SYRACUSE VA BBQ

Horning-Fournier Post 418 with its Auxiliary, Junior Auxiliary and Sons of the American Legion entertained the residents of the 8th floor at the Syracuse VA Medical Center with a BBQ meal on Saturday, August 20th. 

 

Junior member Lily Lovell helped load the van.

 

Getting the BBQ started was 

Commander Herb Hawker, 

Shawn Mills and Kevin Lamson

 

It's a HOT job but

someone has to do it!

 

 Meanwhile on the 8th floor

the serving line has been

set up awaiting the

hamburgers and hot dogs!

After lunch, tables were cleared and those patients who wanted to play Bingo picked out their cards and got set for nearly 2 hours of Bingo. 

Many games were played and many won the prize of a canteen book that they may use in the canteen for whatever they want or need. 

The junior auxiliary members helped patients keep track of their cards as well as the American Legion, Auxiliary and Sons of the American Legion.

The whole crew who worked

on the BBQ and Bingo Party!

All in all, it was a very enjoyable and rewarding day for the patients as well as the members of the Legion family who worked so hard and long to make it a successful endeavor.

We look forward to repeating the performance soon.

WARNING TO VETERANS

Alert from VA -


Forwarded by Kevin Secor, VSO Liaison, Office of the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

An organization called Veterans Affairs Services (VAS) is providing benefit and general information on VA and gathering personal information on veterans. This organization is not affiliated with VA in any way

[Websites with the name "vaservices" immediately after the "www" ARE NOT part of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the US Government agency. D o not go to them or if approached or called, do not offer them any information concerning yourself or data on other veterans.
Keep in mind that the real VA website ends in .gov. Also, be aware that the Department of Veterans Affairs does not randomly call veterans, nor does it ask veterans for information which it does not already have--like Social Security Numbers. In particular, if you have not dealt with the VA previously--and in person--and all of a sudden, you receive a call from someone saying they are with the VA or something similar sounding, hang up the phone. Also, do not respond to emails which suggest that they are from the VA. The VA never conducts official business nor asks for personal information by email. Mike]

VAS may be gaining access to military personnel through their close resemblance to the VA name and seal. Our Legal Counsel has request ed that we coordinate with DoD to inform military installations, particularly mobilization sites, of this group and their lack of affiliation or endorsement by VA to provide any services.

In addition, GC requests that if you have any examples of VAS acts that violate chapter 59 of Title 38 United States Code, such as VAS employees assisting veterans in the preparation and presentation of claims for benefits, please pass any additional information to Mr.Daugherty at the address below.

Michael G. Daugherty
Staff Attorney
Department of Veterans Affairs
Office of General Counsel (022G2)
810 Vermont Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20420

VETERANS BENEFITS

Comment: Someone has gone to a lot of trouble. If this helps one person, then it was worthwhile. Please pass this on to all Veterans on your e-mail list.
Below are web-sites that provide information on Veterans benefits and how to file/ask for them. Accordingly, there are many sites that explain how to obtain books, military/medical records, information and how to appeal a denied claim with the VA. Please pass this information on to every Veteran you know. Nearly 100% of this information is free and available for all veterans, the only catch is: you have to ask for it, because they won't tell you about a specific benefit unless you ask for it. You need to know what questions to ask so the right doors open for you and then be ready to have an advocate who is willing to work with and for you, stay in the process, and press for your rights and your best interests.

Click THIS for VA Benefits website.

 For a Veterans Benefits Newsletter, please click NEWSLETTER.

To find out What Can the VA Do For Me?, go HERE. 



 

VA SUPPORT

VA launches caregiver support line
Byline - February 2, 2011

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs has launched of a toll-free national Caregiver Support Line at (855) 260-3274. The Caregiver Support Line was created to recognize the significant contributions made by caregivers in allowing veterans to remain at home surrounded by family and friends.
 
The line is available Monday through Friday from  8 a.m. to 11 p.m., and on Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time. Licensed clinical social workers will be available to answer questions, listen to concerns and directly link callers to the Caregiver Support Coordinator at their local VA medical center. Each VA medical center has a Caregiver Support Coordinator who can locate assistance tailored to the particular situation.

For more information, click here. 

VA SPENDING

Legion opposes proposal to cut VA spending
The American Legion - January 29, 2011

Responding to a proposal by Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) to freeze VA health-care spending and cut veterans disability payments to help reduce federal spending, American Legion National Commander Jimmie L. Foster said his organization steadfastly opposes the initiative.

"It is absurd to suggest such a thing when we are fighting two wars and creating more veterans every day who have served their country honorably and have already earned their benefits," Foster said.

The plan, which proposes to cut a total of $400 billion in federal spending, is derived from an Oct. 28 report from the Heritage Foundation that projects $2.5 billion in savings from a freeze on VA health-care spending increases, and $1.9 billion in savings from scrapping disability payments for veterans already receiving Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) .
Peter Gaytan, executive director of The American Legion's office in Washington, said "Congress must find other ways to reduce federal spending that don't affect veterans benefits and health care.

"The need for high-quality veterans health care certainly isn't decreasing, so the VA budget shouldn't, either. Congress needs to stay focused on providing an adequate budget to care for those who have made sacrifices in Iraq, Afghanistan or in previous wars."

Tim Tetz, legislative director of The American Legion, said the idea of taking SSDI away from veterans receiving disability payments "has been floated before and thankfully defeated every time.

"Why would anyone want to take away disability benefits veterans have already paid for, simply because they have earned additional benefits through their honorable service in the military?"

The American Legion has consistently opposed any attempts by Congress to reduce or eliminate veterans benefits. It considers such benefits as earned and has urged the federal government to find other methods to reduce its expanding budget.

The Legion stands by the sentiments expressed long ago by George Washington: "The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation."

"Of all the items in our federal budget that could be drastically cut, or dispensed with altogether, why would a member of Congress think it might be a good idea to take benefits away from those people who protect the very freedoms they operate under?" Foster said.

Foster said he agreed that Congress needs to take decisive action in reducing the federal budget, "but we must be mindful of the sacrifices borne by the men and women who have served and sacrificed in America's armed forces."

WOMEN VETERANS

The American Legion Womens Veterans Survey

Program Statement

 The American Legion, the nation’s largest veterans service organization, has long recognized the important contributions of women in the military; they now account for nearly 20 percent of our armed forces. However, only about 25 percent of 1.8 million women veterans are using the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health-care system. Many women veterans have either chosen not to enroll in VA services, or are unaware of the medical benefits they have earned through their service.

The American Legion’s Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Commission has developed an outreach program for women veterans, collecting their input and speaking on their behalf to Congress, the VA and the Defense Dept. In order to strengthen its advocacy role, the Legion needs to conduct a comprehensive survey of women veterans about their experiences and attitudes concerning health care provided by the VA, private practitioners and other health-care providers.

Results from this survey will be used to refine the Legion’s outreach methods, enhance its written and oral testimony to Congress and federal agencies, and improve its own programs that evaluate the quality of VA health care. The survey will also help to identify unmet needs among women veterans, and guide the development of specific remedies.

Survey areas may include SERVQUAL attributes measuring ten aspects of service quality: reliability, responsiveness, competence, access, courtesy, communication, credibility, security, understanding (or knowing) the customer and tangibles. The objective is to measure the extent to which available service meets the perceptions, needs, and expectations of women veterans.

This research is important for many reasons, including the fact that women represent a rapidly growing portion of U.S. veterans. After analyzing the survey’s data, The American Legion will be better qualified to make specific recommendations for congressional appropriations, VA programs and facilities, and to increase public awareness of issues facing women veterans.

The survey will be disseminated to women veterans worldwide. The American Legion has teamed with other veterans service organizations to reach all branches of the armed forces, reserve, and National Guard.

This survey was developed by American Legion specialists on women veterans issues, who are responsible for its content, distribution, data collection and analysis.

This survey shall be available for your input beginning Wednesday, January 5, 2011 through Monday, January 31, 2011.

 Click HERE for full information and survey forms..

FISHER HOUSE

The Fisher House Program

The Fisher House program is a unique private-public partnership that supports America's military in their time of need. The program recognizes the special sacrifices of our men and women in uniform and the hardships of military service by meeting a humanitarian need beyond that normally provided by the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs.

Because members of the military and their families are stationed worldwide and must often travel great distances for specialized medical care, Fisher House Foundation donates "comfort homes," built on the grounds of major military and VA medical centers. These homes enable family members to be close to a loved one at the most stressful times - during the hospitalization for an unexpected illness, disease, or injury.

Because members of the military and their families are stationed worldwide and must often travel great distances for specialized medical care, Fisher House Foundation donates "comfort homes," built on the grounds of major military and VA medical centers. These homes enable family members to be close to a loved one at the most stressful times - during the hospitalization for an unexpected illness, disease, or injury.

There is at least one Fisher House at every major military medical center to assist families in need and to ensure that they are provided with the comforts of home in a supportive environment. Annually, the Fisher House program serves more than 11,000 families, and have made available nearly three million days of lodging to family members since the program originated in 1990. By law, there is no charge for any family to stay at a Fisher House operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs; and Fisher House Foundation uses donations to reimburse the individual Fisher Houses operated by the Army, Navy, and Air Force. No family pays to stay at any Fisher House!

 In addition to constructing new houses, Fisher House Foundation continues to support existing Fisher Houses and help individual military families in need.

Click HERE to find videos on Fisher House.

AUDIE MURPHY'S WIFE

Loyalty above and beyond the call of duty!!






















Audie Murphy's Wife. What a LADY...

List of decorations for Audie Murphy.
Medal of Honor
Distinguished Service Cross
 Silver Star (with oak leaf cluster)

Legion of Merit
Bronze Star (with oak leaf cluster and Valor device)
Purple Heart (with two oak leaf clusters)
U.S. Army Outstanding Civilian Service Medal
U.S. Army Good Conduct Medal
Presidential Unit Citation (with First Oak Leaf Cluster)
American Campaign Medal=
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (with One-Silver Star, Four Bronze Service Stars (representing nine campaigns) and one Bronze Arrowhead (representing assault landing at Sicily and Southern France)),
World War II Victory Medal
Army of Occupation Medal (with Germany Clasp)
Armed Forces=Reserve Medal
French Fourragère in Colors of the Croix de guerre
French Legion of Honor - Grade of Chevalier 
French Croix de guerre (with Palm)
Medal of Liberated France
Belgian Croix de guerre (with 1940 Palm)

Additionally, Murphy was awarded:

|Combat Infantry Badge,
Marksman Badge with Rifle Bar,
Expert Badgeth Bayonet Bar

Pamela Murphy, widow of WWII hero and actor, Audie Murphy, died peacefully at her home on April 8, 2010. She was the widow of the most decorated WWII hero and actor, Audie Murphy, and established her own distinctive 35 year career working as a patient liaison at the Sepulveda Veterans Administration hospital, treating every veteran who visited the facility as if they were a VIP.

Any soldier or Marine who came into the hospital got the same special treatment from her. She would walk the hallways with her clipboard in hand making sure her boys got to see the specialist they needed.

If they didn't, watch out. Her boys weren't Medal of Honor recipients or movie stars like Audie, but that didn't matter to Pam. They had served their country. That was good enough for her. She never called a veteran by his first name. It was always "Mister.." Respect came with the job.

"Nobody could cut through VA red tape faster than Mrs. Murphy," said veteran Stephen Sherman, speaking for thousands of veterans she befriended over the years. "Many times I watched her march a veteran who had been waiting more than an hour right into the doctor's office. She was even reprimanded a few times, but it didn't matter to Mrs. Murphy. "Only her boys mattered. She was our angel."

Audie Murphy died broke in a plane crash in 1971, squandering millions of dollars on gambling, bad investments, and yes, other women. "Even with the adultery and desertion at the end, he always remained my hero," Pam told me.

She went from a comfortable ranch-style home in Van Nuys where she raised two sons to a small apartment - taking a clerk's job at the nearby VA to support herself and start paying off her faded movie star husband's debts. At first, no one knew who she was. Soon, though, word spread throughthe VA that the nice woman with the clipboard was Audie Murphy's widow. It was like saying General Patton had just walked in the front door. Men with tears in their eyes walked up to her and gave her a hug.

"Thank you," they said, over and over.
The first couple of years, I think the hugs were more for Audie's memory as a war hero. The last 30 years, they were for Pam.

One year I asked her to be the focus of a Veteran's Day column for all the work she had done. Pam just shook her head no.

"Honor them, not me," she said, pointing to a group of veterans down the hallway. "They're the ones who deserve it."

The vets disagreed. Mrs. Murphy deserved the accolades, they said. Incredibly, in 2002, Pam's job was going to be eliminated in budget cuts. She was considered "excess staff." "I don't think helping cut down on veterans' complaints and showing them the respect they deserve, should be considered excess staff," she told me. Neither did the veterans. They went ballistic, holding a rally for her outside the VA gates. Pretty soon, word came down from the top of the VA. Pam Murphy was no longer considered "excess staff."

She remained working full time at the VA until 2007 when she was 87.  "The last time she was here was a couple of years ago for the conference we had for homeless veterans," said Becky James, coordinator of the VA's Veterans History Project. Pam wanted to see if there was anything she could do to help some more of her boys. Pam Murphy was 90 when she died last week. What a lady.

Dennis McCarthy, Los Angeles Times on April 15, 2010 ~

VETERANS DAY RACE

1st ANNUAL VETERANS DAY RACE

Wounded Warrior 5K Run

Sunday, November 7, 2010

9:30 a.m.

to benefit:

Syracuse VA Medical Center

IraQ and Afghanistan Veterans Fund

AWARDS

Presented to the overall top male and female runners, and the top finishers in the following age groups:

14 and under

15 to 19

20 to 24

25 to 29

30 to 34

35 to 39

40 to 44

45 to 49

50 to 54

55 to 59

60 to 64

65 to 69

70 to 74

75 to 79

80 to 84

85 and over

Awards will be presented at WAVES on 202 Bennet Road right across from the start/finish line.

REFRESHMENTS

Following the race, bagels, apples, oranges, and hot chocolate will be among some of the refreshments available for all runners/walkers.

FabNine Incorporated

PO Box 856

Syracuse, NY 13209

phone 315-882-5893

E-mail: tom@fabnine.com

www.fabnine.com/Run.html

ENTRIES

$15.00 registration fee for entries received prior to the race and $20.00 registration fee for race day entries.

Wounded Warrior T-Shirts to ALL race participants.

Prizes and Gift Certificates will be pesented after Awards.

Please make checks payable to: FabNine Incorporated.

Send entry form and payment to:

FabNine Incorporated

PO Box 856

Syracuse, NY 13209

TIMES

Packet Pickup:   

     Saturday November 6, 2010 from 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at WAVES

on 202 Bennet Road, Camillus, NY 13031.

Race Day Registration and Packet Pickup:

Sunday November 7, 2010 from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. at WAVES

on 202 Bennet Road, Camillus, NY 13031.

Start Time:

      5K Race......Starts @ 9:30 a.m. 

 

 

 

Ohio choir evokes happiness

Austintown Fitch Concert Choir members perform at 

American Legion Post 151 in Conneaut, Ohio.

Kolman Rosenberg

Spring break is a time when many students escape the cold by flying to a warmer destination. But for the Austintown, Ohio, Fitch Concert Choir, spring break is spent belting out Broadway tunes and patriotic lyrics to individuals often forgotten by family members and everyday people - U.S. veterans.

"So many people in VA hospitals go unseen," said Nicole Cirbus, a choir member. "It's sad to know that somebody is out there without that love, wondering if America still remembers what they have done for our freedom. I want to be that person who makes the veterans smile, who gives them happiness."

Undoubtedly, smiles, hope and happiness are what the choir has given to veterans for the past 39 years.

In 1971, two Austintown-Fitch High School colleagues - choir director Rosemarie Kascher and retired Navy Reservist Milton Kochert - wanted to show appreciation to the community for its support. As a Vietnam veteran, Kochert saw firsthand the loneliness veterans experienced in VA hospitals and wanted to change that. For this reason, the choir took its first show on the road in 1972.

Since then, the Austintown Fitch Concert Choir has been striking a joyous chord in the hearts of millions of veterans in VA hospitals from the Mississippi River to the East Coast. Each year consists of traveling to a new hospital with new faces and stories, but one thing remains the same: There's never a dry eye when the choir performs.

"One year we sang to a quadriplegic who had not shown any emotion from the time he had been in the hospital, which was over three months," said Kaye Williams, choir director for the past 20 years. "And he cried when the kids sang. So you know the music really affects the veterans and the kids."

The music performed consists of uplifting show tunes, as well as patriotic songs such as "God Bless the USA." Because of the happiness brought forth with the music, the choir is a welcoming change of entertainment for the veterans.

"While visiting a mental ward, one gentleman told me that our visit was the best thing that could have happened to them because they watch the movie ‘Grease' every night of the week, even though we happened to sing the ‘Grease' musical," said Tyler Hoffman, a choir member. "Being allowed to bring such a sense of hope and joy to these veterans is amazing."

These life-changing visits allow students to experience firsthand the joy they bring along with the stories each veteran holds. As they perform to veterans in a cafeteria or sing their way down hallways to the wards, students hear how some haven't had a visitor in six months, while others visually express missing the lives they once knew.

"There was a man in a hospice ward who was originally a radio broadcaster in California in the ‘40s before he went to war," said April Krempasky, a choir member. "He had photos of himself as a broadcaster all over his room, and it was amazing to see because you think of veterans as somebody who only fought in a war, but we have to remember that they had a life and a career previous to that."

The students do volunteer their free time to the veterans, but the yearly hospital trips come at a price. The total amount per student to cover lodging, transportation and food is $500. And while most of the money is raised through fundraisers, the 9th District
American Legion posts in Ohio sponsor and support the choir's humanitarian efforts. Last year, 9th District posts presented the choir with an American Legion banner as an award for bringing hope and smiles to millions of veterans; the choir proudly hangs the banner on the steps of each VA hospital they visit. This year, the 9th District recently hosted a dinner celebration at Legion Post 151 in Conneaut, Ohio, to recognize the choir for upholding the legacy.

The celebration involved many 9th District Legionnaires, Sons of The American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary members and the Ohio Department Chaplain Ben Aycock, who all showed appreciation to the choir through words, awards and monetary donations up to $500. The choir patriotically gave back to the celebration by singing "God Bless the USA," which initiated a hand-holding bond amongst all in attendance - something the choir is fondly used to.

"When the choir goes to VA hospitals to perform, they hold hands with our veterans, smile with them and give them hugs," said Joe Rockwell from 9th District Legion Post 737 in Lake Milton, Ohio. "What that message says to our veterans is that America cares, thanks you and supports you."

As the choir continues forward with its yearly tradition, the memories created will remain with the students and the veterans.

"Visiting the veterans touches you in ways you can't explain to anybody," Cirbus said. "Veterans are constantly thanking us, when we should be the ones thanking them."

VAVS

Cuppa Joe? Volunteer Serving Coffee

— and Veterans — Since 1950

Lenora Munyon serves coffee and a smile to Veteran Bill Braidwood. 

She has been in the Salvation Army for more than 80 years.

When the Overton Brooks VA Medical Center opened in 1950, Lenora Munyon was quick to volunteer. So quick, in fact, she was the medical center's first volunteer. The amazing part? At 96, Munyon is still volunteering at the Shreveport, LA, facility today.

"It's the blessing of helping others," Munyon explains.

In 1950, Munyon, a social worker for the Salvation Army, was anxious to get the new hospital "up and going to help out the Veterans. Our hearts were always with the Veterans," she said.
When administrators at Overton Brooks VA Medical Center sent out a call for volunteers, they tapped the Salvation Army, one of the biggest community service agencies in the area.
Munyon rounded up a handful of Salvation Army volunteers and under the title of "Ladies Home League," the group of women zestfully began their assigned duty: serving coffee to Veterans and visitors.

Munyon still clearly remembers those days. She talks about the kitchen on the second floor and the huge, gleaming coffee urn on the counter. Once a week, the ladies brewed gallons of coffee and set off on a tour of the wards to visit with patients while handing out the steaming cups to grateful Vets and visitors alike.

"We called it 'charity work' back then," Munyon said. "One of the aims of the Salvation Army is to think of people other than ourselves, and that's just what we did."

Though Munyon is 96, she is still actively involved in the Voluntary Service office at Shreveport. She is the Salvation Army's Deputy Representative to the hospital, making sure there is a weekly team of volunteers to continue the coffee legacy every Thursday and arranging transportation for them to get to the hospital.

Munyon still travels to the Overton Brooks VA Medical Center to attend the quarterly VA Voluntary Service (VAVS) meeting, a gathering of the organizations supporting the programs and Voluntary Service goals for the hospital. She has been a key member of the VAVS committee since 1950.

"All the Vets love Ms. Munyon," says Esther Comb, Voluntary Service Specialist. "She just has a spirit of giving. She's said over and over that Veterans have a special place in her heart."
Munyon, a member of the Salvation Army for more than 80 years, was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the medical center in 2000. In 2002, she was selected by the Salvation Army as the National Salvation Army VAVS Representative Volunteer of the Year.

The VAVS certificate of appreciation awarded to Munyon in 1955 for 100 hours of volunteer service now seems almost quaint after sixty years of service.

By now, she is used to recognition. As the hospital's first volunteer, how often is Munyon mentioned in its annual awards ceremony?

"Every year," she says wryly.

And, it seems, many more to come.

VA LAUCHES CALL CENTER

The American Legion - March 17, 2010

VA Secretary Eric Shinseki announced last year his goal of ending veteran homelessness. VA took a step toward helping that cause earlier this week with the launching of its National Call Center for Homeless Veterans, a phone service that links homeless and at-risk veterans, their families and other interested parties to appropriate VA and community-based resources. Callers can speak with trained VA staff personnel at (877) 424-3838, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

VA also launched an online Homeless Veterans Chat service, which can be accessed at VA's Homeless Veterans Web page. Homeless Veterans Chat provides an outlet for veterans, their families and friends to go online and anonymously chat with a trained VA counselor. The online feature is intended to reach out to all homeless or at-risk veterans regardless of whether they are enrolled in the VA health-care system.

VA has forecasted a five-year plan to end veteran homelessness, and the call center is one of the first of the plan's initiatives.