07-2019.pdf

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July/August 2019Vietnam Veterans of America (www.vvaveteran.org)Vol.39 No.4 11015 VVA.mech8a.qxp_magazine 6/28/19 2:43 PM Page 1

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7 Time Numismatic Literary Guild Award-Winning Best Dealer Publications 1st Place Best Brochure & Best Electronic Newsletter Press Club of Southeast Texas America’s Gold Expert AUTHORED BY DR. MIKE FULJENZ Two Major Banks Predict Gold & Silver will Soar! Commerzbank Predicts $1,500 Gold and $20 Silver in 2019 & Goldman Sachs Now Sees $1,450 Gold by Year’s End.D ont M is s O u t CALL NOW 1.800.336.1630“Like George Washington I believe the three precious metals of freedom are gold, silver and lead.” FREE Kit ShippingLimit 1 per household check / wire price • limit 1 per household check / wire price  limit 6 per household O nlyAs low as $ 140 00 each O nlyAs low as $ 16 50 each2019 $5 Gold American Eagle 1/10oz Gold • Brilliant Uncirculated 2019 $1 Silver American Eagle 1 oz .999 Fine Silver  Brilliant Uncirculated PHONE ORDERS ONLY • FREE SHIPPINGOn advertised oers $99 & above (add $8 on orders under $99) Special Introductory Below Cost Oer on the Most Popular IRA Eligible Gold & Silver Bullion Coins in the World IRAAPPROVED IRAAPPROVED Record 2019 Sales 2. GOLD GUIDE3. GOLD IRA KIT N ewWe make setting up a gold IRA easy for you. 1st Place Best Electronic Newsletter 1st Place Best Dealer Publication2020 SILVER1. SECRETS REPORT Award-Winning Silver, Gold & IRA Kit! FREEA Dollar of No Real Value? Shortly after the Battle of Bunker (Breed’s) Hill on June 17, 1775 – two months after Lexington and Concord – the Continental Congress was already running short of money, so on June 22, Congress printed the rst run ($2 million) of Continentals, a piece of paper backed by faith alone. Since these tiny new pasteboards were not backed by gold, merchants demanded more Continentals for the same amount of goods. Before long, General Washington complained that a wagon load of currency will hardly purchase a wagon load of provisions.Ž By the end of the Revolutionary War in 1781, the Continen tal was virtually worthless. Because of this experience, the phrase not worth a ContinentalŽ became a common way to describe anything of no real value. Prices are subject to change in response to market conditions and availability is not guaranteed. Please read important custom er disclosures on our website or that accompany products purchased, including arbitration agreement. Gold Basis: $1,340  Silver Basis $14.90 Images for representation only and are not to scale. NO DEALERS PLEASE Sh Online 1.800.336.1630 Vault Verication: FVVAVGS0819Oer Expires: 08/16/19 LARGER QUANTITIES AVAILABLE! Call for bulk shipping terms. Money Order or Check Call 24/7Follow us on Facebookt The Ocial Bullion and Rare Coin Partner of Better for You. Better for America. 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:45 PM Page 2

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Features: 2 2 7 7PSYCHIATRIC BREAKDOWN AT WEST LA VAA Disruption in Crucial Care 3 3 0 0AN UNEASY FEELINGThe SmithsonianÂ’s Big Vietnam War Art Exhibit 3 3 2 2THE SISTER WALLThe Missouri National Veterans Memorial 3 3 3 3NAVIGATING THE VA WIDOWÂ’S BENEFITS MAZEGet the Facts & DonÂ’t Give Up 3 3 4 4TOXIC CHEMICALS & THE NEXT GENERATIONCaring for Children with Disabilities 3 3 6 6JIM BEAVERThe Character You Know, The Name You DonÂ’t 3 3 7 7GENERAL WES CLARKA Lifetime of Achievement 3 3 8 8PROJECT WELCOME HOMEB-52 Memorial Dedication in Seattle 4 4 0 0COMMENDATION SINCE PALM SPRINGSRecent Recipients of VVAÂ’s Highest AwardDepartments:7PRESIDENTÂ’S REPORT 7LETTERS 9GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS 10VETERANS HEALTH COUNCIL 12VVA COMMITTEE REPORTS 18DIRECTORSÂ’ REPORTS 24CONVENTION COMMITTEE REPORT 41BOOKS IN REVIEW Anthony HeadÂ’s Spirit: The Life and Art of Jesse Trevio Ocean VuongÂ’s On Earth WeÂ’re Briefly Gorgeous 43MEMBERSHIP NOTES PhiladelphiaÂ’s Liberty Bell Chapter 266 Keith King & The Michigan Hall of Honor VVA Homeless Veterans Committee Chair Sandy Miller Central New Hampshire Chapter 41 45LOCATOR & REUNIONS 47TAPS 48CALENDAR 50PARTING SHOT Rededication of the In Memory Plaque3 A publication of Vietnam Veterans of America An organization chartered by the U.S. CongressPublisher John Rowan Editor Michael Keating Senior Writer & Books Editor Marc Leepson Art Director Xande Anderer Advertising Coordinator Candis Chaney Proofreader Johan Perez Staff Photographer Michael Keating Online Designer Xande Anderer Contributing WritersXande AndererRichard Currey Claudia GaryBob Hopkins John PradosWilliam Triplett David WillsonHenry ZeybelPresident John Rowan Vice PresidentMarsha FourSecretaryBill Meeks, Jr.TreasurerWayne ReynoldsBoard of DirectorsDottie BarickmanTom Burke Spence DavisRichard DeLong Gumersindo GomezBob Grabinski Skip HochreichFrancisco F. Ivarra Allen ManuelJohn Margowski Sara McVickerCharles R.Montgomery, Jr.Pete PetersonDave Simmons Dick SouthernDan Stenvold Kerwin StoneTed Wilkinson Sandie Wilson Rex Moody, CSCP Sharon Hobbs, AVVAThe VVA Veteran(ISSN 1069-0220)is published bimonthly with issues in January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, November/December by:Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc.8719 Colesville Road, Suite 100 Silver Spring, MD 20910 email: theveteran@vva.org 1-800-VVA-1316 301-585-4000 FAX: 301-585-5245 Website: vvaveteran.org facebook.vvaveteran.org Postmaster send address changes to:The VVA Veteran c/o Address Changes8719 Colesville Road, Suite 100 Silver Spring, MD 20910Periodicals Postage paid at: Silver Spring, Maryland, and at additional mailing office USPS 0729-490 Advertising Sales Fox Associates, Inc. 312-644-3888 Adinfo.VVA@foxrep.comNon-members: Subscriptions and Renewals payable in advance $20 per year. Bulk rates on request. Canadian and Foreign Postage $20 per year additional to subscription price. Make checks payable to: The VVA VeteranSubscriptions P.O. Box 64306 Baltimore, MD 21264-4306 http://facebook.vvaveteran.org V One BUFF Memorial 38 SKIP NELSON Leave it to Beaver 36 COURTESY JIM BEAVER Hallucinatory Violence 30 TIMOTHY WASHINGTON/TILTON GALLERY WidowÂ’s Walk 33 MATHISWORKS La-La Land 27DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS ON THE COVER: Virginia artist Paula Goodman Koz created the remarkable woodcut on this issueÂ’s cover using several pieces of maple veneer plywood and two sheets of linoleum. A limited number of handmade prints are available for sale. Email vitabreve@cox.net for details. The next issue of will be deliveredThe VVA SEPTEMBER 24-28 CONTENTS JULY/AUGUST 2019 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:45 PM Page 3

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4THEVVA VETERAN ALABAMA Roy H. Adams Kenneth Lee Anderson Thomas LeRoy Armstrong Walter Arrington Robert L. Battle Charles L. Bryant Lewis Caldwell Eddie Chaney Dorman L. Chasteen James Aaron Cleghorn O.C. Cottingham Leonard R. Crain Danny Brown Davis John A. Dennis Lawrence E. Dillard John D. Durante Manuel Ezell Chester J. Garnett Kenneth E. Hayes MacEo Henderson Robert G. Kirby Frank Langford Richard Love Jimmy C. MacHen Kenneth A. Polk Randall Pomeroy William S. Price James C. Ray George Ross Marguerite C. Sakis Roy A. Scarborough Michael R. Streepy Horace B. Verhine Danny J. Welborn Teddy T. Williams ALASKA Michael R. Morawitz ARIZONA James Hugh Allen Timothy B. Ansivino Bruce M. Belletti Michael E. Burke William B. Carbaugh David C. Coulter Reed D. Cranmore Robert A. Cuccorelli Lawrence C. Ditler Stephen A. Engelhardt Terry D. Ferguson Jesus X. Guajardo Ernest K. Henderson John M. Himmelberger Tim C. Hultine William N. Jones Joseph Edward Kain Jerry C. Logue Donald J. Long Michael A. Long Steven J. Parker David E. Patrick Chuck Rosen Angelo Scaccio Grant E. Smith Raymond B. Stein Ron Strub F. (Ron) Thomas James T. Vasile Thomas R. Welch Robert J. Welsh Gordon A. Wildes Robert K. Wilkinson ARKANSAS Lewie Raymond Brown Warren Lee Burchfield Larry E. Burgess Edward A. Drummond Paul E. Graham Samuel D. High Ronald L. Hulstein Andrew S. Karabinos Delbert (Skip) Kelley Jimmy B. Lee J. Thomas Purifoy Boyd Drew Reynolds Danny B. Roberts Jack V. Sanders Charles L. Templeton CALIFORNIA Roy P. Alexander R.D. Arndt James N. Barker Douglas H. Becker Bruce A. Brackett Forrest Brandon Michael Brehany Randal J. Bressette Gary W. Brice Floyd Henry Burke Donald W. Campbell Raul T. Carrasco Alberto Carrillo Gerald E. Casterline William H. Chamberlain Frederick C. Childs Louis A. Ciaglia Roger J. Clark Raymond J. Collier John E. Cordero James William Corn Thomas N. Crawford V. Tim Crawford Brian S. Demeules David P. Denevan Douglas C. Dodd Robert C. Dragge James M. Dumelle Jack Earl Robert R. Ellis Beth Anne Epperson Alex S. Fabros Kerry Ian Filgas Phillip W. Foursha Neil W. Gafney Jessie Garcia Carl A. Goslovich Anthony N. Guerrero John C. Guinasso Wayne K. Hashimoto W.C. Helton Richard J. Hengstebeck Donald E. Hewko Peter Graham Hill Ronnie Lee Hobbs Richard E. Holt Anthony H. Horan A. David Hudley James J. Jandik Wayne G. Jones Alfred N. Katzenstein Roy V. Kroeze Jacob F. Krygoski Dennis E. Lewis Todd E. Lipp Charles B. Lloyd William T. MacDonald Ronald K. Manjarrez Lester F. Maroney Richard R. May John J. Mayer Joe Mendoza Matt R. Miller Stephen A. Mueting Charles J. Mullery Fred L. Neeleman Rosalio Lara Pacheco Don Parr Kent A. Parsons Robert G. Pleak Benjamin N. Pulanco Terry J. Rains Jack M. Ravin James A. Richards G.S. Roller David L. Rosellen George S. Rostron Patrick W. Schenk Clyde A. Short Steve M. Slovyan Stephen W. Stewart Hiroyuki C. Taga Gary I. Tanaka Frank L. Tulleners Louis Wacker Steven J. Waggoner Mike Welsh Thomas C. Woollard Douglas Rea Young Rodney M. Ziblay COLORADO Kenneth E. Butcher Richard A. Coon Timothy Lee Coulter Matthew R. DÂ’Amore Phillip W. Foshee Gary W. Funk Larry W. Gates Dennis R. Johnson Kirk M. Johnston Donald F. Lawson Vernon E. Lovejoy Charles F. Luley Ronald J. Lutz Patrick J. Sartorius James C. Scott Joseph R. Sleevi Carroll H. Trader Edward Vigil Darryl E. Wright CONNECTICUT Robert D. Crawford Michael F. Kane Edward W. Milot Eric J. Obert James M. Parent Joseph A. Poland Jack R. Schooler Thomas H. Sellew Robert J. Stewart Michael R. Toscano Matthew A. Wilk DELAWARE Frederick W. Adams Frank D. Casey Robert F. Davis Melvin C. Dill Mark S. Eschelweck Gary D. Hudak Rocky L. Justice Arlan Kinney Martin J. Lawson Wayne E. Malone Dennis Mansour Mark P. Muller Rodney B. Stancliff Gary L. Wright FLORIDA Michael I. Abramo Norman L. Alexander Paul Anderson Larry L. Ault Robert E. Barber Joseph W. Barnes Henry F. Beck Michael Belliveau Dennis G. Bessette William M. Bewley Robert M. Bieske Larry W. Bishop Michael Lee Blevins George L. Bograkos Thomas R. Bostic Richard W. Bradstreet John S. Bridgman Dorsey W. Brown Wayne D. Brown George R. Bubemeim Dale Burlington Richard G. Capps Frederick J. Caputo Lawrence J. Carroll George E. Cherry Edward D. Chobrda William F. Collins Bruce L. Conord Edward D. Crews Howard A. Curley Richard L. Davidson James E. Davis Delano E. Degeneffe Wayne N. Driggers Paul David Elmer Thomas A. Fallon William H. Farrington Robert F. Felton John E. Flynt Robert L. Freeman C. Joe Fumando Richard J. Gebo Rudolph B. Gibbs Joseph W. Gilliam Richard F. Goosman Paul Greaux David R. Grey Nicholas C. Guarino James Henry Nicholas C. Henry Charles D. Hibbs Ronald J. Holzman James F. Houlihan Edward J. Howard Kenneth E. Howell Norman J. Huddy James E. Hurst Jeanette I. Hurt Paul M. Hurt Anthony J. James William C. Jefferson Jerry E. Jensen Gary E. Jones Steven A. Jones Richard W. Kelly Mickey D. Kenney Ralph R. Knapp J. Richard LaCroix Thomas A. Lambert George J. Lamoureux Ronald LeBlanc Gilberto Lebron David B. London Howard Butch Lovering Kenneth Lutz James E. Lynch Thomas W. Lynch Thomas A. Madore John D. Mallard Lori L. Marker James K. McCaslin David L. Messina Ronald C. Miller Samuel O. Miller Lloyd Elliott Mitchell Robert C. Morgan Richard M. Mueller Richard R. Nevitte Brian M. Parker Fate E. Paschall Norman O. Peak Robert Pitcher William G. Raper Charles K. Reed Roger Rhodes Matthew C. Rogalski Gale R. Rothschadl Udo H. Rowley Joseph William Samsel Robert J. Sarubbi Daniel A. Sauro James Schenkenberg Martin J. Schmeisser John A. Schrader Charles L. Schwarz Leonard A. Scott Joan C. Sell George H. Sinbine George H. Smith Robert C. Smith Donnie J. Stalvey Robert J. Stern Jon D. Stright Frederick P. Tarantino Michael E. Thagard Steven E. Thomas Wayne Tozzolo Jeffrey Trotter Chris C. Tweedy Thomas W. Upton Jesse L. Vaughn Ronald J. Visi Kenneth P. Weberman Stephen T. Werring Vernon L. Whitehurst Duane D. Wilson Carolyn DeZafra Wingard Paul B. Witherspoon Leonard Victor Wood Boyd A. Woodrum Walter J. Zamoida GEORGIA Nestor Aguayo-Lebron Donald E. Bay Dwight A. Biechler Willie J. Bowder Frank N. Brocato John Walter Caldwell Felipe Ramon Castillo Danny J. Chaney Alfred Chester Tommie L. Clark LaWee Colbert Richard Doyle Coleman Ron B. Collins Ronald S. Couch Thomas S. Coughlin Kurt W. Decman Larry P. Donaleski Dick Edgerly Gilbert W. Foote Morris Friedman Terry R. Funderburke Sam J. Gamble Thomas S. Gittemeier Samuel L. Harwell Kenneth E. Herring William L. Holland Linward L. James William Orvis Jarchow Roland Jarrell Harold Kelley James P. McVicker Paul A. Moore Frank A. Mullis Bennie Northern Henry J. Payne Lewis R. Payne Charles L. Poteet William E. Pye Isham T. Roberson Hartis Rogers Richard A. Shuman Robert L. Smalls Robert E. Spencer Arlan E. Stone Jessie L. Thomas Bruce V. Trigg Kenneth L. Wadsworth Winston Astor Warren Charles R. Williams GUAM Enrique M. Cruz HAWAII James Anakalea John Richard Bates Tom Bray Elliott T.K. Chong David A. Cunningham Charlene Dorsey Gary M. Fujioka Michael M. Ganaden Leroy J. Gatioan Michael C. Goto David A. Hall Yashimitsu David Iha Clifford A. Ishii Linda K. Ishii Henry Kaialoa Russell J. Maeda Roy M. Maskoviak Dennis T. Nakahara Stephen Nemeth Norvin Glenn Olivas Gemi Pascua Keith Price David Santos David A. Scarbo Wilfred J. Souza Ainsley K. Waiwaiole IDAHO Paul Andres Alvarez R. Dean Benson William Configliacco Dale A. Dower Daniel D. Esparza Randall L. Fields Kenneth D. Griffith Carlos Ramirez James J. Stewart ILLINOIS Charles H. Barbour Charles W. Boeke Randolph A. Boschulte Oliver J. Clark Terry L. Cooper Robert Cornfield Robert T. Curl Thomas E. Dacar Miles E. Davis Dennis L. Dorries James P. Galassi Mark Gastmann John P. Greaney Jaime Gutierrez Michael Jackowiak Kenneth G. Krupowicz Frank P. Lasick Donald D. Levandoski Wayne L. Long Henry A. Magee James M. Malinowski John E. Maloney Antonio J. Miranda Michael J. Moran Neal E. Morgan Stephen G. Nelson David P. Ogle Malcolm Mark Pattison Michael Pikulyk Ralph L. Puralewski James R. Romain Edward O. Sayers Randall L. Shay Wayne E. Spires Karl E. Sundstrom Mark L. Walker William J. White John S. Yoder INDIANA Gary F. Achgill Jerry Ray Andrews Ernest H. Brown Harry Brown Jim Cooling Norman W. Crawford Howard L. Crowell Michael R. Davis Mark C. Dobson Stephen M. Forgey Martin J. Glennon Robert G. Hall William C. Jennart James Johnston Owen (Bud) Melton Robert K. Mitchell Henry Morrissey Bruce D. Paul Donald P. Rehl James Larry Sargent John J. Sawyer H. Edward Schmitz Charles F. Schumacher Harry Shires Donald C. Siemers Richard M. Toll Lois P. Tucker Robert N. Tucker IOWA Lynda Aanerud Smagacz G. Ross Alexander Kenneth L. Bergert Merle A. Christians Billie E. Cloud Frederick A. Cook Leon R. Dahl Roger L. Digmann Michael G. Echelberger Paul C. Fredenburg James J. Glasser Carlos A. Gomez John A. Halwick Ronald A. Heth Richard L. Jackson Kent A. Knorr Dennis G. Mason Timothy A. Munger Richard D. Rees Larry R. Reynolds Randall R. Rhoads Robin Lee Roberts Michael E. Schmelzer Carl P. Swedberg Allen R. Whitcher Lyle R. Wiezorek Richard C. Wyckoff Joseph (Hank) Zaletel KANSAS Roger R. Belanger Bob Boydston James H. Breedlove Dan S. Dick Richard L. Duryea James D. Duty Alvin Elrod Cecil W. Emerson Gerald R. Fry John H. Gordon Hobart G. Johnson James Kuebler William P. Lundell Frederick W. Noble Clifford C. Pearl Paul J. Rohleder Daniel P. Shaughnessy Steven D. Shepard Larry J. Slavens Steven M. Thoele Donald R. Welsh Steven E. Woelk KENTUCKY Harry M. Braxton Charles E. Caldwell Charles Gammon Tony Giordano Douglas W. Hall George B. Harkness Kenneth W. Hart Rayburn Jarred Len Lobaito Michael T. Lyon Calvin L. Nichols John R. OÂ’Connor Alfred J. Peter Ned J. Rhoades David R. Shepherd Michael D. Smith Thomas Stapleton Evan B. Tilton Barry R. Tolman LOUISIANA Elie Donald Bonin Michael P. Brown Theodore W. Chainey Archibald A. Chaney James E. Colbert Raymond A. Cormier Paul H. Dardeau Martin D. Douzart H. Wayne Fontenot John M. Fontenot Ronald D. Gayler William S. Griffith William A. Holland Patrick Jolet Barry R. Laine Joseph W. Lane Charlie Marbs Randy S. Martin Lester J. Mayer William C. Messer James E. Minton James G. Mott Robert P. Murphy James J. Prejean John G. Regions Danwood Reimer Terence C. Rhodes Ardie R. Roberts Edison C. Robinson Carlos R. Rodriguez Larry M. Rooker Frank B. Sloane Terry J. Thibodeaux Jimmy D. Vanasselberg Matthew Lee Vaughn Thomas K. Wacker Gus O. Wiley James G. Williams MAINE Wayne J. Caron Stephen L. Flaherty Roger A. McLane Harvey Robert Winslow MARYLAND Leonard J. Addis Nicholas Bambacus Jospeh A. Brocato Kenneth J. Calder Robert J. Chevez Max Coschignano John D. Dean Louis Paul Demers Thomas M. Denham Michael P. Elder Christopher M. Fowler Philip D. Fradiska Joseph L. Friend John E. Garlitz Wayne D. George Gerald R. Gordon Ronald Jackson William L. James David W. Kelbaugh Robert W. Koelker John W. Kreitzburg Stephen A. Labishak Edgar C. Lewis Edwin J. Lloyd Franklin W. Mabrey Dennis L. Mack David Maiocco Charles B. Martin Joseph M. Masslofsky David McAllister Lawrence E. Mize Gregory D. Perry Paul F. Plummer George Privitera Otho Ringgold Norman Ripley George E. Robinette Arnold H. Sampson George Scott T. Richard Scott Henry Sherry Guy M. Shuck Joseph W. Staggs Max Sweet Leo James Tardif Brian C. Thorne Arthur S. Torf Mark C. Treanor Wayne R. Trigg Robert V. Wallace John W. Watkins Edward S. Wilkinson Dwight N. Wilson Norman L. Wright MASSACHUSETTS Louis J. Azzalina Alan L. Ballinger Peter Bezanson Jean C. Bourque Daniel P. Connors Douglas W. Dawes Thomas Demeo Paul C. Demers Daniel C. Dillon Franklin W. Doyle Paul F. Dunphy James M. Flores Gary Gomes William S. Hayes Eric W. James Peter C. LeCam Robert S. Lewko David M. Lloyd Joseph Machado James R. Mayo John Richard Murphy Harold G. Piper Stephen M. Reardon John L. Saball Anthony Sacco George J. Schoonover Marc Sorgman William P. Stimson Robert A. Swanson Roger J. Swenson VVA LIFE MEMBERSHIP NEW LIFE MEMBERSSign up now for your 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:45 PM Page 4

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5 MICHIGAN Calistro Adame Robert S. Albrecht Barry W. Alexander Antonio Almada William H. Baisden James Lee Ball Ralph Willard Berry Russell Bodell Edwin L. Bostic Donald Bostwick Melvin C. Boughton Les V. Brookins John W. Budny Duane J. Dembny Thomas A. Dennis Larry L. Des Parois Thomas H. Drake Richard Dunham Dave M. Fetters Clarence W. Fisher James L. Fortney Stephen K. Gable Mack M. Gaut George Glinski John W. Hiller William M. Holm Edward J. Hopkins Billy Joe Johnson Willie J. Johnson Gary A. Jones William L. Kay Harvey T. Kerr James Kish Gerald A. Kolb Robert Leshan Norm Luck James R. Luff J. Dale Lupo Charles W. Marsh Douglas Mathew Robert C. Mattson Nelson R. Mauder Emory F. Meier Roy E. Mickens Robert L. Misener Gerald L Momola Thomas R. Mott Gerald W. Nickles John Norton Robert Barry Parker Donald E. Pechumer Robert Pisarski Donald Rauch Robert J. Reinhardt Philip J. Robinson Larry K. Roller Edward L. Ronders John D. Rose Robert Schiattone Peter J. Schmit Pete Simpson Lawson A. Smith Frank B. Stecker John D. Swinson John W. Talarico Terry M. TerBush Richard P. Thiel Daniel W. Tomaka Pauline M. Van Heest Clyde E. Watson Dennis C. Zanley Fredrick P. Zirotte MINNESOTA Robert A. Altringer Michael J. Arndt Kenneth Alfred Baker Dennis Ray Beckerleg Byron Blanchard Thomas R. Blumberg Robert C. Bousard James W. Fackler Curtis K. Ferrie Dale W. Folman David S. Himmer Marvin L. Jansma Ron Jenderseck Charles A. Johnson Joe C. Johnson Leonard L. Lamm Terrence W. Lavoi John W. Lynch Oliver Anthony Maier Emilio Walter Munoz Edward L. Murphy Michael P. Noren Earl L. Pederson Larry G. Pruden J. Mark Reisetter Gary L. Schulz Carl P. Sporer James B. Stoebner Robert E. Swanson Lacy Keith Wilkins Charles B. Wright Rodney A. Young MISSISSIPPI Roy E. Ashton Kenneth J. Levy Dennis K. Moody Howard J. Pastorella John E. Schillo Paul Hampton Shannon Shelby Lee Slater Alexander J. Sunowiez Terrill A. Youngblood MISSOURI Andrew R. Anderson William Anderson Terry R. Atkinson William Kenney Banfi Larry H. Banning Robert E. Boyce Kenneth L. Bryant Sidney T. Cardwell Gaylord R. Daleen Barry Lynn Denison Louis M. Faveere Glendol D. Garrett Jack E. Garrison William P. Gill Robert T. Gioia Patrick J. Grove Robert D. Hahn Michael W. Holthaus Harry H. Houser James D. Johnson Danny L. Kruse David A. Lasica Theo E. Lipscomb Albert Motz David B. Nichols Donald R. Penrod Donald A. Pippin Richard L. Quick Leonard E. Russel Dennis Sharp Douglas C. Sheraski Terry L. Spencer Michael T. Switzer Roger L. Williams Michael E. Zarda MONTANA Mikehal J. Aschittino Robert B. Brantner Michael Rex Dodd Raymond John Dunbar Eduardo F. Duran Paul J. Fraas Dennis C. Giesick Donald D. Heick Filipe A. Hernandez Lawrence M. Hudson Clara J. Litzinger Melvin W. Lundbeck Eugene Maggi Raymond Montoya Tony Rizzo Vincent E. Rubino Anthony Senese Kenneth A. Trowbridge James A. Van Sickle NEBRASKA Reuben D. Dupsky William J. Hause Andrew M. Nudelman Glen J. Page Richard J. Pribil Stephen John Tuosto Vernie F. Wait Dennis Wilson NEVADA Thomas C. Anderson Greg L. Barberis Gregory P. Becker Jerry B. Bouck Edward G. Carson Paul G. Esswein Walter J. Hemelstrand Michael J. Hicks Robert L. Homann William James Kelly Theodore Mazurowski Michael L. Mello Richard F. Moll Steven W. Morgan Gerard W. Otto Peter J. Pelliccio Lawrence K. Richardson Charles M. Sanicola David H. Smith Wayne E. Smith David Talbot Dennis Patrick Thomas Robert Winter NEW HAMPSHIRE Donald L. Armstrong Donald E. Brown William J. Coyne Stephen Kaminski Dennis J. Kirchner Lawrence H. Leonard Charles R. Minkler Brian Eugene Patton Wilbur C. Rundlett John M. Sawyer Ernest A. Sulloway Donald Ziniti NEW JERSEY Robert D. Auer John L. Ballentine Joseph Barna Edward F. Barrett Howard R. Bendrot David J. Beverley Melvin K. Brackett Raymond F. Buell Joseph R. Byrd Paul J. Cassidy Ralph Salvatore Castaldo Michael F. Coker Richard A. Connell Joseph J. Cox Dennis K. Crowley Ray A. Dahl Paul R. De Costa Robert Diszler Frank A. Drahos F. Gerard Duffy Michael Z. Edell William F. Esser Michael C. Flaherty John J Florio Richard J. Gieg Luis Gonzalez Frank Gramo Joseph W. Gray Bruce D. Groendyke Michael Gubner Dayton Gunderman Martin Handelman Lewis P. Herklotz Julio L. Hernandez George Hynes Bryan T. Kaye Patrick J. Keating Fred Knight Richard E. Koehler Michael Koski Blaise J. Kubik Kenneth C. Kuczuk Vito W. La Sala Elmer F. Lamberson Chester H. Lehmann Robert Samuel Levine Robert J. Lyons Steven Maksymiuk Richard Mandriota Ronald F. Mangan Ginger Valora Mankowski Donald Maranrtz Charles C. McCoy Gregg McLaughlin Donnie J. McNeill William R. Menzel William B. Meytrott Peter J. Midgley Stephen Mooney Christopher Mulvaney Micheal A. Murphy Neill Napolitano Joel D. Nevins Louis J. Nicarus Stanley Perlman Louis J. Picariello Robert James Ratoff John J. Reisenwitz Victor Romatowski James Ruggiero Louis J. Russo Michael A. Snyder Robert Stumpf Raymond T. Tarino Carl W. Thompson Stephen J. Toth Mark Tucciarone Joseph P. User John A. Vallauri Arthur J. Vander Sluis Lewis M. Wheaton NEW MEXICO Roger E. Bartosiewicz Rafael J. Chavez Jose P. Cordova Eddie W. Gunkel William L. Hammond Carlyle P. Hanson Edward A. Lopez Richard T. Paca Walter T. Simpson Johnny Coleman Witt Dan K. Wittwer NEW YORK Carolyn Allan Martin W. Armbruster Joseph P. Armenia Lawrence P. Armstrong Bruce F. Atkins David R. Babyak Gary Baranowski Gene A. Barnes John K. Berger Edward Bollen Harvey H. Borchardt George Bousman Jerome R. Bower John E. Bowman Lenny D. Breeden Walter Brower William J. Burke Anthony G. Butan Gerald P. Byrne Clark R. Cain Paul E. Campbell Salvatore P. Carelli Patrick J. Carew Edward L. Carpenter William E. Carroll Andrew F. Carson Anthony L. Castaldo Frank J. Cenchitz Peter F. Cerminaro Al C. Cerullo Robert G. Chapman Michael Ciresi Frank S. Coleman John H. Collins Adrian L. Cooper Joseph P. Coughlin Thomas W. Curry Herbert E. Daub Norris L. Defisher Bertram Delmage Anthony T. DeMaio Anthony M. Desjardin Gerrit J. DeWaard William Dunn William R. Eberle Robert E. Edwards James K. Emmert Roger L. Fahey Darrell J. Farnham Tom M. Finnie Raymond Fortune Richard S. Foster Peter P. Frensch Jack Frost Darryl R. Fuchs Thomas W. Fuller Bernard Gaffney George A. Gibson Richard F. Gorence Robert Gottlieb Louis C. Goyette Mark F. Graser Roland J. Hackett Joseph Harkness Greg D. Harvey Carl A. Hettiger Floyd F. Hicks Michael B. Honara Bruce W. Hosmer Fran Humphrey Fred Ingles Vaughn E. Isaacs Victor Iwanow Duane M. Jackson Robert J. Jeanette John L. Karl James M. Kernan Roger J. Ketch Michael F. King Margaret H. La Pointe William La Pointe John (Ken) Lasher Dennis P. Leo Robert D. Lipowicz Albert Paul Lorenz James G. MacCallum Orrin B. MacMurray Thomas M. Mallabar William Mandy Earl E. Manley Bruce Ross Marks Rudolph C. Marsicano Niel M. Marturiello Mac A. McCarthy Robert Kevin McClean Michael McGregor Terrance J. McHugh Patrick J. McMahon Gilberto Medina-Ayala Martin A. Merinen Joseph F. Meyer James N. Mikolajczyk William A. Moakler Bernard J. Monaghan Ming N. Moy James W. Nevins Keith L. Norris Daniel O’Hagan Samuel E. Pack John A. Palmero Donald J. Panikowski Joseph Pappone Charles S. Pearson Robert C. Pellicciotti Jose F. Perez Stephen R. Piper Joseph E. Polidori Donald F. Puccio David G. Putnam Ezra Rand Gerald W. Rease Harold J. Regan Robert C. Rieth William Rios Edgar C. Robinson David Scherff Benjamin H. Schwecke Gene L. Shaw Harry M. Sherblom Joseph A. Sitterly Frederick Sokolowski James Soper James R. Spencer Robert Stachowiak Jim Stevenson Frederick R. Stickane Craig D. Stickles Terry L. Swann Peter Tantalo Robert E. Thaler Peter Thielman Vincent P. Trotta Stephen G. Twitchell Stephen H. White E. Marshall Wood Lewis D. Wunderlich Nels C. Youngstrom Daniel S. Zepka NORTH CAROLINA Jerry F. Abernethy Douglas R. Adams James E. Anderson Lester Rowan Baker Ralph R. Bargabos David R. Batten Jonny Frank Beddick Gary R. Bennett Albert Brunson Paul K. Buck James E. Burrell Robert J. Campbell Kurt M. Chismark Rickie B. Cromer J.W. Davis Harry L. Deas Lawrence A. Dezio Russell S. Edmister Ronald Edwards Ronald E. Fogle Thomas D. Fraser Steven M. Gale Isiah Gore Donald C. Guy Michael A. Hanusik Joseph H. Harris John R. Henry Donald W. Hill Frank M. Hill Danny P. Hilton James Hoever Thomas Holmes Raymond L. Jolivette Larry A. Kahill William A. Keith Barry Kinney Warren V. Knight Don Houston Laney Bobby Ray Livengood Ronald D. Mason Peter G. McKeon Eric S. Miller W. Clifford Mitchell Terry C. Mizelle Richard A. Moody John K. Moore David S. Newman Charlie Mack Odham Earl J. Odom William J. Olvany Robert D. Paysour Jimmy Dale Pendergrass Ronnie W. Petty Thomas A. Picard Thomas V. Pratesi Michael R. Puca William Raum Arthur J. Reffeit Michael J. Reilly Curtis A. Richardson Donald C. Rudisill Joseph A. Rybka Thomas B. Shearon James C. Simmons David W. Smith Jackie Waddell Smith Gary Franklin Stewart Richard T. Stowe Phillip M. Sutphin Steven W. Thornburg Haywood A. Tiller James C. Turnage James Edward Whichard Daniel Carl Williams William A. Wooding Gerard A. Worster NORTH DAKOTA Douglas H. Anda Ronald M. Balkowitsch Arnold Bankers Paul A. Bonaime Thomas F. Carlson Dwight E. Crimmins David Scott Dahlstrom James E. Dawson Mitchell L. Dunham Kenton J. Helland Marvin Huckle Gary D. Johnson Gary L. Johnson Duane Joseph Kram Thomas M. Lee John Mayer Gayne L. Meiers Bruce Theodore Nagel Duane R. Olson Wayne C. Olson Ken Stevenson Gary A. Wald Lawrence A. Walsh Gary A. Winger OHIO John Y. Aguilar Donald E. Beavers Kenneth Dwight Belk George C. Beltz Ray N. Berry Terrence A. Brion Jack L. Brooks Terry S. Brunson Robert J. Burns Stuart S. Burroughs Steve W. Canfil Samuel J. Caruthers Raymond E. Chaney Russell M. Clark Guy R. Colflesh Terence J. Cooney Angelo L. Costa Larry R. Dawson George V. Desandro John P. Dillion Janet R. Dorety Kenneth A. Dresser Vivan F. Duffy Richard W. Elchert NEW LIFE MEMBERS NGUYEN WINSOn May 2 Iowa Cadet Anastasia Nguyen received VVAs first-place JROTC scholarship award and the VVA JROTC medal. She is the first to receive this award and was selected from finalists from ten states. She is flanked ( from left ) by Bettendorf Chapter 776s Lyle Peterson, her mother Eve Nguyen, and Iowa State Council President Gregory Paulline. Second place went to Rhode Island Cadet Chendra Rivera; third place to Louisiana Cadet Destiny Mitchell. CAROLYN PETERSON 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:45 PM Page 5

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6THEVVA VETERAN Larry R. Erwin Ronald E. Garnett Frank Gordon Danny Robert Hacker Edwin R. Hendricks Randall R. Holton Robert C. Imel Richard C. Jackson Larry Allen James Vincent L. Jolly Gary A. Kackley Francis B. Kelly James S. Kennedy David Kleinhans John W. Klosterman Wilmer Dale Knepp Bruce N. Lehman Tommie E. Leininger Steve Martin Daniel L. Mason Robert S. Mayer Gene McCorkle Gary M. McElroy Glenn E. Miller Martin H. Moore Jeffrey G. Mundy Paul Mussolino John D. Parker Phillip J. Parrish Michael J. Pierson Joseph H. Piskura Vincent Ritchie James F. Roberts Dennis P. Robinson Richard D. Rose Richard L. Schneider Thomas E. Seymour Larry S. Shredl Harold E. Singery Robert Lee Smarr Larry Lee Smith Stephen P. Spencer Willie J. Springer Robert A. Steinberg Joseph P. Sulzer Steven D. Sweet William Dean Swickard Jerry Dale Taylor David W. Teeters Malcolm B. Thompson Michael D. Thompson Jeffrey Jay Torrey William Utz Richard M. Wallar Dennis D. Walther Fred R. Whitaker Charles F. Zech Charles A. Zimiska OKLAHOMA Jimmie D. Cavin Charles L. Davis Larry Eugene Davis Dale D. Dutchy Larry D. Hardin Gary D. Hendrick Michael W. Henry C. David Hopkins William H. Lauhon Stephen W. Lear Wayne L. McClelland Robert J. Meyer Robert A. Miller Shirley A. Rider Jay Benton Roberts Joe Marlan Rough Steven L. Rowley Harley Samuel Stewart Marvin Thornton Henry A. Williams OREGON Fredrick M. Baldwin Wilfred E. Brown Nick E. Delva Sam Ferguson Edward A. Foix Donald E. Greer Michael A. Herbert Donald L. Hinshaw Dave Hitzman Marcus M. Holmes Derral Wayne Hunt Albert L. Ratzlaff George W. Russell Arnold D. Schaffer Kelly R. Toller Stephen Kent Wilson Donald Lee Wimmer OVERSEAS Michael Buchan Isaac L. Dunnum James J. FitzGerald PENNSYLVANIA Ronald D. Adams Robert P. Aravich Richard Barbetta Peter J. Barna Mary Louise Bell Carl R. Benner Gary J. Bernhardy Terence B. Bowers Rex B. Brown Ronald Bupp Kenneth D. Carolus Thomas Cilli Michael P. Cline Harry J. Clinton Pierce H. Cloud Ephraim W. Cramer Robert L. Crater David J. Cunningham William B. Donovan Daniel A. Dorsheimer Thomas S. Douthit Mitchell E. DuPont Montgomery T. Dutt James C. Fitch Charles V. Flynn Thomas L. Foor Joel Max Franco Alfred H. Gaucker Carl Steven Geg Stanley R. Gerhard Ronald G. Gilbert Myron B. Goldberg Daniel B. Goodman Gregory George Gozur Richard Dean Gray Dominick Greco Patrick A. Hafer James L. Haines Robert E. Hansell William E. Harker Loy Charles Harman William D. Hickey Joseph B. Hilferty Robert W. Huff Richard J. Isenberg Edward F. Jaskowak Deborah L. Kohan Rueben R. Lafferty Donald Landes Roger J. Lehr Mike Lesinski Charles D. Lewis Harry E. Lewis Walter F. Lighty Grace M. Lilleg-Moore Robert F. Lipan Duane C. Lipps Hugh G. MacPhenson Robert E. Malley Terence L. Malley Carmen J. Mariano John J. Martin Barry R. McKeon John J. Meade Thaddeus E. Mikocajczyk Robert L. Milliken James G. Moore James I. Moore Angel L. Moreno Martin Morris Jeffrey P. Moser Patrick M. Murphy Glynn Nixon William J. Ondriezek Joseph N. Patz John J. Peapos Dennis F. Petri Milton C. Pettapiece John E. Petticoffer Frank M. Reed Robert J. Richter Robert L. Ridley David A. Rinke Donald E. Rung Samuel G. Sadler Thomas F. Schmidt Larry D. Shoemaker George F. Slook Michael G. Smith William J. Sober Gerald A. Solinas Richard G. Spaid Albert F. Steinbeiser Philip C. Suhrie John Lawrence Sullivan Raymond W. Tarr Harold R. Templon Michael K. Timmerman Timothy Valentine Ralph R. Valenzi Charles E. Warner Ronald T. Wingerter Gary J. Wink Robert P. Zelno Gerald L. Zorn PUERTO RICO Pedro H. Mercado Edwin Rivera RHODE ISLAND Thomas Grant Paine Richard E. Plamondon John Santagata John J. Skiffington Richard J. Swider Joseph L. Tetreault SOUTH CAROLINA Calvin E. Bridges Leroy Cade Dee R. Cannaday Richard George Carlson Charles J. Dowling Reginald B. Garver Kenneth E. Gordon Kenneth W. Hartkopf Jyrel W. Henderson Jeryl R. Huffman Michael P. Hughes Daniel L. Kinzly Sueard Lemont Long Gary L. Matthews Charles W. Merz John A. Morrison Michael G. Owensby Billy D. Reynolds Frederick E. Scarola David L. Scott Charles C. Shell Robert C. Tugwell Jimmie Leroy Watkins Eugene M. Webb Wilbur O. Williams Edward J. Wise Patrick T. Ziegler SOUTH DAKOTA David R. Baumiller John Patrick Cass Steven R. DeVille Mickey L. Dennis Robert W. Drown Wayne Douglas Hart Dennis Lee Kanengieter Gerald E. Kerkhove James C. Pickthorn Donald E Rieck Gary L. Stolp Eugene A. Vostad James L. Winkler TENNESSEE Paul W. Abelquist Virgil L. Alcorn Albert J. Ali James W. Arradondo James E. Auer Gary Leon Baker Douglas R. Banar Jerry Allen Bass Billy P. Batts Charlie Beale Lonnie E. Bender Jessie J. Bilbrey Wayne Blount Eddie L. Bruce Walter Daniel Buttrum Robert P. Chesky Ivey A. Chism James Larry Cohoon James Connelly Benjamin J. Cooper Frank Abel Coulter James L. Cox Charles Louis Crowe Bobby James Davis Gary W. Davis Phillip G. Dean Dwight L. Dennis John M. Donovan Charles D. Doty Don J. Dougay Jimmie C. Doughten Keithlin Duke Durkee Robert C. Fields Edward C. Fletcher David R. Frazier Luther E. Freudenberg George W. Gattis Donald B. Gregg Don Hendon Lyle R. Hurst Larry Inman James Alvin Jackson Doyle L. Johnston Clyde E. Jones Dannie R. Jones Rosa Marie Kampbell James D. Keener Leslie J. Keller Robert C. Land Eric R. Lausten Jean A. Lausten Bernard L. Lee John T. Manning Larry Eugene Matlock James D. Miller John D. Mills Joseph Richard Moffitt David Moore Delbert Arnold Moore Herbert E. Morgan Larry Ray Morrison James K. Morton Michael R. Mumley Irvin G. Myers James Alan Nash James M. Nelson Paul J. Newby Lee M. Oliver Grady D. Perry Joseph B. Pinkoski Robert L. Poindexter J.D. Price Jeri Jean Regenold John M. Robinson Robert J. Ryan Ronald R. Senn Donald W. Shatto Albert L. Smith James Reagan Smith David M. Stapleton Daniel J. Stevens Buddy D. Stout Burwell H. Tatum Ronald E. Tatum Charles Tinnin Roger Wagner Donald G. Walker Franklin J. Waller Robert E. Warne Gerald P. Wellington Major Wilburn Edward D. Williams Adrian W. Zarr TEXAS David Luther Adams Ricahrd Ruiz Aguinaga Donald Lee Andrew George M. Ard Robert Earl Aven William L. Barber William M. Besse Robert S. Bozarth James S. Brennan Marvin J. Brietzke Perry J. Brown Manuel S. Carrasco Billy H. Coleman Willis J. Coleman Bill Cowan A. Lee Cross Donald J. Davis Charlotte Delp Alger Frank A. Dennis Jesus Manuel Dominguez Dennis W. Ferguson Ronald R. Fisher James C. Franks James (Lee) Fullerton Ricki Lee Glenn Quince Gurley Ricky R. Hammonds Daniel T. Holdonback David R. Holmes Dennis H. Holt James A. Howell Lawrence R. Hubbard Robert G. James Wesley Boone Jennings Paul M. Jones Robert M. Kain James C. Lewis Jerry R. Lewis Lawrence E. Ley Michael R. Linscomb Johnny W. Loos Roy L. Lytle Michael MartinovichAdams John L. Nelson Oscar Y. Orta Charles A. Palermo William L. Ray Roland M. Rea Miguel Rios James P. Rost Richard Roy Thomas G. Roznowski Lee A. Sands Terry L. Scott Terry M. Singleton Daily F. Slagle Danny Owen Smith Brian E. Speich Roanald E. Stelzer Raymond E. Stewart David Tarango John F. Waldorf Donald Robert Wall S.L. Waller Roger D. Warner Leslie J. Weaver Gregg L. Widgren Steven Lee Wightman James R. Witt David L. Wright Danny G. Young Richard J. Zagroba UTAH Kenny Wayne Bricker Boris Derugin David C. Emmons Rafael J. Garzarelli Roy H. Lineberry Alfred Rulona Robert D. Wade James T. Wypijewski VERMONT John Alan Day Philip Griffin Thomas P. Kinney Dennis R. White VIRGINIA Guy E. Anderson Zachariah Ash John R. Ayers Thomas H. Barnes Jeffrey S. Barrows Brent B. Barth Sylvester C. Berdux Richard Michael Cole Thomas E. Coleman Lawrence H. Comella Richard A. Craig Thomas W. Current David T. Daggett Charles Larry Danner Frederick H. Donner Peggy L. Doss Christopher L. Ford John W. Funkhouser Michael E. Gaughan John D. Gill Leonard R. Glaser Wayne E. Glass Kenneth W. Gorsky Ray Edward Harden James L. Hartman William Lewis Hawkins Carl R. Helms Ben W. Henderson Richard C. Hovey William F. Hughes James M. Johnson Gary R. Jones David L. Keaton Michael L. Kidwell Kenneth E. Kok Ernest B. Lee William M. Loughlin David R. Luke Walter Q. Lynch Robert Lee Mahan Jesse A. Meekins Robert H. Minor Jill A. Mishkel Saunders B. Moon Paul R. Moosman Philip Oliver Francis F. Painter Walter S. Pullar Joseph J. Rein Ed Rogers Michael D. Saunders Arthur J. Scarano Martin Judson Shows Carl William Smith Raymond F. Smith Torberg J. Tonnessen Kenneth B. Waller David L. Wheeler Frank Stephen Whitlock WASHINGTON Delbert R. Baar Ronald R. Beman David V. Brink Rickie R. Byers Tim Connelly Craig Rayburn Convery Robert Allen Cook Woodrow D. Cornelison David A. Darby Eugene Orton Hatcher James Evan Jones John Kotlowski Richard Lett Donald G. Lewellen Ernest A. McColley Jose A. Morin Paul L. Olsen James H. Russell Michael C. Shea James Simoneschi Raymond M. Smith Roger H. St. Pierre Stephen S. Warner Klaus Wergin William H. Wiley Pamela K. Young WEST VIRGINIA William J. Bayless Larry K. Christner Gerald F. Davis Angel M. Diaz-Rodriguez Thomas S. Dunn James G. Fortenberry David A. Horner Arthur G. Hunter Joseph P. Jaranko Charles T. Johnson Charles V. Kacin Kenneth L. Kelly Harold R. Kessler Byron N. Kinard William Kinser Werner Liegel Monte C. Miller Richard L. Morton Perry C. Myers Richard W. Otto John C. Pase Charles A. Pennington Franklin W. Powell Philip A. Prichard Cletus C. Reese Stephen T. Romanowski Steven C. Sheets James Hamilton Sigmon Douglas W. Twyman Johnny W. Wilkins Robert F. Woods WISCONSIN Ronald L. Anderson David G. Binder Thomas G. Brennecke Clayton L. Buettner Joseph F. Campolo Kurt D. Carlson Carl G. Cummings Dan Burt Dahlstrom Dennis M. Early Gene W. Goin Larry Peter Hable William P. Hale Joseph R. Herbert David J. Hermann Charles L. Hoffman Clifton E. Hollister Kenneth J. Holschbach Chester A. Homann Larry D. Jackson Arthur E. Jordan William P. Junk Richard J. Koplitz Charles R. Kosel Glenn Kronforst Howard D. Krueger Kenneth Lee Krueger Orville J. Lardinois Robert E. Lichty Dennis J. Lobner Dennis D. Love Frank J. Maly Dale R. McGraw Steve McIntyre Karl Mettke Milan Mursec Delbert E. Nason Dennis L. Olson Gary R. Pezenstadler William A. Pike Arnold E. Putnam Daniel E. Reichelt Terrence W. Roeschen Jeffrey J. Rupert Samuel J. Schultz Brian T. Sigstad Richard A. Skifton Kevin P. Stowe Gary P. Stryker Michael J. Sullivan Jerry Evan Swen Jeanne J. Wadley Lawrence R. Weinfurter John J. Wery Donald N. Williamson David E. Zadnichek WYOMING Jerry L. Lindsey John R. Nulle NEW LIFE MEMBERS BECOME A LIFE MEMBER APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP IN VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICAReturn to: Vietnam Veterans of America, P.O. Box 64299, Baltimore, MD 21264-4299Name __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________ Male Female Address ____________________________________________________________________________ City______________________________________ ____State ______ Zip ___________________ Chapter No. (optional) _____________ Phone ( ) _____________________________________ Email ________________________ ________________________________________________NEW LOWER PRICE!LIFE MEMBERSHIP NOW ONLY $50 ELIGIBILITY: Membership is open to U.S. armed forces veterans who served on active duty (for other than training purposes) in the Republic of Vietnam between February 28, 1961, and May 7, 1975, or in any duty location between August 5, 1964,and May 7, 1975.PAYMENT METHOD: Check Money Order Visa Mastercard American Express Discover CREDIT CARD NUMBER: ___________________________________________________________Exp.Date__________________ Signature________________________________________________________________________________________________________ New members must submit a copy of their DD-214 along with this application and dues payment. 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:45 PM Page 6

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MARKEDJust received the May/June issue. Somehow having a guy dressed in a suit decorated with question marks doesnt seem to work over this Memorial Day. Or maybe fifty-plus years after going to Vietnam, it is a fitting commentary. Michael Olsen By EmailSUSPICIONS CONFIRMEDIwas part of the pre-commissioning crew as well as a plank owner of the U.S.S. Pueblo After reading your article about Matthew Lesko, I wrote to the Pueblo Veterans Association to confirm my suspicions. Whoever he is, Lesko was never part of the Pueblo crew. Also, the Pueblo never patrolled the waters of Vietnam. Its only mission was from Yokohama to waters off North Korea that ended in its capture in Wonsan Harbor. As far as I am concerned, this person is another wannabe and should be ashamed of his stolen valor, claiming something he was not. Michael DeLong By Email Veterans of the Pueblo were quick to question Leskos bona fides. Garbled communication between Lesko and author Bill Triplett has been corrected on the online version at www.vvaveteran.org It reads: After OCS, as a newly minted ensign, Lesko found himself aboard the U.S.S. Oxford, an intelligence-gathering ship similar to the U.S.S. Pueblo, which later became infamous when North Koreans seized it in January 1968, accused it of spying, and held its crew hostage for almost a year. But nothing so dangerous happened during Leskos tour on the Oxford Wed just travel up and down the coast of South Vietnam, listening. And wed put into port every fifty days,Ž he said.STRANGE BREWIn the last issue, the Government Affairs section put forth a strange mixture of good and bad journalism. Topics two through six were interesting, thought provoking, and useful. Topic one, except for the opening paragraph, ran off the rails into the political world of hyperbole, conjecture, and a useless conclusion including three unidentified informalŽ advisers to President Trump on VA matters, followed by the trial and conviction by VVA of Jeff Miller for whoknows-what misdeeds. Then of course, the usual suspects: the Koch brothers and their, yet another, unidentified key operativeŽ with the goal of single-handedly dismemberingŽ the VA health care system, an impressive feat indeed. I hope a follow-up article will contain the names of the culprits involved, besides the aging Koch brothers, along with some certifiable documentation outlining just how this deed will be accomplished. In the meantime, I will neatly take a scissors to this portion of an otherwise respectable article. I recommend others to do the same. We deserve more than shallow, one-sided opinion. Pete Van Til By EmailNEW DIMENSIONIread with particular interest the article on Oliver Lee Jackson, the artist showing at the National Gallery of Art. I had not realized he was a Vietnam vet. That adds another whole dimension to his work. Bela J. Demeter By EmailTHE CRYSTAL SHIPReading the review in the last issue of Michael Beschloss book, Presidents of War I found a mistake. Beschloss claims the officer in charge of the Maddox was George Morrison, father of Jim Morrison. Actually, George Morrison was a captain in charge or skipper of the U.S.S. Bon Homme Richard (CVA 31), an aircraft carrier that didnt arrive on station until October of 1965. I know; I was aboard.7 JULY/AUGUST 2019 LETTERS BY JOHN ROWANAs you read this issue of The Veteran the delegates will be in Spokane, Washington, at our 19th National Convention. This will be one of the most important ones since we founded todays VVA in 1983. At that Convention we created what became one of the most influential veterans service organizations in America. We have taken up issues on behalf of Vietnam veterans and all those veterans who have come after us„often in contradiction to positions taken by other organizations. We can be proud of the work we have done and the successes we have had on behalf of all veterans. But is that all there is? Are we prepared to leave the field of battle without passing on our knowledge, experience, and tools to those veterans who are picking up the torch? I hope not.For several years we have fought to restore Agent Orange benefits to Blue Water Navy and Marine veterans. As usual, veterans were forced to go to court to force the VA to restore these benefits to deserving veterans. In a January 29th decision, the Court of Appeals ruled in favor of veterans in Alfred Procopio, Jr. v. Robert Wilkie finding the intent of Congress in the Agent Orange Act of 1991 was to extend benefits to all veterans who had been awarded the Vietnam Service Medal. That includes all military, naval services, and air forces that served in the Vietnam War theater of operations. Thankfully, VA Secretary Wilkie voiced his support for veterans and called upon the Department of Justice not to appeal the Procopio decision. During our April Board of Directors meeting Secretary Wilkie attended the Conference of State Council Presidents meeting to thank VVA for our efforts and to present us with a certificate of honor. He said he wanted to let our members know that he came to his decision after meeting with Government Affairs Director Rick Weidman and me, where we explained our support for these veterans. This is a prime example of the work we have done over the years on this and other issues.Our work on behalf of veterans has often extended beyond our peers who served in the Vietnam War. Most recently, we helped Post-9/11 veterans get help identifying the residual effects of burn pits and other exposures. The public came to understand how badly they treated us and how we were often connected to their opinion of the Vietnam War. As a result, their attitudes toward those who followed were much more positive. This started in 1982 with the return of the hostages held by Iran. Their Welcome Home parade made the disparity in treatment obvious. The public started to take us and our issues more seriously. Additionally, despite any concerns about the recent wars, the veterans have been welcomed home with honor and the public has lauded them with significant benefits to assist them in their transition to civilian life. We can be rightfully proud of our efforts, but are we done? While the veterans today are doing well, we still see too many suicides. We see efforts to dismantle the VA. We know that public support can fade as wars drag on or, finally, peace prevails. The WWII/Korea GI Bill faded away because Congress could not see why it should help veterans during peacetime, not knowing the Vietnam War was around the corner. Dont we need to help the new veterans prepare to assume leadership? The effects of PTSD and Agent Orange are affecting our ability to continue our efforts on behalf of veterans and their families. Of the thirty-plus staff members we have in our National Office only five are Vietnam veterans. If we are to live up to our motto, Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another,Ž we must prepare for a transition. You will find two possible routes in the Convention Resolutions. One resolution makes it simple. We change VVAs name (Veterans for America?), change our charter to include those who followed us (AMVETS has done this several times), and continue our existing operations. Another resolution states that as VVA fades away over time, we charge the leadership to identify or create a new veterans organization with which we could enter into an agreement to assume our operations, particularly the veterans benefits and government affairs programs. Either way, we must not let our values and way of doing business die. PRESIDENT’S REPORTWhat’s Next? LETTERS:Send your letters to Michael Keating, Editor, The VVA Veteran 8719 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring, MD 20910 or email mkeating@vva.org continued on page 8MICHAEL KEATING 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:45 PM Page 7

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Beschloss also mistakenly claimed that Morrison was an admiral in charge of a task force. Finally, in his notes, Beschloss says he talked to George Morrison, but Morrison had been dead for quite a while. Robert L. Devore Beecher City, IllinoisRIDERS OF THE STORMIlook forward to reading Books in ReviewŽ in each issue of The VVA Veteran and I find Marc Leepsons comments to be very insightful, realistic, and informative on Vietnam War publications. Id just like to add a comment on his review of Michael Beschloss Presidents of War in the last issue. Capt. George Morrison was commander of the U.S.S. Bon Homme Richard leading an aircraft carrier squadron of the 3rd Carrier Fleet on operations in the Tonkin Gulf in August 1964. The U.S.S. Maddox a destroyer, was a member of this carrier group, tasked with in-shore patrolling of the North Vietnamese coast to observe and intercept NVN supply boats. The Maddox was commanded by Capt. John Herrick, who ordered naval gunfire directed at vague radar contacts, presumed to be NVN torpedo boats covering the coastal supply runs. This became the Tonkin Gulf Incident. Robert J. Farrell Jersey City, New JerseySAME SYSTEM, DIFFERENT CAREIread with interest Matthew Spirkos letterin the last issue. I also am 100 percent disabled and my medical availability seems to be the reverse of his: VA clinic care is close and some civilian facilities are longer drives. We recently moved to the Oregon Coast from Northern California and have used the Veterans Choice/TriWest program for years. If you live over forty miles from your VA mother ship, the program allows you to obtain care locally and get referrals to civilian specialists. I have used this program quite a bit without too many hitches. Like any VA entity, you have hoops to jump through and must stay on top of things. Veterans Choice came about when the mother ship could not provide the necessary care anymore and the team docs were all bailing. Most of the civilian providers do take Veterans Choice. I dont know if Mr. Spirko has access to this program. A call to a local VSO might be in order. The system works fairly well for me, and my wife gets care along with it, CHAMPVA, at little or no cost. My care is N/C. I get mileage reimbursement. I do not have to use the local VA clinic. Michael Hennig By EmailWRONG PARTYId like to point out that in the box titled AdvocacyŽ in the latest issue, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema is listed as a Republican from Arizona. While she is from Arizona, she is actually a Democrat. Gary Short Meneley By EmailLETTERS Continued from previous page 8THEVVA VETERAN BY HECTOR RAMOSThe year 1969 for me was a time of growth, wonderment, hope, and fear. On July 20 Apollo 11 landed on the moon and a man stepped on another planetary body for the first time. Fifty years ago I was twenty-one and in the third year of my USAF enlistment. Stationed at a small airbase, Binh Thuy, I had grown to adulthood through my travels and experiences in the military. After my baptism under fire and a steady diet of mortar attacks by an unseen enemy, I hoped and prayed that if I survived I would pursue a degree in engineering. Vietnam was never declared a war, but dont tell that to any Nam vet or the families of the 58,000-plus KIAs and the countless others wounded. The Age of Aquarius had become a distant song. The reality of war, social unrest, protest, political conniving, and government incompetence embedded itself in our hearts and minds. But this is not about that; I am merely painting the view we had from the Mekong Delta while trying to live up to the ideals of military service and fighting for a democracy. Humankind was about to realize President Kennedys vision: This nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth.Ž At times I feared I would fly out of there not in a Freedom Bird, but in a flag-draped coffin. I dealt with this morbid possibility of my demise with an equal sense of survival and humor. I embraced a countdown of the days left in country on my short-timers calendar. On July 20, 1969, when I was six months into my tour with six to go„not officially a short timer yet, but not a cherry either„Apollo 11s three crewmembers were preparing to land on the moon. The snippets of reports on Armed Forces Radio and Stars and Stripes were all we had, since TVs were rare and we slept during the day when most programming was available. For me and my fellow Security Policemen, it would be a typical day of sleeping from 8 a.m. until maybe 3 p.m. after another long night providing security for the base perimeter, then getting up and repeating the nightly Devil Flight routine all over again. My assignment was 15 Alpha, a 25-foot steel tower on the far end of the base runway. As I climbed up, then went in and turned to face the tiny village and the Bassac River beyond the perimeter, before me was a bright, almost-full moon in all its glory. I sat down and immediately knew that this night would be different from any other. Apart from the fact that history was unfolding, it could have been just another night of vigilance and fear, another nocturnal passage in this exotic, beautiful, but war-torn country. While most Americans were tuned to their TVs, I settled into my post, checked and arranged my equipment, then dug into my gear for my transistor radio. I inserted the earpiece and tuned into Armed Forces Radio for the live broadcast of the lunar mission. Although it would be hours before the descent to Tranquility Base, I was transfixed by the moon before me and probably put myself and fellow airmen at risk. As the lunar lander emerged from that last orbit around the dark side of the moon and resumed communications, the excitement, fear of failure, and hope of success practically had me riding with them as my imagination soared. Then, as the descent began, I vividly remember intense color as the retro rockets slowed the descent and they radioed back that they saw moon dust stirring up just before the crew counted down the last few feet to touchdown and engine shutoff. The words, Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed,Ž came through the earpiece. I let out a loud Whooowie!Ž America was first on the moon, and I watched„ yes, watched„from halfway around the world, and there was glory, victory, and renewed hope for the genius and resourcefulness of humanity. Just then someone called out. It was my sector K9 team. He had heard my whooping. I recounted all that had just happened and the dog handler, too, was thrilled. But I was living it and soon was right back on the moon. Luckily, Victor Charlie did not spoil this night. At about 3 a.m. July 21 on my side of the world (3 p.m. the day before on the East Coast), the decision was made to open the hatch and climb down from the lander, which would take about six hours. I would be off duty in three and the radio battery was about dead, so the first words by Neil Armstrong after stepping off the ladder were heard by a group of us in our hooch: Thats one small step for a man; one giant leap for mankind.Ž We were all in awe but tired and needed to rest. After that, we slept and maybe dreamt of home, family, girlfriends, and the possibilities of the future„a future that 58,228 would never realize. So yes, I remember the triumph of July 20, 1969, and for me its inexorably linked with the tragedy of the Vietnam War. Years later I saw the video of Apollo 11 sitting on the moon and the astronauts walk. But the video couldnt compare to what I, while sitting in that tower with the moon aglow in a clear black sky, saw in my mind with such clarity and wonderment. As I have relived it over and over through five decades, I wouldnt trade it, not for anything. Hector Ramos is a VVA life member of Grandstrand (South Carolina) Chapter 925. Moonstruck in Vietnam: July 20, 1969 continued on page 49 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:45 PM Page 8

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BY PETE PETERSON, CHAIR, AND GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS STAFFThe 6th of June was a big day for the VA. After intense months of planning by a revolving door of top officials in the Veterans Benefits Administration, VA Secretary Robert Wilkie inaugurated his departments new Community Care Network to meet the deadline imposed by the much-ballyhooed MISSION Act. The question now is whether or not this stellar achievement of the last Congress and current administration will deliver on its promise to make it easier for the seven million-plus veterans who actively use the VA to gain access to all or most of their health care„without breaking the bank. VVA has followed the development of this initiative, from hearings for legislation to publishing of regulations that will govern implementation of this venture into providing care outside the VA for eligible veterans. While we hope the CCN lives up to its billing, we will suspend a sense of disbelief during its first few months of growing pains and glitches. We do not, however, have abundant confidence that it will fulfill the hopes of those members of Congress heavily invested in its success. Why? For several reasons: Confusion : Despite the half-dozen eligibility criteria for care in the community established by the MISSION Act, we fear that who is or is not eligible for this care will take more sorting out than the VA anticipates. Under the unlamented Choice Program, eligibility was based on more than thirty days wait for care or forty miles driving distance to a VA facility that provides that care. Under CCN, wait time has been cut to twentydays for primary, mental health, and non-institutional extended care, and twenty-eight days for specialty care. Mileage is no longer relevant. Drive time is thirty minutes for the former, sixty minutes for the latter. Heres the rub: Although it might take you fewer than twenty minutes to drive to a VAMC or CBOC at dawn or dusk, it will likely take a lot longer at noon in any urban center. Should you have to wait more than twenty-eight days to see a VA specialist, no worries; just go to a private one„if, of course, you think you can get an appointment sooner. CCN potentially makes eligible most of the 30 percent of veterans who go to a VA facility for all or most of their care. Another VA scandal, even a minor one, that gets loudly attacked in the media or in Congress will set the stage for a greater push for choice. About 70 percent of veterans have their own health insurance, either through Medicare, Medicaid, or their employer. VA officials told Military Times they expect a spike in the number of veterans using health care under CCN. Training and Credentialing : Community care providers have to undergo an industry standard credentialing processŽ and complete mandatory training,Ž and be subject to an exclusionary process,Ž the particulars of which are not clear to us„or to anyone, so far as we can tell. If clinicians have the appropriate education, will the VA or one of its contractors rubber-stamp them as properly credentialed? We might get a degree of comfort knowing what training is mandated and must be completed. And what is the exclusionary processŽ? Privatization Potential : Despite Secretary Wilkies oft-repeated statements to the contrary, Congress and the administration have established the foundation for further privatization of VA health care. Rules that stipulate anything longer than a twentyminute trek cannot be interpreted any other way. Paying providers who serviced veterans in the half-baked Choice Program cost far more than Congress anticipated. This fiscal year, the VA health care budget is the highest its ever been, the Secretary noted, topping $200 billion, one VA official told Military Times But a second official did not rule out having to go back to Congress for additional funding if unforeseen problems arise.Ž Where will the money come from? Out of the VA budget, of course. As costs inevitably metastasize, Congress will be faced with the unenviable choice of appropriating more and more funding or cutting back on eligibility. It is highly likely to lead to a firestorm of protest, more from private hospitals and physicians than from veterans. Is anyone in Congress„or the White House„ at all sanguine that CCNs costs can be capped? And if funds are taken from the maintenance of VAMCs and CBOCs, will there be a push to consolidate these facilities? To cut staff? To skimp on what is needed to maintain the VAs portfolio of facilities properly? This dovetails with the goal of some in Congress, some who work for an alleged veterans organization, and some who see a flailing VA as a savior for struggling private hospitals. Again, veterans„to whom officials profess unalloyed admiration as heroes„will be pawns. We believe that the VA Secretary is sincere. We believe he is an able and honest public servant who wants to do his best for the men and women who have served, as he has, in uniform. He nevertheless may be a tad innocent about the behind-the-scenes machinations of organizations and individuals gleeful at the prospect of turning the VA into a cash cow. They would let the VA handle difficult cases„the seriously or catastrophically wounded or injured veterans, the amputees, the paraplegics, the blind. It appears that no one has bothered to take a deep dive into the virtues of one-stop shopping at a VAMC, where veterans are among their peers, and given the respect their service to the nation warrants. The veteran can see two or three or more clinicians on a single day, get necessary X-rays, CAT scans, and MRIs in the same building, and pick up prescription meds before leaving. Try doing this at your local hospital or medical center. Competency of Community Providers : Despite the basic tenet of some that private industry and resources can do it better than the government, the fact is that the VA has undisputed expertise in treating the specialized wounds of war, both physical and mental. In the mental health realm, for instance, some of the plans for community providers open the doors to outsourcing treatment for such conditions as PTSD, TBI, and military sexual trauma, for which VA clinicians have developed an encompassing understanding of military culture and the effects of war on the individual psyche. Down the Line: What of the VAs third and fourth obligations? It trains 70 percent of the nations clinicians, and it acts as a medical resource during a national emergency. Are these going to be taken on by profit-making medical facilities? Plus, some in Congress seem to be turning a blind eye to some of the realities facing the practice of medicine today. The underlying cause of the wait-time scandal was a paucity of competent primary care clinicians and specialists. Yet the nation suffers from an appalling lack of clinicians in public GOVERNMENT AFFAIRSVA Community Care: Will the Promise Meet the Expectations? VA Secretary Robert Wilkie discussed his departments new Community Care Network inaugurated June 6. 9 JULY/AUGUST 2019 continued on page 48 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:45 PM Page 9

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10THEVVA VETERAN A FORUM FOR CROSS-POLLINATION: VHC’s Partnership-Advocacy Meeting VVAs Veterans Health Council hosted this years first Partnership and Advocacy Meeting at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., on June 13. The VHC was established in February 2009 to improve health care for veterans of all eras by creating an ongoing forum to discuss, develop, and promote effective efforts to educate veterans, their families, caregivers, and health care providers about health issues associated with military service. Leaders of more than thirty organizations attended the Pfizer-underwritten meeting, including representatives from VSOs, pharmaceutical companies, patient advocacy organizations, and other health care related organizations. This was the first opportunity for many to meet retired Army Colonel and new VHC Director, Artie Shelton. Through our established relationships and cumulative expertise we can continue the energy of our joint forces,Ž Dr. Shelton said. Together our focus will provide the medical community with a greater and more complete understanding of the veteran experience and its impact on the health-related issues facing all veterans.Ž He illustrated the need for comprehensive veteran health understanding by describing how his deployment„as the 42nd Medical Task Force Hospital Commander in Mogadishu, Somalia„had an i mpact on the men and women in his hospital and the 30,000 soldiers who deployed. After coming home 789 veterans who served in Somalia made 2,437 vis its to Vet Centers with 82 collateral visits by spouses or significant others. Maureen Elias, a VHC Assistant Director and mental health expert, briefly discussed her background and current education effort s, including a recent op-ed she wrote in Military Times and presentations on veteran and first responder suicide risk and prevention training she gave in Pennsylvania and Indiana, as well as a presentation in collaboration with VVAs PSTD & Substance Abuse Committee. Elias said she was especially touched when, following a recent presentation, a Vietnam veteran told her he was finally going to seek PTSD counseling. Rebecca Patterson, a VHC Assistant Director and environmental health scientist, discussed her background and recent activities studying toxic exposures during military service. Patterson has attended conferences examining adverse health effects of exposure to mefloquine, an antimal arial given to many Gulf War veterans, and perand polyfluoroalkyl substances, which have contaminated hundreds of military bases and surrounding waters. She shares this information with VSOs that are part of the new Toxic Exposures in the American MilitaryŽ working group. Elias and Patterson have attended several conferences as part of a combined grant from Wounded Warrior Project and Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors to learn about the unique health care needs of veterans. Many questions remain on the horizon in the area of veterans health,Ž VVA President John Rowan said. It is essential that VHC and its members remain vigilant. One item that looms large is related to increased utilization by veterans of community health care providers. This in part is due to the VAs establishment of the MISSION Act. While this concern has always existed, it is becoming greater over time. It lies in the fact that community health care providers know little if anything about the implications that exist for veterans because of their service era, duty locations, assignments, or possible toxic exposures.Ž Organizational representatives made brief presentations on their projects and their efforts to improve on veterans health. TAPS is compiling data from family members about veterans who died due to toxic-exposure illnesses. TAPS noted that these illnesses are the second leading cause of death reported by family members and that by 2020 they may become the leading cause of death among veterans. Partnership to Improve Patient Care is working to create principles for value-based health care to ensure special populations, such as veterans, are not financially penalized by policies currently in discussion that will have a significant impact on what treatments patients with disabilities can receive. A representative from Cerner spoke about its outreach efforts to bring stakeholders to the table as they prepare to develop and launch the new electronic health care record system in the VA and DoD. The National Grange spoke about its efforts to share health information with rural veterans. Some projects concentrated on basic research; others involved community action. Some concentrated on pharmaceutical solutions and their dangers; others were sociological. We brought together a wealth of interests and disciplines,Ž Dr. Shelton said. The challenge now is bringing all these diverse and powerful energies together. If we can do that„ if we can be a forum for cross-pollination„we shall succeed beyond our wildest hopes.Ž The VHCs next inter-organizational meeting is scheduled for early fall. VETERANS HEALTH COUNCIL PHOTOS: MICHAEL KEATING John Rowan, Rebecca Patterson, Artie Shelton, and Maureen Elias. 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:46 PM Page 10

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I wish to reserve ___ of the “Tet 50th Anniversary Tribute Pistol” a working Colt .45 pistol, at the current issue price of $1,995.* My deposit of $195 per pistol is enclosed. I wish to pay the balance at the rate of $100 per month, no interest or carrying charges. Certicate of Authenticity included. Thirty day return privilege. Check enclosed for $___________ Charge payment of $ ___________ to: VISA MasterCard AMEX DiscoverNo. _________________________________ Exp. ___________ Display Case: I wish to reserve the optional, luxuriously lined, custom-made display case with locking glass lid. My payment of $149* is enclosed or add to credit card.Name __________________________________________________ Address ________________________________________________ City/State/Zip ___________________________________________Daytime Telephone No. ( ________ ) ________________________________ America Remembers 10226 Timber Ridge Drive Ashland, Virginia 23005 www.americaremembers.com To place your reservation toll-free call 1-800-682-2291 *All orders are subject to acceptance and credit verication prior to shipment. Shipping and handling will be added to each order. Virginia residents please add sales tax. AHL, Inc. AMERICA REMEMBERS PRESENTS The artwork on the Tribute features battles scenes from urban settings, like Saigon and Hue. You'll also see an image of the ag raising over the Thuong Tu Gate at the Citadel in Hue. When Hue was overrun by the Communist forces, they quickly replaced the South Vietnamese ag which ew at the Citadel with a huge Viet Cong banner. This banner could be seen throughout the city and was a daily reminder of the overthrow and occupation of this treasured Vietnamese city by the Viet Cong and the NVA. This scene shows a South Vietnam banner once again ying over the citadel after the city was reclaimed on February 24, 1968. I t was January, 1968. Over Christmas, Bob Hope, Raquel Welch and other entertainers were in Vietnam performing for the Christmas holiday and a group of lucky troops were able to see the show live. Back at home, Americans were able to see highlights of the shows on television in January, ever mindful of all those who were serving in Vietnam. With the start of the New Year, American troops were preparing for another year in Vietnam. Many longed to return home, and they counted down the days before their expected date to return home. The days were long and tedious and lled with uncertainty and danger. In this faraway country, a major Vietnamese holiday was also approaching: Tet, the Vietnamese New Year. The Tet holiday was the most celebrated time in Vietnam, and a time when the ghting in Vietnam usually ceased for a short period. Many South Vietnamese soldiers were granted leave and joined family and friends for this special celebration. Meanwhile, the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong had been planning for months a surprise attack on South Vietnam. The Communist forces would unleash a wave of attacks on South Vietnam while the South Vietnamese were celebrating their lunar New Year. With little warning, shortly after midnight, the sounds of combat exploded in Saigon and other locations. The assault had started. The Tet Offensive was well-organized and conducted countrywide, eventually including more than 100 towns and cities. The Tet Offensive was by far the largest military operation conducted up to that point in the war, and it proved to be a pivotal turning point in the war. Honoring All Those Who Served The 50th Anniversary of the Tet OffensiveIn honor of the upcoming 50th anniversary of the Tet Offensive, and in salute to all who served during the Vietnam War, America Remembers proudly announces the Tet 50th Anniversary Tribute Pistol For this historic Tribute, we selected a working Colt¨ Government Model¨ pistol in caliber .45 ACP, a classic military rearm, and a trusted sidearm during the Vietnam War. Only 1,000 Tributes will be issued in this exclusive edition. The artwork on the Tribute features banners and artwork highlighting important battles and scenes from the Tet Offensive. Craftsmen commissioned specically for this project by America Remembers decorate each pistol in sparkling 24-karat gold and gleaming nickel, with blackened patinaed highlights to accentuate the details of the artwork. On the slide, you'll nd six important battles of the Tet Offensive Hue, Khe Sanh, Saigon, Da Nang, Quang Tri and Bien Hoa. Saigon was the capital of South Vietnam and the surprise attacks on Saigon during the rst night included an attempt to overrun the US Embassy and to capture the National Radio Station. A Marine Corps Combat Base was located at Khe Sanh. The NVA had built up signicant forces around Khe Sanh, far outnumbering Americans and South Vietnamese forces. During Tet, the NVA subjected the base to day and night bombardment, and cut off the overland supply route to the base. The base would remain under siege for more than two months. Hue was a cultural center in South Vietnam. The ghting in Hue was intense, and lasted for four weeks. The Marines and South Vietnamese forces had to ght building to building, street by street, to reclaim the city. Much of the city was destroyed and losses on both sides were high. Quang Tri City was in the north of Vietnam and an important government headquarters. It was an important target for the NVA. Bien Hoa and Da Nang were home to major military air bases for the United States. They were both attacked at the start of the Tet Offensive, but attacks were turned back by the allied forces. EXCLUSIVE 50th ANNIVERSARY TRIBUTE Order today and we will arrange delivery of your working Tribute through the licensed rearms dealer of your choice. You will receive your Tribute with our 30-day guarantee of satisfaction. If you are not completely satised, return your Tribute to us in original, unred condition for a complete refund.Our nation's involvement in Vietnam spanned three decades. It's estimated that more than 2,500,000 Americans served in Vietnam. More than 58,000 lost their lives and another 350,000 were wounded. When the Tet attack started, America had over 400,000 soldiers and Marine servicemen in Vietnam. This historic 50th anniversary Tribute honors the generation who served during the Vietnam War. They didn't hesitate to put their lives on the line and sacrice when our country called. All of them deserve our gratitude. If you're a veteran who served, or you want to honor a family member or friend who served, this handsome Tribute pistol will be a lasting tribute to all who honorably served in Vietnam. Order yours today to secure your place in this edition honoring all those who proudly served in Vietnam. The artwork on the right side includes an M48 tank. The M48 "Patton tanks" helped provide cover and repower in the urban setti ng, as our troops reclaimed the cities, street by street. Both side s of the slide also feature a banner that reads Tet Offensive Ja nuary 1968, commemorating this pivotal period in the war. On both sides of the slide, you'll nd crisscrossed M16 and M14 weapons used during the Tet Offensive, with the date 1968 and Tet Offensive and Lest We Forget at the bottom. Display Case Available An optional custom-built, wooden display case is available for purchase. 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:46 PM Page 11

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12THEVVA VETERAN Agent Orange & DioxinBY MAYNARD KADERLIK, CHAIRSince my last column, a few things have happened. The big confusing one is the Blue Water Navy bill going in many directions. Every time I read about it, something new comes into play. At all my meetings all over the country I tell them, File, File, File.Ž I hope those sailors who served this country faithfully will be taken care of at last. Of the four letters sent to two federal agencies on February 22 by President John Rowan, only one received a response. That was from DoD on the 86,000 Ranch Hand specimens that have been in cold storage for many years. Committee members Jack McManus and Linda Schwartz represented VVA at a meeting in May with officials. They said it was a very positive meeting and they will be attending more meetings with these officials. Thats good. Thus far, there has been no response from the VA Secretary on the diseases that the IOM reported out in March 2016. All veterans affected by Agent Orange need to keep pressure on the secretary to report the presumptives. On a happier note, I have been informed by Betty Mekdeci of the Birth Defects Registry that the matching grant of $50,000 has been met. The BDR has done so much for veterans and their families. It was good to hear that it will receive $50,000 from VVA. I will man a booth at VVAs Convention and will address the Agent Orange resolutions. See you all in Spokane.Economic OpportunitiesBY FRANK BARRY, CHAIRThe Economic Opportunities Committee submitted its Legislative Priorities and Policies for the 116th Congress, and President John Rowan presented them before the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees. They included ramping up our efforts to ensure that veterans returning from deployments are accorded Veterans Preference when applying for government jobs and are given every advantage when seeking employment in private industry or in setting up their own businesses; and seeking legislation to protect veterans (including incarcerated veterans), active-duty service members, Reservists, and members of the National Guard from discrimination in the provision of housing and employment. VVA will work to achieve real due process for veterans under the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA). In addition, VVA will seek to rename VEVRAA the Wartime and Disabled Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act, thereby expanding this legislation to embrace veterans of all wars and actively enforcing its provisions and posting its reports on the Internet. Inasmuch as the Supreme Court ruled in Kingdomware Technologies, Inc. v. United States that the VA must continue to apply the rule of twoŽ for veteran-owned small businesses even if the agency surpassed its annual prime contracting goals, VVA will monitor the implementation that the rule must apply to task and delivery orders under all multiple-award contracts. We will seek to amend the Post-9/11 GI Bill to enable veterans who choose not to use these benefits for educational purposes to convert a reasonable amount to low-interest business loans, provided they have a business plan that has been reviewed and approved by the Small Business Administration.Homeless Veterans BY SANDY MILLER, CHAIRDuring the Memorial Day weekend in Washington, D.C., I had the privilege of attending the Memorial Day Concert and the honor of standing on the stage with my brother and sister veterans. The concert is always inspirational, with its telling of veterans stories and accounts of their individual experiences. At the end of the Memorial Day celebrations, I moved to another hotel in order to attend the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans annual conference. These conferences have provided immeasurable information to service providers across the country, and this year was no different. The focus was data and its use in programs and evaluations of the effects the numbers have on the homeless veterans being served. The conference began with a talk by HUD Secretary Benjamin Carson on the success of department programs that provide housing with the cooperation of the VA through the HUD-VASH program. Secy. Carson reported that four thousand veterans were served through HUD-VASH last year. The Point-in-Time Count showed a 5 percent decrease in homeless veterans and an increase of $35 million for housing. Secy. Carson was followed by Jon VanderPlas, Chief of Staff for the Department of Labors Veterans Employment and Training Services (DOL-VETS). This program continues to provide training that results in employment of homeless veterans. As one of the most successful programs helping veterans, DOL-VETS was instrumental in changing the access criteria for the training to include not only those veterans who are enrolled in homeless veteran programs, but also those recently placed in housing. Service organizations, including VVA, have urged this change for years. Home Depot made a presentation, vowing to hire 20,000 veterans by 2028. Last year, Home Depot made 1,750 home repairs and provided 33 smart adaptive homes to veterans in need. Additional presentations were given by Heather Prill, Senior Manager of Strategic Partnerships and Programs for the Home Depot Foundation, and Ruth A. Christopherson, Senior Vice President of Citi Salutes and Citi Community Development. The founders of NCHV had an open discussion on the organizations beginnings, the problems they faced at the time, and how the movement began. Robert VanKeuren, Michael Blecker, Bill Elmore, and Ralph Cooper provided a moving and very personal perspective on the beginnings. I attended eight breakout sessions. Many were led by the VA National Center on Homelessness, as well as leaders in community programs addressing the issues. I made contact with Cathrene CatŽ Nichols, the director of the Regional Veteran Services Center. Nichols is with the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs. She and I will meet in Spokane during the Convention to discuss issues concerning homelessness among veterans in Washington. During the NCHV Awards Ceremony, I was caught totally off guard when I received the 2019 Meritorious Service Award. This award is presented to a person who exemplifies service to NCHV, its members, and homeless veterans in general. I am humbled to have received this award and will continue to work toward the goal of NCHV and VVA of ending homelessness among our nations veterans.Minority Affairs BY GUMERSINDO GOMEZ, CHAIRI would like to thank National President John Rowan, members of the National Board of Directors, and the State Council presidents for the support the committee has received from them during the last two years that I have served as chair. Also I would like to thank the VVA staff; they have been a reliable tool fpr the committee when we have needed their help. And I would especially like to thank VVA members who took the time to read our articles and give us feedback or contacted us with situations that we have been able to resolve. It has been quite a job reinvigorating the committee. With the help of committee members we are ensuring that we produce the best we can for minority veterans and their families. The committee still has a ways to go. If reappointed as chair, I will not stop until we can satisfy as many minority veterans issues as we can. At present we have a few, such as our Korean brothers (ROK) needing our support to obtain benefits from the VA and our brothers and sisters in Puerto Rico in receiving an Economic Development Program and better VA services that will keep them on the island and not have to travel to the continental U.S. for a better quality of life. I especially wish to thank the Minority Affairs Committee members, advisers, and support staff for their support and for putting up with my demands. It has not been an easy task these last two years, but you have been there with me tackling the issues. I appreciate that from the bottom of my heart. POW/MIA AffairsBY GRANT COATES, CHAIRAccording to the Defense Prisoner of War/ Missing in Action Accounting Agency (DPAA), as of June 10 there remain 1,589 missing from the Vietnam War. On February 25 DPAA announced that Navy Reserve Journalist 3rd Class Raul A. Guerra, listed as missing on October 8, 1967, was accounted for. His remains were recovered in August 2005 and identified on February 20, 2019. A total of 994 have been accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. In addition, 63 U.S. personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,057. As of June 6, 217 crewman have been identified from the estimated 388 sets of remains designated as unknowns from the U.S.S. Oklahoma That ship was sunk by Japanese aircraft on December 7, 1941, while at Pearl Harbor. A total of 429 crewmen„415 sailors and 14 Marines„ could not be accounted for and were presumed to have been killed during the attack. VVA COMMITTEE REPORTS continued on page 14 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:46 PM Page 12

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The U.S. military says it has identified the remains of two additional American servicemembers turned over by North Korea as part of the transfer of fifty-five cases last August after the first summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. Six service members killed during the Korean War have been identified since North Korea delivered the remains. The names of the two who were identified recently have not yet been released. North Korea halted its cooperation after the second summit between Trump and Kim ended abruptly last winter in Hanoi.The Veterans Initiative Program needs your help. Objects taken from the battlefields of Vietnam are more than souvenirs or war trophies. Maps, stories, after-action reports, pictures, and military items may have a story that could result in finding the location of missing war dead. Contact the Veterans Initiative at: Veterans Initiative Program Vietnam Veterans of America 8719 Colesville Rd., Suite 100 Silver Spring, MD 20910 www.vi@vva.orgPTSD & Substance AbuseBY THOMAS C. HALL, PH.D., CHAIRClinical practice guidelines for treating PTSD have come a long way since the 1980s. Trauma-focused therapies employing a variety of techniques to help veterans process their traumatic experiences have saved many lives. According to the VAs National Center for PTSD, three trauma-focused psychotherapies show the strongest evidence of success: Prolonged Exposure (PE) teaches you how to gain control by facing your negative feelings. It involves talking about your trauma with a provider and doing some of the things you have avoided since the trauma. Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) teaches you to reframe negative thoughts about the trauma. It involves talking with your provider about your negative thoughts and doing short writing assignments. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) helps you process and make sense of your trauma. It involves calling the trauma to mind while paying attention to a back-and-forth movement or sound (like a finger waving side to side, a light, or a tone). These can do a great job of disrupting the worst symptoms of PTSD. Veterans diagnosed with and now managing the collateral impacts of PTSD can honestly say they are working hard all the time not only to survive, but to thrive. The committee hears of veterans who experienced triggers even when buying a car. Others describe working extra hard in figuring out how to relate to a spouse, a partner, and children of all ages. Even after experiencing one or more of the trio of best practices, PTSD can still distance us from those with whom we most want to be close. For instance, the residues of PTSD can compound feelings of awkwardness and frustration with grandchildren and others. PTSD also often compounds the experience of grief as we age and lose those we love. Each of us has a custom list of obvious and not-so-obvious impacts from PTSD long after treatment. Managing all these aspects of PTSD gets harder with age as our energy starts to wane. For many years we focused and targeted our energy to address and integrate the necessary knowledge, skills, and attitudes to more or less keep our experience with PTSD from dictating our lives. For some, the energy drain begins to outpace the gains we have made over time to use what wed learned to manage our PTSD and maintain gains made in treatment. Recently, committee members have seen erosion in supportive therapy groups previously sponsored by the VA. Right when many veterans need them most and depend on them to stay focused, these groups have come under assault. Why? Because some higher-up on the psycho-social, behavioral health ladder at the VA does not view them as therapy. Hence, they have interpreted VA policy guidelines as a reason to withdraw clinical support.Meanwhile, others in the VA see the value of supportive therapy as a natural part of suicide prevention while also helping veterans manage the day-to-day of living with PTSD. For large groups of veterans who gather to grapple with the collateral impacts of PTSD and substance abuse, this outreach is immensely therapeutic. So again, the committee is challenged to bring the grassroots needs of veterans to the attention of the head honchos at the VA. Committee members will continue to explain to the behavioral health professionals that, even though the worst symptoms of PTSD and substance abuse have been reduced, this is only the beginning. Leaving veterans recovering from PTSD or substance abuse to live with the sometimes subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) impact of PTSD and substance abuse on relationships with family and others, while at the same time distorting our perception of our own self-worth, is appalling. Please let the committee know of your experiences in this realm with the VA. Public Affairs BY DENNIS HOWLAND, CHAIRI repeatedly talk about the importance of visibility in our communities. This not only lets the community know that VVA is active in the community, it lets Vietnam War veterans know they have an organization that belongs to them, and it can help recruit new members. Positive visibility develops trust and adds credibility to your activities. I cant imagine how difficult building a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, renaming a highway for Vietnam veterans, getting legislation passed, or the many other things that have been accomplished if the trust had not been established far ahead of the efforts. Here are a couple of accomplishments that resulted from trust in our organization: Some time ago, I was approached by a couple with a story about a young Marines heroic actions in Vietnam. He was in the 2/9 and they felt his actions deserved recognition. They didnt know what direction to go in their attempts to get this Marine recognized. They consulted me because they trusted me. I worked with them and was able to direct them, give them valid contacts, and provide advice. I trusted my sources, and this resulted in the Vietnamese community trusting me. The task took about nine years to succeed. The result: This past April 5 the Marine Lance Corporal was presented the Navy Cross„ exactly fifty-two years to the day after his actions, which included killing eight of the enemy with only grit and a K-Bar, and rescuing another wounded Marine whom the NVA had taken prisoner. I believe our high visibility and reputation aided the couples mission. People will seek you out in many ways„if they trust you. A second example: For the past five years I have participated in several programs with the South Vietnamese community in Salt Lake City, a fair-sized community. Members of Utahs VVA participate in the Vietnamese ceremonies, and the Vietnamese attend our ceremonies and parades to honor veterans. Bottom line: high visibility, personal relationships, and trust. In May I was contacted by a member of the Vietnamese community asking if I would meet with a woman visiting from Vietnam who had information about some items she had found. Our two-hour conversation provided information about her family members finding a crashed helicopter in an area of dense jungle in August 2018 while they were searching for scrap metal to sell. They said the helicopter had a red cross on it. They searched the crash site and found a flight helmet, vest, boots, papers, a watch, and what appeared to be human bones. They didnt report this find in Vietnam because of political fear. They dug up much of the area, packed the dirt and what they described as remains (bones) in plastic bags and brought everything they could salvage from the wreckage to their small village not far from the Cambodian border. Before the woman arrived for her visit in the U.S., she promised her family that she would contact someone the Vietnamese community trusted and ask for help in returning the items and the remains to the U.S. They wanted to help bring the soldier home,Ž if the remains turned out to be American. They also provided photos of the items they had found, including part of the aircraft number and serial numbers, and gave me the location of the aircraft, the found items, and phone numbers in Vietnam. Because the U.S. turned so much equipment over to the South Vietnamese, the pilot could have been either American or South Vietnamese. Regardless, it could lead to finding a member of the military. Then the effort„the trust„is well worth the work. I have turned the recorded interviews, photos, and other information over to POW/MIA Affairs Committee Chair Grant Coates who will send them on to DPAA for further study. It is important as we determine the future of our organization that we continue to work on behalf of all veterans and on behalf of VVA. Be visible, be active, create positive images, promote good reputations and relationships, and develop trust in your community with people of all ages. Vietnam War veterans always have had to go after everything we have received. Eagle Scout Medal : In April the National BOD approved the Public Affairs Committees new National Eagle Scout Medal. It is an attractive medal designed by Wes Guidry to be presented to those who reach the level of Eagle Scout. This new public affairs tool came about as a result of the National President receiving many requests from the scouting community for something from VVA to honor Eagle Scouts. In the past the only items available were a letter and a certificate. The program focus is for the state councils and chapters to contact local scout troops or scout councils to inform them about the COMMITTEE REPORTS Continued from page 12 continued on page 1614THEVVA VETERAN 2019 2020 2021 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:46 PM Page 14

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16THEVVA VETERAN medal. Coordinate with the groups to give you advance notice of a pending Eagle Court of Honor. Then contact Communications Director Mokie Porter at mporter@vva.org or 301-585-4000, ext.146, and request the medal. The medal is $15. You will receive the medal, a letter from the VVA President, and a certificate to present at the Eagle Court of Honor. Its a great tool to reach out to young people, parents, and community leaders. I hope it will be a program used by all state council and chapter presidents. VA Voluntary ServiceBY KEN ROSE, NATIONAL REPIn May I attended the annual National Advisory Committee meeting in San Antonio, Texas. The NACs Executive Committee meets every year in Washington, D.C. The VA has twenty-six Advisory Committees, including one for Voluntary Service. The Federal Government has thousands of committees. At the time of the Revolutionary War, while George Washington was wintering at Valley Forge, Congress started forming committees. Some of these had as few as three members. By the end of the Revolution, there were more than three hundred. The NAC meets to make recommendations to the VA about policies and procedures for review by the Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs. The meetings offer staff and volunteers training, workshops, and a health fair. Next year the NAC again will meet in San Antonio; I highly recommend that local state council representatives and chapters with VVA volunteers attend some of the training sessions. What is VVA doing? In the last quarter of 2018 ending in December, VVA was in 116 of the 150 VAMCs. We had 463 regular scheduled volunteers giving 22,882 hours. Our occasional volunteers gave 1,898 hours, for a total of 24,780 hours, with Reps and Deps attending VAVS meetings for an additional 300 hours. VA numbers are low for several reasons: 1) Poor reporting to Central Office by local VAs; 2) Local Reps not watching hours on reports; 3) Volunteers not signing in as VVA; and 4) Outlying clinics and cemeteries not always reporting hours. Whenever you go to a VA facility, clinic, or cemetery to volunteer, sign in as VVA. Arrange your visit with the Voluntary Service Office to ensure the hours will be counted. These hours give us a seat and a voice on the VA National Advisory Committee.On June 5-10 the Anchorage VAMC hosted the National Veterans Golden Age Games. The VAs National Sports Program also includes the National Wheelchair Games in Louisville, Ky., on July 11-16; National Disabled Veterans Tee Tournament, Iowa City, Iowa, September 8-13; and the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival in Kalamazoo, Mich., October 28 to November 3.All VAMCs can send teams to these games, funded mostly by VSOs. These games happen every year, but the locations change. They are great opportunities for local state council and chapter members to volunteer and support veterans. Continue your fine efforts at VAMCs with parties, picnics, and events. And keep pressure on Congress to properly fund new programs such as the MISSION Act without taking from the VA system, which is seeing cutbacks in existing programs. Remember: You are eyes and ears at the VA. The VAVS meetings are more important than ever. Veterans Incarcerated & in the Justice SystemBY DOMINICK YEZZO, CHAIRWithout National, what will become of Chapter 32? VietnamVeterans of America will soon make a decision that will impact Chapter 32. Delegates will convene in Spokane from across the country. They will vote to continue VVA or to dissolve the corporation. This vote may be the most important decision ever made regarding the treatment of veterans in America. It is the most important decision ever made about Chapter 32. Delegates will vote the agenda of their chapters, their State Council Presidents, and their Regional Directors. Its political. The vote is powered by influences from persons in service to the National Board of Directors. I want VVA to continue its work. I want my committee to continue to serve Veterans Incarcerated and in the Justice System. I want my chapter to continue. I hope my rhetoric will persuade each VVA chapter to vote to continue to exist. And so, as I write regarding Chapter 32, I wish for every chapter to fight to continue its life. I ask that you think about the distribution of property we own and occupy at the chapter level. Think about the work done in your communities. Think about the parades, the ceremonies. Think about the Little League teams you sponsor and the street fair booths where you smile from behind a pile of Tshirts. Think about blowing TapsŽ beside the grave of an indigent forgotten soldier. I salute the men and women of my chapter; I ask that you salute yours. Chapter 32 preserves the dignity of our war and our image. Chapter 32 is present in the community. We raise and distribute money. We host politicians at monthly meetings. We host community members who come to us with compelling information and stories. In downstate New York, there are hundreds of indigent and forgotten veterans. Some die in prison. Some are homeless and die on the street. Some die in hospitals. Some die in municipally funded single-occupancy rooms. They are veterans. They are ours. We claim the body, bury the veteran, honor his or her service, and search for those who may be connected to the decedent. All over the country there are chapter stories just like this one. Chapters make VVA great. So what will happen to Chapter 32 if the corporation is dissolved? What will happen to your chapter? Vote to continue as a veterans organization that reshapes itself to serve future generations. Send your delegates to the Convention ready to preserve our traditions. Send delegates to preserve the work of your chapters. Build a future for our children and our childrens children. The irony which will embarrass us if we dissolve is: Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another.Ž Women VeteransBY KATE O’HARE-PALMER, CHAIROn Memorial Day I had the honor of placing the VVA wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns, along with Joe Jennings from Ohio. It is a special time with all the veterans service organizations participating. VVA women veterans attended ceremonies at The Wall, the Vietnam Womens Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, and Women in Military Service for America. We met with other women veterans from across the country while at our membership booth. This was the last Rolling Thunder Ride in D.C., and it was estimated that over a million bikes were there. For senior women veterans, some aspects of PTSD change while they experience life transitions. Post-traumatic stress disorder can happen to people of all ages. It is especially common among aging adults because its more likely they have experienced traumatic events. Examples of events that could lead to PTSD include combat, a bad car accident, the unexpected death of a loved one, serious illness or injury to self or someone close, and sexual assault, to name a few. After retirement, we may have more time to think back to those traumatic events and experience disturbing memories. Some other factors are: medical diagnoses that result in feeling weak and helpless, and coping with stress in unhealthy ways such as using substances, self-medicating, or using alcohol too often. It is normal to look back and reflect on your past and try to make sense of it. Some veterans may experience late-onset stress symptomatology (LOSS). While these symptoms may be similar to PTSD, they may be less severe. They are related to aging. It is important not to be afraid to ask for help and know that you arent being weak. Learning new ways to cope is a sign of courage and strength. Changing family dynamics can affect us all. Keep your mind engaged and your body active. Find a volunteer cause that resonates with you. Being good to yourself is important. Spend time with positive people. Do something daily that makes you smile. Call a friend each day. For women, it is the time to reconnect with military friends. Talking with them is supportive. We have a bond that was forged through tough times. Dont be afraid to use it. Talk with a counselor if you need to. Dont let these feelings go unaddressed. They can cause physical problems if not dealt with. Heart disease is a prime example. We owe it to ourselves to enjoy our senior years and not be afraid to ask for help. The Womens Breakfast guest speaker at VVAs National Convention will be Heather Drake, the Operations Manager of the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Offices Veterans Service Center in Spokane County. She is a veteran and will be speaking about the latest information on women veterans benefits. Women Veteran Honor Coins, shirts, and patches will be available during the Convention. These sales support our committee work. COMMITTEE REPORTS Continued from page 14 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:46 PM Page 16

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*Blades are hand-crafted; precise length may vary slightly American Mint Satisfaction Guarantee: By returning this form, you will have the privilege of receiving future issues in the collection through our FREE in-home approval service. No further action is required on your part. If you do not wish to preview future issues of the collection, please X-out this paragraph. The American Mint Preferred Collector’s Price is guaranteed for you. You will be billed only for the items you decide to keep. If you pay by credit card, future shipments will not be charged until 25 days after the invoice date. You are under no obligation! If you are not satisfied with any item that is shipped to you, you may send it back within 20 da ys at our cost for replacement, credit, or refund. American Mint has no minimum purchase requirements. You can cancel this service at any time by calling toll-free 1-877-807-MINT. American Mint P.O. Box 10, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 Mail this completed form along with your payment to: ______________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Name ______________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Street Address ______________________________ ________________________________________________________________ City ________________ ____________________ (____________) _________ __________ ____ _____________ State Zip Code Phone ______________________________ ________________________________________________________________ E-Mail Keycode 762.01 Yes! I want to order the POW-MIA Military Knife (Item #527-784-0) — a $99.95 value — for just $19.95. Shipping and handling is FREE. PA RESIDENTS ADD 6% SALES TAX. PLEASE REMIT PAYMENT IN ORDER FOR SHIPMENT TO BE PROCESSED Signature required below• Go to americanmint.com/762.01 Call us toll-free at 877-807-MINT (6468) Mail in your completed order form and paymenteasy ways to order:3 REDEMPTION CERTIFICATE Please charge my: Credit Card Number:Check / Money Order enclosed (made payable to American Mint) SIGNATURE REQUIRED ON ALL ORDERS Card Valid Through: Order Date: M M Y Y Y YM M D D Y Y All orders subject to acceptance by American MintYOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN During the immense chaos of the Vietnam War, nearly 2,500 American soldiers were unaccounted for. About half of those soldiers were believed to have been killed in the line of duty, while the other half were listed as “Missing in Action” or “Prisoner of War.” When the Paris Peace Accords of 1973 were signed, 591 American POWs were released to return home, but the fate of countless missing soldiers remains unknown to this day. Still, the sacrifice of these brave men and women of th e Armed Forces will never be forgotten. Available exclusively from American Mint, the POW-MIA Military Knife pays tribute to the soldiers who never made it home. Designed by master artisans, the rugged military knife features a stainless steel blade with a matte black finish and laser-mar ked writing on both sides. The colorful 3D-printed bar representing the Vietnam Veteran service ribbon and the 24k gold-layered replica of the Vietnam Service Medallion set in the pommel honor our fallen soldiers as we vow to never forget the ultimate sacrifice they made in the name of freedom.• 6.625"-long* polished flatground blade crafted in 420 stainless steel with a rugged matte black finish  Rugged plastic handle with crosshatch pattern and sturdy steel gun-sight guard  24k gold-layered replica of the Vietnam Service Medallion set into the pommel (shown at right)  Colorful 3D-printed bar representing the Vietnam Veteran service ribbon  Overall length: 11.75"  Begins the America at War — Vietnam War Knife Collection which is limited to only 9,999 complete collections worlwide $19.9 5SPECIALC O L L E C T O R’S P RI C E ( a $99.95 value) 2019 American Mint LLC Presented in a specially fitted presentation box  Available exclusively from American Mint 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:46 PM Page 17

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18THEVVA VETERAN BY SKIP HOCHREICHAs you read this, our National Convention will be in progress and we soon will know the fate of VVA. I have long felt VVA should not be allowed to die; rather, it should live on in another entity. On June 1 Region 1 held its conference. It was well attended with all but one state represented. The Elks in Auburn, Mass., generously donated their hall and prepared an excellent lunch for attendees. After touching on the proposed VVA Constitutional amendments, the focus of the meeting was a discussion of the Working Groups and their reports. In the end, after a number of speakers and a review of the reports, it was decided Region 1 would vote for President John Rowans amendments, coinciding with WG-IIs report, to continue on with VVA, as opposed to the last-man-standing option. We felt we should stand by our motto: Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another.Ž If we are moving on, the real work now begins. It will not be easy developing a blueprint to move the corporation forward having to cover the who, how, when, whatŽ and all the other elements that need answers. It will be a time-consuming effort to ensure we get it right. For a while, every answer will pose another question. Im sure there will be ample opportunity for input from membership. The regions chapters have very been busy. Just a few of the activities include Massachusetts Chapter 65, which has worked in the Berkshires cleaning and policing the community, along with its poppy drive. Members spent four days leading up to Memorial Day flagging more than 8,800 graves in two cemeteries, and the chapter color guard opened the local Memorial Day ceremonies. Massachusetts Chapter 866 did its Vietnam veterans history panel at the Windsor School in Boston for the fifth year. This is an exclusive college prep school for girls, many from other cultures, and it was a good opportunity to get out some of our Veteran Initiative cards from the POW/MIA Affairs Committee. You never know who will see one. It seems the panel gets better each year. The staff tells us that the girls really look forward to our visits and their assignments. What started as a one-hour class is now more than two hours as we break up into four groups after the main panel for a Q&A session. This years participants: myself, Norm Burns, John Willkie, and Bob Simpson. The October BOD meeting should be a busy one coming off of Convention. I urge members to contact me with questions or concerns you feel the Board should address. REGION 2| BY TED WILKINSONAfter reading his book House to House I invited David Bellavia to be a keynote speaker for a Traveling Wall ceremony ten years ago. Bellavia, who received a Silver Star for actions in 2004, gave an excellent speech and thanked Vietnam veterans for paving the way. We became good friends, and many times he told me how much Vietnam veterans have done to help the system and are very much appreciated by the younger generation. I could go on about Bellavias virtues and how pleased I was to learn that his Silver Star is being upgraded to a Medal of Honor. Despite the bad weather, I only had to cancel one of my four scheduled trips in the last two months by using driving skills that a LeMans race driver would envy. The thought of seeing all the smiling faces gave me the drive to travel on. The Manhattan, N.Y., chapter has a new and impressive website: www.VVA126.org The state websites are Delaware: www.delawarevva.org ; New Jersey: www.njscvva.org ; New York: www.nyvietnamvets.org ; and Pennsylvania: www.vva-pa.org Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania DIRECTORS’ REPORTS REGION 1| Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont $19.99 softcover $9.99 ebook McFarland McFarland seeks new nonfiction book proposals, especially memoirs and oral histories. Contact an editor at proposals@mcfarlandpub.com 800-253-2187 € McFarlandPub.com $19.99 softcover $9.99 ebook ARMED FORCES RETIREMENT HOME – WASHINGTON, D.C. AND GULFPORT MISS.The Armed Forces Retirement Home is an affordable retirement community for eligible veterans who served primarily in the enlisted ranks.Whether it’s at our scenic, wooded campus in Washington, DC, or on the beach-side campus in Gulfport, Miss., AFRH offers supportive care and shared camaraderie. Affordable Independent Living for Eligible Veterans! Affordable Independent Living for Eligible Veterans!INCLUDED: General Services:Medical, Dental & Vision Wellness Program Recreational Activities Full Service Library Dining Facility Computer Center Banking Center Mail Room Campus BX/PX Barber & Beauty Salon On/Off Campus ShuttleMajor Amenities:Private Room-Shower Internet-TV connection Deluxe Fitness Center Movie Theater Bowling Center Hobby ShopsGulfport, Miss:Walking Path to Beach Outdoor Swimming Pool Ocean-view balconiesWashington, DC:9-hole Golf Course Stocked Fishponds Scenic Walking PathsFor more information or to obtain an application, call 800.422.9988 admissions@afrh.gov | afrh.gov 3700 N. Capitol Street, NW, Washington, DC 20011 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:47 PM Page 18

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DONATE YOUR CAR 800-435-7838 HelpOurVeterans.org € 100% Tax Deductible € Proceeds Benefit VVA Funerals Cost Money!VETERANS DISABLED? MEDICAL PROBLEMS?$5000, AGES UP TO AGE 80....CALL 559-528-2811 OR EMAIL: geodrid@sbcglobal.net for free age quote. SELLING CALIFORNIA STATE VETERANS MALE/FEMALEMADRID INSURANCE AGENCY LIC.# 0579334 4 5 20THEVVA VETERAN BY SPENCE DAVISRegion 4 had an eventful meeting in and around Ft. Benning in Columbus, Ga. A guided tour of the National Civil War Naval Museum was followed by lunch at a Ft. Benning mess hall, a bus tour of the base, a self-guided tour of the National Army Infantry Museum, and a meeting of all present to discuss events and happenings in each state. The state council presidents talked about events in their states. Susan Henthorn, president of the Georgia AVVA, talked about AVVA activities. Then each chapter president talked about his chapters fundraising goals and how the money would be spent. This sharing of ideas turned out to very helpful to all chapters. Everyone was concerned about the reports of Working Group I and Work Group II. After much discussion of the two working groups, time for good fellowship, and preliminary planning for the next regional meeting, we said our goodbyes and headed home. Thanks to Chapter 1133 in Columbus for hosting and organizing this event. I visited Chapter 945 in Sylacauga, Alabama, and answered questions about issues at the National Convention and what was going on in VVA, especially in Region 4. All are looking forward to having annual Region 4 gettogethers. The JROTC scholarships and medals are a great way to honor cadets, as well as great PR for VVA. Each chapter should be working with the JROTC; after all, most of the cadets will become veterans. Three scholarships were recently awarded by VVA National. First place was $2,500; second place was $1,500; and third place was $1,000. In the future, these will simply be cash awards. To get information about VVAs JROTC award program, go to the VVA website, www.vva.org Camden County, Georgia, Chapter 1137 hosted an Agent Orange town hall meeting in St. Marys, Ga., June 10. Agent Orange workshops have been around for several years; they are still one of the best ways to let veterans and their families know about the damage done to us and our offspring. Please have one in your area. If you need help or have questions about getting one organized, I will be glad to help. Thanks to each of you for all that you do for your chapters, Region 4, and VVA. Feel free to contact me anytime at 912-285-9553 (office), 912-387-6551 (cell), or vvagsc.org REGION 5| BY TOM BURKEThis will be my final report as Region 5 Director. It will be short and sweet. Its time for me to say a few words of thanks. I need to thank the Region 5 State Council presidents for four years of great comradeship. Butch, Pat, John, and Cliff, thank you. The unparalleled cooperation that I received from all of you is, was, has been„and always will be„greatly appreciated. To the members of your State Council boards, when I called upon them for information, schedules, help, or whatever I needed, they have always answered my calls. Thank you. To the general membership of the Region 5 State Councils, I depart this position with many more friends than I had when I took over. We are all comradesin-arms and we have blazed many trails. We have made a difference. We can all be proud that we were a part of it. It has been my privilege to serve you in this capacity.Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio DIRECTORS’ REPORTS REGION 4| Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands BY SARA McVICKERThere is no logical reason why VVA should be talking about shutting down, turning our organization over to others, or changing its name. At the Spokane Convention, we will be presented with several Constitutional amendments and resolutions. None gives us the option of continuing as a national organization named Vietnam Veterans of America„an organization of, by, and for those who served during that war. The premise seems to be that we are dying out so we need to do something so younger veterans can carry on„using our resources to do so. Our legacyŽ (never defined in all this discussion) is what we have accomplished, including the benefits and services that todays veterans receive. We are in legislative histories, archives, and history books. You cant transfer that to another group; what they choose to do is their legacy. We formed this organization to give us a home and to advocate for our needs. I think we should continue to do so for as long as we can. We have 600-plus chapters and 48 state councils. It should be their decision when to become less active or close, not something imposed by others. Yes, our average age is around 72, and yes, we are losing members to various ailments and infirmities, but lots of us are at least reasonably healthy and active. Membership reports we are attracting more than four hundred new members a month, and there still seem to be people interested in forming new chapters. Im writing this after watching an interview with some World War II veterans who were on their way back to France to celebrate the 75th anniversary of D-Day. Watching them made me wonder: Why are these proposals to shutter or change the essence of VVA even under serious discussion? We do need to take a good look at our operations and what changes we might need to make as we move into the future. There are some issues, such as the responsibilities incurred by the service officer program. Working Group I suggested VVA needs to prioritize its activities, but those are all things that the National Board of Directors and the Conference of State Council Presidents jointly can work on. Yes, eventually, under our membership criteria, VVA will cease to exist. But I am fine with us just fading away, rather than killing us prematurely. Our motto is Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another.Ž I dont want VVA to abandon its own generation. DIRECTORS’ REPORTS REGION 3| District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia BOY SCOUT PATCHES WANTEDRon Aldridge 214-770-3574 or noacman@aol.com 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/28/19 9:18 AM Page 20

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ICM 2019 MEDCIRBRS-VVA-0719 ICM 2019 KN1115-VVA-0719 VETERANS COMMEMORATIVES’ PROUDLY PRESENTS THECREDIT CARD: Visa MasterCard AMEX Discover Card #:____________________________________________ Exp. Date: ______ /______ Card Security Code:__________ Signature:__________________________________________ SHIPPING ADDRESS We CANNOT ship to P.O. Boxes. Allow 2-3 weeks for delivery.Name____________________________________________ Address__________________________________________ City______________________________________________ State_____________________ Zip______________________ Phone # (________)________________________________ Email____________________________________________In case we have questions about your order YES. I wish to order my Vietnam Veterans War Memorial Knife as follows: OPTIONAL PERSONALIZED NAMEPLATE ($15 additional) Name: ____________________________________________ Service Branch: _____________________________________ Service Years: _________ _________ VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL KNIFE: .......$ 49.95 Personalized Nameplate (add $15)...........$___________ BONUS Vietnam MemorialŽ Knife (add $19.95).............................................$___________ Plus Shipping & Handling..............................$ 9.95 PA residents add 6% sales tax.......................$___________ TOTAL DUE: ...................................................$___________ I PREFER TO PAY AS FOLLOWS: Enclosed is my check payable to Veteran Commemoratives Charge my credit card (fill-in credit card info below) YES! I wish to order my Vietnam Veteran Watch, personalized as follows: SERVICE EMBLEM CHOICE: Army NavyAir ForceCoast Guard Seabee Merchant MarineNavy Seal MONOGRAM LETTER: _________ BIRTHSTONE MONTH: ______________________________ ENGRAVING: Initials (3): ________ ________ ________ Service Y ears: ___________ to ___________ ENCLOSED IS MY CHECK/MONEY ORDER made payable to Veterans CommemorativesŽfor: $125.00*, plus $19.95* for engraving, shipping & handling as payment in full OR, CHARGE MY CREDIT CARD as indicated below: $199.00*, plus $19.95* for engraving, shipping & handling as payment in full OR, $62.50* down payment, plus $19.95* for engraving, shipping & handling. Charge the balance of $62.50* when my watch is ready to ship. There is no finance charge. CREDIT CARD: Visa MasterCard AMEX Discover Card #:____________________________________________ Exp. Date: ______ /______ Card Security Code: __________ Signature:__________________________________________ SHIPPING ADDRESS We CANNOT ship to P.O. Boxes. Allow 2-3 weeks for delivery.Name____________________________________________ Address__________________________________________ City______________________________________________ State_____________________ Zip____________________ Phone # (________)________________________________ Email____________________________________________ Plus $19.95 for engraving, shipping & handling added to first payment.PA residents add 6% state sales tax. ($8.70) TO ORDER CALL 1-800-255-3048 OR ONLINE WWW.VETCOM.COMOR MAIL THIS FORM TO: Veterans Commemoratives’Order Center Two Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 120, Radnor, PA 19087-4599 TO ORDER CALL 1-800-255-3048 OR ONLINE WWW.VETCOM.COMOR MAIL THIS FORM TO: Veterans Commemoratives’Order Center Two Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 120, Radnor, PA 19087-4599By federal law, licensing fees paid to the U.S. Army for use of its trademarks provide support to the Army Trademark Licensing Program, and net licensing revenue is devoted to U.S. Army Morale, Welfare, and Recreation programs. Featuring Vietnam Veteran Dial with Ribbons & Genuine Diamond Custom Watchband features Your Service Emblem, Monogram and Personal Birthstones € Water-resistant case frames the Vietnam Veteran Dial, minted in high-relief with War Ribbons in Official colors and a genuine diamond at 12 Oclock.€ Your choice of Service Branch Emblem, personal monogram and five brilliant birthstones are featured on the adjustable23 Karat Gold decorateddress bracelet.€ Precision quartz movement provides accuracy within seconds per month. € Caseback engraved with your initials and years of service. € Priced at just $125*, payable in two convenient, interest-free monthly installments of $62.50* each. ( See order form for details.) € Your satisfaction guaranteed 100% or return watch within 30 days for replacement or refund. So, order today! WE PROUDLY PRESENT OUR EXCLUSIVE VIETNAM VETERAN DIAMOND MILITARY WATCH TO HONOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY. FREEPROUD TO BE A VETERANŽ GIFT TIN Birthstones are simulated for consistent size and clarity. Names refer to color. Diamonds on dials are genuine .02 ct. YOU HAVE EARNED THE RIGHT TO WEAR THIS WATCH AS A REMINDER OF YOUR SPECIAL PLACE IN HISTORY. CHOOSE YOUR PERSONAL BIRTHSTONE CHOOSE YOUR SERVICE BRANCH An Official Veterans Commemoratives’ Collectible Honoring All Vietnam VeteransVIETNAM VETERANS WAR MEMORIAL KNIFEProudly Displayed on an Artistic rendering of the Vietnam Memorial Wall and Powerful The Three SoldiersŽ Statue representing All Veterans Who ServedOptional Personalized Nameplate Knife measures 11.75Ž Compass on Handle Knife measures approx. 8Ž open Base is 7.75Ž x 3.87Ž Stainless Steel BladeYOU ARE NOT FORGOTTENTHE MEMORIAL DISPLAY: Provides a powerful setting for this unique tribute to honor the service of ALL WHO GAVE and THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR ALL! THE KNIFE: The blade is Stainless Steel boldly inscribed with the words VIETNAM WAR VETERANS MEMORIALŽ and features the Vietnam Service Ribbon in Official Colors. The knife is an impressive 11.75Ž in length. A compass tops the knife handle. ADD A VIETNAM MEMORIALŽ TACTICAL KNIFE TO YOUR PURCHASE FOR JUST $19.95! SAVE $10 PLUS NO EXTRA SHIPPING. PLUS BONUS KNIFE! Just$4995*THE PERSONALIZED NAMEPLATE: For those who wish, we will engrave a name, service branch and years served to honor you or a loved one for just $15 additional, which you may affix to the display base (as shown above.) OUR 100%GUARANTEE: You may return your Memorial Knife within 30 days if not completely satisfied. So, order your Vietnam Veterans War Memorial Knife today!* plus $9.95 shipping & handling JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE GARNET AMETHYST AQUAMARINE ZIRCON EMERALD ALEXANDRITE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER RUBY PERIDOT SAPPHIRE ROSE GOLDEN BLUE ZIRCON SAPPHIRE ZIRCON ARMY NAVY AIR FORCE COAST GUARD SEABEE MERCHANT MARINE NAVY SEAL 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:47 PM Page 21

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22THEVVA VETERAN BY BOB GRABINSKIId like to thank those who were not reelected or who chose not to run, for the time and talent they have given to VVA and all veterans. I also want to thank those who have just been elected for stepping forward; I wish you the best in your positions. Two years back I was elected as Region 6 Director. I would like to thank everyone in the region for supporting me for those two years. I think the highlight of those two years was meeting the many dedicated individuals at state council meetings and the Region 6 conference. Our conference in Altoona, Iowa, was a huge success. National VVA as we know it will be changing. There will be many trying times while we begin the process. If we all work together, we will end up with a veterans group as good as VVA. The summer months get very busy. Please step forward and help out with all the events, dedications, parades, and fundraising to help veterans in our communities. Since my last report, I attended the Nebraska State Council meeting. I also attended the Vietnam and Era Veterans Reunion in Deadwood, S.D. While there, I attended the South Dakota State Council meeting, an Agent Orange forum, and the Vietnam Monument Dedication at Black Hill National Cemetery. Finally, I attended the 2019 Vietnam Memorial Exhibit dedication at the Air Museum in Fargo, N.D. Thank you for everything you do for VVA and veterans. REGION 7| BY ALLEN MANUELAt the April Board of Directors meeting much good information was presented about the future of VVA and the options the organization could take. There will be further discussions at the Convention. Not everybody will be happy, but sooner or later change will come. In preparation for the Convention, Working Groups I and II have done a lot of work on the future possibilities available to VVA. Chapter and state council presidents need to submit all their paperwork before going to the Convention. Also bring a copy with you in case there is need. Leslie DeLong was awarded the VVA Commendation Medal for all the work she does for her chapter, state council, and as chair of the Constitution Committee. Well deserved. The Texas State Council met on April 26 in Texarkana, Many veterans from all over Region 7 attended the Region caucus. On Friday night Leslie DeLong discussed the seventeen proposed Constitutional Amendments. She was asked many questions about the amendments. SC President Kerwin Stone spoke about Working Groups I and II and the future of VVA. While there are many questions about what will happen to VVA, we hope that some answers will come out of the July National Convention. Many Texas State Council and Regional awards were presented. Chapter 278 did a great job hosting the event. Chapter 1131 had its annual picnic on May 4 with a good crowd. There are 135 chapter members, with more to come. They served plenty of hamburgs, hot dogs, and dessert. Nobody went hungry. A country band played. It was a great day.Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma DIRECTORS’ REPORTS REGION 6| Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin BY FRANCISCO F. IVARRA Region 8 has been quite active and involved with some big projects. I am extremely proud to serve and represent this region. Our members enthusiasm, willingness, and commitment to serve their fellow veterans and families in need is beyond commendable. These are the types of brothers and sisters who define the honorable meaning of what it is like being a Vietnam veteran. In addition to the many activities involved with their chapters, each state representing Region 8 is involved with projects that amplify and underline the words Vietnam veteran.Ž Washington : Supported the B-52 Midnight Express Project, which was finally displayed at the Seattle Museum of Flight on May 25. The B-52, Midnight Express, is the centerpiece of the Vietnam Veterans Air War Commemorative Park, remembering all of the aircraft flown in the Vietnam War and honoring the crews that flew and supported them. We thank David Waggoner from Chapter 102 for serving on the B-52 Project Committee. ( See article, p. 36.) President David Loomis and Chapter 165 participated in the Festival of Flags Remembrance Ceremony and Vietnam War Welcome Home events on Memorial Day at Ferndales Greenacres Memorial Park. More than 1,700 flags lined the parkway where the unveiling of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial took take place. We continue to work with Wes Guidry and the National Convention Planning Committee, and we welcome our brothers and sisters to our state and to Spokane. Oregon : Has been involved with two major projects. 1) Raising funds for the construction of Let Us Honor Our Warriors and Remember the Fallen,Ž the Vietnam War Memorial on the Oregon State Capitol grounds. A concept design can be viewed at: www.vietnamwarmemorialfund.org 2) Vietnam veteran Richard Tobiason and Medal of Honor recipient Robert Maxwell are leading the efforts to create the national Medal of Honor Highway across the United States on U.S. Highway 20, the nations longest highway. Montana : Is committed to the prevention of suicide and is working with the Northwest Montana Veterans Coalition on Suicide Awareness Week in Kalispell. Also, a Vietnam Veterans of America plaque was put on permanent display at the Montana State Veterans Home. Idaho : Marv Hagedorn, Chief Administrator of the Idaho Division of Veterans Affairs, said the state has three Veterans Homes and is planning to construct a fourth. He also said that Idaho has plans to build a second State Veterans Cemetery. The Idaho State Vietnam Veterans Memorial is now officially located at Freedom Park in Idaho Falls. Chapter 972 is trying to locate family members of Daniel E. Williams, an Army medic who was killed on April 4, 1969. He was from Hamer, Idaho, where a homemade memorial stone was found this year shortly after the anniversary of his KIA date at the top of the Big Menan Butte in Jefferson County. Alaska : VVA members are seriously involved with membership recruitment and efforts to expand their Veterans Service Officer program. Wyoming : Remains on our radar. We want our brothers and sisters to know that they are not forgotten and that they are part of our family. DIRECTORS’ REPORTS REGION 8| Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming Vietnam War 50th Anniversaries You remember the THEN let MHT the originator of the battlefield tour get you back for the NOW! Go when & where you back with a basement company! Jerry Yamamoto: Dedicated Service Jerry Yamamoto, longtime Minority Affairs Committee chair and outgoing president of South Bay, California, Chapter 53, received an award from the chapter in appreciation of his twenty years service. Chapter 53 President Kirk Gillett presented the plaque to Jamie Yamamoto, as her father was ill. 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/28/19 8:57 AM Page 22

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24THEVVA VETERAN BY DICK SOUTHERNThe Region 8/9 Pre-Convention Conference was held June 1 in Sparks, Nevada. The conference was well attended, and the day was filled with discussions on the amendments and resolutions that will be addressed at the Convention in Spokane. There was a discussion on Working Groups I and II led by President John Rowan. We also heard from candidates running for election in Spokane. While in the Reno area before the conference, we had the opportunity to attend the Nevada State Council meeting. SC President Lee Jackson ran an informative meeting with reports from chapters and committees. Chapter 996 in Santa Fe, New Mexico, continues to work on having a replica Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Angel Fire. Go to https://vvachapter996.wixsite.com/ memorialwall to learn more. I attended the Colorado State Council meeting and heard about the many activities that its chapters are involved in. Among those are a very successful speakers bureau and programs for increasing chapter membership. The state council made a donation to VVA Chapter 582 to help it recover from last Novembers devastating Camp Fire in Butte County, California. Word has been received that a new chapter formed in Hawaii. Chapter 1139 is located on the big island of Hawaii. Aloha to the new chapter. By the time you read this, it will be Convention time and we will be deciding the direction of VVA for the next two years. The direction is set by the delegates as they determine the future of VVA with their votes. Copies of the proposed Amendments and Resolutions are on the VVA website. Delegates need to attend the Convention hearings so they know what they are voting for. I want to thank all of the Region 9 state council and chapter officers and members for the great work they have done over the last two years in their communities and for veterans and their families. Keep up the good work. DIRECTORS’ REPORTS REGION 9| Arizona, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Philippines, Utah *Professional service fees may apply. **On qualifying purchases. 2019 Starkey Hearing Technologies. All Rights Reserved. 4/ 19 TJAD3059-00-EE-HBAs a member of Vietnam Veterans of America you and your family are eligible for exclusive American Hearing Bene“ts’. Discounts on todays latest technology including hearing aids and tinnitus options FREE annual hearing consultations 60-day trial period* Call (888) 570-8542 to schedule your FREE CONSULTATION and receive your discounts.www.americanhearingbene“ts.com/partners/VVA Take advantage of your exclusive discounts now BY DICK SOUTHERN, CHAIRThe Resolutions Committee chair will report the work of the committee, review the resolution process, and advise delegates about the open hearing each standing committee will hold before resolutions are considered by the delegates. At the general session after the open hearings, the chair of the Resolutions Committee will present the resolutions that were reported out of the standing committees for consideration and debate by the delegates. Resolutions require the affirmative vote of a majority of the delegates for passage. After the resolutions reported out of the committees are considered, the delegates may petition, by majority vote, to consider resolutions that were not reported out of the standing committees. A complete list of proposed resolutions is available at https://vva.org/nationalconvention/2019/wp-content/uploads/ 2019/05/2019-Proposed-ConventionResolutions.pdf 2019 CONVENTION COMMITTEE REPORT Resolutions Committee TM 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:47 PM Page 24

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*Plus a total of $14.99 shipping and service, plus sales tax; see bradfordexchange.com. Limited-edition presentation restricted to 295 crafting days. Please allow 4-6 weeks after initial payment for shipment. Sales subject to product availability and order acceptance. AC adapter included. Mrs. Mr. Ms. Name (Please Print Clearly)Address City State Zip Email (optional)9345 Milwaukee Avenue Niles, IL 60714-1393 RESERVATION APPLICATION SEND NO MONEY NOWYES. Reserve the USMC: A Tribute to Excellence Levitating Medallion Sculpture for me as described in this announcement. Limit: one per order Please Respond PromptlyStrong demand is expected for this limited edition featuring a uniquely levitating medallion, so order yours now at the issue price of $99.99*, payable in three easy installments of just $33.33, the rst due before shipment. Your purchase is fully backed by our 365-day money-back guarantee. Dont miss out! Send no money now„simply return the Reservation Application today. The highly trained U.S. Marines maintain a balanced presence in the air, on land, and at sea„creating an elite and dominant force. Now you can honor the Corps with a stunning sculpture inspired by the USMC emblem. The Eagle, Globe and Anchor is sculpted in raised-relief detail on both sides of the goldplated medallion, and hidden electro magnets suspend the medallion within the custom base so it oats and spins in mid-air The light-up base features a vivid image of the Stars and Stripes and Semper Fi motto.*For information on sales tax you may owe to your state, go to bradfordexchange.com/use-tax L M SP AI HONOR USMC Gold-Plated Medallion Hovers and Rotates in MID-AIR!S L, E Vƒ O N!www.bradfordexchange.com/298292019 BGE 01-29829-001-FIIlluminated view; shown smaller than actual size of 7" high; medallion is 3" in diam. 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:47 PM Page 25

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26THEVVA VETERAN P reserve history with this Vietnam War Anniversary coin. Yours FREE … send only $2.95 for shipping and guaranteed delivery. Operation Chopper was the first major US combat operation of the Vietnam War. Send today and youll also receive special collectors information and other interesting coins on approval. Limit of one coin. Satisfaction guaranteed.Vietnam War Coin FREE Yes! Send me the Vietnam coin. Enclosed is $2.95 for shipping and guaranteed delivery. Satisfaction guaranteed. Limit of one coin.Quick order at MysticAd.com/YX138Name ________________________________________ Address ______________________________________ City/State/Zip _________________________________ Check or money order Visa MasterCard Exp. Date ___/___ Please send payment to: Mystic, Dept. YX138 9700 Mill St., Camden, NY 13316-9111 NY State residents add sales tax. Send just $2.95 for shipping and guaranteed delivery.Get Your FREEVietnam War50th Anniversary Coin Sustaining member of the National Organization of Veterans Advocates Trust a veteran when it comes to your Veterans Benefits. WeFightForVets.com Call for A FREE consultation (800) 344-3090 or email info@abesbaumann.com You deserve more than thanks for your service. You deserve the full benefits you rightfully earned. The attorneys at Abes Baumann understand what it truly means to serve our country. And theyre ready to help. Attorney Eric Abes served five years as an infantry paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division, including three deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq. Attorney Susan Paczak grew up in a military family and has defended the rights of vets for more than two decades. Rating was too low? Claim denied? Concerned about PTSD, Agent Orange, Unemployability or another disability? The attorneys at Abes Baumann will help you get your due. You deserve the full benefits you rightfully earned. The attorneys at Abes Baumann understand what it truly means to serve our country. And theyre ready to help. Attorney Susan Paczak has represented veterans for over 25 years. Rating was too low? Claim denied? Concerned about PTSD, Agent Orange, Unemployability or another disability? The attorneys at Abes Baumann will help you get your due.Sustaining member of the National Organization of Veterans AdvocatesWeFightForVets.com Call for A FREE consultation (800) 344-3090 or email info@abesbaumann.com You deserve more than thanks for your service. 1944DENNIS RHOADES2019Dennis Rhoades, who served as VVAs Executive Director and Legislative Director in the early and mid-1980s, died of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease March 19 at his home in Flint Hill, Virginia. He was seventy-four years old. An Army Vietnam War veteran, Rhoades worked in high-level veterans affairs positions for many years for the VA, the Department of Labor, and the White House. In 1988 he was named the administrator of the Agent Orange Class Assistance Program in the wake of the settlement of the landmark $240-million Agent Orange class-action la wsuit against the chemical manufacturers spearheaded by VVA. Dennis was an important person in the lives of Vietnam veterans,Ž said VVA National President John Rowan, especially with his hard work and dedication at VVA in the eighties, as well as his service as director of the Veterans Employment Service at the Department of Labor and as director of the White House Vietnam Veterans Federal Coordinating Committee that President Carter started in 1978.Ž 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/28/19 11:07 AM Page 26

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BY PAUL ROGERS T he closure of long-running mental health and transitional housing programs, combined with an exodus of experienced clinicians amid allegations of toxic leadership, is disrupting care at VA Greater Los Ange les Healthcare System (VAGLAHS), according to some former VA doctors, a social worker, and local veterans. In a letter sent last November to Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs, four recently retired VAGLAHS clinicians alleged mismanagement of resources and abuse of power by current VAGLAHS leadershipŽ that strongly derail the crucial needs of our veterans.Ž VAGLAHS is the largest integrated health care organization in the Department of Veterans Affairs, serving 1.4 million veterans in five counties. So any upheaval in its mental health programs„such as lowered staff morale or high clinician turnover„could have a negative impact on countless former service members. My concern with Mental Health services has been with the defections of many of the senior psychiatrists and a general sense of fear and, more generally, lack of collegiality,Ž said Dr. Robert Rubin, a co-signatory to the Isakson letter. Rubin was VAGLAHS Chief of Psychiatry and Mental Health from 2005-13, and remained as a staff psychiatrist there until last year. Most of the clinicians and veterans interviewed for this article noted the importance of continuity of care„that is, sustained relationships between veterans and their doctors or social workers (and between a veteran and other veterans on a centralized VA campus)„ to the treatment of mental health conditions. Yet, according to Dr. Rubin, more than fifty psychiatrists (as well as other specialists and social workers) have left VAGLAHS since the appointment of Dr. Barry Guze as Associate Chief of Staff for Mental Health and Chief of Psychiatry at West LA VA in November 2014. If youre going to have a constant turnover of staff, you have no continuity of care,Ž said Dr. Shoba Sreenivasan, a psychologist who retired from a 28-year VAGLAHS career in September. Particularly for combat vets, I think that that kind of continuity and the environment at the VA was like the base. They werent outside the wire without anybody„theyre outside the wire reconnecting to that sense of platoon.Ž The VAs 2016 Draft Master Plan for its West LA campus, drawn up in the wake of an ACLU class-action lawsuit alleging mismanagement of that property, proposed Expanded Mental Health and Addiction Services.Ž Yet the co-signatories to the Isakson letter„ two psychiatrists, a psychologist, and a social worker with decades of combined VA experience„paint a picture of mental health programs instead being disbanded or dispersed. There are a lot of things thatre perplexing„that dont seem to go in the direction of what would be the mission of the VA,Ž Sreenivasan said. Certainly a PTSD and a combat PTSD clinic ought to be a central mission, but thats all closed down. Dual-diagnosis treatment is incredibly important, but that was shut down.Ž27 JULY/AUGUST 2019 continued on page 28 The heartbreak for me is that these guys are not going to continue to get those services. And I try not to even imagine the group who are going to be coming in, who will never have had these services. PsychiatricBreakdown at West LAVA JAMES FOX/LIMA CHARLIE NEWS (LIMACHARLIENEWS.COM ) DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 11015 VVA.mech8a.qxp_magazine 6/28/19 11:53 AM Page 27

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Citing the federal Privacy Act of 1974, VA spokeswoman Nikki T. Baker, in a written response to questions for this article, said that the department could not comment on specific complaints from current or former employees without them filling out a Request for and Consent to Release of Information from Individuals Records form. Former VA clinicians interviewed for this article declined to do so.Axing the West LA PTSD Program P erhaps most concerning of the recent VAGLAHS reforms has been the axing by Dr. Guze last year of the comprehensive PTSD Outpatient Services Team (POST) clinical program at West LA VA. Cofounded by social workers Leslie Martin (another cosignatory to the Isakson letter) and Jim Dwyer, the program served thousands of war veterans on the VAs vast West LA campus over the past twenty years, offering group therapy, various individual therapies, couples therapy, and spouses therapy. The heartbreak for me is that these guys are not going to continue to get those services,Ž said Martin, who retired from the VA last October after nearly thirty years of working with veterans. And I try not to even imagine the group [of PTSD patients] who are going to be coming in, who will never have had these services.Ž While an average of twenty veterans die by suicide daily in this country, POST, which treated many thousands of PTSD patients over its two decades, had only one veteran take his own life, according to Martin. She also claimed a recidivism rate of inpatient stays of less than one percent per year. In my case, the program was a life changer and a life saver. The same can be said for so many of the guys,Ž said Steven Goldstein, who served as an infantry officer in Vietnam in 1969-70. The West LA administration turned blind eyes and deaf ears to our repeated attempts to meet and talk with them regarding the discontinuation of certain POST groups.Ž Dr. Guze has replaced the open-ended, long-term group therapy offered by POST with twelve-week evidence-basedŽ individual counseling programs. These consist, in essence, of short-term treatments such as Prolonged Exposure and Cognitive Processing Therapy. Such therapies can be distressing to veterans who have often spent decades trying to forget the experiences these types of programs require them to re-live. Completion rates can be as low as 50 percent.You cant do something in twelve weeks that needs to be released over a lifetime,Ž said one Vietnam War pilot, who said hes attended both group and twelve-week individual PTSD therapy sessions at the West LA VA.Because youre looking at psychiatry running this [new VAGLAHS PTSD program], they see the world through medical model glasses,Ž Martin explained. They treat the disease We are a social work-driven program„we treat the person .Ž VA spokeswoman Baker characterized recent changes in PTSD therapy at the West Los Angeles VA as co-locatingall of GLAs acute care services including mental health to the south side of the campus and moving permanent supportive housing services to the north side of the campus. The move offers veterans the opportunity to have collaborative care that is coordinated across programs.ŽPOST 2.0 S ome of former POST patients from its war veterans PTSD group, including Goldstein, have continued gathering on their traditional Tuesday evenings, with each chipping in three dollars weekly to rent a room at a Santa Monica community center close to the West LA VA campus. Since last October theyve been congregating at what Goldstein dubs POST 2.0Ž meetings, with Martin continuing pro bono as the groups facilitator. POST meetings were great, because they forged the camaraderie that we have right now, which is why this group is still together,Ž said a former Ranger company commander who served along the Vietnam-Cambodia border in 1969-70 but requested anonymity, relaxing before one such meeting in March. We had these weekly meetings, which was the glue, but most of us also took various evidence-based courses. We had the best of both worlds.Ž Today, the former Ranger combines attendance at the off-campus meetings with biweekly visits with a VA psychiatrist, of whom he speaks very highly. Theres no cure for PTSD. You learn how to manage it, but thats basically it,Ž said a former Army artillery officer who fought in the Mekong Delta in 1966-67 and also wished to remain anonymous. You can go for psychiatry and the help that it gives you, [then] its a natural flow into maintenance. And these groups are maintenance.Ž He further pointed out that ongoing group support was crucial in dealing with re-occurring life issues resulting from PTSD, which can be triggered by an array of everyday circumstances. The artilleryman expressed anger, sadness, and a feeling of abandonmentŽ upon learning of POSTs disbanding by the VA. I feel like I got ripped off,Ž the former pilot said. After forty-seven years of bouncing off imaginary walls, so to speak, and finally being given a potential antidote, Im told that theyre discontinuing our group.ŽHomeless Vets Not Welcome T heIsakson letter also alleges that homeless veterans who seek help at West LA VA are being sent to Skid Row or other dangerous areas of Los Angeles, and that the promised renovation of some of the West LA propertys many derelict buildings into veteran housing has proceeded at a glacial pace.Ž28THEVVA VETERAN Psychiatric Breakdown Continued from previous page 11015 VVA.mech8a.qxp_magazine 6/28/19 11:45 AM Page 28

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29 JULY/AUGUST 2019 Homeless veterans are not welcome on VA grounds,Ž the letter said. Even though there are approximately 4,800 homeless veterans in Los Angeles County, a 57 percent increase since 2016, VAGLAHS has shut down most of its on-campus transitional housing.Ž According to the VAs own numbers, up to 80 percent of homeless veterans nationwide suffer from mental health or substance abuse disorders. So any crisis within GLA VA mental health and homeless veteran services is doubly harmful to thousands of area veterans. Weve had elderly veterans in wheelchairs sent to Skid Row, and some of them have been physically assaulted. Its just a dangerous environment,Ž said Sreenivasan, whose forensic outreach services program„which helped veterans safely transition from state prisons and mental hospitals back into the community„was recently terminated by Dr. Guze. The housing program is very limited and in very marginal areas, by and large. And yet, if you go onto the grounds, there are all these empty buildings.Ž After completing federally required environmental studies, renovation of Buildings 205 and 208, which will provide sixty-eight and fifty-four new units of housing, respectively, will begin in summer 2019, and renovation of Building 207, which will provide sixtyfour new units, will begin in December 2019,Ž VA spokeswoman Baker said. Building 209 has been fully operational since June 2017, providing fifty-four units of permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless veterans.ŽSalvation Army Terminated M ost befuddling to many observers has been the 2017 termination of the Salvation Armys enhanced-use lease agreement with the West LA VA. Since 1994, it had operated multiple programs on that campus, including providing transitional housing for some two hundred homeless veterans. These programs have now been dispersed elsewhere in Los Angeles. The Salvation Army was one of the most reliable places we had to send homeless vets,Ž said Dr. Rubin, a Vietnam War veteran who served two years in the Naval Reserve as a medical officer. And not just in mental health, but vets with medical illness.Ž According to Baker, the VA terminated the Salvation Armys agreements after the latter failed to make necessary safety-related repairs in the buildings required by the contracts.Ž The VA was able to place affected veterans in alternative community housing, Baker stated. All the transitional beds run by the Salvation Army that were really critical to housing and mental health stability were shut down,Ž Dr. Sreenivasan said. Between that and shutting down the Domiciliary [Care for Homeless Veterans Program], it was almost, I think, three hundred beds.Ž Homeless veterans are now offered bus tokens to Skid Row shelters or, in partnership with nonprofit Safe Parking L.A., given a place to sleep in their vehicles on the West LA campus.Toxic Leadership T he co-signatories to the Isakson letter (including Dr. Thomas Garrick, a psychiatrist with more than thirty-seven years VA experience) point to what they describe as toxic leadershipŽ of VAGLAHS Mental Health and Homeless Veteran service as destructive to veterans care.Ž The architects of the authoritarian and abusive management style are Barry Guze, M.D. (Associate Chief of Staff for Mental Health) and Heidi Marston, MPH (Chief of Community Engagement and Reintegration Services), aided and abetted by Ann Brown, FACHE (Director) and Scotte Hartronft, M.D. (Chief of Staff),Ž they wrote. (Marston left the VA in February.) The letters co-signatories describe a management style characterized by psychologically abusive behavior intended to intimidate their subordinates, including invoking administrative investigations, humiliation through demotions, and marginalization of clinicians who either voice concern or whistleblow regarding clinic closures, housing issues, and veterans suicide.Ž While all this might sound like the grumblings of disgruntled ex-employees, the strained professional relationships they describe could have a direct impact on Los Angeles-area veterans. All the clinicians who take care of veterans are human beings„theyre not automatons,Ž said Dr. Rubin. And if people are disgruntled in their work [and] fearful about their job security, this does not allow them to focus their full attention on the veteran.Ž Martin described a growing culture of fear at West LA VA, which has reached an alarming crescendo under its current administration. The administration is afraid of the veteran population theyre put there to serve,Ž she said. The perception is that if a veteran comes to this VA that they obviously have just crawled out of a dumpster. And the fact that weve got architects and lawyers and people whove been in business their whole lives [is] irrelevant.Ž A feeling of disillusionment and disappointment with the VA over recent changes to its LA Mental Health programs was expressed by former clinicians and patients alike. Most of us whove left [VAGLAHS] had a lot of allegiance and found it a deep honor to be allowed to serve our nations veterans,Ž Dr. Sreenivasan said. It was very meaningful for me, and I would not have left but for the toxic leadership.Ž We either volunteered or [were] called upon to put our lives on the line. Ive buried people; Ive got hurt myself,Ž said the former pilot, who was shot down and seriously injured in Vietnam. Were not asking for a gracious entry into la-la land„all were asking is take care of us; give us the medical treatment.Ž Several buildings remain abandoned, although they could be converted for use as supportive housing. Right: Buildings 208 (on the left) and 209 have been set aside for permanent supportive housing. The renovation of Building 209 was completed in 2017. PHOTOS: JAMES FOX/LIMA CHARLIE NEWS (LIMACHARLIENEWS.COM ) 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:47 PM Page 29

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BY MARC LEEPSON E arlier this year an unprecedented, extensive exhibit on Vietnam War art opened at one of the nations most important art museums. On March 15 the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C., opened its doors to Artists Respond: American Art and the Vietnam War, 1965-1975 This marked the first time the august Smithsonian had mounted an exhibition of Vietnam War art, and also„as one reviewer put it„the first time the Vietnam War has been addressed on this scale by any museum.Ž The day after it opened, I took in the entire exhibit in the company of two Millennials and a Baby Boomer (my daughter, Cara, her friend Kyle, and my wife Janna). Our reactions were starkly different. The others were positively impressed with the art and the exhibition. I found much to admire in some of the individual works, but the exhibit as a whole left me with a disturbing, uneasy feeling. It had to do with the cumulative effect of the scores of paintings, sculptures, collages, filmed performance pieces, and photographs created by artists during the war. It wont be a shock to any Vietnam War veteran that the art worlds response to the fighting in Vietnam was decidedly antiwar. I knew that going in, and thats not what bothered me about the exhibit. What did disturb me was coming face to face with the way the artists on display expressed their opposition to the war. The message was abundantly clear: Too many members of the antiwar movement (including artists) blamed the warrior for the war. Yes, some of the works here demonize and castigate the civilian and military leaders who planned and prosecuted the war. Fair enough. But far too many pieces in this exhibit depict the war as one giant atrocity committed by the American military. Take Peter Sauls 1967 painting SaigonŽ„please. A hallucinatory mass of violence and depravity done in bright colors, the painting includes the words WHITE BOYS TORTURING AND RAPING THE PEOPLE OF SAIGONŽ in Chinese-styled letters. Theres more to the piece, but Ill leave it at that. Then theres a small room of photomontages by the artist Martha Rosler called House Beautiful: Bringing the War Home. Each contains a magazine photograph of a Norman Rockwell-ish interior of an American home, along with images of various forms of not-good things American troops did to the South Vietnamese people and their country. The message is very clear. Then theres the statement by artist Judy Bernstein that her goal was to make the ugliest paintings I could.Ž Why, I thought, go to an art museum to see ugly paintings? I saw them, and I can report that Bernstein succeeded in her mission, especially in a mixedmedia piece called A Soldiers Christmas. The message and words are so ugly I will not describe or repeat them here. THE CURATOR M elissa Ho, a curator of twentieth-century art at SAAM, put this extensive exhibit together. I interviewed her about the show shortly after I saw it. To her credit, she directly answered my questions about the exhibit, including one about the ugliest paintingsŽ quote, helping me understand more about the shows purpose. She explained that one of the objectives of the show was to examine the impact of the Vietnam War on art and artists of that time.Ž As Ho put the exhibit together, she said, she discovered that the war, indeed, did have a big impact on monumental changes in the art world. By the early seventies, she said, art in America looks very different. You had many more artists openly engaging with their present moment and with public issues, along with new kinds of art being invented, including performance and body art.Ž The wars impact was powerful and pervasive in American culture,Ž she said. It pushed modern artists of all kinds to reconsider how to engage with the real world in their work, rather than approaching art as something separate and elevated from life.Ž To that extent, the exhibition succeeded. It clearly shows artists working in new and creative and wildly unconventional media. Ho also spoke about the reactions Vietnam War veterans have had to the shows collection of highly politically charged avant-garde work. While she was putting the show together, Ho said, she spoke to some Vietnam veterans. Their reactions were mixed,Ž she said. They could see the purpose of exploring this historical moment through the responses of artists. Others felt frustrated or upset that the show would necessarily bring up how painful, divisive, and controversial the war was.Ž The exhibit is a sobering thing,Ž she said. For people who lost comrades, family, or homeland in this war, looking at its impact on American art may30THEVVA VETERAN TheSmithsoniansBigVietnamWarA 1 2 3 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:48 PM Page 30

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seem small and beside the point. And art is small in comparison to the direct effects of war. But art can be a meaningful way to foster reflections on challenging topics like war, and to examine our own history.Ž Also to her credit, Ho included the work of two Vietnam War veterans in the show: the painter Jesse Trevio and the performance artist Kim Jones. Trevios Mi Vida a huge (eight foot by fourteen foot) painting, is a kind of self-portrait centering on the image of the head of young man surrounded by wartime and everyday objects, including a Purple Heart and a pack of cigarettes. Its painterly and almost gentle, especially compared to the in-your-face art that dominates the show. Mi Vida was the first work Trevio created after coming home from Vietnam. A rising artist before the war, he lost half of his right arm„his painting arm„ after being seriously wounded. Remarkably, he learned to paint with his left hand after a long recovery at his childhood home in San Antonio. (See our review of Spirit: The Life and Art of Jesse Trevio on p. 41) Former Marine Kim Jones contribution is an installation of the sticks, mud, rope, foam rubber, and combat boots he wore on two 1976 walks he took from downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Ocean. He titled that performance piece Wilshire Boulevard Walk calling it a walking sculpture thats eighteen miles long.Ž It later became known as Mudman.Ž The installation also includes black-and-white and color photos of the walks. I thought Jesse Trevios work was beautifully done and meaningful, and among the best in the show. Mudman, on the other hand, was too off-the-charts for me to appreciate. If you cant make it to Washington to see the exhibit before its scheduled closing on August 18 and want to see the work up close, the museum and Princeton University Press have produced a mammoth, 416-page hardcover catalogue with high-quality images of the works. The book also contains profiles of many of the artists, along with essays by Melissa Ho, Thomas Crow, Erica Levin, Katherine Markoski, Mignon Nixon, and Martha Rosler on art, film, and feminist politics and the war. The books title is the same as the exhibitions: Artists Respond: American Art and the Vietnam War, 1965-1975 THE CREDITS1.James Gong Fu Dong, Vietnam Scoreboard 1969, embossedetching, San Francisco State College Art Department Collection.Jim Dong, Courtesy of the Artist, Photo by Mindy Barrett 2.Mel (Melesio) Casas, Humanscape 43 1968, acrylic on canvas, Mel Casas Family Trust. Photo courtesy Mel Casas Family Trust 3.Jesse Trevio, Mi Vida 1971-73, acrylic on drywall, mounted on aluminum, Collection of Inez Cindy Gabriel. Image Courtesy of Gabriel Quintero Velasquez 4.Carol Summers, Kill for Peace from the portfolio Artists and Writers Protest against the War in Viet Nam 1967, screenprint with punched holes, International Center of Photography, Gift of the Artists’ Poster Committee with funds provided by the ICP Acquisitions Committee, 2002. Photo courtesy of the International Center of Photography 5.Carlos Irizarry, Moratorium 1969, screenprint, SmithsonianAmerican Art Museum, Museum purchase through the Luisita L.and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment. 1969 Carlos Irizarry, Photo by Gene Young 6.David Hammons, America the Beautiful 1968, lithograph and body print, Oakland Museum of California, the Oakland Museum Founders Fund. David Hammons, Photo courtesy the Oakland Museum of California 7.Timothy Washington, 1A 1972, etched aluminum, leather, metal studs, nail, and draft card, Private Collection, courtesy of Tilton Gallery, NY, Photo courtesy the artist and Tilton Gallery, New York AN UNEASY FEELING rArtExhibit 31 JULY/AUGUST 20195 7 6 4 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:48 PM Page 31

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32THEVVA VETERAN MISSOURI NATIONAL VETERANS MEMORIAL THESISTERWALL The Missouri National Veterans Memorial in Perryville was completed in the autumn of 2018. It is an exact replica of The Wall in Washington, D.C., with black granite from the same quarry in India. The names are listed the same as the original Wall, from those who fell first to those who fell last. It is so exact that if a name is misspelled on the D.C. Memorial then it is misspelled the same way on the wall in Perryville. The monument is oriented toward the sun the same way it is in the Nations Capital. It had been called a sister wall,Ž and has a flag exchange with the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Jim Eddleman set the final piece of polished granite in place. Planners sought to bring Americas wall to Americas heartland.Ž The memorial complex is a testament to the dedication and support of business leaders, corporations, civic groups, educational groups, private citizens, and veterans. Perryville City Administrator Brent Buerck said: Our hope is to celebrate the sacrifice of every veteran, of every era, of every war, and we still need help to get that done.Ž The nonprofit memorial is funded privately. To further provide financial support, tribute bricks and pavers with individual veterans names are sold and installed. These bricks include the names of veterans from all of the nations recent wars. Support is both wide and deep. Every Tuesday morning fifty to seventy people come to the memorials Welcome Center for coffee and discussion. The support really is crazy,Ž said Nancy Guth, the projects executive director. Guth worked for the Association of Miraculous Medals for more than forty years. The support for this memorial, she says, has blown me away.Ž While the Replica Wall is the complexs centerpiece, every detail has been considered in the light of what will help bring solace to veterans, their families, and their communities. During construction board members were on site every day. Work has gone smoothly since 2017. Jim Knotts, president and CEO of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, said: Im really excited the group in Perryville is going through such great lengths to complete a full-scale replica that is as accurate and as complete as it can possibly be.Ž Although the wall is finished, some buildings and plans are not complete. The Welcome Center is up and running, with cathedral ceilings of warm, golden-brown wood, clean white walls, and large windows. Construction of the museum is nearly complete, and curators are seeking to expand the collection. If you have an artifact that you think may interest them, contact Nancy Guth at 573-547-2035 or go to www.mnvmfund.org We will have monuments throughout the park to help visitors reflect, remember, and find solace,Ž said Jackie Smith, the former NFL star and a supporter of the memorial Visitors will be able to truly become absorbed by the sacrifice of those who serve. It is all-encompassing in its impact.Ž A Veterans Hall will be built for events and receptions hosted by veterans organizations, individuals, and businesses. A contemplative space also is planned where memorial services and ceremonies will be held. There also are plans for a cemetery on the grounds. And there is a plan for an area called the Scattering Oak Grove, with benches under large trees where family members can leave the cremated remains of veterans. In addition, an interfaith chapel is planned, as well as a Reflecting Fountain with water sounds conducive to meditation. Running water is the sound of life, Guth said, and a grand way to remember those who have been lost to us. BY LOANA HOYLMANJim Eddleman was a medic in Vietnam who carried wounded comrades to medevac helicopters. During the Tet Offensive he vowed to do something for Vietnam veterans when he got home. He was true to his promise in a spectacular way with the full backing of his wife. He and Charlene donated two and a half million dollars for a memorial and then gave forty-six acres of his third-generation family farm for the building of the memorial. Originally, the Eddlemans wanted to remain anonymous. They first tried giving one million dollars to a museum for their program, but zoning laws stood in the way. But this failure led to the present-day memorial. continued on page 48 11015 VVA.mech8a.qxp_magazine 6/28/19 12:10 PM Page 32

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33 BY CLAUDIA GARY I ts one of the most difficult times in your life. Youve lost your spouse. Bills are coming in. You have to begin filling out forms and understanding rules. Suddenly, someone youve consulted tells you that you are not entitled to the benefits you expected. What would you do? If your spouse had a service-connected disability or disease„even if he or she never applied for VA benefits while alive„there may well be survivors benefits available for you. At a time like this, you need to know all the facts. Thanks to two widows who dont want you to go through what they did, as well as a VVA veterans service officer who helped win their claims, an NVLSP advocate, and a VVA expert on veterans benefits, what follows is a summary of the process, the pitfalls, and where to turn for help. VVA member and VSO Bill Bradley, who has worked with Chapter 54 in North Adams, Massachusetts, and now works with Bennington, Vermont, Chapter 601, was troubled by what he had seen. Widows were being misinformed. Some had gone for years, barely holding onto their homes, before finding out that they had legitimate claims to survivors benefits. These veterans, before they passed, had never used the VA or asked for anything from the VA,Ž Bradley said. One reason for that is that most of the guys, when we came home from Vietnam, were rejected by service organizations like VFW.Ž Bradley served in the U.S. Army in Thailand. The main thing that made me join VVA,Ž he said, was that one of my friends from childhood came home in a wheelchair.Ž Although Massachusetts, like some other states, offers state veterans benefits in addition to those from the VA, it doesnt provide enough training [to veterans service officers] on federal benefits,Ž Bradley said. So he ended up compiling information and bringing it to other veterans. Bradley put us in touch with two widows who had navigated the process with help from him and from Becky Litchfield, an advocate who works with National Veterans Legal Services Program ( nvlsp.org ), which offers free help to veterans in obtaining their benefits. “I WAS REALLY STRUCK DOWN” S oon after Tinas husband died, she contacted a veterans representative in North Adams, Mass. He said I wasnt eligible for anything [except] the marker on his grave.Ž At the time, Tina was still working, but struggling. I had a mortgage and at the time of his death I had two car payments, so I was really struck down for a time. I was living on my own and had no assistance of any kind.Ž Two years later, after being told that she was entitled to benefits, Tina reached out to Bill Bradley. Bill told me what types of documents I needed to start with, and I got the ball rolling at that point.Ž One basis for confusion was that her husband had never applied for any VA benefits. My husband was very, very proud of his country, a very proud Marine, but he was a very humble man,Ž Tina said. He had a lot of effects from Agent Orange. At one point he had gone to the VA to be checked out, and he said that he felt so humiliated there that he ended up leaving before they were finished. That was before I met him„probably in the early 80s or 70s. I met him in 1989 and we were married in 1991. He had severe, terrible migraines every day, but he wouldnt go back to the VA.Ž That didnt change the fact that Tinas husband had died of service-connected illness, or that she, as his widow, was eligible for VA benefits. After Becky Litchfield helped her with the necessary forms, the VA wrote back asking for more information. So, Tina said, Litchfield helped her write a very detailed letter explaining exactly how Bob was involved in Agent Orange, and where specifically he was in Vietnam. We enclosed a letter from his doctor, and documentation that his problems were caused by Agent Orange.Ž How long did the entire process take to complete? I started filling out paperwork in August of 2016, and I was granted service-connected benefits effective May 18, 2017. They started in June of that year.Ž Its so sad that I was told in the beginning I wasnt eligible,Ž Tina said. Thats the hardest thing. Im sorry for the ladies who contact their local VA agent and get the same response that I did. Because I was just going to let it go. I had let it go for two years. So I am very grateful to Bill and Becky; they were just amazing. I cannot thank them enough.Ž In addition to federal VA benefits, many states offer additional benefits to veterans widows and other survivors. In Massachusetts, Tina said, this includes a real estate tax abatement and, in some cases, an annuity. In addition, as Litchfield told her later, Tinas town now has a policy that if a veteran has died due to a serviceconnected death, the widow, as long as she hasnt remarried, doesnt pay real estate taxes on her home. “YOU NEED TO FIGHT FOR THAT” D ianne, also of North Adams, encountered similar misinformation, even though her husband was a veterans service representative. He tried to keep me informed,Ž she said. He would say, If you have any problems, always get in touch with Bill [Bradley]; hell help you through anything. So I did know some of the steps. But when it happens, you dont really understand the whole process.ŽJULY/AUGUST 2019 Navigating the VA Widows Benefits Maze GET THE FACTS AND DO N’T GIVE UP continued on page 34 MATHISWORKS 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:48 PM Page 33

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Her husband had kept all of his information in a file for his wife. He said, If anything happens, you need to keep all of this paperwork together. The bills started coming in after the funeral; you dont quite figure everything out. And someone said, You need to go and see the representative in North Adams and hell help you with the paperwork. So I did make an appointment. But I felt he did not have a lot of information that was going to help me. Whenever I would ask him questions about benefits, he would say, No, youre not going to qualify for that. I knew in my mind that I was entitled to more, so I went through the steps with him for a while, and then I called Bill and said, I really need help with this. He said, You need to be in Pittsfield, talk to the man there, and then file for benefits. So thats what I did. He was very helpful; he helped me fill out the forms. I did get approved for part of my husbands pension, the VA benefits, and then the state annuity that you get twice a year.Ž Theres a list of information you have to have, Dianne said. I was thankful to Bill for helping me through a lot of it. You have to have a DD-214, death certificate, marriage certificate, divorce papers, and statements from the doctor. For months I just walked around with his folder, because no matter where I was, somebody needed something from it.Ž How long did the process take? The first part took about five or six months to get benefits. And then the state annuity probably took eight to nine months. But Bill is the one who said, You need to fight for that. You feel like youre going to lose everything in the meantime. Youre struggling to make ends meet and just figure everything out.Ž Reflecting on the process, Dianne said: If you dont know, they wont help you. They deny you. And it will take a long time to get the benefits. I knew what to expect, because my husband told me. But Ive talked to people who have no clue. One woman came up to me and said, When my husband dies, I could never claim it, because he has an ex-wife. Theres a lot of misleading information out there. In smaller towns where theres not a lot of information, its even harder.ŽAVOIDING CONFUSION AND DELAYS T o avoid the kind of confusion Tina and Dianne experienced, Alec Ghezzi, VVAs Deputy Director of Veterans Benefits, recommends making sure that the person theyre speaking to is well informed. One of the things they would need to consider when theyre filing a claim for the first time is to contact their local VA regional office. At every regional VA office there is a VA employee whose job is to help people file claims. And there are also organizations like VVA that have service officers who are able to help people file claims in those locations. And the NVLSP can definitely help with the filing of claims and answering questions that widows may have about their benefits.Ž Ghezzi does not believe its deliberate. A lot of the individuals who are working to help veterans on the front lines are volunteers, or their training may be slightly limited,Ž he said. Its such a large program that inevitably you will have some individuals who, for whatever reason, do not give the correct information. Or sometimes, they dont convey the information correctly, leading to misunderstandings. If widows are not comfortable with what they are being told by the VA or their local service officers, they have the option of contacting a private attorney. For that, I would recommend the National Organization of Veterans Advocates (NOVA). On their website, theres a list of active attorneys in every state. So thats an option, although attorneys do charge a fee that typically ranges from 20 percent to 30 percent of the retroactive award.Ž One more reason for confusion, Ghezzi said, is that some people might look at different criteria. In order to get DIC benefits, one of the criteria is that your spouse had to be rated at 100 percent for ten years, and most people dont have that. But the alternative requirement„and you dont have to have both, its either one or the other„is for the veteran, the spouse, to have passed away due to a service-connected disability. What34THEVVA VETERAN BY KELSEY YOON, VVA SENIOR ATTORNEY ADVISER M uch is still unknown about the horrific multigenerational health implications of exposure to Agent Orange and other toxic chemicals. Deployed service members exposures to hazardous chemicals, both intentional and unintentional, are the unfortunate realities of war. From Agent Orange in Vietnam to the burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan, the long-term health consequences to the offspring of those who served are largely unknown. VVA national and local leaders continue to conduct town halls across the nation and hear countless stories from families with severe health ailments, such as birth defects, cancers, and learning disabilities at disproportionately high rates. VVA continues to prioritize initiatives to advance research efforts to better understand the far-reaching multigenerational health consequences on Vietnam War veterans who were exposed. In the spirit of VVAs founding principle, Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another,Ž VVAs advocacy efforts in this arena will undoubtedly set the stage for how the United States supports the offspring of veterans of all eras. The United States must acknowledge and prioritize the care of innocent children and grandchildren who suffer health ailments and life-long disabilities due to no fault of their own. RESEARCH & LEGISLA TIVE INITIATIVES A fter eight long years of advocacy, VVA spearheaded efforts to ensure that much of the Toxic Exposure Research Act became law in 2016. This law, in part, requires VA to prioritize the study of heath conditions affecting descendants of veterans who were exposed to toxic substances during their service. Per the laws requirements, the National Academy of Medicine published a detailed health monitoring and research program proposal that aims to determine if there are health effects in the children or grandchildren of veterans of any era related to their parents or grandparents deployment exposures. The program proposal is comprised of three parts: 1) monitoring the health of veterans and their descendants over time; 2) epidemiologic studies to examine groups of veterans and their descendants for health outcomes of concern; and 3) basic and translational research to help address data and knowledge gaps. The main focus of the research program will be to seek to enhance understanding of the reproductive, developmental, and generational effects of toxic exposures. The law also requires the creation of an advisory board to oversee and advise VA and the research entity. VVA continues to closely monitor and work with VA and Congress to ensure that the Toxic Exposure Research Act is fully implemented. This VA-led research endeavor is the first step in laying the foundation to better understand and support the offspring of veterans of all eras. BENE FITS FOR DESCENDANTS WITH DISABILITIES A lthough the available benefits for children and grandchildren with disabilities due to their parents or grandparents exposure to toxic chemicals is wholly insufficient, there are some benefits available to certain individuals. What follows are three benefits that may be available to a disabled child of a veteran. Applicants should work with an accredited veterans service officer to help ensure that the correct forms are filled out, required evidence is submitted, and that all benefits an individual is entitled to are considered. Helpless ChildŽ Claims : A veteran parent may be eligible to receive additional disability pay rates if it is established that he or she has an adult child with a mental or physical disability that renders him or her incapable of self-sufficiency. VA refers to this type of claim as a helpless childŽ claim. The veteran parent must produce evidence that shows that the child, before his or her 18th birthday, became permanently incapable of self-support due to a mental or physToxic Chemicals & The Next Generation CARING FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES Widows Benefits Continued from previous page 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:48 PM Page 34

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I suspect a lot of people arent aware of is that you can prove service connection even if the veteran never filed a claim for the condition that led to his death. For example, if he died of complications from diabetes and served in Vietnam, its a well-known condition linked to Agent Orange exposure. Theres a presumptive service connection on that. But for nonpresumptive cases, if she files a claim, sometimes they can decide that he should have been service-connected, and grant DIC. That may have been why some of these women were told they didnt have a claim. It was probably ignorance, not malicious intent.ŽHELPING THE VA HELP YOU H aving worked these cases,Ž Ghezzi said, Ive found that a frequent stumbling block is where a death certificate doesnt reflect the multiple causes of death. So if a veterans serviceconnected condition was one of the multiple contributing factors, but he died of a heart attack and all they put on the death certificate was heart attack,Ž it would make the widows life a lot easier if that could be corrected to show that there were multiple factors. Weve had several widows talk to whoever wrote the death certificate and ask for it to be amended. It would be ideal to do that before they file the claim; that way, they can submit the amended death certificate. That will just make it much more likely for the regional office to grant it. You are always going to be more successful if something fits perfectly, squarely, where they expect it to be.Ž In some cases, claims can be expedited. That, unfortunately, requires the claimant to be either terminally ill or homeless, or in danger of becoming homeless,Ž Ghezzi said. If they fall short of those extremes but feel that theres a compelling reason for their case to be expedited„if theres some hardship they are experiencing„they can request that. Also, if the widow is 85 years or older, she can request expedited processing at the regional level. If the case is at the Board of Veterans Appeals, the age is 75. And you can always request expedited processing if you dont meet those criteria; there is just no guarantee that theyll act on it.Ž Ghezzi recommends that people keep track of the decisions that they receive, and make sure they dont miss any filing deadlines if they are not satisfied with what they receive.Ž Also: Gather all the medical evidence that would help substantiate the claim, and then submit it to the VA. The VA does have a duty to help the veteran, and in this case the widow, to get all the information that she needs„but the volume of the claims that they are processing doesnt always allow them to do as much as probably could be done. So any time that the widow can get that information for herself, that increases the chances of it going right for her.Ž All of the necessary VA forms are available online, at va.gov The VA website contains guides to filing for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC): https://benefits.va.gov/compensation/typesdependency_and_indemnity.asp Those eligible for DIC are a deceased veterans: €Surviving spouse who has not remarried €Surviving spouse who remarried after attaining age 57 €Unmarried child under 18 €Child between 18 and 23 attending school €Low-income parents Other Important Notes: €If the veteran applied for benefits while alive, there is a crucial one-year deadline for widows and survivors to fill out a Request for Substitution (VA form 21P-0847), in order for those benefits to be redirected to the veterans survivor. €SpouseŽ includes same-sex spouses. €Although incarcerated veterans receive only 20 percent of benefits; 80 percent can go to family apportionment. €If someone has paid for final expenses and burial, they are eligible for some VA reimbursement. €It may be possible in some cases to recover outof-pocket medical expenses. €Education benefits for spouses and children may include reimbursement for college attended in the past. €Home loans are for unmarried surviving spouses, with the VA as guarantor. €Spouses who remarry before age 57 forfeit their right to VA benefits. Those who marry after 57 remain eligible for VA survivor benefits.35 JULY/AUGUST 2019 ical disability. To be eligible, the veteran parent must be receiving a 30 percent disability rating or higher and the child must live in the veterans household. Generally, a helpless childŽ can lose this status if he or she marries, becomes employed, or is deemed capable of self-support. These benefits go to the veteran parent since the veteran is the one responsible for financially supporting the dependent child. Survivors Pension Claims : A low-income child who is permanently incapable of self-support due to a disability before age 18 and whose veteran parent is deceased may be eligible for this benefit. It is sometimes referred to as VA Death Pension.Ž To be eligible, the child of a deceased wartime veteran must be permanently incapable of self-support due to a mental or physical disability before age 18 and must meet certain income and net worth monetary requirements set by Congress. Moreover, to qualify, the veteran must have met certain minimum active-service requirements during a period of war, and must have been discharged from service under other than dishonorable conditions. Potential claimants submit VA Form 21P-534EZ (Application for DIC, Death Pension, and/or Accrued Benefits). Unlike a helpless childŽ claim, the Survivors Pension benefit has no disability-rating requirement for the veteran parent and the payment goes directly to the child. Chapter 18 Benefits Claims : VA provides monetary allowances, vocational training, and health care benefits to certain Vietnam veterans biological children diagnosed with spina bifida or other birth defects. A child diagnosed with a form of spina bifida (other than spina bifida occulta) may be eligible to receive disability benefits if the childs biological mother or father served in Vietnam any time from January 9, 1962, to May 7, 1975, or with certain units in Korea from September 1, 1967, to August 31, 1971, and the child was conceived after the parent served in Vietnam or Korea. Benefits also may be available for a child with a covered birth defect that causes a permanent physical or mental disability if the childs biological mother served in Vietnam from February 28, 1961, to May 7, 1975, and the child was conceived after the parents service. The process to apply for and obtain benefits is handled by multiple offices in VA. First, the Denver Regional Office must make an eligibility determination. Potential claimants need to submit VA Form 21-0304 (Application for Benefits for Certain Children with Disabilities Born of Vietnam and Certain Korea Service Veterans). If approved, the Denver RO will then process the claim for a monetary allowance. Vocational and health care benefits flow from the Denver ROs eligibility determination. After the Denver RO grants eligibility, the Veterans Health Administration Office of Community Care will send the beneficiary a health care identification card and information about what is covered, not covered, preauthorization requirements, and claims filing instructions. At this time, the beneficiary also will receive information about how to gain access to vocational services. In sum, navigating VAs disability benefits programs can be complex and confusing. If you need help applying for or obtaining entitlements, contact a local accredited service officer. Remember always to save a copy of anything you submit to VA or any decisions you receive from VA for your own records. VVA continues to lead advocacy efforts to improve the process for applying for and obtaining VA benefits afforded under the law for children with spina bifida and other birth defects. Contact VVA to learn more about our advocacy efforts in this area. There is still a long way to go until we fully understand the far-reaching health implications of toxic exposure on our veterans children and grandchildren. The hope is that planned research initiatives will bring more clarity and understanding to families that have suffered serious health ailments at disproportionately high rates. VVA continues to prioritize all advocacy efforts to ensure that VA recognizes all health issues in offspring that are connected to a veterans exposure to toxic chemicals while serving. VVA NEEDS YOUR HELP To aid in our advocacy efforts, VVA is requesting that if you or someone you know is submitting, or has recently submitted, a claim for a child or grandchild who has spina bifida or other birth defects, send a copy of the claim to VVA National, Attn: Birth Defects, 8719 Colesville Road, Suite 100, Silver Spring, MD 20910. For further information or questions, contact Kelsey Yoon at 301-5854000, ext. 149, or kyoon@vva.org IMPORTANT VA CONTACTSDenver RO Veteran Service Center (339/21) P.O. Box 25126 Denver, CO 80225 Phone: 303-914-2900 Fax: 303-914-5903 Email: bdefects.vbaden@va.gov VHA Office of Community Care P.O. Box 469065 Denver, CO 802469065 www.va.gov/communitycare Phone: 1-888-820-1756 Fax: 303-331-7807 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:48 PM Page 35

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JIM BEAVER:The Character You Know, The Name You Dont BY MARC LEEPSONIf you were a fan of the epic 2004-06 HBO series Deadwood theres little doubt that you well remember the character who went by the name of Ellsworth. That grizzled, grumpy prospector appeared in twenty-eight episodes and morphed from a sketchy codger into one of the series good guys. Jim Beaver, the actor who brilliantly played Ellsworth„whom he once described as Gabby Hayes with Tourettes SyndromeŽ„will receive VVAs Excellence in the Arts Award at the Saturday night Awards Banquet at the 2019 National Convention in Spokane. Beaver was born in Laramie, Wyoming, and grew up in Irving, Texas. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps two months after graduating from Fort Worth Christian Academy in 1968. He served with the 1st Marine Division in Vietnam in 1970-71, most of that time as a radio operator with the 1st Marine Regiment. After his honorable discharge, Beaver worked a series of jobs, graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma, and started appearing on stage first in Dallas and Louisville, and then in New York. Beaver moved to Los Angeles in 1983 and since then has made more than 130 appearances in movies and TV shows. The films include Semi-Tough Silkwood Sister Act Magnolia and Adaptation He played the part of a Vietnam veteran in the great 1989 movie In Country opposite Bruce Willis. Beaver was the only Vietnam vet who acted in that movie, based on Bobbie Ann Masons novel, that explored the psychological legacy of the war among those who served„as well as a teen-aged girl whose father perished in the war. In addition to Deadwood Beaver has appeared in episodes of many other television shows, including Matlock Home Improvement Third Rock from the Sun Melrose Place The X-Files The West Wing and That Seventies Show as well as a memorable turn as a gun dealer on two episodes of Breaking Bad Then theres his long-running role as Bobby Singer on all fourteen seasons of Supernatural the popular fantasy series on the CW Television Network about two ghost-busting brothers. Beaver first showed up at the end of the first season in 2005 and has remained part of the cast through the current 2018-19 season. One critic likened Beavers Bobby Singer to Cooter, the good ole boy car mechanic on the TV show Dukes of Hazard Jim Beaver also has written a dozen works for the stage as well as three books, including his highly praised memoir, Lifes That Way He told us he was deeply honored to receive this award from Vietnam Veterans of America.Ž36THEVVA VETERAN 11015 VVA.mech8_1 650402275.e $ S _magazine 6/28/19 11:10 AM Page 36

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GENERAL WES CLARK: A Lifetime of Achievement BY MARC LEEPSONIts difficult to envision a more accomplished resume than Retired U.S. Army Gen. Wesley Clarks. For starters, he graduated with a National Merit Scholarship from Hall High School in Little Rock, Arkansas; graduated first in his class (of 1966) from West Point, and received a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University in the U.K., where he earned B.A. and M.A. degrees in philosophy, politics, and economics. Gen. Clark„who will receive the VVA Lifetime Achievement Award during the General Session of the National Convention in Spokane„served in the Vietnam War from May 1969 to February 1970 as the commanding officer of a 1st Infantry Division mechanized infantry company. His tour ended after he was shot four times in a firefight, an engagement for which he received a Bronze Star and a Silver Star, as well as the Purple Heart. After the war, he served as a White House fellow in the Ford administration in 1975-76. In the 1990s he commanded the First Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, served as the lead military negotiator for the Bosnian Peace Accords in 1995, then was Commander-in-Chief ofthe U.S. Southern Command in Panama, and later of the U.S. European Command. His final military assignment was as NATO Supreme Allied Commander in Europe from 1997-2000. In that position he led NATO forces to victory in Operation Allied Force in Bosnia-Herzegovina. After retiring from the Army as a four-star general in 2000, Gen. Clark has been an investment banker, businessman, TV commentator, teacher, and the author of four books. They include Waging Modern War: Bosnia, Kosovo and A Time to Lead: For Duty, Honor, Country Gen. Clark, who today runs his own strategic consulting firm, has received many awards„the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, honorary knighthoods from the U.K. and the Netherlands, and Commander of the Legion of Honor from France, among others. In July 2019 in Spokane he will be take home another important honor, this one from his fellow Vietnam War veterans.37 JULY/AUGUST 2019 VVA AWARDEES AT SPOKANE TM TM 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/28/19 11:16 AM Page 37

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STORY & PHOTOS BY SKIP NELSON T here probably is no more recognizable Vietnam War symbol than the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress. It has been immortalized in movies, war stories, newscasts, and documentaries over the past fiftyplus years, flying through the skieswith dozens of bombs falling from its bay doors to the terrain below. Rolling Thunder, Arc Light, Operation Linebacker, and many other events are parts of the B-52s involvement in the Vietnam War. It also can be said that there is, most likely, no more potent symbol to both sides who fought the war„as well as to people living in North Vietnam who experienced its mayhem directly and to citizens living in the United States who experienced its actions watching the nightly news. During the ten years of the war, B-52s dropped an unimaginable number of bombs on military and civilian targets. B-52s flew thousands of missions over the Ho Chi Minh Trail, Cambodia, and North Vietnam. These huge, eight-engine bombers flew at nearly invisible heights of 40,000 feet and dropped indiscriminate and uncontrolled death and destruction on both military targets and civilian neighborhoods staging from B-52 bases far away in Okinawa, Guam, and Thailand. I remember, as a child living in Seattle in the early 1950s, seeing a newly manufactured gigantic B-52 land at Boeing Field. I remembering thinking how incredibly huge and intimidating it looked. 38THEVVA VETERAN B-52 Project Welcome Home Dedication in Seattle 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:49 PM Page 38

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39 JULY/AUGUST 2019A fully and beautifully restored B-52G, with a 180-foot wingspan and a 170-foot fuselage, painted with colors from the Vietnam War, named Midnight Express,Ž is the centerpiece of the new Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park at Boeing Fields Museum of Flight in Seattle. The giant aircraft sits on a pedestal of earth, with one side serving as a wall containing plaques honoring those who served. Under cloudy skies, thousands gathered on May 25 at the outdoor Air Park to dedicate the new memorial to honor Vietnam War veterans. Among those attending were hundreds of Vietnam veterans, some walking upright, some with walkers, some in motorized wheelchairs. Veterans arrived via motorcycles in groups, Mustang car groups, and in family cars. Patriot Guard Riders provided a civilian honor guard salute. There were a lot of handshakes and hugs. And a few tears. Memories and emotions of the war were exchanged broadly and proudly by veterans who found great comfort being in the presence of former brothers-in-arms. Several members of the original crew of the B52 Stratofortress #92584 who flew in Operations Bullet Shot and Linebacker II-G, crew E-12, also were on hand. Those members and former B-52 pilot Jim Farmer were instrumental in spearheading the restoration of the old warbird and inspired Project Welcome Home. The keynote speech was given by Gen. James Mattis, the former Secretary of Defense, who was warmly greeted by the large crowd. Gen. Mattis, whose brother Tom served in Vietnam, gave a stirring speech honoring the service of Vietnam veterans. He acknowledged the value and diversity of the dedicated men and women of the U.S. military. There were several aircraft flyovers. They included a Missing Man formation by the Cascade Warbirds organization, a formation of EA-18 Growler Black Ravens from nearby Whidbey Island NAS, and a group of Hueys and Cobra helicopters provided by Northwest Helicopters. After the ceremonies, Vietnam veterans received 50th anniversary commemoration lapel pins from active-duty members of the military. The restoration and creation of the Midnight ExpressŽ started in June of 2017 when a B-52G was moved to Paine Field, in Everett, Washington, after it had sat neglected for twenty-eight years. The restoration continued until March of 2018, when the plane was disassembled for the move to the Museum of Flight Air Parks Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park. The restoration took almost twenty-seven years and roughly $3 million to complete. The plane will be joined by a statue depicting a returning aviator and five military branch flags to honor veterans who served from 1955-75. 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:49 PM Page 39

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40THEVVA VETERAN Commendation Since Palm Springs Most recently, Quentin Butcher received the VVA Commendation Medal, the organizations highest award, in April. Quentin has been our Business Manager since 1995 and has done a sterling job every one of those years,Ž said National President John Rowan, who presented the award at the Board of Directors meeting in Silver Spring. We wouldnt be able to function without his hard work and unsurpassed knowledge of the intricacies of every aspect of the business side of VVA, especially the Household Goods program.Ž Since the 2018 Leadership Conference in Palm Springs, the Commendation Medal also has gone to At-Large Board member Dottie Barickman, Chapter 317 President Randy Barnett, Chapter 278 Chair Gregory Beck, National Constitution Committee Chair Leslie DeLong, VVAs IT guru Jeff Greulich, Wisconsin State Council President Richard Lindbeck, Louisiana Secretary of Veterans Affairs Joey Strickland, and founding member and Elections Committee Chair Scott DeArman. From top: Leslie DeLong, Scott DeArman, Jeff Greulich (photo by Mokie Porter), Quentin Butcher, and Joey Strickland. 11015 VVA.mech8a.qxp_magazine 6/28/19 11:36 AM Page 40

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41 Jesse Trevio: A Remarkable Artist and Vietnam War Veteran REVIEWS BY MARC LEEPSONIts difficult to envision a more unlikely or uplifting Vietnam War story than that of artist Jesse Trevio before, during, and especially after his Vietnam War tour of duty. Its been told before, including in this magazine. But the journalist Anthony Head adds many new details in Spirit: The Life and Art of Jesse Trevio (Texas A&M University Press, 242 pp., $40), a worthy, heavily illustrated, admiring biography. Trevio was born in Mexico in 1946, grew up in San Antonio, and began painting at a young age. While in high school he won a scholarship to study at the prestigious Art Students League in New York City. That ended in July of 1966 when he was drafted into the U.S. Army. Trevio could have returned to Mexico to avoid serving, but chose not to, took the oath, and went through Basic Training and Infantry AIT at Fort Polk and Fort Riley. Trevio became part of the newly reformed 9th Infantry Division at Riley. In November of 1966 he and other members of the 9ths 3rd Battalion, 39th Infantry Regiment boarded trains in Kansas on a three-day journey to California, followed by a three-week merchant ship voyage across the Pacific. After landing in Vung Tau, Trevio soon found himself carrying a rifle in the Mekong Delta. During breaks between humping the boonies, the young artist found time to paint and draw, making art with whatever materials he could scrounge up. Trevio presented his drawings to his buddies, many of whom sent them home with their letters. On February 13, 1967, his third month in country, as Trevio and two other infantrymen were sprinting under VC sniper fire to a helicopter, he felt a pair of crushing explosions nearby, and then a third thundering blast suddenly lifted him from the ground and flung him about fifty feet into a rice paddy,Ž as Anthony Head puts it in the book. When he came to, Trevio had nearly bled to death half submerged in the rice paddy. A medic, Joe Kuhn, staunched the gushing of blood from behind his right knee with a tourniquet, injected him with morphine, and helped carry his dying body on a litter to a waiting helicopter.Ž He underwent sixteen hours of surgery in a field hospital, then more operations in an Army hospital in Japan. Trevio came home weighing ninety pounds with a cast on his body from the waist down. He spent more than a year going through more surgeries before he left Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston. Surgeons had healed his collapsed lung and his shattered right leg, as well as the shrapnel wounds in his chest, back, and right arm. But they couldnt save Jesse Trevios right hand„his painting hand. He got out of the Army in July of 1968, and it took two more years to recover from his wounds. Then, in 1970, at the urging of his mother Delores, he enrolled in a drawing class at San Antonio College and almost miraculously learned to draw with his left hand. Trevio began painting again, and by the mid-1970s was producing world-class work, mainly large-scale, realistic portraits of the people and places of the predominantly Mexican-American West Side San Antonio neighborhood where he grew up. Today, Jesse Trevio is an internationally celebrated painter who was honored by two presidents (Reagan and Clinton) at the White House. His work is part of the collections of Prince Charles of England and many corporations, as well as in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Museum of American Art ( See The Smithsonians Big Vietnam War Exhibit,Ž p. 30. ) In Spirit Head does a fine job detailing Jesse Trevios personal and artistic lives. The author did a great deal of research and interviewed his subject over a period of several years. Naturally and correctly, Head focuses on the artists creative work and writes extensively about many of his paintings and exhibitions. He does not mention that Trevio received the VVA Excellence in the Arts Award at the 1995 National Convention in Houston, but thats a small oversight. He also incorrectly refers to his subjects Army rank as Pvt. Spec. 3Ž and later as Pvt. Spec. 4,Ž and calls the medic who saved him a corpsman.Ž Those minor issues aside, this large-format book, which contains many high-quality images of the artists work, is a deeply researched, well-presented tribute to a remarkable American artist and a remarkable Vietnam War veteran. GORGEOUSOcean Vuongs creatively told new book, On Earth Were Briefly Gorgeous (Penguin Press, 256 pp., $26), is unlike any other Vietnam War-heavy novel Ive ever read. First, theres the odd, cryptic title. I had only the faintest clue what it meant until Vuong told all in a long paragraph near the end of this autobiographical, coming-of-age tale. Reflecting on the hard life of a Vietnamese immigrant boy, his mother, and grandmother on the tough streets of innercity Hartford, Connecticut, in the early nineties, the authors alter ego Little Dog ruminates about beauty and how some things are haunted because we have made them beautiful.Ž He goes on to say: If, relative to the history of our planet, an individual life is so short, a blink, as they say, then to be gorgeous, even from the day youre born to the day you die, is to be gorgeous only briefly.Ž And: To be gorgeous, you must first be seen, but to be seen allows you to be hunted.ŽWhich brings up a second unique feature of this at times brilliant„if sometimes disturbing„story. Vuong tells the tale using an often bitter, melancholy tone to evoke the many physically and emotionally painful aspects of his young life, including his mothers mental illness and the stark poverty and vicious racism in which he grew up. And as his words indicate, Little Dog is an introspective, sensitive, poetic boy (and young man) who constantly ruminates on beauty and nature (Monarch butterflies are a minor theme), as well as lifes many slings and arrows.The story, moreover, is told in the form of a letter from Little Dog to his deceased mother„who didnt read or speak English. Its sprinkled with poetic passages, much word play, and canny and clever observations about American and Vietnamese culture told through flashbacks, often within the same paragraph. Thats how the thirtyyear-old Vuong„whose 2016 poetry collection Night Sky with Exit Wounds won several awards„gradually paints the bigger picture of his family, starting with the Vietnam War in which his grandmother was impregnated by an American G.I. Some of the flashbacks take place in Vietnam during the American war. Theres a short section on Tiger Woods and his father, Earl, a Green Beret in Vietnam. A war veteran named Paul, who may be Little Dogs grandfather, appears several times. In one section Little Dog mentions Pauls cancer, something he believed was brought on by his contact with Agent Orange during the war.Ž In another, he refers to a young Vietnamese girl, a friend of his grandmothers during the war, who was erased by an air strike three weeks before the war ended.Ž Then theres the main difference between this book and every other novel or short story Ive read that deals with the Vietnam War: The main theme is Little Dogs homosexuality and his intense teenaged relationship with a boy named Trevor. In the many passages describing their good and bad times together Vuong/Little Dog graphically depicts their sexual relations. In more than one way On Earth Were Briefly Gorgeous adds a new voice to the Vietnam War/Vietnamese Diaspora literary canon. Thats a good thing. JULY/AUGUST 2019 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:49 PM Page 41

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IN SERVICESouthwestern Pennsylvania, Chapter 862 sends a single red rose and vase to a funeral home in honor of every local military veteran and every family member of a chapter member who has died. Chapter Chaplain Don Villella coordinates the program. In March, the chapter sent roses in memory of ten deceased Vietnam War veterans and one in honor of a Chapter 862 members family member. Members of Duval County, Florida, Nicholas J. Cutinha Chapter 1046 recently marched in the 73rd Annual Opening of the Beaches Parade in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. The chapters Young Marines Honor Guard led the parade. Chapter President Tony DAleo and his wife Sharon DAleo received awards in May from the National Association of Veterans and Families in Jacksonville. The awards honored their work as veterans advocates in Northeast Florida. Its important to search for Vietnam veterans and their family members and personally thank them for their service and sacrifices,Ž Tony DAleo said. Never again will one generation forget its veterans.Ž Butte County, California, Chapter 582 held a family-friendly barbeque dinner in May and sent all the proceeds to benefit the victims of last years devastating Camp Fire in and around Paradise, California. This was not a sit-down dinner; instead, chapter members set up a drive-through in which people drove up, picked up their $10 barbeque, potato salad, beans and bread meals, and drove off. The chapter called the event Dinner on the Roll.Ž Members of Sussex County, Delaware, Chapter 1105 joined church and other community volunteers in April in preparing boxes of food for local families in need. The event took place at the Mountaire Farms processing plant in Selbyville. More than 1,800 food boxes containing complete Easter meals were assembled and then distributed by thirty food pantries, shelters, and churches in their communities. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Grandstrand Chapter 925 President Rich Gregory, V ice President Charles Squires, and Treasurer Jerry Hearl in May presented a $500 check from the chapter to the manager of the local Golden Corral Buffet and Grill restaurant. The money will help underwrite the restaurants annual one-week fun camp for the children of wounded, injured, ill, and deceased military veterans. Fresno, California, William G. Camp Memorial Chapter 933 hosted its 33rd Memorial Day Sunrise Service on May 27 at Woodward Park in Fresno. Memorial Day isnt about us, the living veterans,Ž said Chapter President George Grimsley. Were here today, just as we have been since 1986, MEMBERSHIP NOTES43 JULY/AUGUST 2019 Keith King A Lifetime of Veterans’ Advocacy BY WILLIAM TRIPLETTOver the last forty years, there isnt much Keith King hasnt done for his fellow veterans„and not just for those who, like him, served in Vietnam. Throughout his home state of Michigan, he is well known for his passionate, dedicated advocacy for veterans of every conflict from World War II to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the awards he has won are many, including the VVA Commendation Medal„the organizations highest award. So maybe its only natural that King, a VVA member since 1980, was among the recent inaugural inductees into the new Michigan Military & Veterans Hall of Honor, which was established to recognize and honor the service of those on active duty and the post-military civic contributions of the states veterans. Other inductees include John Dingell, a World War II veteran who served for decades in the U.S. House of Representatives; Mike Ilitch, a former Marine and founder of Little Caesars Pizza who owns the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings; and the great boxer Joe Louis, also a World War II veteran, whose service included traveling more than 22,000 miles to stage ninety-six boxing exhibitions before two million troops. When you see your name in a group of people like that,Ž King said, well, my first reaction was, okay, are they punking me here? Whats the deal? You can never, at least in my life, expect to have that kind of honor.Ž continued on next page A Final Welcome HomeOn April 19„Good Friday„ Liberty Bell Chapter 266 President Steve Uchniat, accompanied by chapter member Charles Bauer, drove to Washington Crossing National Cemetery to present a statue to Cemetery Director Gregory J. Whitney. Originally a commemorative piece for the Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial cast in 1982, Uchniat had had the statue mounted on a wooden base. The chapter presented it to the cemetery on behalf of the memorial and the 648 men from the City of Brotherly Love who died in Vietnam. It will be housed in the cemeterys display case. All 648 men will be looking down every day when a veteran is laid to rest,Ž Uchniat told Whitney. And theyll welcome each of them up above.Ž Thirteen former chapter members are buried at Washington Crossing. They soon will be joined by another who recently died. The carefully maintained cemetery opened in late 2009 and is the final resting place for more than 11,000 veterans. Even so, much of the 205-acre property is still used as farmland; the farmers will vacate the land as the need for it arises. The Chapter 266 Color Guard participated last May in the annual ceremony that pays tribute to the sixty-four men from the citys Edison High School who died in Vietnam. Thats the largest number from any high school in the country, and each year the graduating class conducts a commemorative event that honors that sober statistic and the young men„not one an PHILADELPHIA’S LIBERTY BELL CHAPTER 266 continued on page 49 continued on page 48JULY/AUGUST 201943JOHN BRATCHER JULIE UCHNIAT 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/28/19 8:40 AM Page 43

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to commemorate those who didnt make it back from places like Khe Sanh, Normandy, Fallujah, the Choisin Reservoir, and dozens of other places dotted with American bodies, sacrificed in defense of their buddies.Ž More than twenty members of Delray Beach, Florida, Chapter 1125 volunteered at the chapters tent at the 57th annual Delray Affair in April, a three-day event believed to be the largest arts and crafts festival in the Southeast. Chapter members distributed free bottled water and spoke to hundreds of visitors. In addition to recruiting new members, the chapter received more than $3,000 in contributions, which will help fund its high school and college scholarship programs, its Homeless Veterans Support Program, and other communityservice activities. Morristown, Tennessee, Chapter 1073 has been holding special memorial services at local funeral homes for the last two years. The services, which take place before full funeral services, are offered to the families of any deceased local veteran. Anybody that wears a uniform is our brother or sister,Ž Chapter President Jackie Weidman said. The reason we do this is to pay our respects to any veteran.Ž The service consists of chapter members saluting the deceased veteran, thanking the family for his or her service, and the playing of Taps.Ž Were averaging two-to-three funerals a week,Ž Weidman said. We also can serve as pallbearers for graveside services if requested by the family.Ž Once again this year, Paducah, Kentucky, Chapter 337 organized a Memorial Day commemoration at that citys Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Dolly McNutt Memorial Plaza. The memorial is inscribed with the names of forty-one local service members who perished in the Vietnam War. The service also included a salute to twenty-four chapter members who have died since the end of the war. A profound sadness and admiration for what these men did. They looked beyond themselves and saw a greater good, and were willing to sacrifice for that greater good,Ž said Gordon Williams, who helped found the chapter in 1984. As Bobbie Ann Mason said when she wrote the book In Country families continue to have a hole in their heart when their loved ones have perished in war.Ž Lynchburg, Virginia, Stanley E. Taylor Memorial Chapter 196 recently donated $800 to sponsor one local boy and one girl to Boys State and Girls State; $50 to the World Team Sports Cycling program; and $100 for the Veterans and Athletes United mobile Fallen Heroes Dog Tag Memorial, which was displayed in March in Lynchburg. The chapters Scholarship Committee awarded two $500 scholarships to the grandchildren of two chapter members, the late Luther Westberry and Roger Castillo. SCHOLARSHIPSJanesville, Wisconsin, Rock River Chapter 236 presented its Tim Kettle, Max Perkins and Albert Kath, Jr., Scholarships in May. Chapter members Rick Waugh, Gerry Meister, Roger Manecke, and Mike Eggleston awarded the seventeen scholarships in ceremonies at six local high schools. Tawana A. Jones, the Treasurer of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Chapter 301 presented a Certificate of Appreciation and a $100 scholarship in May to Hillcrest High School Junior ROTC Cadet Aniah Jones. It is a privilege to award this scholarship to this outstanding young cadet,Ž Tawana Jones said. Prairieville, Louisiana, St. Amant Chapter 725 presented its first JROTC Cadet of the Year Award in May to Nevan Gee of St. Amant High School. He received the award in recognition of his outstanding academic record and achievements as a member of the Navy JRO TC. Recipients of the 2019 Reading, Ohio, Eddie Uhlmansiek Chapter 10 college scholarships and their families received their certificates at the chapters annual Memorial Day ceremonies. Chapter Treasurer Tom Stormer helped present the certificates to the students, including Eagle Scout Nick Vogt. Nine members of the chapter took in the April 14 performance of Miss Saigon at the Aranoff Theaters Procter & Gamble Hall in downtown Cincinnati. Following the sold-out performance, cast members greeted the chapter members, signed autographs, and posed for pictures. POW/MIANick Garcia, a board member of Long Beach, California, Chapter 756 gave a presentation at the chapters May meeting on the POW/MIA White Table, at which No One Will Ever Sit.Ž The chapter is planning to do a video of the presentation, since Nick did such an outstanding job explaining all of the details of the White Table,Ž said Chapter President Conrad Gomez. This came at a time when Raul Guerra was buried at Rose Hill Cemetery in Whittier, California, after being MIA for more than forty years.Ž Navy Reserve Journalist 3rd Class Guerra did not survive an October 8, 1967, plane crash near Da Nang. The crash site was not located until 2004, and Guerras remains were not identified until earlier this year.MEMBERSHIP NOTES Continued from previous page THEVVA VETERAN 44 Young At HeartTo be more in touch with and supportive of young people„especially but not exclusively members of veteran and military families„the members of Central New Hampshire Chapter 41 last year launched a scholarship program for high school seniors at Merrimack River Valley high schools. Last month the chapter awarded five $500 scholarships that could be used for four-year, two-year, or technical school programs. The chapter approached the counseling staffs of seven regional high schools with information about the scholarships (next year the chapter hopes to expand its outreach). Each candidate submitted a 200-300-word essay, along with a cover letter. In addition, chapter members reviewed candidates academic standings and characters with counseling staffs. At Manchester High Schools June 13 awards ceremony ( above ), Chapter 41 members Wayne Nelson and Ray Goulet presented scholarships to Rebecca Dwire, Grace Potvin, and Shaelyn Rix. During the previous week, Angelina Berger at Concord High School and Tyler Descoteau at John Stark Regional High School in Weare also received $500 scholarships at their schools scholarship awards ceremonies. CENTRAL NEW HAMPSHIRE CHAPTER 41 ALLEGRA BOVERMAN PHOTOGRAPHY Serving The Homeless Longtime VVA Homeless Veterans Committee Chair Sandy Miller was awarded the 2019 Meritorious Service Award by the National Coalition of Homeless Veterans during the awards ceremony that concluded its annual national conference, held May 29-31 in Washington, D.C. The award is presented to a person who exemplifies service to NCHV, its members, and homeless veterans. Appearing with Miller ( center ) are Cindy Borden, NCHV Director of TA and Training, and Vincent J. Perrone, President and CEO of Veterans, Inc. DAVID HIGGINS JR., NCHV 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:50 PM Page 44

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Im searching for an old friend and Vietnam veteran named William RedŽ Kennedy He was born in Tennessee and lived in Lakeland, Fla. I believe he is 71-75 years old. Contact: Bill Barber, nubblesdad@gmail.com Looking for former Army Lt. Mike Marsili Mike and I were Lts. in Post Engineer section at Ft. MacArthur in San Pedro, Calif. He was with Command and Control, South 5th Special Forces Group in 1969-70. Contact: Bob Holmes, 310-545-8318; Bob@CRHolmes.com I am looking for a guy from Louisiana named Charles E. Boyd He would be about 74 years old now. He was from Lake Charles He was stationed with me at Ft. Hood in 1996 He also was a part of a cold weather experiment at Natick, Mass., Army Research Laboratory from July to November 1996 Contact: Marvin E. Rogers, 480-560-3544; roggie10@q.com Seeking anyone assigned to the 6280th Combat Support Group, Takhli AB, Thailand, 1973-74, particularly anybody assigned to the base PDO office Contact: Troy Davis, troydavis1234@gmail.com Trying to locate anyone who was part of the 4th Bn., 39th Inf., 9th Inf. Div. 1966-69, in Bearcat/Dong Tam Contact: Jim Haines, 303-809-1815; lzbearcat67@live.com Looking for anyone who served with me at LZ Betty, Phan Thiet on LARCs 1968-69. Contact: Robert Marinelli, bobmarinelli@comcast.net Looking for Billy Snow who served with me, 1970-71, in Vietnam with the 184th Quartermaster Bn. Hed be about 67 years old. Contact: Wayne LaPoint, 1116 Merrill St., Oshkosh, WI 54901; 920-303-2196. I am trying to find my uncle. He passed away in 2009, and I dont know where hes buried. His name is Daniel Cortez Benavidez He lived in Corpus Christi, Texas He was a Vietnam veteran. Contact: Andrea Trevino, draenwero@ gmail.com Ive been looking for a lost friend, Dale Adams I believe he was in the Marines or maybe the Army, in Vietnam around 1969 to the end. He was a truck driver; his lastknown location was Kansas City, Kans., in the Argentine area. Contact: Brian Pate, brianpate2000@hotmail.com Im trying to locate Donald Daley I served with him at Dyess AFB in 1964 and Vietnam in 1965 He was a C 130 E crew chief. I saw his name under Texas in the VVA Life Membership July/August 2019 issue. Contact: Dennis SqueakyŽ Reynolds, 803-460-8552. I am searching for a family member, Sgt. Maj. John Dillard Contact: Mark Thomas, 404-254-7396; eighty8ways_pd @yahoo.com I am looking for Fowler who served 1966-68, probably in the Infantry. He wasstationed at Cat Lai, Saigon Contact: Bich Van Thi Nguyen, bvnguyen9@ aol.com I received a letter from a Vietnam serviceman, SSG Richard M. Chambers in December 1968 after my school sent care packages to the troops. Greetings from the Sun and Fun Capitol of Southeast Asia,Ž he wrote. I would like to return the letter to him. Contact: Libby Duffy, libbyddduffy@yahoo.com Seeking anyone with knowledge of the Kaiserslautern Engineering Depot My father worked in this top-secret depot disposing of radiation from 1961-62. Contact: DeAnna Jennings Gullotta, dgullotta@hotmail.com I am trying to locate a copy of a 1969 Cruise Book of the U.S.S. Isle Royale (AD-29) out of Long Beach, Calif. Contact: Robert Cannon, 10441 Roxbury St., Detroit, MI 48224. I am searching for any soldiers who did Basic Training at Ft. Dix and AIT at Ft. Lee between 1977-79 Please contact me as I am in the process of writing a book. Contact: George Brooks; 39766080, FCI Bastrop, P.O. Box 1010, Bastrop, TX 78602. Looking for anybody who knew Thomas A. Wilcox He served with HHC 4th Bn., 196th Bde., 31st Inf. and was in the Army 1970-75. His family would appreciate receiving photos or any memorabilia or hearing from old friends. Tom passed away in 2012. Contact: Keri Wilcox, smvfadvocate@gmail.com In early 1971 James Ball (now deceased) and I were called to a shooting at Phu Bai When we arrived tracers flew throughout a hootch. We were told, Go get im.Ž I had a few choice words for the CO, but it was our job. We proceeded to crawl up to the hootch on either side of the door. We waited until we heard him LOCATOR A VVA STAFF REPORTSend your Locator and Reunion notices to Locator, The VVA Veteran, 8719 Colesville Road, Suite 100, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Or email veteranlocator@vva.org or mkeating@vva.org The Locator and Reunion services are provided without charge. U.S.S. Oak Hill (LSD-7) and U.S.S. Carter Hall (LSD-3), and U.S.S. Catamount (LSD-17) reunion, Oct. 36, Valley Forge, Pa. Contact: Raylah Holm, raylah@aol.com Automatic 8th Veterans 7th Bn. / 8th Arty. reunion, Oct. 3-6, Holiday Inn Downtown Market Square, San Antonio, Tex. Contact: Wayne Faas, 641-485-0083; automatic8-faas@ mediacombb.net 335th Radio Research Company, Vietnam reunion, Oct. 10-13, Washington, D.C. Contact: Jim Mossman, 513-779-7145; Jmossman@fuse.net 24th Infantry Regimental Combat Team Association reunion, July 17-21, Holiday Inn Knoxville West at Cedar Bluff, Knoxville, Tenn. Contact: Barbara Fitzgerald, 410-713-0812; barbarafitzgeraldvfw10065@ comcast.net Arizona Army Security Agency Association reunion, Aug. 16-19, Tucson, Ariz. Contact: Jerry Darr, 480-507-6825; azasaa.org Mike 3/7 Vietnam Association reunion, Oct. 9-12, Branson, Mo. Contact: Keith Kohlmann, 239-5370566. Pleiku MP Association, B Co., 504 MP Bn. reunion, Sept. 17-22, Clarksville, Tenn. Contact: Yates, 505-865-7359. MCB1/MCB10, and MCB9 reunion, Oct. 3-6, Virginia Beach, Va. Contact: Wally Johnson, 757-5705864; wallyjohnson1711@gmail.com 12TFW reunion, including 12TFW MacDill AFB; Cam Ranh AB and Phu Cat AB (Vietnam); 12th FEW/SFW Bergstrom AFB, (Korea) and all supporting units, May 6-9, 2020, Dayton, Ohio. Contact: E.J. Sherwood, 480-396-4681; EJ12TFW@cox.net USMC 2/3/3 (Vietnam) reunion, Sept. 10-15, Portland, Maine. Contact: Art Ward, 860-978-8339 or go to www.2/3/ 3vietnamveteransassociation.org 1st Engr. Bn. (Army) reunion, Sept. 22-25, Deadwood, S. Dak. Contact: Dale Greenfield, dalegreenfield63@ gmail.com 366th Fighter Association reunion, Oct. 2-5, Branson, Mo. Contact: Jerry Talty, 417-872-5338, jerry@crtplus.com U.S.S. James E. Kyes (DD-787) Oct. 23-27, Branson, Mo. Contact: Montie J. Ocha, 734-564-1749, montiejocha@yahoo.com or go to www.ussjek.org/reunion U.S.S. Samuel B. Roberts (DD-823) reunion, Sept. 30-Oct. 4, Annapolis, Md. Contact: Jim Norton, 802-8938045, jijo1944@comcast.net U.S.S. Bennington (CVS-20) reunion, Sept. 9-13, San Diego. Contact: Ron Christensen, 402-6772019, ronc2@abbnebraska.com U.S.S. Denver (LPD-9/CL-58) reunion, Oct. 16-20, New Orleans. Contact: Jim Hyden, 501-590-5786, jimhyden@comcast.net 2nd Bn., 94th Arty. reunion, Sept. 8-12. Contact: Felton Dunnehoo, REUNIONS, ETC. 45 I wanted to see if Carol Frye is around. I believe she is probably the wife of a Marine stationed in Vietnam. The blood that was drawn for the Camp Pendleton Blood Bank was sent to New Jersey and then flown to Nam. Contact: Darwin Ludi, pdludi@gmail.com Looking for anyone who served with my dad in Vietnam. He was Sgt. William F. Shands, Jr He was in 3rd Tank Battalion, 3rd Marine Division Contact: Kristi Sands, Texas_Kos@yahoo.com continued on next page continued on next pageJULY/AUGUST 2019 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:50 PM Page 45

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THEVVA VETERAN change magazines, then rushed in and apprehended him. He was a wild man, either flipped or on booze or drugs. Jim and I served with 4th Plt., 101st MP Co. We were told we would be recommended for the Soldiers Medal for our action. CID was involved. Looking for anyone who remembers this incident. Contact: Robert Negich, 410 Boggs Rd., Greensburg, PA 15601; 724-834-7089. Searching for anyone I served with in MACV in 1969 I was a captain. Contact: Wesley Bruce Jones, wesel1@mac.com Seeking W.O. Osborne, J.P. Cohen and Spencer all DIs at Parris Island in 1968. Want to thank them for having a positive influence on me. Contact: Anthony M. Valentino, pepperscollection10@ gmail.com Want to find Jerry L. Emberton who served with 555 Red Horse Engineers Squadron Jerry was from Cupertino, Calif., and served in Vietnam, 1967-68. Contact: Ernie Riles, bmbwnc@ yahoo.com Looking for Robert Lyons who served in the Marines in Vietnam, 196971. He was from Buffalo, N.Y. Contact: William Marr, WEM@icloud.com Searching for Gregory Williams from Los Angeles, a Navy corpsman with 3rd Bn., 5th Marines He saved a family friends life in August 1966. Contact: Patrick Luntey, patrickluntey@att.net Would like to hear from class members of Co. 21, Navy Hospital Corps AŽ School who graduated Aug. 21, 1969, at Great Lakes Naval Station Contact: Bob Eberlein, 12215 Ashland St., Granger, IL 46530; 574-277-3128; ebb23@att.net Seeking members of AFAT 1 and AFAT 3 teams who trained VNAF crew chiefs on C7-A Caribou in 1972 at Phu Cat and Da Nang air bases. My last duty station was at Tan Son Nhut working on O2s Contact: Bill Burkert, 309-373-1337, wburkert2@gmail.com Looking for anyone who served with me in the 254th Radar Detachment posted at an ARVN compound north of Tan Can operating a counter-battery Q10 radar system The only names I recall are Leddick and Felix from Puerto Rico. Contact: Joseph Sanchez, cheo123b@ gmail.com Looking for family or friends of Richard Stephen Dorsch He was an assault amphibious vehicle crewmember (MOS 1833) who served with H&S Co. 3rd Amtrac Bn., 1st Marine Div, 111 MAF. He was KIA on Feb. 7, 1968. We were fellow Marines and high school pals. Contact: Thomas Shortt, thomas.shortt@wildfire-ent.com Want to find vets who served with mygrandfather, Dwayne Bero He served with H&H Co., 1st Bde., 1st Cav. Div. 1967-68. If you remember my grandfather or served with him, please get in touch. Contact: Lucas Bero, lucas.bero@ snc.edu Former TAC officer seeks graduates of 55th Officer Candidate School summer 1969. Contact: William AirborneŽ Taylor, taylorwv@gmail.com Celebrating twenty-five years with a kidney-pancreas transplant and want to hear from any members of the medical team who performed my surgery on July 25, 1994, at Wilford Hall Medical Center Lackland AFB, Tex. Also seeking any staff from the BAMC Dialysis Unit from same time frame. Contact: Jody L. Cochrane, P.O. Box 33028, St. Petersburg, FL 33733. Searching for Christopher Torrence from Ohio. We served together in the EURSA (ADA) in Spangdalem and Bitburg, Germany, and a covert deployment in Africa in 1986. Contact: Robert L. Willingford, Jr., Varner #091357, P.O. Box 600, Grady, AR 71644. Seeking Lawrence Fournier from Michigan. We were in artillery training together at Ft. Riley in July 1967. Contact: Earl Gass, 208 E. First St., Imlay City, MI 48444, 810-417-0691, eagass48@yahoo.com Looking for all troops who served with A, B, C, D, and HQ Companies, 3/5 Cavalry, 9th Inf. Div. Vietnam, 1965-73. Contact: Al Cavasin, 517-524-6228, alcavasin@gmail.com Searching for information on a Bell AH/1-G Cobra helicopter with tail number 67-15469 Records show service in Vietnam in 1971 with crewmembers WO1 C. Lake, D. Juranek, J.W. Arcand and M. Guard The helicopter later saw service in the First Persian Gulf War. As of 2001 it was assigned to the 1st Mountain Div. at Ft. Drum, where it was decommissioned in 2004 by Sgt. Gutierrez Want to complete the history of this chopper. Can anybody help with more details? Contact: Richard Meers, VVA Chapter 467, P.O. Box 10431, Ft. Smith, AR 72917; 479-459-4234; r.lmeers@yahoo.com Want to reconnect with anybody who served with 589th Signal at LZ English Jan.-Sept. 1971. I served there until Dec. 1970. Contact: James Mckoy, oldyello1970@aol.comLOCATOR Continued from previous page 46 TET Offensive Veteran Hat G1579 TS (HL) $15.95 VVA Life Member Hat G1216 Black (S) $17.95 MEDIA CODE: VVA2019 1-800-308-0849 medalsofamerica.com Medals of America, Inc. 2019 Medals of America’, Mil-Thin’ Ribbons, Mini-Ribbons’ are registered trademarks of Medals of America, Inc. 114 Southchase Blvd., Fountain Inn, South Carolina 29644, 1-800-308-0849. A percentage of all item sales from VVA members goes back directly to the VVA. Shipping and tax calculated at checkout online, during your call or use our online order form for rates. Agent Orange Veteran Hat G1569 TS (HL) $15.95 VVA Life Member Hat G1516 Khaki (HL) $19.95 1" Logo Pin E266 Vietnam Veteran Car Emblem J1287 $13.95 Aircraft Car Emblem J1383 $11.95 US Flag Car Emblem J1288 $13.95 23rd Americal Div Car Emblem J1386 $11.95 1st Cav Car Emblem J1231 $11.95 ASA Car Emblem J1377 $11.95 1st Div Car Emblem J1232 $11.95 2nd Div Car Emblem J1233 $11.95 25th Div Car Emblem J1237 $11.95 Vietnam Veteran Vinyl Car Mats (1pr) J1041 $59.95 Agent Orange Handmade Mug CM318 $29.95 2" Patch P774 VVA Hat G1517 Khaki (HL) $19.95 27 oz. Orca Beverage Cup J1408 $44.95 Vietnam Veteran License Plate LP1004 $19.95 MA-1 Jacket K37 starting at $59.95 Vietnam Pocket Watch J1393 $39.95FIND GREAT DEALs ON Custom items ON OUR WEBSITE! VISIT US TODAY! 258" 258"258" 258" 258" 258"258" 258" 258" 258" Don't Tread On Me Car Emblem J1392 $11.95 VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR EXCLUSIVE VIETNAM ITEMS! 258" SAC Car Emblem J1285 $11.95 1-2 $4.95 3-9 $4.45 10 + $3.95 In 1971 as a senior in high school I corresponded with a soldier in Vietnam. We wrote for several months as he was nearing the end of his tour. Two weeks before the end of his tour, the letters stopped. I could never find out what happened. I have a photo with the notation: Taken 2/1 Bn. Rear, Jan. 6, 1971.Ž I believe his name was Robert Hooper He wanted me to call him Hoop.Ž He was from Lansdale or Lansdowne, Pa Contact: Deborah Barnes, barnesd923@gmail.com 337-513-8320, feldun@msn.com or go to www.2ndbattalion94thartillery.com 463rd Airlifters Association and 316th Tactical Airlift Wing (1965-75) combined reunion, Sept. 10-15, Branson, Mo. Contact: Linda Kirkpatrick, 765-461-9759, Kirkpatrick_linda@comcast.net Navy VA-112 (A-4 Pilots) reunion, Oct. 14-17, Savannah, Ga. Contact: Stan Brobston, 912-278-4438, shbrobston@yahoo.com 3rd Marines (all eras) reunion, Sept. 17-22, Branson, Mo. Contact: Don Bumgarner, 562-897-2437, dbumc13usmc@verizon.net or Roger Bacon, 215-822-9094, rogerbacon45@yahoo.com 13th Bomb Squadron Association (all eras) reunion, Sept. 18-22, Hampton Inn and Suites Boise-Downtown, Boise, Idaho. Contact: Bob Parks, 210-825-8661, bob-parks@satx.rr.com or go to www.13thbombsquadron.net/events Tan Son Nhut Association reunion, Sept. 12-15, Four Points Sheraton, Little Rock, Ark. Open to all who were stationed at, or passed through, Tan Son Nhut AB. Contact: Joe Kricho, 67vietvet68@gmail.com or go to www.tsna.org HMM-265 reunion, Sept. 30-Oct. 4, Hilton Promenade, Branson, Mo. Contact: John Winter, 573-286-5454, jwinter44@icloud.com or go to https://hmm-265.org 1st Transportation Company reunion, Sept. 6-8, Hardy County, W.Va. See Facebook page or contact: T. Denney, 304-530-7546.REUNIONS Continued from previous page 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:50 PM Page 46

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47 John Edward Addicks 68, Maryland Chapter 451, died September 27, 2016. Hugh Murchison Alexander 77, South Carolina Chapter 303, died August 21, 2018. Troy Alfred Allen 80, Alabama Chapter 637, died recently. Jerome P. Amato 67, New York Chapter 11, died December 31, 2016. Marian Janie McKeel Ammon 76, Pennsylvania Chapter 862, died April 26. Wesley M. Anderson 70, Indiana Chapter 295, died May 13. Thomas Eugene Anding, Sr. 71, at-large Idaho, died March 7. Gary F. Aucoin, Sr. 70, Louisiana Chapter 697, died August 8, 2018. Thomas H. Barnes 74, at-large Indiana, died February 15. Louis Barron 88, Texas Chapter 973, died March 28. Henry Joseph Barry, Jr. 71, Connecticut Chapter 270, died August 24, 2018. James F. Baughn 72, Oklahoma Chapter 524, died recently. David Paul Berryman 72, Pennsylvania Chapter 266, died February 14. Jerome Louis Blackburn 72, Wisconsin Chapter 256, died March 14. Robert Lee Boyer 77, Maryland Chapter 172, died March 14. Michael J. Bragg 74, Michigan Chapter 142, died March 29. Jerry Martin Brazil 70, at-large Mississippi, died October 31, 2018. Clarence Daniel Bright 80, Texas Chapter 685, died June 15, 2018. Eugene Brooks 79, Alabama Chapter 1067, died August 12, 2018. Ricky L. Brown 72, California Chapter 643, died recently. Stephen R. Brown 63, Washington Chapter 423, died recently. Blaise Martin Bruno, Sr. 69, New York Chapter 49, died April 7. John E. Bulmer, Jr. 71, New Jersey Chapter 12, died May 8. Ernest Gene Calloway 68, North Carolina Chapter 1116, died July 13, 2018. Harry Francis Carney 72, Maryland Chapter 172, died March 21. George W. Case 76, at-large Florida, died August 22, 2018. John W. Chapman 79, Alabama Chapter 607, died April 21. Antonio Mendoza Chavez, Sr. 72, Arizona Chapter 1011, died December 18, 2018. Robert A. Cheadle 71, California Chapter 223, died recently. Bert Howard Chesteen 79, Kentucky Chapter 1051, died April 28, 2018. Joseph J. Clements Missouri Chapter 611, died recently. Larry Leo Collins 70, at-large New Jersey, died November 1, 2018. Robert Leo Cooper 72, at-large Oregon, died June 6, 2017. Edward Ray Cottrell 74, Texas Chapter 856,died January 4. Donald Courter 77, Illinois Chapter 299, died February 27. Douglas Clifton Cravens, Jr. 77, Florida Chapter 1036, died April 11. Robert Darnell Crosby 66, Tennessee Chapter 953, died March 10. Robert John Cwiek 69, Michigan Chapter 154, died January 2. Robert E. Dennis 69, at-large Wisconsin, died September 12, 2017. Carl Jackson DeWitt 81, Maryland Chapter 172, died July 10, 2018. Robert M. DeYoung 73, Pennsylvania Chapter 678, died October 12, 2018. Salvatore Di Grigoli 67, New Jersey Chapter 200, died December 26, 2018. Lawrence Doutherd California Chapter 201, died recently. Harold James Dress 71, Alaska Chapter 914, died October 17, 2018. James Duffy 71, New York Chapter 8, died April 7. Donald Lamar Dukes 81, at-large Florida, died February 20. James Edward Edick, Sr. 82, New York Chapter 103, died April 27. David Chavez Escobar 70, New Mexico Chapter 358, died February 26. James Charles Everett 68, Maryland Chapter 965, died April 4. Emery Chester Fisher 74, North Dakota Chapter 374, died July 7, 2016. George Oliver Fitzgerald 80, Alabama Chapter 1067, died February 27. Robert Edwin Flinn 70, Missouri Chapter 317, died April 23, 2018. Robert S. Fox 70, California Chapter 702, died recently. James B. Francis 73, at-large Florida, died recently. Richard Stanford Frantsvog 75, South Dakota Chapter 463, died April 16. Owen E. Gamble, Jr. 74, Wisconsin Chapter 425, died April 29. Sonja S. Gardner 73, Maryland Chapter 172, died January 30. Robert Louis Goupil, Sr. 76, Kansas Chapter 604, died February 1. Leroy Gradney 89, Philippines Chapter 887, died January 16. Walter J. Graf, Jr. 71, Washington Chapter 686, died March 21, 2018. Ronald Lee Graham 59, at-large Colorado, died October 20, 2010. Paul Douglas Gregory 69, Tennessee Chapter 1004, died April 5. Wilfred Fred Haberberger 79, Pennsylvania Chapter 948, died April 8, 2017. Guy D. Hall 71, New York Chapter 803, died May 5. Larry E. Hamann 70, Illinois Chapter 269, died May 19. Wayne H. Haslinger 71, Florida Chapter 1040, died December 25, 2017. Richard Howard Heaton 68, Texas Chapter 1009, died February 10. Randy Mack Hedrick, 71, Virginia Chapter 710, died October 14, 2018. Almon Charles Hemore 75, at-large Maine, died April 9. Richard M. Henry 79, Massachusetts Chapter 232, died April 16. Bruce A. Hilt 72, Pennsylvania Chapter 1032, died April 21. Frank Rufus Holt 78, Maryland Chapter 624, died May 13. Michael T. Hoofman 71, Ohio Chapter 900, died May 5. Paul Franklin Hopson 71, Georgia Chapter 1090, died May 1. Elmer Howell, Jr. 79, North Carolina Chapter 885, died March 27. Gerhard Ray Hylland 70, at-large Minnesota, died March 17, 2015. Roy C. Jewell 70, Pennsylvania Chapter 67, died November 10, 2017. Robert Ueland Johnson 61, at-large Maryland, died July 11, 2004. Saint Larry Johnson 70, Oregon Chapter 820, died February 24. Willard G. Johnson III 70, Alabama Chapter 1067, died January 2. John J. Jones 71, at-large Pennsylvania, died March 14. Walter Beamon Jones, Jr. 76, North Carolina Chapter 654, died February 10. Mike Pete Kalnasy, Jr. 65, Ohio Chapter 954, died May 14, 2018. Robert Paul Kanuch, Sr. 71, Ohio Chapter 900, died December 16, 2014. Walter Herman Keim 83, Texas Chapter 366, died January 26. Donald Allen Keith 78, Oregon Chapter 820, died February 7. Henry Clayton Kennemore 70, Alabama Chapter 1067, died June 30, 2017. Paul Joseph Kiefer 69, Wisconsin Chapter 437, died October 11, 2018. Arthur Thomas Knell, Sr. 70, at-large Arizona, died August 13, 2018. Marvin Sherman Kofoed 87, at-large Washington, died January 4. James Maryland Koonce II 72, North Carolina Chapter 892, died May 8. Frederick Lee Lamphere 83, South Carolina Chapter 303, died March 21. James J. Langan 74, Maine Chapter 1044, died May 7. Robert L. Lenger 71, Illinois Chapter 299, died April 25. Joseph M. Long 73, Massachusetts Chapter 837, died March 28, 2018. Elayne Gaye Mackey 70, California Chapter 47, died April 10. James Joseph Malachowski 63, Massachusetts Chapter 908, died February 1. Lyman Gates Mason V 71, at-large Idaho, died February 4. JULY/AUGUST 2019continued on page 48 Taps BY FATHER PHIL SALOIS, M.S.Naming The Holy NameI receive many inquiries from chapter chaplains and others asking for guidance on how to best address the Creator at VVA functions: Is it correct to use words “God” and “Jesus” in invocations and benedictions during chapter meetings and other veterans gatherings? In short, they ask: How do we best name the Holy Name? There is no strict policy on prayers for use at VVA gatherings. Instead, we have adopted the policy of the Military Chaplaincy: Because the chaplain must represent all faiths and denominations, as well as those with no faith or denomination, all prayers ought to be respectful but neutral in the use of the names of any deity, including God, Jesus, Allah, Buddha, or Vishnu. The chaplain should never use terminology that would exclude, offend, or be objectionable to Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindis, Native Americans, or people of no faith, such as atheists and agnostics. Acceptable honorifics include “Lord,” “Grandfather Spirit,” “Divine Creator,” and “Author of Life and all Creation.” Titles should be chosen after considering whether or not they might offend. Ultimately, the focus should be on joining the greater community together and including rather than excluding all members of that greater community. An excellent reference book is The VVA Chaplain Ritual Book Due to funding shortfalls it’s out of print, but it can still be read and downloaded at the VVA website. Go to www.vva.org/chaplains-corner/ then click on “Ritual Book.” You’ll find it on the same page as the extended obituaries of a decade’s worth of “Taps” listings in The VVA Veteran. 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:50 PM Page 47

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hospitals and private practice, a situation that has the potential to get much worse. The MISSION Act is an attempt to improve care for veterans. We hope it succeeds in practice as well as it does on paper. What is pretty certain is that it will fundamentally alter how the VA provides much of its health care. But beware the lurking profit mon gers who care less for veterans than they claim. Their overriding interest is taking financial advantage of a health care system that has, by and large, functioned well in providing care to those who have been harmed while in uniform. VVA CALENDAR EVENTDATEPLACECONTACT VVA events also are listed at vva.org/eventsVVA National ConventionJuly 16-20, 2019Davenport Grand & DoubleTree Spokane, Washington VVA National Office Conference of State Council Presidents October 10, 2019DoubleTree by Hilton Silver Spring, Maryland VVA National Office Board of Directors Meeting October 11-12, 2019DoubleTree by Hilton Silver Spring, Maryland VVA National Office Leadership & Education Conference July 14-18, 2020Crowne Plaza Dayton, Ohio VVA National Office THEVVA VETERAN 48 Timothy J. McAndrew 64, Ohio Chapter 249, died February 17, 2014. Martin J. McCormack 74, New Jersey Chapter 12, died August 15, 2018. Martin M. Menendez 80, Florida Chapter 620, died April 27. Ronald L. Merideth 75, Illinois Chapter 299, died May 17. Brian K. Metzger 74, Michigan Chapter 528, died January 27. Ray Franklin Miller, Jr. 67, Ohio Chapter 649, died January 19. Robert Lowell Miller, Sr. 98, Indiana Chapter 1027, died April 27. Lori Montalvo 58, Nevada Chapter 989, died recently. Lee Robert Mullins II 72, West Virginia Chapter 949, died March25. William C. Nachman, Sr. 69, New Jersey Chapter 228, died June 15, 2018. William Milton Newby 70, Tennessee Chapter 596, died December 22, 2017. Richard D. Newell, Sr. 79, New Jersey Chapter 228, died November 10, 2018. Thomas Joseph Nicolardi 66, Pennsylvania Chapter 349, died October 4, 2012. Warren Douglas Nuckols 70, West Virginia Chapter 628, died March 1. Stephen B. Pope 67, Texas Chapter 137, died recently. Hugh Columbus Powers, Jr. 92, North Carolina Chapter 272, died May 12. Garry Dean Prather 77, California Chapter 1031, died October 6, 2015. Charles F. Rabidoux 79, New York Chapter 20, died April 8. Roy James Radke 90, Wisconsin Chapter 767, died June 3, 2018. Albert D. Ramsey 72, New York Chapter 49, died recently. Jerry Dean Reddekopp 72, Oklahoma Chapter 291, died February 3. Jan Reiter 73, Michigan Chapter 154, died April 1. Roger Alpherie Richer 71, Rhode Island Chapter 818, died June 6. Fred Alan Robare 77, Michigan Chapter 380, died May 8. Jonathan Hugh Robinson 71, Tennessee Chapter 1004, died April2. George W. Roeback, Jr. 76, Florida Chapter 1040, died June 20, 2017. Richard A. Romanowski 77, Michigan Chapter 154, died May 17. James Raymond Sadler 76, Ohio Chapter 649, died January 29. Wilfredo B. Salangad 73, Philippines Chapter 887, died June 23, 2018. Joseph A. Sbaraglia, Jr. 79, Pennsylvania Chapter 266, died February 19. David Schuelke 68, South Carolina Chapter 523, died recently. Martin Lee Schultz 68, Illinois Chapter 311, died June 11, 2018. Robert G. Segura, Sr. 68, Illinois Chapter 299, died April 11. Kim E. Shoebridge 68, New York Chapter 20, died April 26. Steven M. Smith 64, Ohio Chapter 97, died March 19. Juan A. Soliz 70, Ohio Chapter 954, died May 23. Thomas Walter Sorensen 71, Michigan Chapter 310, died recently. James E. Spickler 87, Louisiana Chapter 1058, died recently. Dale Owen Spurlock 68, Illinois Chapter 984, died March 4. Amos I. Stedham, Jr. 72, Alabama Chapter 416, died March 14. Kenneth Strickland 79, at-large Virginia, died December 1, 2018. Larry James Sundall 72, Iowa Chapter 888, died August 4, 2018. John P. Sweny. Jr., 73, at-large Massachusetts, died November 28, 2017. Michael Wayne Swinford 72, Kentucky Chapter 337, died January 11. William E. Tallman, Jr. 71, New York Chapter 459, died April 21. Willard E. Tindall 68, at-large Indiana, died October 27, 2018. Cary D. Tucker 73, South Carolina Chapter 1049, died recently. William Ernest Turner 74, Florida Chapter 522, died March 23. James Edward Umberger 71, Texas Chapter 292, died May 7, 2014. Leslie Raymond Vanderwill 76, Michigan Chapter 267, died March 17. Carl William Wagner 68, New Jersey Chapter 200, died April 16. Richard James Wallash 72, Pennsylvania Chapter 266, died May26. Johnny Ray Wallin, Jr. 69, Tennessee Chapter 203, died June 4, 2018. Joseph Lawrence Walsh 72, at-large Florida, died December 18, 2017. Thomas Lee Warne 71, Maryland Chapter 172, died October 24, 2017. Robert A. Watkins 66, Wisconsin Chapter 5, died April 16. Jake Wheatley, Sr. 70, Tennessee Chapter 1113, died December 5, 2018. James Douglas Wilson 67, Pennsylvania Chapter 131, died May 10, 2010. Leo Raymond Wintker, Jr. 53, at-large Tennessee, died April 16, 1998. Charles Robert Wright 71, West Virginia Chapter 1055, died March 27. Richard F. Yeoman 75, Iowa Chapter 490, died January 26, 2014. Edward J. Zivic 82, South Carolina Chapter 303, died December 24, 2018.Taps Continued from page 47GOVERNMENT RELATIONS Continued from page 9officer„ who lost their lives. The chapter color guard, which includes three alumni, participates ev ery year. Uchniat also is an avid baseball fan (hes had Phillies season tickets for forty-seven years). During the May 30 game against the St. Louis Cardinals, the announcer„to the surprise of his friends and family„ boomed over the PA system that Steve Uchniat was the Phillies Home Town Hero. As the announcer recited his military history and the 32,000 in the stands cheered, Unchiat replaced third base, then waved and pointed to the stands in a tip to Babe Ruth. See the short video at facebook. vvaveteran.orgCHAPTER 266 Continued from page 43 VA CLAIM DENIED? WE CAN HELPWEBSITE: WWW.VETERANCLAIMAPPEALS.COM TOLL FREE (888) 4 A VA CLAIM (888.428.2252) On Fathers Day, there was an In Memory program in which the names of veterans were read out one by one. The ceremony is similar to the In Memory ceremony held every June at The Wall in D.C. ( See Parting Shot,Ž p. 50), but the Perryville ceremony also includes the names of veterans of World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the recent conflicts in the Middle East. The Missouri National Veterans Memorial is open twenty-four hours every day of the year. The Welcome Center is open all year, Monday through Friday, 8:005:00. Holiday hours may differ, so check ahead by calling 573-547-2035. Parking is ample and free. Admission, too, is free, but a $10 donation is suggested.MISSOURI SISTER WALL Continued from page 32 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:50 PM Page 48

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SAVING MY LIFEMichael Allen Griggs saved my life more than fifty years ago. I never met Michael Griggs. But after reading David Maragnis They Shall Never PerishŽ in the May/June issue, I immediately thought of him. He was a 20-year-old Marine PFC who was killed August 2, 1968, in I Corps. In the summer of 1968, his obituary appeared in our local Bowie, Maryland, newspaper.It had a profound impact on me. I had graduated from Bowie High School just a couple of months before. My father was a Sergeant Major in the Army. My older brother was serving as an infantrymanwith the 173rd Airborne Brigade in the Central Highlands. I was 19 years old and classified 1-A by our local draft board. In our family it wasnt if you go into the service, it was when you go into the service. I remember seeing long casualty lists in my dads copy of the Army Times. With my brother in combat and the draft board bearing down on me, my dad sat me down and clued me into what I could expect if I were drafted. It was not a pretty picture. At the time, I had a decent construction job, a very friendly girlfriend, and a beat-up VW. I wasnt in too much of a hurry to leave all that. I knew (or thought I knew) that when I went into the Army (what else, right?) Id follow in my brothers footsteps and go Airborne and then ship off to Vietnam all gungho. Then, Michael Griggs obituary appeared. I remember staring at his picture and thinking, Damn, that could have been my brother„or my dad„or me.Ž He had graduatedthe year before and then joined the Marines. I did not know him in high school. Our family discussed his death and we felt very sorry for his family. Michael Griggs death hit close to home. My dad reassured my mom that my brother would be alright, and that my dad would not be going overseas for at least another year. When the subject turned to me and my future plans, my dad told me there were several ways to fulfill my military obligation without having to hump a rifle through the rice paddies. He mentioned that I should consider the Air Force. A seed was planted in my brain. Sometime later, I went down to the Air Force recruiter, took the aptitude tests and a physical„did everything but sign the dotted line. The recruiter said my paperwork was good for several months and when I wanted to, to come on down and sign up. Eventually, I received my draft notice. The next day I signed up for four years with the Air Force. I eventually graduated from a long tech school as a Weapons System Control Specialist working on F-4Es. Almost all of the E models were in Southeast Asia, and it wasnt long before I found myself there, working on the flight line of several fighter wings during combat operations over North Vietnam. I made it home with no physical harm. My brother, although wounded, also made it home. I cannot help but think that the unfortunate death of Marine PFC Michael Allen Griggs„and his impact on my decisions„enabled me to return home safely. I have often stood at The Wall in front of the panel that bears his name, and I always silently thank him. I have also visited the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Baltimore, where his name is carved, to pay my respects. Michael, thank you for saving my life by giving yours. I will never forget you. Paul Glascock Ellicott City, Maryland Abes Baumann, P.C. www.abesbaumann.com/areasofpractice/veterans-benefits/?**vva. . . . . . . . 26 Armed Forces Retirement Homeafrh.gov. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Bergmann & Moore, LLC. www.vetlawyers.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Bradford Exchange Collectibleswww.collectiblestoday.com. . 13,15,19, 25 Combat Infantrymens Association Inc. www.cibassoc.com. . . . . . 26 ICM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Medals of Americawww.vvastore.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Military Antiques & Museum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Military Historical Tourswww.miltours.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 MrPAWS by Snow.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Neil Young www.neilyoung.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Paul J Warden www.americaremembers.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Ronald G. Aldridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Safe Step Walk-In Tub Co.www.safesteptub.com. . . . . . . . . . . . 23 USAAusaa.com/vvacc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Veteran Claim Appeals, Inc.www.VeteranClaimAppeals.com . . . . . . . 48 Vietnam Battlefield Tours www.Vietnambattlefieldtours.com. . . . . . . . 14ADVERTISERS INDEXJULY/AUGUST 201949 LETTERS Continued from page 8Some, like John H. Riling III, president of VVAs Michigan State Council, werent surprised. I dont think that congratulations are enough,Ž Riling said, emphasizing that King has gone above and beyond for our generation of veterans and all veterans. This is well deserved.Ž Asked why he became a veterans advocate fairly early on, King replied, Because I could. It sounds trite, I know, but its not. I had the support of my family, my wife in particular. I also had a decent job, and through all that I was able to look at the guys who were not in my position, who werent able to cope and deal with problems the way I could.Ž It didnt happen right away. In fact, after a tour of duty that included service as an M60 gunner providing convoy protection on hot supply routes in the Central Highlands, Keith King returned with some issues, most notably PTSD, which he initially dealt with in an all-too-familiar way. I came home, took my uniform off, took my service off my resume, and basically denied anything about it,Ž King said. He went to work at a radio station for someone who later said hed never have hired him if he had known King was a Vietnam veteran. One day a guy came to the station to talk about trying to help Vietnam veterans and claiming to represent those who served in Vietnam. My attitude was: Youre not representing me! I was pissed off,Ž King recalled. So, I confronted him, asked him, Who do you think you are? He invited me to come meet the guys in his group.Ž King agreed. I walked into the room, maybe eight other Vietnam veterans from Michigan were there. I wasnt in that room for ten minutes, and I was at home„I was with my brothers.Ž It wasnt just that he could talk with people who understood what hed been feeling. They were saying, and what appealed to me, was: If we dont help each other, who will?Ž The guy whod invited him turned out to be Jack Devine, a founding member of Michigans first VVA chapter who later served as VVAs national vice president. King found the wherewithal to help himself and others. He was an active participant at VVAs Founding Convention ( See last years Glory DaysŽ series) and later served as Public Affairs Committee chair. Some of his more high-profile accomplishments over the years: Starting the National Veterans Business Development Council, which assists businesses owned by service-disabled veterans; and serving as president of the Veterans Support Foundation, which helps homeless veterans get roofs over their heads and which also supports VVAs Service Officer Programs that help veterans with service-incurred disabilities. Keith is one of the strongest veterans advocates I know,Ž said Detroit Chapter 9 member Mike Sand, an official with Michigans Macomb County government. He has worked tirelessly to promote positive veteran issues and awareness. I have known him for over thirty years and he is as dedicated as ever.Ž Several states„including Ohio, Oklahoma, Arizona, North Carolina, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, and Louisiana„have organizations similar to the Michigan Military & Veterans Hall of Honor. What makes Michigans different, according to MMVHH secretary Pete Jennings, is its added mission to educate our fellow citizens about military service as a basic and honorable duty of citizenship.Ž That idea was lost, Jennings said, in the aftermath of the Vietnam War. Restoring the idea of military service as a civic responsibility seems like a tall order given the relatively small percentage of Americans who join the all-volunteer services. But Keith King isnt daunted. Well, its like my granddaughter,Ž he said. I was with her recently, and she was asking about the Veterans Hall of Honor and what its all about, and I told her. And she said, Wow, thats a big deal! Yeah, it is a big deal. She gets it.ŽKEITH KING Continued from page 43 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:50 PM Page 49

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THEVVA VETERAN 50 BY SHARON HOBBS T he AVVA Mission Statement says: To provide support to veterans and their families through programs, projects, and education.Ž The In Memory Plaque has been one of the most long-standing, endearing, and passionate projects the Associates of Vietnam Veterans of America has ever undertaken. We are elated to see it modified into a respectful tribute. The repair and remodeling of the In Memory Plaque was finished in November of 2018. The rededication took place on Memorial Day 2019. The new plaque is raised and angles toward the visitor; the lettering is gold and more legible. The effort to upgrade the plaque has been over ten years in the making, with AVVA leading the way. In 2015 the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund joined us; our combined efforts made the completion and rededication happen. The In Memory Plaque was a vision of Ruth Coder Fitzgerald, who believed that her brother, Air Force helicopter pilot John Coder, was a victim of Agent Orange exposure. He died of non-Hodgkins lymphoma in 1992. Ruth Fitzgerald approached AVVA and VVA in 1996 with the idea of a plaque; both organizations supported her efforts. Ruth and Barry Fitzgerald formed a committee that included some influential and determined individuals with loved ones who made it home only to die later due to their service. The In Memory Plaque was dedicated in 2004 as part of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The plaque lay flat against the grounds surface; it was not easily seen because it blended with the paver stones. On occasion, visitors inadvertently stood on it. VVMF has managed the plaque since 1999. An annual ceremony to induct new honorees is held the Saturday before Fathers Day. Criteria for induction and a listing of all honorees can be found at www.vvmf.org Each veteran has a personal page as part of the In Memory Honor Roll in which loved ones can post photos and leave remembrances. More than 3,600 veterans have been honored through this program; 534 veterans were inducted into the In Memory Honor Roll this June. In an article in The VVA Veteran former AVVA President Mary Miller wrote: AVVA and VVA pledged to take care of the plaque after Ruth and Barry Fitzgerald retired.Ž Today, with VVMFs help, we have fulfilled that pledge. Although the repair is not what AVVA envisioned when we started this journey, it now has a presence, can be easily found, and no one will accidently stand on it. We consider this long-awaited completion a success, and we are grateful to Jim Knotts, CEO of VVMF. He was AVVAs true champion in this endeavor. Our design architect, J.C. Cummings, worked diligently with the National Park Service, the Council of Fine Arts, and the D.C. Planning Commission to make this long-awaited modification happen. Knotts anticipates that lighting to spotlight the plaque will be completed soon. VVMF paid for the production and installation of the plaque through support of generous donors. For more info, go to www.vvmf.org/inmemory or www.vvmf.org/ honor-roll Sharon Hobbs is the outgoing president of Associates of Vietnam Veterans of America. PARTING SHOT Rededication of the In Memory PlaqueLEE BACH PHAN AVVA President Sharon Hobbs, VVA Vice President Marsha Four, and VVMF CEO Jim Knotts unveiled the In Memory Plaque on May 27. 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:50 PM Page 50

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YOU SERVED OUR NATION, let us serve you No Department of Defense or government agency endorsement. USAA means United Services Automobile Association and its insurance, banking, investment, and other companies. Banks Member FDIC. Investments provided by USAA Investment Management Company and USAA Financial Advisors Inc., both registered broker dealers, and a liates. Use of the term memberŽ or membershipŽ refers to membership in USAA Membership Services and does not convey any leg al or ownership rights in USAA. Restrictions apply and are subject to change. To join USAA, separated military personnel must have received a discharge type of Honorable.Ž Eligible former dependents of USAA members may join USAA. Vietnam Veterans of America receives “ nancial support from USAA for this sponsorship. 2019 USAA. 259534-0419-VVAINSURANCE | BANKING | INVESTMENTS | ADVICEUSAA proudly offers free membership to anyone who has honorably served our country. We welcome all branches, all ranks and all generations. Join the millions of servicemembers and veterans like you already taking advantage of our financial products and award-winning customer service. For all the reasons you served, we serve you.NOWS THE TIME TO JOIN USAACALL 866-916-4VVA (4882) OR VISIT USAA.COM/VVA 11015 VVA.mech8.qxp_magazine 6/27/19 11:50 PM Page 51

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