BY DOMINICK YEZZO, CHAIR

The work of the VVA Government Affairs Committee and the Government Affairs staff at the national office is the beating heart of Vietnam Veterans of America. The committee members and national staff work the halls of Congress in Washington to fulfill our Founding Principle: “Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another.”

Vietnam Veterans of America has done more for veterans and their families through the legislative process than any other veterans service organization in the history of the United States.

I was in Congress recently with Jim Kuhn and James McCormick of the National staff on behalf of the committee to work for a change to the VA policy that reduces the disability pensions of veterans incarcerated to 10 percent regardless of the amount of the award. The committee believes that Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury are silent hardships that veterans can carry in the transition from war-time service to civilian life. The committee’s emphasis is the reduction of recidivism, the promotion of rehabilitation, and the stabilization of families who welcome home a released veteran.

At the Leadership Conference in August in Reno, the VINJUS Committee will hold a seminar on the ideals of Veterans Treatment Courts, which propose to assert a direction of good conduct over a veteran who is struggling with integration into the community. We will present a vision of service for veterans incarcerated and encourage entrance into institutions to welcome and help where there is a veteran about to be released. The program is three-tiered, and its best application is accomplished in Florida under the guidance of Gary Newman.

Newman, a longstanding committee member, works where the ideas are put into place. He is dedicated to carrying out what we legislate. At the local level the work in Congress is nothing without the concrete application in the community.

BY SANDIE WILSON, CHAIR

The justification for the PACT Act was based on the cost of war. Its passage has been a blessing for many veterans and widows, but the law does not cover all military installations where toxins were present. The DOD and VA have published a list of all locations where forever toxins were stored, used, and tested. But that list is missing at least 14 stateside military facilities and many other places outside CONUS. For example, the Marine unit in Guam that received chemicals from the manufacturers on cargo ships, unloaded the drums on the docks, and later loaded them on Navy ships for transport to Vietnam are entitled to relief. But, Marines in Okinawa who had the same mission are not entitled under the PACT Act.

The PACT Act is again under discussion in Congress. We have read that many members of Congress oppose new inclusions because of cost or other factors. This is an election year. Now is the time to rub shoulders with these decision-makers locally and teach them about this country’s responsibility and promise to those who answered the call. The VVA Veterans Benefits Department needs information with proof about areas that were contaminated. The Government Affairs Department is interested in finding enlisted women who went through basic training at Ft. McClellan and others who spent more than 30 days there. The Agent Orange Committee will benefit by having offspring included in the birth defects registry. Visit birthdefect.org for more information.

BY KATE O'HARE-PALMER, CHAIR

I hope that women veterans were included in many Memorial Day events honoring those who made the greatest sacrifice for the nation.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund has a program that you may not be aware of: In Memory. It’s a program that honors veterans who served during the Vietnam War and subsequently died due to toxic exposure, PTSD, or other illnesses contracted while in service. Many family members, as well as veterans, are eligible for this program, and I encourage you to look into it.

I was able to add my brother to this program, and his name was read in June at the In Memory ceremony at The Wall. VVA and AVVA worked for many years to upgrade the In Memory plaque near the Three Servicemen statue at the memorial.

A program called The Year of Empowerment will be part of the upcoming Quadrennial VA Women Veterans Summit, which will be held in Washington, D.C., September 5-7. The program will serve to increase access, decrease barriers, and connect women veterans and transitioning servicewomen directly to information, benefits, services, and opportunities.

The VA welcomes LGBTQ+ veterans. You can learn about resources by calling 855-VA-WOMEN and speak to a real person. VA regional offices are also great places to find resources for women veterans and programs and seminars that can help us network.

We are looking forward to the August Leadership Conference in Reno. I hope that we will see many of you there. The Women Veterans Committee and the Agent Orange/Toxic Exposure Committee are offering a seminar called What Veterans Need to Know about Toxic Exposure and Health Consequences. It will be a review of the PACT Act, updated legislative changes for toxic exposure, and the latest health consequences for men and women veterans.

Although military bases worldwide have been affected by toxic exposures, our emphasis on Ft. McClellan continues. We have also just been made aware of exposures at Ft. Ord that were not included in the PACT Act. I want to thank everyone who supports the committee by requesting our Women Veteran Honor coins and lapel pins. It is a great way to personalize veterans events and honor the women who served. Your input is important, and I am grateful to the VVA state councils for their support in getting information out to their chapters. Until next time, be kind to others and take care of yourself.

By DENNIS HOWLAND, CHAIR

I encourage all chapters to continue sending photos and information about their activities to The VVA Veteran’s editor, Sean Venables. Doing so is a great way to share your ideas, projects, and activities. Finding new and creative activities is good for recruiting, fundraising, and keeping members active and involved. Please send your material to svenables@vva.org

Shortly after you receive this edition of the magazine, many of us will be preparing for—or en route to—the Leadership Conference in Reno. I hope for a huge turnout as there is so much to share and learn about VVA and our programs.

Our next Public Affairs Committee meeting in October will have many issues to discuss and provide input on as our members will be presenting their ideas as part of a general discussion of VVA business. I welcome your input. You can email me at dhowland@vva.org. Your input matters.

I anticipate that members will have opinions on many issues, including:

In past issues, we have discussed legislation that established the Medal of Honor Highway from Bend, Oregon, to Boston. Many of you contacted your state legislators for support, and all 12 have designated their portions of Highway 20 as Medal of Honor Highway. New legislation would designate this coast-to-coast highway as an interstate highway.

VVA President Jack McManus endorsed legislation designating the National Medal of Honor Highway across America almost two years ago. Of the 61 living Medal of Honor recipients, 45 are Vietnam War veterans. This represents 75 percent of all 61 living recipients.The bill, S1478, passed the Senate, and has been assigned to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The House version was introduced by Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.). Contact your members of Congress, and ask them to support this legislation.

Finally, I am pleased to announce the results of the National JROTC essay contest. Congratulations to our winners:

Thank you to everyone who participated.

By DOTTIE BARICKMAN, CHAIR

The Finance Committee is moving ahead with the monthly Budget to Actual (B2A) reports and has reviewed two months’ worth of data. The B2A subcommittee continues to work well together, finding the review process much easier. The Finance Department is quick to respond to our questions, enabling us to send a final report to the Board. Kudos to the department manager and staff for making our work much easier.

It never hurts to restate a procedure, especially when it is changed or updated. In 2023, the annual fiscal year budget was streamlined, reducing the number of pages from more than a hundred to 27. Many cost centers were combined into single cost centers, and justifications were eliminated during the annual budget period.

Although the procedures have changed, it still takes time to adapt, and expenses are still submitted to the Finance Department as before. Unless there is an unusual expense during the fiscal year, those that align with our mission are considered justifiable and reasonable. Any expenses clearly outside the annual budget, which are rare, need to be reviewed by the Finance Committee and, if approved, moved to the Board.

Any questions or uncertainties can be discussed with VVA’s Treasurer Wayne Reynolds or Managing Director Phil Waite. Nothing has changed for volunteers and how they work during a fiscal year. We want you to keep working hard for veterans and their needs. Since the Finance Committee structure changed to include all board members, we created an Audit Subcommittee. Its members will review the Annual Financial Audit after the officers take an initial look. With help from Wayne Reynolds implementing the audit, I am certain it will go well. After review, it will go to the Board for final approval and then be posted on the VVA website.

Mission Statement: My highest priority and commitment is to ensure that the veterans who served for us will be served by us. Thank you for your support. If you have comments, questions, or concerns, feel free to contact me at drbarickman@hotmail.com, dottieb@vva.org, or 712-314-1808.

By GRANT COATES, CHAIR

As of June 3, the number of Americans missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War was 1,576. The distribution is as follows: Vietnam - 1,237; Laos - 284; Cambodia - 48; People’s Republic of China territorial waters - 7. These numbers fluctuate due to new investigations resulting in changes to loss locations.

On April 24, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency identified the remains of Maj. John Creighton Gillespie Kerr, who had been listed as missing from the Vietnam War.

USAF Maj. Kerr served in the 606th Air Commando Squadron. On August 22, 1967, he piloted a two-person A-26A Invader on an armed reconnaissance mission over road routes in Laos. The aircraft made radio contact with a ground control station near Route 6 and then proceeded to reconnoiter a series of other roads as well as the general area around the town of Ban Ban.

The Invader last made radio contact near this location and reported no signs of trouble. However, ground control lost radar contact with the aircraft, and the Invader did not return from its mission. Immediate searches were unsuccessful due to the large size of the possible loss area.

After the war, a crash site was located, and in 2005 the aircraft’s navigator’s remains were positively identified. Following multiple investigations, possible human ossified bone material was found during a 2023 mission. These remains were sent to a DPAA laboratory for further study. The laboratory analysis, together with the available circumstantial evidence, established an association between the osseous remains and Maj. Kerr.

John Kerr is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. His name is also inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

VVA’s Veterans Initiative Program needs your help. Objects taken from the battlefields of Vietnam are more than souvenirs or war trophies. Maps, stories, after-action reports, pictures, and military items may have stories that could result in finding the location of missing war dead.

Contact the Veterans Initiative at:
Veterans Initiative Program
Vietnam Veterans of America
8719 Colesville Rd., Suite 100
Silver Spring, MD 20910
vi@vva.org

By JOHN RILING, III, CHAIR

The Veterans Benefits Committee convened for two productive sessions on April 18 and 19 during the Board meeting in Silver Spring. Present were myself, Vice Chair Ned Foote, Secretary Gary Estermyer, and committee members Richard Arthur, Bill Beecher, Gerald Corrigan, Gumersindo Gomez, Larry Googins, Joe Jennings, Marc McCabe, Dick Southern, and John Weiss. VVA’s Veterans Benefits Department Director Patricia Harris and several guests also participated in the meetings.

The committee heard a presentation about the revised VVA/VetsVOA Memorandum of Understanding, which emphasized the independent identity of VetsVOA from VVA. Pat Harris provided updates on staffing and program status, notably that VVA’s appellate attorneys were replaced by the Bergmann & Moore law firm at a cost savings. The backlog of 448 Legacy Initial Hearing Packets is expected to be cleared by July.

We discussed the upcoming Leadership Conference, which will feature four VSO training sessions and an Ask a Top Gun VSO session. Efforts to secure a VSO rebate for attendees continue. A motion to record the sessions for virtual availability was passed. The committee also approved restructuring the Managing VSO position into a National CVSO role.

Marc McCabe reported on the January visit to Puerto Rico, noting the positive impact it had despite logistical challenges. The introduction of bilingual forms for Puerto Rican veterans was particularly appreciated. A VA Vet Center memo proposing to cease counseling for caregivers of war veterans and restricting clinical treatment summaries for claims was discussed. A meeting with the Inspector General is scheduled to address these and other issues. We also talked about the challenges faced by the New York VIMS program and were introduced to Larry Greene, the new National CVSO. He brings valuable experience in VA claim processing and homeless veteran issues.

The committee discussed the extended processing times for DIC claims, the HTN rating system, the increase in sleep apnea claims and efforts to explore alternative web-based service officer programs, such as VetPro II and Vetra Spec.

We also emphasized the importance of sharing positive VSO stories and recruiting volunteers to support state programs.

The Veterans Benefits Committee remains dedicated to addressing key legislative issues, improving veterans’ claims processes, and enhancing training and resources for VSOs. Our collaboration with VetsVOA and proactive advocacy reflect our ongoing commitment to serving veterans and their families effectively.

By KEN ROSE, NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE

For VAVS Representatives, the month of May was the time to complete their Annual Joint Review (AJR). If you are a Representative and have not met with your local Volunteer Service Office, make a point of doing so as soon as possible as the AJR is very important for you, your chapter, and my records. The AJR will list your hours and donations to the VA for veterans. Please get it done and send me a copy.

VVA's VAVS program needs leaders on every state council to help coordinate volunteer activities at the state’s VAMCs and CBOCs. Each VAMC should have a VVA representative on its VAVS Committee, and there are many positions available. Age and health have reduced our numbers, but veterans at home and inpatients still need our help. If you can’t go to a VA or CBOC, get involved in a program to call veterans at home for a wellness check or just a friendly phone call or visit.

The late Gerry Nye, who was an active member of Philadelphia Chapter 266, collected postage stamps for a VA recreation therapy program. I have not been able to locate this program since Gerry’s passing. Anyone who can help, please contact me by email at krose@vva.org, or by phone at 215-527-2494. Leave a message, and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you for all you do for veterans.

By THOMAS G. HALL, PH.D., CHAIR

Moral injury has been described as the result of perpetrating, failing to prevent, bearing witness to, or learning about acts that represent a “betrayal of what is right.” According to the National Center for PTSD, there is a great deal of overlap between moral injury and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. Both conditions often begin with an event that is life-threatening or harmful to oneself or others. Feelings of guilt, shame, betrayal, and loss of trust are core features of both moral injury and PTSD symptoms.

VA Psychologist Amanda Yeck and VA Chaplain Jeremiah Richards have developed a presentation to help veterans consider treatment options and understand moral injury. This column provides a brief review of their presentation.

In understanding moral injuries, it is crucial to recognize that no two people experience symptoms the same way and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to dealing with moral injury or PTSD. We also know that treatments that improve PTSD symptoms can help with moral injury.

PTSD symptoms can include flashbacks, hypervigilance, memory loss, and hyperarousal, commonly referred to as fight, flight, and/or freeze responses. Managing these symptoms is critical to establishing a sense of safety, nervous system regulation, and engagement with others. The goal of PTSD treatment is to reduce symptoms to a manageable level, allowing individuals to live the life they desire.

Addressing moral injury can help loosen the grip of self-defeating self-talk, emotions, and behaviors. Mary Heck, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, has shown that moral injury can include unresolved grief, regret, loss of honor, feelings of unworthiness, and loss of identity.

She has outlined goals to help address moral injury similar to PTSD-treatment goals: increasing self-compassion, fostering forgiveness (of self and others), building skills in making meaning, and connecting with others. Part of healing also requires understanding that moral injury reflects goodness since something valuable was damaged in the first place.

The goal of treatment is not to get rid of moral injury, but to “carry it differently.” This means listening to those we care about and who care about us. Current treatments include telling our stories, either in writing, verbally, or through expressive arts.

With effort and support, we can stand up to injuries that have dictated our emotions and behaviors. As with any change, it takes courage, connection, and compassion. Healing does not mean forgetting. It means moving forward and continuing to grow and develop.

Talking to someone you trust is critical to reclaiming our lives. Help is available. The VA has announced that veterans may have their first three mental health visits per year for free, including services at any VA Vet Center. The VA, under the PACT Act, also has expanded eligibility for health care for toxic-exposed veterans. If you have been denied eligibility, try again. The path through PTSD and moral injury to post-traumatic growth is challenging, but growth is possible. It’s never too late to reach out for help so you can come all the way home.

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