Some of the 'Services' and 'Programs we have available
Travelers, also a Local Combat Veteran…
March 23rd, 2024 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
We were working the other day at Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida on a Saturday and this car drives up and a disheveled man and women gets out and walk over and ask if this is the place, they just might be able to get some food? The night before we had extra food left over from the Celebration of Life for our friend and one of VAOI founders Charlene Pelland and we stopped at the Blessed Sacrament church event and picked up the left-over food that was donated by the Knights of Columbus. We thought as hungry they looked, we would invite them in and have a bite.
As we sat there, we learned that the man had served a few years with the Army National Guard in Idaho and the women had a father that served in Vietnam and came back really messed up. The multiple deployments of the man sitting before us has taken its toll on him and both were just trying to get through the day. We were pleased that we could sit and have a meal with them and we loaded them up with a few food boxes to take on their way. I noticed that both of them smoked when we got out to their car to load them up and I started to think about all the folks that come in for food and some of them, obviously a little tipsy on something or smokers. Well getting back to our couple, we sent them on their way on the way to Washington hoping for a better life! Sure, do hope they make it!!
I was thinking the other day, why do some of our poor that are struggling to make ends meet spend money on cigarettes, alcohol, MJ, or even lottery tickets. These all appear to be unnecessary and extravagant, then I realized these items offer a brief moment of relief, obviously at a cost but might offer a short flight from the realities of poverty…
Then I reflected on our military and the men/women that have deployed into war zones and are subject to some of the most violent and horrible atrocities of conflict and understand more about their need to escape the flashbacks or the reality of their war wounds. I really believe that there are times those that have been to war zones and have seen some of the worst that we humans inflict on each other need to find coping mechanisms and hopefully some healthy alternatives to what many of us have done and are doing.
We all need to understand a little more about the mind set of veterans that have served in combat. We need to understand because they are our neighbors.
Now that I have mentioned neighbors: I know that some of you know Jerome (Jay) Goettsch, a local artist of great talent. You might not know it but he has written a book called “The Cocoa Kid” and it is a memoir of Marine Combat in Vietnam. His book will give you more of an insight as to the realities of war and life in general. It is an exciting book that not only talks about war but he has included some on his childhood, bootcamp, surviving the mean streets of Chicago and the time he was kidnapped, beaten and tortured in Milwaukee at 12 years old. I have had the pleasure of him sharing some of his chapters as he was writing them and I will say his talent of writing a story is a work of art, like his ability to paint an artwork on canvas that explodes with emotion and creativity. His writing he has said: Is not an embellishment of the truth and is to tell it how it happened. He has also kept the language as it was used at the time, so be warned. The book is scheduled to premiere on Amazon. So, if all goes as planned, I will be writing more about it once I actually get it in my hands and see and read the finished product. The book is 299 pages with 83 photos and an 8-page glossary. This will be a book that each in our community should read, especially if the preview chapters that I have already read are any indication of its quality. I hope our local library and schools will add it to their shelves.
Remember the stories I write in the above article are about folks in our community, whether they are passing through or a neighbor. Listen and understand those around us, learn.
“Understanding comes through communication, and through understanding we find the way to peace.” Dr Ralph Smedely (founder of Toastmasters International).
Blending into Civilian Life…
March 9th , 2024 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
Most of us when joining the military, were young, naïve and not prepared for service life. Amazing, years later when we decide to transition back to civilian life, we are somewhat in the same position. Might say a little different for some of us in the sense that we are now older or old, naïve and not prepared!!!
This does not have to be the case, at all. You can actually prepare for the transition and make it quite smooth if you plan. And if you don’t your problems will multiply and be out of control. I know because I am one that did not plan. I wanted to get out so fast when I came back from Vietnam, it was a blur and still is in some cases a blur.
Now this article was inspired by a local combat veteran that served several deployments over the last few years and an old veteran from back in my time. Both of these veterans did not plan ahead and both are suffering the consequences of no planning. The old guy has learned the hard way throughout the years on how to get by and I found out also by hard knocks on how to navigate civilian life, somewhat. I have learned that even I and he will be able to get more help now through different organizations and Veteran Service Offices to navigate civilian life. Now the youngster of the group will be using both of us as mentors letting him know what not to do!
Yep, the other day I addressed about 125 veterans up at SRCI and I was thinking about the additional challenges that these veterans will be having blending back into civilian life. I was invited by Matt Galemore Correctional Councilor at the request of the Incarcerated Veteran Association headed by President Steven Hyppolite.. I got to meet Matt’s boss Sara Eastwood Correctional Rehabilitation Manager and the VSO Pat McGuffin Incarcerated Veteran Coordinator, all dedicated with helping the veterans up at SRCI meet the challenges of incarceration and also with the VA rules and the preparation back to civilian life.
I have to admit that I was very impressed with the veteran group that was there filling the Chapel for this meeting. President Hyppolite opened the program and the Color Guard snapped into action with the presenting of the colors. Everyone was sharp and the room came to attention respecting each of our branches of service, POW and our Nations flag was impressive. When the Pledge of Allegiance was recited it was with Love and passion, I was moved by the opening of this meeting. Then Steven Hyppolite presented award certificates to Matt, Sara, Pat and Mike Vokral the Lead Recreation Specialist. When the meeting commenced and I had my chance to speak about what help we have in Ontario for our veterans and their families. I also spoke about the support of food boxes, counseling, and what we are doing here in our community. I was surprised at their reaction, by the questions on how they might help us, as individuals or as a group. They even talked about sending us books that they were finished reading. I, of course, suggested that when they rearranged the furniture out there in their rooms that we would be happy to take the leftovers! I thought that the stainless-steel furnishings would be enjoyed by the civilians on the outside. I certainly got a chuckle out of that suggestion!!! Great group of veterans.
I know that many in that room that I was talking with were there because of PTSD or because of the challenges that they had in the transitioning back into civilian life. Well, I am here to tell you that the team SRCI has, supporting our veterans that are incarcerated are top notch and I tip my hat to Warden Jamie Miller for putting together a great team for our veterans and for the institution as a whole. As a side note: this facility trains the Adults in Custody (AIC) with a metal shop, woodworking shop, building trades program and other skills that prepares these men for a better life on the outside.
I am always amazed that for many of us, including those that are transitioning from military life to civilian or civilian to the military or even from the justice system, hope and attitude are the two factors that are so important in the greater scheme of things. Planning ahead works best but even without it, attitude gives you a leg up!
“They teach you how to weather the storm, but they don’t teach you how to dance in the rain.” Veterans’ Perspectives on the Pathways to Criminal Justice Involvement, by Kelli Canada and Clark Peters.
Welcome to Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida, where we are dedicated to giving back to veterans and their families. Our organization provides a wide range of support services.
Local Support for Active Duty and Veterans…
February 25th, 2024 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
Local organizations supporting Veterans and their families in some interesting ways. I will not be mentioning all of the organizations or all of the ways they help because not all responded to my inquires. But here are some that did and others that have been brought to my attention.
The Elks Lodge 1690 is one of the tops in the field of support and they make it a point to get the word out and notify the veterans when they are having special events, such as honoring veterans with a dinner each year. Be on the outlook for the dates. Flag day is another one of their special days that they step up and have members of our local American Legion Post teach our community about flag etiquette and then have local Boy/Girl groups participate in the ceremonies. They have, in the past had a fishing tournament that welcomed veterans go out on donated boats for a day of fishing and they are thinking about starting that up again! Rudy Marostica was the spearhead for that project but passed away and others are now getting things together to continue that very important project.
If you are into Bingo then why not take a trip over to Vale, American Legion Post 96 and check out their exciting game, every week Sun at 2PM. Please go out and make a day of it for the support of a wonderful group of folks that are doing great things for veterans in the Vale area!
Another American Legion Post 33 located in Payette that puts on a great breakfast every month on the first Saturday that is open for all veteran and their families and friends. They even have spaghetti dinners from time to time benefiting the State of Idaho DAVA and the Legion Post 33.
Of course, we have many other Posts like the Legion Hall here in Ontario that hold two Bingos a week and also free coffee at the Post on Wednesday’s. That Veteran Hall is home to the American Legon Post 67, VFW Post 5452 and the DAV Post 18.
Then right down the street in Ontario is the Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida (VAO) that is open 5 days a week for coffee, snacks and has a Thrift Stor every day, a wonderful Museum with local veterans and families represented. VAOI also has a food bank feeding those veterans that are hungry. You might even run into Tracy that introduced us to the Vietnam Veterans of America that helps veterans in need locally and are located in Meridian. If you are a Vietnam Veteran you might look into the things that they do for Veterans in need.
I did not purposely put phone numbers, times and ALL the things that these organizations do because I think that if you are really interested , you would make the effort to look up the information and get the straight scoop from the horse’s mouth. Just thought that this might grab your interest and get involved with one or many of these places and know that every day there is something going on that support veterans and their families. All you have to do is make an effort.
Some cost money some don’t, so enjoy your hunt.
I am amazed at the Payette Senior Center and the many activities that are specific support for our veteran community. New Plymouth, Ontario and Vale Senior Centers might be of interest.
I recommend that you look into some of these because you deserve a better life and you just might help others along the way.
In the military, most of us have had to consciously accept or appreciate something that is extremely unpleasant but unavoidable for forward progression, so my quote below and comments sum-up the past and everything else is part of the cure.
Finding purpose and spirit as you make the calls and find a place or places from the above article might make up for your loss of innocence. Many of us lost that virtue called innocence when we joined the service and were deployed to war zones or to places that forced us to grow-up beyond our young age. Growing up and learning values and then being trained that killing the enemy in combat is righteous. I think that we come back with some of those demons and all these organizations might bring you a little joy and just knowing that there are people who care and really understand what some of us are going through and many have tools in place to help us here and now! The quote below might bring back a smile but also a reason to seek a place above.
“Embrace The Suck” verb, military slang.
My Greatest Honor…
January 28th, 2024 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
In all my 80+ years my greatest honor that I have had is in the service of my Country. Not one civilian that has not served knows the heart and soul of what it means to serve. Every day 24/7 our military folks put their lives on the line for us all. I would also think that our 1st responders have a similar honor of service.
Still, the sacrifice of duty in our military has a place that every single person should learn. Every person in our Nation even the rabblerousers, demagogues, liberals, conservatives, atheists and believers including hypocrites and the list goes on should understand the oath that each of us take that have served. ‘Service before self’ is a phrase that everyone of us understand that even before family, the call to duty takes precedence and might mean the ultimate sacrifice.
Think about the words that every branch of service lives by, each and every day, such as ‘duty, honor, Country’ or ‘Always Faithful’ or ‘Not self, but Country’ are but a few of the words. However, it is not the words but the actions and the oath that puts every single one on the line of defending our Country, and defending our freedoms of each and every one of us.
I was reading an article the other day on www.veteranadvocates.orgwebsite entitled: “Most Americans respect vets but wouldn’t recommend enlisting” and I find it interesting that many in our Country hold us in high regard in the abstract but have bought into the fake news of the different stereotypes that folks think about service-members.
Maybe I should not be that surprised, considering the super gullibility that seems to be everywhere. Folks all around believe lies that are bandied about by both sides of the aisle, and if they don’t actually believe them, they talk themselves into being puppets for the lies and that creates a huge problem, for our Nation and for the recruitment of our future military.
There are many folks that are conned everyday and I am saddened by the fact that it is becoming more difficult to tell the difference between the real facts and the what is presented as truth, of which is a real lie. I have been fooled and I am sure that I will be again.
Even our government posters for our military show a rosier picture than actual reality.
Amazing that with the advent of the digital age the speed of the twisted word! The most intelligent and educated are fooled because of their ability to rationalize the information to conform to their viewpoints. Critical thinking is a way that we might work ourselves out of this but that is going to take time. Do we have that time?
I started this article with a simple statement of ‘My Greatest Honor’ and then got a little sidetracked as I started to think about the greater picture of our Nation, and the perception of our military. Still, I say that even with all the lies, misconceptions, wars, conflicts, mistreatment and fighting for the services that we deserve after service, I and most of my comrades that have served will still say that the ‘Greatest Honor has been in the service of our Country.
Most of us that have served, know that we did the right thing by serving the greater good for our Nation and people.
It is also important to note that the ‘Honor’ to serve goes deep, because some of us have given our life or limbs for a comrade that we served with. So, when you read this, think about your job, your family and your loved ones and you tell me how anyone might say that our military is not the place we should be encouraging our youth to serve.
I believe that it is our duty to serve for the greater good of our Nation. Think about the fact that there is a common greater goal that melts all these service-members together that come from different walks of life and we work together as one. Some might call this a shared destiny! That certainly food for thought.
Walking into Grocery Outlet the other day I was moved by the military family that approached me and mentioned the pride they have when they read this column about military issues. I thank the Argus for allowing the space and the many other articles about our veterans and military families.
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” Ronald Reagan.
Chaos is Here- New Year is Coming!!
Dec 31st, 2023 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
I say that, in general, today’s generation of U. S. Americans are the most coddled and are stuck in a digital world. We have in the past, united together as a people around Wars after we were attacked at Pearl Harbor and then again after 9/11. Our Nation came together to support our troops after WWII and we were strong. As Afghanistan dragged on, I do not think the same thing happened. I do not think that our Nation came out stronger, especially after we invaded Iraq and the search for weapons of mass destruction. I believe we came out of all of this divided like we have never been since the Civil War.
The Civil War had a clear fight between the United States of America and the Confederate States of America. The results of that war ended with the United States defeating the Confederate States. That division still is in the hearts of many today and I think that we are in a similar place today with the division of Americans at each other’s throats.
Unfortunately, our Military and the VA is caught up in the fight and suffer. Think of this in the lens of a veteran that has served, gets out and then is denied benefits for a service-connected disability. Amazing that it takes over 50 years plus to address some of our issues. Of course, some of us are dead or in such a condition that we are shunned in our own neighborhoods by some of our other citizens that look at us and see the ragged clothes and not the warrior that served to keep them free.
Our Congress is the same way, not looking at the core of our problem but looking at a way that will look like they care. They pass the Pact Act and wonder why some of us are bitter, at the same time we appreciate that many of us will now get the care we need.
The division in our Nation and the fact that our youth, in general, are more informed because of the digital age as to the treatment of our troops when they come home. You add that together with the statement from our Department of Defense saying that over 70% of our youth are ineligible due to physical and mental health problems, fat and using drugs.
Yes, it makes a difference how we treat our military and, in my articles, titled ‘Less Than 1% is Serving” and “ My Personal Experiences” I go into more of what is happening on the ground.
You might wonder how we might solve these issues and the answer is quite simple. We elect more people that actually think, and represent us, not a ‘lock-step’ diehard. We get back to the basics of listening and learn that compromise is not a four-letter word. We treat our military and those that come back with full support if we are going to continue. We are the world’s most dominant economic and military power. That means we need to have our priorities in order, and to do that we need to stop the partisan divide and concentrate on the simple solution, listening.
Listening to our veterans is core, because without our military we will not be the greatest and without Congress getting its act together in governing finding recruits to volunteer and serve will be a moot point. Following up on my article the other day regarding my treatment applying for benefits. Yes, I was denied benefits for the injury sustained in Vietnam and have suffered since then. When I requested them to show me the paperwork of my getting turned down, they came up with very little… they said I was turned down in 1970 the same month I was discharged. Yep, they then reopened my case and I am sure will find a way to wait me out… I believe that while most find the system to be accommodating there are some of us that are treated like muck, and because of that, our government wonders why they can’t get volunteers to sign up and serve!
New Year is coming and I can not help to wonder where some of our troops are right now, knowing that they will not be home with their family. Might even find out that maybe in defending and serving our Nation they might be wounded or killed while we are here in the comfort of our homes.
Yes, how we treat our veterans when they come back, if they come back, should be a top priority. Our vote at the ballet box might make a difference!!!
“Bad officials are elected by good citizens who don’t vote.” George Nathan (magazine editor).
Congress Might Learn from a Local Incarcerated Veteran…
Dec 17th, 2023 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
I believe some in Congress are working to destroy our military and our Nation. I do hope that those that stand on their own two feet will have the guts to stand-up to the few that are destroying what we have as a Country that still is the greatest in the world. When the few that are causing this disruption think they are going to lose some votes, or power, they give and fold on their moral fight. They don’t even have the guts to follow through. I believe that if Tuberville really had resolve, he would be fighting hard for what he was paid to do. He would be serving our Nation and fighting for our rights, not taking them away. He caved recently on part of his stand, but I think that no one person should be able to put our Nation’s military at risk of having a negative impact on our readiness. It is going to take a long time to unwind from this one. Congress is in turmoil and ‘We the People’ are sitting on our hands letting many of our elected officials make a mockery of our constitution, laws and we sit back and play partisan politics with our freedoms.
So, with Congress in turmoil and the system bonkers I would say that one saving grace to all of this is the fact that the Boise VA, Caldwell Clinic and most the folks that I have come in contact with on the front lines of health services through the VA have been top in their field and probably some of the best in our Nation serving our local veterans’ health needs. I do not hold all of the VA or many in Congress to that high esteem. The Western Treasure Valley and the veterans that live here are fortunate to be close to one of the best Health Systems for our veterans, that also is without total agreement by many. Unfortunately, a few of us have suffered from poor experiences. The system is big, and that in itself makes it very difficult to manage and that always leaves room for errors. That is why I right this column and why I write about my personal experiences, because if more citizens know how each of us are treated while we are in the service and our treatment after our service then we just might get the legislature to fix what is broken and know what is working. It makes sense that with the backbone of our Nation, our military, is not cared for then all the rest is moot.
A few weeks ago, I went to a Christmas parade here in Ontario and noticed that as the parade passed by my mind wandered to a Christmas tree that we put together in Vietnam. We had shell casings, barbed wire, empty cans of food, we also hung some electrical wire and some pieces of things we found around the hootch. We drank 33Beer and I still remember thinking that the rumors of it containing formaldehyde were true, the taste was that bad, but it did the trick. Still, I had it much better than most of the troops in ‘Nam, I was Air Force.
I was up visiting with some of the Adults in Custody at the Snake River Correctional Facility. Talking with an incarcerated Army veteran about his getting out in about 10 months and he mentioned his game-plan: “of finding something much greater than himself to support so that he might live up to his greatest potential”. Seems like I heard that before and is part of my own philosophy of a good life. It certainly worked for me and I know that with an attitude like that he will make on the outside, just fine. I think if his words were to be heard in Congress, maybe our elected officials might learn something from this man that had many years under his belt to think and ponder the meaning of life itself.
By the way that event, SRCI Presents: Senior Holiday Luncheon at the prison was sponsored by the Incarcerated Veterans Association headed up by its President Steven Hyppolite and members, they also gave a short presentation by video. The event would not have been possible without the SRCI Food Service Managers and staff, SRCI Senior Luncheon Planning Committee, SRCM AIC Volunteers: Kitchen, Ushers, Servers, Clean-up, Photographers, SRCI Staff Choir and the SRCM AIC Choir. I thank Superintendent Jamie Miller for making this happen!
“…jail is not cool. Education is.” Ja Rule.
Less Than 1% Are Serving...
December 3rd, 2023 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
Worth repeating this Holiday Season: Don’t coddle us. Understand the terrors and the sacrifices that some have made so we are able to live in peace.
You would think that with so few of us around it would be easy for our Nation to give us the respect and the tools to take care of ourselves after we have served. Yep! You would think that would be a priority?
What I see is a Country that has looked at our military with an eye for cutting costs, budget cuts and using us for pawns in a political arena of clowns and chaos.
You might think I am bitter? I am: because I live the system that our Congress and the VA has carved out of all their fenagling and what we end up with is a mess for some of us. Trying to pinpoint a place to go that would answer my questions or make the process easy to maneuver is somewhat of a challenge in the best of times. Dealing with an ‘Over Burdened Bureaucracy’ is just overwhelming at any time!
Unfortunately, both of these organizations are sluggish and with the top-down power structure and fraught with rules that some of the very folks within the system are crushed. Initiative certainly seems like a liability in Congress and the VA and we all deserve better. Having served in the Air Force, the only mechanism that might pull these organizations out of the tailspin they are in is to pull their heads out first and just maybe they might be able to fly right and soar above the muck!!
I was in the DAV office at the VA campus in Boise the other day sitting next to a wounded warrior that had lost his legs. His attitude was upbeat and had a smile that was infectious. We got to talking and learned that he was there on a mission of getting benefits that were turned down repeatedly over the years for health problems that he sustained in Vietnam over 50 years ago. I was also there for a health problem sustained in Vietnam and we compared notes. Amazing that after all these years both of us still were able to smile and patiently fill out the same forms, answer the same questions repeatedly that the bureaucracy asks, information they already have, probably thinking that we both will be dead or give up trying and they will then say, we did our best.
I am pleased that I have served our Nation and will do it again in a heartbeat, if needed. That does not mean I will take the crap that is given to me to endure when navigating the VA and roll over. What I ask is for every veteran to be cared for if they need care or receive benefits that we have earned without the red tape.
The military has changed throughout the years taking on more responsibility than ever before and we are doing more with less. Without us our Nation would fall. We are the core that keeps watch when the 99% of the population that are not serving, is sleeping in peace.
Most don’t get the fact that when you serve you join a unique group of folks that understand that ‘FREEDOM’ is a costly endeavor that, in some cases, destroys the body and mind and is a price paid to keep our Nation whole.
I was riding in a parade the other day on a float and other veterans were throwing candy to the children in this parade that was to honor our veterans. I thought that the candy being thrown by the veterans to the civilians was backwards! Shouldn’t the children and civilians be throwing candy to us. We are the ones that deserve the sweets for serving! Just a thought.
If you happen to know of a disabled veteran that lives in your neighborhood, why not help with raking some leaves or shoveling their driveway if covered in snow? Support a military family or/and veteran by volunteering at one of the support organizations that help veterans. Why not bake a pie and bring it over to a neighbor-veteran or into an organization that supports veterans so they might share. If you have a business, host a lunch for all your veterans and recognize their service to your company and country. If you quilt, you know the smiles on the face of a veteran that you give it to.
Honoring the veteran and service-members in our community is a good thing to do for your soul and heart. Give it a try.
“The patriot’s blood is the seed of Freedom’s tree.” Thomas Campbell (Scottish poet, lyricist and balladist)
My Personal Experience
November 19th, 2023 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
I share with you today my experience that occurs all to often in applying for benefits for service-connected injuries.
You would think that the military would have at its fingertips all the records and would be calling me up to let me know that I would have some benefits coming to me for injuries sustained. I certainly would think that even though I was not a combat, boots on the ground grunt, I would think that the VA system would think, of me as a person that deserved all that I would be entitled to without me having to prove I was still in pain. That is not the case and what actually happened is after 50 years of varying degrees of pain I thought I would see if the VA would compensate me a little for suffering all these years.
They never called me to let me know if I might be able to get additional benefits, but found out that I needed to fill out forms describing when I was injured, the surgery that occurred in the service, then prove to them that I deserve benefits. I thought that my military records from Vietnam would be proof enough. Clearly that would not be enough. The VA sent me a nice letter letting me know that I would have to appear before a third party contracted by the VA to be interrogated and drilled with questions. Do you know how demeaning and small a person feels knowing that your future benefits are in the hands of a person that you will have seen this one time? Cold and humiliating and whether or not I get these benefits is not the point of this column. The purpose is to let the civilian population know that all service members that serve need to know that they are respected for their service and should be treated with total dignity and not put through a ringer. My contact at this meeting mentioned that his questions and this meeting would be an examination of the records that I have submitted to the VA and that no other records that I brought with me would be reviewed and he would not be able to accept any that I brought with me.
The interview started with him not being able to access any of my records, he was having trouble with his computer. He never had access to any of my records during the whole time and eventually looked at some of my records that I brought with me regarding recent physical therapy and took some notes off of them, then handed them back. Not once did he have access to my records, so we never discussed my records, not once and the main purpose of the meeting was not accomplished, sorry state of affairs.
I am sure the person that interviewed me thought the respect was shown, the courtesies given and the questions were righteous. I am also sure his report will show all the ‘t’s crossed and ‘i’s’ dotted. The numbers will probably appear what a great job this company is doing to help whittle the claim numbers down. The statistics will look great. The reality of the process and my experience will be hidden from view.
I am sure that the VA will be able to pat itself on the back and say it has done what’s right for our military members. The Congress can say that they also have helped our veterans. A ‘great job all the way around’. Yep, everyone is pleased except the veteran that has served our Country (me). I have to jump through hoops (making sure I follow all the rules) to beg for benefits in a system that is made up of folks that don’t have to follow their own policies. I wondered why some of our veterans had a bitter taste in their mouths. Now I know why they don’t want to reapply for benefits. I understand first-hand, the consternation, sweat blood and tears of a system that does not work as smoothly as one would think.
My care at the Boise/Caldwell VA Health Care System is a much different matter than my experience in my applying for these benefits. In that system they have treated me with respect, professionalism and made me feel like I was a very important person, and my health care has been excellent. The VA is not all bad.
What I am pointing out today is the system that has places in it that need fixing.
“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.” George Washington.
Help for Suicide, Homelessness and Hunger…Today!
November 5th, 2023, Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
Everyday some of our veterans their families and others in our community are facing a food crisis, being homeless or contemplating suicide or some other issue. Help is everywhere and also nowhere. The mental state of the person in crisis is, at times to the point that rational thinking is not at the forefront of their minds. That is where you come in. Each of us has the ability to help. You just have to take the effort to open your eyes or take the time to listen. Too busy? Yep, there are organizations that can help those people in need. The government has money, and you are much too busy spending a few minutes of the day when you’re tired and just want to watch your favorite TV program. You worked hard all day and you deserve a well-deserved break. The reasons for not helping are vast and some are righteous. Folks in need generally grasp why you don’t want to help. Some will suffer on the streets, maybe kill themselves or the child in need of food might go hungry for the night.
All the numbers to call for help are advertised. All this help out there and you wonder why folks are still in need? Did you ever think that, just maybe if you stopped and listened to your neighbor, or coworker or even the person in front of you at the check out line that looked a little distraught and maybe just needed a smile. You might be able to help in a small way if you would take a little time in your day to listen to a story.
I listened to a story the other day that was from a veteran that came back from deployment, he was with the National Guard and when he came back, he was not able to confide in his wife (she was too busy) about his experience of horror that he could not get out of his mind. He had trouble playing with his kids and he was being torn apart with guilt of coming back and others that did not. I listened and then we made a call to the hotline that I pulled up on the front page of www.veteranadvocates.org . I had forgotten the new number but remembered really quick when I saw it!!! It is ‘988’ and then press ‘1’ for the veteran crisis line. I don’t know how far this veteran might go with the help available but I do know that he might have a chance now that he has a place to start. I didn’t do much but listen and make a little suggestion. He will take it from here. Each of us have the ability to help with some very serious problems if we took the time. Please take a little time. Please.
Our Federal Government including Congress, the Department of Defense, the Department of Veteran Affairs and all the agencies with impressive sounding names have programs to help with suicides, homeless and even hunger but none of these will really work unless the entire community is on board. The vital part of helping each other comes down to each of us doing a little something. So, if one of us drops the ball and doesn’t do their fair share then others have to do more.
I believe the sobering numbers of folks that need help are there because of the fact that others that might be helping are much too busy to be involved.
We have come a long way in understanding how to help each other, now we just have to put into practice the power of each of us contributing to the strength of the whole. Amazing the power of numbers!
Our community has the power to stamp out hunger, suicide and homelessness and be an inspiration for others. Maybe my thought process might be too bold right now. If we wait for the right time it will never come with all the stars aligned in perfect harmony. So, today is a good day to start. What do you think?
Yes, each of us have the power, so the next time a hand is offered, wouldn’t it be better with others helping to make the load lighter? Sure, makes sense to me.
“Heroes didn’t leap tall buildings or stop bullets with an outstretched hand; they didn’t wear boots and capes. They bled, and they bruised, and their superpowers were as simple as listening, or loving. Heroes were ordinary people who knew that even if their own lives were impossibly knotted, they could untangle someone else’s. And maybe that one act could lead someone to rescue you right back.” Jodi Picoult (American author).
The Draft: Three Stories, One Nation.
October 22nd, 2023 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
Throughout the years I had the opportunity to interview some interesting individuals. Some have made the decision that military service was not for them. Here are two that decided the Vietnam War draft was not their cup of tea and what they thought of that decision today. My interest in talking with them was to find out how they perceived the Vietnam War and how they perceive things now and did they think they made a mistake.
These folks were called everything from conscientious objector, conchie, peacenik, nonviolent, war-hater, draft dodger: depending on the intent on the person using words to describe the person that decided they would not serve.
1st interviewed- now 82 years old, a husband, father & grandfather. No longer working living on SS and a meager savings - still does not own his home but will in 3 years.
One of his biggest regrets for escaping the draft is not being able to be the son his parents could respect & rely upon, for he feels that decision turned his life into only a fraction of what it could have been.
Having to constantly be in an undercover/underground situation depleted his incentive to educate and enhance himself, totally depleted his earning potential and erased his longing to become a husband and raise a family.
It wasn’t until the onset of middle age and falling in love with a very strong wife that his life started to become meaningful, productive and worth building a future for. In this realization he saw his error, well here is his quote: “I realized the importance of living free in a country that offered and afforded free choice and respect of democratic principles. This helped me to recover some dignity and raise a family built upon love, dignity, education and respect for others.”
“Can’t undo the decision I made early in life but maybe others could learn from my recklessness and my uneducated thoughts”.
The second interview I would like to share is a man 79 years old, a family man with many children & grandchildren. Presently retired from 20 years with one company. Did well later in life investing in Equities and real estate and is living very well with retirement, social security and investments.
Put all his children through college though a few had Academic Scholarships.
Through this day today he believes he did the right thing in not only evading the draft, but demonstrating and organizing events against sending anybody to war. He believes also to this day that hundreds of millions of people in the world are also against people fighting in wars. He points to not only the lives and livelihoods that have been destroyed and/or lost, but to the poor, broken and unresolved outcomes wars have spawned.
I certainly have partaken in some interesting conversations over the years with folks that decided that the military was not for them, even when Uncle Sam called their number. During the Vietnam War era, from 1964- 1973, 2.2 million American men were called to serve. Some that got that call decided to seek a deferment of some type or just not show up and leave town. However, they decided back then, their future was changed.
Today I write about two men that did not serve and they both ended up with interesting stories and what they think now. I am sure you might know of someone that avoided the draft and the stories might also have some interesting twists to them.
The military draft ended 50 years ago and it divided a generation. Today our Nation is again divided. Amazing: most of us managed to live in a type of harmony for many years, we then disagree in a violent way that tears the core, soul and very democracy of our Nation.
This last story is about the last Active Duty, enlisted draftee retiring. I did not interview him but gathered his story from the website of www.veteranadvocates.org. Command Sargent-Major Jeffrey Mellinger was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1972, during the Nixon/Vietnam era. He was, according to the Army records was the last draftee remaining on active duty without a break in service after serving for nearly forty years.
Mellinger said on his retirement: “he could not think of any work that could be more personally satisifing on a daily basis then serving our Nation”.
His awards are too numinous to list here but during his service, he received a Defense Superior Medal, two Legions of Merit, Bronze Star Medal with Valor, eight Meritorious Service Medals and many other campaign and service metals.
Today he also volunteers with the nonprofit Veteran organizations House of Heroes and Warrior Outreach.
“Freedom is never free.” Anonymous.
No Taxpayer Money Involved…
October 8th, 2023 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
I would find it amusing if it were not so sad that some in our community don’t understand that the food that we are handing out to feed our veterans is coming from donations right here in our community. We do not get help from the Federal Government in our food program and we are not taking tax dollars to help veterans in need or their families. I almost fell on the floor the other day when I was approached by one of our local citizens telling me how much it is costing our government to feed our local veterans and their families in need. They actually thought that our Federal Government is the support for local food programs and it is easy for our veterans to get help. I am here to tell you that without local assistance we would see many of our veterans and their families struggle to make ends meet each month.
Many of our veterans don’t qualify for SNAP (food stamps) for whatever reason and I am not here to dig into the veterans’ head or question why they don’t get SNAP. What I am here to do is help a veteran that is asking for assistance.
When we hand out bags of food that will feed children of our veteran families the look on the faces of the parents is priceless. Yes, we hand out food for adults, but it is the kids that really touch the heart. Of course, when a National Guard person is helped or a veteran comes in hurting for food our hearts are also affected. Yes, we hand out foodstuffs for families that are not connected to the military when the need is recognized. Some are refuges or immigrants here from different Nations at war. I was talking with one of those families and the husband was helping with interpretation for our military in one of the war zones. They are here in our community because the family feared for their lives back home after the US pulled out of his town and he then knew that staying there would not be a healthy choice for him and his family. They did not want me to use their names or Country they are from; they just needed a little food to help them out. Good people, working at low paying jobs trying to make ends meet. Each of the families have a story and some in need are living next to you in our community. Some have been your neighbors for years and are struggling to make mortgage payments, electric bills, insurance, etc. and they just need a little help to get them through a tough time.
The folks that fly off the handle with ‘facts’ that are far from the truth do such a disservice to our community and should make an effort to actually get the real story before opening their mouths.
I am sure I am not alone to say that I have run with something that was not correct. Yes, there are times, but we should all have the sense to correct that misstatement of facts.
I hope that the information about how some of food pantries in the area operate getting local assistance and where the food is going helps some understand that it is truly a homegrown effort of folks assisting each other and not the over reach of big government.
Now I want to address an issue about our elected officials. Do you think that some of our elected officials are unbending. I believe that there are some that seem to fall under that definition of being inflexible. Do you think that this is a good thing for our Nation? Since decisions of our welfare are at stake, I would think we would want someone that would
be flexible and take the path that would interact with our nation’s safety and betterment. I certainly would not want a person that was inflexible to be representing me. Doing the right thing might mean sacrificing their own short-term interests to benefit society. I would want an official that has a flexible mind that has our nation, military, community and each of us in focus and the wisdom to use all the knowledge he/she has and have the wisdom and guts to make decisions that are not on party lines but are the right thing to do.
I thought both parts of this column were timely to consider today.
“Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom.” Charles Spurgeon.
Revisiting ‘Restrepo’…
September 24th, 2023 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
One platoon, one valley, one year. Not that long ago one of our own deployed to Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley. Sgt. Joshua Brennan (2nd Battalion, 503rdAirborne Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Combat Team) was only one of an elite group that fought in the Korengal Valley. Our government (we) sent Josh and others to fight for the USA and this documentary (Restrepo) is a description of what happened and the death of PFC Juan Sebastián Restrepo, the platoon medic who was killed in action and the other men that died, fought and why we need to remember each one that we deployed. It makes no difference whether you agreed with the war or not, your vote, or your lack of a vote at the ballet box made the difference as to who is pulling the strings of our men/women that are part of our military.
The film starts off with describing the beginning of a 15-month deployment of the men of the Second Platoon, Battle Company in the Korengal Valley of Eastern Afghanistan. It could have been about a place in Vietnam, Europe, Africa, Asia or any other place we have sent our men/women to fight for us. This particular story is about the men involved in Operation Rock Avalanche. If you don’t see any other movie or you’re not a fan of the big screen please force yourself to watch this one because, if you are of voting age, you are partially responsible for what our government does and did back a few years ago.
Our Congress, our administration and the ones we send to represent us are responsible for what happened. Most of us here at home, in the Western Treasure Valley are cooking dinner, enjoying family, splashing in the pool and generally oblivious to the horrors that our military endures, each and every day. We are arguing about our differences of the political party we are in or issues that keep us divided. We drop the ball on the core of our Nation that keeps us free: our Military. I submit to you my take on what is an example of disrespect of our military: U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville is single handily holding up military promotions and, in my opinion, putting our military preparedness at risk. Why are the rest of Congress (including some of our own) not standing up and screaming. My opinion is: no guts and no brains. Our military should NOT be used as pawns for other issues.
Now getting back to this documentary and its importance: it brings home why veteran support organizations are a significant part of what each of us should support. I know that when you are tending your gardens you are not thinking about what our military is doing at that moment, but think about what you would be doing if they were not doing it?! They are watching our backs, right now. The least we can do is to support them and care for them when they need support.
Joshua was killed in a Taliban ambush in the Korengal Valley (one of the deadliest places on earth- at that time). Joshua was only 22 and he was the team leader and was from Ontario. His team was ambushed by the Taliban on the final day of Operation Rock Avalanche. Spc. Hugo V. Mendoza was killed and later Brennan died of his wounds. Staff Sgt Salvatore Giunta was awarded the Medal of Honor for his recognition of acts above and beyond the call of duty for that day and all of the men deserve our respect. We all need to take a look at our government and make sure the priorities are in the right order.
Yes, Sgt. Joshua Brennan fought for us and died doing what he loved. I remember when he came home one time and asked if our community really cared about those deployed? Many in our community stepped up to the plate and started to send packages of goodies and started a real effort to show that support for our troops deployed. We even sent pencils and pens so that our troops deployed could give them out to the school children in the villages. That helped gain the support of some of the Afghanistan people and our warriors received information that in a few cases saved the lives of our troops. Amazing what kindness can do, even in a war.
Think about our Military and the many operations that our military have preformed and the men/women in our community that have fought in those many campaigns for us. Then go back to your garden and pray that we do not forget about why you need to remember that “Freedom is Not Free”.
“Better to die on one’s feet than to live on one’s knees.” Jean Paul Sartre (existentialist and philosopher).
Reflections of: “We the People”
Sept 10th, 2023 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
I was reading our Constitution the other day and reflected on “We the People” and thought that it is applicable to my column today in how we might bring us together “to form a more perfect Union”.
I have come to the conclusion that being emotionally unstable and disposed to violence are traits that are not related to serving in the military. These two traits have been in the public sector long before our men and women serve our Country. I am convinced that our United States Legislature in Washington D.C. is a perfect example of what our civilian population is, because these folks have been elected by us, and they are sent there to represent us. They represent us and our values. I would think that we might all take a serious look at our civilian population and its mental state.
I got off on this subject because of a lady that came up to me in Fruitland the other day and mentioned that she thought that because of the fact that we have sent so many young men and women to join the military we have more violence in our community. I was really shocked at her total ignorance of the world around her. This is a disconnect of the real truth and folks believing the crap on the different social networks and in the talk among folks that have their head in the sand. I mentioned to her that what we would see from the many that enlist in the services and come home would be a patriotic, well-organized, loyal, industrious, independent thinker that will bring our community to a better place for our children to grow up in.
I think from a young age we are taught all of these individualities including those of tolerance, love, hate and all the other peculiarities that make us what we are as adults.
I know for a fact that those that have not served in our military have a huge disadvantage of not being able to see the results first hand of the power of the most powerful military force on earth. The culture, values and people that make up this force might be the salvation of bringing back the health and backbone of our nation. As our military members come back and assimilate back into society and some of them run for office and are elected to our legislature and take positions of power in civilian life, I think we will see duty, service, honor, integrity and courage start to bring a new beginning to our nation.
Our military people, while demographically, geologically and even ethnically diverse, all share common sets of core values that transcends any differences they might have had when they were civilians. With few exceptions, our men and women that have served are more prepared to heal the wounds of division we are seeing. Our politics and its divisions and the boots on the ground civilians are taking rigid and inflexible stands that are tearing us apart and dividing our nation.
The rot that is eating away at the internal structure of the core of our United States of America is something that will be stopped because ‘we the people’ will take our rightful place as the power of what is still the greatest nation on earth. I truly believe that we are NOT as divided as it appears in the news. I believe that the perception that we are so different from each other is what the drum is constantly beating on social media, news stations and political parties. If we stop the storylines of a divided country, maybe that would be a big step in uniting us, just like on the battlefield when ethnicity, race, or any other differences are moot, we are all comrades. Cohesion is key to winning the wars we fight and it will be what brings us together, again.
With all of this said, because of all the new battlefield medical care and type of wars we are engaged in, less of us are getting outright killed and more that would have died from combat wounds are coming back suffering from physical wounds like amputations, burns, chemical toxins given with emotional injuries that are complex and difficult for our civilian legislatures to understand or take the time to care, in some cases. We are capable of saving our nation of the division we have but we still must fight tooth and nail for the help we need for the men/women that are coming back scared from war.
“We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution.” Abraham Lincoln.
Saved By A Pie
August 27th, 2023 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
I wrote about this a while back and thought that it should be addressed again with a new light.
I was at the Ontario Farmers Market the other day and got into a discussion with some old veterans and others that had such differing opinions about who was a patriot and who was not. The discussion got heated when Kaepernick’s name came up and the rioters at the US Capitol on January 6th. I think that there was going to be a miniature riot right there in the park when the voices started to raise. I was pleased that one on the wives came around just about when things got a little irritable and broke the tension with a pie she bought and was talking about the pastries that we should all think about before we left. The group then started to disperse and, I think that they were glad to have a reason to move on! Yes, patriot has different meaning and emotions for each of us. We each determine what a patriot is and just like my idea of a patriot is not necessarily the same as yours.
I think I mentioned this before but worth another mention: I met John McCain at an American Legion convention many years back in 2008, I knew that he minced no words and that his patriotism was unwavering. I thought he did not confuse patriotism and use it to march in lockstep with a particular group or agenda. McCain embraced patriotism as a character trait that he had from within and not something that he used because it was a showplace. That was my opinion of when I first met the man and it never changed even today long past his death.
I bring up patriotism because when I see folks saying they are patriots and using it as a symbol to hide behind good intentions and then corrupting them to do harm to our community and Nation, that certainly puts a different definition on Patriotism rather that the traditional meaning . Being a patriot identifies a person’s inner soul and or a political statement that might embrace or repulse you.
The definition in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is: one who loves and supports his or her country. Obviously, that meaning has been challenged by many in our community and throughout our Nation. For me it still means what it means and I guess all the adaptations to the original meaning is for others to interpret. I wonder if in our schools whether private, public or home schooling if they all agree to teach the word or what meaning is used?
What vision of patriotism will you choose? What will the future be for our Country if everyone sees patriots in a different light? What do you think our Nation will look like if we continue on our separate paths? Or, will we pull together and continue to be the greatest nation in the world?
Do you think that this foul pomposity from some of our politicians reflect the thoughts of most Americans? I would think that most patriots would allow criticism and different opinions without destroying the core of our Nation.
We can blame others that we don’t agree with for the ills of our Nation and this does nothing to solve issues like terrorism, poverty, hunger, housing, pollution, abortion, education, our power grid or our boarders. Or we can sit down and work out a solution to these issues and make for a better place to call home.
The Western Treasure Valley holds the answer to all these issues and we can help our Nation and the World see the solutions. If our community can work together with the broad diversity that we have here and have resolutions then we might be able to convince others of this path to world peace. I have hope.
This concern is important for our military because riots, shootings, some natural disasters, wars and conflicts are mostly a result of some dispute that a couple of folks disagree on. Then the match is lit and the fire manages to get out of hand. In some cases, a line in the sand is drawn with folks that profess to be understanding. As I started this column my discussion was about patriotism and ended about problems and I do not see that I got off subject, at all. One needs to co-mingle both and the answers for one might solve the questions of the other. Think about it: maybe with a little maturity the answers will appear.
“Saying you are a patriot does not make you one; wearing a flag pin does not in itself mean anything at all.” Viggo Mortensen (American Actor).
Local Child Hunger…
August 13th, 2023 Veterans Corner by Ronald Verini
I am saddened by the tremendous inhumanity and disregard some of our children in our community experience, especially with hunger. We give food to many in our community and part of that help that hits me hard are the children that are affected. Money is always needed for food pantry items that are healthy and fresh but are not donated by regular sources. Volunteers are essential to make sure we and others that support this mission continue. The base of our help goes to our veterans and their families but some support goes to other civilians that show up needing assistance. VAOI is only one of many organizations in this fight. There are several here locally, seek them out and help. Listen to your conscience and assist those in our community that are truly in need. I am not asking anyone to help those that are capable of helping themselves… there is a distinction.
I am fatigued talking with people saying things like: It’s not my kid or not my problem or let the parents take care of them. Well, I am here to tell you these kids are the ones we need to care about now, or we pay for it in the future…. These kids today that are hungry are going to cost much more in the future when these children are less likely to concentrate in school or even worse yet they drop out. What kind of community will we have when they grow up with health problems because of lack of nourishment, or their educational level is one that does not provide them skills to land a good job, or their brains don’t develop and they end up with social skills that no community welcomes. Yes, we will pay for not providing the help these kids need today. Think about the drop outs from school or the kids hustling on the streets to make ends meet.
The political party you are in has no bearing on this local problem. I am not asking government to take taxpayer money to solve this, it would be nice but I think we can do it here without a lot of bureaucracy. I am asking each of us in our own community to do more for a local kid that is hungry and has needs.
I am not making excuses for the parents that can’t or will not provide. I do think that kids that are hungry are more likely to be exposed to elements in our community that might be less than honorable.
I would much prefer to have healthy kids with families that are able to care for them, going to school learning and playing and not having a care in the world.
Where do you think teenagers go in Ontario or the surrounding area when not in school if that kid comes from a broken home, or a poor home or no home? Possibility of a new Youth Center that is being spearheaded by Community in Action to be located at the old Aquatic Center (Ontario), won’t that be nice? Also, where do they get good nutritional food if the family is a working poor family? How about a military family that has one with severe PTSD or injury and cannot work and the responsibility is placed on the other spouse, if they are even around. We have folks that show up that are struggling and are good people that need help. I know that we have many different services in our area that provide help with food benefits such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – SNAP. We also have many food banks in the area that provide food and church’s that do the same and we still have hungry kids. Amazing that I have found that all of these place’s help keep the problem from expanding at a greater rate than it is but the fact remains some kids are still not getting the food they need.
My passion is making sure our veterans and their families get assistance they need and I thought that mentioning this issue of hunger for kids might bring to light one of the challenges that many veteran support organizations run into from time to time. Find your passion and help with whatever it takes to make our community a better place for all and you will be rewarded with the “warm radiance” of gratification that makes you feel good and ends up making our community a vibrant and healthy place to live. Looking at our community through the lens of compassion for our youth and those less fortunate might surprise even the most skeptical of the positive results of such actions.
“If you cannot feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” Mary Teresa Bojaxhiu ( founder of ‘Missionaries of Charity’ better known as Mother Teresa)....
I Have Again Offended a Few Snowflakes!
July 30th, 2023 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
Amazing that when I write my column, from time to time, I get emails and phone calls that are usually anonymous by someone offended by some comment I have made about war, killing, life, the Legislature, Administration or something else that they dislike. I enjoy the fact that they are taking the time reading my column and then the effort to make their thoughts known.
Having served in the military and here in our community as Mayor I certainly am not a delicate person easily hurt by words. Some of us are just a little too sensitive and might be hurting themselves mentally and physically by especially hiding behind a party agenda.
I rip the Legislature, Administration, social norms, war and the laziness of those in our community and Nation that are willing to let our great country be controlled by folks that would have our veterans take second best. Money is at the core but along comes morality, guilt, fear, and even jealousy comes into the equation when I hear that “Why should a veteran get that care when I can’t get it?” I don’t know about you but the behavior of some around us can be very damaging to the very core of our Nation.
I write about the care we get and the care that we are fighting to get, and that brings out those in our community that are waving our flag and sending off to Congress those folks that follow a different path of patriotism from what our founding fathers would have thought.
I started this because of Patsy, she is part of a group of veterans and family members that meet at TVCC under the tutelage of Michael Braden and headed up by Andrea Testi of the Small Business Development Center. Patsy is one to not mince her words and speak her mind and when she sees wrong, she identifies it with vigor with colorful locutions like “snowflakes”. There are others in the group that also express themselves with such color and vigor that might sit a person down and think. The Veteran Small Business Management group brings to the table business and life changing ideas that help each other make it in the society we have today. You might consider joining the discussions that are educational, alarming, to the point and not for the faint of heart. Facts are sometimes hard to bear when learning about your business practice and life itself. It is hard for some veterans to hear what is needed to assimilate into the civilian world. I don’t always agree with someone’s idea of the truth but relish the idea that truth is not cut in stone.
I do find that the World today has taken on a very interesting understanding of what the facts are and what is processed to be truth. I am sure that the people that we elect to do the right thing are convinced that their truth are the real facts and the other side of the issue is bunk. That is the point that I am making today. Truth to one is not always understanding the facts and coming to a conclusion that veterans’ health is important for our Nation. It might be important for the veteran to live or die, get help or not get the help needed. So, what I am saying is the fact that we send our men/women to war and they come back, in some cases, broken, is the truth. The logical conclusion being we , as a country, have caused the problem for the veteran, thus we need to fix the veterans problem. The truth of the matter are the facts behind the conclusion. Simple to me but those that want to grandstand and make a big deal out of the money spent or any other reason not to care for our wounds, then please come up with what they consider the truth and what they consider the right thing to do.
I say the facts of war are concrete realities and no amount of reasoning will change the fact that veterans deserve the best of care before any other program is funded. That is a fact and truth or we would not have a Nation at all to bicker about all the other money that needs the attention of our elected officials.
I believe my path to these solutions is right and other ways might also be right, so dialogue is important and an open mind is necessary. But some are plain wrong!
“The fact that a great many people believe something is no guarantee of its truth.” W. Somerset Maugham ( British Secret Service, English Playwright- 1897-1964).
Military Suicides and Congress
July 16th, 2023 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
If you are military and contemplating suicide and young you are not alone in that thought.
In March alone the suicide hotline has received over 88,000 cries for help. The Department of Defense announced that we had 7,057 of our military die during military operations since 9/11. We had over 30,000 service members of the post-9/11 wars dying by suicide. The highest rates among the 18- to 34-year-olds.
Do you think we are on the right track? Do you think that the all-volunteer military force is the answer? Do you think that Congress knows what they are doing? Do you have confidence in the VA? Do you really care? Is our Nation prepared and understand the new wars that are springing up? Who is leading our warriors? Do any of our Commanders in Chief have a real handle on our military? It did not take a year or two to get here, it took many years and under many Commanders in Chief’s and many of our different political parties’ agendas and policies getting us to this place.
It ain’t a pretty picture and for all the years that I have been writing this column I receive very little input from our elected officials. I have reached out and offered my opinions from time to time and have always received very polite responses back. They send out news reports of what they are doing and the reports all sound great.
They have folks working for them helping veterans that call, and they do a great job helping individual veterans, for the most part.
Our elected officials have a tough job of constantly having to identify themselves as loyal party members. I believe most officials have less time representing us because of party politics. They ask us questions, and seem genuinely interested, then mostly follow party lines. Some of our elected officials work hard trying to do the right thing for our military and veterans from time to time. We have two Senators and six Representatives in a field of 435 voting Representatives and 100 members of the Senate. I think that turning this big ship around is a monumental job and will take both parties working together. Out of a Nation of 334,000,000 you would think that they would find a way to work together, willing to listen and act in the best interest of all the folks they represent? Do you really think that these members of Congress are working to fund solutions of the suicides of us in the military, in mind? I am hopeful that humanness, compassion, principle and courage will rear its head in Congress regarding military suicides.
I seem to have more questions than answers, maybe it is because I look at what we have as an all-volunteer force and I see the number of qualified getting smaller and of that number many that are qualified are not willing to serve. Kids lack of pride and the fact that they have few mentors that have served to guide them. Or the mentors that did serve were treated poorly when they got out. On top of all that, with an all-volunteer force we are competing with the private sector.
Crazy to think that pay is the way we are choosing to fix a problem that conscripting (the draft) might fix and we would be a healthier Nation at the same time. Or we can wait, close our eyes, and hope. As a side note: I sit on the local Selective Service Board and I hope to use my skills, some day.
Our suicides are getting worse and Congress is bickering. Some times I think that when our elected officials set foot in Washington D.C they enter a zone that is not based in reality. Mark Twain said it best: “When Congress is in session no American is safe.” Especially when the crazies have such loud voices and are not always the smartest in the room. We need more backbone, lively debate, not always agreeing but finding more ways of working together.
You might think I am bitter and you would read that right. I have seen the aftermath of a veteran suicide and it is not a sight you forget. Families and loved ones destroyed. How can I expect Congress to think about our military and veteran care when Congress has gone from 75/80% members that have served to 17/18% today? I don’t expect them to think about us, I demand them to think about us. This column is only one small voice. Your opinion is an important part of the solution, please make it heard.
“You can lead a man to Congress, but you can’t make him think.” Milton Berle, (comedian and actor).
Light and Dark Stories of War
July 2nd, 2023 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
Some of the darkest and most unsettling of stories are never told. I was talking with a veteran the other day when he came into VAOI and sat at our table for coffee, he pulled me aside and asked to talk in private. It was a Sunday and I just happen to be there and he knew that we were closed but needed to just talk. We had no coffee made and Doug yelled across the room that he would throw a pot on and then would be leaving to let us sit in the main room and talk. Doug left with coffee made and snacks on the table. We were set! We talked for three hours and the burden that was lifted was not total and the scars that were in his mind and body had less pain and he then walked out with a spring in his step, telephone numbers in hand and a sense of direction that made my day better.
I again realized that War does not go away when the treaties are signed or we pull out of a conflict, it continues in the minds of those that fought and suffered in the conflict. There are many in our community that know War and many lines get muddled in the heat of conflict. Atrocities happen and some are too horrible to mention in this column. They are still a real part for many of us in the community today. We sprayed Agent Orange and Napalm and I even remember seeing some of the containers being used for barbecue barrels on the streets of Saigon. This is some scary stuff when looking back.
When I was talking to the veteran that visited us on Sunday there was a few side stories that made me smile. Even some of those stories that took place in Vietnam and on R&R would have to be told in private. I don’t think that any of them would be considered funny but they would be a little lighter than the everyday operations.
Many stories are so true and real that they seem to be far-fetched. You might not be able to tell them apart but the troops that were there can tell.
Humor in a battle zone is different than humor we find in civilian life. That difference can cause some real problems when trying to blend into civilian life. I was reminded about a time that I was whistling in a vehicle that I was driving right next to a runway that has just taken shelling and thinking that the enemy would ignore me because they would think I was harmless. Sounds a little dumb or crazy but actually happened and now brings a smile every time I think about it. Don’t worry if you did not see the humor in this, for it is really for me to enjoy and look back and reflect. Of course, I was not a combat soldier so my reflections of a war zone are very different from the many that were in the thick of things.
Is it tasteless to think about humor in a war zone? I am sure that some would think so and others would think of it as a reassuring idea that folks in war still had the idiosyncrasies of ordinary people. I prefer the latter and I reflect on some warriors that I befriended that would sit and tell dark humor that would not be fit to print. But to them it helped them through the day and occasionally their laughter would break the tension of war. It gave them a second wind and a little pleasure of telling a story and enjoyed by those around them but would have been horrible to be told in an office in Ontario/Vale, Or. or Payette/Fruitland, ID.
I am amazed how the public generally has high levels of support for our military and such low levels of trust for our elected officials. Remember those elected officials are the very ones that are pressured by us and others to make sure we are financed, to be the best equipped and top-notch military in the world. They also make sure we get the monies to support the help we need for our wounds of war. It takes pressure to get some of the help when we come home. I will use July 4th of this year to reflect on our country’s founding and where we are today.
“In a world in which fewer and fewer government institutions seem capable of performing with even minimal competence, Americans also consistently say they trust the military more than any other public institution.” Jim (Mad Dog) Mattis (author of Warriors and Citizens: American Views of Our Military).
A Miracle or Hard Work?
June 18th, 2023 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
Did you ever consider how much control we have over our own destiny because of the daily choices we make each and every day?
I wondered if what I was doing had much impact on folks or if it really helped anyone? Then one day a veteran came up to me and let me know how much our organization has helped. Then I get a call from Michigan and the lady mentioned that she reached out to her congressman to get help for her husband after reading my column and it probably saved his life, in any case it helped the marriage.
I get complaints that we don’t do more, from folks that don’t do anything. Amazing how that works! I got a call from a person to complain about not being served fast enough. Now this complaint was interesting because it took this man over 50 years to make the complaint and wanted it cleared up in a day!
I find that those of us that have served our Nation generally have the patience and common sense to be able to understand that each and every day our everyday life decisions we make determines much of our future. So, what we decided 50 years ago, in many cases, is determining what we are getting today. I also believe that the power of others and the decisions of others affect what happens to us and that means it would be wise to gather those that bring a positive force to your life, now and in the future.
We are, at times a victim of circumstances. Some of us wounded in war, exposed to toxic chemicals or grapple with the pain of combat then self-medicate with alcohol or drugs or suffer with PTSD or TBI then end up in the criminal justice system, incarcerated. Where is the VA or our Congress in addressing these military folks that served then needed help with mental issues and instead got the shaft. Trauma of war should be recognized as a cause and many should be in treatment centers or even allowed to return back into service.
So, here we are, on one hand we control our own destiny and on the other destiny is controlled by others or circumstances.
Looking at the total picture it is a miracle that we make it from day today in one piece.
My conclusion of bringing up these two ways that we are where we are right now and what might hold for our future is to say we control much of our life and even when conditions are not of our control, how we react to those might set the pace for a good footing of where we are now and where we will be later.
I want to inject at this point that I believe in miracles. Proof of that is the fact that our Congress passed the PACT ACT. This was a miracle, after 50 years of fighting for help, after the death of many of our comrades, after years of partisan stonewalling, after the turning away of request after request of veterans and families crying for aid because of service-connected disorders. Yes, miracles happen from time to time even if you are a non-believer! So here we are years later suffering after your disability claim or health service was denied and you now are able to refile and possibly get the help you need. Yes, your destiny is in your hands by you taking control and resubmitting the paperwork. Remember that even with a ‘bad paper’ discharge you need to make sure that you persevere, especially if you have a service-connected disability. You might end up with getting the help you need. I, for one, do not know all the hoops that are needed to get this help but I do know that if you sit back and do nothing the results will always be the same.
Take charge and always consider that there is an old saying “you can attract more fruit flies with vinegar than honey, because the acetic acid in vinegar makes them think they sense fruit”. The point I am making is that you can get what you want done better with kindness/sweetness rather than with a caustic attitude.
Wonderful changes in the rules over the years to get help for our veterans than ever before and like I mentioned in the beginning of this article, you are the one that is in control even when the circumstances are against you.
“You are not the victim of the world, but rather the master of your own destiny. It is your choices and decisions that determine your destiny.” Roy T. Bennett (author of ‘The Light in the Heart’).
The Most Important Person in the USA
June 4th, 2023 Veterans Column by Ronald Verini
Why does a veteran that has served our Country that dies without money and/or is homeless generally not given a decent burial or cremation by the very Nation that he has served? In most cases the VA will pick up some or most of the costs, if you know the hoops to jump through. So, community members don’t always have to scrape together money to give him/her a send-off that honors their service? The amount of money is not great but it’s there if you know the ropes.
For a service-connected death the maximum burial allowance is $2000 and non-service connected is an $893 burial allowance plus $893 for a plot. Not much in today’s world of increasing costs and I am sure that our Legislature is too busy spending their time fundraising for their political machine that their parties feel is more important than taking the time to work on issues like this.
Veterans are a unique breed of people. The fact that they have served our Nation puts them in a class all their own. Considering that our Country would not exist without them I would place them at the top. Although I would say that the most important person in the USA is each of us, individually, because we are each responsible for our strength and how our Nation moves forward. If each of us took our position seriously we would make better agendas and have our priorities a little different and probably vote with more knowledge. We certainly would not march in step with any party but actually think for ourselves. Just me thinking ‘out loud’.
In any case, my article today has started off with a veteran that died and some VA money to help bury but not enough, in some places, for a decent send-off. Then morphed into talking about our Legislature and then bringing the equation down to the importance of each of us. All are intertwined into a fine tapestry that works well only if we work at it. We are being challenged today, as a Nation, because all the parts are not talking and listening to each other. Can you visualize the power, strength and what our Nation would be like if we actually worked together?
I guess I should get back to realism and face the fact that we as veterans will be fighting the fight for issues that we deserve and hope that some day the concerns that we need today will be fixed in the future. Hope will not be there for all of us, only for some of us because many will have died waiting. When dead others still struggle to pay for the high cost of our burial.
When I see a war film or news stories about mans inhumanity to man in the form of conflicts, war and just the human horror of civilians caught in the crosshairs of all of this I take a step into my safe place and like many of my fellow veterans take sanctuary in a world that has peace and tranquility. I know that I am not alone in this reaction and I don’t care that others know about what I do to cope. We all handle things in our own way and finding out that there is more than one way to handle life has been refreshing for me and many of my comrades.
Yes, I have hope for the veteran that died and his remains respected. I have hope for a Country united. I have hope for the mental state of many of us getting the help we need. I have hope and will continue to have hope until the day I die and then I hope others will endure and carry other beacons of hope for these issues and the issues that will come before us in the future.
When I asked “who is the most important person in the USA” my answer was each of us. Since I am the most important person, as you should be the most important person then it is our responsibility to get our act together and set the agenda straight and clean up this mess. Optimism plays a very big role in this and we can get this done. We fought for the PACT ACT and that helped some of us. Move with awareness, putting someone else’s needs first where you are not the priority doesn’t make you less important. What this does is gives you humanity. Nice place to be.
“All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope.” Winston Churchill (statesman, soldier and writer).
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