Veteran 12 29 2016

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VOL. 5/ISSUE 9

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2016

Fisher House OrlandoVets can have help for family with long-term hospital stays Patrick McCallister FOR VETERAN VOICE

pmccallister@veteranvoiceweekly.com

Fisher House is heading to the Orlando Department of Veteran Affairs hospital at Lake Nona once $3.1 million is raised locally. “We hope to cut the ribbon in October, November next year,” said Greg Smith, who’s heading up the Friends of the Fisher House Orlando. The Orlando VA Medical Center at Lake Nona hosted a groundbreaking recently. Among attendees was Ken Fisher, CEO of the national Fisher House Foundation. There are about 70 Fisher House facilities by VA medical centers. The West Palm Beach VA Medical Center has had one since 1995. Fisher House facilities are open to family and other caregivers accompanying veterans who’ll have long stays at VA hospitals. The Fisher House stays allow the family members and other caregivers to be nearby to visit and help the veterans. “Fisher House Foundation’s motto is, ‘A family’s love is good medicine,’” Smith said. “They’ve had doctors remark that some of the recoveries are unexpected and accelerated and they attribute it to the support of family members available for them.” Additionally, Fisher House is open to veterans for post-surgery and other medical-need stays. “There are also cases where a guy has to come in — a vet needs to come in — and he needs to get bloodwork done every day for a week,” Smith said. “He’s not going to be in patient. He could stay at Fisher House.” All stays are free. The Orlando VA Medical Center serves Seminole, Volusia and Brevard counties.

See FISHER page 6

Photo by Navy Chief Mass Communications Specialist Robert J. Fluegel Navy SEALs demonstrate a special patrol insertion/extraction from an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter during a capabilities demonstration as part of the 2009 Veterans Day Ceremony and Muster XXIV at the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce. The annual muster is held at the museum, which is located on the original training grounds of the Scouts and Raiders.

54 Short (Or Long) Years seals anniversary proves they’re always first

Mary Kemper STAFF WRITER

mkemper@veteranvoiceweekly.com

In 1961, the Navy Sea, Air and Land unit — the SEALs — were officially ordered. As of Jan. 1, 1962, it was official. The men who formed the SEALs were a hodge-podge of men whose skills had become second to none in World War II. They could take any objective. They could lay explosives. They could dive. They could kill any opponent, whether strangled, shot or stabbed. Whatever it took, the SEALs would do it. They’re still the best of the best. In every conflict, around the world, SEALs lead the way. It seems strange that they’ve only been around 54 years — or maybe not. It’s part of the mystique of the Navy SEALs that no one really cares about the length of time they’ve served, but more that they are one of the pivotal parts of our defense force that we can’t do without.

Here in south Florida, Fort Pierce, Americans are lucky to have the home of the SEALs in their national museum. Surrounded by tourist condominiums, the museum site is a kind of anachronism. Back in the 60’s, there wasn’t any “there” there. There was only the Underwater Demolition Training facility. Now it sits proudly, forever, regardless of whether zoning officers like it or not. And what a museum it is. You can learn how sailors from World War II through the present pitted their wits against the enemies from World War II to today to win through often incredible odds to accomplish the mission. Included in this mosaic is the story of American ship Capt. Richard Phillips, who, with the aid of the Navy SEALs, successfully fought off Somali pirates. A vessel from his ship is on view at the Museum to this day. It’s almost too understated, the role that the SEALs have played in our nation’s defense. But they deserve all of our thanksgiv-

See SEALS page 6


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