michiganpva.orgMPVA is celebrating its 50th year of service in Michigan. It

is a chapter of the national Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), operating according to the standards and practicesestablished by the PVA.

MPVA is, however, a separate 501(c)(3) charitable organization. The Michigan programs, services, education,and outreach conducted here are made possible by local volunteers, partners, sponsors, and donors.

The mission of Michigan Paralyzed Veterans of America is to enhance the lives of veterans with spinal cordinjury or disease as well as all citizens with disabilities, by advocating for civil rights, assuring quality health care,supporting continued research and education, and encouraging independence and healthy living through various health,sports and recreational programs. MPVA shall continue striving to remain at the forefront of both veterans benefitsservices and disability rights, while working toward a better quality of life for all American citizens.
http://www.michiganpva.org/http://www.michiganpva.org/http://www.michiganpva.org/


9/25





10/25




Agent Orange Okinawa

UpdateFrom: RAO Bulletin August 2013 (Lt. James EMOTichacek, USN (Ret) Associate Director, RetireeAssistance Office, U.S. Embassy Warden & IRS VITABaguio City RPPSC 517 Box RCB, FPO AP 96517 Tel:(951) 238-1246 in U.S. or Cell: 0915-361-3503 in the

Philippines. Email: [email protected] AL/AMVETS/DAV/FRA/NAUS/NCOA/MOAA/USDR/VFW/VVA/CG33/DD890/AD37 member)

Japans Ministry of Defense says it has detectedcomponents of Agent Orange in old barrels unearthed onland that was once part of Kadena Air Base. Soil andwater testing found dioxin and another harmfulcomponents of the notorious U.S. military defoliantaround about two dozen rusted containers somemarked with Dow Chemical Co.s logo that werediscovered by Japanese crews digging at what is now alocal soccer field in Okinawa City. Dow was one of the

manufacturers of dioxin-laden herbicides that were used

to strip away jungle cover for enemy combatants duringthe Vietnam War and later linked to severe illnesses andbirth defects. The Okinawa Defense Bureau of theMinistry of Defense said the testing proves the barrelscontained some type of herbicide, but the bureau stoppedshort of saying it was Agent Orange because only two ofthree chemical markers of the defoliant were found at thesite. The drums appeared to have been buried empty,meaning it is likely the contents had been used, accordingto the bureau.

The discovery adds to growing fears among

Okinawans that the military once used and stored the

dangerous defoliants at its many bases on the island.Recently, some American veterans have publicly claimedto have sprayed and come into contact with the defoliantsduring deployments here decades ago. The United States

has repeatedly denied the substances were ever present onOkinawa. The Department of Defense said earlier thisyear that an investigation found no basis for the claims.Japanese authorities took photos of the barrels recoveredfrom the soccer field. Last month, Dow Chemical saidthey did not match the type of containers used for theherbicide. The Japanese defense bureau said it tested sam-ples from inside the barrels as well as from thesurrounding soil and water and found traces of dioxin.The highly toxic pollutant can cause cancer, reproductiveand developmental problems, immune system damage andhormone imbalances, according to the World Health

Organization.

A second chemical herbicide - 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid was also found in andaround the barrels, according to a report the bureau pro-vided to Stars and Stripes. The chemical was an ingredi-ent in U.S. defoliants and was discontinued due to healthconcerns. However, another key component of AgentOrange - 2,4 dichlorophenoxyacetic, a common herbicidethat is still widely used - was not found at the site. Thebureau said the lack of that chemical leaves it unable saywhether the defoliant was in the containers. The Air Forcehas said the soccer field land was once part of Kadena and

was returned to local control in 1987. The Ministry ofDefense and Okinawa City plan to search the rest of thesoccer field where the barrels were discovered andconduct additional soil sampling to determine if moreherbicide is present. [Source: Stars & Stripes | Trittenand Chiyomi Sumida | 26 Jul 2013 ++]


11/25




We would like to express our appreciation to all of the

Fighting men and women in the United States Military.Thank you for your service to this country.

What is ESGRFrom: www.esgr.mil

ESGR, a Department of Defense agency, wasestablished in 1972 to promote cooperation and under-standing between Reserve Component Service membersand their civilian employers and to assist in the resolutionof conflicts arising from an employee's military commit-ment. ESGR is supported by a network of more than4,800 volunteers in 54 committees located across all 50states, the District of Columbia, Guam-CNMI, the U.S.

Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Volunteers, hailing fromsmall business and industry, government, education andprior military service bring a vast wealth of experience toassist in serving employers, service members and theirfamilies. Together with Headquarters ESGR staff and asmall cadre of support staff for each State Committee,volunteers work to promote and enhance employersupport for military service in the Guard and Reserve.

ESGR has served our country for 40 years, devel-oping and promoting a culture in which all Americanemployers support and value the military service of theiremployees serving in the Guard and Reserve. These

citizen warriors could not defend and protect us at homeand abroad without the continued promise of meaningfulcivilian employment for themselves and their families.ESGR has continued to adapt to meet the needs of ourReserve Component members, their families and Ameri-cas employers by joining forces with a network of othernational, state and local government and professionaltrade organizations as together, We All Serve!

Click the Michigan Flag to access the ESGR Michigan Page

Veterans Health

Benefits HandbookFrom: www.va.govThe Depart-

ment of VeteransAffairs (VA) is com-mitted to informing theVeteran communityabout VA health bene-fits and services.Currently, VA is pro-ducing personalizedVeteran Health Bene-

fits Handbooks forVeterans who areenrolled in VA healthcare. The new hand-books are tailoredspecificfor each Veter-

an and provides detailed information about the VA healthservices the Veteran may be eligible to receive.

The Veteran Health Benefit Handbook providesanswers to common questions such as contact infor-mation for the Veteran's local facility, instructions onhow to schedule appointments, guidelines for communi-

cating treatment needs and an explanation of theVeteran's responsibilities, such as co-pays, if applicable.

Veterans enrolled in VA healthcare will receivetheir personalized handbooks via mail as part of a nation-al rollout campaign starting inFebruary 2012based onPriority Group, beginning with Priority Group 1 andending with Priority Group 8. In the near future, VA willdevelop an online version of the handbook for Veteransto access via MyHealtheVet. This will allow Veterans toaccess their up-to-date health benefit informationanywhere, anytime.

Click the link below for additional information

about the Veterans Health Benefits Handbook or call VAat 1 877-222-VETS (8387).
http://www.esgr.mil/http://www.esgr.mil/https://www.myhealth.va.gov/index.htmlhttps://www.myhealth.va.gov/index.htmlhttps://www.myhealth.va.gov/index.htmlhttp://www.esgr.mil/Contact/Local-State-Pages/Michigan.aspxhttp://www.esgr.mil/


12/25




On July 4th 2012 Mr. Franklin Smith passed away. In Decem-ber of 2011 I received a letter with a story attached. Sincethen I have been working on obtaining a copy of his fullstory. Don Alsbro the President of Lest We Forget SW MIprovided me with the document. Mr. Smith wrote over 50pages in his account of World War II. Over the next fewmonths we will publish the whole story. I thank Lest WeForget for their support with this project.Matthew X. Hauser

World War II MemoriesFrom Captain Franklin

H. Smith-Part XIBy: The Late Cpt. Franklin H. Smith

QUEEN MARYThe train took

us up to Scotland andwe were loaded ontosome small boats andtaken out to the Queen

Mary as she sat in thePerth of the Clyde Riv-er. The men got aworkout as they carriedme and they had to stopand rest a couple oftimes. Even though theQueen Mary was not ahospital ship it was used to get some of the woundedhome. They loaded one thousand patients to go back tothe United States. There were two hundred litter cases andeight hundred walking wounded. The Queen was carrying

eighteen thousand that time from the United States toEngland but they didnt want to put too many patientsaboard in case an enemy torpedo hit the ship. I was stillbleeding badly and my cast gave off a foulsmell. They put me in a stateroom with abouttwenty other wounded people and I guess theycomplained about the smell and said it wasmaking them sick. So they moved me and an-other officer in a cast into a very small state-room with another man who was also a com-plete invalid with a serious head injury. Theyassigned two soldiers to take care of us. These

soldiers were normally stationed in Icelandand were being given leave time in the UnitedStates. They had gone to England to catch theQueen Mary for transportation to the US. Wewere the first wounded men that had seen andthey were very kind and good to us. They didwhatever we asked them to do.

The enemy submarines that were left

were supposed to be in the north so we went to the south.The Queen Mary did not have any escort as she could runa speed of around twentyeight knots and outrun most ofthe submarines. It took us about five and a half days andas we came into New York harbor, these two soldierswere up in the port hold giving us a blow by blow report.We could hear the music coming through the portholefrom the band on the dock. All the walking wounded wereunloaded and about 10:00 p.m. I was unloaded. It was adark and dismal night and there was no band, just an emp-ty area of the docks with one exception. There were twoGray Ladies there and they came over and asked me if Iwould like a cup of coffee and a doughnut, which I did.The thing that really impressed me was that these twowomen had stayed there until the very last one of us wasunloaded, and I happened to be one of the very last. Wewere taken to Halloran General Hospital and when wechecked in we were told we could use the telephone tocall home. My turn to use the phone didnt come until thenext morning.

I called Minneapolis and talked to Margueritesmother and she told me Marguerite was in Chicago visit-ing Sylvia Legg Borneman who had been her roommatein college. They had kept in touch during the war yearsand would get together a couple of times a year. Hermother told me the name of the hotel so I called and Mar-guerite answered. I guess she was half asleep so I askedher if she was the wife of that famous soldier, FrankSmith. In a daze she said that her husband wasnt in theNavy that he was a soldier. Finally I told her that I washer husband. She hadnt heard my voice for two and a halfyears and it was a shock for her to be talking to me be-cause she had no idea that I was coming home. I told herthat my stay at Holloran was a temporary stay and that Iwould be leaving for some other hospital and I would callher when I knew which one it would be.


13/25




Veterans Radio is dedicated to all of the menand women who have served or are currentlyserving in the armed forces of the United Statesof America. Our mission is to provide all veter-

ans with a voice, to give them a forum where they are able to discuss their issuesand tell their stories. You canlisten to the show on: WDEO (990-AM Ann Arbor/Detroit), WMAX (1440-AM, Saginaw), WDEO-FM (99.5 FM,Naples FL), KAGY (1510-AM Port Sulfur/New Orleans LA), KIXW (960-AM, Apple Valley CA) and KMRC (1430-AM Morgan City, LA). Or, listen to our Webcast and archives at: www.veteransradio.net.

I suggested she go to Chicago and stay with mysister, Marge and I would call her there as soon as I knewwhere I landed. Because I was in a cast that had a lot ofblood all over it, the doctor at Holloran decided to changeit. In fact, the doctor said they were going to put me intraction. I told them that I didnt think they could put mein traction because they were going to in England anddidnt do it. He seemed to be a kind of know-it-alldoctor and I didnt argue with him anymore. Every othertime they had changed my cast I had been put out withsome sort of anesthetic, but Halloran just took me in andthis doctor got the cast cutters. He was very rough and itwas hurting me as he was cutting. I said; If I could getmy hands on those cutters, I would hit you right in thehead. He was careful that I didnt get hold of the cutters.

When they opened me up I saw the bad shape Iwas in and it really discouraged me further. When he got alook at my condition he realized that he couldnt put mein traction, so it was necessary to put me back in the fullbody Spica cast again. This was about the fifth or sixthtime that I had a cast change. A few days later I was puton a train and it took me to Louisville, Kentucky where Iwas admitted to Nicholas General Hospital, which was atemporary Army Hospital that had been set up just outsideof Louisville. I immediately called Marguerite and toldher where I was located and she made arrangements tocome to Louisville.

The doctors there told me that they were going tohave to close some of my wounds with grafts from mybackside and they set me up for this operation. I thoughtthey were going to take this skin off my back but theytook the skin off my seat. They brought me back to theroom and when I became conscious, I told Marguerite thatmy seat was hurting. The reason being they had taken allmy skin to cover the wounds. I was very fortunate that allthe graft took and my wounds closed. They then meas-ured me to make a brace for my right leg. The metalwould go all the way from the shoe to my hip so thatwhen I walked I would not be walking on the leg. I wouldbe walking from my hip down to the shoe. They got thisall fitted up for me and the first time I put it on and stoodup on the crutches, I felt like I was ten feet tall. I walkedto the back of the ward in the hospital and when I turnedaround I wasnt sure I could get back to my room. When I

made it back I was so exhausted by the short trip to theback of the ward I flopped into bed and didnt get upagain that day.

We wanted to buy a car. Marguerite was able toget stamps to buy a car because I was a wounded soldier.She was able to buy a second hand Oldsmobile that hadbeen a former police car. We got ready to leave thehospital and go home for Christmas. First we were goingto Chicago and then on to Minneapolis. We left about5:00 a.m. I was sitting in the back seat with my leg up onthe seat and Marguerite was driving. We also had a soldierwho was going to ride to Minneapolis with us. We werecrossing the bridge from Louisville to New Albany whenthe car began to cough and I knew we were in greattrouble. I said that if we could get to the other side of thebridge we needed to get to a filling station, which we did.The filling station wasnt open until about 6:00 a.m. andthe man said that he didnt know anything aboutautomobiles, he only pumped gas.

The police station was across the street soMarguerite went across the street to tell them about ourplight and see if they would recommend someone to helpus. They called the fire department as a mechanic hadbeen assigned to the fire department. They told the policethat the mechanic had been on the night shift and hadalready gone home. The police came over, pushed our cardown to the mechanics house and he came out. Then theypushed our car back down to the fire station, took out thefire engine and put our car into that space. The mechanicwent to work on our car and got a few parts. It took mostof the morning to get the car repaired and when he got itrunning I asked if he thought the car would make it toMinneapolis. He said that it would. The other firemen hadpolished our car until it was in beautiful shape. The me-chanic didnt want to take any money for the work he haddone. I asked him if I could at least pay for the parts hehad bought and he agreed. From that day on I have had asoft spot in my heart for the police and fire department ofNew Albany, Indiana.

We left New Albany and had no problem gettingto Chicago. We visited there and then went on toMinneapolis. The car was a southern car. There had a bigsnowfall in Minneapolis and cold weather set in and thedarn car wouldnt start the next morning.
http://www.veteransradio.net/http://www.veteransradio.net/http://www.veteransradio.net/


14/25




Spirit of the

American FlagBy: Dale Hemphill-Designer, Spirit of America Flag

TheSpirit of America Foundation is a non

-profit

organization founded in 2001 by a naval veteran realizingthe need for historical recognition of American's heroesand the sacrifices they made for our country.

The "Spirit of America" insignia shown abovewas designed to recognize our men and women of themilitary forces and the battles they fought.

As the Spirit of America Foundation continuesits mission topromote patriotism and the appreciation ofour veterans, it has expanded its reach to helpveterans inneedin today's tough economy.

FORGOTTEN HEROES USA, LTD, supports

the missions of the Spirit of America Foundation byoffering patriotic products honoring Americas hardshipsin history dating back to the Revolutionary War topresent day Operation Enduring Freedom, and OperationIraqi Freedom. With each purchase, a percentage isdonated to the Spirit of America Foundation.

If you would like to help our cause by making apurchase or donation please know that your generositywill reach many others in their time of need. Pleasereview our web site for more information. If you haveany questions or comments please contact us via the"Contact Us"page. Thank you!

Video: The Raising of the Spirit of America flag. At theAmerican war cemetery in Margraten in The Netherlands

on Sunday the 3rd of July 2011.Made by: RALPH84Click Hereto view the video.

We would like to express our appreciation to all of the Fighting men and women in the United States Military.Thank you for your service to this country.

We eventually got it started and it held up for thetime in Minnesota and back to Louisville where I reen-tered the hospital. The last operation I had in the hospitalwas to remove as much of the grafted area as possible.They were able to sew the leg together. I still have somegrafts in my leg that they were unable to get out at thattime. I had a broken leg, a smashed knee joint, torn sciat-ic nerve, a damaged ankle and I guess that is about thesum of it. I received the Purple Heart for being woundedin action against the enemy. I was also decorated with aSilver Star for gallantry in action at Angers, the BronzeStar for distinguished heroism for my action at the rivercrossing at Dornot and the Combat Infantry Badge.

When I was leaving the hospital I asked one ofthe doctors how much longer I would have to endure thepain I was having. His answer was all my life. This wasdiscouraging to say the least. My army days were over inDecember 1945. At that point I went to work for the Aet-na Casualty and Surety Company in Indianapolis, Indi-ana. Marguerite, Sally and I made a trip to Europe in1970 and I was able to take them to most of the placeswhere I had been in 1944 and give them a picture of whathappened. In 1992 some members of the 11th Infantrywere to be honored by a number of towns that they hadliberated. We spent two weeks in France and some timein Luxembourg and it was a great trip.

While we were actually planning to go for justone celebration, our guide said that when she was settingup accommodations for us she limited it to six daysbecause everybody wanted to have a celebration for us.We had three solid days of ceremonies in France andthree days in Luxemburg. People welcomed us as heroes.We were kept busy from morning until after midnightevery night. The reason we were able to break it up atmidnight was that we watched for an opportunity to tellthem what a nice time we had and thank them and bringthe evening to an end. Otherwise, we would have beenthere until 1:00 or 2:00 a.m.

Our Division in the European operation hadtwentyfive thousand casualties, half of which werenon-battle casualties. The 5th Division also madetwenty-five forced river crossings. The Division wasbrought home with the intention of sending it to Japan.Fortunately, the dropping of the Atomic bombs savedthem from further bloodshed. The Division did serve in

Vietnam and was finally deactivated in 1992. InSeptember 1999 we were honored in the Dornot area.Alain and Elizabeth Gozzo were our hosts. They werewonderful people and again we were treated as heroes.They will be our French friends forever.
http://www.forgottenheroesusa.com/contact-us2.htmlhttp://www.forgottenheroesusa.com/contact-us2.htmlhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgxldxEHt2A&feature=youtu.behttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgxldxEHt2A&feature=youtu.behttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgxldxEHt2A&feature=youtu.behttp://www.forgottenheroesusa.com/contact-us2.html


15/25





16/25




Traumatic Brain Injury

UpdateFrom: RAO Bulletin August 2013 (Lt. James EMO

Tichacek, USN (Ret) Associate Director, RetireeAssistance Office, U.S. Embassy Warden & IRS VITABaguio City RPPSC 517 Box RCB, FPO AP 96517 Tel:(951) 238-1246 in U.S. or Cell: 0915-361-3503 in the


Traumatic brain injury prior to combat duty maybe partially to blame for the rise of veteran suicides. Theunusual number of sports players who experienced TBI(traumatic brain injury) and later committed suicide, andthe number of military vets who experienced TBI while incombat and later committed suicide, may not be acoincidence, say brain injury researchers. Research ontraumatic brain injury is of utmost concern right now forveteran disability advocates, commented veterans

disability lawyer James Fausone. A new study publishedin the journal JAMA Psychiatry has proposed a linkbetween multiple concussions or traumatic brain injuriesand suicidal actions later. In addition, the study found thata significant number of the men who experienced military-related TBI had a sports-playing history, which indicatesthat they may have experienced TBI on the playing fieldyears earlier.

The study, conducted by an Air Forcepsychologist, looked at 161 individuals sent to his clinicfor suspected concussions. Those interviewed were askedabout any history of head trauma, any battles with

depression, PTSD or struggling with suicidal thoughts.The study concluded that many of the head injuriesreferenced by the study participants, in some cases asmany as 6 injuries by one individual, were sustained priorto military service. Approximately 20 percent of the studyparticipants reported that they experienced concussionduring their basic training, and some reported that theyhad sustained as many as 15 different head injuries duringtheir tour of duty. Post-traumatic stress disorder anddepression are both high-risk factors for suicide, andcombat experience typically would only increase theirseverity, said the researchers. Individuals who already

experience one or both of these conditions and then jointhe service would explain why there are such high levelsof suicide in the Armed Forces.

The researchers suggest that head trauma may setup a pre-existing disposition towards suicidal ideation oraction which is then exacerbated by additional headtrauma during combat. Exposure to an IED (improvisedexplosive device) buffets the brain within the skull by

concussive shock waves, which can cause bleeding in the

brain at numerous, hard-to

-detect sites, causing damage.

Subtle traumatic brain injury can be impossible to detectby an average physical; it is possible that many militarypersonnel entered the service well enough to serve, andthen subsequent damage further made them moresusceptible to suicidal thoughts than someone who hadnot sustained sports-related concussions or other headinjuries. [Source: Northville MI Law Firm Newswirearticle 16 JUL 2013 ++]

On The Lighter SideFrom: Hank Fuhs

Young people have theirs, now Seniors have their owntexting codes:

*ATD- At the Doctor's

*BFF- Best Friends Funeral

*BTW- Bring the Wheelchair

*BYOT - Bring Your Own Teeth

*CBM

-Covered by Medicare

* SUATSC- See You at the Senior Citizens

*DWI- Driving While Incontinent

*FWIW - Forgot Where I Was

* GGPBL- Gotta Go, Pacemaker Battery Low

*GHA- Got Heartburn Again

* LMDO-

Laughing My Dentures Out

*LOL- Living on Lipitor

* *TOT- Texting on Toilet

Hope these help. GGLKI

(Gotta Go, Laxative Kicking in!)


17/25




The World War I Memorial

FoundationFrom: www.wwimemorial.org

In March 2008, Frank Buckles, the last survivingAmerican veteran of World War I, visited the District ofColumbia War Memorial, on the National Mall inWashington DC. He observed that this peaceful, secluded

memorial, dedicated in 1931 as a memorial to the 499residents of the District of Columbia who gave their livesin that war, sits neglected and in extreme disrepair, andthat there is no national memorial to World War I. Mr.Buckles issued a call for the restoration and re-dedicationof the D.C. memorial as a National and District of Co-lumbia World War I Memorial.

The World War I Memorial Foundation wasformed to make Frank Buckles dream a reality. Themission of the Foundation is to advocate and raise fundsfor the re-dedication of the DC War Memorial as anational World War I memorial, dedicated to all those

Americans who served in the Great War.In 2014 the world will mark the centennial of

World War I. Nearly 5 million Americans served duringthe war, and 116,516 Americans died in defense ofdemocracy overseas. Americas support of its allies inWorld War I marked the first time in this nations historythat American soldiers went abroad to defend foreign soilagainst aggression -- and it marked the true beginning ofthe American century.

Yet while the later conflicts of the 20th century -World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War --rightfully have national memorials on the National Mall,

there is no such memorial to the Great War, eventhough more Americans gave their lives in World War Ithan in Korea or Vietnam. The D.C. memorial, which isalready located adjacent to those other memorials, is themost fitting site for a national World War I memorial.

Photo: The Late Frank Buckles during his 2008 visit to

the Washington D.C. World War I Monument.

Legionnaires Disease Update

3rd VA OIG Report ResultsFrom: RAO Bulletin August 2013 (Lt. James EMOTichacek, USN (Ret) Associate Director, RetireeAssistance Office, U.S. Embassy Warden & IRS VITABaguio City RPPSC 517 Box RCB, FPO AP 96517 Tel:(951) 238-1246 in U.S. or Cell: 0915-361-3503 in the


It's not just Pittsburgh.Department of Veterans Affairshospitals across the countryfailed to follow policiesdesigned to stop the spread ofLegionnaires' disease, accordingto a VA Office of InspectorGeneral's report released on 1AUG. More than one-third of

VA hospitals and clinical carefacilities did not conduct proper planning and riskassessment required by a 2008 national VA directive tocontrol the Legionella bacteria. If inhaled in water mist,the bacteria can become a potentially deadly form ofpneumonia known as Legionnaires' disease. The reportshows a clear lack of understanding at VA facilitiesacross the country about proper protocol when testing forLegionella, Sen. Bob Casey Jr. (D-PA) wrote in anemail to the Tribune-Review.

Casey, along with Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA-18)requested the nationwide investigation after a Legion-naires' outbreak in the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare Systemsickened at least 21 veterans, at least five of whom died,according to the Centers for Disease Control and Preven-tion. The full scope of the Pittsburgh outbreak remainsmurky. VA workers at the University Drive campus inOakland found alarmingly high levels of Legionellabacteria in the water system as far back as 2007, a Tribinvestigation revealed, but the VA and the CDC did notreview those records or the medical records of veteranshospitalized there before the February 2011 to November2012 outbreak. At least one family believes their lovedone was killed in the outbreak but went uncounted by theCDC. Casey has asked the CDC to review the matter.

The report released on Thursday is the thirdproduced by the Inspector General in response to theoutbreak. At least one more, a criminal probe, is underway. Nine of the 16 VA facilities with a history ofhospital-acquired Legionnaires' meaning patientscaught the disease at the facilities failed to follow theclinical and environmental testing guidelines spelled outin the 2008 directive, according to the report.
http://www.wwimemorial.org/http://www.wwimemorial.org/http://www.wwimemorial.org/


18/25




MICHIGAN AIR NATIONAL GUARD

HISTORY BOOKSThe Michigan Air National Guard Historical Association created a three volume set of history books covering theperiods 1926-1996. A fourth volume covering the years 1996 to 2006 is in production and should be available soon.

Volume 1 covers the period 1926 to 1976-Cost: $1.00Volume 2 covers the period 1976 to 1986-Cost: $4.00Volume 3 covers the period 1986 to 1996-Cost: $1.00

Volume 4 covers the period 1996 to 2010-Cost: $6:00 Full color $35.00

If you wish to purchase one or more of these volumes or are interested in more information, please contact MAGHA at

Phone: 586-239-6768, Fax: 586-239-6646, Email: [email protected]

MANGBANGFrom: Eugene (Gene) A. Simon

-

Command Chief Master Sergeant USAF (Retired) & Matthew X. Hauser

As you may have seen in past editions of the newsletter, MANGBANG has been one of our sources. We arethankful for the source and so we just wanted to pass the information along for MANGBANG in case anyone is interest-ed in joining the Michigan Air National Guard Historical Association.

You can contact Lou Nigro if you are interested. We think it is a worthwhile investment-it supports the historyof the Michigan Air National Guard and his monthly publications are very informative.

For those who want to view it on our website (www.selfridgeairmuseum.org,http://www.selfridgeairmuseum.org), Lt Col Lou Nigro, MI ANG (Ret) Executive Director, Selfridge Military AirMuseum Email: [email protected]

The report is based on surveys that 182 VAhospitals returned to the Inspector General documentingtheir Legionella prevention efforts in 2012. That year, asan outbreak gripped VA Pittsburgh hospitals, testing forthe disease at the Heinz and University Drive hospitals farexceeded any other in the country. Of the 15,169 urinetests conducted at all VA hospitals to determine thepresence of Legionella bacteria, more than 1,200 wereconducted in Pittsburgh. No other hospital conductedmore than 900. VA Pittsburgh accounted for aboutone-third of the 3,091 respiratory cultures taken that year,the report found. Pittsburgh had more Legionnaires'patients than anywhere else. Eighteen of the 112 patientsidentified by the Inspector General were in Pittsburgh,more than three times the next-highest number of cases five that were identified at the VA Medical Center inWashington.

Investigators identified only four of those 112Legionnaires' patients who definitely caught the diseasefrom VA hospitals, the report said. It did not identifywhich hospitals those patients visited, but the CDCinvestigation of Pittsburgh's outbreak identified four

patients who definitely acquired the disease in VAPittsburgh facilities in 2012. The CDC report identifiednine others who probably acquired the disease there.

The inspector general's findings only bolster thecase for significant reform at (the VA PittsburghHealthcare System) and around the country, and the needto pass legislation to require the VA to report outbreaks ofinfectious diseases to appropriate public officials, Caseysaid. Casey and Murphy have introduced bills that wouldrequire VA hospitals to comply with the same reportingrequirements that apply to most hospitals to tightenoversight. The national VA is revising its guidelines forLegionella prevention in response to the Pittsburghoutbreak. The Inspector General suggested that thoserevisions simplify guidelines and provide guidance,education and monitoring to make sure they're followed.In addition, the IG recommended the VA expand thenumber of facilities that should take extra steps to combatLegionnaires'. VA Undersecretary of Health Dr. RobertPetzel concurred with the recommendations and said theywould be implemented within a year. [Source: PittsburghTribune

-Review | Mike Wereschagin | 2 Aug 2013 ++]
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.selfridgeairmuseum.org/http://www.selfridgeairmuseum.org/http://www.selfridgeairmuseum.org/http://www.selfridgeairmuseum.org/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.selfridgeairmuseum.org/http://www.selfridgeairmuseum.org/mailto:[email protected]


19/25




DoD, VA Establish Two

Multi-Institutional Consortia to

Research PTSD and TBIFrom: www.va.gov-August 10, 2013

WASHINGTON -- In response to PresidentObamas Executive Order, the Departments of Defense(DoD) and Veterans Affairs (VA) highlighted today theestablishment of two joint research consortia, at acombined investment of $107 million to research thediagnosis and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD) and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) over afive-year period.

VA is proud to join with its partners in the fed-eral government and the academic community to supportthe Presidents vision and invest in research that couldlead to innovative, new treatments for TBI and PTSD,"said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. "Wemust do all we can to deliver the high-quality care ourService members and Veterans have earned and deserve.

The Consortium to Alleviate PTSD (CAP), a col-laborative effort between the University of Texas HealthScience Center San Antonio, San Antonio MilitaryMedical Center, and the Boston VA Medical Center willattempt to develop the most effective diagnostic, prog-nostic, novel treatment, and rehabilitative strategies totreat acute PTSD and prevent chronic PTSD.

The Chronic Effects of Neurotrauma Consortium(CENC), a collaborative effort between Virginia Com-monwealth University, the Uniformed Services Universi-ty of the Health Sciences, and the Richmond VA MedicalCenter will examine the factors which influence thechronic effects of mTBI and common comorbidities in

order to improve diagnostic and treatment options.

A keypoint will be to further the understanding of the relation-ship between mTBI and neurodegenerative disease.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, more than 2.5 millionAmerican service members have been deployed to Iraqand Afghanistan. Military service exposes service mem-bers to a variety of stressors, including risk to life, expo-sure to death, injury, sustained threat of injury, and theday-to-day family stress inherent in all phases of the mili-tary life cycle.

To improve prevention, diagnosis, and treatmentof mental health conditions, the President released an Ex-

ecutive Order directing the Federal agencies to develop acoordinated National Research Action Plan. The Depart-ment of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, theDepartment of Health and Human Services (HHS), andthe Department of Education (ED) came forward with awide-reaching plan to improve scientific understanding,effective treatment, and reduce occurrences of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury, co-occurring conditions and suicide.

New Nonprofit in Michigan to

Help Veterans, Soldiers and

Families

Created by a Veteran for Veterans,Soldiers and their Families

Metamora, MI, August 1,

2013: Suits for Soldiers is anew nonprofit in Michigan, butavailable nationwide. We arelooking to help Veterans,Soldiers and their families witha variety of services and as wegrow, increase the services thatwe provide. The initial serviceswe will be offering are: cloth-ing for interviews and jobs,

mentoring, resume writing and review, interviewassistance, local job connections, education counseling,

VA education benefits help and connecting Veterans withrealtors and mortgage professionals who are familiar withworking with Veterans. Our goal by the end of the year isto have a place with computer access where those whoneed our services can come and get clothing, improvetheir resumes and apply for jobs, get face to face mentor-ing from local business professionals, take classes and gettraining that will improve skill sets to get them ready forgainful employment.

There are many programs currently out there thatoffer similar services, but at times are overwhelmed bythe number in need of help. Suits for Soldiers would like

to be another option for Veterans, Soldiers and theirfamilies. There can never be enough resources for themen and women who have served our country. Withoutthese heroes who have sacrificed their families andthemselves, we would not be able to be as free as we aretoday.

Suits for Soldiers is asking for the help of thosein the television, print and social media to spread theword of our organization, so that we can grow and notonly help in Michigan, but reach out to more states andthose who are in need of help. Each Veteran we helptouches the lives of so many!!!

Below are the ways in which you can find Suitsfor Soldiers on the web:

www.suitsforsoldiers.orgwww.facebook.com/suitsforsoldiersTwitter: @suitsforsoldier

Thank you,Scott FaderSuits for Soldiers
http://www.va.gov/http://www.va.gov/http://www.va.gov/


20/25




Rep. Jim StamasCommittee Chair

Welcome to the Military andVeterans Affairs and HomelandSecurity Committee. The committee'sregularly scheduled meeting time isWednesday at 9:00am in room 308 ofthe House Office Building inLansing. I welcome citizens to

contact me or other committee members regarding billsor proposals our committee is addressing. Individualsneeding special accommodations to participate in acommittee meeting may contact my office to request the

necessary assistance.

Military and Veterans Affairs

and Homeland Security

Committee Members

Jim Stamas(R) Committee Chair, 98th DistrictRay Franz(R) Majority Vice-Chair, 101st DistrictGail Haines(R) 43rd DistrictKenneth Kurtz(R) 58th DistrictTom Hooker(R) 77th DistrictDale Zorn(R) 56th DistrictJoseph Graves(R) 51st DistrictHarvey Santana(D) Minority Vice-Chair, 9th DistrictGeorge Darany

(D) 15th District

Dian Slavens(D) 21st DistrictBrian Banks(D) 1st DistrictHenry Yanez(D) 25th DistrictPhil Cavanagh(D) 10th District

Ben Cook, Committee Clerk517-373-2002

Two Great Sources for Veterans/Military Legislative Updates in Washington D.C.

Simply click the images to view the site.
http://www.house.mi.gov/MHRPublic/CommitteeInfo.aspx?comkey=235http://www.house.mi.gov/MHRPublic/CommitteeInfo.aspx?comkey=235http://www.house.mi.gov/MHRPublic/CommitteeInfo.aspx?comkey=235http://www.gophouse.com/welcome.asp?District=098http://www.gophouse.com/welcome.asp?District=098http://www.gophouse.com/welcome.asp?District=101http://www.gophouse.com/welcome.asp?District=101http://www.gophouse.com/welcome.asp?District=043http://www.gophouse.com/welcome.asp?District=043http://www.gophouse.com/welcome.asp?District=058http://www.gophouse.com/welcome.asp?District=058http://www.gophouse.com/welcome.asp?District=077http://www.gophouse.com/welcome.asp?District=077http://www.gophouse.com/welcome.asp?District=056http://www.gophouse.com/welcome.asp?District=056http://www.gophouse.com/welcome.asp?District=051http://www.gophouse.com/welcome.asp?District=051http://009.housedems.com/http://009.housedems.com/http://015.housedems.com/http://015.housedems.com/http://021.housedems.com/http://021.housedems.com/http://001.housedems.com/http://001.housedems.com/http://025.housedems.com/http://025.housedems.com/http://010.housedems.com/http://010.housedems.com/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://veterans.house.gov/http://veterans.senate.gov/mailto:[email protected]://010.housedems.com/http://025.housedems.com/http://001.housedems.com/http://021.housedems.com/http://015.housedems.com/http://009.housedems.com/http://www.gophouse.com/welcome.asp?District=051http://www.gophouse.com/welcome.asp?District=056http://www.gophouse.com/welcome.asp?District=077http://www.gophouse.com/welcome.asp?District=058http://www.gophouse.com/welcome.asp?District=043http://www.gophouse.com/welcome.asp?District=101http://www.gophouse.com/welcome.asp?District=098http://www.house.mi.gov/MHRPublic/CommitteeInfo.aspx?comkey=235http://www.house.mi.gov/MHRPublic/CommitteeInfo.aspx?comkey=235http://house.michigan.gov/committeeinfo.asp?lstcommittees=military+and+veterans+affairs+and+homeland+security


21/25




For more information please visit www.supportamericanvets.organdwww.grassrootsationteam.org. More details coming soon.

The Grassroots Action Team was created in order to advocate for Veterans and others about issuesconcerning mental health parity and physical health. We will be doing this first and foremost by educatingpeople and making sure they are aware of the issues. Then we will make sure our leaders in Washington and atthe State level are aware of the issues and vote in favor of our Veterans. We will keep the pressure on to make

sure programs that are already in place as well as any new programs helping veterans are in fact implemented.If you would like to make a donation or have ideas and/or suggestions for us please write to our

President, Hank Fuhs, Lt. Col., United States Air Force/ANG/USAF Reserves (ret.) at 3848 Leonard St. NE,Grand Rapids, MI 49525 or email him [email protected]@grassrootsactionteam.org.

We would like to express our appreciation to all of the fighting men and women in the United States

Military. Thank you for your service to this country.
http://www.supportamericanvets.org/http://www.supportamericanvets.org/http://www.grassrootsationteam.org/http://www.grassrootsationteam.org/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.grassrootsationteam.org/http://www.supportamericanvets.org/


22/25




Brain Injury

Association of

MichiganFrom: Rick Briggs, Major, USAF (Ret)

The Brain Injury Association of Michigan

(BIAMI) Veterans Program utilizes numerous types ofoutdoor activities to gather Veterans and currentlyserving military personnel together for a little R&R.These special events are almost always free for thetroops depending totally on the kind donations of spon-sors and donors. In addition to being a great way to sayThank you for their service, these activities serve asthe mechanism to get the troops to open up a little ifthey are having post-deployment issues. Frequentlywe find that in the comfortable confines with otherswho have been there, done that they tend to be morereceptive to learn about Invisible Wounds says Rick

Briggs the Program Manager, both PTSD and TBI aretreatable if they seek the proper help. To find outmore about these activities, or to donate to theirVeterans Program, please make out checks to BIAMIVeterans Program and send them to 7305 Grand RiverSuite #100, Brighton, MI 48114 or contact RickBriggs at [email protected] or call him (810) 229-5880 or visit www.biami.org.

About the Brain Injury Asso-

ciation of Michigan (BIAMI):BIAMI is celebrating its 30th Anniversary as it

continues to strive to provide persons with a brain injuryand their families, healthcare professionals, and thegeneral public with the resources necessary to enhancebrain injury awareness, education, prevention, andsupport. BIAMI is also fields the first and only dedicatedVeterans Program staff within the Brain Injury Associa-tion of America.

Legal Help for VeteransFrom: James G. Fausone

Legal Help for Veterans, PLLC is a law firmlocated in Northville, Michigan. We have a nationalpractice representing veterans on veterans disabilityclaims. This representation occurs at the United StatesCourt of Appeals for Veterans Claims, the Board ofVeterans Appeals and regional offices. We have helpedveterans collect over $10,000,000 in retro and futurebenefits. Over the last decade, LHFV has become atrusted name in the legal community for providing legalservices to veterans and lecturing at law schools, barassociationsand community events.

Members of the Legal Help for Veterans practicegroup are former service members who bring not onlylegal expertise but an understanding of service and duty.The members of the group have medical and administra-tive backgrounds as well as finely honed legal skillsdeveloped over twenty years of practice and experi-ence. We have represented thousands of veterans andcurrently have over 650 active clients.

For more information about the organization andabout legal help for veterans and for contact informationwww.legalhelpforveterans.com and found on Twitter,Facebook and YouTube. Our telephone number is

800.693.4800. Our blog discusses current issues facingveterans and the VA.

Typically our clients are enlisted men andwomen who served post Korea. The Vietnam vet is stillthe one with the most common problems. These includeAgent Orange related disabilities, PTSD, psychiatricororthopedic injuries. Othervets often have hearing loss,military sexual trauma or tinnitus. We are now seeingIraq and Afghanistan vets with TBI. Many vets do noteven begin the disability claim process until many yearsafter service. The trigger may be unemployability andthe need for benefits. With a million claim back log at

VA, it is a slow and confusing process and manypeople

need professional help establishing the proper diagnosisand service connection. That is what Legal Help forVeterans, PLLC has been doing for clients for years.

We would like to express our appreciation to all of thefighting men and women in the United States

mailto:[email protected]://www.biami.org/http://www.legalhelpforveterans.com/http://www.legalhelpforveterans.com/http://www.legalhelpforveterans.com/http://www.biami.org/mailto:[email protected]


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Stand Up For Veterans-They Stood Up For US-The DAV

In ClosingThank you for your service

to our country. It is truly the menand women like you who make this

nation great, and we must neverforget that.Thank you to everyone for all the help you

have given us with the newsletter. We have been ableto reach more people because of your help. Comparedto when we first started, the amount of input and ideaswe receive has increased greatly. For that we are verythankful. If you have anything you would like to share,any questions, or have an article idea, please let meknow.You may contact us anytime at [email protected].

Sincerely,

Matthew X. Hauser and Lt. Col Hank Fuhs

We would like to express our appreciation to all of thefighting men and women in the United States


Lest We Forget-A Clip from Hank Fuhs

Lt. Col., USAF, Ret, ANG

(Just Click the Link Below)I Fought For You

News From American Legion Post 341American Legion Post

341 is seeking the names oftroops that are deployed to acombat zone so that we cansend them large package of

goodies and that their namesand address should be sent tothe address below.

Also post 341 is alwaysseeking new members pleasecontact Robert at the same address if interested.

American Legion Post 341Sr. Vice Commander

Robert P. Goulet6130 Nicholas

West Bloomfield, MI

[email protected]

Coordinator-

Matthew X. Hauser

Contributors-

Don AlsbroRick BriggsHelen Budd

Sen. Patrick Colbeck

Sam CottleRep. Kurt Damrow

Matt DavisDavid Duenow

Vicki DunlopMark EddyKeith Famie

James G. FausoneRep. Ray FranzSean M. FurrDenny Gillem

Robert GouletDr. Jack GrenanJohn Haggard

Larry HarrDan Heckman

Dale HemphillJohn Hess

Norma HouseySec. of State Ruth Johnson

James JulianAdrian KeoghAdele Krovsky

Bill Langbehn

Merridy LewisGary C. LulenskiClaude McManus

Chad Miles

Louis NigroRoger Rosenberg

Sid RubinEugene (Gene) A. Simon

Phil SmithSherry Swann

Tim PascarellaBob Tidmore

Rep. Fred UptonMaureen VanHooserPublisher-Hank Fuhs

Staff & Contributors

American Legion Post is in looking for current military members to send carepackages to. Please contact Robert Goulet if you know of any military memberwho might like something. Please see News From American Legion Post 341

below for more information. Thank you very much!

In Memory of Gary Lillie
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgYLr_LfhLohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgYLr_LfhLomailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgYLr_LfhLomailto:[email protected]


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Hope you enjoyed the Newsletter!

Please let us know what you

thought.

Contact Matthew X. Hauser [email protected]

We need your help to grow theNewsletter

We are looking for any contact informationof individuals or groups that you think

would either be interested in receiving ournewsletter or interested in writing articles.If you know of anyone please let us know.

Sincerely,

Lt. Col. Hank Fuhs & Matthew X. Hauser

Freedom is never more than one generationaway from extinction.

We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream.

It must be fought for, protected,and handed on for them to do the same.

~Ronald Reagan
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]

Vets & Military Families Monthly News Summer 2013

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Transcript of Vets & Military Families Monthly News Summer 2013