Fall 2016 Vets News

2016 STATEWIDE VETERANS DAY EDITION

VETS NEWS

Pages 8-9

statewide veterans day events

FROM OREGON TO MAINE: JEWETT'S LAST JOURNEY

Patriot Guard Riders (from left) Steve West, Milt Harden and Dan Halverson salute the cremated remains of Maine Civil War soldier Jewett Williams at a send-off ceremony organized by ODVA and Oregon State Hospital in Salem on Aug. 1. Photo

by Beth Nakamura, staff photographer of The Oregonian/OregonLive. Reprinted with permission.

By Tyler Francke

O

n Oct. 12, 1864, a man named Jewett Williams joined the 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment of the U.S. Army. The 21-year-old son of Canadian immigrants and small-town farmers, he went on to participate in several decisive engagements that helped secure the Union’s victory in the waning months of the Civil War. He was even present at that Appomattox, Va., court house on April 9, 1865, to receive the surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, one of the most singularly monumental moments in our nation’s history.

Sadly, history did not remember him. Almost 60 years later, he died in obscurity, at a mental institution on the other side of the country that he helped preserve.

He lived in Maine, Minnesota and Washington, before finally settling in Portland, Ore. On April 14, 1922, he was committed to the state asylum, which is now called the Oregon State Hospital.

He was in poor health and suffering from progressive senile dementia and hallucinations.

The only known photo of Jewett Williams is from his intake: It shows him with white hair, a white beard and wearing a black patch over his left eye. He died three months later, on July 17, of arterial sclerosis. He was 78 years old.

His body was cremated, and his remains were put in a copper canister. They were never claimed. ...

...

After the war, Jewett Williams became a carpenter.

He was married twice and had at least six children, not all of whom survived into adulthood.

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In 2004, the canister containing Williams’ cremains, along with thousands of others, was rediscovered by Oregon Sen. Peter Courtney during a tour of the state hospital’s grounds. The find sparked outrage and calls

Vietnam War veteran receives the Purple Heart, 51 years later

for reform across the state, eventually culminating in a $458 million investment that helped build two new, state-of-the-art mental health facilities.

“We owe them,” Courtney said of the cremains, which he often refers to as “the forgotten souls.” “We owe them. They’re the ones who built the Oregon State Hospital that has now become so extraordinary.”

That 2004 discovery also fueled interest in the cremains themselves. A memorial was established at the Salem campus of the Oregon State Hospital, and efforts were renewed to locate family members of or final resting places for the cremains that remained unclaimed.

Last year, the work of volunteer genealogist Phyllis Zegers caught the eye of a Maine historian researching the 20th Maine. Using online records, Zegers had written a bio of Jewett Williams that highlighted his service during the Civil War. The historian, Tom

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CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

Veteran Benefit Expo in Portland was a major success

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FROM DIRECTOR CAMERON SMITH

PAST ADVISORY COMMITTEE CHAIR HERRERA PASSES Alfredo “Al” Herrera, a U.S. Army veteran and former chairman of the ODVA Advisory Committee, passed away June 1, 2016, in his home with his loving family by his side. He was 83.

FROM 1945 TO NOW:

ODVA'S TIMELESS MISSION TO SERVE & HONOR VETERANS 

Every day, the team at the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs (ODVA) feels privileged to serve our veterans and their families. At the same time, we are humbled by the mission at hand.

For the first time in history, we are serving four generations of veterans who have served in our military, fought our battles in five major wars, and stood guard over our peace.

Amazingly, this is the 70th anniversary of the first issue of Vets News. Our team continues a long tradition of veteran advocacy and we can all be proud of our shared efforts today.

In 2015, we originated an incredible $71 million in low-interest home loans to Oregon veterans.

We also stood up a second Oregon Veterans’ Home in Lebanon and continued to provide the best in skilled nursing care at the Oregon Veterans’ Home in The Dalles.

In partnership with County Veteran Service Offices and National Service Organizations, we also increased new claims submitted to the Federal VA that now return an incredible $106 million a month in disability compensation for Oregon veterans.

The results are impressive, but we also know how much work we have to do to better serve our veterans. Tragically, as we gear up to celebrate Veterans’ Day, we still have almost 1,500 homeless veterans in communities across Oregon and veterans make up over a quarter of all suicides in this state. These statistics are

not simply numbers and represent individual veterans who served our state and nation.

Veterans certainly gain great strength from their service, but it is also not surprising that those who have borne the battle can face challenges when returning home. For those most impacted by their service, we must understand their tenacious spirit and resiliency. They deserve nothing less than the best in care, resources and support.

Throughout this 70th anniversary issue, we proudly highlight the stories of Oregon veterans from every era. Our team’s deep and personal connections across the veterans’ community remain the powerful motivation for our efforts every day.

We also know that our mission to honor and serve Oregon veterans is larger than any one organization. We are very fortunate to have the advocacy and support of broad community partners. Together, we can ensure the essential network of support for our veterans’ health, education and economic opportunity.

Thank you for your dedication and commitment to Oregon’s veterans and their families!

Semper fi,

Herrera was a first sergeant of Company C (better known as the Bandido Charlies), 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division (a.k.a. the Big Red One). He was highly decorated for his service in the Vietnam War, receiving the Bronze Star (Valor), the Purple Heart and the Silver Star, the military’s third-highest award for valor.

His official citation for the Silver Star states: “During an assault on a large enemy force, First Sergeant Herrera and several others were wounded by anti-tank fire. Undaunted, he continued to direct fire and gather wounded soldiers. He was again wounded, this time sustaining very serious injuries to his lower body and under his arm. First Sergeant Herrera continued to fight despite his injuries, helping to evacuate other wounded soldiers. His courageous actions were directly responsible for saving lives and preventing the enemy from capturing his unit.”

Herrera was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1955 and retired after a full career in 1976. He was first appointed to the Advisory Committee by Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber in 2011. 

Vets News is a free publication. Each issue contains current information impacting veterans in Oregon including Federal VA topics and state, regional and local happenings. When credit is given to the source, Vets News articles may be reprinted.

BE A GUEST CONTRIBUTOR ODVA reaches more than 20,000 veterans and their families through its print and electronic publication. We welcome contributions about veteran concerns, issues and programs that are important, informative and/or a great tidbit of news that other veterans would enjoy reading about. To inquire or submit a piece, please use the contact information below.

Military reunion information and event submissions are welcome; however, please note that all items are printed upon space availability. Submissions for the next issue must be received by April 8, 2017.

Up to the minute Oregon veteran news can also be found at www.oregondva.com.

CONTACT / SUBSCRIBE / ADDRESS CHANGES

Cameron Smith Director

Mail

Send your name and current address to ODVA, Vets News 700 Summer St. NE, Salem, OR 97301-1285

Phone

503-373-2390

Email

odvapublicinformation@odva.state.or.us

Online

www.oregon.gov/odva/INFO/VetsNews.shtml

PUBLICATION AND COMMUNICATION STAFF

Director Smith served as a Captain in the United States Marine Corps, completing three tours of duty in Iraq. He was honorably discharged after serving five years in the Marines. A graduate of Carleton College in Minnesota, he holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History. Director Smith is originally from Boston but happily lives in Portland, Ore., where he continues to root for the Red Sox. 2

O R E G O N D E PA R T M E N T O F V E T E R A N S ' A F FA I R S

Nicole Hoeft Tyler Francke Sarah Dressler

Managing Editor / Production Staff Writer / Associate Editor Staff Writer / Copy Editor

PUBLICATION CHANGE NOTICE: Vets News is published two times per year in May and November.

Center on June 24, honoring “70 Years of Service.”

ODVA is organizing a Veteran Benefit Expo at the S

veteran aviators. and the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum has shared s WASP (Women’s Airforce Service Pilot) was shared by G other groups and agencies to participate. The story of Eilee Our posts are being shared on Facebook and

Salem Convention

stories of Oregon Governor Brown, en Roach, a WWII Twitter enabling

VETERAN VOICES

'I REMEMBER THINKING, WHAT DID I GET MYSELF INTO?'

JUAN PALACIOS: U.S. MARINE CORPS | WIREMAN | VIETNAM Juan Palacios’ reasons for going into the military were as good as any.

“The school was riddled with a bunch of gangs,” he said of his high school in Chicago, Ill. “It was like, you had to belong or you’re on your own. That’s why I wanted to get out of the city.”

He had intended to enlist in the Army, to join up with a good high school buddy who had gone in before him. But when he went to the recruiting office, the Army guy was out to lunch. So was everyone else — except for the recruiter for the U.S. Marines.

An hour later, Palacios signed on the dotted line.

“He was a good salesman,” he said with a shrug.

Palacios became a “Hollywood Marine,” undergoing basic training at the recruit depot in San Diego.

“It was very physical,” he said with a laugh. “But it was a good experience. It instilled a lot of confidence in me, taught me what I could do.”

He was commissioned as a wireman for the Marine Corps. It would be his job to install, operate and, if necessary, repair the networks necessary to maintain vital telecommunications between bases and outposts, domestic and overseas.

Like Glen Campbell’s “Wichita Lineman” — except Palacios and his fellow technicians faced the additional danger of regular air raids by the North Vietnamese.

By the time he entered the service in 1969, the United States’ involvement in Vietnam was nearly a decade old. The bitter conflict had helped define the country during his formative years, and he recalls it being at the forefront of conversations with friends about their future plans in the military.

“We would talk about Vietnam and what it was,” Palacios said. “Looking back, we didn’t have the slightest idea what it was.”

In 1970, he would find out. He vividly remembers his first moments at Da Nang Air Base.

“When I got off the aircraft, I saw they were loading it up with body bags. At that time, I didn’t know what they were, so I asked someone, and he said, ‘Those are dead guys,’” Palacios said. “I remember thinking, ‘What did I get myself into?’”

At times during his deployment, the air raids came on an almost-nightly basis. The threat of death seemed ever-present and unyielding. But Palacios recalls a sergeant who took him aside and gave him some good advice.

“What I was told is that if you think you’re going to get killed, you get real cautious, and then you will get killed,” he said. “So you just don’t worry about it. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, you’re good.”

Palacios, a second-generation Mexican immigrant, said it was not uncommon to see the men divide up along racial lines.

“Back then, it was like you’d have all the black guys over here, all the Hispanic guys here, all the Caucasian guys here,” he said. “The racial tension was there, but it was more so at leisure time. When things starting happening, we all came together.

It didn’t matter who you were, what you were.”

For the last two years of his enlistment, Palacios was stationed at Kaneohe Bay in Hawaii. He had wanted to re-up and join the Military Police, but changed his mind when they asked him to accept a demotion, citing a “top-heavy” command structure.

Instead, he began a career in law enforcement that spanned more than 35 years, primarily as a sheriff ’s deputy for Yamhill and Polk counties. He spent most of his 25 years with the Yamhill County Sheriff ’s Office as the resident deputy in his home town of Dayton, where he became affectionately known as “the Dayton cop.”

“It got to where people would call for police assistance and ask for Juan,” he said. “The dispatcher would say, ‘You mean Deputy Palacios?’ And they would say, ‘No. Juan.’”

He also became a longtime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post in Dayton. He was post commander for a decade, and served as Oregon state commander last year. He’s incredibly proud of the work done by the VFW. “We do a lot of good stuff for the community,” he said. “We help people. We help veterans in need.”

Introducing “Veteran Voices.” This new feature series will spotlight the faces and voices that comprise Oregon’s rich and diverse veteran community. These profiles will appear throughout this and future editions of the Veterans Day issue of Vets News.

STATE LAUNCHES FIRST RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR VETERANS The Oregon Health Authority (OHA), in partnership with the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs (ODVA), has launched the Veterans Rental Assistance Program, designed to provide transitional housing for military veterans who have serious mental illness and are homeless or at risk for homelessness.

The new program will provide funding for transitional housing to accommodate up to 147 veterans who do not have permanent homes in Clackamas, Marion, Columbia, Yamhill and Jackson counties. Transitional housing is a stable, but temporary, arrangement meant to help bridge the gap from homelessness to permanent housing.

“OHA is pleased to partner with the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs on this innovative and critical program,” said Karen Wheeler, integrated

health programs director for OHA’s Health Systems Division.

OHA started the Rental Assistance Program in 2013 for individuals with serious mental illness, but this is the first time it has specifically targeted veterans.

This year, OHA made $2.5 million available for veterans’ rental assistance and a similar program, which serves young adults who meet the eligibility criteria for serious mental illness and homelessness.

The programs will be administered with the help of several nonprofit agencies, which were granted funding

by OHA and will provide a certain number of housing “slots” in the areas and populations they serve.

The partnering providers serving veterans are Clackamas County Housing, Clackamas County,

30 slots; Salem Housing Authority, Marion County, 42 slots; Medicine Wheel Recovery Services Inc., Columbia County, 40 slots; Transition Projects Inc., Yamhill County, 20 slots; and ColumbiaCare ServicesJackson, Jackson County, 15 slots (and an additional 15 slots for young adults).

Besides receiving rental subsidies, eligible individuals may receive assistance with moving costs.

Residential Housing Specialists and Peer Support Specialists are available to help individuals in becoming rent-ready and in locating, securing and maintaining a rental unit.

The program officially began in October 2016.

Contact the partnering provider in your area for more information.  V E T E R A N S D AY E D I T I O N 2 0 1 6

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1: JEWETT WILLIAMS

Jewett Williams

Desjardin, who was also the state’s education commissioner at the time, proposed to the adjutant general of the Maine National Guard and the director of the Maine Bureau of Veterans’ Services the idea of returning Williams’ cremains to his native state for a proper military burial.

VETERAN VOICES

Officials in Maine and Oregon have been working since then to coordinate the complicated task of sending Jewett Williams home. That journey began the same place his journey in life ended: at the Oregon State Hospital. ...

On Aug. 1, a crowd of hospital and state employees, veterans, local dignitaries and others gathered to honor Pvt. Jewett Williams. He was finally given the dignified and moving ceremony he deserved, but never received, when he died almost a hundred years earlier.

“We are here to help correct the record,” said Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs Director Cameron Smith, “to ensure that this Civil War soldier receives the final honors he earned through his service.”

Jewett Williams was, in the words of Oregon State Hospital Superintendent Greg Roberts, a “veteran who, like so many others, time and society had forgotten.”

“We don’t know if his war experiences played a part in his psychiatric hospitalization,” Roberts said.

“But we do know that like many veterans of today that have returned home struggling with mental illness and PTSD, he should not and will not be forgotten.”

Sen. Courtney spoke of Williams’ final days.

“He was a son, a brother, a husband and a father.

At the end of his life, however, he was alone. He was alone and institutionalized here,” Courtney said.

“While he spent only three months here at Oregon State Hospital, when he died, nobody came. Nobody came. Nobody came to honor him. Nobody came to take him home. Nobody came. Until today.”

At the end of the ceremony, a blessing was said, and the cremains of Pvt. Jewett Williams were transferred into the solemn and respectful hands of the Patriot Guard Riders, who will escort him along the 3,000-mile journey with honor and care. ...

Jewett’s final journey home, escorted by hundreds of reverent Patriot Guard Riders across over 20 different states, was a truly remarkable and once-ina-lifetime event.

Almost every step was documented by some local media outlet, while his send-off was written up or featured in most of the state's news organization. An AP story about Jewett was picked up by hundreds of newspapers and websites, including such far-away publications as the Japan Times, Malaysia Sun and China Post.

At one point, Jewett Williams was a trending topic on Twitter, and Facebook data indicated over 60,000 people were talking about him. He even had a folk song written about him!

He was finally, and permanently, laid to rest on Sept. 24, with full military honors, during a ceremony over 200 people attended in his hometown of Hodgdon, Maine. His ashes were interred next to the gravesites of his parents, Jared and Rosaline Williams.

All that remains of Jewett Williams’ time in Oregon is a hollow brass tube, which now occupies the space that once held his cremated ashes. It is a symbol that he is gone, but not forgotten. It is a symbol that he has gone home.  4

O R E G O N D E PA R T M E N T O F V E T E R A N S ' A F FA I R S

'IT WAS NEVER MY AIM TO BE A HERO' BILL WINGETT: U.S. ARMY, NAVY | PARATROOPER | WWII Bill Wingett was part of E Company of the 101st Airborne Division’s 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment during World War II. Better known as “Easy Company,” it has become one of the most famous units in modern American military history, thanks to the 2001 HBO miniseries “Band of Brothers” and the popular book by Stephen Ambrose that it was based on.

But Wingett, one of its original members, almost missed the war altogether.

He enlisted shortly after the Attack on Pearl Harbor. But, while waiting to be called for duty, he was involved in a horrific car accident that left him hospitalized for four months.

“I was right in the middle of the turn, and wham,” he recalled.

He was promptly discharged from military service, and he went back to his former job as an apprentice carpenter. Of course, the itch to serve was still there, and on Aug. 19, 1942, he drove back to that same San Francisco recruiting office and joined the Army.

“I never talked about the accident, and I passed the physical fine,” he said.

Wingett signed on with the Airborne for one very simple reason.

“They would pay you an extra $50 a day until training was over,” he said.

He went through training with Easy Company at Camp Toccoa, Georgia, and later, near Aldbourne, England, and forged deep friendships with his platoon mates. But, just days before Wingett was to parachute into Normandy as part of the June 6, 1944, Allied invasion of Europe, he received some unexpected and unwelcome news.

He was being transferred, to the 506th's Headquarters Company — the result of a feud with a sergeant he maintains “had an axe to grind” against him.

Nevertheless, Wingett was one of the thousands of American paratroopers to jump into the night on D-Day. The experiences that followed are not something he likes to talk about, even now, more than 70 years later.

“Why should I talk about the war?” he asked. “The war was a generally unpleasant situation. I was shooting at people, and being shot at by people, and we had no knowledge of each other. It seemed like a terrible waste.

Every place you turned, stuff was being wasted.”

Wingett, a machine gunner, stayed with the 506th as they fought their way through France, Holland, in the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium and into Germany, until the war ended in May 1945. He was decorated with medals for his service, including the Bronze Star for heroism and three Purple Hearts for wounds in Normandy, for a broken leg in Holland and for frozen feet in Bastogne.

That doesn’t make him a hero — according to him, anyway.

“It was not my aim to be a hero, or to be known as a hero,” he said. “I would just like to be known as Bill Wingett, the guy that was there when they needed him, the guy that did the best he could in the worst of situations. What more can you do?”

He was honorably discharged Nov. 23, 1945, but he later re-enlisted for three years with the 82nd Airborne Division. In 1964, he put on a different uniform, joining the U.S. Naval Reserve. He would retire 17 years later as a petty officer 1st class. He was also a longtime member of the Salem chapter of the Seabees.

“I’ve been in the military ever since the war,” Wingett said. “I don’t think of it as being anything special. I was in the military, and I was determined to give it all I had to give it, same as my dad did. Same as my brothers did.”

Wingett ’s father had served in World War I, while his four brothers fought alongside him in WWII. “When we came home, my brothers and I never sat down to talk about the war,” he said. “My dad and I never sat down to talk war. We just moved on.”

For two decades after the war, he worked in the lumber industry in California. In 1961, he moved with his wife and family to Salem, where he worked at a large paper mill before opening his own woodworking shop, which he continued to operate until his early 90s.

Now 94, Wingett is an honored resident at the Oregon Veterans’ Home in Lebanon, where he leads an active life — physically and mentally.

“I’ve still got a lot to learn,” he said, “and by God, I’m going to be around to learn it.”

1,000 GATHER FOR WWII VETERAN'S FUNERAL WITH NO FAMILY The casket of 91-year-old World War II veteran Gene Baker is escorted by pallbearers down an aisle lined with three dozen flags held by Patriot Guard Riders.

Baker died in Grants Pass in September, with no family to mourn him, but more than 1,000 people showed up to honor him at his military funeral.

Photo by Jamie Lusch, Mail Tribune. Reprinted with permission.

By Buffy Pollock, Mail Tribune | Originally published Oct. 7, 2016 Reprinted with permission In a funeral procession fit for a dignitary, 91-yearold Gene Baker was laid to rest at the Eagle Point National Cemetery Thursday by nearly 1,000 of his brothers and sisters in uniform and residents from across Southern Oregon and Northern California.

Representatives of every military branch, local emergency services personnel, four to five dozen motorcycle riders — who provided transport and a flag line for Baker’s coffin — and hundreds of others looked on as Baker’s service was conducted beneath a large American flag lowered to half mast.

Baker, who was born Aug. 25, 1925, in Ojai, California, fought overseas during World War II and died in Grants Pass on Sept. 22, made headlines this week after Chapel of the Valley funeral home placed an obituary inviting the public to pay final respects.

Baker had no remaining family or friends to attend his service, funeral home office manager Leila Bradish said.

Thanks to a social media post that went viral locally, Baker was not laid to rest alone.

A bugler played Taps. Bells chimed. And World War II biplanes flew overhead, leaving a trail of red and white smoke behind them. Cars were parked as far as the eye could see, motorcycles surrounded the service area, and the cemetery lawns were covered by onlookers who stood in silence.

“I think we are all incredibly surprised. You just can’t plan a service like this. It’s taken on a life of its own,” Bradish said.

Old Guard Riders Duane “Dog” Johnson and Toby Tobias, both Army veterans, held two of the three dozen American flags for the lineup through which Baker’s coffin was carried.

“All we knew was he was a 91-year-old World War II vet with no family. There was no question for us,” Johnson said. “We’re all veterans so it’s a brotherhood.”

Tobias said the service was one of the largest he had attended. Baker likely symbolized brothers and fathers and daughters and grandparents who served their country, he added.

“I come out here and I’ve got respect for the man as a brother who served but my thoughts also go to my brother. He was a 20-year-old kid who got blown up in a training mission with Navy Seals,” Tobias said.

“It’s a brotherhood for us who served. I don’t know any of us who wouldn’t do it all again if we were called.

We took an oath and we never went back from that.”

Chaplain Gene Flannery, a coordinator for the Missing in America Project, an organization tasked with ensuring veterans are not laid to rest without military honors, said Thursday’s service was heartwarming.

“It really blew me away when we came around the corner and saw the cars all the way backed up to the entrances,” Flannery said. “People have a heart for something like this. Americans have always been for the downtrodden, the underdog. We’ve buried 30,000 people, mostly without family or friends. I think some in attendance today might have had relatives they were here in honor of.”

Phoenix police Chief Derek Bowker, who attended wearing his blues, doubted that most in attendance hesitated when they read Baker’s obituary.

“It’s just amazing, the southern Oregon community and the way they step up,” Bowker said, guessing there to be at least 1,000 in attendance.

“It’s a great thing to see for someone who served.”

Nearby, seven U.S. Coast Guard members stood at ease after a lone bagpipe player stood on a nearby hill playing "Amazing Grace."

Chief Sean Culler said the group made the fourhour drive from the Coast Guard Air Station in Humboldt Bay, California, to show their respect for the man who served well before many of them were born.

“We saw it on social media and felt like the right thing to do to come and represent the Coast Guard, so we made the trip for him. What we read said he had no family, so for us it was about the support and the camaraderie. It’s one big extended family when you’re in the military,” Culler said.

“During the service, they talked about the 16 million veterans from World War II and there being only about 600,000 still alive. It was very moving.

These guys aren’t going to be around forever, so this was about paying our final respects for someone who served this country and very much deserved the respect that was shown here today.”

A little more about Gene Baker While little was known about Gene Baker prior to his death, funeral coordinators and local research buffs have amassed a small amount of information about him since then.

Born Aug. 25, 1925, in Ojai, Calif., Harold Eugene Baker enlisted in the Navy on March 15, 1943, in Los Angeles. On Jan. 3, 1944, Baker reported aboard the USS Wasp, home ported in Boston, from Carrier Aircraft Service unit 22 in Quonset, R.I. Baker was later promoted and transferred to serve in the aviation unit aboard the USS Guam, which left Philadelphia Jan. 17, 1945, and proceeded through the Panama Canal to join the U.S. Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor on Feb. 8, 1945.

The ship left for Hawaii in March, joining the USS Alaska before heading for a raid on the mainland Japanese islands of Kyushu and Shikoku. Baker's unit later assisted with raids in eastern China and the Yellow Seas and the Yangtze River off Shanghai. After his service during World War II, Baker transferred, in 1945, to the Naval Operations Base in Terminal Island, California.

Awards Baker received during his service time on the USS Guam include an American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with two battle stars, World War II Victory Medal, Navy Occupation Service Medal with Asiatic clasp and the China Service Medal. 

NEW BOOK CHRONICLES HISTORY OF OREGON’S MILITARY Published in October 2016, “Images of America: Oregon Military” illustrates and tells the stories of Oregon’s military history from the times of the native warriors through the first militia, the Indian wars and overseas combat in the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II and more recent and ongoing international struggles.

According to its publishers, Arcadia Publishing and The History Press, “Oregon Military” is the first book to provide a complete view of the state’s important military heritage, from the Lewis and Clark overland Army expedition in the early 19th century, to the founding of the Oregon State Militia, which later became the state's National Guard.

The book features a rich array of illustrations, ranging from ancient rock art to modern photographs and paintings, and tells the stories of Oregonians who also served the United States on active duty in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force.

Oregon military historians Warren W. Aney and Alisha Hamel draw on long and rewarding service with the Oregon Army National Guard, including years spent as organizational historians. Images come from the rich collections of the Brigadier General James B. Thayer Oregon Military Museum, the Oregon Historical Society, county historical societies, other regional and national collections, and the authors’ personal collections.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF OREGON’S MILITARY

Oregon’s military heritage goes back thousands of years, including native people’s warrior traditions.

These native cultures were relatively peaceful and welcomed visiting strangers such as the 1805-06 Army expedition led by Lewis and Clark.

Then, overwhelming numbers of fur trappers, merchants, settlers, and miners began taking over their traditional grounds. From 1847 to 1880, Army and volunteer units engaged Oregon’s native peoples

in eight major conflicts. Army units built several forts from Oregon’s coast to the Snake River.

Oregonians adopted militia laws, served in volunteer units, and organized the Oregon State Militia, which became the Oregon National Guard in 1887. Oregon guard members and many other Oregonians served the nation in major overseas conflicts, from the Spanish-American War through World Wars I and II. As the Pacific Northwest’s well-trained National Guard unit, the 41st Infantry Division served commendably from 1941 to 1945. Oregon soldiers served heroically in Korea and Vietnam. Recently, Oregon Army and Air National Guard units have been serving in Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts.

Oregon’s militia and National Guard has also served the state in many civil-support actions, from quelling riots in 1886 to Operation Tranquility peacekeeping in 1970 to tackling wildfires and floods.  V E T E R A N S D AY E D I T I O N 2 0 1 6

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VETERAN VOICES

'I JUST TOLD THEM THE TRUTH' TONY WALTON: U.S. NAVY | SHIP’S SERVICEMAN | PEACETIME The period between the end of the Vietnam War and the outbreak of conflict in the Persian Gulf is known by some as a peacetime era, a unique and relatively conflict-free time in our nation’s history.

But Tony Walton, who served in the U.S. Navy from 1977 to 1997, doesn’t remember it being all that peaceful.

“During that time, we called it the Cold War,” he said. “We were watching the Russians, and the Russians were watching us.”

Despite the ongoing geopolitical tension between the U.S. and the Soviets, Walton, a native of Buffalo, N.Y., entered the service during a rare time in which his country was not engaged in any active conflicts.

His drill instructors, however, didn’t seem to have gotten the memo.

“There was a lot of training,” he recalled. “At the time, at the age of 19, I didn’t fully understand why we were training so much, training so hard when there wasn’t a war going on. Now, I understand: We were training to be ready.”

The “stand-by” aspect of peacetime service is one reason many of those who enlisted during this era don’t seek veteran benefits, mistakenly believing they aren’t eligible because they didn’t participate in combat.

Walton never saw it that way.

“I did 20 years,” he said. “I never served in a war, but I served. I was there, in case. If something broke out, I was there.”

He was a ship’s serviceman, an enlisted occupation concerned with the management of shipboard retail operations, the laundry room and the barber shop. This means Walton was in charge of what was, to many sailors, the most important place on the ship: the gedunk bar, where snacks, soft drinks and other goodies could be found when the mess hall was closed.

His duties as a barber also kept him pretty busy.

“We had three barbers, but we were cutting 600 folks’ hair,” he said. “There were a lot of guys and gals on the ship.”

At times, Walton served as a master-at-arms, responsible for policing and providing security aboard the ship. While on shore leave, he was frequently a Navy recruiter. It was in this capacity that he first visited the Portland area and noticed that it might be a nice place to live.

“I liked doing recruiting because I was authorized to go wherever I wanted to promote the Navy,” he said. “And for the most part, I was pretty good at recruiting.

I just told them the truth about what they could expect out there.”

In all, Walton completed six overseas tours and served on five different ships: the USS Tuscaloosa, the USS Camden, the USS Lockwood, the USS Fletcher and the USS Champion. He saw distant and exotic shores, from Okinawa, Japan, to Cozumel, Mexico.

“It was fun,” Walton said of his service. “It gave me a chance to see the world, over and over.”

When he was discharged, he took advantage of some of the same benefits he had once talked up to potential recruits, like the Veterans Educational Assistance made possible through the U.S. GI Bill. It enabled him to take classes at Portland Community College and Clackamas Community College and earn his associate’s degree.

Eighteen years ago, he found his post-military calling as a veteran representative for WorkSource Oregon. Walton, who has a service-connected disability rating of 50 percent for a bad knee and high blood pressure, specializes in working with disabled veterans, homeless veterans and others with significant barriers to employment.

“I think one of the reasons I got hired was my background in recruiting,” he said. “When I was a recruiter, I was trying to help civilians find jobs in the military.

Now it’s the reverse: I’m trying to help veterans find jobs in the civilian work force.”

He said he loves his work.

“I enjoy helping the people that come in here,” he said. “I can relate to them because I’m a veteran and they’re veterans. They trust us veterans. They actually prefer to speak to us because they know we can understand them. And I just enjoy helping them, encouraging them, picking them up, giving them all the tools they need.”

2016 VETERAN BENEFIT EXPO A SUCCESS The Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs second annual Veteran Benefit Expo was held this year at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland.

The free and unique event brought together over 90 service providers and was attended by an estimated 500 veterans, active-duty personnel and family members.

“We at the VA are thankful to our partners at ODVA for hosting this annual event,” said Daniel Herrigstad, the chief of public and congressional affairs at VA Portland Health Care System. “It is a great opportunity allowing us to share information on Women Veterans Coordinator Elizabeth Estabrooks talks with guests at the 2016 Veteran Benefit Expo.

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O R E G O N D E PA R T M E N T O F V E T E R A N S ' A F FA I R S

services and resources with our veterans.”

ODVA organized the Veteran Benefit Expo for the first time in Salem in 2015, conceiving it as a “onestop shop” to give veterans access to the full range of their earned benefits, from health care and educational resources to employment, home loans and other financial support.

The agency moved the location to Portland this year and looks to continue to bring the Expo to different parts of the state in order to reach different segments of the veteran community.

To sign up for email alerts about the 2017 Veteran Benefit Expo, please contact ODVA’s communications team at odvainformation@odva.state.or.us.

JACKSON COUNTY HELPS VETERANS GET BENEFITS THEY EARNED

World War II veteran Ernie Gallo has received extensive assistance from the Jackson County Veteran Services Office, which helps vets get their benefits. Photo by Jamie Lusch, Mail Tribune.

Reprinted with permission.

By Vickie Aldous, Mail Tribune | Originally published July 18, 2016 While serving on board an aircraft carrier during World War II, Ernie Gallo survived 17 battle engagements against Japanese forces and a typhoon with 140 mph winds and 70-foot waves.

The battles left him with burst eardrums.

"There was a war on. We were shooting at the enemy and they were shooting at us," Gallo recalled.

Gallo, now 95 and a Medford resident, received help from the Jackson County Veteran Services Office and the Department of Veterans Affairs to get hearing aids — expensive devices not covered by Medicare.

The county office helps veterans navigate the oftencomplex federal VA system.

"I can't say enough good things about the Jackson County Veteran Services Office," Gallo said. "They are a great, wonderful organization. They do take care of the vets. Friends of mine have been there, too. They'll send you in the right direction. Both the VA and the Veteran Services Office are marvelous."

Working with a five-member staff and a budget of $487,740 for the fiscal year that ended June 30, the county's Veteran Services Office helped local veterans receive $103 million in benefits they earned. The help is free to veterans — who number more than 20,000 in Jackson County.

An Institute of Defense Analysis found that veterans who get help from such offices qualify for more than double the compensation they would receive if they tried to navigate the VA system alone.

The VA benefit system is technically a legal system.

In order to qualify, veterans must file a claim proving they are eligible for benefits and back the claim with legal, military and medical evidence.

"It can be confusing and stressful," said Jackson County Veteran Services Manager Bob Carson.

"Veterans with representation receive significantly more than unrepresented veterans. We know how the VA works."

The office helps veterans on a variety of fronts, including helping them qualify for disability benefits.

Monthly disability payments range from about $133 for a veteran with no dependents who is deemed 10 percent disabled, to more than $3,000 per month for a fully disabled veteran with dependents, according to VA compensation rates.

"The range of injuries is head-to-toe," Carson said.

"If you can think of a physical or mental condition, we see it here."

Like Gallo, many people in the military suffer hearing damage.

Carson, who served as a military police officer for four years and was exposed to small arms fire, himself suffers from chronic tinnitus, the perception of highpitched noise when no external sound is present. He uses a white noise machine in his office to fight the tinnitus.

Veterans can suffer hearing loss after being exposed

Reprinted with permission

to noise from aircraft, ship engine rooms, gunfire, explosions and other loud noises, he said.

"I've had a lot of veterans come in with hearing loss. It really does have an adverse impact on their ability to communicate with their friends, family and employers," Carson said.

Many soldiers are coming back from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with back and neck injuries.

"It's all related to the heavy loads and physical activity under those loads. They've had to twist and make maneuvers in combat," Carson said.

One of the most visible injuries to veterans is paralysis and limb loss. In addition to disability payments, the VA has other, more obscure benefits — including a clothing allowance for veterans who use wheelchairs or wear prosthetic limbs that tend to wear out or tear clothing, according to the Oregon Department of Veteran Affairs.

With ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and aging populations of World War II, Korean and Vietnam War veterans, the Jackson County Veteran Services Office is seeing a surge in demand for the help it offers.

Currently, the office handles approximately 7,000 veteran visits per year — nearly double the number it handled in 2008, Carson said.

Advances in battlefield medicine mean more soldiers are surviving catastrophic injuries, but often with major long-term problems, including traumatic brain injury.

They often have difficult and complex cases, Carson said.

Many veterans have served multiple tours, putting them at greater risk of physical and psychological injuries, including post-traumatic stress disorder.

The VA has also recognized that exposure to Agent Orange herbicide during the Vietnam War can trigger illness, including various types of cancer that emerge later in life. The children of Vietnam veterans are also at greater risk of spina bifida, a birth defect affecting the spine.

Gulf War veterans are more prone to chronic multisystem illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.

Former prisoners of war can suffer a range of maladies — including psychosis, arthritis in injured joints and a host of conditions caused by malnutrition and infection from viruses, bacteria and parasites.

Carson said he rarely sees a veteran trying to pursue a fraudulent claim by faking an injury or illness.

"But if we do, we can decline to file a claim if we think they are trying to defraud the VA. Most of the people we see are very genuine in their pursuit of benefits," he said.

In addition to aiding injured and sick veterans, the Jackson County Veteran Services Office can help in other areas, such as providing guidance on VA home

loans and education benefits.

Carson said mortgage lenders can usually help veterans with VA loans, and the Post 9/11 GI Bill is easier to use than the older Montgomery GI Bill for education benefits. But veterans still often need guidance.

The office can refer veterans to agencies and nonprofit groups for help in finding employment and housing after leaving active duty, he said.

John Howard, the former director of constituent services for U.S. Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., said he would often send veterans to the Jackson County office.

"I dealt with them multiple times a week. They help veterans put together a claim, file a claim and gather data for a claim," he said. "Virtually everyone I sent over there got the help they needed to file a claim."

He said veterans often don't know how to navigate the system and are missing key pieces of evidence and documents, such as their service records.

Additionally, a disastrous fire at the National Personnel Records Center in Missouri destroyed up to 18 million personnel records in 1973 — affecting veterans of several wars.

Carson said Jackson County commissioners, the Jackson County Budget Committee and the county's administration have long been supportive of funding for the office.

"When we say we honor veterans, we not only mean it, but we back it up with actions and money," he said.

About 80 percent of the office's $486,706 budget for the fiscal year that started July 1 comes from county coffers, with the rest coming from a state grant.

With more than $100 million flowing into Jackson County from veteran benefits, Howard said the county's veteran services office is a great investment.

"It's an absolutely incredibly valuable service. Those are the best-spent dollars in the county," he said.

Carson said the incoming federal dollars circulate through the local economy and can reduce veterans' reliance on safety net programs.

"It's an economic development program. We get $103 million in our community for our investment," he said. "That's a pretty good return for the dollar."

As for Gallo, the World War II veteran, he said he is grateful for the commitment the county office and VA have shown to him so many years after his combat days.

"I never expected that kind of treatment and service," he said.

To make an appointment with a veteran services officer, call the Jackson County Veteran Services Office at 541-774-8214. The office is at 1000 E. Main St., Medford.

Visit www.jacksoncounty.org/vets for more information.  V E T E R A N S D AY E D I T I O N 2 0 1 6

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2016 STATEWIDE VETERANS DAY EVENTS

ALBANY All You Can Eat Pancake Breakfast. Nov. 11, 6:30 to 9:30 a.m., at West Albany High School Cafeteria. Cost: Adults $7; Military/ Veterans in uniform and children under 12; $4.

Veterans Day Memorial Service. Nov. 11, 8:30 to 9:15 a.m., at the Linn County Veterans Memorial, Timber Linn Memorial Park, 900 S.E. Price Road. Free service includes guest speakers, laying of Gold Star and POW/MIA wreaths, “Oregon’s Own” 234th Army Band, howitzer salute, “Taps.”

65th Annual Albany Veterans Day Parade.

Nov. 11, 11 a.m. The biggest Veterans Day parade west of the Mississippi will march through the streets in downtown Albany.

WWII and Korean Veterans ride up front on the Honor Flight float, 400-plus Patriot Guard Riders on motorcycles leading the way. The parade includes veterans, dignitaries and other organizations, 8,000 strong within the parade being saluted by crowds of over 45,000 lining the streets.

Awards Ceremony. Nov. 11, 2:30 p.m., at the Linn County Courthouse, 300 4th Ave. S.W. Immediately following parade.

Contact for all Albany events listed above: Patty Louisiana, Veteran's Commemoration Association, 541-981-2390, www. albanyveteransdayparade.org.

ASTORIA Astoria Art Loft's Veterans Day Exhibit and Art Walk. Nov. 12, 3 to 6 p.m., at the Astoria Art Loft, 106 3rd St. Art Walk through downtown Astoria galleries, open for showing and light snacks. This event to honor veterans, military families, active duty with art related to such. Contact: Jo Pomeroy, astoriaartloft@gmail.com, 503325-4442.

BEAVERTON POW/MIA Ceremony. Nov. 11, 11 a.m., at Bethel Congregational United Church of Christ, 5150 S.W. Watson Ave. There will be a posting of colors by the Beaverton Police Department, guest speakers, and a keynote address by Oregon Secretary of State Jeanne Atkins. Music by Southridge High School Choir. Contact: Steve Gerber, 503-246-8190 BEND Veterans Day Assembly. Nov. 10, 11 a.m. at Bend Senior High School, 230 N.E. 6th St. Assembly for all students, as well as local veterans, will include a color guard and playing of “Taps.” Contact: Mackenzie Groshong, 541-355-3803.

Veterans Day Parade. Nov. 11, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Parade will be downtown, from Northwest Newport to Wall Street, around Drake Park, Northwest Galveston and ending at Harmon Street. Grand Marshals: Purple Heart recipients Robert Maxwell, Dick Tobiason, Mark Wirges and Darrel Coleman.

The parade honors the Military Order of the Purple Heart. Open house after the parade at VFW Post 1643, 1503 N.E. 4th St. Call 541-389-0775 for more information.

Contact: Rabbine Harpell, rabbine@aol.com, 541-480-4516.

Veterans Day Movie Screening. Nov. 11, 7 p.m. at the Tower Theatre, 835 N.W. Wall St. More than 100 WWII aircraft rest on the bottom of America's Lake Michigan. “Heroes On Deck” is the story of how they got there. This movie screening will be free for veterans, $5 for the general public. A Q&A with the film’s director/producer will follow.

Contact: Tower Theatre, 541-317-0700, www.towertheatre.org.

BROOKS ROTC/JROTC Physical Training Championships. Nov. 5, 8 a.m. to noon, at 4910 Brooklake Road N.E. Chemeketa Community College’s Veterans’ Services Unit and the Chemeketa Foundation are proud to announce the Inaugural ROTC/JROTC Physical Training Championships. This event will be held on Nov. 5 at the Brooks Regional Training Center. Participants will embark upon a competition that will incorporate our Armed Forces’ physical standards and embrace the military’s warrior ethos.

Proceeds will go directly to veteran student scholarships through the Chemeketa Foundation. Contact: Jon Terrazas, jon. terrazas@chemeketa.edu, 503-589-7702.

BURNS Veteran Banquet. Nov. 11, 6 p.m., at Elks Lodge 1680 , 118 N. Broadway Ave. Cohosted by the Elks and American Legion Post 63. Dinner is free for veterans, $5 for 8

spouses and other non-veterans. Contact: Ron Estep, 541-589-1552.

CANYONVILLE Annual Veterans Day Event. Nov. 11, 11 a.m. to noon, at Canyonville City Hall, 250 N. Main St. Event is organized by Tri-City (South Umpwuaa, Thacker, Wallace) VFW Post 9744 and will include a flyover, patriotic choral music, guest speakers and refreshments.

Contact: Robert Williams, 541-430-4971.

CHESHIRE Veterans Day Breakfast. Nov. 11, 7 to 11 a.m., at 23479 Highway 36. Free breakfast for all veterans, sponsored by Goldson Grange. Contact: Mary Beckman, goldsongrange@gmail.com, 541-729-2292.

COOS BAY Coos Bay Eagles Veterans Dinner. Nov. 11, 5 p.m. at the Eagles Lodge, 568 S. 2nd St. This dinner hosted by the Coos Bay Eagles is free to all. Cocktail hour starts at 5 p.m., dinner begins at 6. Contact: Larry Bingham, kinglar@yahoo.com.

CORNELIUS Veterans Day Ceremony. Nov. 11, 1 p.m., at Veterans Memorial Park, 1251 Baseline St. Organized by the city, VFW Post 2666 and Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the ceremony will include a gun salute, “Taps” and posting of colors. Contact: Dan Fink, 503-799-2665.

CORVALLIS Oregon State Veterans Day Ceremony.

Nov. 10, 10 to 11 a.m., at OSU Memorial Union Quad, 2501 S.W. Jefferson Way. The ceremony, sponsored by OSU’s ROTC units, includes a keynote address by Air Force Capt. Jonathan A. Hayes, who served in Vietnam as an F-4 Phantom pilot.

Also featured at the ceremony will be a performance by OSU Outspoken Choir, a 12hour POW/MIA flag walk, a 24-hour POW/ MIA vigil and a 21-gun salute. Immediately following the ceremony, there will be a reception in the Memorial Union Journey Room until 1 p.m. Contact: Lauri Reynolds (541) 737-3291.

DALLAS Veterans Day Program and Class Presentations. Nov. 4, 9 to 11 a.m., at Faith Christian School, 2290 E. Ellendale Ave. At 9 a.m., Faith Christian School will honor veterans with a program and class presentations. Veterans are encouraged to bring military memorabilia — pictures, uniforms, souvenirs — for display. At 10 a.m., all veterans and spouses are invited to stay for a free brunch and visit with students. Call to register. Contact: Juli Tschiegg, 503-623-6632, fcschool@fceagles. com.

ESTACADA Veterans Day Breakfast. Nov. 11, 7 to 11 a.m., at the Odd Fellows Hall, 267 S.W. 2nd Ave. A breakfast hosted by American Legion Post 74. Cost: $6 donation. Contact: Terry Brown 503-867-6123.

EUGENE Lift for the 22 Fundraiser and Kids Carnival.

Nov. 5, noon to 2 p.m., at Eugene CrossFit, 499 Valley River Center. Lift for the 22 will be hosting a WOD (workout of the day) and having a raffle. Tons of great prizes!

There will also be activities for children!

Come have fun, get a good workout in and support your local veterans! Cost is $5 per person. Contact: Colleen Goodrich, colleengoodrich@live.com,714-955-3781.

Annual 11th Hour of the 11th Day of the 11th Month Ceremony. Nov. 11, 11 a.m. to noon, at Veterans Memorial Building, 1626 Willamette St. Contact: Nick Urhausen, 541344-5070, nickurhausen@comcast.net.

Free Veterans Day Swim. Nov. 11, 5 to 7 p.m., at 3575 Donald St., Suite 300. Free swim for veterans, their families and friends at Tamarack Aquatic Center’s warm saltwater pool. Contact: Susan Quash-Mah, info@tamarackaquatic.org, 541-686-9290.

FLORENCE Veterans Day Ceremony. Nov. 11, 11 a.m. to noon at the Elks Lodge 1686, 12th St. A public ceremony will honor all veterans at the Elks Lodge.

10th Annual Veterans Day Parade. Nov. 11, 1 to 2 p.m. The 10th Annual Veterans Day Parade runs through Old Town Florence.

O R E G O N D E PA R T M E N T O F V E T E R A N S ' A F FA I R S

Grand Marshals: Coast Guard, in honor of its 100th anniversary. A complimentary lunch will be provided for veterans at several local restaurants and at Veterans Park downtown immediately following the parade. Contact: Bob Brown, 541-997-3320 , or Jim Swant, 541997-3695.

FOREST GROVE Veterans Day Dinner. Nov. 6, 12:30 to 3 p.m., at Elks Lodge 2440, 2810 Pacific Ave. Veterans eat for free. A program by the Forest Grove Elks will have guest speakers and a salute to the services. Contact: Alice Custodio, amcust@gmail.com, 503-5606806 or 503-357-2440.

GRANTS PASS Veterans Day Program. Nov. 10, 6 to 7 p.m., at Saint Anne’s Catholic School, 1131 N.E. 10th St. Students will host a public event to honor veterans and sing patriotic songs.

Contact: Colleen Kotrba, ckotrba@stannegp. com, 541-479-1582.

GRESHAM Veterans Day Service. Nov. 11, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at S.E. Powell Blvd. and Roberts, Gresham. Observance of Veteran's Day. Local dignitaries will speak. Sponsored by VFW Post 180. Contact: Val Shaull, shaull26@ gmail.com, 503-805-8991.

HERMISTON Veteran's Day Breakfast. Nov. 11, 8 to 10 a.m., at 415 S. Highway 395. A free event honoring all who have served. Sponsored by the Hermiston Chamber of Commerce.

Please RSVP 541-567-6151. Contact: Debbie Pedro, 541-567-6151.

HOOD RIVER Community Celebration Ceremony. Nov. 11, 11 a.m., at Anderson’s Tribute Center, 1401 Belmont Road. Includes patriotic music and a guest speaker. Pack 378 Boy and Cub Scouting groups will present a veterans tribute. Contact: Jack Trumbull, 541-3861000.

Free Veterans Breakfast. Nov. 12, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Elks Lodge 1507, 304 Cascade Ave. A free breakfast will be served for all veterans, their families and members of the general public. There will also be a raffle and donations accepted to raise funds for charitable efforts of the Elks Lodge.

Sponsored by the Elks Lodge, Safeway and American Legion Post 22. Contact: Derek Larson, derek_wayne@hotmail.com, 541806-4484.

HILLSBORO Washington County Veterans Day Ceremony. Nov. 11, 11 a.m. to noon, at Veterans Gateway Memorial, Northeast Veterans Drive and Northeast 34th Avenue.

The event is open to the public and will take place rain or shine, with covered seating available. The ceremony will feature the winners of VFW 2666’s Voice of Democracy audio contest and the American Legion 104’s oratorical contest. Parking is available at the TriMet Fair Complex/Hillsboro Airport stop. Contact: Vicki Horn, vicki_horn@ co.washington.or.us, 503-846-3051.

KEIZER Veterans Day Dinner. Nov. 6, 2 to 5 p.m., at 4250 Cherry Ave. N.E. A complimentary turkey dinner, with dessert and all the trimmings, will be served to all veterans, active duty, National Guard and Reserve members, as well as spouses. The general public is also welcome, for a donation.

Contact: Lee Arehart, 503-390-0858.

Living History Day. Nov. 10, 7 a.m. to 2:20 p.m., at McNary High School, 595 Chemawa Road N. McNary High School will host their annual Living History Day all day. A Student Salute to Veterans ceremony begins at 9 a.m.

Veterans are encouraged to make classroom presentations and attend an assembly to be honored by the student body. Refreshments will be served. Contact: Dan Borresen, 503399-3233.

Officer’s Call. Nov. 11, 8:30 to 10 a.m., at McNary Golf Club, 155 McNary Estates Drive N. Veterans Day breakfast/business meeting.

Guest speaker: Jim Willis, commander of the American Legion Department of Oregon, former ODVA director and honorary chapter member. Contact: Woody Tiernan, hstiernan@charter.net, 503-831-0657.

KLAMATH FALLS Veterans Day Parade. Nov. 11, 10 a.m. to noon. The Klamath Falls Veterans Day

Parade starts at the intersection of Spring and Main streets and proceeds down Main Street, ending at Veterans Memorial Park.

The ceremony begins at 11 a.m. There will be a flyover by a U.S. Air Force F-15. The ceremony will be followed by a free beef stew lunch for military, veterans and their families at VFW Post 1383, 515 Klamath Ave. Contact: U.S. Army Col. (Ret.) Karen Johnson, 541-880-6481.

LA PINE La Pine Veterans Day Parade, Photo Honor Wall and Chili Feed. Nov. 11, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at La Pine Community Center, 16405 1st St. Parade starts at 10 a.m., Chili Feed at Community Center after parade. The Honor Photo Wall honoring La Pine area veterans will be on display, with an emphasis on Vietnam War veterans. Contact: Ed Davis, ed.wagonmaster@gmail.com, 503-9308624.

LEBANON Veterans Day Breakfast. Nov. 10 an 11, 8 t o11 a.m. at American Legion Post 51, 480 S. Main St. The American Legion is serving breakfast both days. Open to the public.

Cost: $6.

Contact: Ray Johnson, 541-451-1351.

Veteran of the Year Banquet. Nov. 10, 6 to 8 p.m., at American Legion Post 51, 480 S. Main St. No-host social hour starts at 6 p.m., dinner and program starts at 7. Tickets are $ 27.50 each and are now available from the VCA office. After Nov. 1, tickets will be $ 30.

Contact: VCA office, 541-981-2390.

MADRAS Veterans Day Program. Nov. 11, 10 to 11 a.m., at Erickson Aircraft Collection, 2408 N.W. Berg Drive. Speaker: Tom Herrod. Lunch will be served at noon. An auction will be held to help raise relief funds for veterans.

Contact: Floyd Leach, 541-977-0924.

McMINNVILLE Veterans Day Concert. Nov. 6, 3 to 4 p.m., at McMinnville Community Center, 600 N.E. Evans St. Second Winds Community Band’s annual free Veterans Day concert will present “I Remember Vietnam,” a show honoring veterans of the Vietnam War. Contact: Mark Williams, 503-679-9328.

Marine Corps Birthday Celebration. Nov. 11, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., at Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, 500 N.E. Captain Michael King Smith Way. Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum is continuing its 10-year tradition, hosting its annual Marine Corps Birthday cake cutting ceremony and gathering. All veterans in attendance will also receive free admission at the museum. Contact: Stan Smith, srsmith772@gmail.com, 503-7849068.

American Legion Veterans Day Dinner. Nov. 11, 5 to 8 p.m., at American Legion Post 21, 126 Atlantic St. McMinnville’s event to support veterans and their contributions to our freedoms. Veterans eat free, all others $7.50. Contact: Gale Sears, searsjng@ yahoo.com, 503 789-6831.

MEDFORD Memorial Dedication. Nov. 11, 9 to 10 a.m., at Rogue Credit Union, 1370 Center Drive.

The Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport is recognizing the first Medford airport location, Newell Barber Field, with the unveiling of a memorial for the young WWI aviator for whom the field was named.

The event will also pay respect to all of those who have fought for our freedom. Contact: Jackson County Airport Authority, (541) 776-7222.

Veterans Day Parade. Nov. 11, 11 a.m. to noon. Annual Veterans Day parade between Hawthorne Street and Oakdale in downtown Medford. Contact: Mike Whitfield, mwhitfield@rvvco.com, 541-821-0532.

Veterans Day Barbeque. Nov. 11, noon to 3 p.m., at Hawthorne Park, 501 E Main St, Medford. Live music, great food, fun times for the whole family. Contact: Mike Whitfield, mwhitfield@rvvco.com, 541-8210532.

Free for Veterans Breakfast. Nov. 12, 9 to 11 a.m., at 2000 Table Rock Road. Free S.O.S. Breakfast for all veterans. Sponsored by the Fraternal Order of Eagles Medford. Contact: John King, johnking@foe2093.com, 541944-8520.

MILL CITY 5th Annual Veterans Salute. Nov. 11, 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at 640 SW Broadway, , Mill City.

The annual Veterans Salute is held to honor

the Active Duty members and Veterans of the North Santiam community for the contributions and sacrifices they have made.

This year's event will consist of a short ceremony, a slide show featuring music by the Santiam Community Choir and a rib or chicken dinner. Dinner will be free for local veterans. Contact: Bob Yates 503 897-3174 foe3384@hotmail.com.

MILWAUKIE Fort Kennedy Fundraiser. Nov. 11, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., at 6106 SE King Road. Come out for a Veterans Burger Basket to support homeless veterans. Half the proceeds will go to Fort Kennedy. Also you can donate $5 to buy a homeless veteran a sack lunch through Dec. 9. Finally, the Box or Socks event starts on Veterans Day. You can bring a new package of socks or underwear to your local establishment as Christmas presents for homeless veterans. Contact: Tina Kennedy, fortkennedy@gmail.com, 503-754-9007.

NEWBERG Veterans day. Nov. 11, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at 125 S. Elliott Road. American Legion Post 57 and VFW Post 4015 will be visiting assisted living homes and honoring veterans with certificates and flag folding ceremonies.

Area veterans will be visiting local schools for Veterans Day to be honored by the students. VFW Post 4015 will be holding flag folding ceremonies on Veterans Day to educate the public on the folds of the flag.

Contact: Faith Gerstel, fagerstel@msn.com, 503-538-9151.

NORTH BEND Annual American Legion Breakfast. Nov. 11, 8 to 11 a.m., at American Legion Post 34, 1421 Airport Way. Cost: $7 for adults, $4 for children under 12. Contact: Kevin Owens, 541-297-1899.

Veterans Day Dinner. Nov. 11, 5 to 7 p.m., at 568 S. 2nd St. Free dinner for veterans and their families with a social hour at 5 p.m.

Contact: Kevin Owens, 541-297-1899.

ONTARIO Veterans Day Parade. Nov. 5, 1 to 3 p.m.

Veterans Day Parade starts at West Park Plaza. Parade forms up at 11 a.m. with the parade starting at 1 p.m. Contact: Lamoine Gearhart, barjl@srvinet.com, 541-889-6846.

Veterans Day Service. Nov. 11, 11 to 11:30 a.m., at Evergreen Cemetery, 1551 N.W. 9th St. Contact: Lamoine Gearhart, barjl@ srvinet.com, 541-889-6846.

OREGON CITY Re-Dedication of the Larry Dahl Memorial.

Nov. 9, 1 to 2 p.m., at the Larry Dahl Memorial, 2051 Kaen Road. SP4 Larry Dahl was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on Aug. 8, 1974, for his heroism in Vietnam. Dahl was killed in action on Feb. 23, 1971 — sacrificing his life by diving upon a grenade that had been lobbed into the gun truck he was riding in — saving the lives of other members of his company.

Dahl is the only Clackamas County native to receive the Medal of Honor. He is buried at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland.

A memorial in his honor is being re-located to the Clackamas County Red Soils campus.

Contact: Tracy Moreland, tracymor@ clackamas.us, 503-655-8520.

Open House. Nov. 11, noon to 6 p.m., at Three Rivers VFW Post 1324, 104 Tumwater Drive. Public open house with Post tours and displays of military memorabilia from World War II to the present. Vietnam reenactors and vehicles will be on site to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. Refreshments will be served.

Contact: D.J. Ruger, (503) 655-6969.

PENDLETON Veterans Day Ceremony. Nov. 11, 11 a.m. to noon, at Folsom-Bishop Pendleton Pioneer Chapel, 131 Byers Ave. S.E. Public ceremony featuring guest speakers, music and posting of the colors. Contact: John Cook, (541) 377-0221.

PORTLAND LGBTQ Veterans Day Event and DADT Repeal Anniversary Celebration. Nov. 10, 7 to 9 p.m., at the Q Center, 4115 N. Mississippi Ave. Celebrating the five-year anniversary of the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell with VIP speakers and others!

Refreshments will be served. Contact: Nathaniel Boehme, nathaniel.boehme@ state.or.us, 971-720-9016.

Ross Hollywood Chapel Veterans Day

Parade. Nov. 11, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., at 4733 N.E. Thompson St. Portland’s only Veterans Day parade along Northeast Sandy Boulevard, followed by brief ceremony with special guests and officials. Celebrating veterans for over 40 years. Contact: Scott Thompson, sr.thompson@yahoo.com, 503550-2421.

Military Appreciation Night 2016. Nov. 11, 5 to 9:30 p.m., at the Moda Center, 1 N. Center Court St. The Portland Trail Blazers are excited to invite military members, personnel, veterans, friends and family to join them on Veterans Day, when the Portland Trail Blazers take on the Sacramento Kings at 7 p.m. Visit www. trailblazers.com/militarynight and use the promo code MILITARYNIGHT to get discounted tickets as well as get to enjoy the festivities during the game honoring those who have served to protect our country.

Contact: McKenzie Griffin, mckenzie.griffin@ trailblazers.com, 503-963-3976.

Free Veterans Day Breakfast. Nov. 12, 9 to 11:30 a.m. City Bible Church-Rocky Butte, 9200 N.E. Fremont St. A free breakfast for all veterans, first responders, their families, friends and the general public. The event will include a patriotic program, with music, special guests and other presentations.

Contacts: Chaplain Terry Schrick, 503-7053557 Healing Saturday at NW Fly Tyers Rendezvous. Nov. 12, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Jackson Armory, 6255 N.E. Cornfoot Road.

Healing Saturday is a Project Healing Waters program that will be included as a part of this year's Pacific NW Fly Tyers Rendezvous.

All veterans are invited to a program of veteran fly fishing and fly tying as recreation therapy. Contact: Jerry Lorang, jerrylorang@ gmail.com, 971-404-5154.

PRAIRIE CITY Memorial Service and Veterans Dinner.

Nov. 11, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Veterans Memorial Service at City Park. Flags placed in downtown area. Veterans dinner at Community Center, 211 W. 6th St., starting at 5:30 p.m. Contact: Ed Negus, 541-8203593.

PRINEVILLE Annual Veterans Day Parade. Nov. 11, 11 a.m. The annual parade begins on Main Street and 4th and ends at Ochoco Park where a ceremony will honor veterans.

Afterwards, American Legion Post 29 is hosting a free lunch open to the public at the Veterans Club, 405 N. Main St. Contact: Veterans Club, 541-447-5651.

REDMOND Veterans Day Parade. Nov. 11, 11 a.m. A parade downtown will be hosted by VFW Post 4108 and American Legion Post 44.

The parade will be followed by a free picnic lunch at the VFW Post, 1836 S.E. Veterans Way, for all veterans and families. Contact: Jack Newcombe, 541-526-1371.

ROSEBURG Veterans Day Breakfast. Nov. 11, 7 to 10 a.m., at 406 S.E. Oak Ave. The Annual Veterans Day Breakfast is free to all veterans.

Sponsored by Earle B. Stewart American Legion Post 16. Contact: Rick Sciapiti, rick. sciapiti@msn.com, 541-670-1057.

Veterans Day Parade. Nov. 11, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. "Oregon's Greatest Veterans Day Parade" honors WWII veterans this year as its grand marshals. Parade begins near 228 N.E. Jackson St. and winds through downtown Roseburg. Theme of this year’s parade: "Honoring Our Veterans of the Greatest Generation." Contact: Roger Arnold, fatherespresso@charter.net, 541643-8483.

SALEM Free Veterans Lunch. Nov. 10, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the 50+ Center, Portland and Silverton roads. The 50+ Center will host a free lunch for veterans. Cost for other guests is $5. Please RSVP. Contact: Marilyn Daily, 503-588-6303 Tribute to Veterans at the State Capitol.

Nov. 10, noon to 2 p.m., at Oregon State Capitol Rotunda, 900 Court St. N.E. Guest speaker: Bob Welch, author of several books on World War II including "American Nightingale: The Story of Frances Slanger, Forgotten Heroine of Normandy." Tribute includes a patriotic choral music program and information tables for state programs benefitting veterans. Contact: Stacey Nalley, stacey.nalley@state.or.us, 503-986-1392.

Veterans Day Appreciation Event. Nov. 11, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center, 1865 Bill Frey Drive N.E. The event celebrates, honors and appreciates all military members past and present by providing a free resource fair, flag ceremony with keynote speaker Michael Pritchard (actor/comedian) and a delicious luncheon free for all veterans and their immediate families. Contact: Shannan Dailey, shannan.dailey@usw. salvationarmy.org, 503-798-4782.

Statewide Veterans Day Celebration. Nov. 11, 3 to 4 p.m., at Oregon WWII Memorial, Court & Cottage streets. For the first time since its construction, the Oregon WWII Memorial will serve as the location for the Statewide Veterans Day Celebration. The one-hour program features guest speakers, patriotic music, posting of the colors, pledge of allegiance, singing of the Star Spangled Banner and more. Contact: Tyler Francke, tyler.francke@state.or.us, 503-373-2389.

Annual Veterans Concert. Nov. 12, 7:30 p.m., Nov. 13, 3 p.m., at the Rogers Music Center on the Willamette University campus.

Willamette Master Chorus presents its 12th Annual Veterans Concert, commemorating the 75th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor.

The concert will feature popular music from the WWII era, plus some Hawaiian music. Tickets: $15-$30. Active duty military, National Guard and Reservists, and veterans receive a 10 percent discount (limit two). Contact: 503-302-9196, www. willamettemasterchorus.org.

present. Doors open at 10:30 a.m., and program begins at 11 a.m. Program will include veteran guest speakers and a color guard by the U.S. Coast Guard. Breakfast served at the Air Museum cafeteria prior to the event, beginning at 8:30 a.m. Sponsored

by VFW Post 2848. Contact: Bill Hatton, bhatton@co.tillamook.or.us, (503) 842-4358.

SCAPPOOSE Dedication of Two Soldier Crosses. Nov. 11, 10 to 11:30 a.m., at 52649 SE 2nd St. (next to Scappoose Public Library). USCG Capt. William R. Timmons will be the guest speaker, and there will be a flyover by two biplanes, weather permitting. Contact: Jim Walling, jim_11956@msn.com, 503-7187651.

Veteran's Appreciation Breakfast. Nov. 10, 8 to 9:30 a.m., at the Juanita Pohl Center, 8513 S.W. Tualatin Road. Military service veterans can eat for free on Nov. 10, the day before Veterans Day, at Tualatin's senior center. The breakfast will be provided by Dalton's Northwest Catering. Attendance is capped at 150 registrants. Registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Nonveterans can attend the breakfast for a $10 charge. Contact: Matt Saviello, msaviello@ ci.tualatin.or.us, 503-691-3061.

SPRINGFIELD Lane County Veterans Day Parade. Nov. 6, 1:30 to 3 p.m., at 21st & Olympic streets.

17th annual Veterans Day parade, sponsored by the LCVDP Association. This year’s theme: Honoring All Who Served. Contact: info@ vetsdayparade.org.

Springfield Veterans Plaza Dedication Event. Nov. 11, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at 1276 G Street. Join the city of Springfield and Willamalane Park and Recreation District as they honor veterans with the opening of the new Veterans Memorial Plaza on the corner of Mohawk Boulevard and I Street in Springfield. The opening ceremony will include the unveiling of a Vietnam Veterans Memorial sculpture, live music and a festive lunch following the ceremony thanks to the Hawks-Mohawk Businesses. Event parking is limited. Contact: Niel Laudati, nlaudati@ springfield-or.gov, 541-726-3780.

SILVERTON Free Veterans Day Dinner. Nov. 10, 6 p.m., at Elks Lodge 2210, 300 High St. The event is open to all veterans and they dine free.

Dinner starts at 6 p.m., with a program following at 7. The Marion County Citizens Band will provide an evening of patriotic music. Contact: Elks Lodge 2210, 503-8734567.

SISTERS Veterans Day Breakfast and Assembly. Nov. 10, 8 to 10:30 a.m., at Sisters High School, 1700 W. McKinney Butte Road. All veterans, their families and the community is invited to a breakfast and assembly honoring all military veterans. The assembly will include guest speakers, patriotic music performed by the school’s choir and a slideshow featuring veterans from SHS. Contact: Matt Bradley, 541-549-4045 THE DALLES Veterans Day Parade. Nov. 11, 11 a.m.

Parade starts and ends at the former National Guard Armory site, 713 Weber St. A community potluck will be served after the parade at the Oregon Veterans’ Home, 700 Veterans Drive, hosted by the VFW Post 2471 Auxiliary. The potluck will also include live music performances by various veteran bands. Contact: Les Cochenour, 541-2985692.

TILLAMOOK Tillamook County Veterans Day Event. Nov. 11, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at Tillamook Naval Air Station Hangar, 6030 Hangar Road.

Theme: Honoring veterans from 1990 to

TIGARD Social and Breakfast. Nov. 4, 8 to 10:30 a.m. at Tigard High School, 9000 SW Durham Road. There will be a breakfast starting at 8 a.m., followed by an approximately hourlong assembly starting at 9:30 a.m. Local veterans may RSVP by calling 503-431-5400.

Contact: Shari Balcom, sbalcom@ttsd.k12. or.us, 503-431-5400.

TROUTDALE Free Veterans Spaghetti Dinner and Food Drive. Nov. 12, 4:30 to 6 p.m., at the Sam Cox Building in Glenn Otto Park, 1106 E. Historic Columbia River Highway. Everyone is invited to this free event. Suggested donation of canned and non-perishable food items (two per person) to support local families. Guests are also encouraged to bring and donate their used eyeglasses and hearing aids. Contact: Cindy Brown, jbcb58@yahoo.com.

TUALATIN

WALDPORT Veterans Ceremony. Nov. 11, 11 a.m., at Veterans Park, Highway 34 and Broadway Street. VFW Post 3156 will conduct a veterans recognition public ceremony to recognize veterans and active duty military members. Contact: Bill Grimm, 541-5634073 WARM SPRINGS Powwow. Nov. 12-13 , 1 to 11 p.m. at the Agency Longhouse, 1253 Kot Num Road. The public is invited to join a powwow to honor and thank those veterans who have served and sacrificed for our country. Contact: Preston Meanus or Andrea Sohappy, andrea. sohappy@yahoo.com, 541-777-7238.

WEST LINN 3rd Annual Veteran’s Day 5K/10K/Half Marathon Run/Walk. Nov. 5, 9 a.m. at Sandelie Golf Course, 27474 S.W. Mountain Road. This cross-country-style race is a oneof-a-kind opportunity to spend Veteran’s Day at the beautiful Sandelie Golf Course. $10 of every registration will support the renovation of the Oregon Military Museum Project. Register online at http:// htcraceseries.com/event/2nd-annualveterans-day-runwalk. Contact: Hood To Coast Race Series, office@htcrelay.com, 503-292-4626.

WILSONVILLE Veterans Day Ceremony. Nov. 11, 11 a.m., at the Oregon Korean War Memorial, 29600 Town Center Park. This ceremony is free and open to the public. There will be a guest speaker and refreshments will be served.

Contact: Bob Cassidy, 503-476-9012.

WOODBURN Veterans Day Ceremony. Nov. 11, 10:30 a.m. at the Belle Passi Cemetery Mausoleum, 997 Belle Passi Road N.E. A public ceremony will be at Belle Passi Cemetery, conducted

by American Legion Post 46. Contact: Dan Evers, 503-981-1470.

For the most up-to-date list of statewide Veterans Day events, visit oregondva.com.

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KILLED IN PEARL HARBOR, OREGON SAILOR FINALLY LAID TO REST A Navy seaman was finally laid to rest in his home state of Oregon in October, almost 75 years after he was killed in the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor.

Navy Seaman 2nd Class James N. Phipps, 24, of Rainier, Ore., was assigned to the USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize.

The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Phipps. However, Phipps’ official status was listed as “missing and unaccounted for,” which it would remain for decades.

From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the USS Oklahoma’s deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu cemeteries.

In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks.

The laboratory staff was able to confirm the identifications of only 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Phipps.

In April 2015, the Deputy Secretary of Defense issued a policy memorandum directing the disinterment of unknowns associated with the USS Oklahoma. On June

15, 2015, DPAA personnel began exhuming the remains from the NMCP for analysis.

To identify Phipps’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched a nephew, a niece and a grand-nephew; as well as circumstantial evidence and laboratory analysis, to include dental comparisons, which matched Phipps’ records.

Phipps’ remains were claimed by his family, and were laid to rest at Willamette National Cemetery, with full military honors, on Oct. 17.

For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil or call (703) 699-1420. 

VETERAN VOICES

'I USE IT TO HELP OTHERS.' MARGIE ANDERSON : U.S. ARMY | MILITARY POLICE | GULF ERA Margie Anderson remembers that winter night in southern Iraq like it happened yesterday.

It was Jan. 20, 2007, and she was in the backseat of an M1117 Armored Security Vehicle, leading a convoy in pursuit of suspected insurgents that had just attacked and abducted a group of American soldiers from the Iraqi Police headquarters in Karbala.

Her company came upon five black SUVs on a dusty and deserted road, dark, quiet and still. Their doors were open. They were abandoned, but not empty.

Inside were the bodies of three of the soldiers who had been taken. They had been tied down, beaten and executed. A fourth had still been breathing when Iraqi forces had arrived on the scene moments earlier, and was rushed to a hospital, but he died en route.

Being in the lead vehicle, Anderson was responsible for relaying information about the scene to the rest of the convoy and back to base. She was later tasked with recovering and processing the soldiers’ gear and personal effects.

“During the ambush, one of the guys was talking to his family,” she said. “The camera wasn’t working, thank God, so they couldn’t see it. But they could hear things.”

That was Pvt. Johnathon Millican, the fifth victim that night. Witnesses said he died after diving on a grenade to protect his fellow soldiers.

“He was killed while he was talking to his family on his personal computer,” she said. “And that was one of the things they asked me to clean. It was hard.”

Even in a war characterized by heartlessness and brutality, the brazen raid on the Karbala provincial headquarters stands out. It was Anderson’s first real experience in Iraq.

An Augusta, Ga., native, she had signed on with the U.S. Army seeking direction.

When she entered basic training, she found herself in a distinct minority, which would become only more distinct as time went on.

“There were actually more women at basic,” she said. “Once I deployed, in my company of 200 soldiers, there were maybe 30 females. In a squad, I might be the only one.”

That aspect of Anderson’s service wasn’t particularly difficult for her.

“It didn’t bother me. I did what I could do, to the best of my ability,” she said.

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“Because we are always with them, we became part of the family. We did a lot of the work with the infantry, Blackwater. They were all men, and they respected us.”

After basic, her deployment was nearly called back multiple times, first for a leg issue that nearly triggered a medical discharge, then for a concussion and compressed spine suffered during the last day of Iraq training. While preparing to board the flight for Kuwait, she was almost sent home for an adverse reaction to a smallpox vaccination.

“It seemed like a lot of things were telling me not to go to Iraq,” she said. “But I wouldn’t let them leave me behind. I just wanted to serve my country.”

Though the Karbala incident would become one of the more notorious episodes of the war, Anderson’s time in Iraq was far from over.

“We had good missions, walking around, giving candy to kids,” she said. “But we also had some bad ones.”

In early 2008, she had barely returned stateside when she learned she was pregnant with her daughter, Meredith.

“I had just gotten home, and I can’t decompress like everyone else, because now I have this person inside me that I have to take care of,” she recalled. “I wasn’t able to process.”

A therapist would eventually diagnose her with post-traumatic stress disorder, a condition that may affect as many as 20 percent of combat veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The diagnosis would be the first step on her path to healing.

“For so long, I didn’t know what was really going on, why I was so angry and frustrated, just not myself,” she said. “It was horrible.”

Anderson went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Oregon State University. She now works as a veterans case worker for Congressman Greg Walden’s office in Bend, a position she earned through the federally sponsored Wounded Warrior Program.

She is coming to terms with her PTSD, and refuses to let it define her.

“It’s not about what’s wrong with you, because nothing’s wrong with you,” she said. “It’s about what’s happened to you, and how your brain processes a traumatic event. And you can choose to let it control your life, or you can use it. I use it to help others.”

SUICIDE AMONG VETERANS IN OREGON Editorial by the Register-Guard Originally published Aug. 17, 2016 Reprinted with permission

Two years ago, the Oregon Health Authority released a study of suicide among military veterans in the state.

The findings were shocking: Suicide was the leading cause of death among veterans under 45 years of age.

Veterans made up 8.7 percent of Oregon’s population but accounted for approximately 23 percent of suicides. Even when the number of veterans in Oregon declined between 2001 and 2012, the number of suicides among veterans remained steady. The suicide rate varied from county to county, with Lane County being higher than the statewide average.

Today, many veterans still have significant needs that are not being met when it comes to suicide prevention.

A national study released earlier this month by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs found that the risk of suicide for veterans nationally is 21 percent higher than for adults who have never served in the armed forces, averaging 20 per day for veterans. These differences were particularly noticeable in the younger — ages 18 to 39 — and older — 50 to 69 and 80 and up — age groups, with veterans having significantly higher rates.

And the suicide risk for veterans may be higher than the studies show. These statistics do not capture, for example, deaths by drug overdoses or high-risk behavior that can in themselves be a form of suicide.

The question is, how can we do a better job of reducing the risk of suicide among veterans?

About 326,000 veterans live in Oregon, with the largest concentration along the Interstate 5 corridor.

Veterans in Eastern Oregon, on the Coast and in other rural areas — including rural Lane County — often have difficulty gaining access to the services to which they are entitled, including mental and physical health care.

Of special concern are members of the Oregon National Guard, who have frequently been deployed to the worst areas of fighting in the Middle East and central Asia, often alongside active duty military units, due to the high percentage of National Guard members who have military experience or are experienced first responders, veterans’ representatives say.

Another thing to keep in mind is that Oregon veterans are not coming home to an active duty base, such as Lewis-McChord in Washington, where there is a support structure, a concentration of services, and people with a shared background.

Cameron Smith, the director of the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs, and himself a Marine, says there have been strides made in recent years in suicide prevention, including diminishing the stigma that some attach to seeking mental health care.

But too many veterans are still not seeking the help to which they are entitled, often because it is not readily available or because they are not aware that it is available. This ranges from a 24-hour, confidential Veterans Crisis Line (1-800-273-8255 or text 838255) to benefits that are going unclaimed — including housing and health care — federal dollars that could come to Oregon to better serve veterans. (Veterans groups are supporting a state ballot measure that would allocate 1.5 percent of lottery proceeds to support for veterans.)

There is also a need for more advocates to help veterans gain access to and navigate the mental health services available to vets in crisis, particularly providers who understand the military culture. And there need to be locally based resources for veterans in crisis, whose first point of contact may otherwise be law enforcement officers who are not trained mental health providers.

Oregon’s veterans have slipped off the radar screen of many Oregonians, who are consumed by the drama of the presidential election, the threat of terrorism and an economy that still hasn’t fully recovered.

But the people who were willing to put themselves in harm’s way should not be forgotten, particularly if their war is not over. We owe them. 

Ed Van Dyke, operations director for the Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs, pins the Purple Heart on Pfc. Ron Esselstyn, a former Army MP who was severely injured while serving in the Vietnam War. Photo by Linda Wondra, public affairs officer for the Walla Walla VA Medical Center.

VIETNAM WAR VETERAN RECEIVES THE PURPLE HEART, 51 YEARS LATER The Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Walla Walla VA Medical Center, presented the Purple Heart this summer to a disabled veteran who was severely injured during the Vietnam War over 50 years ago.

Pfc. Ron Esselstyn, of Pendleton, was a 22-year-old Army military policeman when he was struck in the head by a moving helicopter blade while attempting to engage a Viet Cong sniper in a rice paddy in Soc Tran Province on Aug. 27, 1965. He was promptly medevacked to a field hospital, where he was stabilized, and later transferred to Madigan Army Hospital at Fort Lewis, Wash.

Medically discharged from the Army, Esselstyn recovered from his wounds, completed his education and began a new career as a tax appraiser for Umatilla County. He even became a marathon runner. But he was never awarded the Purple Heart.

It’s not entirely clear why, but Esselstyn may have been considered ineligible due to a misunderstanding of Army regulations. Policy prohibits the Purple Heart from being awarded for wounds related to vehicular accidents, if the accident was not caused by enemy action, but that was not the case here.

Whatever the reason, ODVA Director Cameron

Smith learned of the issue after meeting Esselstyn at a Veterans Day event last year. ODVA Operations Director Ed Van Dyke researched Esselstyn’s case and, in March, sent a letter on his behalf to the secretary of the Army.

The request was forwarded to the Army Awards and Decorations Branch, which determined Esselstyn was eligible not only for the Purple Heart, but four other medals he had never received: the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal and Double Bronze Star Attachment and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Ribbon.

Van Dyke presented the awards during a ceremony on Aug. 25 at the Jonathan M. Wainwright Memorial VA Medical Center in Walla Walla, where Esselstyn receives his medical care. Esselstyn and a large group of family and friends were in attendance, along with Medical Center Director Brian Westfield, state Sen. Bill Hansell and other dignitaries.

During brief remarks at the ceremony, Van Dyke called the honors “long overdue.”

“Ronald Esselstyn served his country with honor and distinction during our time of need, and he was seriously wounded while engaging with an enemy combatant,” he said. “These medals represent a small token of appreciation from a grateful nation. They are a token he should have received many years ago.” 

FREE COMMEMORATIVE BOOK FOR GULF VETERANS The book The Liberation of Kuwait: Honoring the Veterans of Desert Storm is a 160-page full-color, hardbound, heirloom-quality publication. This one of a kind commemorative includes a landmark first-edition book and companion feature-length documentary created to honor those veterans that served during Operation Desert Storm and Desert Shield.

Both the book and the companion feature-length documentary tell the story of Saddam Hussein’s initial invasion, the Kuwaiti resistance, the American-led Coalition’s victory, and the post-liberation progress of Kuwait and its people. Stories and pictures from U.S. military veterans give the reader a first-hand account of Desert Storm.

The commemorative was produced by Remember My Service and generously funded by the State of Kuwaiti and private Kuwaiti sponsors as part of the 25th anniversary of Desert Storm. Commemoratives are to be distributed in every state to thank Gulf War veterans for their service and their sacrifice.

Gulf War veterans can receive a copy of the book at no cost through their state Veterans Affairs office. For all others, commemoratives can be purchased there. While the commemorative includes both the book and the DVD, the DVD can be purchased separately.  V E T E R A N S D AY E D I T I O N 2 0 1 6

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FOR VETERANS WHO WITNESSED ATOMIC BOMB TEST BLASTS

Frank Farmer, 82, of Lebanon, served in the U.S. Navy from 1956-1960 aboard the USS Hooper Island. Farmer is an atomic veteran, present at 18 different atomic bomb tests. Photo by Kristyna Wentz-Graff, staff photographer of The Oregonian/OregonLive. Reprinted with permission.

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Fred Schafer, of Lebanon, served in the U.S. Navy from 1960-63 aboard the USS Chipola.

Schafer is an atomic veteran, witnessing 14 different atomic bomb tests. Shafer said the men wore dosimeters on the ship but were told the radiation detection devices had malfunctioned. Photo by Kristyna WentzGraff, staff photographer of The Oregonian/ OregonLive. Reprinted with permission.

THE FIGHT CONTINUES

A

t 80, the fight hasn't gone out of Frank Farmer. From his home here far out in the country he wages a quixotic fight to get bureaucrats to finally do the right thing and to acknowledge that he, and thousands of other veterans in his situation, exist.

Deep down, he fears it's a losing battle. Time, he admits, is not on his side. Next month, he turns 81.

"Each year," he said, "more of us die. Pretty soon, none of us will be left and it won't matter anymore. I have to be honest, we don't have much faith anything will change.

He slapped the dining room table.

"But we're a stubborn bunch," he said, pointing to his 74-year-old neighbor, Fred Schafer, who dropped

by Farmer's house this day. "Fred deserves all the credit."

Schafer waved away the compliment, but handed over a business card that showed he's national commander of the National Association of Atomic Veterans.

He takes his role seriously.

"All of us are in limbo," Schafer said. "It's been so long. Many of us have mellowed out. But deep inside, we still get irritated. That's what fuels us. I guess you'd say we're mad."

So goes the battle against the federal government, bureaucratic red tape and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

At a time in life when they should revel in being retired, these two men exchange emails with officials, politicians and veterans across the nation. They take telephone calls from wives whose husbands have died, wives who now need help figuring out if they qualify for added benefits because their husbands once participated in secret missions.

"It never leaves me," Farmer said. "We don't

Tom Hallman Jr. | The Oregonian/OregonLive.com Originally published July 15, 2016 Reprinted with permission

understand how the government could treat us this way. We feel like we're tossed aside like dead meat."

Their quest involves atomic bombs, secret missions, pledges to never talk about what happened and a chapter of this country's history that few people have heard about. Both men are part of a fraternity of servicemen who served as guinea pigs to explore and risks of atomic bombs. Some were selected to witness above-ground nuclear explosions. Some were in trenches less than 4,000 feet from the detonation site, while others were stationed on U.S. Navy ships near islands were the bombs exploded.

The tests ran from 1945 to 1962, and Schafer estimates that 500,000 servicemen were exposed to radiation. Some suffered no ill effects. Others, he said, came down with ailments that they believed were caused by exposure. Others, he said, died because they were exposed.

Schafer's group wants three things: give recognition by the government for participating in the project, specifically a medal; make it clear to the veterans that additional medical costs will be covered by veterans hospitals; and make sure widows of men in the project can receive an additional $1,300 monthly benefit.

Part of the problem is that the program was cloaked in secrecy. Agents with the FBI had to clear each participant, and they were told to tell no one – not even family members – of what they'd experienced.

Additionally, Schafer said, each servicemen was required to sign a pledge of secrecy. The pledge, he said, was lifted in 1996, but not all veterans were made aware that the rule had changed.

While the government kept records of every serviceman who was part of the program, Schafer said, no one has reached out to tell those men about the care they are eligible to receive.

Many don't even know Schafer's group exists. Or those who do go to the hospital, and explain they are atomic veterans, receive only puzzled looks from administrators.

Servicemen learn about the National Association of Atomic Veterans, self-described as "America's secret wounded warriors," through word-of-mouth, or from posters put up in American Legion Halls across the United States.

"That's how Fred and I met," Farmer said. "It was in 2003. My wife and I went to dinner at the hall and I saw a sign on the board saying he was looking for atomic veterans, those of us exposed to bombs during testing. I called him. We've been friends ever since.

"I had no idea he lived around here," Farmer said.

"So many of these vets don't realize it's OK to finally talk about it. At one time, it was considered treason.

That's the big rub."

Farmer said he witnessed 18 atomic blasts, sometimes twice a day, while on a ship stationed in the Marshall Islands.

"We were told to turn our back, close our eyes tight and put our hands over our eyes," he said. "When the blast went off, it was so bright that I could see bones in my hands. It was like an X-ray. We were then told to turn around. We could feel the blast concussion. It was a shock wave. Then we'd watch the atomic cloud.

Sounds strange to say, but it was beautiful. The cloud would rise 45,000 feet in the sky."

After a series of blasts, Farmer said, he went swimming and scratched his leg on coral.

"I know now the water was contaminated from the blast," he said. "Within a week, I was covered with a rash. I was never able to get rid of it."

When he met Schafer, he learned that he qualified for medical care because he was an atomic veteran.

"No one told me a thing," he said. "I found out from a poster in a legion hall."

He looked at Schafer and shook his head.

"That's wrong," he said. "That's just wrong."  V E T E R A N S D AY E D I T I O N 2 0 1 6

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BENEFIT CORNER Filing a claim for disability benefits through the federal VA is actually a legal process. In order to qualify for benefits and compensation, you must file a claim with the United States proving eligibility through legal, military and medical evidence.

Though it is possible to file a claim yourself (just as it is possible to represent yourself in a court of law), it is highly recommended that you seek the free assistance of a veterans service officer (VSO) employed or certified by the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

Available at the statewide and county level, VSOs represent veterans, their dependents and survivors through each stage of the claims process, including appeals.

For more information about VSOs, or to find the closest Veterans Service Office in your area, visit ODVA’s website at https://www.oregon.gov/ODVA/ VSODIRECT/pages/locator.aspx or use the county Veteran Service Office Directory in this publication to locate the office nearest you.

VETERAN VOICES

'THOSE THINGS WERE LIKE THUNDER'

HOW TO FILE A CLAIM

Step 1: File a Claim through Your Local VSO Federal law grants the VA authority to compensate veterans for injuries, disabilities and conditions that were incurred or aggravated during active military service, provided that you were released under honorable conditions (honorable or general discharge).

The disability claim process begins the moment you file a claim. To file your claim through a VSO, you must sign a power of attorney, which authorizes the VSO to act on your behalf in preparing, presenting and pursuing your claim for any and all benefits from the VA. 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 and lay testimony (also known as “buddy letters” or “buddy statements”).

Claims submitted with all the relevant evidence may qualify for expedited review from the VA through the optional Fully Developed Claim initiative. Your disability evaluation will be based on the evidence, so it is essential that the information is accurate and complete. Your VSO will assist you in this process.

Step 3: Establish Current Diagnosis A successful claim must demonstrate that your disability is currently affecting your physical, mental or behavioral health. This is typically done in a Compensation and Pension Exam (commonly referred to as a C&P exam) at a VA medical facility.

This exam will generally involve a physical examination of the affected area. Depending on the type of disability you are claiming, it may also include lab work, X-rays and other diagnostic tests. The examiner’s goal is to establish a “snapshot” of your disability, documenting the physical effects that are observable and measurable at the time of the exam.

If the VA determines that a C&P exam is necessary, it will schedule the exam and let you know when, where and what exams are scheduled. Afterward, a report will be prepared and sent to the VA for review.

Step 4: VA Rates Complete Record A federal VA rater will be assigned to your case and will decide your claim based on the evidence submitted. You will be informed of the decision via mail.

If your claim is approved, a rating will be decided based on how severe your conditions are. The ratings are on a 10-point scale from 0 to 100 percent (e.g., 10 percent, 20 percent, 30 percent, etc.), and are defined and set based on federal law.  14

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DON GRAVES: U.S. MARINE CORPS, ARMY TANK INSTRUCTOR | KOREAN WAR Donald Graves enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1947 — two years after the surrender of the Axis Powers. He thought he’d missed his chance at war.

“All the fun was over by then,” he recalled.

A Salem High School graduate, he signed up anyway.

“Everyone I knew had served in World War II,” he said. “It just seemed like something I should do.”

Little did he know a new conflict would soon be brewing on the other side of the world.

Graves trained at Fort Lewis outside Tacoma, Wash., which today is known as part of Joint Base LewisMcChord. He got into tanks — he doesn’t really remember how.

“It just happened,” he said.

However it came about, Graves became a tank instructor for the Army (he transferred there after two years with the Marines), specializing in artillery.

In those days, the Army’s ideas of tank warfare were still dominated by the M4 Sherman, the scrappy, mediumclass battle tank that had become ubiquitous in the later stages of the Allied campaign. The M4 outclassed most of the German light and medium tanks of its day and had helped the Allies win the war, so the Army had not exerted any pressure on further tank development.

The Sherman was a fine piece of military machinery, Graves said, but it had a few shortcomings. One of the main ones was the cramped quarters. Operating the Sherman was less like getting into a tank and more like putting it on.

“The M4 was a very small tank and very crowded,” he said. “Once you got in it, you almost couldn’t get out of it unless somebody helped.”

By the time war broke out in Korea, the Armed Forces had begun work on a new armored vehicle, one that was lighter and more agile but also packed a wallop. The result was the M41 Walker Bulldog, and Graves couldn’t have been happier.

“I thought it was a great thing when they got rid of the old M4 and went to the M41,” he said. “It was more sophisticated.”

It had bigger guns, too. And, when it comes to tank artillery, bigger means louder.

“Those things were like thunder,” he said. “When that thing went off, it was just like the whole interior was flooded with it.”

The Korean War lasted just three years, but Graves would serve in the U.S. military for almost 14 — 13 years, 10 months and eight days, to be exact. His career would take him all over the West Coast.

“I can’t even remember all the bases I might’ve got to,” he said.

After being discharged, he worked for the U.S. Postal Service for many years. He eventually took a second job, as a bartender.

“I liked the job in the restaurant so well, I thought I might have my own,” he said.

So, he did, opening Don’s Airport Restaurant on the outskirts of Salem Municipal Airport in 1967. The historic establishment he built still stands today, though it has since been rechristened the Flight Deck Restaurant & Lounge.

He went on to open a second restaurant in Keizer, dubbed The Breezewood, which he later sold to a developer.

More recently, Graves was diagnosed with degenerative hearing loss. Years of working with tank artillery had taken its toll, and he was practically deaf in one ear.

“When those guns would go off, it was just overwhelming,” he said. “I didn’t have enough sense to plug my ears when I was doing it.”

The U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs provided him with high-quality hearing aids to restore his quality of life. He also received a pacemaker from the VA after a series of heart attacks. He had nothing but good things to say about the care he’s received through the VA. “I’m always reading in the paper, the VA does this or the VA doesn’t do that, and the one that always bothers me is that they say it takes you forever to get seen in the VA,” Graves said. “Not me. Every time I’ve ever gone to the VA for anything, it’s just been zoom, boom, right through.”

ODVA AND STATE VETERAN BENEFIT UPDATES STATE LAUNCHES FIRST VETERANS RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM The Oregon Health Authority (OHA), in partnership with the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs (ODVA), has launched the Veterans Rental Assistance Program, designed to provide transitional housing for military veterans who have serious mental illness and are homeless or at risk for homelessness. More information is on Page 3.

WESTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY WAIVES APPLICATION FEES FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES Effective August 1, 2016, Western Oregon University (WOU) will waive the $60 undergraduate and graduate application fees for current members of the armed services and former members who were honorably discharged. The university is a Yellow Ribbon Program participant and has been repeatedly recognized by GI Jobs Magazine as a GI Friendly campus. WOU also provides a Veterans Success Center whose mission is to increase graduation rates of veteran students in postsecondary education (www.wou. edu/veterans).

EASTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY ADDS PROGRAM FOR THOSE ENLISTING IN AIR FORCE Students enlisting in the U.S. Air Force will have the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s of applied science degree from Eastern Oregon University (EOU), thanks to a new partnership with Klamath Community College (KCC).

EOU is partnering with KCC’s “Base to Bachelor’s”

program to help make the transition from two-year college to four-year university smooth and easy. For more information about the “Base to Bachelor’s” program visit www.klamathcc.edu/Admissions/ Military-Services/GEM. Contact EOU’s military and veteran services at (541) 289-2841 or kjthompson@ eou.edu.

OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY EXPANDS THE VETERANS DEPENDENT TUITION PROGRAM The Veterans Dependent Tuition Program, a benefit traditionally used only for courses taken on campus, may now be used by eligible students for both online and on campus courses offered by OSU, OSU-Cascades, and OSU Ecampus. The benefit still does not apply to study abroad programs. For more information, visit http://blogs.oregonstate.edu/ veterans/2016/08/09/osu-expands-veteransdependent-tuition-program/ or contact the Military and Veteran Resources Advisor at veteranresources@ oregonstate.edu.

POLK COUNTY VSO PROGRAM PROGRESSES The Polk County Board of Commissioners approved an application with the state on August 2 for half-year funding for the new Veterans’ Service Officer program that will begin in January 2017.

Previously, veterans seeking services had to go to Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs in Salem.

FEDERAL VA AND NATIONAL BENEFIT UPDATES VA, WALGREENS TEAM UP TO FIGHT INFLUENZA

IRS PROVIDES FINANCIAL EDUCATION, ASSISTANCE TO VETERANS

From now through March 31, 2017, all veterans currently enrolled in VA care can walk into any Walgreens across the country for a flu vaccination at no cost. Veterans must present a Veterans Identification Card and photo ID. More info at http://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/31028/ va-walgreens-team-up-to-fight-influenza/.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has launched a webpage for veterans, families and service organizations with information on tax preparation, counseling services, disability benefits, legal services, and more.

The page will be updated frequently to include new tax information for veterans. Veteran organizations that are interested in providing free tax preparation services to veterans should email partners@IRS.gov. For more information, visit https://www.irs.gov/individuals/ information-for-veterans.

VA PROPOSES RULE TO CONSIDER DISEASES ASSOCIATED WITH WATER SUPPLY AT CAMP LEJEUNE VA has published proposed regulations to establish presumptions for the service connection of eight diseases affecting military members exposed to contaminants in the water supply at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The presumptive illnesses apply to active duty, reserve and National Guard members who served for no less than 30 days at Camp Lejeune between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987, and are diagnosed with one of the eight conditions. The VA held an open comment period ending October 10, 2016, to consider when drafting its final rule. http://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/30807/vasproposes-rule-to-consider-certain-diseases-associatedwith-exposure-to-contaminants-in-the-water-supplyat-camp-lejeune.

WEBSITE PROVIDES CENTRALIZED RURAL VETERAN INFORMATION TO HELP INCREASE VETERANS’ ACCESS TO CARE In an effort to increase rural veterans’ access to care and services, VA’s Office of Rural Health (ORH) launched a redesigned website with all new content. Rural providers, researchers and partners are encouraged to visit and link to VA’s restructured rural veterans health website at www. ruralhealth.va.gov.

UPDATED WEBSITE CONNECTS WOMEN VETERANS TO VA NEWS, RESOURCES The VA’s Center for Women Veterans recently revamped its website to include daily news stories, useful resources, upcoming events, and information about ongoing and published research relevant to women veterans. The site also encourages submissions of women to be featured as VA’s #VeteranOfTheDay and allows women to subscribe to email updates on topics of interest. Visit www.va.gov/ WOMENVET. VETERANS ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE FREE CYBERSECURITY TRAINING The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Hire Our Heroes have teamed up to offer training for veterans in cybersecurity. Veterans can sign up for a Federal Virtual Training Environment (Fed VTE) account which offers free online, on-demand cyber security training. More info: https://hireourheroes.org/veterans-training.

FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR WWI MEMORIALS IN NEED OF RESTORATION World War I memorials around the country are the focus of a restoration and preservation effort launched by the World War I Centennial Commission. The 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project will match local contributions dollar-for-dollar up to $2,000 per grant.

Applications are due June 15, 2017. More information: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/100-cities100-memorials-home.html.

FEMALE VETERAN SUICIDE PREVENTION ACT SIGNED INTO LAW Women veterans have been found to be at higher risk for suicide than women non-veterans. To address this, President Barack Obama signed the Female Veteran Suicide Prevention Act on June 30, requiring the VA to identify the mental health care and suicide prevention programs which are most effective and highest rated by women veterans.

VA ROLLS OUT NEW HEALTH CARE APPLICATION TO HELP REMOVE BARRIERS TO ACCESS Beginning June 30, 2016, veterans applying for health care will be directed to a new online health care application on vets.gov. The new application is for veterans who have not previously applied for VA health care and can be submitted without a login. Visit https://www.vets.gov/healthcare/apply.

NEW HOTLINE SYSTEM PROVIDES FASTER ASSISTANCE TO VETERANS Veterans seeking suicide prevention assistance will now have the opportunity to get help by pressing one number after dialing the VA. Called Option 7, the system replaces the previous system where a recording referred callers to a 1-800 suicide hotline number. VA’s Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center was the first to receive the new system thanks to the advocacy of a local veteran, with all VA facilities slated to receive the change by the end of summer. 

advisory committee to odva Dennis G. Guthrie, chair Dennis enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1967 and volunteered to serve in Vietnam after completing Airborne and Special Forces Medical Training. He served as Head Company Field Medic with the First Cavalry Division, volunteered for Medevac, and is the recipient of the Silver Star and Bronze Star (Valor) among other awards. kim douthit A former Washington County veteran service officer, Douthit is currently the student veteran coordinator at Portland Community College’s Sylvania campus.

She served nearly four years as a Coast Guard officer from 2000-04 and as a work and family life consultant at the Navy Fleet Family Support Center in San Diego.

Tony N. Garcìa A graduate of Georgetown University and the University of Oregon School of Law, Tony is an Oregon Army National Guard soldier and attorney. He was a Judge Advocate for the 41st Infantry Brigade and served as Chief Trial Counsel in Iraq to the 41st Brigade in 2009 during the Brigade’s largest deployment since WWII. john Howard With six years in the Navy Reserve followed by 24 years of active commissioned service, John was Congressman Greg Walden's Medford office military and veterans constituent services representative for nearly 10 years.

Michael A. Jones Michael served in the U.S. Army from 1970 to 1973 and is the recipient of two Bronze Stars for his service in Vietnam.

reynold l. leno Reynold is a Vietnam veteran and a member of the Tribal Council of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon. As a Council member, Reynold serves as liaison to several committees including the Tribal Veterans Committee. jon mangis Mangis is a U.S. Air Force veteran who served in Vietnam and later retired from the Oregon Army National Guard.

He was appointed as ODVA’s director

by Gov. Victor Atiyeh and served from 1985-2003. Mangis is the former president of the National Association of State Directors of Veterans’ Affairs. rosa marcias Rosa served in the U.S. Marines and currently is the Veteran Outreach Coordinator at the Salem Vet Center.

She is an executive member of Serving Our Veterans At Home (SOVAH) and leads annual efforts to coordinate the Mid-Willamette Valley Veterans Stand Down. adolph "val" valfre, jr.

Val served for nearly 25 years in the Air Force with duties as a C-141/B-52 instructor pilot and was awarded an Air Medal for in-theatre missions during the Vietnam War. He is currently the Executive Director of the Housing Authority of Washington County and Director of the Washington County Department of Housing Serices.

committee Public meetings December 7, 2016

9:30 a.m. to noon Dept. Of Public Safety Standards & Training, 4190 Aumsville Hwy, Salem OR

March 1, 2017

9:30 a.m. to noon St Helens, Columbia County Location TBD

Meetings of the Advisory Committee are public meetings held quarterly. Please contact 503-373-2383 or email vaac@odva. state.or.us for more information or connect online at www. oregon.gov/odva/Pages/advisory.aspx. Special needs will be met for those who have a disability with 24 hour notice.

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YAMHILL 503-434-7503

MARION 503-373-2085

MORROW 541-922-6420

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 541-574-6955

COUNTY 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 541-247-3205

DESCHUTES 541-385-3214

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WALLOWA 541-426-0539

UNION 541-962-8802

UMATILLA 541-667-3125

TILLAMOOK 503-842-4358

SHERMAN 541-565-3408

POLK 503-373-2085

MULTNOMAH 503-988-8387

WHEELER 800-982-1172

MALHEUR 541-889-6649

GILLIAM 541-384-6712

SALEM 503-373-2085

VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA 541-604-0963

VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS 503-412-4757

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR BLACK VETERANS OF AMERICA 503-412-4159

MILITARY ORDER OF THE PURPLE HEART 503-412-4770

DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS 503-412-4750

NATIONAL SERVICE organizations AMERICAN LEGION 541-475-5228

WASHINGTON 503-846-3060

LINN 541-967-3882

STATEWIDE PORTLAND 503-412-4777

DOUGLAS 541-440-4219

state, county and national veteran service offices

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