BY JOHN MINER, DIRECTOR

The autumn leaves changed color and fell late this year. Since my last report I have traveled to several meetings. I often run into Howie Howe from New Hampshire. He’s a veterans advocate and retired Marine. 

He’s been working on the issue of homelessness among veterans in New Hampshire. He wants the state to turn Bear Hill Pond Camp, a former 4-H campsite in Bear Brook State Park, into a place for veterans. He’s calling on all veterans in New Hampshire to join him in the fight. New Hampshire makes a lot of noise about how it helps veterans, but it seems to be backing away from this proposal. I encouraged Sandy Miller, chair of the Homeless Veterans Committee, to write a letter of support, and I am asking New Hampshire veterans to contact Howe by email at nhnoth@myfairpoint.net

I want to thank Chapter 753 in St. Albans, Vermont, for asking me to attend its twentieth anniversary party on September 18. The chapter was the second of seven that I started as Vermont State Council president. The following week the Vermont State Council met in St. Albans.

Fr. Phil and I were invited by Essex Junction, Vermont, Chapter 829 to attend the Wall That Heals at the Essex Fairgrounds October 1-2. Fr. Phil and I had a great visit. I also had a chance to talk one on one with Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) about S.901. He told me it was on the desk of John Tracy, his state director and a Vietnam veteran. On the same day, Lt. Gov. Phil Scott talked with me about his run for governor next year. He also took part in reading the names of the fallen from Vermont.

October 7 we traveled to Hascom AFB in Bedford, Mass., for a VISN 1 meeting. During that meeting, the Veterans Benefits office came up, and I questioned their “great job” bringing down the number of open cases when, on the other side of it, the number of appeals has increased by at least 200 percent. I also said they should start using the tele-health system to hold their meetings, as they would save a lot of money. Plus, the VSO who goes and appeals would also save time and money and be able to get more done. 

I attended the October Board of Directors meeting in Silver Spring. I represented the Vermont State Council president at the Conference of State Council Presidents meeting.

As always, if you have any questions, you can contact me at jminer@vva.org or call me at 802-733-8576.

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Region 3 Report

BY SARA McVICKER, DIRECTOR

I am very pleased to announce another new chapter in Region 3: Chapter 1113 in Memphis, Tenn. Congratulations.

Here’s some history for you: Of our active chapters, one or more has been chartered every year since 1982, except for 2010. Our oldest are Chapter 37 in Hurricane, W.Va., and Chapter 48 in Norfolk, Va. Both were chartered in 1982 before the first National Convention. 1983 brought three more: Chapter 78 in Richmond, Va.; Chapter 81 in Roanoke, Va.; and Chapter 88 in Florence, Ky. Chapter 124 in Asheville, N.C., and Chapter 172 in Cumberland, Md., formed in 1984. And this year we have three chapters and one state council celebrating their thirtieth anniversaries: Chapters 196 in Lynchburg, Va.; 203 in Chattanooga, Tenn.; 227 in Arlington, Va.; and the Tennessee State Council. Happy Birthday and congratulations.

Along the way, we’ve had chapters form and then close down for one reason or another, but Region 3 now numbers 113 active chapters with seven chapters chartered in 2014 and five so far this year. That is really remarkable and evidence of the work our members do in promoting our organization and the good work they do in their communities.

S.901 and H.R.1769, the Toxic Exposure Research Act of 2015, are still in need of co-sponsors. A briefing paper is available online.

The Blue Water Navy bills are S.681 and H.R.969. All of your Representatives and some of your Senators are up for re-election next year, so when they come around looking for votes, that’s a good time to hand them the briefing paper and tell them you want their support.

On a positive note, Congress did pass an extension, until December 31, 2016, of the authority for the VA to enter into agreement with the National Academy of Sciences regarding associations between diseases and exposure to dioxin and other chemical compounds in herbicides. This is the way the VA can declare illnesses presumptive to Agent Orange or other herbicide exposure.

The West Virginia State Council is hard at work planning the 2016 Region 3 George C. Duggins Conference. Put it on your calendars for May 19-22 in Charleston.

As always, thank you all for the work you do for VVA and for veterans and their families. Please feel free to contact me at smcvicker@vva.org with questions or concerns.

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Region 6 Report

BY MICHAEL DEMSKE, DIRECTOR

First, I would like to thank John Margowski, past Region 6 director, for reviving our region. We had little or no activity for several years. John has agreed to serve as my alternate.

Region 6 has been very active in conducting Agent Orange town hall meetings and, of course, we have Maynard Kaderlik from Minnesota as chair of the Agent Orange/Dioxin Committee. If your state is interested in having an AO meeting, contact Kaderlik or me for information on how to proceed.

At our last Region 6 meeting it was decided to have another meeting next spring. Minnesota has offered to host. The meetings are informational and develop camaraderie.

If any of the state councils would like me to attend one of their meetings, just let me know.

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Region 7 Report

BY DENNIS ANDRAS, DIRECTOR

We in Region 7 have been busy. The Oklahoma State Council held an Agent Orange town hall meeting in Lawton on the third weekend in September in conjunction with the Comanche Country Veterans Council. State Council President Nate Washington reports that more than three hundred veterans attended, and they all stayed to the end of the meeting. Oklahoma held its State Council meeting October 9-10 in Oklahoma City.

Buster Newberry, the Texas State Council president, tells me that Amarillo Chapter 297 and North Plains Chapter 404 held an Agent Orange town hall meeting last month. They had more than eighty veterans in attendance. Newberry also reports that several chapters were holding fiftieth anniversary commemorations of the Vietnam War and that Austin Chapter 915 held a POW/MIA ceremony. He said VVA National Benefits Director Jim Vale and two attorneys spent three days at the VA Regional Office in Waco to perform an audit to see what could be done to clear up a backlog of more than 428 claims. Finally, the Texas State Council held its meeting in Beaumont October 23-25.

Terry Courville, the Louisiana State Council president, along with First Vice President J.D. Soileau and his wife Glenna, Treasurer Alton Rock, AVVA State Rep. Gail Courville, National Co-Chair of the POW/MIA Affairs Committee Richard De Long, and former Region 7 Director Allen Manuel attended Independence Chapter 1052’s National POW/MIA Recognition Day in Hammond, Louisiana, on September 18. A POW/MIA plaque and a chapter plaque were unveiled at a city park ceremony with some three hundred people in attendance.

Chapter 215 in Kinder, Louisiana, sponsors a monthly senior citizen lunch at the Kinder Community Center. They serve more than one hundred seniors and provide music and entertainment. Jennings Chapter 1058 held a poker run to help homeless veterans. Chapters 215 and 1058 also worked at the Southwest Veterans War Home doing bingo for the veterans confined to that facility.

Chapter 632 in Ville Platte sponsored a senior citizen lunch at the Ville Platte Civic Center where two hundred lunches were served. On September 1 the chapter performed a flag retirement ceremony at its monthly meeting and retired more than one hundred worn and tattered American flags collected from the public. Chapter 1098 in Lake Charles sponsored a Wounded Warriors Duck Hunt at Johnson Bayou for fifty wounded veterans.

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Region 8 Report

BY RON MORGAN, DIRECTOR

I have started publishing a monthly e-newsletter. If you wish to be added to my distribution list to receive The Great Northwest Veterans’ Dispatches, email me at rmorgan@vva.org In the subject line, write: “Add me to the GNV Distro List.” Please include your name, state, city, and chapter.

Montana State Council: The chapters had a busy summer. On September 18 State Council President Beverly Stuart attended the rededication of the MIA Freedom Tree at the Capitol in Helena. A new plaque was unveiled with all twenty-two names of Montana’s MIAs listed.

Washington State Council: The state council meeting took place October 31. State Council President Francisco Ivarra reports that WASC has been active in increasing its overall membership, establishing new chapters, and holding successful stand-downs and Welcome Home events.

Oregon State Council: Salem Chapter 271 sent a severely disabled Vietnam veteran to Washington, D.C., to check two things off his bucket list. Harold Elliott may not be with us much longer, but his greatest wish was to visit Arlington National Cemetery and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Thanks to several chapters—Lebanon Chapter 585 being a major donor—we received almost $1,500 for this trip. Elliott’s wife and caregiver, Shari, traveled with him. He requires medication every two hours.

The trip took place October 14-18, and our friends in Chapter 227 in Arlington, Virginia, provided ground transportation and guide services.

Harold Elliott began his career in Special Forces in the early days of the Vietnam War. He distinguished himself many times, receiving two Silver Stars, two Bronze Stars with V Device, and many other awards.