Texas Spring 2017

S VETERAN MAGAZINE NATIONAL

The Best Veterans Magazine in America

VETERANS MILITARY POLICE FIRE l

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TEXAS

VA Community Newsletter Texas Veterans Commission Texas Senate Veteran Affairs Texas Military Department Texas General Land Office Diabetes Prevention David Robinson

Rowan Windham Tribute

THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IS MILITARY CITY, USA

HONOR FLIGHT BRINGS VETERANS TO WASHINGTON DC

THANK YOU TO OUR VETERANS

THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS

GREG ABBOTT

Governor of Texas

Greg Abbott was the longestserving Attorney General in Texas before being elected to serve as the 48th Governor of State of Texas Governor Abbott cast a vision to build a better future for Texas, a vision focused on creating jobs and economic opportunity, improving education, building transportation infrastructure and securing Texas” border in the face of federal government inaction.

Prior to serving as the Attorney General of Texas, Governor Greg Abbott served as a Justice on the Texas Supreme Court and as a State District Judge A native Texan, Governor Abbott was born in Wichita Falls and raised in Duncanville. After graduating from The University of Texas at Austin with a B.B.A. in Finance, he received his law degree from Vanderbilt University Law School. Shortly after graduating from law school, he was partially paralyzed by a falling tree while jogging. He is an avid sportsman and hunter.

Abbott called his win a testament to a state where “a young man”s life can literally be broken in half” and still recover — a reference to the accident that paralyzed him from the waist down. He said he would work to make government “the servant of the people — not the other way around.”

Governor Abbott Serves Texas National Guard members.

Honored to unveil the new flag for the Korean War veterans.

“The men and women of the U.S. Military who put service above self to preserve and defend our cherished freedoms are what makes America the brightest beacon of freedom in the world. May we never forget the sacrifices of the valiant troops that put themselves in harm”s way, and the nearly two million veterans and their families that call Texas home. I share with all veterans and military families the enduring gratitude of the people of Texas for your bravery on and off the battlefield.”

— Governor of Texas Greg Abbott

ECONOMIC IMPACT OF MILITARY BASES IN TEXAS Total Annual Economic Impact to Texas is $148.91 billion Joint Base, San Antonio, San Antonio — $48.7 Billion Fort Hood Army Base, Killeen — $44.49 Billion Fort Bliss Army Base, El Paso — $25.48 Billion Naval Air Station, Ft. Worth — $9.26 Billion Sheppard Air Force Base, Wichita Falls — $5.61 Billion Goodfellow Air Force Base, San Angelo — $4.35 Billion Dyess Air Force Base, Abilene — $3.7 Billion Corpus Christi Army Depot, Corpus Christi — $2.93 Billion Naval Air Station, Corpus Christi — $2.79 Billion Red River Army Depot, Texarkana — $1.9 Billion Laughlin Air Force Base, Del Rio — $1.65 Billion Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base, Houston — $148.7 Million Naval Air Station, Kingsville — $82 Million

TEXAS POPULATION 28,240,245

TEXAS VETERAN POPULATION 1,680,418 TEXAS MILITARY POPULATION 233,000

TEXAS AEROSPACE, AVIATION & DEFENSE INDUSTRY EMPLOYEES 184,800

Source: Texas Military Preparedness Commission Report 2016

Governor Abbott showing his support for Texas military.

Governor Abbott with the F-35.

“We are going to increase our jobs in Texas by 1,800 jobs.”

— Lockheed CEO Marillyn Hewson

GOVERNOR ABBOTT MEETS TAIWAN PRESIDENT

Governor Greg Abbott recently met with Her Excellency, Tsai Ing-wen, President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in Houston to discuss energy, trade relations and commercial ties between Taiwan and the State of Texas. Governor Abbott and President Tsai discussed ways to increase trade relations with Taiwan, particularly in the exchange of natural gas and agricultural products, of which Taiwan is a major consumer. Additionally, the two leaders discussed the strong biotechnology sectors in both Texas and Taiwan and the potential for future cooperation in medical facility development. Governor Abbott and President Tsai concluded the meeting by exchanging gifts, with President Tsai receiving a clock bearing the Texas State Seal and Governor Abbott receiving a Taiwanese vase.

“It was an honor to meet with President Tsai and discuss how our two economies can expand upon our already prosperous trade partnership,” said Governor Abbott. “Thanks to our favorable regulatory and legal climate, Texas remains and will continue to be a premier destination for Taiwanese businesses to expand and thrive. I look forward to strengthening Texas” bond with Taiwan and continuing my dialogue with President Tsai to create even more opportunity and a better future for our citizens.”

“Texas and Taiwan share longstanding relationship based on trade, investment, and tourism,” said President Tsai. “In 2015, Taiwan was Texas” 5th largest export market in Asia. Texas has attracted more than US$ 10 billion in investment from Taiwan companies, such as Formosa Plastics, Foxconn, Inventec, and Eva Air. The edge which Texas holds in energy, biotechnology, smart machinery, and defense industries overlaps with the 5 major innovative industries which my administration has been promoting in Taiwan. Therefore, I believe there will be more opportunities for both sides to work even closer in the future.”

Texas Governor Greg Abbott meets with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbill to discuss transportation and trade.

Pancake and Governor Abbott

“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened.”

— Anatole France PETS FOR VETS Adopt a pet see page 35

REMEMBERING ROWAN WINDHAM — THANK YOU FOR MAKING ME A SOLDIER It Was the Best Day of My Whole Life

Almost two years ago, we enlisted Pfc. Rowan Windham into our ranks in the Texas Army National Guard and made him a Texas Guardsman, a Cavalry Scout and part of our family. It is with great sadness that we tell you, our battle buddy Rowan has gone on to his final resting place on December 15, 2016.

Our deepest condolences, our thoughts and our prayers are with the Windham family and the many, many people this tough Soldier touched throughout his life. May you rest in peace Pfc. Windham. You are gone, but not forgotten. Rowan has been in an intensive care unit dealing with complications from his disorder, Shwachman-Diamond syndrome.

Rowan was truly an incredible boy who changed the lives of countless people

Major General John Nichols, the Adjutant General of Texas swearing in Rowan into the Texas Army National Guard.

with his unwavering faith, wisdom, wit, humor, maturity, inspiration, joy, hope, love, selflessness, bright smile, courage, strength, bravery, determination, and heroism. Rowan ALWAYS found the good in ALL situations.

He was only 10, but had spent over 1300 days in the hospital, had dozens of blood transfusions, made 80+ trips to the OR. He was one of the happiest, most amazing little boys you”ll ever meet though. He found joy in the little things, and never ever felt sorry for himself.

“He was an incredible kid,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Mark A. Weedon, senior enlisted advisor for the Texas Military Department. “He did more in his small 10 years of life, than some of us do in a lifetime.”

“ROWAN IS ONE OF US NOW.” — Command Sgt. Maj. Mark Weedon

The Windham Family celebrating Rowan”s big day.

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IN PURSUIT OF THE AMERICAN DREAM

by Mark Field, Publisher & Editor Growing up in New York City, I have some of my earliest memories of my Grandmother Jean taking me on the Staten Island Ferry to visit family. Crossing New York Harbor as a 5 year-old was astonishing. We always would stay down by the cars on the lower lever so I could feel the water splash onto the boat.

The skyscrapers in the background leaving Manhattan and passing the Statue of Liberty as the ship would motor across the harbor. As the ship pulled into Staten Island, the engines roared to slow the ship, the waves would throw the ship against the pier and suddenly we were docked. It was an amazing experience for a young child who dreamed of seeing the world. At that time, New York City was the world and I never felt safer than with my Grandmother Jean.

I never felt scared even through it was a city of twelve million people. My grandmother Jean was a strong woman who had the ability to make me feel protected. Little did I know then that those feelings of adventure would take me all over the planet on board US Navy submarines to explore the world.

There was never any other military branch option for me. From that early age, I was an explorer. I was to become a Sailor in the United States Navy.

I feel that same sense of wonder from exploring the world as a Veteran Entrepreneur with the NATIONAL VETERANS MAGAZINE. I go into the future remembering how my Grandmother made me feel that I can accomplish anything I set my mind, body and soul to.

As we grow across the United States of America, I think back to my childhood and I hope to draw from those experiences that I can build a bridge with the NATIONAL VETERANS MAGAZINE. I can feel my Grandmother Jean Bunim’s voice and spirit telling me to go forward and find my American Dream.

I want to be a vessel of hope and inspiration for veterans to find their American Dream. It is with great honor that I present this issue of the NATIONAL VETERANS MAGAZINE which is dedicated to all the grandparents who have the ability to make a child feel safe and help them dream that they can accomplish the world.

Please support our advertisers for they make this publication possible.

TEXAS WELCOMES THE NATIONAL VETERANS MAGAZINE

by Michael Guerrero, US Air Force Veteran Texas Regional Manager Welcome to the 2nd issue of the National Veterans Magazine for Texas. We have had tremendous interest and support from federal, state and city government leaders along with many non-profit organizations have said this is a great benefit to Texas. The most impactful moments have come from my fellow veterans whom I have met at the Audie Murphy VA Medical Center who have said they absolutely love the National Veterans Magazine. We are growing and now at 40 pages. The Arizona edition stands at 80 pages and we are working to ensure Texas has the most extensive veterans publication in the entire United States. Texas is military. Texas is veterans. Over 1.7M veterans live in Texas.

The Texas edition covers San Antonio and Austin metro areas including Killeen. Our plan for later this year is to expand with separate editions for the Dallas/Ft. Worth metro area and the Houston metro area.

This issue of the National Veterans Magazine is dedicated to all my fellow veterans in Texas. I am honored to represent Texas and I am here to serve my country and my home state of Texas.

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“Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”

— Saint Francis

TO GIVE IS TO RECEIVE

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace Where there is hatred, let me sow love.

Where there is injury, pardon.

Where there is discord, unity.

Where there is doubt, faith.

Where there is error, truth.

Where there is despair, hope.

Where there is sadness, joy.

Where there is darkness, light.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek To be consoled as to console.

To be understood as to understand.

To be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive.

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.

It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

— Saint Francis of Assisi

SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI died October 3rd, 1226 at the age of 44.

Returning from war as a young man, suffering from PTSD and moral injury, Francis renounced a life of wealth accumulation, instead devoting his life to serving the poor and outcasts of the social order. His love of animals and the natural world, and his efforts to end the ongoing carnage of the Crusades, resonated with people of his era, especially the young. His life and teachings transcend religious doctrine and inspire for his courage, devotion, and commitment to positive action in a troubled world. — Terry Araman

LET US PRAY “Lord, our God, As we begin this new year, we come before you, with a heartfelt prayer. Help us foster a committment to civility and compromise ; and, instill in us, kindness, cooperation, and mutual respect. Teach us what is honorable,righteous, and true. In our time, when self-serving attitudes abound, guide our dedicated public servants,to serve in a spirit of understanding and humility. Dear Lord, instill in our leaders, a moral and just vision of the future; so that, by their collective efforts, and your lovingkindness, the people of Texas may know a future, blessed with prosperity, equality, and peace. Amen! — Rabbi Bernard Savitz

THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Publisher & Editor Mark Field, US Navy Veteran

MarkField@NationalVeteransMagazine.com

Associate Editor & Graphic Design Dana Sill, US Air Force Veteran

DanaSiIl@NationalVeteransMagazine.com

Texas Regional Manager Mike Guerrero, US Air Force Veteran mikeguerrero1128@gmail.com Health Advisors Dr. Jeffrey Miller, Eddie Katz Editorial Advisors Joey Strickland, Rick Romley

Deputy Secretary of the US Veterans Affairs Administration Sloan Gibson and National Veterans Magazine Publisher Mark Field discussing veterans issues and the National Veterans Magazine expansion to reach every VA Medical Center and Clinic in the United States.

CONTRIBUTORS

Visit us at: www.nationalveteransmagazine.com

EXPERIENCING LOVE AND SURVIVING LOSS

by Mark Field When I was a young man, I proudly served my country in the US Navy. When I was a young man, I met a woman from Texas who touched my soul in a way that would never let me forget those moments. Some 20 years after she is gone and people around me would say that you will forget her.

When I think back to those years long ago, I should have fought more for this woman. I should have protected her from the negative forces in the world.

When I was on the operating table ready to leave this world, my thoughts were with her in knowing that I had experienced the deepest love I had ever known. I was at peace in knowing that I had experienced an emotional and spiritual connection with someone a long time ago. Sadly I would never experience that same feeling again.

I prayed that my time on earth was meaningful to other people. I heard back from God that my time was not over and that I still had more work to do.

Go off and seek to heal as many souls as you could. Find those veteran souls that need healing and help them find that same love you once found.

Help them feel that their country appreciates all their sacrifices.

I also heard from God to go find that woman and make sure she knows how you feel about the times you spent together, the words you said to each other and the connection that you will never find again.

20 years later I still search for that lost connection and if I ever find her again, I will rejoice in knowing that I am ready for the eternity.

The NATIONAL VETERANS MAGAZINE is coined.

Coin info: 855-477-7826

STATES WITH MOST VETERANS California - 1,942,775 Texas - 1,689,759 Florida - 1,588,029 Pennsylvania - 1,035,566 New York - 983,844 Ohio - 943,046 Virginia - 827,810 Illinois - 803,964 Georgia - 778,282 North Carolina - 776,683 Michigan - 719,393 Arizona - 660,000+ Washington - 617,225 Tennessee - 533,833 Missouri - 521,526 Source: US Census Bureau

Dr. David J. Shulkin Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, US Surgeon General US Senator John McCain Dr. Donna Campbell, Texas State Senator Ivy R. Taylor, Mayor of San Antonio George P. Bush, Texas Land Commissioner Dr. Joeseph Mercola; Dr. Jeffrey J. Harsh Dr. Jeffrey Miller; Ralph W. Moss, Ph. D., David J. McIntyre Jr.,TriWest David Robinson; Christine Gannon Steve Goetsch; Eric Brown Elizabeth Pena; Christina Clardy Hans Petersen; Tom Cramer Kay Miller; Amanda Dejesus Olivia Lerche; Yvette Brazier Elise Riley; Jennifer Berry Bonnie Campo & Jake Stein Matt Thielke & Katie Shepherd

VETERAN - OWNED BUSINESS PUBLISHED BY The Homefield Group Published Spring & Fall Spring 2017 Edition

Advertising: Michael Guerrero 210-278-8140

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Donald Trump PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

James Mattis SECRETARY OF DEFENSE

Rex Tillerson SECRETARY OF STATE

Dr. David Shulkin SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Mike Pompeo DIRECTOR CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY

Heather Wilson SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE

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Mike Pence VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

President Trump’s Speech to Congress (excerpts)

Dying industries will come roaring back to life. Heroic veterans will get the care they so desperately need. Our military will be given the resources its brave warriors so richly deserve. Crumbling infrastructure will be replaced with new roads, bridges, tunnels, airports and railways gleaming across our beautiful land. Our terrible drug epidemic will slow down and ultimately, stop.

And our neglected inner cities will see a rebirth of hope, safety, and opportunity.

Ford, Fiat-Chrysler, General Motors, Sprint, Softbank, Lockheed, Intel, Walmart, and many others, have announced that they will invest billions of dollars in the United States and will create tens of thousands of new American jobs.

The stock market has gained almost three trillion dollars in value since the election on November 8th, a record. We’ve saved taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars by bringing down the price of the fantastic new F-35 jet fighter, and will be saving billions more dollars on contracts all across our Government. We have placed a hiring freeze on non-military and non-essential Federal workers. We have begun to drain the swamp of government corruption by imposing a 5 year ban on lobbying by executive branch officials — and a lifetime ban on becoming lobbyists for a foreign government.

We have undertaken a historic effort to massively reduce job‑crushing regulations, creating a deregulation task force inside of every government agency; imposing a new rule which mandates that for every one new regulation, two old regulations must be eliminated; and stopping a regulation that threatens the future and livelihoods of our great coal miners.

We have cleared the way for the construction of the Keystone and Dakota access pipelines thereby — creating tens of thousands of jobs — and I’ve issued a new directive that new American pipelines be made with American steel. We have withdrawn the United States from the job-killing Trans-Pacific Partnership. With the help of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, we have formed a council with our neighbors in Canada to help ensure that women entrepreneurs have access to the networks, markets and capital they need to start a business and live out their financial dreams.

To protect our citizens, I have directed the Department of Justice to form a Task Force on Reducing Violent Crime. I have further ordered the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice, along with the Department of State and the Director of National Intelligence, to coordinate an aggressive strategy to dismantle the criminal cartels that have spread across our Nation.

We will stop the drugs from pouring into our country and poisoning our youth — and we will expand treatment for those who have become so badly addicted.

At the same time, my Administration has answered the pleas of the American people for immigration enforcement and border security. By finally enforcing our immigration laws, we will raise wages, help the unemployed, save billions of dollars, and make our communities safer for everyone. We want all Americans to succeed — but that can’t happen in an environment of lawless chaos. We must restore integrity and the rule of law to our borders.

America has spent approximately six trillion dollars in the Middle East, all this while our infrastructure at home is crumbling. With this six trillion dollars we could have rebuilt our country — twice. And maybe even three times if we had people who had the ability to negotiate.

To launch our national rebuilding, I will be asking the Congress to approve legislation that produces a $1 trillion investment in the infrastructure of the United States — financed through both public and private capital — creating millions of new jobs. This effort will be guided by two core principles: Buy American, and Hire American.

We must build bridges of cooperation and trust — not drive the wedge of disunity and division. Police and sheriffs are members of our community.

They are friends and neighbors, they are mothers and fathers, sons and daughters — and they leave behind loved ones every day who worry whether or not they’ll come home safe and sound. We must support the incredible men and women of law enforcement.

To keep America safe we must provide the men and women of the United States military with the tools they need to prevent war and — if they must — to fight and to win.

I am sending the Congress a budget that rebuilds the military, eliminates the Defense sequester, and calls for one of the largest increases in national defense spending in American history. My budget will also increase funding for our veterans. Our veterans have delivered for this Nation — and now we must deliver for them. The challenges we face as a Nation are great. But our people are even greater. And none are greater or braver than those who fight for America in uniform.

Americans prosper and grow — are not too much to ask. When we have all of this, we will have made America greater than ever before. For all Americans.

This is our vision. This is our mission. But we can only get there together. We are one people, with one destiny. We all bleed the same blood. We all salute the same flag. And we are all made by the same God. And when we fulfill this vision; when we celebrate our 250 years of glorious freedom, we will look back on tonight as when this new chapter of American Greatness began. The time for small thinking is over. The time for trivial fights is behind us. We just need the courage to share the dreams that fill our hearts. The bravery to express the hopes that stir our souls. And the confidence to turn those hopes and dreams to action.

From now on, America will be empowered by our aspirations, not burdened by our fears — inspired by the future, not bound by the failures of the past — and guided by our vision, not blinded by our doubts.

I am asking all citizens to embrace this Renewal of the American Spirit. I am asking all members of Congress to join me in dreaming big, and bold and daring things for our country. And I am asking everyone watching tonight to seize this moment and — Believe in yourselves. Believe in your future. And believe, once more, in America. Thank you, God bless you, and God Bless these United States.

John Kelly HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY

Jeff Sessions ATTORNEY GENERAL

Ben Carson SECRETARY HOUSING & URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Ryan Zinke SECRETARY INTERIOR

Nikki Haley UNITED NATIONS AMBASSADOR

Herbert R. McMaster NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR

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TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION

“It is our sacred responsibility to preserve the legacy of our nation’s patriots. We are bound by honor to do so. For without the courage and valor of our nation’s veterans, the values and principles that have made it possible for Americans to meet new challenges and move forward as a nation would have been lost.”— Eliseo “Al” Cantu, Chairman, Texas Veterans Commission

TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSONERS

THOMAS P. ELISEO CANTU JR. PALLADINO Corpus Christi Executive Director

JAMES H. SCOTT San Antonio

Stephen F. Austin Building, 1700 North Congress Ave. Suite 800, Austin, Texas 78701 www.tvc.texas.gov 512-463-6564

RICHARD A. MCLEON, IV, Henderson

J. K. “JAKE” ELLZEY, Midlothian

DANIEL P. MORAN, Cypress

2016 BUDGET — $26,977,476 TVC is authorized 382 full-time employees

THE TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION was created in 1927 as the State Service Office to assist veterans of the Indian wars, Spanish-American War and World War I. Our purpose has always been to act as the state appointed advocate of Texas veterans as they attempt to secure the benefits rightfully earned in exchange for their service in our nation’s armed forces.

MISSION: To advocate for and provide superior service to veterans in the areas of Claims Representation and Counseling, Veteran Employment Services, Veteran Education Services, and Fund for Veteran Assistance grant funding that will significantly improve the quality of life for all Texas veterans and their families.

VISION: To ensure that all veterans and their families understand and receive all the benefits, support, care, and recognition that they have earned and are entitled to, by expertly administering all current programs, anticipating future needs and taking appropriate action to meet these needs. Providing quality service through a dedicated, professional, and well-trained work force.

CORE VALUES: We hold ourselves personally and professionally accountable to provide exemplary customer service to veterans, their families, and survivors through our core values of: • Professionalism — Perform your duties to the highest standard and providing excellent customer service in every program area.

• Integrity — Provide fair, honest and objective advocacy in an ethical manner while displaying the highest standard of conduct both on and off duty.

• Compassion — Consistently demonstrate care, concern and understanding in every encounter with veterans, family members and stakeholders.

• Commitment — Fully dedicated to develop yourself to become the best you can be in carrying out the mission of the Texas Veterans Commission.

• Teamwork — Working together in a positive and productive manner to accomplish the mission and goals of the agency.

Of Superior Service to Those Who Served

Serving Veterans for Over 90 Years TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION PROGRAMS

CLAIMS REPRESENTATION AND COUNSELING serves veterans, their dependents and survivors, in all matters pertaining to veterans' disability benefits and rights. It is the designated agency of the state of Texas to represent the State and its veterans before the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

VETERANS EMPLOYMENT SERVICES offers employment services to Texas veterans and helps employers find qualified veteran job applicants.

The goal of these services is to match veteran job seekers with the best employment opportunities available.

VETERANS EDUCATION PROGRAM approves all programs for Chapter 30, 33, 35, 1606, and 1607 federal educational benefits. Through an approval process, the Texas Veterans Commission ensures that institutions and employers are in compliance with federal guidelines and are qualified to provide the type of training offered.

TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION FUND for Veterans’ Assistance is a program that makes grants available to eligible charitable organizations, local government agencies, and Veterans Service Organizations that provide direct services to Texas veterans and their families.

ANNA BAKER — Women Veterans Program Manager Anna Baker, MBA, is the Manager of the Texas Veterans Commission Women Veterans Program. She served in the Air Force from 1980 to 1984 as a Korean and Spanish translator/interpreter. Before joining the Texas Veterans Commission, she led sales, operations and project management for Dell Inc. and for Tech Data Corporation.

Helping others achieve success through mentoring and coaching, building business relationships, and serving the needs of customers has been the hallmark of her career. Now she brings those skills to the Women Veterans Program to connect women veterans with the benefits and services they have earned, and to assist the many Veteran Service Organizations that serve women veterans in the state of Texas coalesce around a holistic approach to serving women veterans and their families. You can contact Anna at anna.baker@tvc.texas.gov.

THE FUND FOR VETERANS’ ASSISTANCE PROGRAM awards four types of reimbursement grants: General Assistance, Housing For Texas Heroes, Veterans Mental Health, and Veterans Treatment Court. All offer funding to non-profit and local government organizations to provide direct services to Texas Veterans and their families. The FVA does not grant funds directly to Veterans. Veterans in need of assistance are asked to visit the Grants Awarded page to find organizations in their area for information on receiving assistance.

GENERAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS These grants address the needs of Texas veterans and their families. Such needs include, but are not limited to, the following: limited emergency assistance; family and child services; transportation services; legal services, excluding criminal defense; and employment, training, education, and job placement assistance.

HOUSING FOR TEXAS HEROES GRANTS These grants assist Texas veterans and their families in obtaining, maintaining, or improving housing. Projects include homeless veterans support, veteran homelessness prevention, home modification assistance, and housing assistance for families of veterans being treated at Texas medical facilities.

VETERANS MENTAL HEALTH GRANTS These grants address the mental health needs of veterans and their families.

Projects should emphasize direct services to veterans and their families and may include, but are not limited to: clinical counseling; peer delivered services; and non-clinical support services.

VETERANS TREATMENT COURT GRANTS These grants assist Texas Veterans in obtaining services through Veterans Treatment Court programs. Please refer to the Request for Applications to review program guidelines for the Veterans Treatment Court grants.

FVA FUNDING SOURCES The Fund for Veterans' Assistance General Assistance and Veterans Mental Health grants are funded through five primary sources: (1) $2 Scratch-off Lottery Game; (2) Donations either online or by check; (3) Vehicle Registration donations; (4) Driver License donations; and (5) State Employee Charitable Campaign (SECC). Donations can be sent to: Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans' Assistance. Post Office Box 1227. Austin, Texas 78711

JULIE PUZAN — Women Veterans Employment Coordinator Julie Puzan served in the United States Air Force as a Weapons Loader on the B-2 Bomber for six years. Upon separation in 2009, she attended the University of Central Missouri and obtained her Bachelor's Degree in Social Work. She moved back to Texas, her home state, and began working for the Texas Veterans Commission in September 2011 as a claims counselor and became the Women Veteran Employment Coordinator in September 2013. She is currently attending Our Lady of the Lake University part time to obtain her Masters Degree in Social Work. You can contact Julie at julie.puzan@tvc.texas.gov.

CARRIE SCONZA — Women Veterans Outreach Coordinator Carrie Sconza is a 20 year United States Navy Veteran and retired as a Navy Career Counselor in 2011. Using the Post-9/11 GI Bill, she completed her B.S. and M.S. ed. in Workforce Education and Development with Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. Carrie continued as an advocate for active duty and veterans benefits while working for the Navy Center for Personal and Professional Development. In November 2013 she became the Women Veteran Outreach Coordinator and is honored to continue her service to active duty members and veterans for the Texas Veterans Commission, Women Veterans Program. You can contact Carrie at carrie.sconza@tvc.texas.gov.

WOMEN VETERANS PROGRAM LEADERS

PAM MAERCKLEIN — Women Veterans Healthcare Advisor Pam Maercklein served eight years in the United States Air Force and was stationed in Japan, Germany and Cheyenne, Wyoming. Pam met her husband while they were in the service. Pam has worked for the Texas Veterans Commission for over 5 years. She first joined the TVC family as a claims counselor in the Austin office. Then in April 2013, she became the Women Veterans Coordinator.

Pam has her Master’s Degree in Education under Vocational Rehabilitation from the University of Texas-Austin. You can contact Pam at pam.maercklein@tvc.texas.gov.

The Texas Veterans Commission Newsletter is published at no cost to government.

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TEXAS VETERANS LOTTERY TICKET

Since 1992, the Texas Lottery has generated more than $25 billion in revenue for good causes in the state of Texas, including education, veterans' services and other important state programs. Through strict adherence to our vision, mission and core values, the Texas Lottery is dedicated to ensuring that these benefits continue.

The Texas Lottery Supports Texas Education. Since 1997*, the Texas Lottery has contributed $19 billion to the Foundation School Fund, which supports public education in Texas. In FY 2016, the Texas Lottery transferred $1.373 billion, its single largest annual contribution to date, to the Foundation School Fund.

The Texas Lottery supports Texas veterans. In 2009, legislation was passed directing the Texas Lottery to offer a scratch ticket game benefiting the Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans' Assistance (FVA). Since that time, the Texas Lottery has contributed more than $70 million for veterans programs.

The FVA makes grants available to eligible charitable organizations, local government agencies, and Veterans Service Organizations that provide direct services to Texas veterans and their families. More than 90 percent of the revenue contributed to the fund is derived from the sales of the Texas Lottery veterans' games. The first game was introduced in FY 2010 and since that time, additional games have been launched with the proceeds supporting the fund.

In FY 2016, $14.7 million was transferred to the Texas Veterans Commission.

The Texas Lottery supports other state programs. As authorized by the Texas Legislature, other Texas lottery funds, such as unclaimed prizes, contribute to other causes and programs. * Prior to 1997, the proceeds were allocated to the General Revenue Fund and were contributed for the benefit of all state programs.

Texas Lottery players can show their support for Texas veterans by purchasing the newest scratch ticket, Veterans Cash. The $2 game benefits the Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans Assistance.

Veterans Cash features over $6.6 million in prizes! The overall odds of winning are one in 4.14.

Since the first veterans’ themed scratch ticket was launched in 2009, the Texas Lottery has contributed more than $60 million for programs benefitting Texas veterans. The Fund for Veterans’ Assistance makes grants available to eligible charitable organizations, local government agencies, and Veterans Service Organizations that provide direct services to Texas veterans and their families. With 1.7 million veterans spread across the state, these programs provide financial assistance, transportation services, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder counseling and housing assistance.

Players interested in finding the game in their area can use the Scratch Ticket and Retailer Locator on the Texas Lottery website.

MEALS ON WHEELS FEEDS VETERANS

The Texas Veterans Commission is honored to provide life-sustaining services to hundreds of brave men and women who served our country honorably in the Armed Forces. Our veterans assistance program includes hot, nutritious meals as well as general case management.

Veterans at risk for malnourishment are also enrolled in our Breakfast Meal Program, a weekly supply of nutritious morning meals. Often times military veterans face unique challenges and circumstances that civilians don’t encounter. This program allows us to help these men and women navigate the complex array of benefits and resources available to veterans through a variety of government and private agencies.

ELIGIBILITY: Veterans, spouse or dependent of a veteran enrolled in any of our programs. Referral must come through our Supportive Case Manager or from a Program Service Coordinator. The program is supported by a grant from the Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans’ Assistance. The Fund for Veterans’ Assistance provides grants to organizations serving veterans and their families.

More info: call 512-476-6325 ext 262.

MORE INFO ON MEALS ON WHEELS: 210-735-5115 (San Antonio) or 512-476-6325 (Austin).

Show your support of Texas Veterans by purchasing this game at your local retailer.

TEXAS LOTTERY HELPS VETERAN

Veterans Cash is the newest $2 scratch-off game to support Texas Veterans. Sales of this game help support the TVC's Fund for Veterans' Assistance (FVA) program that awards grants to nonprofit organizations and units of local governments to address the needs of Texas veterans.

Recently, US Army veteran, Langston Triggs, threw the first pitch at the Round Rock Express Game this summer as part of the Texas Lottery's Winning Wednesday Promotion to highlight his story.

After losing his job of 16 years, US Army veteran Langston Trigg found "I'm so grateful for all the help I himself without an income. Struggling to find employment Langston lost his received from Green Doors and the house and his self-confidence. But Texas Veterans Commission," says Langston Triggs, Army Veteran." thanks to Green Doors and a grant from the Texas Veterans Commission, Langston is in a better state of mind with a place to call home in this time of transition.

VETERAN ENTREPRENEUR PROGRAM (VEP)

The purpose of the Veteran Entrepreneur Program (VEP) is to foster and promote Veteran Entrepreneurship throughout the state of Texas. The Texas Veterans Commission, with the help of the Governors office as well as several prominent Legislators, passed Senate Bill 1476 in 2013. This allowed for the funding of a team of experienced business consultants to be available for any veteran in the state of Texas to consult with, free of charge to the veteran.

Texas receives more than 35,000 veterans each year. Today’s veterans are poised to be the backbone of a new generation of small businesses that can quickly build a sustainable new job base in Texas. Veterans are eager to build for themselves, their families, and their Veteran employees, long-term careers and secure retirements through small business ownership.

A wealth of information, support and resources is available to veterans for starting, growing and thriving as entrepreneurs. The Texas Veterans Commission Veteran Entrepreneur Program is pulling all of the available resources together to 1) make them available to veterans and 2) ensure veterans are aware of those resources.

The Veteran Entrepreneur Program aims to bridge the gap between the available resources and Veteran entrepreneurs. Identifying funding sources, mentors, business opportunities and business education programs then providing that data in a one-stop-shop to demystify the business start-up process for would-be Veteran entrepreneurs and provide much needed support for fledgling Veteran Owned Businesses.

The ultimate goal of the Veteran Entrepreneur Program is the creation of an "Army" of Veteran Entrepreneurs throughout the state of Texas. These Veteran Entrepreneur businesses will add value to the communities where they are established and create employment opportunities for other veterans.

The Texas Veterans Commission Veteran Entrepreneur Program began conducting Entrepreneur Information Seminars throughout the State in July of 2012. Since that time, the Texas Veterans Commission's Veteran Entrepreneur Program has assisted more than 1,000 Veterans toward their goal of self-employment.

TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION IMPORTANT CONTACTS THOMAS P. PALLADINO Executive Director thomas.palladino@tvc.texas.gov 512-463-6564

CHARLES E. CATOE, Director Fund for Veterans’ Assistance charles.catoe@tvc.texas.gov 512-463-1157

TAMMY MICALLEF, Director Veterans Education Program VetsEd@tvc.texas.gov 512-463-3168

ROBYN PROVOST, MBA, Manager Veteran Entrepreneur Program robyn.provost@tvc.texas.gov 512-463-5173

CRUZ MONTEMAYOR Deputy Executive Director executiveoffice@tvc.texas.gov 512-463-6564

STAN KURTZ, Director Veterans Employment Services stan.kurtz@tvc.texas.gov 512-463-8016

VICTOR POLANCO IV, Director Claims Representation & Counseling victor.polanco@tvc.texas.gov 512-463-8370

ANNA M. BAKER, Manager Women Veterans Program anna.baker@tvc.texas.gov 512-463-6564

GREG SHIGEMASA, Manager Communication & Veterans Outreach greg.shigemasa@tvc.texas.gov 512-463-0680

SUE JEVNING, Manager Training and Events Program sue.jevning@tvc.texas.gov 512-0463-5339

JOSE SILVA, Manager Veterans Health Care Advocacy jose.silva@tvc.texas.gov 800-252-VETS (8387)

TIM KEESLING, Interim Director Veterans Mental Health Program tim.keesling@tvc.texas.gov 512-463-8834

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TRANSITION FROM MILITARY TO VETERAN

by George P. Bush, Texas Land Commissioner The “Voices of Veterans” oral history program seeks to record the stories of Texas veterans and archive the transcripts in the Office of Veterans Records for future researchers, historians, genealogists and the general public. Every veteran has a story to tell, and this program will ensure these stories of courage and service can inspire Texans for generations to come.

Voices of Veterans represents the first time a state agency has ventured into the field of veterans' oral histories. The Veterans Land Board is a natural host for the program, managing eight existing Texas State Veterans Homes. The homes currently provide long-term care for about 900 senior veterans, many of whom are eager to tell their story.

The Voices of Veterans program joins the ranks of other successful oral history programs, such as the Vietnam Archive Oral History Project at Texas Tech University and the Oral History Program at the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg. While these programs focus on specific conflicts, the Voices of Veterans program is open to any Texas veteran who served in the Armed Forces, from World War II to the War on Terror.

Veteran interviews are permanently archived in the Office of Veterans Records at the Texas General Land Office, where they join the historic documents of other Texas heroes such as Sam Houston, David Crockett, Jim Bowie and William Barret Travis. The archives are made available to researchers, historians, genealogists and the general public to inspire future generations and remind us of our veterans' sacrifices.

Any veteran interested in including his or her story in the Voices of Veterans program should contact the Veterans Land Board at 1-800-252-VETS (8387), or send an e-mail to monica.brown@glo.texas.gov. Oral history interviews can be conducted in person at the Veterans Land Board in Austin, or by telephone from anywhere in Texas. Interviews usually last from one to two hours.

Read or listen to dozens of Texas Veteran's History at: www.glo.texas.gov/voices-of-veterans/index.html

GEORGE BUSH PAINTS PORTRAITS OF COURAGE

“Over the past several months, I've painted the portraits of 98 wounded warriors I've gotten to know — remarkable men and women who were injured carrying out my orders. I think about them on Veterans Day and every day. Their paintings and stories will be featured in PORTRAITS OF COURAGE — a book and special exhibit next spring, and I am donating all my proceeds to the George W. Bush Presidential Center and our Military Service Initiative's work to honor and support them.” — George W. Bush Learn more at www.georgewbushbooks.com

TEXAS OFFERS FREE COLLEGE TUITION

The Hazlewood Act, a Texas program that offers free college education for military veterans provided they lived in Texas when they enlisted has been upheld by the US Supreme Court. Texas legislators expanded the program in 2009 to include the children of veterans. A veteran who enlisted in Georgia but moved to Texas after his discharge challenged the law’s Texas enlistment requirements. He won a trial court ruling state officials worried would greatly increase the program’s costs. Texas appealed to the US 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. However, it was ruled that Texas residency rules were constitutional and Texas has the right to regulate its own education system.

by Eric Brown, US Air Force, ret.

I often recall raising my right hand and reciting the Oath of Enlistment at the Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) in Dallas, Texas. This was the beginning of what would become a lifealtering decision to serve others, with a fundamental desire to be a better man. Crossing this threshold toward service for my country would eventually expose me to a unique and demanding environment of integrity, service before self, and excellence in all that was required of me.

A clear understanding of these core principles early in my career had a profound impact on my ability to navigate the often challenging aspects of military service.

This included intense technical training, humanitarian missions, combat operations, and many Air Force cultural changes, including significant shifts in the military’s war-fighting philosophy.

The US Air Force core principles of Integrity first, Service before self, and Excellence in all we do, provided a clear path for personal and organizational success for me as an Airman. Little did I know at the time that these same core principles would serve as important pillars of success during my transition, and eventual immersion, into civilian life.

Successful transition from such a structured and deeply honorable way of life can be challenging, but is possible through a diligent effort to never lose sight of the core principles that afforded each of us success during our military service. During my initial transition and exposure to the civilian realm, continuous communications with my spouse, setting transitional goals, and accepting the support of fellow veterans along the way, were the most important keys to my own transitional successful. Although everyone will have different experiences during transition, never lose sight of what made you outstanding in service, and continue to maintain and embrace these principles during your first year as a civilian and beyond.

I vividly remember a brief, but life-changing statement made by a dear uncle, early in my career. He stopped abruptly in the middle of a conversation with me and exclaimed, “You’re a military man!” In my youthful immaturity, I rejected this notion and preferred instead to hold on to the belief that I was the same person I was before I entered the service and nothing would ever change who I was. What I realized later was that he saw something I hadn’t yet seen in myself: I had developed my own integrity, service before self, and excellence. He saw in me a level of professionalism that was nurtured and honed by the best military in the world.

During transition and your first year out of service, this professionalism will continue to be evident to those around you. It’s up to each of you to continue upholding those core principles and values, and understand the importance of continued flexibility and adaptability.

In summary, it is my hope that you consider three important factors during transition and your first year as a veteran: 1. As a military member, you were a well trained professional, who was held to extremely high standards. In civilian life, you are still a well trained professional, but must make the effort to hold yourself to those same high standards.

2. Keep your family involved every step of the way, because they are transitioning right along with you. Communication helps fill gaps that would otherwise be filled with uncertainty and fear of the unknown.

3. Seek and accept the assistance of fellow veterans and the many support services available to you as a veteran.

In closing, I leave you with a quote from an unnamed author during the eulogy for his father, who served America for many years in the US Senate: “Always be willing to compromise, but never compromise your principles.”

Eric Brown served in the US Air Force for 22 years and retired on December 1, 2009. After serving 15 years in support of combat operations, he entered the medical field, which included mental health and substance abuse services, and family advocacy.

Eric was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Chief Master Sgt Lewis W. Dunlap Outstanding Senior NCO of the Year, Pacific Air Forces, the 374 Medical Group Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, the 374 Medical Operations Squadron Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, and was a Distinguished Graduate of the Air Force Mental Eric Brown congratulates Tony Acevedo for his Memorial Services Health Technician course.

In January of 2012 Eric joined the Detachments support of the Coastal Texas Veterans Land Board (VLB) as a Bend Cemetery in Corpus Christi. management analyst and later became the Deputy Director for the VLB Texas State Veterans Cemeteries program.

A MORAL OUTRAGE — WAR MEMORIAL VANDALIZED

Criminals vandalized war memorial in Los Angeles, California.

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TEXAS SENATE VETERAN AFFAIRS AND BORDER SECURITY COMMITTEE COMMUNITY OUTREACH NEWSLETTER SENATOR DONNA CAMPBELL Chairwoman

Senator Donna Campbell is a board certified emergency room physician and represents Texas Senate District 25, a six county district which includes parts of San Antonio and Austin. She serves as the Chairwoman of the Texas Senate Veteran Affairs and Border Security Committee.

She has received honors for her legislative accomplishments from the NRA, Texas Alliance for Life, and the Texas Veterans Commission. Senator Campbell was born on a naval base and grew up with a great respect for the military and law enforcement.

SENATOR DON HUFFINES Vice-Chairman

Senator Don Huffines was born in Dallas and is a fifth generation Texan. Don’s grandfather founded Huffines Auto Group in 1924, which is still family owned. In 1985, Don and his twin brother Phillip started Huffines Communities, one of the largest real estate land development companies in DFW. Don graduated from UT Austin with a Finance Degree in 1981. Don was first elected to the Texas Senate in 2014.

SENATOR DAWN BUCKINGHAM

Senator Dawn Buckingham is a graduate of the University of Texas-Austin and received her medical degree from the Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Dawn Buckingham's forefathers were among the first settlers to Texas seven generations ago. Dawn's commitment to service and recognition for her work has allowed her to hold leadership positions in local, state, and national medical organizations.

SENATOR ROBERT HALL

Senator Bob Hall graduated from The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina with a degree in Electrical Engineering and received a Regular Commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Air Force. Bob began his active duty as a Systems Engineer working to develop the Minuteman Missile System during the Cold War at Norton AFB in California, where he achieved the rank of Captain. After the Air Force he worked in the Aerospace industry as a systems engineer and business development manager.

SENATOR EDDIE LUCIO, JR.

Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr., a native of Brownsville, began his public service in 1971, becoming Cameron County Treasurer and later Cameron County Commissioner.

In addition to his Senate Committee assignments, Senator Lucio serves on the Texas Legislative Council, he created and sits on the Interagency Task Force on Children with Special Needs and serves as chair of the Texas Tourism Caucus. He also represents Texas on a number of national committees.

TEXAS SENATE VETERAN AFFAIRS UPDATE

by Dr. Donna Campbell, Texas State Senator Chairwoman, Texas Senate Veteran Affairs and Border Security Committee There is no more honorable profession and no greater title of valor than to be called a veteran. I start out each Veteran Affairs and Border Security (VABS) Committee hearing in the Texas Senate with that proclamation, reminding our fellow Texans of how much we appreciate the brave men and women who serve our country.

We are indebted to our veterans for protecting our freedom, and there is no group that understands the high price of freedom greater than our veterans The National Veterans Magazine is and military families. committed to serving the needs of As Chairwoman of the VABS veterans in Texas. (l-r) Publisher Committee in the Texas Senate, it is my Mark Field, Senator Donna Campbell privilege to serve 1.7 million Texas and Texas Manager Michael Guerrero veterans and their families. Having been discussing how working together, born on a military base while my father both media and government, to was serving in the US Navy, I have improve community outreach and always had a great deal of respect and support meaningful legislation. admiration for the men and women who valiantly serve our country.

Texans demand that our veterans and military families are recognized not just in words, but also in deeds. As a result, the state legislature has instituted a number of successful programs, policies, and agencies over the years to assist veterans and with veterans' needs in mind.

During the 2015 legislative session, our committee passed 55 bills which ultimately reached Governor Abbott's desk on their way to becoming law. These laws address important issues for the veteran community including improved access to mental health care, employment assistance and the addition of workforce resources, strengthening the College Credit for Heroes program, and providing tax relief for veteran homeowners and veteran-owned businesses.

In addition to the committee's work in the Texas Senate, our veterans are also served by the following state agencies and services: • Texas Veterans Commission — Advocates on behalf of Texas veterans by helping secure the benefits they rightfully earned in exchange for their service.

• Veterans Land Board (part of the General Land Office) — Provides low interest homes, land, and home-improvement loans. This agency and the Texas Veterans Commission share a call center (1-800-252-VETS).

• A Texas Veterans App, the Texas Veterans web portal & a job training program.

During 2016, our committee also studied the successes and challenges of veterans' courts in Texas to encourage efforts to help veterans who have committed crimes through means other than incarceration.

Veteran Treatment Courts utilize programs that focus on community service and family involvement, require sobriety, and are facilitated with close supervision by the judge and a team of mentors and volunteers. Texas counties that have implemented these courts have already seen promising results and lower recidivism rates, and we hope to find ways to expand them into more counties next year.

With a fresh 140 days to file and pass bills in 2017, there are many successes to build on. In the Texas Senate, we put veterans first and the hard work to give back to our veterans continues. The Texas Senate Veteran Affairs and Border Security Committee is here to serve you, and as Chairwoman, I want to hear from you about the issues that affect you the most. Veterans and their family members are encouraged to contact us at veteran.affairs@senate.texas.gov or 512-463-1122.

SENATOR JOSÉ RODRÍGUEZ

José Rodríguez was elected in 2010 to represent Texas Senate District 29 (SD 29), which includes the counties of El Paso, Hudspeth, Culberson, Jeff Davis, and Presidio. He represents both urban and rural constituencies, and more than 350 miles of the Texas-Mexico border.

Prior to his election to the Texas Senate, Sen. Rodríguez served as the El Paso County Attorney for 17 years, where he established an unparalleled record of achievement, improving public safety, enhancing legal services to protect vulnerable citizens, promoting education, increasing County revenues and funding for jobs and economic development, and strengthening community health and environmental quality.

SENATOR CARLOS URESTI

Senator Carlos I. Uresti is a US Marine Corps veteran and is a lifelong resident of his district. Senator Uresti was elected to the Texas Senate in 2006 and is a champion of children, seniors, and veterans. Senator Uresti cosponsored legislation granted a full homeowners property tax exemption to veterans who were 100 percent disabled from their military service. Senator Uresti is a lifetime member of Veteran of Foreign Wars Manuel Alvarado Post 9186, a member of the United States Marine Corps League, the American Legion, and the Alamo Silver Wings Airborne Association.

For more information about the Texas Senate Veteran Affairs and Border Security Committee, Contact: Carrie Smith, Clerk 512-463-2211, carrie.smith_sc@senate.texas.gov

• Study the state of veteran health and mental health in Texas. Review the progress made by state strike force teams to reduce the claims backlog and decrease wait times at VA hospitals. Evaluate if the passage of the federal Veterans’ Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014 and other state initiatives have improved access and outcomes.

Determine if state strike force teams should continue as established and make recommendations on necessary changes.

• Study current veteran hiring policies among state agencies and consider the effectiveness of a percentage-based system. Make recommendations if there are other ways to equitably measure the success of veteran employment within an agency.

• Given pending litigation on the subject, study what veteran benefits, if any, are currently only offered to residents of the state of Texas-whether by being born here or by entering the service in Texas — and assess whether any of these additional benefits leave the state liable for lawsuits under the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Make recommendations for legislation that could reduce the state's liability.

• During 2016, our committee also studied the successes and challenges of veterans’ courts in Texas, including evidence of rehabilitation or recidivism.

Consider alternative means of funding, such as voluntary donations at points of contact with state services, and make recommendations.

• Consider best practices for improving the military value at military installations in Texas. Determine cost-effective policies and make recommendations that would strengthen military value.

• Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs and Border Security during the 84th Legislature, Regular Session and make recommendations for any legislation needed to improve, enhance, and/or complete implementation. Specifically, monitor the implementation of legislation relating to the qualifications of veteran county service officers, and make recommendations if further changes should be made.

SENATE VETERAN AFFAIRS AND BORDER SECURITY COMMITTEE GOALS

This Community Outreach Newsletter is published at no cost to government.

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SAN ANTONIO SUPPORTS MILITARY & VETERANS San Antonio has 80,000 military & 320,000 veterans

by Ivy R. Taylor Mayor, City of San Antonio San Antonio has been home to a consistent military presence for nearly 300 years, which is why we are known as “Military City, U.S.A.” Just last month, the Association of Defense Communities in conjunction with the House and Senate Defense Community Caucuses named us to the Great American Defense Communities (ADC) Class of 2017. The designation helps recognize communities that are working to improve the lives of service members, veterans and their families.

San Antonio currently has about 80,000 active duty members as well as 320,000 veterans, reservists, guardsmen and retirees. The City is committed to working with them through several initiatives. The Good Samaritan Veterans Outreach Training Center at St. Philip’s College provides much needed services like business planning, education, counseling, home-buying guidance and assistance with Veterans Affairs benefits; ridesharing company, Uber, announced its plan to hire more veterans as drivers; and the Mayor’s Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness achieved Functional Zero last May, moving more than 1,300 homeless veterans into permanent housing.

USAA, one of San Antonio’s biggest corporations, along with the City, Bexar County, Texas Serves and Walmart partnered to support Bunker Labs, a startup ecosystem that is helping veterans transition out of the military and find fulfilling careers, potentially as entrepreneurs. USAA is also sponsoring service members and veterans with a discounted membership to Geekdom, a co-working space that provides entrepreneurial support for those seeking to start a company.

There is still more work to do. Because the military is one of the biggest contributors to our local economy and officers, soldiers and military contractors travel between San Antonio and Washington, D.C. on a daily basis.

I am trying to secure a non-stop flight between our cities. Last month, I led a delegation of business, City and County leaders to D.C. where we met with elected officials as well as federal transportation representatives. I am hopeful that our conversations have set us on a path toward achieving our goal.

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SAN ANTONIO OFFICE OF MILITARY AFAIRS

The Director of the Office of Military Affairs for the City of San Antonio understands the challenges of today’s veterans. Major General Juan G. Ayala USMC (ret) spent 36 years in the United States Marine Corps. His experience in combat and working in the challenging environment of the Pentagon prepared him well for his current position. His Deputy Director, Lt. Col. Karen Rolirad USAF (ret), also brings an understanding of the post 9-11 veteran and knowledge of this great city. A San Antonio native, she understands the landscape of the community.

Together, they are working in close partnership with several organizations in the San Antonio region to establish a clearinghouse for services provided by the numerous local, state and federal veteran support organizations that address the many pressing issues affecting veterans. These include elderly services, disabled services, education, transition from military service, health care, employment and family support for the approximately one quarter million veterans in the region.

In addition, the Mayor of San Antonio, Ivy R. Taylor, spearheaded an initiative to eliminate homelessness for San Antonio veterans. This highly successful effort resulted in the elimination of functional homelessness, and San Antonio being recognized for their outstanding efforts. “All you need is three things: A brick and mortar center, individuals who specialize in veteran needs and the veterans themselves,” said Maj. Gen. Ayala. San Antonio is developing a Veteran Outreach Center at St. Phillips College to fulfill this need with an estimated completion date sometime this year.

The Office of Military Affairs (OMA) develops, strengthens and institutionalize relationships with key leaders from the City of San Antonio (CoSA) and surrounding municipalities’ military, civic, business, and academic communities in order to sustain and enhance Joint Base San Antonio’s (JBSA) mission readiness, and ensure the long term protection of its military bases. OMA will serve as CoSA’s formal link between the military community, veteran support organizations, and surrounding municipalities in areas of common concern.

Finally, OMA assists the Mayor with the Commission on Veteran Affairs.

Chartered in 2001, this eleven-member board serves the Mayor and ten City Council Districts in an advisory capacity focused on all veteran issues within the community. “The veterans in San Antonio are extremely important to this great city. Despite the uniform they wore, they all took the same oath to support and defend this great nation. They deserve the best care and support this city can provide. It is our privilege to serve them”, stated Lt. Col. (ret) Karen Rolirad.

SAN ANTONIO CITY & COMMUNITY LEADERS

The San Antonio Mayor and City Councilmembers meeting with US Senator John Cornyn about non-stop flight service from San Antonio to Washington DC.

Mayor Ivy Taylor with County Judge Nelson Wolff and tech industry leaders at Geekdom, a co-working space in San Antonio where entrepreneurs, technologists, developers, makers & creatives build on ideas & businesses.

110 E. Houston Street, San Antonio, 210-373-6730, www.geekdom.com.

San Antonio Coalition for Veterans & Families, with support from H-E-B sponsored 14 veteran families with meals & presents for 22 children.

SACVF meeting dates are 1:30pm on the first Wednesday of every month — April 5, May 3, June 7, July 5, Aug 2, Sept 6 More info: www.sacvf.org.

THE ART INSTITUTE PROVIDES ART, FASHION, FILM AND CULINARY EDUCATION • Visual Design • Interior Design • Marketing • Animation & Effects • Film & Production • Gaming & Technology • Fashion • Culinary

10000 IH-10 West, #200, San Antonio 210-338-7322, www.artinstitutes.edu

Nearly 50% of students are veterans and they recently opened a Student Veterans Center on campus.

QUOTES FROM CURRENT & FORMER STUDENTS: “I’ve been a successful graphic designer/computer animator for the past 7 years and it was because of my Art Institute degree that I was able to first get my foot in the door.”

“I’ve been going to the school over a year now to this point. My opinion is that it's a great school, the classes are small which allows teacher/student instructional assistance. Print lab, library and other student resources are very easy to access. I have seen students have jobs before they even graduate.” — Art Institute student “I'm a current student and I like the school and I love doing filming.

I've learned a lot coming to this school.”

(l-r) JIMMIE ALLEN USMC, Culinary Management, Bachelor of Science in Baking & Pastry; KELLIE FREDSHOLM USAF, Culinary Management, Bachelor of Science; MICHELLE BELLAMY USAF, Baking & Pastry, Associate of Applied Science.

“The culinary program is great!! The chefs and professors are awesome. They are there to help you and push you to succeed.

However, it takes hard work and dedication in this school. You cannot just breeze through the classes. If you do your homework, you should be do just fine! It's such a pleasure going to this school!”

Call or visit for a free tour of The Art Institute: 210-338-7322

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TEXAS MILITARY DEPARTMENT

The Texas Military is commanded by The Adjutant General of Texas, the state’s senior military official appointed by the governor, and is comprised of the Texas Military Department, the Texas Army National Guard (TXARNG), the Texas Air National Guard (TXANG), the Texas State Guard (TXSG) and the Domestic Operations Task Force (DOMOPS).

OUR VISION: America’s premier state military organization comprised of professional missionready forces, fully engaged with our communities, and relevant through the 21st century.

OUR MISSION: Provide the Governor and the President with ready forces in support of state and federal authorities at home and abroad

TEXAS GUARDSMAN SAVES LIFE OF BLIND MAN

CHUCK ARIS PROMOTED TO BRIGADIER GENERAL

by Spc. Christina Clardy Colonel Charles “Chuck” Aris, the Assistant Division Commander of Support, recently was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in a ceremony at Camp Mabry.

Maj. Gen. James K. “Red” Brown, the Deputy Commanding General — Reserve Component, United States Forces, promoted Aris to his one-star rank with his friends, family members photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michael Leslie and colleagues present.

During the ceremony, Brown, a former commanding general of the 36th Inf. Div., and Aris’ wife of 26 years, Amy, pinned the new general’s rank to the shoulders of his uniform. His son Matthew and daughter Kate presented him with a one-star general’s flag, a traditional general officer’s belt, and a desk placard. As per Texas tradition, Aris then gave bouquets of yellow roses to both his wife and his mother, Janice.

“Aris is one of those officers that we always knew was going to rise to the top,” said Brown. “He and his family are the ultimate traditional National Guard family. As a civilian, Chuck is a very distinguished and a very successful attorney, who doesn’t have to do this; but he chooses to do so as a service to this great state and this great nation.”

Because of his dual military and civilian careers, several military dignitaries and civilian colleagues attended the ceremony, including Maj. Gen. John F. Nichols, the Adjutant General of the Texas Military Department, Maj. Gen. Lester Simpson, Commanding General of the 36th Infantry Division Commander, and fellow attorneys from his law firm. Aris, a resident of Waxahachie, Texas, is also a partner with the Dallas-based Byrne, Cardenas and Aris Law Firm, where he handles civil litigation. “I want to say thank you to every senior leader, every mentor and every person in my life who has supported, trained, and guided me,” said Aris. “But I need to say ‘thank you’ to my family, because without them, their love and their support, I would not be standing where I am today.”

Aris will deploy to southern Afghanistan next year as the Commander of the Train, Advise and Assist Command — South in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. “Its an honor to be selected for this [promotion and deployment],” said Aris. “I pledge to do my very best to make sure that we excel in this mission and continue the great heritage of the Texas Army National Guard.”

His most recent assignments include serving as the acting Assistant Division Commander of Maneuver, division Chief of Staff, and Commander of both the 56th and 72nd Infantry Brigade Combat Teams. He served as a task force commander during a 2005 rotation to Kosovo, and deployed to Iraq in 2009 as an assistant chief of staff in operations.

In 1998, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree and commission from the Texas A&M University and was awarded as a Distinguished Military Graduate in the ROTC program. After serving on Active Duty in the Army, in 1993 he joined the Texas Army National Guard. Aris also holds a Master of Science from the Army War College and a Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law. Aris’ awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (with two Oak Leaf Clusters), Kosovo Campaign Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal (with two service stars), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Humanitarian Service Medal.

The mission of the 36th Infantry Division is to provide ready and responsive forces that can deploy to conduct unified land operations in joint and coalition environments, in support of a geographical combatant commander. On order, the division provides defense support to civil authorities within the United States in support of state and federal agencies.

by Sgt. Elizabeth Pena Disaster can strike at anytime.

Citizen-soldiers of the Texas Army National Guard are taught to always be prepared.

Texas Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Aaron Dias, recruiting and retention officer for the Recruiting and Retention Battalion, Region II, Team VII in Tyler, was driving back from the Military Entrance Processing Station in Shreveport, Louisiana, to his armory in Tyler with his recruit when disaster struck.

“The sun was starting to set,” said Dias. “It was to that point where you run into the sun it kind of casts a glare on you.” Hiwatha Hudson, a legally blind 55-year-old man had just stepped off to cross the street Texas Army National Guard Staff Sgt. with his cane. “My applicant in the Aaron Dias, recruiting and retention passenger seat hollered at me ‘there’s officer for the Recruiting and someone on the road!’ said Dias. Retention Battalion, Region II, Team “Sure enough, as soon as we cast VII, enjoys lunch with his six-year-old over the hill, I saw a silhouette of a son Gavin, left, and 18-month-old man and I swerved to miss him.”

Aeryn, right, at a local resturant Nov. At that moment Dias was thankful 12, 2016, in Tyler, Texas. Dias is he avoided the man, but as he was responsible for rendering aid and pulling over, he saw something saving the life a blind pedestrian that horrid. “Then I looked back in my was struck by a vehicle in East Texas. rearview mirror, I saw someone hit (U.S. Army National Guard photo by him so I turned around, jumped in Sgt. Elizabeth Pena) the suicide lane and jumped to assist him,” said Dias.

Without hesitation, Dias immediately called 911 and took the situation into his own hands. “I jumped out, got my applicant to start blocking traffic. When I came up to the man he was face down and the blood was running down pretty heavy,” said Dias. “So I rolled him over on his side to the recovery position to kind of balance his head so the blood would drain out and I held him there and checked his pulse until the EMT arrived.” The recovery position, one of the many skills learned in the military, is designed to prevent suffocation through obstruction of the airway.

“We are taught over and over, repetition so that way when it comes to a situation like this, you don’t think you just react. I don’t think if I had that training or that repetition of training I don’t know if I would have done anything successfully like I did,” said Dias.

Service members in the Texas Army National Guard must go through combat life saving courses throughout their military career and are taught to always be ready to help. Dias, father of two, has been a member of the guard for over ten years. “Every other generation of my family has served,” said Dias. “It’s a duty, it’s an honor and opportunity to put on this uniform everyday.” Hudson has since been transferred to the Ocean Behavior Hospital in East Texas.

“I am so glad he was there to render aid because if he hadn’t, I would not have my son today,” said Jerleane Hudson, mother of Henry. “I’m praying that God will forever bless him.” Although he has not made a full recovery, it is Dias’s fast response that saved his life. “People will drive past people in wrecks all the time they won’t stop and ask if they’re OK. Heck it could’ve been you, or me and I would pray that someone would stop and do what they could, whether it was helpful or not, at least they were trying. You know, just help,” said Dias.

Thousands of fatalities every year in casualties where the cause of the unconscious was not fatal, but the airway was blocked, causing the patient to suffocate. Dias accredits the military with giving him the knowledge and experience to respond to this situation. “It’s a part of being in the military but it’s also a part of just being raised in a small town. You help anyone that needs help. That also goes hand in hand with being in the guard. We are citizen soldiers we are supposed to help out wherever we can,” said Dias.

GOVERNOR ABBOTT NAMES NORRIS AS DEPUTY ADJUTANT GENERAL FOR ARMY

Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Brigadier General Tracy Norris to serve as Deputy Adjutant General for Army for a term to expire at the pleasure of the Governor. The Deputy Adjutant General for Army coordinates activities of the Texas Military Forces with the National Guard Bureau (NGB) to ensure funding and compliance occur with other federal, state, and local jurisdictions in matters relating to missions of the Texas Army National Guard.

General Tracy Norris of Austin is the Assistant Deputy Adjutant General, Texas Military Department and previously served as Director of Construction and Facilities Management for the Texas Army National Guard. She also served as commander of the 176th Engineer Brigade and as Chief of Staff of the 36th Infantry Division; responsible for oversight of command and control throughout nine southern provinces of Iraq in 2010.

Additionally, General Norris has had the privilege of serving the Army National Guard (ARNG) in Georgia, Florida, Massachusetts and at NGB Washington D.C. She served the NGB as a program manager overseeing the Executive Officer Environmental Division; National Guard Range & Training Lands Division; and as Chief of the Training Facilities Team under the Training Support Branch of the ARNG. During her 30-year career, she has earned several decorations and awards including the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (with four oak leaf clusters), the Army Commendation Medal (with four oak leaf clusters) and the Army Achievement Medal.

General Norris earned a commission after completing the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Florida State University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Anthropology and a Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning. Additionally, General Norris received a Master in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College and a Master of Business Administration from the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin.

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INTRODUCING THE VA DIRECTOR

by Dr. David J. Shulkin Secretary of Veterans Affairs I am grateful to President Trump and to members of Congress for entrusting me with the privilege of serving Veterans and the dedicated employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs as your secretary. It is my highest professional honor.

Together, we’ll ensure our nation’s obligation to provide care and benefits to those “who shall have borne the battle” and fulfill our institutional I CARE Values: integrity, commitment, advocacy, respect and excellence.

That obligation and those values are sacred to me, first, as an American – a beneficiary of the service and sacrifices of veterans and their families who defend our uniquely American freedoms and opportunities. They’re also sacred to me because my father served the nation as an Army psychiatrist, and both my grandfathers were Army veterans. My paternal grandfather served as chief pharmacist at the VA hospital in Madison, Wisconsin, and as a young doctor, I trained in VA hospitals. So, serving the nation and serving Veterans is a family tradition.

It was a privilege to serve as VA’s Under Secretary for Health over the past year and a half. Now, I look forward to continuing our collective efforts across the department and our country to deliver the care and services our veterans need and deserve. Among many critical efforts already underway, we will continue building on significant progress increasing access for veterans, preventing suicide, addressing unique needs of women veterans, supporting veterans’ families and caregivers, continuing to drive down the disability backlog and veteran homelessness, and pursuing necessary legislation to reform the outdated appeals process and for other critical legislative priorities.

With the support of the president, Congress, veterans, their service organizations, and the American people, we — the dedicated employees of VA — will continue to fulfill President Lincoln’s promise.

There is no nobler mission. There is no higher calling for any American.

I am humbled and proud to serve with you.

Dr. David J. Shulkin is the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Prior to his confirmation on Feb. 13, 2017, Dr. Shulkin served as VA’s Under Secretary for Health for 18 months, leading the nation’s largest integrated health care system, with over 1,700 sites of care serving nearly nine million veterans.

SUICIDE PREVENTION IS TOP PRIORITY AT VA

by Dr. David J. Shulkin Secretary of Veterans Affairs We are continuing to ensure same-day access for urgent mental health needs at every medical center. Among veterans and the American public at large, suicide is a public health crisis. Losing even one veteran to suicide is unacceptable, which is why suicide prevention is a top priority at VA. We know that we save lives when we get veterans into treatment. This past year, VA has expanded our suicide prevention efforts providing greater access to our services, and we are continuing to ensure same-day access for urgent mental health needs at every medical center.

We continue to hire more VA mental health professionals and are aggressively utilizing telemental health technologies where services are limited. We are actively exploring more effective treatments and searching for new approaches using innovative, technological strategies. We are strengthening the Veterans Crisis Line, doubling it in size, opening a new hub in Atlanta, and using best-in-class business practices to improve its capacity as a call center and its effectiveness as a lifesaving resource.

Last year, the Crisis Line dispatched emergency responders an average of 30 times daily and made 80,000 referrals to suicide prevention coordinators at our medical centers. We are saving thousands of lives. But we will not rest as long as there are veterans who remain at risk.

Despite these improvements and deploying assets of the country’s largest integrated medical and behavioral health care system, VA cannot fully address this issue alone. Of the 20 veterans who died each day by suicide in 2014, 14 were not connected to VA for care in the past year. So we are enhancing our partnerships with community-based providers to broaden the network of mental health professionals and are researching to find new solutions.

A recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed suicide is rising across all demographics and generations of Americans. We believe our partnerships, research and new technologies will benefit all Americans, and we will continue to be seen as the forerunners in suicide prevention efforts. As a nation, we must support each other and direct friends, family members, veterans and colleagues to the right resources where hundreds of caring professionals are standing by to help.

SLOAN GIBSON — DEPUTY SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Prior to joining VA in 2014, Mr. Gibson served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the United Services Organizations (USO), which has been lifting the spirits of American Servicemembers and their families for more than 73 years. During his five years at the USO, he oversaw dramatic growth in programs and facilities supporting our forward-deployed men and women, military families, as well as our wounded, ill, and injured servicemembers, their families, and the families of the fallen. Mr. Gibson is the son of an Army Air Corpsman who served as a B-17 tail-gunner during World War II, later earning his commission in the US Air Force. He is also the grandson of a World War I Army Infantryman who was wounded while serving in the 3rd Infantry Division at the Second Battle of the Marne.

A 1975 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Mr. Gibson earned both Airborne and Ranger qualifications and served as an infantry officer in the US Army. He earned a Masters in Economics from the University of Missouri in Kansas City and a Masters in Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH NEWSLETTER

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VETERAN POPULATION

Number of Veterans Number of Women Veterans Number of Veterans (65+)

USA

22.0M 2.02M 9.95M

TEXAS

FACILITIES

Number of VA Hospitals # Community-Based Outpatient Clinics Number of Vet Centers Number of VBA Regional Offices Number of National and State Cemeteries

USA

150 831 300 6 229

TEXAS

# Veterans Receiving Disability Compensation Number of Veterans Receiving Pension # Dependency & Indemnity Compensation Number of Death Pension Beneficiaries

USA

3,949,066 304,556 382,245 211,716

TEXAS

Number of Enrollees in VA Health Care System 9,106,480 Number of Unique Patients Treated 5,869,487

TEXAS

BENEFITS

HEALTH CARE

SOUTH TEXAS VA Medical Facilities

AUDIE L. MURPHY VA HOSPITAL 7400 Merton Minter San Antonio, 877-469-5300 KERRVILLE VA HOSPITAL 3600 Memorial Blvd Kerrville, 866-487-1653 BALCONES HEIGHTS CLINIC 4522 Fredericksburg Rd #A-10 & A-88 San Antonio, 210-732-1802 FRANK TEJEDA CLINIC 5788 Eckhert Road San Antonio, 210-699-2100 NORTH CENTRAL FEDERAL CLINIC 17440 Henderson Pass San Antonio, 210-483-2900 SAN ANTONIO DENTAL CLINIC 8410 Data Point San Antonio, 210-949-8900 SHAVANO PARK CLINIC 4350 Lockhill-Selma Road #200 San Antonio, 210-949-3773 NE 410 SAN ANTONIO CBOC 2391 NE Loop 410 #101 San Antonio, 210-590-0247 NW 410 SAN ANTONIO CBOC 4318 Woodcock #120 San Antonio, 210-736-4051 PECAN VALLEY CBOC 4243 E. Southcross #204 San Antonio, 210-337-4316 SOUTH BEXAR CLINIC 4610 E Southcross Blvd #100 San Antonio, 210-648-1491 SW MILITARY CBOC 1714 SW Military Dr. #101 San Antonio, 210-923-0777 LAREDO VA OUTPATIENT CLINIC 4602 N. Bartlett Laredo, 956-523-7850 BEEVILLE COMMUNITY CBOC 302 South Hillside Dr. Beeville, 361-358-9912 NEW BRAUNFELS CBOC 705 Landa Street #C New Braunfels, 830-643-0717 SEGUIN CBOC 526 E. Court Street Seguin, 830-372-1697 VICTORIA OUTPATIENT CLINIC 1908 North Laurent Street #150 Victoria, 361-582-7700 CORPUS CHRISTI OUTPATIENT CLINIC 205 S. Enterprize Parkway Corpus Christi, 361-939-6510 CORPUS CHRISTI PACT ANNEX 5227 Old Brownsville Road #11 Corpus Christi, 361-806-5600 CORPUS CHRISTI OUTPATIENT CLINIC 5283 Old Brownsville Road Corpus Christi, 361-806-5600 HARLINGTEN OUTPATIENT CLINIC 2106 Treasure Hills Blvd Harlingten, 956-366-4500 VA HEALTH CARE CENTER 2601 Veterans Drive Harlingten, 956-291-9000

The VA Community Outreach Newsletter is published at no cost to government.

USA

1.68M 177,000 663,000

8 56 20 2 10

367,020 22,880 35.161 15.019 708,430 446,227

CENTRAL TEXAS VA Medical Facilities

DORIS MILLER VA HOSPITAL 4800 Memorial Drive Waco, 254-752-6581 AUSTIN OUTPATIENT CLINIC 7901 Metropolis Drive Austin, 800-423-2111 BROWNWOOD CBOC 2600 Memorial Park Drive Brownwood, 325-641-0568 BRYAN COLLEGE STATION CBOC 1651 Rock Prairie Road #100 College Station, 979-680-0361 CEDAR PARK CBOC 600 N. Bell Blvd.

Cedar Park, 512-260-1368 OLIN TEAGUE VA MEDICAL CENTER 1901 Veterans Memorial Drive Temple, 254-778-4811 LAGRANGE VA OUTREACH CLINIC 890 E. Travis St. LaGrange, 979-968-5878 PALESTINE CBOC 2000 S. Loop 256 #124 Palestine, 903-723-9006 TEMPLE VA PACT CLINIC 4501 S. General Bruce Drive #75 Temple, 800-423-2111

VET CENTERS

SAN ANTONIO NE VET CENTER 9504 IH35 N, #214 San Antonio, 210-650-0422 SAN ANTONIO NW VET CENTER 9910 W Loop 1604 N, #126 San Antonio, 210-688-0606 LAREDO VET CENTER 6999 McPherson Road #102 Laredo, 956-723-4680 KILLEEN HEIGHTS VET CENTER 302 Millers Crossing, #4 Harker Heights, 254-953-7100 AUSTIN VET CENTER 2015 S. IH35, Southcliff Bldg., #101 Austin, 877-927-8387 MCALLEN VET CENTER 2108 S. M. Street, MedPoint Plaza, #2 McAllen, 956-631-2147 CORPUS CHRISTI VET CENTER 4646 Corona Suite 250 Corpus Christi, 361-854-9961

VA BENEFITS OFFICE

WACO REGIONAL BENEFIT OFFICE 701 Clay Avenue, Waco HOUSTON REGIONAL BENEFIT OFFICE 6900 Almeda Road, Houston

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SOUTH TEXAS VETERANS HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

“To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan.”

— President Abraham Lincoln ROBERT M. WALTON — South Texas Veterans Health Care Director Mr. Robert M. Walton was appointed Director for the South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS) on November 16, 2015. With an FY15 budget for STVHCS of $678 million and 3600 employees, Mr. Walton oversees health care services for about 85,000 unique Veterans. In FY15, STVHCS provided 1,718,921 outpatient visits to area veterans.

From April 2012 to November 2015, Mr. Walton served as Director of the Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System in Harlingen, Texas. He also served as the Medical Center Director at the White River Junction VA Medical Center from October 2008 – April 2012. Before Mr. Walton’s tenure at White River Junction VA, he served as Associate Medical Center Director at James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, New York from May 2004 – October 2008.

Mr. Walton served as Acting Director at VA Hudson Valley Healthcare System from February-September 2008. Mr. Walton served as Chief, Engineering Service at Bronx VAMC from 1993-2004. He also served as Assistant Chief, Engineering Service at VA medical centers in Marlin, Texas, Montrose, New York, and Bronx, New York. Mr. Walton began his VA career in 1986 at Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital in San Antonio.

Mr. Walton has a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Public Administration degree in Health Administration from Long Island University. He is a graduate of the VHA Executive Career Field Program and participated in the VA Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program. Mr. Walton is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the American Society for Healthcare Engineering, the National Society of Professional Engineers, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. The New York Federal Executive Board selected Mr. Walton as the recipient of the 2001 Distinguished Executive of the Year Award.

TRISHA M. LODDE — ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Trisha M. Lodde is currently the Assistant Director at the South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS). In this capacity, she is charged with overall management responsibility for Engineering Service, Environmental Management Service, Police Service, Safety Service, Voluntary Service, Facility Planning, Emergency Management, Office of Information & Technology, and Veteran Canteen Services; providing directional authority to over 450 employees.

Ms. Lodde began her VA career in September 1996 at STVHCS in Surgical Service as a Health Technician in the Ear, Nose, and Throat Clinic. She held several positions in Medical Administration Service prior to joining the Office of the Director as a Patient Advocate followed by the Performance Measures Coordinator, and finally Veteran Centered Care Specialist. Ms. Lodde served as Executive Assistant to STVHCS Director overseeing the Office of Patient Advocate and Office of Public Affairs prior to becoming the Assistant Director.

Ms. Lodde is a graduate of the VISN 17 Leadership Development Institute (LDI) Program and serves as s certified mentor to various VISN 17 LDI and STVHCS LEAD candidates. A native of San Antonio, Texas, Ms. Lodde received a Bachelor of Science in Biology from University of Texas at San Antonio in 2001 and graduate degree in Master’s Degree in Public Health from the University of Texas Health Science at Houston in 2007.

JULIANNE FLYNN — M.D., CHIEF OF STAFF Dr. Julianne Flynn is the South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS), Chief of Staff. She is also currently serving our country as a Colonel in the Air Force Reserves where she is Squadron Commander for the 433rd Aeromedical Squadron in the 433rd Airlift Wing. Dr. Flynn is board certified in Internal Medicine, Psychiatry and Psychosomatics and on staff with University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA) as an Assistant Professor.

Dr. Flynn received her Medical Degree from the University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine in 1996 and completed an Internal Medicine and Psychiatry residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in 2001. Prior to attending medical school, she designed and fabricated ceramic and thermoplastic composite parts as an Applications Engineer at the Du Pont Company in Newark, Delaware for several years. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. Throughout her career, Dr. Flynn has held several positions in medicine and public service. While on active duty, she served as Chief of Psychiatric Consultation Liaison Service, Deputy Chief, Intensive Addictions Services, and Site Associate Residency Training Director for the National Capital Consortium Psychiatry Residency for Andrews AFB. In 2003 she deployed as a Critical Care Air Transport (CCAT) physician as part of the 447th EMEDS, and then assumed the role of Chief of the Emergency Services at 447th EMEDS, Baghdad, Iraq. In June 2004, she was selected as Deputy Residency Training Director for the UTHSCSA/SAUSHEC Psychiatry Residency at Wilford Hall Medical Center. In 2007, she left active duty and joined STVHCS where she has held positions as Substance Abuse Treatment Program Medical Director and Associate Chief of Staff for Mental Health until she was selected as STVHCS Chief of Staff in August, 2010.

CALVIN T. LEUSCHEN — DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF Dr. Cal Leuschen received his Medical Degree from the University of Nebraska in 1993. He also holds an undergraduate degree in Chemistry. He served in the US Navy until 1999. He completed a residency in Diagnostic Radiology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA) in 2003. He worked as an Assistant Professor of Radiology at UTHSCSA from 2003-2008, specializing in Thoracic Imaging. In 2008 he accepted the position of Chief of Imaging Service for South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS). In 2012 he was selected as the Deputy Chief of Staff for STVHCS.

SHARON M. MILLICAN, RN ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR FOR PATIENT CARE SERVICES Sharon M. Millican is the Associate Director for Patient Care Services and Nurse Executive of the South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS). Ms. Millican began her VA career in 1989 as a new Graduate Nurse Technician at the Northern Arizona VA Health Care System (NAVAHCS) in Prescott, Arizona. She served in many clinical and administrative positions including medical /surgical, the inpatient substance abuse treatment program, Nurse Manager of the Extended Care and Rehabilitation Center, and Clinical Coordinator and Liaison for the Clinical Care Support Service Line which included managerial oversight for the Respiratory Therapy, Clinical Lab, Radiology, SPD, EKG, and Prosthetics Departments. In 2004, Ms. Millican was selected for the VISN 18 Nurse Executive Training program and transferred to the Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Ms. Millican was later detailed to the NAVAHCS to serve as the Acting Nurse Executive/Geriatrics and Extended Care Service Line Manager. She was the first NAVAHCS Nurse Executive to be a full member of the Executive Leadership team. When she returned to Phoenix after nine months, Ms. Millican was selected to a new position as Associate Chief Nursing Service for Inpatient Care. In 2007, Ms. Millican transferred to the South Texas Veterans Health Care System as the Deputy Nurse Executive.

Ms. Millican holds an undergraduate degree in Sociology from the University of California in San Diego (UCSD) and a BSN from the Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona through the Department of Veterans Affairs Upward Mobility Program Scholarship. Ms. Millican earned her MHA through the Graduate Healthcare Administration Training Program at the Army Baylor University Graduate Program in Healthcare Administration. She is a graduate of the Management Development Program in Birmingham, Alabama and the VISN 18 and 19 Leadership Development Institute.

VALERIE RODRIGUEZ-YU — DEPUTY ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, PATIENT CARE SERVICES Ms. Rodriguez-Yu is the Deputy Associate Director for Patient Care Services and Deputy Nurse Executive (DADPCS/DNE) of the South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS). She began her VA career in 2003 as a Registered Nurse at the VA San Diego Healthcare System in San Diego, California. As a military spouse, she traveled to South Texas Veterans Health Care System in 2004 during her husband’s deployment to Iraq. In 2005, Ms. Rodriguez-Yu traveled to Alexandria, Virginia, where she worked as a charge nurse and then manager for a Brain Injury Unit at Inova Mount Vernon Hospital. Returning to San Antonio in 2008 and rejoining the VA, she was selected as the Outcomes Coordinator for Spinal Cord at STVHCS. In this role, she was responsible for a national database aimed at improving outcomes for patients across all VA SCI Centers. In 2010, she was selected as the Associate Chief Nurse for Polytrauma/Spinal Cord. In her role, she was responsible for all nursing staff and activities within the Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center, Polytrauma Transitional Rehabilitation Program, Polytrauma Network Site, and Spinal Cord Injury Center which included a 30 bed inpatient unit, outpatient clinic, telehealth program and home health program.

Ms. Rodriguez-Yu earned her BSN from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. She furthered her education by earning her MSN at the University of Phoenix in 2008. As part of her professional progression, Ms. Rodriguez-Yu earned several certifications that are accredited by the American Nurses Credentialing Association (ANCC): 2006 Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse, 2007 Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse, and most recently Nurse Executive-Advanced certification.

SAN ANTONIO VA WELCOMES NEW EMPLOYEES

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HOW THE VA TREATS SLEEP APNEA

A recent change to how the VA evaluates sleep apnea claims means veterans must now prove a qualifying breathing assistance device is medically required.

The definition of a “qualifying breathing device” extends to additional devices.

Sleep apnea is one form of sleep disturbance. “Apnea” is defined as “transient cessation of respiration,” meaning the person has temporarily stopped breathing. Since breathing is an automatic process, the brain issues a command to wake up enough to unblock the air passage and breathe. And with a gasp, breathing begins again. This stop/start cycle can happen many times during the night. The adverse affects of sleep apnea range from feeling tired all day to having high blood pressure or experiencing a heart attack or stroke.

In an adjudication manual change published April 18, 2016, Department of Veterans Affairs rating officials evaluating disability compensation claims for sleep apnea are now looking to answer a key question: Is the use of a qualifying breathing assistance device required by the severity of the sleep apnea? Prior to this change a veteran only needed to provide medical proof of a sleep apnea diagnosis when filing for disability compensation.

Whether the severity of the sleep apnea requires a breathing assistance device is a medical question that must be answered by a qualified medical professional. Veterans should now provide this documentation and show that a qualifying breathing assistance device is medically required when filing a disability claim for sleep apnea.

“QUALIFYING” BREATHING ASSISTANCE DEVICES ARE NOW DEFINED AS: • Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine • Automatic airway pressure device (APAP) • Bilevel positive airway pressure device (BiPAP, also known as NIPPV or NIV) • Nasopharyngeal appliances (Nasal dilators; nasopharyngeal stents) • Oral appliances (mandibular advancement devices (MAD); tongue-retaining mouthpieces) • Implanted genioglossal nerve stimulation devices. According to the VA adjudication manual update the veteran not actively using a medically required device as prescribed is not relevant to the success of a claim.

Sleep apnea claims are evaluated on criteria in Title 38, Code of Federal Regulation, Section 4.97. The VA diagnostic code for Sleep Apnea Syndromes (Obstructive, Central, Mixed) is 6847. Disability Ratings are determined based on the severity of the condition — from 0 to 100% – awarded in 10% increments.

• 100 percent: chronic respiratory failure with carbon dioxide retention or cor pulmonale; or requires tracheostomy • 50 percent: requires use of breathing assistance device such as continuous airway pressure (CPAP) machine • 30 percent: persistent daytime hypersomnolence • 0 percent: asymptomatic, but with documented sleep disorder breathing (Reference: VA claims Adjudication Manual M21-1, Part III, Subpart iv, Chapter 4, Section D updated April 18, 2016)

“THE VA SAVED MY SON'S LIFE”

by Hans Petersen If the Veteran in your family was having serious problems, what would you do? Where would you go?

Julie contacted VA’s Coaching Into Care program. “They saved my son’s life.” And her son’s life had spiraled so out of control he was on a tenth floor balcony ready to jump.

Today, he is better and Julie says, “There is not enough praise in the world for VA’s Coaching Into Care program.”

Her Marine son drove a Humvee in Iraq, taking teams out to disable IEDs. He suffered spinal injuries in an explosion and is 70 percent disabled. Back home, he became addicted to the opioids he was taking for pain and smoking the synthetic marijuana Spice every day added to his mental health complications.

Many families struggle with their problems in the privacy of their home. That was not case with Julie’s son when he threatened to jump from a tenth floor balcony — on the day before his wedding — resulting in multiple law enforcement responses. For her, it was “an absolute nightmare scenario.” Julie has written an honest and dramatic account of the incident. She recalls “Locking eyes with her husband” and wondering “How did we get here?”

When she called VA’s Crisis Line, she was referred to Coaching Into Care, a telephone service that provides assistance to family members and friends trying to encourage their veteran to seek health care for possible readjustment and mental health issues. It’s a national phone service that helps to link Veterans with services available in their own communities.

Julie remembers, “The incredible woman I worked with was Dr. Cindy Swinkels. She explained how vital the family connection was and to keep that communication going so that we could ease our way into helping my son. Without her, we would have been lost and in all probability my son would be dead.

“VA has amazing, caring people who guided me to where I needed to be. I am learning how to be the mother of an adult in this strange new land where all the rules are different.” Julie was able to work with her son to help him make the choice to engage in treatment.

When a veteran comes home, or their military service comes to an end, their support shifts from military comrades and superiors to family members and close friends. Frequently it is friends and family who are first to notice their veteran having a tough time adjusting. If you haven’t served in the military yourself, it can be hard to know how to help, what to say, how to reach out.

Julie adds, “I am honored to share my son’s story and hope it will help others struggling for help with their loved ones. Now, my son’s friends and family are on the same loving page and VA has guided me into a plan to help my son through his recovery. There is hope.”

If you think your veteran friend or family member is having a difficult time and could benefit from readjustment counseling or mental health care, please utilize the Coaching Into Care service: call 1-888-823-7458 or email CoachingIntoCare@va.gov.

“Service members and veterans do not die by suicide because they can't handle it or because they aren't strong enough. They die by suicide because they have endured much more pain and suffering than most of us have ever experienced.

These veterans deserve compassion and support, not disparagement.”

— National Center for Veterans Studies at the University of Utah

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FOOTBALL INSPIRES VETERAN TO LIVE

by Steve Goetsch You know the NFL has entered the playoffs from the passionate exchanges you hear everywhere. Even in the halls of a VA hospital in San Antonio, Texas. This time of year is exciting for most fans, but for Vietnam veteran, Cowboys fan and selfproclaimed student of the game, Don Townsend, football is a way of life.

It was an absolute chance meeting between Don Townsend and me.

There was a documentation photo that needed to be taken. The normal guy was out. I grabbed the camera and headed down to the South Texas VA Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Unit. Don Disabled Vietnam veteran and was on the SCI unit because a North Cowboys fan Don Townsend, shows Vietnamese Army soldier shot him off the new jersey from one of his through his shoulder blade. The bullet favorite players. I had a chance to fragmented and shrapnel severed his speak with him about football and life. spine, leaving him paralyzed.

Townsend, who has been getting care at the South Texas VA for 24 years, and came onto the unit for the majority of the football season, was not exactly thrilled to be in the hospital during the most exciting part of the year. A helpful brother took a bit of the sting off by working with the nurses at the VA. “I don’t know who my brother talked to, some of the higher-ups I suppose, but I got to watch the entire Texas High School Football Playoffs right here in my bed,” said Townsend with a grin that was just as wide as the gridiron.

It’s not the first time that football has picked up the spirits of the Army Airborne soldier from the 101st. After his injury on July 5, 1968, he worked his way back to the U.S. through a series of hospitals, eventually getting back home where he admittedly said he was falling into a depression. He was looking for a purpose, something to do. He found football. “Football became a passion for me,” exclaimed Townsend. “I really felt that football kept me alive.”

He has almost five decades in a wheelchair, but that also means he has five decades of football knowledge. His passion is evident, recalling plays from the late 60s, with every detail down to weather conditions. He realizes it’s not for everyone, but said it really worked for him. He obsessively studies the game.

Upon walking in his room, the first thing that stood out to him was the Green Bay Packers lanyard slung around my neck. As chances would have it, they are meeting this weekend in the divisional round of the playoffs. The second thing that jumped out was my “Northern accent.” I couldn’t miss his grin, and it didn’t take long to dive right into football. I was expecting a volley of Packer jabs, (what I usually receive down here in Cowboys country), but he began peppering me with the rich history of the Vince Lombardi era. He threw facts at me that even a diehard like me didn’t know.

He repeatedly mentioned one player that was also a favorite of mine, number 64, Jerry Kramer. Old number 64 was integral to the Packer’s win ironically over the Cowboys, and he went into a game breakdown just as smooth and efficient as Pat Summerall. My mind was elsewhere. The minute he mentioned Kramer, my mind went to the closet in my home office. I had a vintage Jerry Kramer jersey that had been hanging there for 11 years. It was destined to be on the wall in my man cave, but now I found its purpose.

We jumped back and forth between topics; his injury, the politics of war, his family’s service to this Nation, two brothers and a father who all served, and interwoven were several football lessons. You think you have it figured out until you meet someone who has experienced so much more.

Most people look at Don and feel bad for him, but he tells them he feels lucky. He holds dear his faith, and even thinks of himself or his brother who might have been one of the thousands who did not come back. He will be the first to admit he doesn’t like hospitals, checking himself out of one of his first, an old Army hospital. That led to a dangerous fever, and a return to another hospital, this time, the VA in Houston. He received care there until he found out they were opening the SCI in San Antonio, a mere 50 miles from his family in Mason, Texas. Ever since then, he said it’s been a blessing. “I’ve been in a wheelchair for 50 years and the VA has not always been good to me,” Townsend said. “They have been fantastic!” He said emphatically.

He eventually married a lovely woman, who really brings joy to his life, although he let me in on the fact that she knows absolutely nothing about football, and he can’t stand her poorly timed inquiries about the game, during game time. But he continues to view the VA as a blessing, getting a home improvement loan and being able to make it comfortable and safe for him and his wife.

I told him that I view the VA nurses as football linemen, doing all the heavy lifting at the hospital and asked if they were treating him well. He answered with a recent conversation he had with his wife about a very small three dollar cost of living allowance. She was less than impressed with it. He responded, “I’m not worried about the three dollars, heck, I would give that to the nurses that take good care of me.” He even took President Obama up on a call for feedback from veterans and called the White House to tell them about his experiences.

What impressed me the most is that he used his patriotism to shield himself from any bitterness. “I just felt that it was my time to serve,” Townsend said a little more quietly. That drew a small amount of emotion from this strong man. “I just always wanted to be a coach and a teacher,” Townsend said.

“When I hear these high school boys, and the way they talk about their coaches, it stirs something in me,” he added. He wanted to impart knowledge that they will take with them for a lifetime.

I visited Townsend again one last time on his discharge date on the eve of the Cowboys-Packers game and gave him the jersey wrapped in belated Christmas paper. He opened it up and was speechless. He then exclaimed, “This is bittersweet for me, why isn’t this great man in the Hall of Fame” True to character, I was glad to see that passion for football, and I hope it looks great on the wall of his den where he can watch with his grandson. My job at the VA allows me to meet so many amazing people like Don Townsend who taught me to look for positive things in life, having patience and finding the thing that truly makes you happy.

So Mr. Townsend, I beg to differ. After a few conversations with you, it is abundantly clear you have become that teacher.

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TRANSGENDER VETERANS, THE VA AND RESPECT

by Tom Cramer There are currently about 5,000 transgender veterans receiving their healthcare from VA. “That is certainly an undercount because not all transgender Veterans want to identify themselves to their provider,” noted Dr. Michael Kauth, co-director of VA’s National LGBT Program (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender). Kauth is also a psychologist at the Houston VA and a professor in the Psychiatry Department at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

Transgender people, according to Wikipedia, are people who have a gender identity or gender expression that differs from their assigned sex. Kauth said VA provides gender transition counseling, evaluations for hormone therapy, and evaluations for gender transition surgeries.

“VA doesn’t perform those surgeries, and doesn’t pay for them,” he said.

“But we’ll be there to help the Veteran out if somethings happens to go wrong after transition surgery. If complications occur following surgery, VA will provide the veteran with medically necessary care.” And for veterans who are still in the process of transitioning, there’s counseling.

FOLLOWING YOUR PATH “A VA counselor will talk to the veteran about their transition goals, and how to achieve them safely,” Kauth said. “Our job is to help the veteran successfully navigate their gender transition pathway, and to support them.”

Making sure transgender veterans get the support and understanding they deserve is the job of Dr. Jillian Shipherd, co-director of VA’s National LGBT Program and a clinical research psychologist at the Boston VA. She said a big part of her job is making sure providers throughout the VA system are properly trained in how to interact with this very special segment of the Veteran community.

“We live in a largely gender binary world where we want things to be one way or another. But life is vastly Dr. Jillian Shipherd more complex than that. As a transgender person you’re accustomed to dealing with all sorts of issues on a daily basis,” she explained. “But when you walk into a VA facility you shouldn’t have to worry about that. So here at VA we need to work extra hard to overcome any fear or anxiety you might be experiencing. We want to make sure that you, as a transgender veteran, are getting the healthcare you need and the respect you have earned.”

Shipherd said transgender veterans, like other minorities, tend to have considerably more stress in their lives than the rest of us. “Veterans are at increased risk for suicide relative to the general population,” she observed, “and transgender veterans are 20 times more likely to attempt suicide than other veterans. This statistic highlights the level of daily stress some of our transgender veterans are experiencing.”

SO… WHY SO MUCH STRESS? “As a transgender veteran one of your biggest battles is discrimination, which can take many forms — some subtle and some not so subtle,” Shipherd explained. “As a transgender veteran you might face discrimination where you work, or you might have trouble finding a job at all. You might face discrimination when you try to rent an apartment or purchase a home, or a car, or even a pair of shoes. You might face discrimination from your own family –your parents, your brothers and sisters, even your own children.

That’s a lot of stress.” She continued: “Being transgender can affect every aspect of your life. When you go to the bank to get a loan, you might experience some problems due to a lack of credit history under your new name. When you go to a new dentist for the first time, you might be worried about explaining why you’re on certain medications or hormone therapy.”

IS THERE A PROBLEM, OFFICER? And then there’s the dreadful event that tends to generate anxiety in all of us, but especially members of any minority group: getting pulled over by a police officer. “Any encounter you might have with law enforcement can be stressful, or downright scary,” Shipherd said. “Can you imagine being stopped by a police officer late one evening? What are you feeling as the officer gets out of their cruiser and approaches your vehicle? Are you nervous? Are you afraid? What will the officer say when they look at your driver’s license and it says John Doe, only you look like Jane Doe?” Shipherd said the unfortunate reality is that most transgender veterans live with fear every day of their lives. “Just walking out of your house can provoke anxiety,” she said. “Chances are people on the street may roll their eyes when they see you, or actually snicker or laugh. Some might verbally harass you.

And of course, there is the risk of physical violence. It’s not an easy life. This is why we work so hard at VA to make our transgender patients feel welcomed, and respected. We want them to know that when they come to VA they’re coming to a safe place.”

To make sure VA is a safe and welcoming place, the Department offers three levels of nation-wide training to help VA healthcare providers get up to speed on how to successfully interact with their transgender patients and how to address their sometimes unique healthcare concerns. (For more info on what kind of LGBT training VA is providing to its personnel, visit www.patientcare.va.gov/LGBT/index.asp AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN Shipherd said this kind of sensitivity training is essential, since even wellmeaning VA staff can experience anxiety when interacting with a transgender patient — thus causing the patient to feel anxious. “Sometimes even a well-intentioned healthcare provider can mishandle their encounter with a transgender veteran,” she said. “It’s not that they’re trying to be insensitive or callus; they’re simply not educated in culturally appropriate care. So it’s our job to provide that education, to make sure our healthcare staff and providers are trained in how to communicate and connect with transgender patients.”

She added: “We all need to understand that gender is more complicated than what we like to think. Male and female are not the only options. Gender identity exists on a continuum, with male and female being the extreme endpoints. Then you have everything in-between.”

To learn more about some of the services VA is providing to transgender Veterans nationwide: www.patientcare.va.gov/LGBT/index.asp READ MORE AT: www.va.gov/HEALTH/NewsFeatures/2017/January/Transgender-Vets-theVA-and-Respect.asp#sthash.7wSmfCmM.dpuf

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TRANSITIONING FROM MILITARY TO CIVILIAN

by Steven Goetsch Military separation can be a daunting ordeal. For me, it was really amplified, awaiting a surgery, I thought my retirement would be placed on hold. I finally got word from a chief medical officer on February 27 that it would not. This was the ending of a long drawn out process for me and my family. They cut my retirement orders and I was out the door March 1.

To say I was shell shocked was a gross understatement. I couldn’t afford to be. My first task: out processing 22 years of Air Force life and like many veterans, figuring out how to put food on the table without the uniform on. Transitions from the military are thought to be one of the most difficult times in a person’s life.

There is no denying the differences between military and civilian living. Take solace in knowing that society is now wise to that fact, and there are a plethora of resources available to assist you and help you make a successful transition. I include a few points that I learned along my own journey. l Don’t attempt to do it alone: lean on your network; that means friends, your family, spouses and former colleagues. There is no shame in asking for help. l Make the transition your new job. Have a plan, stay motivated and put in the effort. l Fight off the discouragement bug. I put out over 70 applications before I got a call back. It was tempting to wake up and begin to just not care. It will come, but you have to be ready. You fight it off by setting daily goals; researching networking and training opportunities, looking for federal and state agencies to assist you and doing research in your desired field. l Lastly, play up your military service. It is your edge — use it. Most veterans fall short because they do not properly translate their service into traits and skills that will effectively help an organization. I have a degree in human resource management, and I have been asked repeatedly to dissect and translate military jargon and terminology. Do not put your future in someone else’s hands.

Because so many social issues are rooted in employment or financial strain, I began with that, but it is important just like your military training that you take care of your physical, mental and spiritual needs. A job search is your focus, but it is not your only focus. Take walks with your family, set aside recreational time. Find routines like church, clubs, or any other activities that you did when you were still active duty. It’s easy to let the frustration of a job search feed obsessive behaviors. Take it from me, it will build up the disappointments and make it more difficult to accept rejection that are a part of any job search.

So as you prepare for your transition, remember that you are in a very select group and everybody knows it. It’s just up to you to show it to them. Salute smartly and good luck.

VETERANS WALK FOR PTSD AWARENESS

Statistics show that 22 veterans die every day from illness, PTSD or suicide.

Soldiers perpetuate a lifelong camaraderie that extends to all corners of the country and Army Veteran Eli Smith has set out to make others aware of that connection. By hiking more than 13,000 miles to each corner of the United States, Smith will be raising awareness for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Eli Smith (left) and Ernesto Rodriguez. suicide within the veteran Follow Eli Smith at community. He will be marching for www.facebook.com/4cornershike Follow Ernesto Rodriguez at the next three years to do so. www.facebook.com/nerdnesto The Ohio native began his journey in Pensacola, Florida, and stopped in Deming for the weekend on his way to California. “It was really hard, and it started ringing through my social circle,” said Smith of comrades suffering from PTSD and the hopelessness of suicide among the ranks. “Things like that kept happening too often and I wanted to do something about it.”

The cause originated when the reality of PTSD and veteran suicide began to hit too close to home for Smith. An avid hiker, Smith began the hefty preparations for the hike by raising money for the necessary gear. To do this, he sold his possessions and has only kept the bare minimum of belongings needed to complete the hike. The hike will take Smith to every corner of the United States and he still has nearly 12,000 miles yet to complete. “It’s been very welcoming, very gracious,” Smith said. “The veterans and different organizations that we’ve been able to meet has been tremendous. A lot of people don’t even know that we lose 22 veterans per day.” Currently, there are several individuals on the road walking for veterans and Smith happened to cross paths with another soldier in Midland, Texas, walking for similar reasons.

Ernesto Rodriguez set out from Tennessee after retiring from the military the past year and began his march for awareness on the veteran suicide rate.

Rodriguez will be marching to California during his trek to complete 2,200 miles. Smith and the Rodriguez have quickly developed a friendship traveling together and have done so for company and safety sake. “It’s the same message — it’s just evolved a little bit as we go through,” Rodriguez said.

“Taking care of veterans is very important to us.”

National statistics indicate that, on average, 22 veterans commit suicide every day for various reasons involving PTSD and other illnesses. This data has become unacceptable Smith and Rodriguez who are focused on completing their journeys for the cause.

The two have stopped at several cities and towns and met local veterans and various causes willing to help and raise awareness as well. They will be traveling west for the next two months. “What keeps me going, when it comes to the actual mission at hand, meeting 102-year-old WWII vets, getting to go to Fort Bliss and getting to hang out with soldiers. These are awesome experiences,” Rodriguez said. “I always look forward to who’s the next person I'm going to meet in the next town.”

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OPIOID EPIDEMIC IS A HEALTH CRISIS

by US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, MD, MBA America’s opioid epidemic is the new health crisis of our generation. This growing problem that plagues millions of Americans causes more than 1,000 emergency room visits, killing 78 people every day. In 2014, 2 million Americans abused over dependent on prescription drugs “We have over 1 million people who need treatment and can’t get it.” In his August 2016 letter to 2.3 million health practitioners (doctors, nurses, dentists), he invites them to come together and be part of the solution Opioids are “one of our greatest public health threats, and it’s one that we have to respond to with speed and with urgency.”

A campaign to end opioid abuse called “Turning the Tide “ is trying to 1) tighten opioid prescribing practices, 2) increase addiction screening, and 3) destigmatize addiction and treatment.

“We need to change how we think about addiction. For far too long addiction has carried too much stigma with it. It has been looked at as a moral failing, as a character flaw, but that is not true. Addiction is a chronic disease of the brain and we need to treat it with the same urgency, the same skill, and the same compassion that we would any other illness. Clinicians do not want to do harm to their patients. I encounter people who want to do better, who see a crisis in front of them, and often are wondering what they can do to help address it. So clinicians are eager to help, and we want them to be part of the solution. That’s one of the purposes of our letter.”

“Many states are starting to pass laws requiring that physicians use prescription drug monitoring programs. These are tools which can help doctors understand the risk in prescribing opiates to the patients. We also see more doctors stepping up to the plate to sharpen their prescribing practices, as they understand what it is that they have to do.”

“I’ll tell you personally that when I look at problems, whether it’s opioids or others, we have a tendency in our country to look to blame first without thinking about how to constructively bring people together to be part of the solution. This is our opportunity to bring people together around the country, not just clinicians, but policy makers and parents and people throughout our community to understand how they can help us address this epidemic.”

“What I want to see us do as a country is to invest early, is to make sure we are focusing on prevention whenever possible. It’s a mindset shift.”

DR. MURTHY’S LETTER TO 2.3 MILLION HEALTH PRACTITIONERS: Dear Colleague, I am asking for your help to solve an urgent health crisis facing America: the opioid epidemic. Everywhere I travel, I see communities devastated by opioid overdoses. I meet families too ashamed to seek treatment for addiction. And I will never forget my own patient whose opioid use disorder began with a course of morphine after a routine procedure.

It is important to recognize that we arrived at this place on a path paved with good intentions. Nearly two decades ago, we were encouraged to be more aggressive about treating pain, often without enough training and support to do so safely. This coincided with heavy marketing of opioids to doctors. Many of us were even taught — incorrectly — that opioids are not addictive when prescribed for legitimate pain.

The results have been devastating. Since 1999, opioid overdose deaths have quadrupled and opioid prescriptions have increased markedly — almost enough for every adult in America to have a bottle of pills. Yet the amount of pain reported by Americans has not changed. Now, nearly two million people in America have a prescription opioid use disorder, contributing to increased heroin use and the spread of HIV and hepatitis C. I know solving this problem will not be easy. We often struggle to balance reducing our patients’ pain with increasing their risk of opioid addiction. But, as clinicians, we have the unique power to help end this epidemic. As cynical as times may seem, the public still looks to our profession for hope during difficult moments.

That is one of those times. That is why I am asking you to pledge your commitment to turn the tide on the opioid crisis. Please take the pledge at www.TurnTeTideRx.org. Together, we will build a national movement of clinicians to do three things.

First, we will educate ourselves to treat pain safely and effectively. A good place to start is the enclosed pocket card with the CDC Opioid Prescribing Guideline. Second, we will screen our patients for opioid use disorder and provide or connect them with evidence-based treatment. Third, we can shape how the rest of the country sees addiction by talking about and treating it as a chronic illness, not a moral failing.

Years from now, I want us to look back and know that, in the face of a crisis that threatened our nation, it was our profession that stepped up and led the way. I know we can succeed, because health care is more than an occupation to us. It is a calling rooted in empathy, science, and service to humanity.

These values unite us. They remain our greatest strength.

Thank you for your leadership.

Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, Surgeon General of the United States of America

NATIONAL ACTION ALLIANCE FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION

Suicide is a serious and preventable public health problem. It does not discriminate and can affect people without regard to age, income, education, social standing, race or gender. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death for all Americans, the second leading cause of death for adults ages 25 to 34 and the third leading cause of death for youth ages 15 to 24.

As the largest facilities-based behavioral health provider in the country, UHS behavioral health facilities treat patients of all ages and offer specialized programs dedicated to suicide. In 2013, UHS became an affiliate of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention. The alliance is a public-private partnership dedicated to advancing a national strategy for suicide prevention by championing suicide prevention as a national priority and cultivating resources to sustain progress in reducing the number of lives lost to suicide.

Working together with the Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, we will look to implement the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention to accomplish the ultimate goal of eliminating suicide. Learn more about the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention: www.actionallianceforsuicideprevention.org

SMOKING MATH — IT IS TIME TO QUIT Example: A couple smoking 3 packs a day, each.

Cost: $9.24 per pack x 6 = $55.44 per day.

Annual cost of cigarette smoking = $20,235 Total cost over 30 years of cigarette smoking = $607,068

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SERVING THE HEALTH CARE NEEDS OF VETERANS

by David J. McIntyre, Jr., President, TriWest Healthcare Alliance In response to the need for increased access to care for our nation’s veterans, more than two years ago Congress adopted legislation giving veterans facing long waits, or who had long distances to travel to receive care, the option of obtaining health care from providers in the community under the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014.

At TriWest, it is our privilege to lean forward at the side of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in administering the Veterans Choice Program (VCP), which connects veterans to the health care they need in the community. This partnership between VA and community care gives veterans a choice to ensure timely care is available when VA is unable to meet their needs directly.

Each month, TriWest is scheduling more than 100,000 appointments for veterans health care with its quality network of 180,000 community providers.

These providers are stepping up to increase access to care for thousands of veterans each day.

While there is still work to be done to refine this program and smooth out the initial gaps that exist with any new program, it is providing VA an invaluable tool with which to make good on the nation’s commitment to care for its heroes. In fact, it was recently announced that we had surpassed 3.1 million total appointments scheduled within our 28-state service territory.

That is real, tangible progress for our nation’s veterans.

A successful Choice Program depends on teamwork and collaboration between VA, TriWest and community care providers, which we are pleased to say exists. This partnership is critical to ensuring access to care for veterans today, and in the future, regardless of where they live.

PROSTATE CANCER MOST COMMON CANCER FOR MEN

by Dr. Jeffrey Miller Prostate cancer remains the most common cancer among men in the United States, excluding skin cancer. The prostate is a walnut sized gland that sits below the bladder and functions to produce semen that bathes sperm as they travel through the reproductive tract. As men age, the prostate can enlarge and obstruct the flow of urine, causing difficulty urinating, frequency, urgency, and nocturnal awakening to void. This condition is known as Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (BPH). This condition, if bothersome or progressive, can be successfully treated with medication or surgery. However, unrelated to BPH, malignant cells can develop within the gland leading to prostate cancer. Usually a health care provider will perform a digital rectal examination (feeling for a firmness or nodule on the prostate) and order a blood test called Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA). Blood levels of this substance, uniquely produced by the prostate, have been found to be increased in those with prostate cancer. Traditionally, if an abnormal rectal exam or elevated PSA were detected, a biopsy would be performed to make the diagnosis.

However, screening for prostate cancer in the general male population has become controversial more recently. Many prostate cancers are of the nonaggressive type and may never cause symptoms or spread. So detecting these cancers early might not lead to improved survival and treatment of these “over-diagnosed” cancers could lead to unnecessary side effects such as urinary incontinence and sexual dysfunction. Over the last 5 years, many patients diagnosed on biopsy with these low-grade, low-volume nonaggressive tumors have been watched successfully without treatment, following PSA levels and repeating biopsies periodically. This protocol is known as Active Surveillance. Those in good health with reasonable life expectancy diagnosed with the more aggressive, potentially lethal prostate cancer type, can undergo treatment with radiation, surgery or less invasive measures to achieve cure.

So the question of whether to screen for prostate cancer and subject a patient to potential complications of a biopsy is a hot topic in the urologic community currently – especially since diagnosing prostate cancer early may not improve a man’s quality of life or extend survival. Fortunately, newer blood tests, such as the 4-K Test, and newer imaging techniques such as prostate MRI can now help determine whether a man is harboring the aggressive or non-aggressive prostate cancer type, thereby allowing some men to avoid biopsy. Once prostate cancer is diagnosed, genetic testing can now be performed to determine what chance that particular tumor has of progressing in that particular patient’s lifetime. Despite the fact that many men die with and not from prostate cancer, it still was estimated to have caused approximately 26,000 deaths in the United States in 2016. With all this in mind, it is recommended that each patient take an individualized approach, discussing all screening options with their provider. Based on a man’s overall health status, age, family history, life expectancy, and personal preference, an intelligent discussion should be carried out before the PSA test and prostate exam are performed, reviewing the implications of diagnosing prostate cancer early and the diagnostic and therapeutic measures that would ensue if an abnormality is detected.

Dr. Jeffrey Miller graduated from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and completed his Urology residency at the University Arizona Health Sciences Center and the Tucson VA Medical Center.

Editor’s note: Dr. Jeffrey Miller currently serves as our health & medical advisor.

THE VA WANTS YOU TO QUIT SMOKING

Tobacco quitlines can double your chance of quitting compared to getting no support at all. You are even more likely to be successful when you use a quitline and take smoking cessation medication. Any Veteran receiving health care through VA is eligible to use the Quit VET quitline.

CALL 1-855-QUIT-VET (1-855-784-8838) to speak with a tobacco cessation counselor Monday-Friday. The quitline is closed on Federal holidays.

Speak with a Quit VET counselor and get: • Help developing a quit plan • Individualized counseling • Strategies to prevent relapse • Follow-up calls to help you stay quit Your counselor may ask you specific questions about your tobacco use, quitting history, and motivations to quit in order to help create a quit plan that works for you. Quitline counselors can also provide you with four followup calls to help you stay quit. Any information you provide to the counselor during the call is kept private. It will not be shared with your VA health care provider or entered in your VA electronic medical record. Your first call will last about 15 to 30 minutes. Counselors are unable to provide smoking cessation medications to callers. Talk to your VA health care provider about using medication, and let them know that you are using the Quit VET quitline.

Quit VET is a collaboration between VA and the National Cancer Institute.

“I feel great. I couldn't have done this without you guys. You have been such a support to me. Thank you for helping me through this.” — a former smoker

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WAR IS LOUD: HEARING LOSS MOST COMMON VETERAN INJURY

by Kay Miller, News21 US Marine Corps reservist Mauricio Mota served in five combat zones between 1987 and 2008, the last one in Iraq, where he slept next to what he described as “deafening” field generators and rode in loud helicopters. In training he fired an even louder weapon, a “bunker buster.” Toward the end of his Iraq tour, the now-retired staff sergeant said he realized his hearing had gone bad.

“I found myself telling others, ‘Wear some ear protection so you don’t go deaf like me,’” he said.

Among post-9/11 veterans, 414,000 have come home with hearing loss and tinnitus, or ringing in the ears. The most-widespread injury for veterans has been hearing loss and Veteran Mauricio Moto now other auditory complications, according to uses a hearing aid for his left interviews and benefits data. Hearing maladies ear after returning from war. cost more than $1.4 billion in veterans disability payments annually, according to fiscal year 2010 data from the Hearing Center of Excellence, a part of the Department of Defense. At least $216 million was spent that same year for hearing aids and related devices, according to an advisory committee report to the VA. Veteran Mauricio Moto now uses a hearing aid for his left ear after returning from war. Paying an average of $348.15 each, the VA buys one in five hearing aids sold annually in the U.S., according to that 2010 spending report, the last year that data was available.

While much of the public concern about injuries suffered by post-9/11 troops has focused on missing limbs, traumatic brain injuries and posttraumatic stress disorder, Scott C. Forbes, immediate past-president of the Association of Veterans Administration Audiologists, said “Actually, I think the signature injury is an auditory injury.”

Hearing injuries are the most commonly documented trauma, said Forbes, a Marine veteran who has a doctorate in audiology and served during the Gulf War and Somalia conflicts. He has been a VA audiologist for 13 years. The most common disability among all veterans is hearing related, according to a GAO report. Despite being such a prevalent condition, hearing problems don’t get much attention, because “in general, very few people die because of hearing loss,” said Theresa Schulz, a retired Air Force audiologist who now works in a similar capacity for Honeywell Safety Products.

US Representative Dan Benishek, chairman of the Subcommittee on Health of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, said in a telephone interview that 25 to 30 percent of VA disability claims involved hearing. Among them, “almost 99 percent” eventually are approved, he said. Benishek, who is a physician, has proposed that every service member gets a full audiology examination at discharge. His bills have been sent to the Congressional Budget Office to determine their impact on federal spending. Mota took occasional hearing tests, but always managed to pass, he said. He didn’t recall hearing protection being issued, but said, “I think it was always around somewhere.”

Shortly after his discharge, Mota was with his family at a mall when he stopped at a hearing professional’s office to get tested. Immediately, he was fitted with his first two hearing aids. “I walked out of that office and the world just opened up,” he said, “and the first sound I remember hearing was actually the ‘click click’ of a woman’s high heels.”

Last year at a Marine Corps Ball, he noticed that many of his buddies seemed to have trouble hearing, too. “I would say provocative things to someone to see how they’d respond,” said Mota, who works now as a charge nurse in a Gallup, New Mexico hospital operating room, “and I could tell by the answer if they’d actually heard what I said.”

Master Sgt. Charles Peworski’s last hearing test was in 2004 despite the fact that he knows his hearing is a problem. When he and his fellow reservists gather to celebrate the US Marine Corps anniversary, they joke about their hearing, or rather, the lack of it. “We laugh about it. Out of the 10 guys in my unit, when we get together we say, ‘You know I can’t hear — talk to my good ear,” he said. If there is a good ear.

One of his US Marine Corps buddies wears hearing aids in both ears — necessary, he said, because of noise exposure over his career. Peworski was exposed to several factors that cause hearing impairment for military personnel: loud noises from trucks and helicopters, as well as machine-gun bursts and artillery fire.

Charles Peworski has received more than 20 military and civilian awards, including the Marine Corps “Combat V” award for heroism and bravery. He served with the Marine Corps, suffering injuries while deployed and now deals with hearing loss. In 2003, Master Sgt. Charles Peworski was injured during a supply transport mission and required hospitalization.

Congress mandated a Pentagon-based office that would determine ways to prevent, diagnose, mitigate, treat, rehabilitate and research hearing loss and auditory issues for active-duty service members and veterans.

Experts say too few returning veterans, like most people, don’t seek medical attention for their hearing loss when they first notice it. They just live with it.

“We know that it is usually seven years between the time someone notes a problem with their hearing and the time they actually seek medical attention for it,” said Nancy Macklin, director of events and marketing for the Hearing Loss Association of America.

Prolonged excessive noise damages hearing, according to the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), a division of the National Institutes of Health. Loud noises destroy the ear’s special cells, called “hair cells.” The ear cannot grow new hair cells.

Hair cells are one aspect of how hearing works; they help translate sound into a signal the brain interprets, or “hears.” Loud noises also damage the auditory nerve, another hearing component that helps translate sound waves into signals the brain understands. Hearing also can be damaged significantly by a single impulse sound — gunfire, for example. Normal conversation is considered to be “safe” at a sound level of 60 decibels, according to the NIDCD. On flight decks, noise levels are around 130 decibels and helicopter noise is around 100 decibels, according to military noise assessment. A soldier near an M60 machine gun is exposed to 150 decibels and within 50 feet of an exploding grenade, 160 decibels.

Blast pressure also damages hearing. Eardrums can rupture at pressure as low as 5 pounds per square inch, a fraction of what it takes to damage internal organs. Explosives used in Iraq and Afghanistan create pressure that exceeds 60 psi, according to VA audiology research. The pressure that damages lungs and intestines is 56-76 psi. Another feature of blast injury

and hearing impairment is that it likely will show up later, often as part of blast-induced traumatic brain injury. Brett Buchanan, an Army veteran, is a claims agent for Allsup, a Belleville, Illinois based national disability representation company that helps veterans through their medical appeals.

“Hearing loss and tinnitus are classic examples of medical issues that veterans may or may not be aware they have,” he said. “Earlier is better, and that applies to medical treatment and filing the claim for compensation.” If veterans wait seven years, Buchanan said, their time discharged might be longer than the time they served on active duty. Upon discharge, veterans should get a baseline audiology examination, he said.

The CapTel phone transcribes what the person on the phone is saying, allowing a hearing-impaired user to see and read the phone conversation.

Mark Brogan had his right temporal lobe removed because of the damage he suffered as a result of a suicide bomb. Post-9/11 veteran Mark Brogan uses a CapTel phone, which allows him to read a transcription of a conversation while someone is talking to him, because of his hearing loss. Brogan lost most of his hearing when a suicide bomber detonated behind him during a mission in Iraq in 2006. Mark Brogan uses a CapTel phone so he can instantly read, via the phone’s display, what the other person is saying on the other line.

Brogan uses his overseas experience to talk at hearing events nationwide, like the Hearing Loss Association of America. “Ultimately when the VA adjudicator looks at your claim and sees that you entered at this hearing threshold and left at this hearing threshold, and that every year after discharge your hearing has gotten progressively worse even though you were working in an office environment, it just lends credibility to your case that the hearing loss you experience today is due to that noise exposure in service,” Buchanan said.

Retired US Army Capt. Mark A. Brogan was severely wounded in Iraq when a suicide bomb attack blew away part of his skull. Beyond his surviving that 2006 blast, Brogan said he is amazed by how much his hearing-assistive devices improved his life. Brogan uses a device called CapTel lets him hear and read a transcription of telephone conversations as he listens to them.

“I had to find ways to re-engage and I just happened to discover a local HLAA (Hearing Loss Association of America) chapter,” Brogan said by phone from his Knoxville, Tennessee home. After speaking at an association convention, he now is invited to speak on many speaking panels, for organizations such as the HLAA and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. US Army Col. Vickie Tuten, associate director for the Hearing Center of Excellence, and Kyle Dennis, the VA representative to the center, work together to assure veterans’ well-being. “There is emerging technology for the future to protect the hearing of our service members,” Tuten said. “We will see a time in the future that we won’t have to accept hearing loss as part of military service.”

ESTABLISHING SERVICE CONNECTION FOR HEARING LOSS AND TINNITUS

by Amanda Dejesus For most veterans, having to deal with hearing loss and tinnitus is quite common. As of the year 2014, the VA noted that 933,000 veterans were being compensated for hearing loss and almost 1.3 million veterans were compensated for tinnitus. That statistic is alarmingly high.

A veteran with either of these two conditions may be wondering what is needed to establish service connection: www.hillandponton.com/establishing-service-connection/for hearing loss and/or tinnitus.

Tinnitus is a noise that you hear in your ears, such as a buzzing or ringing that happens again and again, or consistently. The only rating available for tinnitus is 10%. A 10% rating will be assigned whether you have ringing in one ear or in both ears, you cannot receive a 20% rating due to tinnitus in both ears. However, there can be a higher percentage available for those whose condition is so severe that it is debilitating or prevents you from working. You may be able to seek an extra schedular rating for your tinnitus in excess of the 10 percent limit in the Schedule of Impairment Ratings.

Hearing loss is defined as any degree of impairment of the ability to comprehend sound. If you are diagnosed with both hearing loss and tinnitus, you may be entitled to one separate rating for hearing loss and another separate rating for tinnitus.

THE FOLLOWING IS NEEDED TO ESTABLISH SERVICE CONNECTION: 1. A current diagnosis of a hearing condition 2. Evidence of an event that caused the condition, and 3. A medical opinion linking the current hearing condition to the event in service or nexus.

Along with the list above, two types of tests are needed to prove a claim for hearing loss. These tests will include a controlled speech discrimination test (Maryland CNC) and a pure tone audiometry test. The Maryland CNC test is a particular word list that is used to test your ability to hear spoken words.

A pure tone audiometry test is different tones that must be detected at varying frequencies (low frequencies to high frequencies). Even if you only claim hearing loss in one ear, both ears should be tested. Examinations will be conducted without the use of hearing aids. This will prevent any biased results. These tests should be performed by a state licensed audiologist.

The VA will take the auditory test results and, use a numerical formula, to determine the actual rating that will be assigned. This formula can be found in Section 4.85 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Typical ratings for hearing loss are 0% or 10%, but severe or profound hearing loss can qualify for a higher rating.

Tinnitus is one of the most claimed disabilities when it comes to applying for compensation. Hearing loss comes in at a close second. This statistic comes from the 2015 Annual Benefits Report. The report shows that 9.6 percent of veterans claimed tinnitus and about 5.2 percent of veterans claimed hearing loss. Yet, these two disabilities will be denied time and time again.

The bottom line is that it is very important to have the three components mentioned earlier to establish service connection for hearing loss and/or tinnitus: a current diagnosis, evidence of an event that caused the condition, and a medical opinion linking the current hearing condition to the event in service or nexus. Any veteran struggling with tinnitus and/or hearing loss, should not give up or become discouraged if they are denied the first time or even the second time around. This is a real issue for many veterans.

Hopefully, this information will help in the initial process when trying to establish service connection for tinnitus and/or hearing loss.

SUICIDE PREVENTION

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SUICIDE PREVENTION INITIATIVE FOR VETERANS CAN BE MODEL FOR NATIONWIDE EFFORT

by US Senator John McCain Recently, the Department of Veterans Affairs released a sobering reminder of an epidemic that plagues our veterans: the suicide rate among military veterans has increased nearly 32 percent since 2001. Our youngest veterans (ages 18-29) have been hit the hardest and are nearly twice as likely to take their own lives than any other age group. The rate of suicide among veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is approximately 50 percent higher than the rate among the general public, and on average, we lose more than 20 military veterans to suicide each day.

These numbers are unacceptable. That’s why in 2014, I worked to help veterans at risk of suicide due to combat-related psychological trauma by championing legislation named in the honor of Clay Hunt. That bill was signed into law in 2015.

But simply passing legislation is not enough. In order to fulfill the goals of the bill, I have organized a group of mental health experts from the local, state and national levels to implement the “Clay Hunt Mental Health Pilot Program.”

This pilot program authorizes coordination with the VA, state agencies tasked and key veterans service organizations (VSOs). While these individual organizations are already serving our veterans, our pilot program will combine the best of VA’s capabilities and VSOs community outreach to reach more veterans and their families.

Arizona will be the first state in the country to organize this level of collaboration and training so that the VA and the community are working together to combat suicide among veterans.

Many of us know Clay Hunt’s story. As a Marine veteran, he served honorably in Iraq and Afghanistan. After he returned home, Clay suffered for many years with post-traumatic stress disorder and struggled with inadequate care from his local VA hospital. Clay took his own life at the age of 28, a tragedy for his family and our nation. Sadly, this is a story we hear far too often. Of the almost two dozen military veterans who commit suicide each day on average, two-thirds of them will never have walked through the doors of a VA facility to receive the care they need. The VA cannot find or offer any treatment to roughly 450,000 veterans living throughout the state.

That is why the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act and the Clay Hunt Mental Health Pilot Program are so important and can serve as a model for the rest of the country. This pilot program puts into action the legislation’s intended collaborative partnership between the local VA and the surrounding community to ensure that effective mental health care resources are made available to at-risk veterans wherever they live and work. A hallmark of this endeavor will be proven, high-quality training for all “Peer Support Specialists”. These veterans will receive training to support fellow veterans in their communities in order to help serve their mental health care needs. For the first time, everyone working to fight veteran suicides will have compatible high-quality training whether they are a VA employee, a veteran seeking to help a fellow veteran, or a mental health care provider in our community.

All of us involved in launching and supporting this initiative strongly believe that the Clay Hunt Mental Health Pilot Program has the potential to become a national moel for combating veterans suicides. This effort, which has received the backing of the VSO community, represents a creative, effective solution that empowers both veterans and civilians to be able to help prevent tragic loss of life.

For far too long, our sons and daughters who selflessly served the nation in wartime have ended their lives prematurely after they returned home.

Through the combined and coordinated suicide prevention efforts of VA hospitals, veterans, and mental health providers — and hopefully states across the country — can work together to bring an end to the tragedy of veteran suicides.

ANTIDEPRESSANTS: DRUGS MAKE PEOPLE ‘TWICE AS LIKELY TO THINK ABOUT SUICIDE’ STUDY CLAIMS

by Olivia Lerche Taking anti-depressants could double the risk of having feelings which could lead to suicide, a controversial new study has suggested.

A review of trials of antidepressants taken by healthy adults with no signs of a mental health disorder has found the drugs used to treat the illness doubled the harms related to suicide and violence. Experts working on the study said the analysis was undertaken because the harms of anti-depressants, including the risk of suicide, are often explained away as if they are disease symptoms or only a problem in children.

Professor Peter Gøtzsche, of the Nordic Cochrane Centre and lead author of the study, said: “While it is now generally accepted that anti-depressants increase the risk of suicide and violence in children and adolescents, most people believe that these drugs are not dangerous for adults. “This is a potentially lethal misconception.” Professor Gøtzsche added: “It is well documented that drug companies under-report seriously the harms of antidepressants related to suicide and violence, either by simply omitting them from reports, by calling them something else or by committing scientific misconduct.”

Senator John Cornyn was born in Houston on February 2, 1952, and was raised in San Antonio. His parents, John and Gale, were both native Texans. His dad was a B-17 pilot in World War II and served for 31 years in the U.S. Air Force.

He graduated from Trinity University and St. Mary’s School of Law, both in San Antonio. He earned a Masters of Law degree from the University of Virginia Law School in 1995.

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FAIRNESS FOR VETERANS ACT

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“Days after Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Chair Isakson hosted ‘Charlie Foxtrot: A Conversation about Veterans and PTSD,’ Congress took action and passed a major provision of The Fairness for Veterans Act as part of this year’s defense bill,” said John Rowan, national president of Vietnam Veterans of America. “Congress has recognized that more needs to be done to help veterans whose service-related conditions, such as PTSD, TBI, and MST, were not properly considered prior to being discharged without access to benefits.”

The Fairness for Veterans Act has the support of a bipartisan coalition, including many veterans elected to Congress. An important provision of the Fairness for Veterans Act was included as part of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2017. Once signed by the President, this provision of the NDAA would codify into law the 2014 “Hagel Memo,” issued by former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. The Hagel Memo calls for the Boards for Corrections of Military Records to apply “liberal consideration” in favor of Vietnam veterans, contending that PTSD was a contributing factor in circumstances surrounding other-than-honorable discharges. While the Hagel Memo was interpreted narrowly by the military’s review board agencies, it did impact a handful of Vietnam veterans with PTSD. The Fairness for Veterans Act clarifies and strengthens the spirit of the Hagel Memo by applying it more broadly to Post-9/11 veterans with less-than-honorable discharges.

“VVA is particularly thankful to those Members of Congress who crossed party lines and worked hard on common-sense legislation to protect our country’s most vulnerable veterans, including Senators Peters, Tillis, Daines, Gillibrand, and McCain -- and Representatives Coffman, Walz, Zeldin, Rice, and Moulton. We are also indebted to our coalition members who worked hard to ensure the passage of this Act. “The Fairness for Veterans provision passing is a reason for every American to celebrate, because Congress heard their cries for action” continued Rowan.

“But we must keep the pressure on. That is why VVA is calling on Congress to hold hearings on the issue of bad-paper discharges for veterans with PTSD, so that we can ensure every veteran is brought all the way home.”

“Vietnam Veterans of America is the nation’s only congressionally chartered veterans’ service organization dedicated to the needs of Vietnam-era veterans and their families. VVA’s founding principle is “Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another.”

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THE POLITICS BEHIND FINDING A CURE FOR CANCER

by Dr. Joeseph Mercola If you are old enough, you might recall a controversy in the early 1970s regarding the compound Laetrile, purported to prevent the spread of cancer. New York’s Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center was ground zero in that firestorm. In the early 1970s, America’s war on cancer was in full force, and Sloan Kettering was regarded as one of the world’s leading cancer research centers.

But Sloan Kettering’s Board of Directors swept positive findings about Laetrile under the rug when it became unprofitable and publicly unpopular for them to support it. Their Laetrile research was done under their own roof by one of the world’s most respected cancer researchers of the day—Dr. Kanematsu Sugiura. One person—and only one—has come forward with the truth about what turned out to be one of the most reprehensible cover-ups in the history of cancer research.

In 1974, young science writer Ralph Moss had just netted his first big-time job in Sloan Kettering’s public relations department, but he soon found himself smack dab in the middle of the Laetrile fiasco. In July 1977, Moss was no longer willing to lie on behalf of his employer, so he exposed the truth about Sloan Kettering’s conduct at a highly publicized press conference. The next business day he was fired and swiftly escorted to the door by armed guards.

This story is personally recounted in a new documentary Second Opinion: Laetrile at Sloan Kettering, in which Moss reveals the full extent of the Laetrile cover-up, in its entirety, as an insider. He’s also written a book about it, called “Doctored Results”.

Eric Merola is an award winning documentarian whose prior work includes Burzynski: The Movie and Burzynski — Cancer is Serious Business, Part II. The experience was life changing for Ralph Moss, who has since devoted his career to independently evaluating the claims of conventional and nonconventional cancer treatments.

WHAT IS LAETRILE? Laetrile is the patented drug made from the natural compound amygdalin, found in the seeds of many fruits, such as apricot, plum and peach pits, apple seeds, and quince, as well as in almonds. Laetrile is also known as Amigdalina B-17 or vitamin B17, although there is very little evidence it warrants classification as a vitamin. Amygdalin contains glucose, benzaldehyde, and cyanide.

Cyanide is believed to be the active cancer-toxic ingredient in Laetrile.

However, cyanide is toxic to all cells, so Laetrile’s overall toxicity is a concern.

Some Laetrile proponents claim that it’s more toxic to cancer cells than to normal cells. Getting cyanide poisoning from apple seeds or almonds is extremely unlikely.

In 1924, Laetrile was synthesized from amygdalin and promoted as a cancer treatment. By 1978, it was estimated that more than 70,000 Americans had tried it—despite its being banned in the US since 1963. Most people obtain Laetrile from Tijuana clinics, as the agent is still legal in Mexico.

DR. SUGIURA’S RESEARCH: Dr. Kanematsu Sugiura spent most of his career at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, authoring more than 250 papers and receiving numerous awards, including the highest honors from the Japan Medical Association for outstanding contributions in cancer research. While studying Laetrile, which was previously written off as “quack medicine,” Dr. Sugiura discovered Laetrile to have very positive effects in preventing the spread of malignant lung tumors in laboratory mice. In control groups, which received only plain saline, the lung tumors spread in 80 to 90 percent of the animals.

But in those given Laetrile, the tumors spread in only 10 to 20 percent.

THE COVER-UP: By 1974, the findings were so positive that Sloan Kettering had signed off on clinical trials—but suddenly everything changed. The center began shifting their Laetrile experiments away from Dr. Sugiura to other scientists. But every time new experiments even hinted at a positive outcome, the research was scrapped, for ridiculous reasons.

Even the scientists at Sloan Kettering who had previously been supportive of Sugiura’s studies began to characterize Laetrile as a fraud — yet nothing had changed scientifically to negate Sugiura’s findings. Despite the opposition, Dr. Sugiura stood firmly by his work.

Ralph Moss had befriended Dr. Sugiura from the beginning of his employment at Sloan Kettering, and Sugiura had excitedly shared his findings about Laetrile with Moss. When things went south, Moss was suddenly caught in a dilemma. His only choices were to lie, in order to support his employer, or tell the truth and sacrifice his job and potentially his career. He tried leaking the documents of Sugiura’s work to the editor of the New York Times, but they never saw the light of day.

Ultimately, Moss chose to come clean at a press conference in July 1977, which ended up being the final day of his employment at Sloan Kettering. He was admonished to never set foot in the facility again. What happened to cause this sudden, drastic shift about Laetrile?

Just prior to the Laetrile controversy, Sloan Kettering was already reeling in embarrassment from research fraud, courtesy of dermatologist William T. Summerlin. In 1974, Summerlin was supposedly studying transplantation immunology and claimed to have successfully performed the first skin transplant from a black mouse onto a white mouse — quite a scientific feat, as they were genetically unrelated animals. Shortly thereafter, technicians noticed that the black “pigmentation” on the white mice wiped off with a cotton swab, tipping them off that Summerlin had merely colored the skin patch with a black permanent marker. Further investigation revealed that many of Summerlin’s prior studies were equally bogus.

Sloan Kettering did not want to be in the spotlight for anything else even remotely resembling quackery, and Laetrile was considered too controversial.

The problem was compounded by the fact that the pro-Laetrile movement had been commandeered by the extreme right wing John Birch Society, with whom the center did not want to be associated. And then, you must consider

the individuals comprising Sloan Kettering’s Board of Directors.

According to Ralph Moss, the Laetrile cover-up really only makes sense when viewed through the lens of “the politics of cancer.” According to Moss: “The individuals on Sloan Kettering’s Board of Directors were a ‘Who's Who’ of investors in petrochemical and other polluting industries. In other words, the hospital was being run by people who made their wealth by investing in the worst cancer-causing things on the planet.”

The Board was dominated by CEOs from top pharmaceutical companies that produce cancer drugs, whose interest was in promoting chemotherapy and undermining natural therapies. For example, both the Chairman and Vice President of Bristol-Myers Squibb (the world’s leading manufacturer of chemotherapy drugs) occupied high positions on the Board. Of the nine members of the hospital’s powerful Institutional Policy Committee, seven had ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

Even the hospital itself invested in stock of these drug companies. The Board also included directors of the biggest tobacco companies in the US — Phillip Morris and RJR Nabisco. Moss writes: “With this background in mind, it should come as no surprise to learn that Sugiura’s findings did not please his employer. What goes on inside the laboratories is generally of little interest to board members. It is assumed that, whatever it is, it will result in a new patented drug that will keep the cash flow moving in their direction. They were slow to pick up on the implications of Sugiura’s work, but when they did, all hell broke loose in the board room. If a cure for cancer were to be found in an extract from the lowly apricot seed, it would be a terrible economic blow to the cancer-drug industry.”

Related to this is one very telling quote that comes near the end of the film, attributed to William W. Vodra, the former Associate Chief Counsel for Drugs at the USFDA: “Nobody is going to pay $70,000 for a new cancer drug if they can buy Laetrile for 75 cents.” The Sloan Kettering Board likely realized that Laetrile offered no hope as a profitable cancer treatment—so it had to be squelched.

Despite contemporary research findings, you will find no retraction (or apology) by Sloan Kettering, and sadly, the vast majority of cancer information sites claim that Laetrile is useless as a cancer treatment. Laetrile was a lost opportunity. This type of misinformation is rampant in the industry, and the people who really suffer are those battling cancer and denied access to treatments that could potentially save them or extend their lives. The facts show that Dr. Sugiura was both competent and honest, but instead of accolades, he received nothing but grief because he just happened to step into the middle of a political hornets’ nest.

“Nobody is going to pay $70,000 for a new cancer drug if they can buy Laetrile for 75 cents.”

ALTERNATIVE CANCER STRATEGIES

DR. MOSS IS OFFERING VETERANS A HALF-PRICE DISCOUNT FOR THE MOSS REPORTS which contain approximately 500 pages of comprehensive, up-to-date information on conventional, integrative, experimental, complementary, dietary, and alternative cancer treatments. The Moss Reports provide a very readable, yet detailed, explanation of 36 particular cancer diagnoses. The normal price of a report is $297, but veterans are entitled to the half price of $145. To order: www.newcancerfoundation.org In each Moss report the veteran will find analysis of standard treatments, such as surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, their effectiveness, pluses and drawbacks Information on conventional, integrative, experimental, complementary, CAM, dietary, and alternative cancer treatments that have been scientifically validated. There is also a listing of which treatments lack scientific credibility. A discussion of major dietary changes that are associated with decreasing the aggressiveness of cancer cells, stimulating the immune system, and killing cancer stem cells. Diet that helps to prevent and suppress cancer description of the newest conventional and alternative methods of cancer treatment details and analysis of conventional and alternative cancer treatment centers in the US and worldwide.

Ralph W. Moss, Ph.D also offers one-hour telephone consultations to help patients and their caregivers individualize their cancer treatment. In the phone consultation, he will draw on his 40 years of experience in visiting innovative cancer treatment centers and clinics around the world to make individualized suggestions for your particular situation.

Veterans are advised to visit www.cancerdecisions.com to order your report.

For more info contact Evelyn Rose at: evelyn@cancerdecisions.com “If cancer specialists were to admit publicly that chemotherapy is of limited usefulness and is often dangerous, the public might demand a radical change in direction — possibly toward unorthodox and nontoxic methods, and toward cancer prevention. The use of chemotherapy is even advocated by those members of the establishment who realize how ineffective and dangerous it can be.”

— Ralph W. Moss

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RichaRD oveRton 110 yeaRs olD anD still going stRong wwwww

Richard fought in the 1887th Engineer Aviation Battalion in World War II.

Richard Overton is the oldest living veteran in the United States. Richard Overton of Austin, Texas, was born May 11, 1906, and fought in the 1887th Engineer Aviation Battalion in World War II. These days, Overton enjoys an occasional splash of whiskey in his morning coffee and a good cigar on the front porch of his Austin home which he bought for $4000 after returning from WWII. He was honored at the White House by President Obama when he turned 107 years old.

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President Obama greets Richard Overton.

Governor and First Lady celebrate Richard Overton’s 110th birthday.

RichaRD oveRton is the olDest living veteRan in the uniteD states RichaRD oveRton neeDs 24/7 homecaRe

David Robinson and Richard Overton.

Richard Overton is 110 years old and is the oldest living United States veteran. He is a veteran of World War II and currently lives in his home in Austin, Texas. Richard has out-lived all of his closest relatives and is in need of 24/7 home care. We are asking for donations to keep him living in his home instead of a nursing home.

In 2013, Richard met President Obama at the White House for breakfast before accompanying the president to the to Arlington National Cemetery for a Veterans Day ceremony, where he was honored. In 2015, Richard Overton was featured in Cigar Aficionado magazine as America's Oldest Cigar Smoker.

He says the secret to long life is “Cigars and God”. He is also known to still enjoy his whiske.

On behalf of the Overton family, we greatly appreciate any donations to help Richard stay in his home and receive in-home care. We have decided to have Senior Helpers to be Richard's 24/7 home care provider. Thanks to all of the sharing, caring and loving support that everyone has given Richard in his effort to stay at his home. He now has 24/7 home care coverage for a little more than 6 months so please continue to share the love with him.

Donate to help RichaRD oveRton www.gofunDme.com/help-RichaRD-oveRton

what’s wRong in ameRica?

His secret to long life is “Cigars and God”. He is also known to still enjoy his whiskey.

Richard Overton and Steve Harvey.

CUSTOM COMMEMORATIVE COINS we specialize in making custom challenge coins for veterans groups, government agencies, police, fire, schools, employers, customer gifts, fundraising many coin options available based on metals, shape & color honor your people by having a custom challenge coin minted

“The coins all look amazing.”

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Spartan Coins created the NATIONAL VETERANS MAGAZINE Challenge Coin

DIABETES & CANCER LINKED TO SUGAR

by Elise Riley While it’s common knowledge that sugary foods shouldn’t be a staple of our daily diet, there’s a secret most of us don’t know: Sugar is everywhere. Literally, it’s everywhere. Soda and chips. Salad dressing and granola bars. If it’s packaged or processed, it has sugar in some form.

And one Valley doctor is signaling just how dangerous it all is. In his book “Sugar Crush,” Dr. Richard Jacoby outlines in detail just how the sugar-laden American diet is gradually causing a host of otherwise preventable diseases. From type 2 diabetes to migraines, sinus trouble to neuropathy, the role of sugar can’t be ignored. “Eighty percent of the food in the USA has high fructose corn syrup in it,” Jacoby said. “It tastes great. It’s addicting. It’s also making us fat and sick.”

Dr. Jacoby is one a leading peripheral nerve surgeon and specializes in treating peripheral neuropathy. He practices at the Scottsdale Neuropathy Institute. Jacoby began researching the root cause of his patients’ neuropathy.

Once he began talking to researchers in other fields, and finding common issues, “Sugar Crush” was born. The book explains in plain language why sugar is so harmful, how it degrades nerves and causes inflammation and pain, and how we can all reverse the damage by making a change in our diet.

Based on his research, Jacoby estimates that up to 19 million Americans have undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. In the book, he also offers connections between sugar and a host of diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer’s and autism.

“Otto Warburg won the Nobel Prize in 1931 when he proved that fructose causes cancer,” Jacoby said.

“We’ve known this stuff for years. Why don’t we know it today?”

Acknowledging that Americans have been “educated into ignorance” about nutrition and health, Jacoby’s book outlines the health issues that can be remedied by an improved diet, and how to manage that new diet. In addition to learning about health conditions that are caused or exacerbated by sugar, in “Sugar Crush” Jacoby explains how to find hidden sugars at the supermarket. He explains how processed foods — canned tomatoes, soups and salad dressings — have significant amounts of sugar, and he also explains why “fat-free” should instead say, “sugar added.”

Jacoby is quick to point out that sugar is pasta, bread, fruit.

It’s not just junk food — it’s everywhere. “I would say that before I began this work, I was a sugar addict, too. I just didn’t know it,” Jacoby said. “We eat carbohydrates because we love them. I thought that if you went to the gym and burned those calories, you’d be fine. Not true. If these symptoms are happening in our body, you know it’s happening in other places. You might not feel it in your heart, but it’s happening there, too.”

“Sugar Crush” also challenges our notions of food — and even the language we use. Take fats, for example. Fats don’t cause someone to become overweight, carbohydrates do. Jacoby says that while we’ve all been incorrectly told to be afraid of fat, our diets are loaded with sugar that’s replacing healthy fat. “The human body was built to function on fat-based energy,” Jacoby said. “There are only two things you can eat that have flavor — fat or sugar. Fat is expensive. Sugar is cheap. Guess which one is what we’re eating?”

While Jacoby continues to treat patients for neuropathy and other issues, he remains vigilant in his quest to educate consumers on the dangers of the American diet. Are Americans fat Be aware of the alarming amount or skinny? We all know the answer.

We’re fat and sick. I’m not a dietician of sugar in your favorite drinks. but I can see it. Sugar is causing this.”

WATER HAS NO SUGAR. What is diabetes? Diabetes is a disease that affects the body’s ability to produce or respond to insulin, a hormone that allows blood glucose (blood sugar) to enter the cells of the body and be used for energy. Diabetes falls into two main categories: type 1, which usually occurs during childhood or adolescence, and type 2, the most common form of the disease, usually occurring after age 45.

Diabetes is a chronic disease that has no cure.

How Does it Affect Native Americans?

Prevalence of type 2 diabetes among Native Americans in the USA is 12.2% for those over 19 years of age. One tribe in Arizona has the highest rate of diabetes in the world. About 50% of the tribe between the ages of 30 and 64 have diabetes.

Today, diabetes has reached epidemic proportions among Native Americans.

Complications from diabetes are major causes of death and health problems in most Native American populations. Of equal concern is the fact that type 2, or adult-onset diabetes, is increasingly being discovered in Native American youth.

Diabetes Rapidly Increasing Among Native Americans, Alaskans Reported in the December, 2000 issue of Diabetes Care: Diabetes has been growing in prevalence among Native Americans and Alaskan Natives, according to a recent study by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study found a nearly 30 percent increase in diabetes diagnoses among these populations between 1990 and 1997. During this time period prevalence among women was higher than among men, but the rate of increase was higher among men than women (37 percent v. 25 percent). The increase in prevalence was highest in Alaska, where it rose 76 percent during the 1990s, and lowest in the Northern Plains region of the United States, where it rose by 16 percent during this time period.

Obesity and Native Americans: According to the National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the "thrifty gene" theory proposes that African-Americans, HispanicAmericans, Asian Americans and Native Americans inherited a gene from their ancestors which enabled them to use food more efficiently during "feast and famine" cycles. Today there are fewer such cycles; this causes certain populations to be more susceptible to obesity and to developing type 2 diabetes.

The serious complications of diabetes are increasing in frequency among Native Americans. Of major concern are increasing rates of kidney failure, amputations and blindness. Ten to twenty-one percent of all people with diabetes develop kidney disease. In 1995, 27,900 people initiated treatment for end stage renal disease (kidney failure) because of diabetes. Among people with diabetes, the rate of diabetic end stage renal disease is six times higher among Native Americans. Diabetes is the most frequent cause of non-traumatic lower limb amputations. The risk of a leg amputation is 15 to 40 times greater for a person with diabetes. Each year 54,000 people lose their foot or leg to diabetes.

Amputation rates among Native Americans are 3-4 times higher than the general population.

THE IMPACT OF HIGH BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS?

by Jennifer Berry, Medical News Today The human body naturally has sugar, or glucose, in the blood. The right amount of blood sugar gives the body’s cells and organs energy. The liver and muscles produce some blood sugar, but most of it comes from food and drinks that contain carbohydrates.

In order to keep blood sugar levels within a normal range, the body needs insulin. Insulin is a hormone that takes blood sugar and delivers it to the body’s cells. In type 2 diabetes, the body can produce insulin but unable to use it properly. Blood sugar is fuel for the body’s organs and functions. But having high blood sugar doesn’t provide a boost in energy. In fact, it’s often the opposite. Because the body’s cells can’t access the blood sugar for energy, a person may feel tiredness, hunger, or exhaustion frequently.

In addition, high sugar in the blood goes into the kidneys and urine, which attracts more water, causing frequent urination. This can also lead to increased thirst, despite drinking enough liquids. High blood sugar can cause sudden or unexplained weight loss. This occurs because the body’s cells aren’t getting the glucose they need, so the body burns muscle and fat for energy instead.

High blood sugar can also cause numbness, burning, or tingling in the hands, legs, and feet. This is caused by diabetic neuropathy, a complication of diabetes that often occurs after many years of high blood sugar levels.

What does high blood sugar mean for the rest of the body?

Over time, the body’s organs and systems can be harmed by high blood sugar. Blood vessels become damaged, and this can lead to complications, including: ◾ Heart attack or stroke ◾ Damage to the eye and loss of vision ◾ Kidney disease or failure ◾ Nerve problems in the skin, especially the feet, leading to sores, infections, and wound healing problems Causes of high blood sugar WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES, the immune system attacks the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. As a result, the body lacks insulin and blood sugar levels rise. People with type 1 diabetes must take insulin through a needle, pen, or insulin pump to keep blood sugar levels under control. Only 5 percent of all people with diabetes have type 1, according to the American Diabetes Association.

WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES, the body does produce insulin but is unable to use it properly. The pancreas tries to make more insulin, but often cannot make enough to keep blood sugar levels under control. This is known as insulin resistance. People with type 2 diabetes may need to take insulin, pills, or make diet or exercise changes to help control blood sugar levels.

A higher than normal blood sugar level is known as hyperglycemia.

Although diabetes is the main cause, people who take beta blockers and certain steroids may also experience high blood sugar. The exact cause of type 1 or type 2 diabetes is not known. Some factors may make a person more likely to develop these conditions, however. Researchers believe certain genetic or environmental factors may make people more likely to get type 1 diabetes. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases say certain genes play a role, and other factors such as viruses and infections may also be involved.

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation say that there is nothing a person can do to prevent type 1 diabetes, and it is not related to eating, exercise, or other lifestyle choices. Type 1 diabetes usually begins during childhood or early adulthood. Although no single factor has been identified, the following risk factors make a person more likely to develop type 2 diabetes: Having certain genes that are linked to diabetes◾Being overweight or inactive◾Having a parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes◾Being over the age of 45◾Having African-American, Alaska Native, American Indian, Asian-American, Hispanic, or Pacific Islander ethnicity◾Being treated for high blood pressure, or having blood pressure of 140/90 or higher◾Having low levels of “good” HDL cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides.

People who have high blood sugar should discuss their target levels with their doctor. Regular testing may be needed to find out if the patient is within a healthy range. Each individual is different and levels can vary from person to person. To determine a person’s blood sugar levels, blood tests may be taken after not eating for 8 hours, 2 hours after a meal, or at both times. Some people may also take a glucose tolerance test, which requires the patient to drink a sugary liquid and get blood tests afterward. The American Diabetes Association recommend a pre-meal blood sugar level of 80-130 milligrams per deciliter. Around 1 to 2 hours after the beginning of a meal, blood sugar should be less than 180 milligrams per deciliter.

Many people with diabetes must check their blood sugar levels daily with a glucose meter. This device takes a drop of blood, usually from a finger, and displays the sugar level within a few seconds. People with type 1 diabetes will need to take insulin as directed, usually several times a day. Those with type 2 diabetes or gestational diabetes may need to change their diet and exercise habits. They may also need to take oral medications or insulin. Blood sugar is only one part of a healthy lifestyle with diabetes. A person should also have their cholesterol and blood pressure checked regularly to help avoid heart disease. In addition, people with diabetes should check their feet regularly for sores or other problems and should receive regular eye exams. Low blood sugar is often a side effect of diabetes medicines. If a person takes too much insulin, the blood sugar may become too low. Low blood sugar can also be caused by certain medications, health conditions, or skipping meals.

Symptoms of low blood sugar, also known as hypoglycemia, may include: ◾ Feeling weak or shaky ◾ Sudden nervousness, anxiety, or irritability ◾ Sweating or chills ◾ Extreme hunger ◾ Confusion ◾ Fast heart rate Low blood sugar can often be corrected by drinking a beverage that contains carbohydrates. Frequent episodes of low blood sugar should be discussed with a doctor. Diabetes medications may need to be changed or reduced in order to correct the problem. Symptoms such as tiredness, increased thirst, frequent urination, or weight loss should be discussed with a doctor. These could be signs of diabetes or other health problems.

Most checkups will involve blood sugar testing, even if the person has no symptoms. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommend that adults age 40 to 70 who are overweight should be tested for diabetes. Those who have a family history of diabetes or who have other risk factors may need earlier or more frequent tests. A person’s health and well-being depend upon proper management of blood sugar levels. Regular visits to the doctor and following diet, exercise, and medication guidelines can help control blood sugar for a better quality of life.

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PROTECTING PETS FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE wwwww

Pets are often a key part of our families. We form strong emotional bonds with our companion animals and they provide friendship, laughs, and even sometimes headaches — like when they have chewed up a favorite sweater.

For many of us, coming home for the holidays means embracing our muchloved and missed pets. At the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV), we believe that everyone should have a safe and peaceful holiday season — including our beloved pets.

Offenders harm pets as a tactic of domestic violence — to hurt victims, to gain power and control, and to intimidate or coerce victims to stay. In many cases, perpetrators of domestic violence may kill, harm, or threaten pets in order to assert their dominance and “emotionally blackmail” victims into complying with and remaining silent about the abuse victims are experiencing. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), 71% of pet-owning women entering domestic violence shelters reported that the abuser threatened, harmed, or killed the family pet. Animal abuse can also be an indicator of domestic violence and is an early warning sign of concurrent or future violence.

Victims of domestic violence may be reluctant to disclose abuse that they have experienced but may be more willing to seek help for their pets, which can open the door for ensuring their own safety and well-being. Neighbors are often more likely to report suspected animal abuse than domestic violence, making local humane societies and other animal protection professionals the first point of social services contact for some families in crisis. Once animal protective services become involved, they may recognize signs of domestic violence and have the opportunity to provide resources and referrals to victims. Increasing awareness of the link between domestic violence and animal abuse can provide an opportunity for collaboration between animal protective services and domestic violence programs.

As many as one in four survivors have reported returning to an abusive partner out of concern for their pet. In order to address this issue, some domestic violence programs are forging partnerships with animal welfare groups to find innovative solutions to keep survivors and their pets safe.

This can include modifying shelters to accommodate both survivors and their pets, so that survivors and their children can access safety without being separated from their pets. Likewise, many animal shelters allow survivors to have their pets fostered out to homes during their stay in the domestic violence program. This arrangement often allows victims to still visit their pet while they are accessing services. Increasing options for survivors and their pets is an important strategy toward increased safety.

Every home should be a safe home, and every member of a family should be able to live in peace and safety – including our furry friends. Until that day, NNEDV will work to create a social, political, and economic environment in which gender-based violence no longer exists. More info: www.nnedv.org

SERVICE DOGS BENEFIT VETERANS wwwww

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is piloting a program to implement veterinary health benefits for mobility service dogs approved for veterans with a chronic impairment that substantially limits mobility associated with mental health disorders. “We take our responsibility for the care and safety of Veterans very seriously,” said VA Secretary for Veterans Affairs, Dr. David J. Shulkin.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is committed to providing appropriate, safe and effective, compassionate care to all veterans. Implementing the veterinary health benefit for mobility service dogs approved for veterans with a chronic impairment that substantially limits mobility associated with mental health disorders may prove to be significantly beneficial for some veterans. The Service Dog Benefits Pilot will evaluate this premise.”

VA has been providing veterinary benefits to veterans diagnosed as having visual, hearing or substantial mobility impairments and whose rehabilitation and restorative care is clinically determined to be optimized through the assistance of a guide dog or service dog. This benefit is being provided to veterans with a chronic impairment that substantially limits mobility associated with a mental health disorder for whom the service dog has been identified as the optimal way for the veteran to manage the mobility impairment and live independently.

VA service dog program: www.prosthetics.va.gov/ServiceAndGuideDogs.asp

APPRENTICESHIPS TRAIN VETERANS

The US Department of Labor announced today that it has signed an agreement with Amazon to establish a registered apprenticeship program to train veterans for in-demand technical careers at the online technology giant.

Deputy US Secretary of Labor Chris Lu and Vice President, Amazon Ardine Williams joined in a ceremony at Amazon. “We are pleased that Amazon is joining the remarkable group of forward-looking organizations that are pursuing innovations in apprenticeship for the 21st century,” Deputy Secretary Lu said. “Partnerships like this one have reinvigorated our nation’s apprenticeship system, creating opportunity and pathways to prosperity for hundreds of thousands of Americans that will last for years to come.”

In 2016, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos announced the company’s goals of hiring 25,000 veterans and military spouses over the next five years and training 10,000 more in cloud computing skills. The first cohort of apprentices under the new agreement will be trained for AWS’ Cloud Support Associate role.

To date, more than 200 employers, colleges, and labor organizations have signed on to be ApprenticeshipUSA LEADERS by starting or expanding their own work-based learning programs and encouraging their peers to follow.

Employers in the LEADERS program have pledged to work together to create nearly 20,000 new apprenticeship positions.

In 2016, more than 206,000 individuals entered the apprenticeship system.

Nationwide, there are over 505,000 apprentices currently obtaining the skills they need to succeed while earning the wages they need to build financial security. Apprenticeship can play a vital role in addressing many of today's skills challenges.

More info call: (202) 693-2796, email: Apprenticeship.USA@dol.gov.

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DAVID ROBINSON “THE ADMIRAL” — NBA HALL OF FAMER The Players’ Tribune has partnered with Chase Bank for a special edition of “Letter to My Younger Self,” a series where athletes reflect on their biggest lessons learned, from finance to relationships and careers.

DEAR 18-YEAR-OLD DAVID, Please allow me to give you fair warning about something from the future. Tomorrow morning, you’re going to take your first swim test at the US Naval Academy. Believe it or not, the Navy requires plebes to actually be able to swim. Of course, you know that part already. You’re in good shape, right? What’s a little morning swim?

But what you might not realize is just how long 20 minutes of treading water feels like. That’s right, 20 minutes. When you first get into the pool, you’re going to be feeling good. But after 10 minutes, your arms and legs are going to be burning so bad you’ll want to quit. After 15? I don’t even want to tell you.

But you’ll think about your dad, and what he’d say if you failed, and you’ll find a way to keep your head above water for 20 minutes. The only problem is, you’re not done yet. Your stone-faced water survival instructor will bark, “Alright, next up: 100-meter crawl stroke.”

There’s no break. There’s no, “Sir, can I catch my wind?” You are overboard in deep open water without a PFD (personal floatation device), or at least that’s what your instructor is yelling. Sink or swim, plebe. You choose to swim. A thought will come to your mind as you push off the wall and use all the strength left in your six-foot-eight body to take your first stroke. Oh my goodness. What have I done?

When you touch the wall and turn to start your second lap, another thought will come to mind. Uh-oh. I’m sinking. You’re done. You grab the wall and tell the instructor, “I can’t do this.” You, David Robinson, have flunked your introductory swim test. Your swim test. In the Navy. Tomorrow night, when you lie down in your bedroom after this embarrassment and you stare at the ceiling for hours, you’ll have another thought. This one is very important.

What have I gotten myself into? Why am I doing this?

I want you to think long and hard about this particular question. We both know the obvious answer: You chose the Naval Academy because of your father and grandfather, who both served in the military. Your grandfather is and will always be your hero, your inspiration. He fought in World War II, came home to Little Rock, Arkansas, and worked for 50 years as a mailman in the segregated south. Not once did he get a job promotion in five decades. But he kept working all the same. He saved up enough money to buy a piano for his home, and he used it to teach his four children how to play. Be true to who you are. You don’t know the lasting impact you’re going to have.

DAVID ROBINSON SHARES SOME WORDS OF WISDOM When you think of that piano, you don’t think about music. You think about all the family around the piano. You think about how much joy it spread. It was more than a piano, it was a symbol of something.

Up. Keeping moving the family up. Keep working and saving and striving for a better future for your children, and for their children, even if you won’t be around to see it pay off. That’s what your grandfather did, rain, sleet or snow. I want you to think about your grandfather’s integrity and grit when you’re staring at the ceiling of your barracks room, but I also want you to think a little deeper. You need to learn a practical lesson. Grit alone is not going to save you from sinking.

Remember when your dad used to make you study a page of the dictionary every night after school? Then the next day he’d quiz you on the definitions.

“O.K., David, your next word is ambidextrous.” “Dad, this is crazy. None of the other kids are doing this!”

“Ambidextrous.…”

Your father is very demanding of you. But the reason he’s so demanding is because he’s preparing you for the real world. He’s not just giving you the tools to excel in school and eventually choose where you’ll go to college, he’s also showing you how to succeed in your life after basketball. He’s doing what your grandfather did for him. Up. Always up. How do you build a solid vocabulary?

The same way you build a house. Brick by brick. Word by word. Night after night.

The same rule applies to learning to swim, or developing a post move, or building a business. Preparation is everything. This is a simple but undeniable truth that is completely lost on you at 18 years old.

The reason I’m writing to you now is not the swim test. The swim test is nothing. Come on, you’re an African-American kid from Virginia. You didn’t exactly grow up diving in the ocean every summer. Just relax and practice every day, and you’ll get past the swim test.

What this is really about is how you’re going to approach this very short thing called life. I’m going to drop a bombshell on you now. In four years, you will be an ensign in the US Navy, and you’ll earn a monthly salary of $1,260.

I know that sounds like a tremendous amount of pizza money, but no, that’s not the bombshell. The bombshell is that you’re going to be drafted No. 1 overall by the San Antonio Spurs. You will sign a $3 million contract, with a $1 million signing bonus.

You will be stationed on a submarine base in Kings Bay, Georgia, serving your two-year commitment in the Navy, waiting to play in the NBA, and you’ll

get a check for one million dollars. It will be the most surreal moment of your life. You will be sitting in the diving-control station of the USS Buffalo submarine going about your duties as a civil engineer, when you will think, I have one million dollars in the bank.

This is really a turning point in your life. That’s why I want you to reflect so deeply on the question that will pop into your head when you fail your swim test.

Why am I doing this? As I write this letter to you, you’re much older, and a little grayer. You have experienced so many incredible things, and you have screwed up plenty, too. You will win two Olympic gold medals, lift two NBA championship trophies, sign many more contracts, and inevitably your career will end, as all things do, and you will start a second life a businessman.

But the question remains. Whether we’re talking about a swimming test, or your bank account, or what you do with your life after the NBA. Why am I doing this? You will make more money than your grandfather could ever dream of seeing. My advice to you is to save that first million dollars. Do not touch it. Live off your military paycheck. It’s plenty.

Your peers will respect you for your integrity and character, not your possessions. What are you gonna do anyway, drive a Ferrari around the naval base? How is that going to help anyone?

Use the financial power you’ll be blessed with to create a company that can invest in the community, especially the African-American community.

Create connections with the many influential people you meet along the way so that you can create a foundation that will empower young people like you to pursue their dreams.

I hate to say it, but in the future, the times will be much more unforgiving.

The world will be very challenging place for young African-American kids like you. Not all of them will have role models like your grandfather. So, before I leave you, remember these two things: When you fail the swim test, don’t get too bent out of shape. Just remember how your father built up your vocabulary with that thick dictionary. Practice, son. And when you get that signing bonus, don’t start thinking about all the things you can do with $1 million. Instead, think about all the things your grandfather did with $100.

When all else fails, trust God. Sincerely, DAVID ROBINSON.

SPURS SUCCESS BASED ON MILITARY WORK ETHIC

San Antonio Spurs Owner Peter Holt served in the US Army in Vietnam and was awarded a Silver Star, three Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart.

San Antonio Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich graduated in 1970 from the US Air Force Academy with degree in Soviet Studies and served 5 years in Intelligence.

BEFORE THEY WERE CELEBRITIES — THEY SERVED THEIR COUNTRY

Danny Aiello - Actor: The Last Don - Aiello lied about his age to enlist in the US Army Claude Aikins - Actor: Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo - (Army Signal Corps WWII) Eddie Albert - Actor: Oliver on Green Acres - (Navy), Awarded Bronze Star, served 1942-45 Alan Alda - Actor: M*A*S*H - (ROTC and Army Reserve), served a tour in Korea Steve Allen - Actor, Musician, TV Host: first Tonight Show host - (Army) John Amos - Actor: James Evans on Good Times - (New Jersey National Guard) Desi Arnaz - Actor/Musician: I Love Lucy - (Army), directed USO programs at a military hospital James Arness - Actor: Marshal Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke - (Army WWII) Bea Arthur - Actor: Maude, The Golden Girls - (USMC Reserve 1943–1945) Ed Asner - Actor: Mary Tyler Moore Show - (Army Signal Corps) Gene Autry - Singing Cowboy, Actor - (Army Air Corps WWII) James Avery - Actor: On Fresh Prince of Bel Air- (Navy 1968-1969 Vietnam War) Max Baer, Jr. - Actor: Jethro on Beverly Hillbillies - (Air Force Medical Technician) F. Lee Baily - Lawyer for O.J. Simpson - (Marine Corps Pilot) Bob Barker - The Price Is Right Host - (Navy WWII) Harry Belafonte - Singer/Songwriter, Actor - (Navy WWII) Bob Bell - Bozo The Clown - (Marine Corps medical discharge, then Navy) Tony Bennett - Singer, Actor - (Army WWII), drafted into the US Army in Nov. 1944 Yogi Berra - Hall of Fame Baseball Player, Coach - (Navy WWII) Bill Bixby - Actor: David Banner on The Incredible Hulk - (Marine Corps) Humphrey Bogart - Actor: Casablanca - (Navy 1918-1919; Coast Guard, WWII) Ernest Borgnine - Actor: Marty, McHale's Navy - (Navy 1935-41; 42-45 Tom Bosley - Actor: Mr. Cunningham on Happy Days - (Navy) Charles Bronson - Actor - enlisted in the US Army Air Forces in 1943, served as an aircraft gunner Mel Brooks - Actor, Comedian, Director - (Army 1944-1946) Bear Bryant - Legendary University of Alabama Footbal Coach - (Navy WWII) Bugs Bunny - Cartoon Character - (Honorary Marine by USMC) Raymond Burr - Actor: Perry Mason, Ironside - (Navy 1944-1946) Sid Caesar - Comedian, Actor - In 1939, he enlisted in the US Coast Guard Frank Capra - Director: It's A Wonderful Life - (Army Signal Corps) David Carradine - Actor: Kung Fu - (Army) Rod Carew - Baseball Hall of Famer - (Marine Corps Reserve) Drew Carey - Actor, Comedian, The Price Is Right Host - (USMC 1980 –1986) George Carlin - Comedian - (Air Force), radar technician Art Carney - Actor: Honeymooners - (Army wounded during the Normandy landing) Johnny Carson - Tonight Show host - (Navy 1943-1945) Billy Carter - Brewer, Brother of President Jimmy Carter - (Marine Corps) Johnny Cash - Singer/Songwriter - (Air Force 1950–1954) James Carville - Campaign Strategist, TV Host: Crossfire - (USMC 1966-1968) Julia Childs - Chef, Author - (Intelligence Officer Office of Strategic Services WWII) Roberto Clemente - Baseball: Pittsburgh Pirates - (USMC Reserve 1958-1964) Lee J. Cobb - Actor: The Left Hand of God - (Army Air Forces WWII 1942-1946) Dabney Coleman - Actor: 9 to 5, Mr. Mom - (Army) John Coltrane - Musician, Songwriter - (Navy played for the Navy's jazz band) Chuck Connors - The Rifleman - (Army 1942-1946) Mike Connors - Actor: Mannix - (Army Air Corps WWII) William Conrad - Actor: Jake and the Fatman - (Army Air Corps WWII Fighter Pilot) Tim Conway - Actor: The Carol Burnett Show - (Army) Jackie Coogan - Actor: Uncle Fester in The Addams Family - (Army WWII) Chris Cooper - Actor: The Bourne Identity - (Coast Guard Reserve) Jackie Cooper - Actor: Little Rascals, Superman - (Navy WWII) Howard Cosell - Sportscaster - (Army Transportation Corps WWII) Bob Crane - Actor: Hogan's Heroes - (National Guard 1948-1950) Walter Cronkite - Anchorman: CBS Evening News - (Coast Guard Auxiliary) Tony Curtis - Actor: Some Like it Hot - (Navy WWII) Ossie Davis - Actor: Do The Right Thing - (Army 1942-1945) Sammy Davis Jr. - Actor, Singer - (Army WWII) Jimmy Dean - Singer/Sausages - (Merchant Marines 1944-46; Air Force 1946-48) Brian Dennehy - Actor: First Blood - (Marine Corps Vietnam War) Jack Dempsey - Boxer: Heavyweight Champion - (Coast Guard Reserve) Joe Dimaggio - Star Baseball Player NY Yankees - (Army Air Forces 1943-1945) David Dinkins - Politician: former Mayor of New York City - (USMC 1945-1946) Kirk Douglas - Actor: Spartacus - (Navy WWII) Charles Durning - Actor: Tootsie, The Muppet Movie - (Army WWII) Robert Duvall - Actor: The Godfather, Oscar for Tender Mercies - (Army Korea) Clint Eastwood - Actor, Director - (Army 1951–1953) Buddy Ebsen - Actor: Jed Clampett The Beverly Hillbillies - (Coast Guard Officer) R. Lee Ermey - Actor - (Marine Corps 1961-1971) Maurice Evans - Actor: Dr. Zaius in Planet of the Apes - (Army Major WWII) Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. - Actor: Sinbad the Sailor - (Navy WWII 1941-1946) Jamie Farr - Actor - (Army - character in M*A*S*H wore his Army issued dog tags) Mike Farrell - Actor: BJ Hunnicutt on M*A*S*H - (Marine Corps) Norman Fell - Actor: Mr. Roper on Three's Company - (Army Air Corps Tail Gunner) Bob Feller - Baseball Star - (Joined Navy after attack on Pearl Harbor WWII) Freddy Fender - Musician - (Marine Corps) F. Scott Fitzgerald - Author: The Great Gatsby - (Army WWI) Larry Flynt - Publisher of Hustler - (Army 1958, Navy 1964) John Fogerty - Musician: Credence Clearwater Revival - (Army Reserve 1966-1967) Henry Fonda - Actor - (Navy WWII) Glenn Ford - Actor: Gilda, Blackboard Jungle - (USMC 1942-1943, Navy Dennis Franz - Actor: NYPD Blue - (Army Vietnam War) Morgan Freeman - Actor - (Air Force 1955-1959) Clark Gable - Actor: Gone with the Wind - (Army Air Forces 1942-1944) Jerry Garcia - Musician: Grateful Dead - (Army dismissed with General Discharge) James Garner - Actor: Rockford Files - (Merchant Marine, Army Korean War) Marvin Gaye - Singer - (Air Force - discharged after faking a mental illness) John Glenn - Astronaut, Senator - (Marine Corps, Navy, WWII, Korean War) Scott Glenn - Actor: The Silence of the Lambs - (Marine Corps 1975-1986) Arthur Godfrey - Radio, Actor - (Navy 1920-1924, Coast Guard 1927-1930) Gale Gordon - Actor: The Lucy Show, Dennis the Menance - (USCG 1942-1945) Peter Graves - Actor: Mission: Impossible, Gun Smoke - (Air Force) Hank Greenberg - MLB: Detrioit Tiger MVP - (Army Air Corps WWII 1941-1945) Fred Gwynne - Actor: Herman on The Munsters, My Cousin Vinny - (Navy WWII) Buddy Hackett - Comedian, Actor: The Love Bug - (Army WWII) Gene Hackman - Actor: French Connection - (Marine Corps 1947-1949) Larry Hagman- Actor: Dallas, I Dream of Jeanie - (Air Force) Alan Hale, Jr. - Actor: Skipper on Gilligan's Island - (Coast Guard WWII) Alex Haley - Author: Roots - (Coast Guard retired after 20 years) M.C. Hammer aka Stanley Kirk Burrell - Rapper - (Navy) Hugh Hefner - Playboy Magazine - (Army 1944-1946) Sherman Hemsley - Actor: The Jeffersons - (Air Force) Jimi Hendrix - Musician - (Army 1961–1962)

Charlton Heston - Actor, NRA president - (Army Air Corps 1944–1946) Don Ho - Hawaiian Singer: Tiny Bubbles - (Air Force 1954-1959) Hal Holbrook - Actor - (Army) William Holden - Actor: Oscar Winner for Stalag 17 - (Army Air Corps 1942-1945) Rock Hudson - Hollywood Legend/Actor - (Navy - 1944-1946) George Jones - Country Singer - (Marine Corps) James Earl Jones - Actor: Field of Dreams- (Army Rangers 1953-1955 Korean War) Buster Keaton - Silent Actor - (Army 40th Infantry Division WWI) Bob Keeshan - Actor: Captain Kangaroo - (Marine Corps Reserve) Harvey Keitel - Actor: Pulp Fiction - (Marine Corps) Brian Keith - Actor: Family Affair - (Marine Corps 1942-1945 WWII) Gene Kelly - Dancer, Singer, Actor - (Navy WWII) George Kennedy - Actor: Airport, Naked Gun - (Army WWII, 16 years active duty) B.B. King - Legendary Blues Guitarist - (Army) Werner Klemperer - Actor: Col. Klink on Hogan's Heroes - (Army WWII 1942-1945) Jack Klugman - Actor: Oscar Madison on The Odd Couple - (Army) Evel Knievel - Daredevil - (Army) Ted Knight - Actor: Ted Baxter on Mary Tyler Moore - (Army WWII) Don Knotts - Actor, Comedian - (Army) Kris Kristofferson - Actor: A Star is Born - (Army Helicopter Pilot 1960-1965) Burt Lancaster - Actor: Oscar Winner for Elmer Gantry - (Army WWII) Tom Landry - Dallas Cowboys Head Coach 1960-88 - (Army Air Corps WWII) Jack Lemmon - Actor: Odd Couple - (Navy Officer) Hal Linden - Actor: Barney Miller - (Army Korean War) Charles Lindbergh - Inventor, Pilot - (Army, Army Air Service Reserve Pilot) Joe Louis - Boxer World Heavyweight Champ - (Army) Gavin McLeod - Actor: Capt. Stubing on Love Boat - (Air Force) Karl Malden - Actor: Streets of San Francisco - (Army Air Corps WWII) Rocky Marciano - Boxing: Undefeated Heavyweight Champ - (Army WWII) Garry Marshall-Director/Producer: Happy Days, Pretty Woman (Army - Korea) Lee Marvin - Actor: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance - (Marine Corps) Jerry Mathers - Actor: Leave It To Beaver - (Air Force National Guard 1967-1969) Tim Matheson - Actor: Animal House - (Marine Corps Reserve) Walter Matthau - Actor: Oscar in The Odd Couple - (Army Air Corps 1942-45 WWII) Ed McMahon - Johnny Carson's sidekick on the Tonight Show - (Marine Corps) Burgess Meredith - Actor: Mickey in Rocky - (Army Air Corps Captain WWII) Harvey Milk - Politician, Activist - (Navy Diving Officer Korean War) Glenn Miller - Musician/Big Bandleader/Composer - (Army Air Forces Band) Steve McQueen - Actor: The Great Escape - (Marine Corps 1947-1950) Clayton Moore - Actor: The Lone Ranger - (Army Air Force WWII 1943-1945) Willie Nelson - Singer/Songwriter, Actor - (Air Force 1951) Bob Newhart - Actor, Comedian - (Army Korean War) Paul Newman - Actor - (Navy 1943–1945) Leonard Nimoy - Actor: Mr. Spock on Star Trek - (Army 1953–1955) Chuck Norris - Actor, Martial Artist - (Air Force 1958-1962) Ken Norton - Boxing: Heavweight Champion - (Marine Corps) Carroll O'Connor - Actor: Archie Bunker on All in The Family - (Merchant Marines) Jack Palance - Actor: City Slickers - (Army Air Forces WWII) Arnold Palmer - Professional Golfer - (Coast Guard) Fess Parker - Actor: Daniel Boone, Old Yeller - (Navy) Vincent Pastore - Actor: The Sopranos - (Navy) Dr. Ron Paul - Texas Representative - (USAF 1963-65, National Guard 1965-68) Claiborne Pell - US Senator, Created the Pell Grant - (USCG WWII, USCGR) Edgar Allen Poe - Poet, Writer - (Army Sgt. Major 1827-1829) Sidney Poitier - Academy Award Winning Actor: - (Army) Sydney Pollack - Actor, Director: Oscar for Out of Africa - (Army 1957-1959) Lee Powell - Actor: first cinema Lone Ranger - (Marine Corps WWII Killed in Action) Tyrone Power- Actor: Witness for the Prosecution - (Marine Corps) Elvis Presley - Singer, Actor - (Army 1958–1960) Richard Pryor - Comedian, Actor - (Army) Lou Rawls - Singer - (Army Paratrooper 82nd Airborne Division 1955-1958) Steve Reeves - Actor: Hercules - (Army WWII) Carl Reiner - Director, Comedian, Actor: Dick Van Dyke - (Army WWII) Michael Richards - Actor: Cosmo Kramer on Seinfeld - (Army 1972-1974) Don Rickles - Actor, Comedian - (Navy 1941-1946) Jason Robards - Actor: All The President's Men - (Navy WWII was at Pearl Harbor) Pat Robertson - The 700 Club - (Marine Corps Officer Korean War 1950-1952) David Robinson - NBA Star: San Antonio Spurs - (Navy Academy, US Navy) Jackie Robinson - First Black Major League Baseball Player - (Army 1942-1944) Sugar Ray Robinson - Boxer - (Army - Served beside fellow boxer Jackie Wilson) Wayne Rogers - Actor: Trapper John on M*A*S*H - (Navy) Cesar Romero - Singer, Actor: the Joker on Batman - (Coast Guard WWII) Andy Rooney - 60 Minutes - (Army 1941-1943) Mickey Rooney - Actor - (Army 1944-1946) Pat Sajak - Game Show Host: Wheel of Fortune - (Army) Soupy Sales - Actor: The Soupy Sales Show - (Navy WWII) Telly Savalas - Actor: Kojak - (Army WWII Purple Heart) Roy Scheider - Actor: Jaws - (Air Force Officer then Air Force Reserve) Charles Schulz - Illustrator/Writer: Peanuts - (Army) George C. Scott - Actor - (Marine Corps 1945-1949) Tom Seaver - Major League Baseball Pitcher - (Marine Corps Reserve) Tom Selleck - Actor: Magnum P.I. - (California Army National Guard 1967-1973) Rod Serling - Actor, Narrator: The Twilight Zone - (Army paratrooper) Sinbad - Comedian, Actor - (Air Force) Gene Siskel - Movie Critic: Siskel and Ebert - (Army Reserve) Roger Staubach - Dallas Cowboys QB - (Navy Officer) Rod Steiger - Actor: In the Heat of the Night - (Navy WWII Battle of Iwo Jima) George Steinbrenner - New York Yankees owner - (Air Force Officer) Jimmy Stewart - Actor - (Army Air Corps/Air Force Reserve 1941–1968) Oliver Stone - Director - (Army) Larry Storche - Actor: Corporal Agarn on F Troop - (Navy WWII) George Straight - Country Music Star - (Army 1971-1975) Mr. T - Actor: The A Team - (Army) Spencer Tracy - Actor: Oscars for Captains Courageous and Boys Town - (Navy) Lee Trevino - Professional Golfer - (Marine Corps Machine Gunner 1956-1960) Ted Turner - Founder of CNN - (Coast Guard) Conway Twitty - Country Music Star - (Army Korean War) Rudy Vallée - Actor, Singer, Band Leader - (Navy 1917, Coast Guard WWII) Lee Van Cleef - Actor: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly - (Navy WWII) Jesse Ventura aka James George Janos - Governor, Pro Wrestler - (Navy Seal) Gore Vidal - Author - (Army became a Warrant Officer) Bobby Vinton - Singer, Actor - (Army)

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find your american dream as a veteran entrpreneur

our story — 15 years in tHe maKing

Reaching 10 Million Readers by 2018

Howard e. Butt reacHed His american dream in texas

us navy veteran grows H-e-B in texas

The story of H‑E‑B begins more than 110 years ago in a small, family‑owned store in the Texas Hill Country. Today H‑E‑B serves families all over Texas and Mexico in 155 communities, with more than 340 stores and over 76,000 employees.

Their commitment to excellence has made them one of the nation's largest independently owned food retailers. Yet success hasn't changed their commitment to exceptional service, low prices, and friendly shopping.

Howard E. Butt (pictured right) served in the US Navy during WWI. He returned to Texas in 1919 and to manage the family store. The company grew into Laredo in 1929, Corpus Christi in 1931, Austin in 1938 and San Antonio in 1943.

During WWII the company supplied food for the armed forces. In 1972 the Texas Senate gave Mr. Butt a commendaton for his contribution to the State of Texas. Mr. Butt died at the age of 95 on March 12, 1991. H-E-B continues to serve Texas under the direction of his son, Charles C. Butt.

tHe History of How H-e-B grew from one sHop in Kerrville to tHe H-e-B of today

1905 Florence Butt opens the C.C. Butt Grocery Store in Kerrville. She invests $60 to get started.

1920s Florence's youngest son, Howard E. Butt takes over the business. He expands the Butt Grocery Company with a new store in Del Rio and another in Laredo.

1997 H‑E‑B expands its business across the border into Mexico with a new store in Monterrey.

2003 H‑E‑B ranked 10th in the nation among privately held companies based on $11 billion in annual sales, according to Forbes.

2008 H‑E‑B is one of the largest food chains in the United States, with annual sales of more than $15 billion operating 307 stores in Texas and Northern Mexico. With over 71,000 employees, H‑E‑B is the largest privately held company in Texas.

2015 H‑E‑B celebrates 110 years of serving Texans.

more information: www.heb.com

HOW MILITARY SERVICE BUILDS ENTREPRENEURS

“The discipline and hard work that I experienced in the Navy was priceless. It helped me to create a successful business. Serving my country through the United States Navy was one of the best decisions I ever made.”

“Get it done attitude.” — “Never quit!”

“Military service taught organization, leadership, work ethic, discipline and drive.”

“I was in the NAVY for 6 years active duty. The service made me a more thorough and detailed person. I now have high standards of what I think is right and am very assertive in my work.”

“Taught me how to deal with stress!”

“I am a disabled veteran and learned how to bead and make jewelry as a mindful activity to manage my PTSD symptoms.”

“My time in the Coast Guard has helped me develop a keen eye for detail and also an amazing work ethic. Through my own personal development I have learned that it takes 100% dedication to be successful.”

“While I could not possibly explain the all aspects of how the military has helped me be successful I can tell you it provided the basic foundation of success. I earned my under graduate degree with the help of an ROTC program. I found my first corporate job through a contact in my National Guard Unit. The ability to work with others in stressful situations, while remaining focus on the mission was critical in the military and civilian world.” — Cassie Prinke

“The skills I learned at an early age in the US Navy developed my sense of discipline, tenacity, and motivation to excel in all areas of my life. I left the USN and completed my college degree, entered the market in sales and sales management, ran

companies, and always helped others to increase their own motivation too excel. I would not trade my time serving my country for any amount of money. It created a cornerstone for my life and that has been now passed to my son. Thank you.”

“It has taught me dedication, leadership and given me the strength to offer something great back to fellow Veterans!” — James Fawbush, Vets On Radio

“Honesty, responsibility and do your very best all the time in what ever you do in life.”

“Being in the army prepared me to think on my own and stand tall. It made me a better man and a leader. I owe a lot to the military.”

“The courtroom is a tough place to succeed, but not near as tough as the training and experiences I encountered in the Marine Corps as an enlisted infantryman.”

“My experience as a Navy Air Traffic Controller taught me to manage multiple complicated tasks simultaneously.”

“My experiences in the Air Force as a Security Specialist taught me Leadership Skills, Attention to Detail and Pride in Accomplishing Tasks to a Degree of Perfection not found amongst many.”

“The military prepared me very well by instilling the willingness to work long hours and a toughness to complete any task. The military also gave me the opportunity to get a degree using the GI Bill which made this all possible. Thank you!”

“After 8 years in the Marine Corps, I have learned that such values as Honor, Courage and Commitment not only apply to the military and battlefield, but to my professional life as well.

Veterans need to look out for each other just as we did in service.”

“The Marine Corps has taught me to take pride in whatever I do, be the best, and to never quit.”

“The USN 82-86 has taught me or helped prepare me in life for all the big words like, responsibility, dependability, respect, fairness, and much more!

I probably would not be where I am today without this valuable duty of serving my country!”

“Bulldog Tenacity. I learned early in my military service that when I thought I was so physically and mentally exhausted that I could no longer put one foot in front of the other, I could. That knowledge has served me well for nearly forty years.”

“The Military prepared me for entrepreneurship in a manner that nothing else could. I was shown again and again what I could do that I thought I was unable to accomplish. The self confidence and maturity I gained from my military experience has no doubt prepared the way for the life I now enjoy as a business owner.”

“I was a recruiter for the military. I know the advantage advertising to the public. How important the exposure to the public pays a big part in business growth.”

“The Navy - Team work makes us all work together T-Together E-Everyone A-Accomplishes M-More”

“My military helped me learn and know the needs of all Veterans. It gave me the understanding of non-profit that I have used for the last 30 years.”

“The Army was the best thing that ever happened in my life. As an enlisted man and then as an officer it helped me to develop business traits that I use today.”

Find your American Dream by owning your own business. An Entrepreneur is someone willing to work 16 hours a day for themself to avoid having to work 8 hours a day for someone else.

HONOR FLIGHT SAN ANTONIO’S MISSION is to transport veterans with a specific priority given to those residing within the counties listed below to Washington, D.C. to visit those memorials dedicated to honor their service and sacrifices and return them home to their families and loved ones.

Honor Flight San Antonio serves Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Comal, Guadalupe, Kendall, Kerr, Kinney, and Wilson counties, as well as all the surrounding South Texas counties southeast to Calhoun, south to Cameron, southwest to Webb, and west to Val Verde counties.

Of all of the wars in recent memory, it was World War II that truly threatened our very existence as a nation and as a culturally diverse, free nation. It is estimated that 340 World War II veterans are dying each day, our time to express our thanks to these brave men and women is running out.

HONOR FLIGHT SAN ANTONIO IS A 501 (C) (3) NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION AND NEEDS YOUR HELP. DONATE AT: WWW.HONORFLIGHTSANANTONIO.ORG

HONOR FLIGHT MEMBERS RETURN TO SAN ANTONIO

Southwest Airlines has donated thousands of free tickets for veterans.

Fly Southwest Airlines 800-435-9792 www.southwest.com

It was a hero’s welcome at the San Antonio International Airport as a group of World War II veterans returned from their Honor Flight.

Family, friends and strangers were at the airport to greet them. Last off the plane was First Class Fire Controlman Fred Bohen, who said he had never received a “thank you” for his service until now.

“I came home from the service in 1945. I built a home, got a job, went to work. Nobody ever said ‘You did a nice job,’ until now. That’s the first I’ve heard

that in 70 years,” he said.

Bohen’s family, including his great-grandchildren, were there to greet him as he returned. His daughter, Judy McCormack, said they had to trick him into going.

“He didn’t want to do this and after we talked to him on the phone yesterday, we could hear it in his voice how thrilled he was. So we’re just ecstatic that he went and had such a great experience,” she said. A total of 26 veterans made the trip on the inaugural Honor Flight San Antonio De Valero.

HONOR FLIGHT AUSTIN MEMBERS VISIT WASHINGTON DC

*Our Honor Flight will take veterans of WWII, Korean and Vietnam Wars to see their memorials at no cost *We provide trained volunteer “guardians” to accompany the veterans on the “mission” to see their memorials *Guardians pay their own way by making a $500 donation to Honor Flight *Respectfully, spouses are not allowed to serve as a guardian *Honor Flight San Antonio is a 100% volunteer organization and a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. *95.3% of all funds received directly support our mission objectives

Texas State Senator Donna Campbell supporting veterans in Texas.

DONATE TO HONOR FLIGHT HELP SEND A WORLD WAR II VETERAN TO WASHINGTON DC

Beginning with our first flight in July 2014 Honor Flight San Antonio has conducted five flights, transporting 118 veterans. We have the honor of providing this “trip of a lifetime” to veterans from 48 counties in Central and South Texas. We are one of about 130 Honor Flight “hubs” nation-wide, and we are still transporting WWII veterans to Washington. Our next flight, Flight #006 on May 19 & 20, most likely will include WWII and Korean War veterans.

Honor Flight San Antonio, 210-802-7242, www.honorflightsanantonio.org Honor Flight Austin, 888-530-8880, www.honorflightaustin.org

SAN ANTONIO COUNCILMAN RECOGNIZES HONOR FLIGHT BEFORE TRIP TO WASHINGTON D.C.

Honor Flight San Antonio de Valero and participating veterans were recognized at the San Antonio City Council. Honor Flight San Antonio, a 501c(3) nonprofit serving several South Texas counties, received a certificate of appreciation from Councilman Mike Gallagher for their work in bringing aging and terminally ill veterans to their corresponding war memorial in Washington, D.C. To date, they have taken 96 veterans (95 veterans who served in WWII and one terminally ill Korean War veteran) to visit their memorials and witness the Changing of the Guard at Arlington National Cemetery.

Councilman Gallagher remarked: “For veterans, visiting their war memorial is a powerful moment and can bring up a lot of old memories. Bringing veterans together to visit these memorials allows veterans to talk to and support each other. Honor Flight’s work in honoring a veteran’s service is such an important mission, and I’m pleased to recognize them for it.”

For more info on Honor Flight San Antonio de Valero: www.honorflightsanantonio.org.

VETERANS TRY ALTERNATIVE HEALTHCARE TREATMENTS

by Bonnie Campo and Jake Stein, News21 Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries increasingly are turning to experimental remedies — ranging from yoga and acupressure to marijuana and hyperbaric oxygen treatments — as alternatives to the traditional medicine and prescription drugs offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Department of Defense and the VA are themselves researching or using “complementary and alternative medicine,” like acupuncture, to address the growing numbers of veterans seeking care.

According to records reviewed by News21, the VA already has spent at least $65 million on research projects in 40 cities across the country looking at whether current medical practices combined with certain meditation interventions and vitamins, among other methods, will help troops returning from war. About seven percent of that amount has been spent researching treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder.

The VA also created 10 Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Centers, known as MIRECCs, where doctors and psychologists are studying further possibilities for healing combat-related trauma. “We're trying to kind of look at lots of novel interventions, different ways that we can help people perhaps increase resiliency or cope with stress or deal with suicidal crisis,” said Lisa Brenner, a rehabilitation psychologist and director of the MIRECC in Denver. She and her research team are studying alternative treatments, such as yoga, acupuncture and acupressure, that may curb the number of suicides among veterans. The research still is “in the early stages,” meaning there is not enough positive evidence yet to recommend alternative treatments to patients.

Lisa Davila, who specializes in patient-centered care at the Denver VA Medical Center, said some alternatives might offer a solution to prescription pill dependency that can lead to abuse and suicide. “There is a big need, it is a valid way to not take as many narcotics,” she said. “We need to look at alternatives. I have learned that our veterans are wanting that, and they’re open to that.

“I think we realize that we just need some more resources, that the model of care has evolved. We need to look at the whole person and in order to do that we need more choices. We need more aspects of care that maybe 10, 20, 30 years ago seemed a little out there or not well researched,” Davila said, “but the research is showing that this is beneficial and with the way things are going, we can do a lot of good for our patients without medication.”

Davila said the alternate treatments not only address the symptoms of combat trauma but also ease the transition back into day-to-day life. “I’ve heard from multiple sources that they need alternatives to their care,” she said. “Whether you’re a nurse, a physician, whatever it may be, you wouldn’t be here if you weren’t focused on the patient, and patient-centered care is basically just putting the veteran at the center of their care, finding out what their values are, what matters to them, what they want.”

Dr. Dan Jones, director of the VA’s PTSD Recovery Program in Oklahoma City, said his clinic found many solutions, including group therapy, to be effective — though many other possibilities are not yet commonly practiced.

“There is no magic pill for PTSD,” Jones said. “We are trying to find the things that are most effective. I don’t know if we are going to come up with one single thing. I think it depends on the therapist as well as the patient, and it’s going to have to be what is most effective for that patient.” Jones said the VA has yet to endorse any alternative treatments because it hasn’t found enough clinical evidence that they work.

As part of his treatment at the Fort Bliss Warrior Resilience Center in El Paso, Texas, Staff Sgt. John Welsh explains on June 21, 2013, how juggling helps him cope with post-traumatic stress disorder. “However, while the limitations of the current evidence preclude investigators from drawing strong conclusions to inform clinical practice or public policy regarding the optimal use of CAM (complementary and alternative medicine) therapies for PTSD, they do point to numerous opportunities for future research,” according to the VA national website.

Staff Sgt. John Welsh, deemed by the military to be unfit for duty because of PTSD, is recovering in El Paso, Texas, at the Fort Bliss Restoration and Resilience Center.

Patients at the center are required to try everything from meditation and outdoor retreats to acupuncture and Reiki energy healing. Welsh said his recurring memories of war resulted in daily panic attacks, particularly As part of his treatment at the Fort when he was in crowded areas.

Bliss Warrior Resilience Center in El “There’s not a moment that goes by Paso, Texas, Staff Sgt. John Welsh that you’re not on full alert, meaning explains how juggling helps him cope that you’re either going to get shot at, with post-traumatic stress disorder. you’re going to get mortared and attacked, you’re going to deal with people trying to kill you just by driving up to you and clicking a bomb and blowing you up,” he said. “I needed to find a way to turn it off.”

Welsh experimented with acupuncture and liked it. Although he hasn’t been able to “turn it off” just yet, he’s better able to manage his PTSD. “I never thought that acupuncture would literally help me, calm me, center my mind,” he said, describing his initial skepticism toward getting his ears pricked with a bunch of hair-thin needles. “It’s kind of weird, almost voodoo-like, but it works. It works for me.”

The VA continues to look for more options, but, in the meantime, most veterans interviewed by News21 aren’t satisfied with prescription medication or other remedies and are paying out of pocket for the treatment they think works.

Arizona Air National Guard Capt. Sherry Mammano returned home in 2006 from her first tour in Iraq and unexpectedly found solace in alternative therapy. “I came home kinda pissed off at the world. I came home to getting divorced, a thing a lot of soldiers experience as a result of deployment. Couldn’t sleep, anxiety, depression, and I did what everyone else did. I took all the pills that I was given, and I did that for quite awhile, maybe like three of four years,” she said. “It was on my second deployment that I said I don’t want to come home and experience the same things I experienced last time.”

When she returned the second time in 2010, she took a four-month leave

and sought solace at 7 Centers, a yoga studio in Sedona, Arizona. “I thought it was crazy when people talked about seeing through their third eye, but after awhile I was like, this really works, and it just clicked,” she said.

She began practicing yoga among Sedona’s red rock mountains, and said it was the first time in her life she did not have cable or even a television. Mammano now teaches yoga to fellow service members at the Capt. Sherry Mammano, Arizona Guard's Allen Readiness Center in National Guard, treats her postPhoenix. “If you just took a normal traumatic stress disorder as she person teaching yoga and put them practices at 7 Centers Yoga Arts in on a military base, people would not Sedona, Arizona. necessarily resonate or respond with that person, but to say, ‘Hey I have been deployed, I have experienced what it’s like to be deployed, I have experienced the issues we come home with and this is how I handled it.’

Being a veteran, I lend credibility to that,” Mammano said. Her yoga class started with three and grew to 60, which she credits to her military organizational skills and her basic approach.

Lt. General Eric Schoomaker, former surgeon general of the Army, said the DOD, VA and the Samueli Institute, a private, nonprofit research group, all are looking for answers in alternatives, but finding treatments that are safe and effective takes time. He said that in scientific and medical communities, most treatments take "14 to 17 years for the culture of practice to change," if the studies are found successful.

“It takes an extraordinary amount of time, much more than I think people would be patient to tolerate, to get good practices out in common use,” he said.

Oklahoma Army National Guard Spc. Ryan Terry, 24, deployed in 2011 to Afghanistan and returned in February 2012. His days are no longer spent tallying supply lists, but rather drinking cans of Dr Pepper, repairing video game consoles for spare cash, and trying to deflect the frequent feelings of suicide. “Just even having the thoughts, it makes you angry at yourself and then because you're angry at yourself, you want to hurt yourself, so it's a pretty vicious cycle,” Terry said.

In high school, Terry was a varsity track star. Now, he and his roommate, a soldier Terry met while deployed, spend hours on the living room couch watching TV, apprehensive to walk out of their own front door. Both suffer from PTSD. Sitting on his bed with scattered half-empty orange pill bottles from the VA, Terry said prescription medications are the only things that give him relief from the stress.

Patients receive high-pressure oxygen June 18, 2013, to help them cope with both physical and mental ailments at the Rocky Mountain Hyperbaric Institute in Louisville, Colo. Seeking “something else” that works, Terry has started group therapy. He said talking about his problems has helped, but medications remain his main source of relief. “I'm 24 years old and I feel like I'm 60 because I have so many medications Patients receive high-pressure oxygen I'm supposed to take every day,” said to help them cope with both physical Terry, the veteran from Mustang, and mental ailments at the Rocky Okla.

Mountain Hyperbaric Institute in In 11 states — Oklahoma, Louisville, Colorado.

California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Minnesota, Nevada, Ohio, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin — various state and private groups are researching the use of hyperbaric chambers to treat PTSD and traumatic brain injuries with the use of oxygen. In hyperbaric treatment, patients sit in a sealed tank which is then filled with highly pressurized oxygen meant to stimulate and replenish cell growth. More redblood cells travel throughout the bloodstream and the bruised or damaged tissue can repair at a faster rate.

The treatments are not accepted by the VA, however. “Painkillers and psychotropic drugs, that’s how they deal with brain injury right now. Any kind of brain injury, that’s how they treat them,” said Oklahoma Secretary of Veteran Affairs Rita Aragon, a retired major general of the Air National Guard.

“The drugs depress them (veterans) or make them crazy. “We have to start serving those who served us.”

Bonnie Campo was an Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation Fellow, and Jake Stein was recently a Hearst Foundations Fellow for News21.

DARRELL HENRY’S FINAL WORDS

As Darrell Henry lay in his hospital bed shortly before his death, he wrote these words. “There are a few choices that come with a cancer diagnosis. We can choose to accept defeat then and there. I’ve known several people who took that road and I understand how they felt. It’s an enormous weight to drop on someone’s shoulders. We can choose to fight. That’s the road I took. I made a decision to fight as hard as I could, for as long as I could, with every weapon available. And to enjoy every moment of the process.

Human beings love all the good in life but run for cover when the bad inevitably comes. There is so much to be gained from the struggle though. I certainly didn’t want to leave that potential lying on the table. I told myself that I would accept what came my way. And to revel in it. Adversity brings viewpoints we will never find otherwise. Wisdom is learned most readily from mistakes and hardship. Battle hardened. Tough. Strength. Fearless. These come from the fire and I wanted them. If I were to enjoy only the milk and honey of life, I would only enjoy a portion of life. Why not break every bone and consume all the marrow? To laugh is to live and that was my main objective. When my time comes, I want to laugh and smile and make anyone watching laugh and smile. Go out with some dignity. There was no doubt misery would come. To enjoy that misery and to ask for more. That, my friend, will make one a king.” REST IN PEACE, DARRELL HENRY

DR. MERCOLA ON OPIOID ADDICTION: THE NEW FACE OF HEROIN ADDICTION

by Dr. Joeseph Mercola, www.mercola.com Speaking about the heroin epidemic, DEA chief Chuck Rosenberg stated we cannot “prosecute or enforce our way out of this mess.” Instead, we need to “do a much better job of getting the word out about how dangerous this stuff is.”

DEA Is Biased in Its War On Drugs: So in Rosenberg’s view, marijuana users are criminals whom they have no qualms about prosecuting and jailing, but when a person is abusing opioid painkillers — from which drug companies profit handsomely — the answer is not criminalization but education.

“Rosenberg and the DEA are working in tandem with the US Justice Department in launching a multi-faceted effort in treating the overdose epidemic by partnering with local hospitals, rehabilitation clinics and educators to try and inform the public about cutting down on the use of prescription painkillers. Rosenberg said the agency is also urging doctors across the country to cut down on prescribing unnecessary painkillers to patients, who sometimes end up addicted to the drugs or turn to more dangerous forms of opioids, such as heroin, once their prescriptions end.”

I do not support criminalizing opioid addiction, but it is hypocritical in the extreme to fill for-profit jail cells with marijuana users while saying the same “cannot” work for prescription drug addicts. “The revenue from waging the war on drugs has become a significant source of financial support for local law enforcement.

Federal and state funding of the drug war — as well as the property police forces seize as a part of drug raids — have become significant financial supplements to local forces’ budgets. One of the largest for-profit prison companies, Corrections Corporation of America [CCA], even stated in a regulatory filing that keeping the drug war alive is essential to its success as a business.” It’s blatantly clear that the DEA does not want to criminalize prescription drug abuse because that would sorely hamper drug companies’ ability to promote and sell painkillers. And that’s really where the parties responsible for the current epidemic of addiction can be found.

The New Face of Heroin Addiction: Many patients are shocked and surprised to find themselves hooked on opioids after filling a prescription for something simple as a wisdom tooth extraction, sports injury or bout of back pain. They were not properly warned and educated on how to safely take these drugs, and that stems from drug companies’ deceptive marketing campaigns.

In one month, Cuyahoga County in Ohio had 52 opioid-related deaths. So far this year, the county has recorded more than 500 overdose deaths — more than double that of 2015. Many of these deaths are attributed to street heroin cut with the drug carfentanil, a sedative for large animals like elephants. Carfentanil is anywhere from 2,500 to 5,000 times more potent than heroin. The drug is so potent it even poses a lethal risk to first responders, should they inhale or absorb a tiny amount while working on the overdose victim.

Today, prescriptions of Oxycontin and other painkillers are the primary gateway drugs to heroin and other illicit drugs, and narcotic pain relievers are a primary culprit in opioid overdose deaths. Doctors are the new drug dealers. Respectable and legal, prescription drugs have an air of safety around them. But they are really no different from heroin.

Of course, on both ends of the epidemic, we have drug companies cashing in. In 2012, $9.38 billion worth of painkillers were sold in the U.S. OxyContin alone accounted for $2.81 billion in sales. No real effort is put into minimizing the availability of opioids. Perhaps worst of all, no consideration is given to alternatives that are far safer and just as effective.

DEA Criminalizes Pain Relieving Herbal Tea: The DEA recently cracked down on the herb kratom, which is related to the coffee plant. The herb has garnered a loyal underground following of people using it to wean off opioids and

relieve pain in lieu of these potent and addictive drugs. The DEA announced a plan to place kratom into a Schedule I controlled substance category, the same category as marijuana. Kratom users are incensed, and for good reason. People have uploaded hundreds of videos talking about why they drink or swallow kratom pills — veterans coping with PTSD, recovering alcoholics and people with fibromyalgia.

About 14,000 Americans died from overdosing on prescription opioids in 2014.

Yet agencies like the DEA, FDA and HHS are fighting against marijuana and kratom. How can seven or eight deaths a year compare to the tragedy of losing 14,000? While every death is tragic, when you’re talking about public health, wouldn’t it make sense to opt for the lesser evil or, in this case, the substance that causes the least amount of harm? The hypocritical nature of this state of affairs is a clear sign that these federal agencies have ceased working for the public good.

The classification is also frustrating to researchers who believe, from initial testing prior to the ruling by the DEA, that kratom may hold the key to a nonaddictive painkiller or even a route for treating addiction. They found the ingredients activated just the pain relief receptors and not the secondary receptors responsible for the deadly side effects from opioids, such as respiratory depression.

Although also addictive in nature, kratom effectively treats withdrawal symptoms from heroin without life-threatening side effects, and has been useful in treating chronic pain without the potentially lethal effects of opioid overdoses. Side effects include headache and nausea.

The Making of a Blockbuster Drug: Use of the opioid prescription painkiller OxyContin has been a primary driving force behind the addiction epidemic. The maker of OxyContin, Purdue Pharmaceuticals, manufactured the demand for the drug, and the epidemic, by falsely claiming the risk of addiction was “extremely small,” and/or had less potential for abuse compared to short-acting opioids. Both claims are false. In a recent STAT News report, David Armstrong also reveals the role the global healthcare company Abbott Laboratories played in creating a demand for this dangerous drug.

“The pharmaceutical sales representatives from Abbott Laboratories had a problem,” Armstrong writes. “No matter what they tried, they couldn’t get the attention of an orthopedic surgeon to convince him to prescribe the potent painkiller OxyContin. That is, until the staff let them in on a secret: ‘We were told by his nurses and office staff that the best way to capture his attention and develop our relationship was through junk food. The next week, one of the Abbott representatives showed up with a sheet cake box filled with doughnuts and snack cakes arranged to spell out the word ‘OxyContin.’ The gambit worked. The surgeon listened to the sales talk, and every week after that, the Abbott sales personnel visited the doctor to ask him to switch at least three patients to OxyContin from other painkillers.

Purdue Pharma LP, the company that developed OxyContin, has been vilified for planting the seeds of today’s opioid crisis. But the role of Abbott in pushing the drug has largely escaped notice. The documents reveal it was a crucial partner in the aggressive — and misleading — selling of OxyContin during its first decade on the market.”

Treating Pain Without Drugs: I would urge you to consider other options before resorting to an opioid painkiller. It’s especially important to avoid opioids when trying to address long-term chronic pain, as your body builds a tolerance to the drug. Over time, you’ll require greater doses at more frequent intervals to achieve the same pain relief, which is a recipe for disaster and could have lethal consequences. Together with addiction and tolerance, opioids have not lived up to the promises manufacturers have made. There are many non-drug and dietary alternatives that may help manage your pain.

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THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER

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Oh! say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?

And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof thro’ the night that our flag was still there.

Oh! say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave, O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Steven Powell proudly sings The National Anthem & God Bless America.

GOD BLESS AMERICA

God bless America, Land that I love, Stand beside her and guide her Thru the night with a light from above; From the mountains, to the prairies, To the oceans white with foam, God bless America, My home, sweet home.

God bless America, My home, sweet home.

KISS STOPS CONCERT TO RECITE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

“Freedom is only free because there are people willing to sacrifice to keep us free,” before leading the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Legendary rock band Kiss were unappreciative to the National Anthem protestors or any other athletes that have been disrespectful during the national anthem.

The Hall of Fame rockers recently stopped their show to honor military members, recite the Pledge of Allegiance, and then performed a rockin’ version of the national anthem.”You should remember, patriotism is always cool,” lead singer Paul Stanley told the crowd.

“Loving your country is always cool. Standing up, respecting, and honoring our military is always cool.”

Being a multi-millionaire for playing the game of football and whining about “oppression,” not so cool.

At a recent performance, Kiss brought its roadie for the day onstage, along with other members of the military past and present, and led the entire arena in the Pledge of Allegiance, something the band has done before.

However, this one had a bit of a special message to a

particular NFL player — a not-so-subtle knock to the recent shenanigans by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, lead singer Paul Stanley said: “You should remember, patriotism is always cool.

Loving your country is always cool. Standing up, respecting and honoring our military is always cool. So, to show some respect between pick-throwing, we’re going to put our right hands over our hearts and why don’t we say the Pledge of Allegiance.” The band then launched into an instrumental version of the national anthem — a slightly more explosive version than Jimi Hendrix once did.

The band has displayed pro-American, pro-military tendencies in the past. Over the years, they’ve hired military veterans to work as roadies on their various tours. Thank you Kiss for showing respect to the national anthem, our country, and veterans that they so richly deserve.

More info and KISS tour dates: www.kissonline.com

BEN FRANKLIN’S THIRTEEN VIRTUES

Ben Franklin sought to cultivate his character by a plan of 13 virtues, which he developed at age 20 (in 1726) and continued to practice in some form for the rest of his life.

His autobiography lists his 13 virtues as: 1. “Temperance. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.”

2. “Silence. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.”

3. “Order. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.”

4. “Resolution. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.”

5. “Frugality. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.”

6. “Industry. Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.”

7.“Sincerity. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.”

8. “Justice. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.”

9. “Moderation. Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.”

10. “Cleanliness. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.”

11. “Tranquility. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.”

12. “Chastity. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.”

13. “Humility. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.”

A friend of mine has two tickets for the Super Bowl. They are box seats plus airfares and hotel accommodations. He didn't realize when he bought them that this is the same day as his wedding — so he can't go.

If you're interested and want to go instead of him, it's at St. Peter's Church in New York City at 5pm. Her name is Donna. She will be the one in the white dress.

Before going to sleep every night, the “BOOGIE MAN” makes his mom check the closet for US Marines.

MILITARY SERVICE SONGS ARMY

Over hill, over dale, we have hit the dusty trail And the Army goes rolling along.

In and out, hear them shout Counter march and right about And the Army goes rolling along.

Then it’s hi! hi! hey!

The Army’s on its way.

Count off the cadence loud and strong; For where’er we go, You will always know That the Army goes rolling along!

And the Army goes rolling along!

MARINES

From the halls of Montezuma To the shores of Tripoli We fight our country’s battles In the air, on land and sea; First to fight for the right and freedom And to keep our honor clean We are proud to claim the title Of United States Marine.

AIR FORCE

Off we go into the wild blue yonder, Climbing high into the sun; Here they come zooming to meet our thunder, At 'em boys, Give 'er the gun!

Down we dive, spouting our flame from under, Off with one helluva roar!

We live in fame or go down in flame. Hey! Nothing'll stop the U.S. Air Force!

NAVY

Anchors Aweigh, my boys, Anchors Aweigh.

Farewell to college joys, we sail at break of day Ay-ay-ay!

Through our last night on shore, drink to the foam, Until we meet once more.

Here's wishing you a happy voyage home.

COAST GUARD

We’re always ready for the call, We place our trust in thee.

Through howling gate and shot and shell, To win our victory.

“Septer Paratus” is our guide, Our pledge, out motto too, We’re “always ready” do or die! HEY! Coast Guard we fight for you!

MERCHANT MARINES

Heave Ho! My Lads, Heave Ho! It's a long, long way to go.

It's a long, long pull with our hatches full, Braving the wind, braving the sea, Fighting the treacherous foe; Heave Ho! My lads, Heave Ho! Let the sea roll high or low, We can cross any ocean, sail any river.

Give us the goods and we'll deliver, Damn the submarine!

We're the men of the Merchant Marine!

FARM THERAPY

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Sgt. Adam Burke made a promise to God. Bleeding out from a mortar hit in Iraq, Adam promised God that if he could live to see his family one more time, he would do something to make his life worth saving. Two years later he started the Veterans Farm, a place of emotional solace and job training in organic blueberry production for disabled vets like himself. Adam is just one of the inspiring and compelling veterans featured in GROUND OPERATIONS: Battlefields to Farmfields.

Follow our ensemble of combat men and women who served in Iraq and Afghanistan as they share their truth: Why they joined the military, how the war experienced changed them, what the daunting return to civilian life has been, how they struggled to find a positive pathway forward and ultimately, when they found organic

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farming and pasture-raised livestock to be an answer to a dream. Their stories are as inspiring as they are pragmatic as they find their next mission, food security for America.

Paradoxically, our veterans are looking for new challenging careers at the same time that the USDA is calling for one million new farmers and ranchers in the next ten years to replace the 50% of American farmers who are at retirement age. Agriculture’s problem is the veterans’ solution. Citizens are clamoring for access to more affordable, locally grown, fresh food in their communities, from the urban core to the suburban and rural countryside. The Cavalry coming over the hill is just that — it’s the Marines, Navy, Army, Air Force and National Guard. In a world full of problems, GROUND OPERATIONS is a story about solutions. www.groundoperations.net

US NAVY SEAL BECOMES GOVERNOR OF MISSOURI

Eric Greitens, a former Navy SEAL whose military awards include the Bronze Star, has become the Governor of Missouri. Greitens, a Republican, defeated Democrat Chris Koster with 51 percent of the vote on Tuesday to 45% for the state’s attorney general.

“We did more than win an election; we restored power to the people and we took our state back!” Greitens told supporters at a hotel in Chesterfield.

Greitens, 42, grew up in the Maryland Heights suburb of St. Louis and attended the town’s Reform synagogue. He attended Duke University, where he become a Rhodes Eric Greitens as a Navy SEAL in Iraq. scholar. After earning a degree at the University of Oxford, he joined the Navy SEALS and won seven military awards, including the Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. He later started The Mission Continues, a nonprofit that offers veterans volunteer opportunities.

Greitens is likely to make Missouri a “right-to-work” state by decreasing the power of its unions. A key tenet of his campaign was promising to “clean up” corruption and “bad ethics” in Jefferson City, the state’s capital.

“The first supermarket supposedly appeared on the American landscape in 1946. That is not very long ago. Until then, where was all the food? Dear folks, the food was in homes, gardens, local fields, and forests. It was near kitchens, near tables, near bedsides. It was in the pantry, the cellar, the backyard.” ― Joel Salatin, Folks, This Ain’t Normal: A Farmer's Advice for Happier Hens, Healthier People, and a Better World

More info: USDA.gov

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The Mission of Farmer Veteran Coalition is Mobilizing Veterans to Feed America They cultivate a new generation of farmers and food leaders, and develop viable employment and meaningful careers through the collaboration of the farming and military communities. they believe that veterans possess the unique skills and character needed to strengthen rural communities and create sustainable food systems.

They believe that agriculture offers purpose, opportunity, and physical and psychological benefits. www.farmvetco.org

AMERICA NEEDS ONE MILLION NEW FARMERS www.veteransfarm.com 45 percent of armed service members are from rural America.

The agricultural industry is a logical solution to fill the economic gap veterans face.

USDA is committed to assisting veterans start or continue farming and ranching operations in order to strengthen the American economy and provide livelihoods to our returning veterans.

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FISH THERAPY

VETERAN CATCHES FINAL FISH AS DYING WISH

I CAUGHT A FISH THIS BIG!

I love fish

Swimming with bears

Don’t try this at home

I can fly

Smile for the camera

Swallowed whole

Swim, Forrest, Swim

My little goldfish

by Matt Thielke and Katie Shepherd Connie Willhite is a US Navy veteran who was being cared for at the Hospice Care Unit at the VA Medical Center, asked for only two things before he died: he wanted to be baptized and he wanted to catch one more fish.

VA Chaplain Sam Scaggs helped Willhite with his baptism. His family joined him to witness the event, which Connie Willhite, a US Navy veteran, Willhite requested so he could be caught four fish as part of his final prepared for the “crossover.” Then, wish before dying of cancer. hospice social worker Greg Senters helped Willhite plan his last fishing trip, bringing him the essential bait and gear his would need for the outing.

Senters and nursing staff took the veteran to a lake behind the medical center where they were a bit nervous Willhite wouldn’t catch any fish, but he ended up with four in total. It's called fishing, it's not called catching. So I told him we may not catch anything, but he said it doesn't matter," Senters said. "He said just being out there doing this was just as good."

Senters recalled what it was like to see Willhite’s face light up when he reeled in the first fish. "All of a sudden, the cancer and everything else went away, and what you see is that precious few moments of someone really enjoying life," Senters said.

Lisa Kittrill, Willhite’s cousin, shared that the man was a joy to their family and that they owe him so much. "He talked and talked when I came in that day, and said he went fishing and got baptized, and for that I'm so glad," Kittrill said. Lisa would visit him daily in hospice and was grateful to the Dublin VA for taking care of a valued member of their family and helping them deal with the loss. Connie died peacefully on August 29, 2016.

GIVE A MAN A FISH FEED HIM FOR A DAY TEACH A MAN TO FISH HEAL HIS SOUL FOREVER

THE PROJECT HEALING WATERS FLY FISHING PROGRAM — HEALING ON THE FLY

Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing (PHWFF) began in 2005 serving wounded military service members at Walter Reed Army Medical Center returning from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since then, PHWFF has expanded nationwide, establishing its highly successful program in Department of Defense hospitals, Warrior Transition Units, and Veterans Affairs Medical Centers and clinics.

The Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing program provides basic fly fishing, fly casting, fly tying and rod building classes, along with clinics participants ranging from beginners who have never fished before, to those with prior fly fishing and tying experience who are adapting their skills to their new abilities. All fly fishing and tying equipment is provided to the participants at no cost. Fishing trips, both one day and multi-day, are also provided free of charge to participants.

PHWFF is unique in that our volunteers are teaching classes on an on-going, long term basis. It is much more than a one day fishing trip. For many participants, particularly disabled veterans, the socialization and camaraderie of the classes are just as important as the fishing outings, and provide them a new activity.

Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing relies on Federation of Fly Fishers, Trout Unlimited, and independent fly fishing clubs to conduct the program at the DOD and VA facilities across the nation. The volunteer staff and outings leaders include experienced fly fishers and guides, all of whom donate their time and knowledge to support PHWFF participants.

In order to have a viable program, three groups must co-exist: a fly fishing club willing to provide the volunteers and organize the program, a DOD or VA medical facility willing to host the program, and injured military members or disabled veterans willing to participate. Because each of these groups is unique, no two Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing programs will be exactly the same.

“You have offered me another avenue to continue recovering physically and emotionally.

I thank you for what you have offered me. Keep up the good work.”

“I would like to say thank you to the board members of PHWFF for your support and dedication to the men and women of the Armed Forces who are healing not only on the outside, but on the inside through your graciousness of time & money to helping us heal.”

“I can’t even begin to explain how I feel about PHWFF/Volunteers and if I do I usually get choked up and my eyes get misty. Thank you, everybody, from the bottom of my heart for caring enough to volunteer and be involved.”

PHWFF members for two memorable days of fishing and for the ongoing fly tying and fly fishing program you have provided for our veterans.”

“I am in the Army and a combat veteran. I was not injured during my duty but wanted to take the time to thank you for everything you are doing. I recently bought the Temple Fork Project Healing Waters fly rod and caught my first fish on it yesterday. It was a very emotional time for me thinking about all my friends that didn’t come home. Anyway, thanks so much for what you are doing for those young brave men and women.”

“PHWFF helped in getting my head together during my recovery at Walter Reed. It was the perfect outlet for me while I was trying to adjust to my injuries and was a great help in broadening my horizons, giving me the hope and confidence that, no matter what my disabilities, I could still achieve and enjoy the activities of the outdoors and accomplish what I wanted to.”

“On our graduation party day, the vets were coming to our casting club for the final casting session of two hours, followed by lunch. One of the most quiet and most withdrawn of the participants came 45 minutes early. He told me he walked because he wanted to make sure he didn’t miss any of it.”

“As the father of a severely wounded soldier who, through the auspices of Project Healing Waters, has been afforded the opportunity to learn and experience fly fishing, I can’t say enough good things about the organization. My son, thanks to PHWFF, has enjoyed trips of a lifetime for some of the finest fly fishing available in Virginia, Montana and Pennsylvania. Just as importantly however is that he has come to know, love and appreciate fly fishing—an aspect of fishing that he had not previously been exposed to. I have repeatedly recommended Project Healing Waters as a most worthy cause to all who have expressed an interest in helping our wounded warriors recover and find their “way back. Bravo Zulu to a fine organization!

“For my mind, it gives me energy, gives me the feeling of freedom that I never had before and also gets me closer to my kids.”

“It really raised my self-esteem, and it felt like I could do something, because lots of time we’re told we can’t do anything because we’ve got a mental illness.”

“I want to thank you for opening up the doors to our patients interested in fly fishing.

Our patients have enjoyed the fellowship of the volunteers that donate their time so graciously, each week, to teach our patients the skills of fly fishing. Fly fishing grants our veterans the opportunity to experience the therapeutic benefits of nature.”

“As a Viet Nam veteran myself who never felt quite welcome when I came home, I must tell you that I will never forget the tears streaming from the eyes of an amputee of the same era as he thanked me for the experience he was given on the East Outlet of the Kennebec River and Maine’s Moosehead Lake by the citizens of nearby Greenville, Maine, who spared no efforts to expense to host 9 veterans from Togus VA Medical Center in Augusta, Maine. “You know,” he said, “this is the first time I really felt my sacrifice was appreciated. They were wonderful to us and I never knew that I could actually fly fish again, as I did when I was young.”

“On behalf of the veterans, patients, and staff of the Department of Veterans Affairs, New Jersey Health Care System, please extend our sincere gratitude to you and your

WE’RE GONNA NEED A BIGGER BOAT!

PET THERAPY

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THE UNCONDITIONAL LOVE OF A PET TOUCHES THE VETERAN’S SOUL

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WELCOME TO LAS VEGAS

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THE NATIONAL ATOMIC TESTING MUSEUM HOURS & LOCATION: Monday – Saturday: 10am – 5pm Sunday: 12pm – 5pm 755 E. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas www.nationalatomictestingmuseum.org, 702-794-5124 Elvis Presley introducing the NATIONAL VETERANS MAGAZINE in Las Vegas.

VIVA LAS VEGAS!

AREA 51 EXHIBIT THEY CAME IN GROUPS

GREETINGS FROM SUNNY NEVADA — www.nevadatourism.com

THE MOVIE ‘CASINO’

We were there. Given Top Secret access.

Oscar Goodman & Tony Spilotro.

Oscar Goodman welcomes you to Las Vegas.

ABOUT THE MOB MUSEUM

This Alien cleaned up at the poker table.

BEST STEAK IN LAS VEGAS

$7.98 1 lb T-Bone steak POKER PALACE CASINO 2757 Las Vegas Blvd. in North Las Vegas.

The Mob Museum is a world-class destination in downtown Las Vegas dedicated to the thrilling story of organized crime and law enforcement. It presents an exciting and authentic view of the Mob’s impact on Las Vegas history and its unique imprint on the world. True stories of Mob history are brought to life in a bold and contemporary style via engaging exhibits, hightech theater presentations and more than 600 artifacts, the largest collection of Mob and related law enforcement memorabilia under one roof. Since opening in 2012, The Mob Museum has accumulated numerous accolades, including being named one of “20 Places Every American Should See” by Fox News and Budget Travel magazine, “Las Vegas’ Best New Attractions for 2012”

by Travel + Leisure magazine, “9 Reasons to Visit Las Vegas” by CNNgo, a finalist for the “Best Wider World Project Award,” by the British Guild of Travel Writers and “Best Museum” by Nevada Magazine and the Las Vegas ReviewJournal. Admission is $19.95 for adults ages 18 and over with special pricing for children, seniors, military, law enforcement, Nevada residents, and teachers. Museum hours are Sundays through Thursdays from 10am to 7pm; Fridays and Saturdays 10am until 8pm. For more info, call (702) 229-2734 or visit www.themobmuseum.org.

Connect on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/themobmuseum and on Twitter: @TheMobMuseum.

Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman at the grand opening of The Mob Museum.

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TECH FIRMS INCREASING THEIR RECRUITING EFFORTS AMONG VETERANS

by Dagney Pruner, Reporting Texas Eric Burleson knows that his road to career success wasn’t the norm.

After leaving the armed forces, he had to fight to find a path to civilian life and a new career.

Without any transition programs available to him, the self-proclaimed nerd took a leap of faith and applied to business school. A couple of years later, he entered Austin’s booming technology industry. He knows many of his fellow service members were not as lucky.

Burleson, 34, spent six years in the US Army’s Special Forces before moving to Austin to attend the entrepreneurship MBA program at the University of Texas at Austin’s Veteran Eric Burleson takes a call for McCombs School of Business. He is his technology job in the backyard of now the product manager of program his home in Austin, Texas on services at Austin-based Invodo, November 10, 2016. Burleson is on which specializes in video curation paternity leave to take of his newborn for brands. son, Emerson.

“Veterans should be aware of what sorts of things there are to do out there. They may not be easy, but there are effective ways to find meaningful employment after the military,” Burleson said. “Something that matters, not just that pays well.”

Veterans who have served since Sept. 11, 2001, have the highest unemployment rate of any veteran group, at 5.8 percent in 2015. That compares to an overall veteran jobless rate of 4.6 percent at that time and a national unemployment rate of 4.9 percent.

While veterans traditionally are recruited into more industrial and operational environments, more are exploring the tech entrepreneurial field.

The industry satisfies veterans’ needs for challenges and a sense of purpose, while their work ethic and abilities are well suited for the technology industry — especially in Austin. That’s why tech companies are putting new emphasis on recruiting veterans. “The heart and soul of the city of Austin is a true Texan. They are very supportive of the veteran community,” Burleson said.

“That’s one of the parts of being a Texan: this fierce independence and friendly support for your neighbor — veterans in particular.”

Burleson found the tech world a perfect fit for a combat veteran: “There’s purpose and meaning to what you to do on a day-to-day basis. It’s good. You want to see the results of your actions.” A number of grassroots initiatives have focused on recruiting recent veterans into the tech field because of their accountability, drive and dedication. “How do we serve the people that in essence have taken care of America’s sons and daughters? How do we give them employment where they can take off?” said Sam Pandey, a member of the National Guard and director of entrepreneurship at VetsinTech, which helps veterans integrate into the technology industry in Texas.

San Francisco-based tech recruiting firm Betts Recruiting is the latest company to announce that it will join the effort to bridge the gap between military service and the private sector. Its initiative “Betts Vets” will alert technology and startup companies to veteran candidates. Betts Recruiting’s Austin office will be a crucial point of sourcing talent. More than 1.6 million veterans live in Texas, according to the US Department of Veteran Affairs — second only to California. In Killeen, home of the Fort Hood Army base, one in every three adults is a veteran, according to the US Census Bureau.

“I think it’s the perfect world of two things colliding. The largest tech companies calling Austin their second home, and the Central Texas region is huge for veterans getting out of the military and saying: what do we do now?” said Chad Bonner, who served in the Army after graduating from the US Military Academy, in West Point, N.Y. He now leads the Austin chapter of VetsinTech.

The Department of Defense is joining efforts to engage veterans and active members of the military in technology. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced in September that his department would choose Austin to open the third hub of its Defense Innovation Unit Experimental, also called DIUx. “Given this city’s and this region’s deep commitment to innovation and also, I should say, this state’s deep connections to those who serve, we couldn’t have picked a better place,” Carter said at a news conference in Austin. “Let

me assure you — I not only want to keep Austin weird, I’m counting on it because the creative thinking that happens in places like Austin is part of what makes our country so innovative and our economy so vibrant and strong,” he said.

Veterans often want the same thing after leaving the military: to be part of something bigger than themselves, to have purpose. “When you no longer wear a uniform, a lot of what you thought about yourself has changed. Who are you, and where do you think of yourself in this broad-strokes world?”

Bonner said of his transition from field artillery officer to civilian.

One thing veterans have going in their favor is their resilience — their ability, learned in combat, to adapt to different situations. “We are a group that is told, ‘Take the hill, but I won’t tell you exactly how to get there,’ ” Bonner said. Technology companies value that trait, he said. Veterans of special operations forces, such as Navy SEALs, Green Berets and Army Rangers, are a particularly good fit for the technology industry.

“We place a higher number of veteran in tech than any other sector,” said Joe Musselman, who served in the Naval Special Warfare Command and founded The Honor Foundation, which helps Navy SEALS and other US Special Operations Forces transition to working in civilian life. The foundation has campuses in San Diego, California, and Virginia Beach, Virginia. “We want to prove that hiring a special operations veteran will have a significant difference on the success of the business,” Musselman said. His organization has seen great success placing SEALS in startups and the technology community.

“The fray is where these veterans like to go, and there is no better fray or fight or scramble than to be in the startup environment,” he said.

Employers have a hard time finding candidates with the personality traits that veterans possess, said Carolyn Betts, chief executive officer of Betts Recruiting. “These guys come out of the military and they have a lot of transferable skills, but it’s hard to apply them in the business setting,” she said. Betts hopes recruiting firms can help veterans transfer these skills.

The firm announced the launch of its initiative on Nov. 11, Veteran’s Army veteran Eric Burleson holds his Day, noting that veterans “are highly newborn son, Emerson, at his home in disciplined, driven, and excel at both Austin. Burleson is working from leading teams and working home for an Austin tech company while on paternity leave. independently,” Betts said.

Pandey has seen an improvement in tech companies’ perception of veterans.

“However, there is still this learning curve in what a soldier, sailor or officer brings out to the real world,” he said. Burleson said making the transition is more than just getting recruited.

“A lot of that is about self awareness and decoupling yourself from the bad things and carrying with you the good things, and being able to market that properly to startups,” he said.

HELP BOBBY HENLINE REACH HIS AMERICAN DREAM The NATIONAL VETERANS MAGAZINE is proud to help raise money for US Army veteran Robert Henline, who is working towards opening a Biggie's Burgers restaurant in San Antonio, Texas that will employ all veterans.

Shown here with Texas Regional Manager & US Air Force veteran Michael Guerrero. Donate at www.gofundme.com/ztbnfmhg

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THE PRAIRIE DOG WARS VS. SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS

by Dr. Jeffrey J. Harsh Dr. Mehmet Oz, probably the most famous medical doctor of our time, has said, “The Next Big Frontier in Medicine is Energy Medicine.”

I have a doctor’s degree in Pastoral Counselling and Naturopathic Medicine and I am a researcher in Energy Medicine for rape victims.

I discovered that trauma-based women rape victims had amazing recoveries simply by touching a large lion or a tiger. To help finance my research, I personally built a motel in Western Kansas, now paid for. (www.freebrekfastinn.com) In the movie The Lion King, the artists used two barbary Lions. Sepagway, one of the two, I owned. The last barbary lion in the wild was killed in Morocco in 1917. These animals could grow to be over 17 feet long, though Sepagway was only 12 feet long since he was a half breed. I could go on and on about how superior, intelligent, and useful through history and why they worked for my research. More info is found on the website: www.theamericantrail.org.

PETA, who raised 20 million dollars in 2008 for protection of animals, came after us and the animal refuge. They also had the support of the state game wardens. USDA could not touch us because we were private and not for commerce. Yet, PETA Killed 95% adoptable pets in its care that year in 2008.dr I accumulated over 1.5 inches of courtroom motions and pleadings from fighting these hypocritical scum bags, who eventually brought the local swat team, equipped with shot guns and double out shells and destroyed my western Kansas project.

As chickens attack the one wounded chicken, so did the Logan County Commissioners. With an adrenaline rush and a taste for blood, they took an ordinance, over a hundred years old, and declared war on the Prairie cat dogs. Logan County is now enforcing a 1909 Kansas state statute which gives the county permission to come on a property in Logan county, and poison Prairie cat dogs and then give the property owner the bill for labor and poison. (80-1202) Commissioner Carl Urich said, “Prairie cat dogs are the same as termites.”

Now, these Rhino bureaucrats, with the vengeance of hell, are demanding that every rancher has to poison their prairie cat Dogs or face stiff fines and high bills from the contractors doing the poison for them.

The commissioners did this to a friend of mine, Larry and Elizabeth Haverfield, a large rancher who devised a program of grazing using the prairie cat dogs to increase cattle production by 35% per acre.

Here is another reality, more bizarre that fiction. Black Diamond paid the state of Kansas for a $140.00 license to poison prairie cat Dogs.

Then, Black Diamond took a few tests and got a license permitting them to poison Prairie cat dog holes. Black Diamond then hired a bunch of locals, and gave them four wheelers. I went on to find the recruits dumped the poison in and around the holes and anywhere else to make them look like they were doing their job. Well, other animals found the poison, and eventually these recruits were busted and had to pay a fine of $2800.00. They were sent back to Wyoming to muck up another state’s food chain. The ranchers are being jack-booted by the County into paying $20 or $30 dollars per acre, when the rancher can buy said poison in Winona, Kansas, and spread it himself to keep the County off his back.

Being forced to poison their own land, and being billed for this action by the county has caused the farmers to become annoyed with the system. They then created bait stations, which are PVC pipes filled with poison grain. Can one imagine what can happen to the 200 other animals and cattle, when we know these pipes are open to any animals that can get near them? Through ignorance, this has been going on in several states for years. Before December 1906, the pets just died and it was diagnosed as joint weakness.

Sometime between December 19 and December 29 of 1906, the Pet food poisoning really commenced. Kansas had two of the worst blizzards in its history in the 1980’s. Because the snow did not melt, the cattle were kept from grazing for 90 days. The hungry cows found one of many bait stations filled with poisoned grain. Like the Prairie cat Dogs, they ate and were filled and fell over dead, or were very sick.

When the snow melted, the rendering trucks picked up the dead cattle and took them to their rendering plant. Then the resultant product was sold to Menu Foods of Emporia, Kansas. Menu Foods made the frozen cattle into 95 different Dog foods which resulted in the recall of 60 million cans of dog and cat food and a nation filled with grief over the death of thousands of pets.

Then, I filed a Pesticide Complaint report with Jerry Wilson of Kansas Department of Agriculture on at least eight different bait stations of Boot Hill, Gun slinger and Pozol. Jerry Wilson personally told me that unless

a complaint is personally signed, no investigation will be done with the Department of Agriculture.

What about the cattle that did not die and just got sick?

The cattle are doctored up with antibiotics. This meat, after slaughter, does not goes into pet food but into the Safeway meat section. They are making a down payment on a kidney transplant because the poison This is a common sight in prairie dog destroys the kidneys. In the year towns. They know God and they love 2000, nearly 47000 people in the US him and are telling him so. were waiting for a kidney transplant.

This makes the Globalists happy because it is helping their projected goal of reducing future population by 5%.

I am seventy miles from the border of Colorado. A large auction was being held in Stratton, Co. They could no longer afford to irrigate because their water Aquifer had dried up. Along with the sale of irrigation equipment, large propane tanks, and equipment for filling the prairie cat dogs’ holes and then blowing them up, were auctioned off.

The ranchers did all the right protocol in removing the prairie cat dogs from eating any grass. They won all the prairie cat dog battles, but lost the war and their water.

“History does not repeat itself but rimes” Mark Twain.

Rimes or repeating itself, It’s happening to the Ogallala Aquifer and here is why we are again being blindsided like the dust boil days of the 1930’s.

It is very difficult for water to pass through the Vadose Zone beneath the earth. The Prairie Cat Dogs’ tunnels penetrate the Vadose Zone and allow the water to pass back into the Ogallala Aquifer, plus or minus 120 feet deep, and replenish the pumped irrigation water.

While all species necessitate respect from humans, prairie dogs present a unique characteristic that places them in an even more sophisticated category of evolved consciousness; it is because of their intelligences as well as their niche in an ecosystem that The American Trail Foundation seeks to secure and preserve their numbers. The animal behaviorist Dr. Con Slobodchikoff of Northern Arizona University has found, “Prairie dogs can talk” (Albuquerque Journal 12/3/2004).

He presents field research noting that prairie dogs convey complex information.

They have a time when they lift their hands and worship God. This is just the tip of the iceberg of information I have in my files and research. Under the Trump Administration I believe we can turn the tide and drain the swamps for the animals also!

For more information contact: The American Trail Foundation.

Prairie Cat Animal Refuge, 499 US Hwy 83, Oakley KS 67748, www.theamericantrail.org, Jeffrey J. Harsh Director, 785-672-3141

Don’t send your money — keep your money.

The Prairie Dogs don’t need your money. They need your prayers! The Dark Side Deep State recognizes their spirituality and want to erase them from the earth.

You can also help by sending this article to President Donald Trump — and urge that existing laws be enforced — to protect Prairie Dogs and other endangered species.

President Donald Trump The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20500

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Thank you for visiting the Free Breakfast Inn's website. We believe we are special in a variety of ways. Here are just a few: The first thing you will notice is that we provide something better than they typical continental breakfast with stale donuts that everyone else has touched. Instead we provide a meal voucher for a free country style breakfast at the Colonial Steakhouse right over the I-70 bridge!

The second thing you will notice is that we are American and locally owned.

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room decorated differently. You will also notice that all of our rooms come with a coffee pot, microwave and refrigerator. For those interested in homeopathic information, it is worthy to know that the motel is built on one of the five major earth grids and has tremendous geopathic qualities.

We just don't "allow pets", we love them. We only have a $10.00 fee.

We provide cheap motel prices without loosing quality. We believe we provide the best value for customers that just want a quick stop on their way to Kansas City or Denver. Come in, sleep well, have a nice breakfast and on the way your are. We hope you will have a great stay with us!

MISSION OF THE AMERICAN TRAIL FOUNDATION

are not being feed or watered, they are locked in hot cars without any place to live, and the list goes on.

All of them have been proven wrong. But the retraction for the front-page news is now on the back page. The local Game Warden Benny Young brought 7 lawsuits against the animal refuge in one year alone. Jeffrey Harsh was ticketed and fined by game warden Hopper, for presenting as evidence into Sherman County Court a one two-day-old dead cougar as defense. All 7 lawsuits were dismissed as judicial harassment by the County Attorney Laurence A. Taylor.

Part of the bad blood between Prairie Cat Animal Refuge and Kansas Wildlife stems from when Director Jeffrey Harsh attempted to release testimony that Colby Kansas resident Benny Young and associates of the Kansas Fish and Game had turned loose the skin disease mange in the nests of western Kansas Coyotes as a populating control measure. Harsh claims it is working, because their fur is falling out and the animals are freezing to death.

The mission of the American Trail Foundation is to create a short grass prairie reserve network that enables native plant and animal communities to naturally thrive, with minimal human intervention. Our organization is working to protect the most ecologically important lands and waters around the world for nature and for people.

MISSION OF THE PRAIRIE CAT ANIMAL REFUGE The mission and purpose of the Prairie Cat Animal Refuge is to help and maintain Barbary Lions, which are nearing extinction. There are approximately 50 left in the world. The last one in the wild was killed in Morocco in 1921.

A few were left in captivity in Europe and some made their way into the United States. Some have been reported as long as 17 feet. Of the ones we have, the longest is 11 feet. They were the lions that fought the gladiators, ate the Christians in the Roman Empire, and pulled Egyptian chariots. They are also the Lion that was symbolic throughout the Bible. Most American Zoos believe they are extinct.

Our refuge has one male and two females. The male has not reproduced.

The lions have been most effective in our mission and purpose in helping supply food for the food banks. People love animals. In Las Vegas there is a saying: “Never follow an animal act.” In other words, the animal act will always capture the show and anything that follows will look weak. In the process of finding meat for the animals, we sometimes have an excess of good quality frozen meat almost out of date. Over the years we have helped twelve food Banks in Denver with some 500,000 pounds of meat for the elderly who are on fixed incomes and cannot afford meat. See attached letter from food bank confirming this information.

The American Trail also has a program that is a local Kansas one, that of providing housing for stranded/homeless families. The Free Breakfast Inn has three rooms set aside for this purpose. Shirley Sheridan is the owner/manager who also offers some if them the opportunity to work for money and food, until a job is found. James Buchanan, the man who got bit by the Lion, was one of those persons.

The director Jeffrey Harsh of the American Trail also has his office their since the Animal Refuge is just a few short blocks from the Free Breakfast Inn. The biggest problem the animal refuge has had over the years is county and state employees who use the animals to gain publicity and name recognition for their future political careers. They like to leak horror stories like: the animals

THE CRIES OF A PRAIRIE DOG

by Jeffrey J. Harsh She cries not for power plays of the momentary affairs of empires.

Nor the fleeting & transitory problems of nations power plays.

Nor the effervescent charms of dominions, seeking financial gain.

But rather from the death merchants’ spin: of a Trojan horse, to inject poison grain, in her borrows within.

But her tears flow like rivers as she drags her once lover, from the bullet of a bushwhackers gun.

She drags her dead lover back in where there is cover and buries him there with her pair.

She weeps for her dead children, when she watched her pups dying, from the pain of the poisoners’ grain.

Are we doomed to spring up like flowers, with no prayers to deliver, and shall we live to die for the poisoners’ grain or the back-shooters game?

Then a light shined so brightly and the Lord spoke softly through the tears of the Prairie dogs clan.

The words rumble through the borrows, I have seen your sorrows I have raised up a warrior who evil cannot soil, I have given him a Teflon shield.

Your burrows will be protected, and the evil will be arrested from The man with the anointed shield.

There deceit and destruction will raise up protection in the still great nation and peace to the nation to halt the prairie dog wars.

More info: 499 US Highway 83, Oakley, Kansas 67748 785-672-3141 www.freebreakfastinn.com