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OREGON VETERANS NEWS MAGAZINE
issue 8
A LEGACY OF
SERVICE
WORLD WAR I HERO’S DEDICATION TO VETERANS COMES FULL CIRCLE
STORIES OF
SURVIVAL
B-17 PILOT AND EX-POW INDUCTED INTO OREGON MILITARY HALL OF FAME
TRIBAL VSOS REACH VETS IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES
Blue Water Navy what you need to know about this important act that is helping to service connect vietnam veterans across the state and nation
WWW.WVC.OREGONDVA.COM
DIRECTOR Kelly Fitzpatrick
Marking the End of a Year of Change and Challenge
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wenty-twenty has been a year of tremendous challenge for our nation. Marked by a global health crisis, social unrest in protest of systemic inequity and racism, economic and housing uncertainty, and — in far too many cases — lives and livelihoods devastated. Codified in the agency’s founding 75 years ago, our purpose has been reaffirmed in 2020 as so many Oregon veterans struggle to find additional resources to help them through this unprecedented time in our nation’s history. The work ODVA and its partners do every day aligns with one singular focus — to serve those who have served. While this year has brought unique challenges, particularly concerning public health, it has also brought innumerable triumphs of the human spirit. We have seen veterans and those who serve them come together in myriad ways, leveraging the landscape of emerging technologies to continue to provide critical services and stay connected. With the passage of the Blue Water Navy Act, this year has also brought a historical acknowledgment for those who suffered for decades with adverse health conditions due to their exposure to Agent Orange and other toxic chemicals while serving during the Vietnam War. With acknowledgment comes potential compensation for these veterans who were injured through their service. In this issue, we will share the story of one Oregon veteran whose life was changed because of the Blue Water Navy Act and because of his dedication, as well as the hard work of local veteran service officers and ODVA who advocated on his behalf. We estimate there may be thousands more Blue Water Navy veterans or surviving spouses who are newly entitled to disability compensation benefits, and I encourage anyone who has questions about their eligibility to reach out to their
nearest veteran service office. In Oregon, veterans and their families have access to a robust network of free and local veteran services in all 36 counties across the state, including the new expansion of Tribal Veteran Service Offices on tribal land. These services that directly assist veterans in accessing resources and benefits across health, economy, and education are the result of generations of service members advocating to ensure appropriate treatment and resources are equitably available to all those who have served. Veteran Service Officers in Oregon are part of the state’s VSO network of accredited representatives to assist all veterans and their families in accessing earned federal and state benefits. The Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs ensures all VSOs across the state are trained, accredited, and have the most current information within their toolset to help veterans and their families obtain earned benefits and access other resources. Whether a veteran needs assistance navigating VA benefits, filing a claim, or has questions about accessing other resources like healthcare, housing, employment, or emergency grants, scheduling an appointment with a VSO will be the start to accessing the best resources to fit their needs. A listing of accredited and free Veteran Service Offices is located on the back page of this issue of Oregon Veterans News Magazine. As our state begins the hard work of recovery and healing from events in 2020, I share with you ODVA’s commitment to continue to serve all veterans and families through this challenging time.
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Published January 2021
OREGON VETERANS NEWS MAGAZINE
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Oregon Veterans News Magazine is a free publication by the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs. Each issue contains current information impacting veterans in Oregon including federal VA topics and state, regional and local happenings. ODVA reaches more than 25,000 veterans and their families through this print and electronic publication. We welcome ideas and tips about veteran concerns, issues and programs that are important, informative and/ or a great story that veterans would enjoy reading about. To inquire or submit a piece for consideration, please use the contact information below. Submissions for the next issue must be received by March 31, 2021.
Oregon Veterans News Magazine 700 Summer St. NE, Salem, OR 97301 503-373-2389 | www.oregon.gov/odva odvainformation@odva.state.or.us facebook.com/odvavet Executive Editor: Nicole Hoeft Managing Editor: Tyler Francke Digital & Visual Editor: Sarah Paris Copy Editor: Kathie Dalton
8 Contents IN THE COMMUNITY 6
ODVA awards grants to support vital services.
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Group celebrates 75th anniversary of WWII’s end.
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Family’s legacy of service to veterans comes full circle.
SPOTLIGHTS 16
A new network of Tribal Veteran Service Officers is slowly taking shape across Oregon’s nine sovereign tribes.
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ODVA hears concerns, challenges from Oregon’s women and LGBTQ veterans.
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The Warm Springs VFW post has been recognized for its outstanding service amid the pandemic and water crisis.
COVER FEATURE ON THE COVER Vern, a Boiler Technician in the Vietnam War, shares his story of frustration and determination as a Blue Water Navy veteran in this issue’s cover feature. See page 12.
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Thousands of Vietnam Navy veterans were exposed to toxins but were barred from compensation. Until now.
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Looking back, and to the future, as the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs celebrates 75 years of service.
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Surviving his B-17 bomber exploding, beginning a 60-mile journey to Switzerland and becoming a father: Just another day for Stanton Rickey.
R&R
BENEFITS CORNER
AS YOU WERE 26
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Federal and state veteran benefit updates for the second half of 2020.
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BOOTS ON THE GROUND
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Local veteran service officers face numerous challenges as face-to-face work moves increasingly online.
On the 75th anniversary of victory, VetREST gives a World War II-era victory garden new life for wounded vets. The latest “In-Country” reflections on service in South Vietnam from Phil Fehrenbacher, plus a look at two books by Oregon veterans.
ODVA Awards Grants Oregon department of veterans’ affairs helps fund vital services and programs across oregon Divide Camp, located in the pristine wilderness of the Wallowa Mountains, was among the nonprofit organizations, government agencies and Tribal governments to receive funding.
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wenty-twenty was a historic year of unprecedented challenges, but it fully displayed the strength and resilience of the Oregon veteran community, as well as the creativity and doggedness of the hard-working veteran service officers, agencies and nonprofits who help veterans and their families. The Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs was grateful to be able to support and help expand on some of this important work with an additional round of funding this year for the Veteran Services Grant Program, which was earmarked for key projects to improve veterans’ access to transportation, housing, health care and other vital services across the state. The purpose of the Veteran Services Grant Program is to provide services to Oregon veterans by expanding critical services for veterans within a community, region or statewide; promoting access to health care or housing, employment, education and training opportunities; or increasing transportation accessibility and availability. The program was created by the Oregon Legislature in 2017 with funding from Measure 96, which voters approved overwhelmingly to dedicate a portion of Lottery revenues to serve veterans. This is the second round of funding that has been awarded through this grant. 6
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“If 2020 has taught us anything, it is that we as a state and nation can face any challenge if we stand together,” said Kelly Fitzpatrick, director of the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs. “We at ODVA are in awe of the tireless work of our federal, state and local partners in providing critical services to veterans across Oregon amid a pandemic, historic wildfires and other challenges. We also applaud the dedication of many partners who have targeted persistent barriers to access for women veterans, veterans of color, LGBTQ veterans and others who have been historically underserved. It is our honor and privilege to support and help expand this work through the Veteran Services Grant Program.” ODVA received 27 proposals from across Oregon, requesting a total of $1.7 million — demonstrating that the need was several times greater than the amount of funding available. A total of 20 organizations received one-time grant awards ranging from $10,000 to $102,179. The projects were selected by an evaluation committee composed of members of the Oregon Veterans’ Affairs Advisory Committee, representatives of Oregon’s National Service Organizations, state agencies, and other members of the veteran community from across the state.
By Tyler Francke, Veterans News Magazine
In the Community
2020 Oregon Veteran Services Grant Program Recipients Organization: American Military Encouragement Network. Location: Clackamas County. Funding: $35,000. Purpose: Alleviate food insecurity by delivering food boxes each month to families in temporary need. Organization: Chadwick Clubhouse. Location: Douglas County. Funding: $41,800. Purpose: A non-clinical recovery program based on the proven Clubhouse International model which reduces the rates of suicide, hospitalizations and incarcerations associated with serious mental illness. Organization: ColumbiaCare Services. Location: Jackson County. Funding: $45,000. Purpose: Mental health and veteran-focused services, specializing in housing, treatment, crisis intervention and care coordination. Organization: Community Counseling Solutions. Location: Morrow County. Funding: $75,000. Purpose: Behavioral health services including individual, family and group therapy, 24/7 crisis intervention services, psychiatric consultation and medication management. Organization: Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon. Funding: $25,540. Purpose: Provide information and referral for services and direct services through Tribal programs including some with veteran preferences. Organization: Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Funding: $25,429. Purpose: Provide transportation to and from appointments, apply for benefits and provide outreach of resources available. Organization: Crossroads Communities. Location: Linn County. Funding: $36,309. Purpose: Provide resources and stability for veterans seeking to reintegrate into civilian life as well as providing wrap around support for those suffering from treatable mental illnesses. Organization: Divide Camp. Location: Wallowa County. Funding: $34,250. Purpose: Behavioral health activities for combat-wounded veterans through nature and wilderness activities. Organization: Easterseals Oregon. Location: Multnomah County. Funding: $10,000. Purpose: Employment and housing for homeless veterans and their families. Organization: Helping Hands Re-entry Outreach Centers. Location: Clatsop and Multnomah Counties. Funding: $98,000. Purpose: Critical services for veterans in conjunction with the development and implementation of a victory garden using a traumainformed, data-driven transitional housing model.
Organization: High Desert Food & Farm Alliance. Location: Deschutes County. Funding: $30,200. Purpose: An eight-week cohort during which veterans and their families receive meal kits full of locally grown produce, recipes and nutition education and one-on-one counseling with a registered dietician. Organization: Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency. Location: Marion County. Funding: $102,179. Purpose: A combination of mental health professional and peer-delivered services to support veterans in navigating new housing opportunities, along with obtaining income, developing new life skills, and accessing health care. Organization: NeighborWorks Umpqua. Location: Douglas County. Funding: $36,754. Purpose: Provide affordable housing and 125 essential product kits to low-income veterans moving into Eagle Landing Veteran Homes. Organization: Project ABLE. Location: Marion, Polk and Yamhill counties. Funding: $23,278. Purpose: Provides peer support and creates a community of recovery, hope and wellness in Marion, Polk and Yamhill counties. Organization: Salvation Army Roseburg. Location: Douglas County. Funding: $58,410. Purpose: Social services, food pantry, vouchers for clothing and household/furniture items. Organization: Source One Serenity. Location: Douglas County. Funding: $42,730. Purpose: Empower veterans to reclaim their sense of purpose through outdoor activities and land stewardship. Organization: St. Andrew Legal Clinic. Location: Multnomah and Washington counties. Funding: $55,500. Purpose: Provides legal services to veterans with issues regarding child custody, parenting plans and domestic violence prevention. Organization: TFP Therapeutic Services. Location: Malheur County. Funding: $51,399. Purpose: Prevent suicide by increasing support for veterans with Military Sexual Trauma (MST) and other mental health issues. Organization: Washington County Disability, Aging and Veteran Services. Location: Washington County. Funding: $27,500. Purpose: Provide low-barrier transitional housing beds for veterans along with behavioral health services, and assistance to file claims. Organization: Yamhill County. Location: Yamhill County. Funding: $16,613. Purpose: Assist veterans and their families with compensation, pension, health care, education, training and other benefits. OREGON DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS’ AFFAIRS
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‘Spirit’ Lives On Oregon Spirit of ’45 honors the 75th anniversary of victory in world war II
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t was not exactly the ending that Oregon Spirit of ’45 Founder and President Barbara Jensen had in mind when she and other leaders of the veteran-focused nonprofit set out on a five-year journey to honor all members of the World War II generation. Instead of the large ceremony at Willamette National Cemetery, or some other Oregon site of national significance for the military community that the organization may have envisioned, a small group of fewer than 25 gathered at the World War II Memorial on the grounds of the Oregon State Capitol in Salem on Aug. 9. Participants wore masks and sat at least six feet apart in the open air, as members and descendants of the Greatest Generation reflected on the importance of American’s courage and sacrifice during one of the most trying challenges in the nation’s history. “Today is the fifth and last Spirit of ’45 Day to observe in our World War II 75th anniversary plan,” Jensen said at the ceremony. “Over the past five years, the nation and we in Oregon have honored the turning points of World War II. “In 2020, we commemorate victory from Europe to the Pacific. We recognize their sacrifices on the battlefront and contributions on the home front. We remember a generation of heroes and continue to celebrate their inspiration for generations to come.” Despite the challenges presented by COVID-19, Jensen and the other directors of Oregon Spirit of ’45 worked hard to ensure every branch of the military and every key contributor to the nation’s fight were represented — particularly those who are often overlooked. The ceremony included remarks by World War II veteran Vern Staley, who fought in Normandy and at the Battle of the Bulge; Ben Berry, son of famed 8
VETERANS NEWS MAGAZINE
World War II Army Veteran Vern Staley, of Prineville, served as a combat medic in the 70th Infantry Division—Trailblazers. He fought on the beaches of Normandy and in the Battle of the Bulge.
Tuskegee Airman Benny “Flaps” Berry”; and Dr. Yvonne Fasold, daughter of a “Rosie the Riveter,” Alice Riddle, who was a welder in the war effort. Joy Beebe — Jensen’s mother and a “war bride,” one of the more 60,000 who left their homes and families in Europe and the Pacific theater for the United States to start new lives with American
service members after the war — laid a wreath to begin the ceremony. “From the beginning, the Spirit of ’45 has been about the stories,” said Terry Pilsner, Spirit of ’45 board member. “It’s the stories that we treasure. Why? Because they tell us about heroic things done by amazing people — not for glory or fame, but because it was their job. It was the
By Tyler Francke, Veterans News Magazine
In the Community
Above: Oregon Spirit of ’45 Founder Barbara Jensen speaks during the Aug. 9 event in Salem. Jensen founded the nonprofit partially in an effort to honor the legacies of her own father, a code breaker for the United States, and her mother, an English “war bride.” Right: Ben Berry is a speaker, businessman and the son of famed Oregon Tuskegee airman Benny “Flaps” Berry. Bottom right: Yvonne Fasold is a “Rose-bud” (a descendant of a Rosie the Riveter) and a past president of the national Rosie the Riveter Association.
right thing to do. It was for freedom. Those people — and their stories — still inspire us.” The ceremony in Oregon punctuated a 10-year journey for the organization, which began in 2010 when Congress endorsed the first National Spirit of ’45 Day. The Oregon Legislature soon followed suit, and in 2013, the state celebrated the first Oregon Spirit of ’45 Day. Over the past five years, Oregon Spirit of ’45’s efforts have included ceremonies honoring seaborne service members and those who served at Pearl Harbor in 2016, air power for the Doolittle Raiders in 2017, ground forces in 2018, and finally, the D-Day Landing and Battle of the Bulge in 2019. For more information, visit www.orspiritof45.org. OREGON DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS’ AFFAIRS
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A Legacy of Service
FAMILY’s LEGACY comes full circle with affordable housing project for veterans led by medal of honor winner’s greatgrandson
Above: State and local leaders, including ODVA Director Kelly Fitzpatrick, joined in a socially distanced, outdoor groundbreaking ceremony for Applegate Landing in August 2020. 10
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new apartment complex that broke ground in Lebanon last year will bring affordable housing and other critical services to veterans in Linn County. This effort will also bring fullcircle an Oregon family’s legacy of serving veterans throughout the state. It began with Edward C. Allworth, an Oregon World War I veteran and recipient of the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest and most prestigious personal military decoration for acts of valor. But Allworth — who is the namesake of the Oregon Veterans’ Home in Lebanon, which opened in 2014 and is owned by the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs — has another legacy of service to the nation and its veterans that is not as well-known. Following the end of WWI, Allworth rejoined Oregon Agricultural College (now known as Oregon State University) as a faculty member and director of the college’s Memorial Union — and it was in this capacity that he facilitated housing
and other support to the next generation of veterans after World War II. His great-grandson, Lebanon resident James Lutz, said Allworth started many programs for WWII veterans, including those to help them cope with a physical disability and post-traumatic stress — most of which were virtually unheard of 75 years ago. “I grew up listening to all the stories of my grandfather’s accomplishments helping veterans and have always been drawn to continuing that legacy,” Lutz said. He is indeed continuing that legacy with Applegate Landing Apartments, the unique 48-unit affordable housing development in Lebanon, with 12 units for veterans only and the remaining apartments designated veteranpreference. The bulk of the funding for the project is from Oregon Low Income Housing Tax Credits and low-interest loans approved through Oregon Housing and
By Tyler Francke, Veterans News Magazine
Community Services. Lutz credits CASA of Oregon and its Community and Shelter Assistance Corp for helping develop its funding proposal and navigate that process. And thanks to Crossroads Communities, a Lebanon-based nonprofit that provides peer counseling, educational opportunities, job skills, and other programs, Applegate Landing will provide much more than just housing for the veterans it serves — just like the Union managed by Lutz’s great-grandfather before him. “Over the last several decades, I’ve seen the increasing need to help our veterans,” Lutz said. “I’ve seen my own friends suffer from PTSD and other disabilities due to their deployments during multiple wars. I’ve seen the impacts on my own two sons serving overseas.” With the need for housing and other services increasing in many communities across Oregon, Lutz and Crossroads envision Applegate as a sort of pilot project, a model that they hope can be replicated in other areas. “No person who served our country should have to go a single night without safe, secure, and stable housing for themselves or their families,” said ODVA Director Kelly Fitzpatrick. “We applaud this incredible initiative that helps further efforts to functionally end veteran homelessness within Oregon.” It was at the Lebanon Veterans’ Home that Lebanon Mayor Paul Aziz first met Lutz three years ago, during an unveiling of a commissioned portrait of Edward C. Allworth that hangs near the entrance to the facility. “Lebanon needs affordable housing, especially for our veterans,” Mayor Aziz said. “Applegate and Crossroads will help veterans and others find housing and services they desperately need, such as counseling, social services, job training, and help for those with addictions.” Fitzpatrick, Aziz, and District 17 Rep. Sherrie Sprenger were among those in attendance for a small, socially distanced ground-breaking ceremony held last summer at the future home of Applegate Landing, located on Strawberry Lane near Lebanon High School. “This is a bright day in what I know feels like a very dark period for
In the Community
James Lutz, great-grandson of Edward C. Allworth
Over the last several decades, I’ve seen the increasing need to help our veterans. I’ve seen my own friends suffer from PTSD and other disabilities. I’ve seen the impacts on my own two sons serving overseas.
everybody,” Sprenger said. “It is exciting to see people come together again for a very simple reason: which is celebrating and serving our veterans.” The lead contractor on the project is Gerding Builders, of Corvallis. Lutz estimated construction will take about a year. They hope to start accepting lease agreements with residents in early August 2021. Above: Construction is well underway on the new Applegate Landing development, as seen in this shot from December 2020. Right: Portrait of Edward C. Allworth by April Waters, which was commissioned by the state’s Oregon Percent for Art program and ODVA to hang in the lobby of the Oregon Veterans’ Home in Lebanon. OREGON DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS’ AFFAIRS
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By Tyler Francke, Veterans News Magazine
Cover FEATURE
Out of the Blue Blue Water Navy Act brings compensation, recognition to thousands of veterans who have borne the scars of war through toxic exposure decades ago.
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mong Blue Water Navy veterans — who were often exposed to toxic herbicides like Agent Orange and other carcinogens, despite not serving directly in the fields and forests of Vietnam — the stories are often frustratingly similar. “I went to doctors for years, because I would just feel bad,” says Vern, a Vietnam-era Boiler Technician for the United States Navy who asked Oregon Veterans News Magazine to use only his first name. “I would always hurt. But they would run tests and say, ‘There’s nothing wrong with you.’” Those who knew or served with Vern know he’s far from the type that you might question his toughness. He was a first-rate service member, earning the rank of Petty Officer Second Class (the equivalent of sergeant in the Army and Marines) in just a couple of years. “I was an excellent sailor,” Vern says. “I followed orders and did exactly what I was told. I wasn’t a drinker. I wasn’t a druggie. I just did my job.” Outside of the military, Vern was a timber faller — a physically demanding and dangerous job that involves felling large trees for lumber milling, and which he worked for 48 years, retiring just
this past year at the age of 70. So, when Vern said he felt like there was something wrong with him inside — it was not because he was unaccustomed to hard labor or pain. Those years before his illness was finally diagnosed were full of frustration. “You just get that empty feeling with all of the denials,” Vern says. “I’d come home after seeing my doctors and my wife would say ‘How’d it go?’ And I’d just be like, ‘I feel like I wasted my time today.’” In 2007, Vern paid $800 out of pocket for a slate of blood tests at the Mayo Clinic, which resulted in a “ticker tape about five feet long” that was inconclusive. Two years later, Vern finally got a new doctor in Medford — an oncology specialist experienced in newer methods of diagnosis. A bone marrow test confirmed what his new doctor suspected: Vern had chronic lymphocytic leukemia, also called CLL, a form of cancer that affects the body’s ability to produce white blood cells. For Vern, the feeling was bittersweet. “It was kind of a relief because I knew what I have now,” he
Two Vought F-8E Crusader fighters of VF-194 Red Lightnings squadron take off from the American aircraft carrier USS Bon Homme Richard (CV-31), during operations off the coast of Vietnam in August 1965. Creative Commons photo by Manh Hai. OREGON DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS’ AFFAIRS
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explains. “But it still knocks the heck out of you. I’d wake up in the middle of the night thinking, ‘Man, I have cancer.’ It kind of haunts you.” Though the risk factors for CLL are not fully understood, it’s strongly linked to exposure to certain chemicals, including Agent Orange. Vern doesn’t claim any exposure to the herbicide, but he regularly worked with a number of caustic chemicals that are now known to be carcinogenic, including benzene, which was used as a cleaning agent in the boiler room. “I remember several times where we’d just be soaking in the stuff,” he recalls. “When you can taste it in your mouth, you know it’s in your system. But I did what I was told. I left the service never knowing I had damaged myself.” He remembers having to throw out his dungarees because they were so soaked with benzene and fuel oil that it wouldn’t wash out. He also remembers spending several days painting the boiler air casing with high-heat aluminum paint — without ventilation or breathing protection. “Now, you probably have to have a full-face mask and oxygen assistance to work with that stuff,” he says. “But back in those days, they didn’t know.” Used ubiquitously by the U.S. military to clear forested areas in Vietnam, the toxic contaminant dioxin in Agent Orange has been linked to a slew of health problems, including leukemia, lymphoma, throat cancer, and many other diseases. In a landmark consent decree, the U.S. Veterans Administration in 1991 agreed to assume all veterans who “served in the Republic of Vietnam” from 1962 to 1975 were exposed to Agent Orange. This decision meant the VA would also presumptively grant service-connected disability claims for certain conditions and diseases that have known links to Agent Orange, such as Type 2 diabetes, Hodgkin’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, neuropathy, prostate and respiratory cancer, and soft tissue sarcomas. However, this act left out many sailors and other veterans (like Vern) who served offshore and had exposure to many of the same toxins — but never actually set foot on Vietnam. That finally changed in 2019 with the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act, which extended the same benefits and list of Agent Orange presumptives to any veterans who served on a vessel that came within 12 nautical miles of Vietnam and Cambodia during the Vietnam War. “When this law passed, we set out to identify every Vietnam veteran that walked through our doors so we could review their file to see if they may be eligible to reopen a claim based on conditions related to
Working with a local veteran service officer Filing a claim for service-connected disability benefits through the federal VA is actually a legal process. In order to receive benefits and compensation, you must file a claim against the United States proving eligibility through legal, military and medical evidence. Though it is possible to file a claim yourself (just as you may represent yourself in a court of law), it is highly recommended that you seek the free and confidential assistance of an accredited Veteran Service Officer (VSO). Step 1: Meet with Your Local VSO. Discuss the details of your current ongoing disability, and how it relates to your military service. Your VSO will be able to advise you on the merits of your claim, and help develop a path to your success. A VSO can file an Intent to File form, which provides up to 365 days to provide time to obtain evidence. Step 2: Obtain Evidence. You must submit evidence to support your disability claim. The type of evidence required will depend on the case, but generally, you will need to prove that you served in the U.S. armed forces, that you have a disability and that your disability resulted from or was aggravated by your service. This evidence may include service records, medical records or lay testimony from individuals (also known as “buddy statements”). Step 3 : File a Claim through Your VSO. The disability claim process begins the moment you formalize a claim. To file your claim through a VSO, you must sign a representation form, which authorizes the VSO to act on your behalf in preparing, presenting and pursuing your claim for any and all benefits from the federal VA. Step 4: Complete your Compensation and Pension Exam. If the VA determines that your claim is supported by the evidence in your file, they will schedule you a one-time exam called a Compensation and Pension Exam (commonly referred to as a C&P exam). This is necessary to successfully complete your claims process. This exam will determine if the medical provider believes that your disability is related to your military service. Afterward, a report will be prepared and sent to the VA for review. Step 5: VA Rater Completes Record. A VA rater will decide your claim based on the evidence submitted and in your military records. You will be informed of the decision via mail. If your claim is approved, a rating will be decided based on the severity of your conditions. Step 5 : Meet Back with Your VSO. After a decision has been made, your VSO will inform you about all applicable next steps. This can include filing for newly obtained state and local benefits, or filing an appeal. See the last page of this publication for a directory of the local Veteran Service Office closest to you.
Opposite page: Josephine County Veteran Service Officer Lisa Pickart works with a veteran at her Grants Pass office in October 2020. 14
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exposure,” says Josephine County Veteran Service Officer Lisa Pickart — one of the VSOs who assisted with Vern’s claim. “We identified almost 650 in our county who may be eligible based on their service. We are still contacting these veterans.” Vern filed his first claim for disability compensation in 2009 — the same year his CLL was diagnosed. Because Blue Water Navy veterans were not recognized at the time, his claim was denied. But when the law changed a decade later, it entitled him to retroactive pay — a lump sum of the monthly compensation owed to Vern dating back to the date of his first claim. It amounted to $336,771.87 — the largest retro payment to a Blue Water Navy veteran in the state of Oregon. He also received an ongoing monthly payment of $3,649.83, and free medical coverage
for his spouse from a program called CHAMPVA. “I remember going to the Veteran Service Office the day we found out, and everyone there was just in tears,” he says. “They were so happy for me. I didn’t know what was going on.” Vern received notice of the payment on Feb. 11, and the funds were transferred to his account two days later. After all the years of denial, it was a shock to his system how quickly his claim came together. “It was like the easiest thing I had ever done in my life,” he says. “I had given up on my claim back in 2009 because nothing ever came of it.” When the Blue Water Navy Act passed, ODVA and the statewide network of local Veteran Service Officers swung into action, reaching out to the estimated 1,400
Cover FEATURE
veterans who had previously filed claims that were newly eligible. Most of those claims have been processed, so now the mission shifts to reaching out to veterans who may be eligible for compensation but never filed claims. Surviving spouses of veterans who meet the criteria may also be eligible, Pickart says. “Claims such as these can be especially life-changing to a widow who may have relied on her husband’s income,” she says. “We estimate that tens of thousands of veterans or surviving spouses meet the legal requirements to claim these benefits but do not know how or what to do.” If you are uncertain about eligibility, contact your local Veteran Service Office. Visit www.oregon.gov/odva/services/ pages/county-services.aspx or call 1-800692-9666 to find services closest to you. OREGON DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS’ AFFAIRS
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TVSOs Open Doors trained and certified Tribal veteran service officers provide culturally sensitive Services within veterans’ own communities
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ince the founding of the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs more than 75 years ago, one of the agency’s core philosophies has been the belief that veterans are best served when services are provided by and available within their own communities. This philosophy is just as important — if not more so — when it comes to outreach to the Oregon tribal veteran community. An estimated 3,856 Oregon veterans are American Indian, representing nine distinct tribes. Tribal veterans have one of the highest records of military service per capita of any ethnic group, and the Native American communities in Oregon have a long and rich history of honoring and supporting all veterans. “Our tribes, men and women, served in World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the wars that are happening today,” Gary Burke, chair of the Board of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, said at the Oregon State Capitol Building in January 2019. “American Indians still believe that this is their country. And they are willing to put their lives on the line for this country.” Burke’s words came at an event in which he signed a historic memorandum of understanding (MOU) with ODVA Director Kelly Fitzpatrick to establish a Tribal Veteran Service Office to serve the veterans and family members of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Such MOUs have also been established with the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. These MOUs enable each tribe to hire a Tribal Veteran Service Officer who — like local veteran service officers — are trained and certified by ODVA to file claims on behalf of their nation’s veterans. “Like all veterans who have served our country with honor, tribal veterans deserve their rightful place among the nation’s heroes,” said Fitzpatrick. “They also deserve the same access to the benefits and resources they have earned through their service.” Fitzpatrick said the ultimate goal of this partnership is that tribal veterans would receive the same level of service as veterans currently receive from any local veteran service officer. “Our veterans deserve the chance to work with service officers who understand their unique challenges, resources, and cultural identity,” she said. “This is the vision behind our network of local veteran service offices, and the same is true, if not even more so, for our tribal veterans.” The continuing work in standing up new Tribal Veteran 16
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Find TRIBAL VETERAN Services in your area Multiple tribal governments in Oregon have established Tribal Veteran Service Offices (TVSOs) with accredited veteran service officers who are trained and certified through ODVA.
Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Phone: 503-879-1484 | Website: grandronde. org | Contact: Ramona Quenelle Address: 9615 Grand Ronde Rd, Grand Ronde
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Phone: 541-429-7389 | Website: ctuir.org Contact: Sam Spino Email: samspino@ctuir.org Address: 46411 Ti’mine Way, Pendleton See the last page of this publication for more tribal veteran services.
Service Offices reflect the importance of cultural recognition, according to ODVA Assistant Director of Statewide Veteran Services Joe Glover. “We honor and respect the sovereignty of these tribal nations, and the ability to support these nation’s own trained and accredited veteran service officer is a major piece of that honor and recognition,” Glover said. “Tribal Veteran Service Officers and Tribal Veteran Representative supportive partnerships with ODVA are truly equity in action.” The tribes in Grand Ronde and Umatilla have now hired Tribal Veteran Service Officers. The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs has hired a Tribal Veteran Representative (TVR), whose role is to advocate for tribal veterans and assist them in connecting with an accredited VSO and their benefits. “This is a critical job, and we’re thrilled to have another TVR advocating for veterans and families,” Glover said.
By Tyler Francke, Veterans News Magazine
Program Spotlight
Kelly Fitzpatrick, director of the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs, shakes hands with Gary Burke, chair of the Board of Trustees of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, shortly after signing a memorandum of understanding to help establish the Tribe’s first Tribal Veteran Service Office in January 2019. OREGON DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS’ AFFAIRS
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The Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs in 2017 participated in Portland Pride, after becoming the first and only state to create an office dedicated to working with LGBTQ veterans.
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By Tyler Francke, Veterans News Magazine
Benefit Spotlight
Service Goes Online Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs launches series of virtual town hall meetings to stay connected and hear concerns from veteran community amid pandemic.
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mid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs — like most state agencies — underwent a rapid and significant transformation of its operations, as it pivoted to increased remote and online services in an effort to keep veterans and their families safe and healthy. Out of a desire to stay connected to important segments of the Oregon veteran population, ODVA in November launched a series of virtual town halls to discuss services and answer questions, beginning with two successful and well-attended events aimed at women veterans and LGBTQ veterans, respectively. Trained and certified Veteran Service Officers and other benefits experts were on hand to provide direct assistance to participants and help connect them to services, file a claim for benefits or submit an appeal for earned benefits that had previously been denied. ODVA Director Kelly Fitzpatrick, who hosted both town halls, said the agency was uniquely suited for both virtual events, as the only state department of veterans’ affairs in the country with full-time resources allocated to both a women veterans and LGBTQ veterans coordinator. “At ODVA, our mission is to serve and advocate for all Oregon veterans,” said Fitzpatrick, who is the first woman director and first director of the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs to identify as LGBTQ. “We are proud of the strength and diversity of our Oregon veteran community, but we know our work is not done until every veteran has access to the benefits and resources they have earned through their service.” For more information about ODVA’s town halls, including future events, visit https://www.oregon.gov/odva/Connect/ Pages/Townhalls.aspx. OREGON DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS’ AFFAIRS
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VFW Post Leade
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By Tyler Francke, Veterans News Magazine
Veteran Spotlight
er Recognized Tamera Coffee served in the U.S. Army from 1987 to 1992, including during Operation Desert Storm. The VFW post she leads in the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs was recently recognized as an All American post for the first time in its 65-year history.
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he Veterans of Foreign Wars Post in the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs has been a vital part of life for many of the community’s veterans since it was founded over six decades ago, but this year, it received a first-time honor — being recognized as an All American Post by the national organization. All American status recognizes outstanding VFW posts and is based on participation in VFW programs as well as membership gains by posts, districts and departments. Commander and U.S. Army veteran Tamera Coffee, who was recognized for her outstanding leadership of the post since taking the position in 2013, said she was “shocked” when she got the call. “We hadn’t heard anything, and we really weren’t expecting it,” she said. “But it was great. I was surprised, but it made all the hard work worth it.” The VFW post is one of the few veterans’ organizations in Warm Springs — the state’s largest reservation — and has been active in the community since 1956. The community’s pride and support for veterans was one of the primary factors in her joining the VFW and, before that, the military. “I wanted to pick up the torch and help carry that on into the future as best I could,” she said. Coffee served as a military police officer in the Army from 1987 to 1992, including during the Gulf War. She said she enjoyed her service, though her dual minority status as a woman and an American Indian was isolating at times. “You know, it was kind of funny because there are more Native Americans serving per capita than any other group,” she said. “But the whole time I served, I did not run into one other Native American. It did feel lonely sometimes, but I made a lot of good friends that I’m still in contact with today.” An avid athlete, Coffee was active in softball, basketball and tennis throughout her military career, even getting temporary orders to try out for the U.S. Army tennis team at one point. When she returned home to the reservation, there was little question that she would want to join the VFW, where she had fond memories of spending time with her grandfather (a World War II veteran) and the other “old guys” who ran the Warm Springs post in those days. The year 2020 was a challenging and demanding one for Coffee, including some sad losses. The coronavirus pandemic has disproportionately affected many minority and tribal communities and, sadly, that was the case in Warm Springs. Coffee herself lost four family members to COVID-19. “It has really affected the community as a whole,” she said. “But through the Post, I’ve been able to help some of the widows or spouses who were left behind, to get the grave markers and flags for their loved ones. Being able to help in that way offers some comfort.” A water crisis that impacted many of the reservation’s 3,200 residents was also a difficult challenge in 2020. Coffee said the state and national network of VFW posts sprang into action, gathering bottled water, food and other donated items that were distributed to veterans and their families at the Warm Springs post. “It’s been challenging, exciting, demanding and, in a really odd way, kind of comforting for me, because now I feel I can relate to other veterans that have been to war,” she said. As one of the few women veterans and Desert Storm veterans at the Warm Springs VFW post, Coffee is again unique, but she doesn’t feel as isolated as during her service. “You find common ground with other vets,” she said. “I don’t think there are any barriers. I think other veterans see me as just another veteran, which is nice.” OREGON DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS’ AFFAIRS
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ODVA Turns 75 A look back at the history of the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs, founded in the wake of victory in world war ii in 1945
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s early as 1865, it was President Abraham Lincoln who first began to lay the groundwork for how a deeply wounded and divided nation might heal in the aftermath of a devastating civil war, by caring for the wounded veterans and their families left behind — from both sides of the conflict. And, though he may not have known it at the time, he was also laying the foundation for the establishment of a new role of federal and state government, one which would ensure that all who served their country with honor would be taken care of, and would have access to the benefits they earned. The bill authorizing the creation of the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs (ODVA)was signed into law by then-Gov. Earl Snell on March 12, 1945. Snell, who had supported the bill from its initial proposal as a way to honor World War II service members, called the formation of this department “an important step in Oregon’s determination to provide every possible service and assistance to our returning veterans. “Followed by other enactments, including education assistance and real estate loan measures, Oregon will occupy a foremost position among all states of the union in discharging its obligation to the brave men and women who have served our country so gloriously during this terrible conflict,” Snell said. Also established was a loan fund for the purchase of homes and farms by those who served in World War II. A nine-member Veterans’ Advisory Committee was also created to provide advice and guidance to the director and remains a vital part of ODVA’s operations to this day. Since those days, the size and scope of the loan program have grown tremendously. Constitutional and statutory changes broadened loan eligibility to veterans of more recent wars and conflicts, provided loans for other purposes, and allowed individuals to obtain multiple home or farm purchase loans. ODVA was also given greater flexibility in the methods of funding and loan repayment. Originally intended only for the purchase of a home or farm, expansions to the programs over the decades allowed funds to be issued for mobile homes, RVs, and even houseboats, alternative energy upgrades, and general home improvement projects. As the eligibility grew and expanded so did the number of veterans using their earned benefits. In the 1960s a home loan to Gene Dowler for $16,500 pushed the Oregon veterans’ loan program over the half-billion-dollar mark. The 55,680 loans granted in the program’s first 20 years 22
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would have provided homes for what was then the population of Salem, Eugene, Medford, Klamath Falls, and Pendleton combined. In the 1970s, the program continued to grow and even ranked among the largest mortgage-originating institutions for single-family homes in the nation. In 1976, ODVA ranked 12th among institutions that make direct loans to buyers but was tops in the nation for single-family home mortgages (the only kind of loan the agency makes). The state agency had more than 83,000 outstanding loans at that time, with a portfolio valued at over $1.55 billion. ODVA’s offerings of programs and services has grown over the years, with an increasing focus on caring for veterans who have unique needs as a result of their service. In 1949, the state authorized ODVA to provide social services and rehabilitative support to veterans, their families, and survivors. Known as veteran service officers, or VSOs, the statewide network helped veterans in applying for their state and federal earned benefits. In 1964, the Legislative Assembly authorized the Conservatorship program to manage the financial affairs of veterans who were unable to oversee their own affairs and had no other recourse. One of the most significant expansions of services in ODVA’s history was the inception of the Oregon Veterans’ Homes, which provide compassionate skilled nursing and other long-term care services to honored veteran residents and their spouses. In the 1980s steps had been taken to study the feasibility and determine the state’s needs for a veteran’s home. Funding was secured through the Oregon Housing Fund, and a suitable site was located in The Dalles, nestled in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, on the banks of the mighty Columbia. The first Oregon Veterans’ Home opened in the fall of 1997 and quickly became a leader in the field of skilled nursing care. The facility has received every industry award, and in 2014, was the first and only state veterans’ home nationally to ever earn the Gold – Excellence in Quality Award for superior performance in the long-term and post-acute care profession. The 1995 Legislative Assembly laid the groundwork for establishing a second Veteran’s Home, though it would be almost 20 years before the seeds of these labors would come to fruition with the opening of the Oregon Veterans’ Home in Lebanon in 2014. At the start of the new millennium, ODVA was an agency in transition. For the first time in its history, it would be asked to
By Tyler Francke, Veterans News Magazine
As you were
Huge crowds gathered in Times Square in New York City, and across the globe, to celebrate Victory in Japan Day, also known as V-J Day, which marked the end of the Second World War in 1945. Prompted by the advocacy of many veterans in the World War I generation, the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs was founded that same year to serve the needs of recently returning service members from the European and Pacific fronts.
serve four distinct generations of veterans, each with unique places in history, unique experiences, unique challenges, and unique needs. And all at very different stages in life. More than 50 years earlier, ODVA had been established to primarily serve the needs of a single generation of veterans: those newly returned from the battlefields of World War II. No longer would they have that luxury. By the year 2000, the World War II generation was still a vital part of the Oregon veteran population — but their needs had changed dramatically. Then, there were the Korean War veterans, those of the “Forgotten War.” Also included were the Vietnam veterans,
who were not welcomed home as they should have been, but who had risen to become the largest demographic of the Oregon veteran population, followed by those who served during the Cold War, and an unusually prolonged period of peace in our nation’s history. And, finally, a brand-new generation of veterans, whose service would span years to come. In 2008, the Oregon Legislature helped kick-start this transition by establishing the Veterans Services Task Force, the findings of which prompted further work in three key areas: transportation, women’s health care, and reintegration. This work led to a slew of program
expansions and streamlined operations as ODVA was carefully reconfigured into an agency that would best serve the changing needs of the Oregon veteran population. With the help of legislative partners and partnerships with federal, state, and local entities, ODVA helped establish and strengthen robust networks of resources aimed at serving aging veterans, student veterans, women veterans, military families and caregivers, veterans of color, LGBTQ veterans, and rural veterans. The historic passage of Measure 96 in 2016 by an overwhelming margin of Oregonian voters helped ensure the sustainability of these efforts for many years to come. OREGON DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS’ AFFAIRS
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‘A Tough Time of Life’ i n a single 24-hour period, Stanton Rickey had his B-17 bomber blown out from under him, bailed out over Germany, “borrowed” civilian clothing from a clothesline to begin a 60-mile journey to Switzerland, and become a father for the first time. Stationed in Italy with the 15th Air Force, 817th Squadron of the 483rd Bombardment Group, the crew of the Baraz Twins II received their orders on July 18, 1944. The target was the marshaling yards at Memmingen Airfield in southwestern Germany. One hundred sixty-eight B-17s took off from Italy that day, but most turned back due to poor weather. Rickey’s crew was among 26 bombers who continued — without any fighter escort due to a foul up. As they neared the target, they were met by 200 enemy fighter planes. The air battle saw 14 of the 26 “flying fortresses” go down. Sixty-three crewmen were killed in action and 80 were taken as prisoners. The Baraz Twins II crashed over Kempten, just shy of Memmingen. “My airplane was hit by fighters.” Rickey said. “We lost two engines quickly to cannon fire and the tail section broke off. I tried to keep it as level as I could so the three surviving airmen could get out. I kicked off into a spin and I got out at about 5,000 feet.” “it was quite a scene — parachutes were coming down everywhere,” said Rickey. “And people were rounding up prisoners.” Rickey himself landed in a tree that becomes taller each time he tells the story. It was the 27th mission for this 23-yearold B-17 pilot, the “old man” of his crew who had already flown strike targets in Germany, Yugoslavia, Romania, Hungary, Austria and Italy. Rickey saw his B-17 explode on the ground due to the bombs it still had on board. He then lit out for Konstanz on the border of Switzerland. He managed to evade capture for six days before being spotted by the German police near the 24
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Switzerland border. They turned him over to the military, who interrogated him and then sent him to Stalag Luft I, a prisoner of war camp for airmen near Barth in northeast Germany. It was here he received the news, “Daughter born…July 19, 1944. Mother and child doing well” in a copy of a cable from the International Red Cross on Christmas Eve 1944. Rickey was housed in a cramped room with 24 other airmen. They had a pot belly stove, a table and two benches. A B-17 navigator in the camp had access to a typewriter and would listen to the BBC broadcasts and write about the progress of the war to inform others in the camp. They knew the Soviet troops were advancing from the east, and Patton’s army was advancing from the west. “There was hope,” Rickey said. “We knew what was happening.” Red Cross packages provided them with food until the Germans cut them off in February of 1945 after the bombing of Dresden. Then the “Kriegies” (short for Kriegsgefangener, or prisoner of war) had to survive on cabbage soup and two paper thin slices of brown bread a day. When the camp awoke at Stalag Luft I on May 1, 1945, the German guards had disappeared and a hand-sewn Stars and Stripes replaced the swastika on the flagpole. The Red Army arrived a day later. Rickey weighed 105 pounds. “After a couple weeks of negotiations, they flew us out in stripped down B-17s. They had a crew of four instead of 10. They put 32 POWs on each airplane. You can imagine what 36 people crammed into a B-17 looks like,” Rickey said. “In two and a half days, they evacuated 9,000 of us.” That wasn’t the end of Rickey’s military story though. He went on to work as a transport pilot and as a target intelligence and war planning analyst at the Pentagon, Tactical Air Command, and Pacific Commands. In 1968-69 at 7th Air Force in Saigon, he was responsible for selecting targets for strikes against North Vietnam and Laos.
After 33 years in the military, Rickey retired in 1971 as a lieutenant colonel. But he would not forget his time in Germany. It wasn’t until a reunion in 1987 that Rickey learned the value of the strike at Memmingen. Only 12 bombers would go on to bomb the target at Memmingen. Their actual target was an underground installation where the Messerschmitt Me262 was being manufactured. The world’s first jet aircraft to be used in combat had the potential to change the course of the war. The unit was to receive the Distinguished Unit Citation for the attack at Memmingen. Also destroyed was a prototype of Messerschmit Me 264 that was capable of reaching the United States. In 1998, the Kempten, Bavaria, Germany Historical Society erected a plaque in the village square to honor those killed during the 1944 raid. The five KIA of Rickey’s crew are on the plaque. Battlefield Archeologist Ludwig Hauber, nephew of the then-11-year-old Kurt Hauber who had watched the entire air battle over Kempten, discovered parts of the wreckage of Rickey’s plane. “He found a rusty old machine gun with my serial number on it. Ludwig came to visit me in Arizona and he brought 40 pounds of debris from my airplane in his luggage,” said Rickey. One of the items returned by Hauber was a damaged walkaround bottle — a portable oxygen bottle. “These aircraft were not pressurized. We all wore masks tethered to a hose that went to an oxygen container. The walk around bottle held about half an hour of oxygen,” said Rickey. “That was a big part of our problem. At 25,000 feet, it was instant death to remove your oxygen mask.” “People don’t understand. It’s important to tell the stories. It was a rough time of life. We have to tell the story so people will know what happened. You’ll never see an armada of 1,000 airplanes again,” Rickey said. “Can you imagine what it was like to see a bomber string 30 miles long?”
By Kathie Dalton, Veterans News Magazine
As you were
B-17 pilot Stanton Rickey in 1943. Rickey was one of 95 ex-POWs from WWII, Korea and Vietnam inducted in the Oregon Military Hall of Fame on April 18, 2009. OREGON DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS’ AFFAIRS
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Federal Annie text message program guides veterans during COVID-19 pandemic
Veterans looking for guidance for staying safe or managing stress can register for the free Annie automated text messaging program. Veterans can subscribe to a number of protocols including Coronavirus Precautions, Coping During COVID-19, Stress Management, and Influenza information. Contact: blog.sva.gov/VAntage/76272/annie-text-messageprogram-guides-veterans-covid-19-pandemic VR&E gets a new name, focuses on readiness
One of VA’s oldest benefits – Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (VR&E) – is now the Veteran Readiness and Employment Service. The service office will remain abbreviated VR&E, but the new name reemphasizes VBA’s mission to encourage, promote and support transitioning and serviceconnected disabled Veterans’ employment goals. Contact: va.gov/careers-employment/vocationalrehabilitation REACH campaign strives to reduce veteran suicide
The REACH campaign, unveiled July 7, 2020 aims to educate all Americans that suicide is preventable and encourages them to REACH to those in need to provide hope. It also encourages people who are hurting to REACH to provide help. Contact: reach.gov VA’s collaboration with NARA digitizes Vietnam-era deck logs
The Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019 gave VA an opportunity to consider new and previously submitted Blue Water Navy claims. Now, thanks to collaboration with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), VA and NARA are helping to determine ship locations and to digitize more than 1,800 vessels’ deck logs. VA estimates that there are between 420,000 and 560,000 Vietnam-era Veterans who may be considered Blue Water Navy Veterans. The law also extends benefits to survivors and dependents of those Veterans with confirmed service and whose claims would have been granted as a result of the new law. If Veterans, survivors or dependents have previously filed and were denied a claim, they can file a supplemental claim. VA encourages Veterans to work with an approved claims representative or VSO to determine if they qualify. Contact: benefits.va.gov/benefits/blue-water-navy.asp Caregiver stipend expansion launched
The Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC), which offers enhanced clinical support for caregivers of eligible veterans who are seriously injured, launched an expansion of eligibility effective October 1, 2020. Learn more about the expansion and the application process here: caregiver.va.gov. 26
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The Bend VA Clinic was recently renamed in honor of longtime area resident and Medal of Honor recipient Robert Maxwell, who died in 2019. VA launches new electronic health record system
The federal VA began using its new electronic health record (EHR) system Oct. 24 at select VA facilities in the Pacific Northwest and Las Vegas, marking the beginning of a transformation in how VA delivers care to Veterans. The EHR Modernization program will continue rolling out the new software until it is in place nationwide at all VA facilities by 2028. Veterans, Gold Star Families get free entrance to national parks, refuges, other public lands
As of November 11, 2020, entrance fees for the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and standard amenity recreation fees for the Bureau of Land Management and the Bureau of Reclamation sites will be waived for Veterans and Gold Star Families. They will have free access to approximately 2,000 public locations spread out across more than 400 million acres of public lands, which host activities to fit any lifestyle, from serene to high octane, including hiking, fishing, paddling, biking, hunting, stargazing and climbing. Contact: blogs.va.gov/VAntage/80547/veterans-gold-starfamilies-get-free-entrance-national-parks-refuges-publiclands
2020 State and Federal Benefit Updates
Benefits corner
Veterans and Gold Star families get free entrance to national parks, refuges and other public lands such as Capitol Reef National Park in south-central Utah (pictured). VA billing to resume in January 2021
Veterans should be aware and plan accordingly that the current suspension of VA collection actions and extension of terms of previous repayment agreements is scheduled to end December 31, 2020. VA stopped sending monthly billing statements for medical care debt starting April 6, 2020. This change followed the President’s April 2 announcement that was part of the nation’s relief response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, all actions on debts owed to VA in the form of copayments under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Treasury were suspended. With the conclusion of the mandated deferral, VA plans to begin billing Veterans in January 2021 for those postponed copays. In January, veterans should receive a patient statement that includes new copay charges for any care or prescriptions from April 6, 2020, through December 31, 2020, and any unpaid copays from before April 2020. Contact: portland.va.gov/PORTLAND/features/VA_ billing_to_resume_in_Jan_2020.asp and blogs.va.gov/ VAntage/81266/va-debt-management-center-resumesending-notification-letters-january-2021/
OREGON Bend VA clinic renamed after local hero Robert Maxwell
On October 26, 2020, Bend’s Veterans Affairs clinic was officially renamed after local veteran Robert Maxwell, on what would have been the war hero’s 100th birthday. When Maxwell died last year at the age of 98, he was the oldest Medal of Honor recipient in the country. Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden introduced a bill in the Senate to rename the clinic, while Rep. Greg Walden introduced the legislation in the House. The legislation was approved in September. Campus Veteran Resource Grants awarded to 14 Oregon public universities and community colleges
ODVA awarded one-time Campus Veteran Resource Center Grants to all 14 of the public universities and community colleges that applied. The purpose of the Campus Veteran Resource Center Grants is to augment existing campus resources by funding innovative and impactful projects or programs designed to improve the lives of student veterans and help them succeed. Contact: https://oregondva.com/2020/08/17/campusveteran-resource-grants-awarded-to-14-oregon-publicuniversities-and-community-colleges OREGON DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS’ AFFAIRS
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R&R
By Tyler Francke, Veterans News Magazine
A Place of Peace
VetREST is a nonprofit dedicated to mentoring veterans while providing farming opportunities in safe and supportive environments. One of their latest projects was transforming a World War II-era victory garden at The Bomber Restaurant in Milwaukie. Dozens of volunteers and organizations assisted with the construction in the first half of 2020, and the garden had its first harvest that summer. VetREST has identified two more garden sites for 2021. For more information, contact Oregon chapter director Ron White at 503-880-8809 or rwhite@vetrest.org. 28
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In-Country and Book Reviews
R&R
Books by Oregon Veterans Dear Selma Bernard D. Brown
19-year-old Bernard Brown was drafted into the Army four months after D-Day. The frightened young kid was homesick and relied on letters which led to his correspondence with childhood friend Selma Nepom. Brown began writing to Selma from army college in Oklahoma, boot camps in Georgia and Texas, and continued writing from the front lines of the European Theater. Over the course of two years and hundreds of letters, Selma and Bernard got to know each other a little better. They married mere months after Brown was honorably discharged. The family pulled the letters Selma saved into “Dear Selma: A World War II Love Letter Romance.” This heartwarming book retells the story of that romance. Proceeds go to the Ronald McDonald House at the Rood Family Pavilion in Portland.
Searching for Gurney Jack Estes
This third novel by Vietnam Veteran Jack Estes follows the lives of three US Marines and a North Vietnamese soldier through the horrific battles of the Vietnam war and afterwards. The fate of Lt. Gurney haunts every corner of the story as each of them tries to make sense of the war. The Oregon veteran takes us into the damaged souls of these young men with gripping clarity as he explores the psychological aftershocks of the war. Estes admits the novels as semiautobiographic and has himself struggled to make sense of the war. Estes returned to Vietnam with his wife in the early 1990’s to help him deal with his PTSD. In 1993, they launched the Fallen Warriors Foundation, honoring the sacrifices of American soldiers and helping to heal the pain of war. Phil Fehrenbacher is a U.S. Army veteran and cartoonist. His digital strip “In-Country” explores his memories and experiences serving in South Vietnam. Find his work on Facebook at In-Country.
Read more about Bernard Brown and Jack Estes on ODVA’s blog at oregondva.com. OREGON DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS’ AFFAIRS
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Boots on the ground
By Tyler Francke, Veterans News Magazine
Veteran Services in the COVID-19 Era
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It’s one of the largest annual events for veterans in Prineville, and — like most things in 2020 — it looked a little different this year. Rather than being held at its traditional location at Carey Foster Hall, the Crook County Veteran Services Department’s Veterans Appreciation Dinner was moved to the Meadow Lakes Golf Course. And, instead of veterans and their families gathering together with hundreds of others, it was transitioned to a drive-thru event. Despite the changes, Crook County pulled out all the stops, and the to-go meals came complete with all the trimmings: 30
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Veteran Service offices move increasingly online amid pandemic
turkey, ham, potatoes, green beans, rolls and cranberries. “It’s to show the community that we are still supporting the community and recognizing veterans’ service,” Adam Williams, interim executive director of the Crook County Veteran Services Department, told the Central Oregonian in November. Finding new ways to connect with and provide services to folks in your own communities has been the story and the challenge for many organizations this year. That has been no different for many local veteran service offices, which help veterans and their families navigate the often-confusing landscape of veteran benefits and provide other essential services
veteran service office Directory
— typically, face to face. “The biggest difficulty is losing the one-on-one, direct, inperson support,” says Joe Glover, ODVA’s assistant director of Statewide Veteran Services, the division tasked with training, certifying and supporting the Oregon’s statewide network of local veteran service offices. “Having to try and stay in touch with veterans in a remote environment, filling out claims and mailing them to claimants slows the process down significantly,” Glover continues. “VSO offices have had to get creative in the way that they do this, and rely heavily on virtual engagement. Not always the easiest thing to do, particularly with our older veterans.” With more than half of the Oregon veteran population estimated to be over the age of 65, the need for connecting with these segments is critical — especially in rural areas, where access to services may be more limited. Serving homeless veterans during COVID-19 has been particularly challenging, Glover says. Traditional means of reaching veterans experiencing housing insecurity, such as stand-downs, have had to be canceled or significantly reduced. And it’s not just about services, Glover explains. “The VSO community truly loves veterans and the work that they do,” he says. “The very nature of this job is to be social, to connect with those in their communities and to develop relationships. Every VSO is missing that personal connection that can only be accomplished by being in person. That’s been the toughest thing.” Though the pandemic, as well as widespread wildfires in Oregon this year, have brought challenges, there have been some positives. “Appeals are now much faster, and can be done from any internet connected device,” he says, referring to appeals veterans may file to contest federal VA decisions regarding their serviceconnected disability compensation claims. “The days of having to drive anywhere to have your appeal done are behind us thanks to the new innovative process.” Glover gives a lot of credit to VSOs for finding creative ways to stay connected to their communities during these times, mentioning the Veterans Appreciation Dinner in Prineville as a prime example. “Veteran Service Officers are truly and genuinely passionate about the work that they do,” Glover says. “They are constantly trying to come up with ways to engage with veterans and families, and reach out to them.” As the pandemic is expected to impact Oregonians and services on which they rely well into 2021, Glover expects more and more veteran services to make the electronic transition. “This period has shown that there were a great number of things that were reliant on antiquated technology or methodology,” he says. “One in particular was the reliance of a fax line to submit claims and documents.” Soon, Glover says, the federal VA will instead require veterans to submit claims electronically through VA.gov in a process called Direct Claims Submit. Glover says he is sure the changes are just the beginning in a process that will continue to improve services and outcomes for all veterans in Oregon.
The Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs, local veteran service officers (VSOs) and national service organizations provide claims assistance free of charge to all veterans and family members. Service officers are also available to assist with other veteran benefits and resources. To schedule an appointment, contact the office nearest you.
County Veteran Services BAKER 541 523 8223 BENTON 541 758 1595 CLACKAMAS 503 650 5631 CLATSOP 503 791 9983 COLUMBIA 503 366 6580 COOS 541 396 7590 CROOK 541 447 5304 CURRY 866 298 0404 DESCHUTES 541 385 3214 DOUGLAS 541 440 4219 GILLIAM/ SHERMAN/ WHEELER 541 993 9144 GRANT 541 575 1631 HARNEY 541 573 1342 HOOD RIVER 541 386 1080 JACKSON 541 774 8214 JEFFERSON 541 475 5228 JOSEPHINE 541 474 5454 KLAMATH 541 883 4274 LAKE 541 947 6043 LANE 541 682 4191 LINCOLN 541 265 0570 LINN 541 967 3882
MALHEUR 541 889 6649 MARION 971 707 4400 MORROW 541 922 6420 MULTNOMAH 503 988 8387 POLK 503 623 9188 TILLAMOOK 503 842 4358 UMATILLA 541 667 3125 UNION 541 962 8802 WALLOWA 541 426 0539 WASCO 541 506 2502 WASHINGTON 503 846 3060
CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF GRAND RONDE INDIAN RESERVATION (TVSO) 503 879 1484 CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF WARM SPRINGS INDIAN RESERVATION (TVR) 541 553 1196 COQUILLE INDIAN TRIBE (NO TVSO/TVR) 541 888 9494 COW CREEK BAND OF UMPQUA BAND OF INDIANS (TVR) 541 672 9405
YAMHILL 503 434 7503
KLAMATH TRIBES (TVR) 800 524 9787 x148
Tribal Veteran Services
National Veteran Services
BURNS PAIUTE TRIBE (NO TVSO/TVR) 541 573 2088 CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF COOS, LOWER UMPQUAA AND SIUSLAW INDIAN RESERVATION (NO TVSO/TVR) 541 888 9577 CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF SILETZ INDIAN RESERVATION (NO TVSO/TVR) 541 444 8330 CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF UMATILLA INDIAN RESERVATION (TVSO) 541 429 7389
AMERICAN LEGION 503 412 4706 DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS 503 412 4750 NABVETS OF AMERICA 503 412 4159 PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA 503 412 4762 VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS 503 412 4757 VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA 541 604 0963
OREGON DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS’ AFFAIRS
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PRSRT STD U S Po s t a g e PA I D Pe r m i t N o . 2 2 Salem, OR
700 SUMMER STREET NE SALEM, OR 97301-1285
FREE AND OPEN TO ALL WOMEN VETERANS
2021CONFERENCE OREGON WOMEN VETERANS
Stronger Together MAY 2021
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VETERANS NEWS MAGAZINE
