AMVET SERVINGVETERANS

SINCE1945

Winter, 2010 Vol. 65, No. 4

MICHIGAN NEWS

I send a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year out to all of the AMVETS family. Here we are in December and I am wrapping up my sixth month as Department Commander. The first half has been quite an experience as I have been

learning the ropes of command, getting more comfortable with all of the requirements of the position and discovering how much can be done on a limited budget. Dave Cogswell has been an ex-cellent choice for Executive Director. He is tireless in his dedica-tion to AMVETS, working on getting the bills paid, accounting for income and expenditures, preparing for audit, purging errors in the membership lists, making preparations for fall conference, and seeing that I have all of the information that I need. Dave could really use an office assistant to take on some of that work load, if any of the membership has the time and ability to assist Dave on a regular basis give him a call.

Fall conference has been a highlight of my first six months in the office; National Commander Gerald Hotop joined our tour of posts ending Friday at Camp Grayling where District VII Commander Carol Hebert had arranged lunch and a tour of the facilities there. At the State Executive Committee (SEC) meeting Friday night we approved an agreement with the current Higgins Lake manager establishing her duties and compensa-

tion as well as stabilizing guest room prices for the coming year. Reports from the officers and District Commanders suggest that we are off to a good start this year; there is much work to be done with membership, fund raising, programs, and the report-ing of programs. The SEC adopted a motion to allow Warren Post 27 to administer the AMVETS Against Drugs and Alcohol Abuse (AADAA) program. Posts in the Department of Michi-gan (DOM) are encouraged to participate. Contact Post 27 for information and schedule. Saturday’s programs were highlight-ed by an exemplary Veterans Service Officer training session conducted by Service Director Glenda Cogswell and her staff. A good deal of information on veterans benefits was distributed. At the awards dinner Saturday evening John Hoecherl received the AMVET of the year award. John is always very deserving of the award. Throughout the weekend I enjoyed the cooperation and support of the entire Michigan AMVETS family and I thank all of you very much for that.

I was the guest of the AMVETS Department of Ohio for their Fall Conference near Cleveland in October; Commander Bill Noltner conducts a very good conference and provides many learning opportunities for attendees. Dave Cogswell and

COMMANDER'S CORNER

BY CMDR. Vince Carr

Special thanks to Post 1957Commander's Corner continued on page 3

Give the gift of membership

this year.

Be preseNt.

For their donation of materials and labor for the renovation of the steps to the lake at the Higgins Lake Lodge.

What a great

improvement!

Homeless Veterans Need Our Help PG. 22By Maureen Jackson

- 2 - Michigan AMVETS News Vol. 65, No. 4

Next DEADLINE for The Michigan AMVETS News is January 7, 2011

AMVETS Department of Michigan2010 – 2011

State Executive CommitteeDepartment Commander ............................................................Vincent Carr1st Vice Commander ..........................................................Anthony M. Lema2nd Vice Commander .............................................................. Roger Lanting3rd Vice Commander ..................................................................William DayFinance Officer ........................................................................... Rob HoskenJudge Advocate .....................................................................James MelocheProvost Marshal ..........................................................................Andy CicalaNEC Man ......................................................................................John DowdAlternate NEC ...........................................................................Mary WilseckImmediate PDC ......................................................................Robert DownerDistrict I Commander ...............................................................Aaron RickettsDistrict II Commander ....................................................................Greg RoseDistrict III Commander .....................................................Michael WainwrightDistrict IV Commander ...............................................................Robert PaceDistrict V Commander ............................................................... Perry CorwinDistrict VI Commander .............................................................. Paul LadochiDistrict VII Commander ..............................................................Carol HebertExecutive Director ................................................................. David CogswellAide De Camp ..........................................................................Norman Hupplain .............................................................................................. Ken Petrack Legislative Director ................................................................. John Hoecherl Inspector General ............................................................ Daren R. HeckmanDepartment PRO .....................................................................John Hoecherl

Subordinate OrganizationsService Foundation President ....................................... PDC Harold L. Reed Service Director ...................................................................Glenda Cogswell Ladies Auxiliary President ........................................................Yvette RusakAuxiliary Legislation/Liaison .......................................................Kathy KeizerAuxiliary Executive Secretary .............................................. Nancy MiddletonSons of AMVETS Commander ............................................ Douglas BeedonSons of AMVETS Coordinator ....................................... PDC Harold L. ReedSaddest Sad Sack ...................................................................John HoecherlJr. AMVETS President ..............................................................Ashley KeizerJr. AMVETS Coordinator ........................................................Robert RaymorAMVETS Department Riders President ................................... Josh Feltman

Official Publication of the AMVETS Department of MichiganAmerican Veterans who have served honorably since September 1940

Chartered by Congress July 28, 1947

Owned, edited and operated by theAMVETS Department of Michigan

Published Quarterly Publication design by JM Publishing

Editorial Office:Mail: P.O. Box 254 Dryden, MI 48428 UPS: 5489 Main St. Dryden, MI 48248

Phone 810-796-3876 Fax 810-796-3896E-mail address: miamvet2008@yahoo.com

The Department Headquarters business hours are 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday - Friday.

NON-PROFIT POSTAGE PAID IN ROYAL OAK, MICHIGANSubscription Rates:

50 cents per year to members * $1 per year to non-membersAdvertising Rates on Request

Spring Issue January 7Summer Issue April 7Fall Issue July 7Winter Issue October 7

Upcoming Events

The Michigan AMVET News

ANNUAL DEADLINE DATES

January 21 -24, 2011 AMVETS Leadership Conference

Pigeon Forge, TN

February 19, 2011 - Spring SECThomas Edison Inn

500 Thomas Edison Parkway, Port Huron, MI 48060 (810) 984-8000/(800) 451-7991

Make reservations prior to January 18, 2011. Room rates $75 to $85

March 4, 2011 - National Commander Gerald Hotop Testimonial Dinner

Airport Hilton in St. Louis, MO.

March 15-19, 2011 Silver Helmet AwardsDulles Airport Hilton

April 2, 2011 Testimonial Dinner for Commander Vince Carr

and Auxiliary President Yvette Rusak St. Clair Shores

2nd Vice Commander ReportBy roger Lanting

Program reporting is still down from were it should be. We only have 16 posts reporting with 68 posts in Michigan. I know from the SEC reports there are posts that have things

to report but are not doing so. If you are having trouble reporting, please let me know and I will help you get going. If you do not have a computer and you can’t get to the library, you can do a paper report. Just let me know and I’ll send copies to you and you in turn can send them back to me or to the department.

I have noticed some posts are reporting there monthly meet-ings, meetings are not reportable, this includes Fall Conference and conventions, so please don’t report these. We are looking for num-bers that represent a veterans life changed, a youth benefiting from learning about patriotism, or programs AMVETS hosted/worked and spent money on to show our returning troops and their families we care.

2nd Vice Commander Roger Lanting rlanting@sbcglobal.net616-498-8000

- 3 - Michigan AMVETS News Vol. 65, No. 4

I would like to start this article with a heartfelt thanks to all of the posts and individual members who have found it in their hearts to once again trust the department headquarters and send in donations to help keep us

operational. It has been a true joy to open the envelopes knowing that each sender cared about this organization.

I would also like to express my appreciation for all of the members who have expressed their support of my work as your executive director and pledge to all of you that I will continue to do everything within my power to keep the lines of communication open and re-assure all of you that any action taken will be at the best interest of the AMVETS.

It has been an eventful few months since my last article. National Commander Hitop’s visit to Michigan and tour of some of our fine posts was without a doubt a large success and the commander had nothing but praise for the warm welcome he received at each. For that I thank all those involved. The tour culminated at the Fall Conference in Grayling which started out with a tour of the Grayling Military Installation and lunch for all of those that wished to attend. I would like to thank District Cdr. Carol Hebert and her husband Larry for setting up the tour and preparing the lunch. Both were enjoyed by all who attended. Fall Conference went well but I will say that there were a few things that could have been better and with help from all involved we shall make things better.

My thanks and congratulations must go out to our service department for their hard work and excellent presentation of service officer training. I have heard nothing but great things about it.

I have managed to attend a few of our district meetings and have ben-efited from the input gained. I also hope that I will be able to attend as many post meetings as I can in the near future.

My apologies to those posts that have sent in membership and I have failed to get the cards back in a timely manner. The posts have done such a great job of getting renewals and new memberships in at the beginning of September that it overwhelmed my ability to keep up. However I encour-age you to keep up with the good work and ask for your patience in getting them processed. As of the end of October we have managed to process just under 2,000 members.

It is now the holiday season and I wish all of you and your families a very happy holiday and joyous new year. Be safe and be happy.

Executive Director's Notes

By David Cogswellexecutive Director

DONATION FOR THE AMVETS DEPARTMENT OF MICHIGAN

I would like to do my part for my organization, so please accept the enclosed donation to assist with the operational costs of the AMVETS Department of Michigan.

Amount Submitted ________________ I would like_____/not like______ a receipt for my donation.

Please send the receipt to: Please mail the donation to:

Name:__________________________ AMVETS Department of Michigan Street Address: ___________________ PO Box 254 City, State, Zip: ___________________ 5489 Main St. Dryden, MI 48428

Commander's Corner continued from cover

I welcomed Post 281, Harbor Springs and presented their charter October 25, it is nice to see that the department is still growing and getting stronger. In November, I attended the Fourth National District Meeting and Testimonial Tailgate luncheon in Appleton Wisconsin, it was a refreshing twist to an old tradition. DOM Auxiliary President Yvette Rusak and I will be celebrating our joint Testimonial Dinner on April 2 at the VFW Bruce post in St. Clair Shores and we hope that many of you can attend.

Keep up the good work with membership and programs reporting; they are both very important to our survival and thanks to everyone who sent donations to the department to keep us operating through difficult times. Take pride in being an AM-VET. Let everyone know it.

Vince Carr

GRANTS TO ASSIST HOMELESS VETERANS

WASHINGTON - Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki has

announced that 40 states will share more than $41.9 million in grants to community groups to provide 2,568 beds for homeless veterans this year.

“These grants wouldn’t have happened without the extraordinary partnerships forged with community organizers,” said VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki. “These investments will provide transitional beds to veterans who have served honorably, but for various reasons now find themselves in a downward spiral toward despair and homelessness.”

The Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program provides grants and per diem payments to help public and nonprofit organizations establish and operate new supportive housing and service centers for homeless veterans.

The $41.9 million is broken into two categories. About $26.9 million will help renovate, rehabilitate or acquire space for 1,352 transitional housing beds. A second group of awards, valued at $15 million, will immediately fund 1,216 beds at existing transitional housing for homeless veterans this year. The awards will cover daily living costs based upon the number of homeless veterans being served in transitional housing.

A key component of VA’s plan to eliminate homelessness among vet-erans within five years, the grants and per diem payments helped reduce the number of veterans who were homeless on a typical night last year by 18 percent to about 107,000 veterans within one year.

Continued on next page

- 4 - Michigan AMVETS News Vol. 65, No. 4

Ghost tales at NY museum lead to vet remains

The Associated PressPosted : Friday Sep 24, 2010 11:13:21 EDT

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The cremated remains of seven World War I, World War II and Korean-era veterans are set to be buried with full military hon-ors in a long overdue ceremony that organizers say was set in motion by ghost tales at a New York mu-seum.

The ashes were among 24 sets of remains discovered 10 years ago in the basement of a funeral home that’s now the Iron Island Museum in Buffalo.

Museum staff say a picture moved mysteriously from its place, sightings of shadowy figures and other oddities convinced them it is haunted. A psy-chic picked up an “Edgar” — the name on one of the remains’ labels. The names were traced and museum president Linda Hastreiter discovered the remains were those of veterans, including Edgar Zernicke. As a coordina-tor for the Patriot Guard Riders’ Veterans Recovery Program, she arranged Friday’s burial at Bath National Cemetery.

Across the United States, mortuaries, cemeteries and funeral homes store the cremated remains of men, women and children who have re-mained unclaimed by family. Although most state have laws that allow for the legal disposal of these cremains (cremated remains), many of these cre-mains remain shelved indefinitely, in the event that a family member might come at some future time to claim the remains, pay any monies owed and remove the cremains for proper burial. Some of these cremains have been stored for decades.

The work of Unclaimed Veterans Recovery efforts is to locate, iden-tify, and determine the VA eligibility of each individual cremains for burial within a National Memorial Cemetery. In order to accomplish this task, volunteers must contact each and every coroner’s office, mortuary, funeral home and cemetery to determine whether the funeral provider is storing any unclaimed remains. If stored cremains are present, then a detailed inventory of the cremains must be taken to determine exactly whose cremains are present and as much information as possible to ensure correct identification.

Once exact identification is made, the required information is provided to the U.S. Veterans Administration, where the identification is checked against veterans’ records to determine eligibility for interment within a Na-tional Memorial Cemetery.

If the cremains are verified to be those of an eligible veteran, interment is scheduled and preparation is completed to provide military honors, as appropriate.

Once the VA eligibility of an individual’s cremains has been established, the Unclaimed Veterans Recovery program is generally allowed to move the remains for proper interment.

However, there are exceptions. Frequently there are unpaid expenses for services which the mortuary, funeral home or cemetery provided in con-junction with the cremains. Some funeral homes are willing to waive the charges and release the remains, and some are not. The Veterans Interment Fund was set up, in part, to help cover the deceased veteran’s unpaid ex-penses, allowing the veteran’s cremains to be removed for proper military interment.

If anyone is aware of any cremains of veterans at local funeral homes you can contact Great Lakes National Cemetery, 4200 Belford Rd, Holly, MI 48442, (248) 328-0612 or (866) 348-8603, Fax (248) 328-0612 or Ft Custer National Cemetery, 15501 Dickman Rd, Augusta, MI 49012, (269) 731-4164 Fax: (269) 731-2428 for assistance in providing a proper burial for our fellow veterans.

FriendsAuto Expediting Inc.

Murin Co.Omelette & Waffle Cafe

Sadako Japanese RestaurantThe Bird

PLATINUML-3 Eotech

GOLDHook’d Up Customs & Total Car

Novastar SolutionsSimmco Data Systems

VA’s strategy to eliminate homelessness among veterans is to implement a “no wrong door” approach, meaning veterans who seek assistance should find it in any number of VA’s programs, from community partners or through contract services.

Under the Secretary’s action plan to end homelessness among veterans, VA will continue to offer a full range of sup-port necessary to end the cycle of homelessness by providing education, jobs, health care and counseling, in addition to hous-ing. VA will increase the number and variety of housing op-tions available to homeless veterans and those at risk, including permanent, transitional, contracted, community-operated and VA-operated housing. Most importantly, VA will target at-risk veteran populations with aggressive support intervention to try to prevent homelessness before it starts.

For more information, visit VA’s web page for VA’s Na-tional Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Office at www.va.gov/homeless. Additionally, VA has a National Call Center for Homeless Veterans, 1-877-4AID VET (1-877-424-3838), www1.va.gov/HOMELESS/NationalCallCenter.asp.

See Maureen's article on page 22 for more about how to help homeless veterans.

GRANTS TO ASSIST HOMELESS VETERANS, cont.

- 5 - Michigan AMVETS News Vol. 65, No. 4

Fellow AMVETS:Even with our dues going up,

AMVETS is by far the best deal around.

On a local, state and national level, AMVETS offers many programs to benefit veterans and their families. Scholarships, insurance, discounts on hotels, rental cars and various other products are just a few of the benefits that we offer.

If you have an honorable discharge, you can join AMVETS. We are the only VSO that does not care where or when you served, only that you served. Our members are a great mix of combat, wartime and peacetime vets. Some VSOs will argue that if you were not in combat, you are not a vet. WRONG! All veterans had a job to do and served wherever we were needed. And, when a veteran needs their help, we have some of the best service officers around.

Having said all of that, you would think that recruiting new members would be an easy task. Unfortunately, it is not. I have served as your Department 2nd Vice and am well aware of all of the hard work that you do to support your communities and promote AMVETS. The Riders have generated a lot of new members for us.

What we are not seeing is younger veterans joining our ranks. They think that veterans at local VSOs have nothing to offer them. We need to change that perception. Welcome them home!

Just keep trying. Let people know who we are and what we do. And, by the way, we are 5th nationally in membership renewals.

Yours in AMVETS,Anthony M. Lema1st Vice Commander

Click here to seeAMVETS BENEFITS

1st Vice Commander's Report

By Anthony Lema1st Vice Commander

- 6 - Michigan AMVETS News Vol. 65, No. 4

Glenda F. CogswellService Director586-604-4744Detroit, Sandusky, Bad AxeVassar, Dryden, New Haven

Francine JacksonAdministrative AssistantAMVETS Service Department477 Michigan Ave, Rm 1227Detroit, MI 48226313-964-6920Fax 313-964-0176

Kevin ReedService Officer (810)627-0082Detroit, Mt Clemens, Richmond

Shannon PearsonService OfficerTraining

David DownerService Officer 810-627-0050Saginaw, Bay City, Eaton Rapids, Lansing, St John’s, Grand Blanc

Nathan PierpontService Officer 810-627-0104Mt Morris, Ann Arbor, Corunna, Durand Fenton, Hamburg, Linden

Service Department NewsBy Glenda Cogswell

I am pleased to notify our membership that we have been approved for our State Grant until Sep 2011. We have just completed our Post Service Officer Seminar at Fall Conference. I believe it was a great success and

we received a lot of good feedback. We are in the process of arranging to have another seminar in the spring at Higgins Lake Lodge. When we get those arrangements firmed we will notify all of the Post Service Officers as well as the Post Commanders.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all who have supported the Service Department in the past, as we strive to make things more efficient and productive in the future. Even with the turmoil of the last year our recoveries for the veterans of Michigan were still in excess of 21 Million Dollars for the year. We hope to do even better in the coming year.

LEGISLATIVE REPORT

The elections are over and the voters have spoken. Michigan has a new governor and many of us have new legislators. It is my goal to meet as many as possible and encourage them to support veterans

legislation.The list of bills that have been introduced in the last session (2 years) will

come to a close at the end of December. A new session will start after the New Year the bills that were not passed before will have to be reintroduced.

As always I will try to keep you updated on what is going on in Lansing. I am also going to try to let you know what is going on in Washington D.C. as well.

John Hoecherl Legislative Director

LEGISLATIVE UPDATESPrepared by the DMVA, Veterans Affairs Directorate

September 3, 2010, 2010, 2010, Page 1 of 8 status of bills of interest to Michigan veterans introduced in the 95th Legislature (Jan 2009-Dec 2010)

from www.legislature.mi.gov Bill Sponsor Description Status Weblink EO

09-22 Granholm Reduces the State’s FY09 appropria-

tions by $221.86 million in General Funds and $127.47 million in Special Purpose Funds

Introduced and approved by the House and Senate Appropriations Committees on May 5, 2009

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(1wqx2s21qj12ln25qa1iup55))/documents/publications/executiveorders/2009-EO-22.pdf

SJR D

Garcia Proposes an amendment to State Consti-tution to provide a temporary replace-ment for a State legislator called to ac-tive military duty

Referred to Senate Committee on Gov-ernment Operations and Reforms

http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2009-SJR-D

SJR J

Allen Proposes an amendment to State Consti-tution to require in-state tuition for all veterans

Referred to Senate Committee on Senior Citizens and Veterans Affairs

http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2009-SJR-J

SJR L

Kahn Proposes an amendment to State Consti-tution to require veterans preference for state civil service employment

Referred to Senate Committee on Senior Citizens and Veterans Affairs

http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2009-SJR-L

HJR S

Stamas Proposes an amendment to State Consti-tution to require in-state tuition for all veterans

Referred to the House Committee on Ed-ucation

http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2009-HJR-S

HJR AA

Jones Proposes an amendment to State Consti-tution to require veterans preference for state civil service employment

Referred to House Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs and Homeland Secu-rity, reported with recommendation, re-ferred to second reading

http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2009-HJR-AA

HCR 17

Opsommer Proposes to urge Michigan’s public uni-versities and colleges to adopt veteran friendly policies

Referred to House Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs and Homeland Secu-rity, reported with recommendation

http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2009-HCR-0017

SB 17

Hardiman Proposes to prohibit work-study grants to universities which do not permit in-state tuition for military personnel and dependents stationed in Michigan

Referred to Senate Committee on Senior Citizens and Veterans Affairs

http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2009-SB-0017

sB 108

Kahn expands charitable gaming licenses to the auxiliary of a National veterans service organization

public Act 41 of 2009. Michigan Compiled Law 432.103.

http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2009-sB-0108

SB 121

Clark-Coleman

Proposes an alternative income calcula-tion for certain veterans to determine el-igibility for income tax credit for prop-erty tax paid

Referred to Senate Committee on Finance http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2009-SB-0121

SB 137

Garcia Proposes a monthly stipend for Post 9/11/01 recipients of the Purple Heart or medically retired from military service

Referred to Senate Committee on Appro-priations

http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2009-SB-0137

- 7 - Michigan AMVETS News Vol. 65, No. 4

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM (OIF) U.S. CASUALTY STATUS *FATALITIES AS OF: October 8, 2010, 10 a.m. EDT

Total Deaths KIA Non-Hostile WIA RTD *** WIA Not RTD ***OIF U. S. Military Casualties

4,408 19,048 12,8863,483 925OIF U.S. DoD Civilian Casualties 13 9 4

Totals 4,421 3,492 929 19,048 12,886

OPERATION NEW DAWN (OND) U.S. CASUALTY STATUS **FATALITIES AS OF: October 8, 2010, 2010, 10 a.m. EDT

Total Deaths KIA Non-Hostile WIA RTD *** WIA Not RTD ***OND U. S. Military Casualties

7 18 152 5OND U.S. DoD Civilian Casualties 0 0 0

Totals 7 2 5 18 15

OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM (OEF) U.S. CASUALTY STATUS FATALITIES AS OF: October 8, 2010, 2010, 10 a.m. EDT

OEF U.S. Military Casualties Total Deaths KIA Non-Hostile WIA RTD *** WIA Not RTD ***Afghanistan Only**** 1,216 989 227 4,176 4,353Other Locations***** 94 12 82 1OEF U S D D Ci iliOEF U.S. DoD Civilian Casualties 2 1 1Worldwide Total 1,312 1002 310 4,176 4,354

* OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM includes casualties that occurred between March 19, 2003, and August 31, 2010, in the Arabian Sea, Bahrain, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Persian Gulf, Qatar, Red Sea, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates. Prior to March 19, 2003, casualties inthese countries were considered OEF. Personnel injured in OIF who die after 1 September 2010 will be included in OIF statistics.** OPERATION NEW DAWN includes casualties that occurred on or after September 1, 2010 in the Arabian Sea, Bahrain, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Persian Gulf, Qatar, Red Sea, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates.

*** These columns indicate the number of servicemembers who were Wounded In Action (WIA) and Returned to Duty within 72 hours AND WIA and Not Returned to Duty within 72 hours. To determine the total WIA figure, add the columns "WIA RTD" and " WIA Not RTD" together. These figures are updated on Tuesday unless there is a preceding holiday.**** OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM (Afghanistan only), includes casualties that occurred in Afghanistan only.***** OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM (Other Locations), includes casualties that occurred inGuantanamo Bay (Cuba), Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Philippines, Seychelles, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Yemen.

Burial in a national cemetery is open to all members of the armed forces and veterans who have met minimum active service

duty requirements and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. Their spouse, widow or widower, minor children, and, under certain conditions, unmarried adult children, may also be eligible for burial. Eligible spouses and children may be buried, even if they predecease the veteran. Members of the reserve components of the armed forces who die while on active duty or while performing training duty, or were eligible for retired pay, may also be eligible for burial.

• Gravesites in Department of Veterans Af-fairs (VA) national cemeteries cannot be reserved in advance. However, families are encouraged to prepare in advance by discussing cemetery options and setting aside copies of any discharge docu-ments.

• VA will provide—at no cost to the veteran’s family—a gravesite, headstone or marker, Presi-dential Memorial Certificate, U.S. flag, perpetual care of the gravesite and will open and close the grave. Fees for services provided by funeral direc-tors and other related costs must be paid for by the veteran's family.

• VA's Veterans Benefits Administration pays a burial and plot allowance for those veterans eli-gible by law. For information, please contact the nearest VA regional office at 1-800-827-1000.

• To establish eligibility for burial in a VA na-tional cemetery, the family should provide: the veteran's discharge document; report of casualty; or the veteran's full name; military rank; branch of service; dates of entry and discharge; serial, social security, and/or VA claim numbers; date and place of birth; and date of death.

• If the discharge document is not available, a copy may be obtained from the National Personnel Records Center, Military Personnel Records Of-fice, 9700 Page Boulevard, St. Louis, Mo. 63132-5100. This should be done prior to the time of need.

• At the time of need, a funeral director or the next of kin should contact the national cemetery where burial is desired.

• The same procedures should be followed to determine the eligibility of a veteran's spouse or dependent. In most cases, one gravesite is pro-

vided for the burial of all eligible family members, marked by a single headstone or marker. When both spouses are veterans, two gravesites and two head-stones or markers may be provided, if requested.

• The Department of Defense (DOD) is respon-sible for providing military funeral honors. The DOD program “Honoring Those Who Served” calls for funeral directors to request military funer-al honors on behalf of the veteran’s family.

Veterans’ organizations may assist in the provision

of military funeral honors.

• Formal funeral services are not held at nation-al cemeteries, but a final committal service may be performed at the cemetery. For safety reasons, these services are held in committal shelters locat-ed away from the gravesite.

Burial will take place following the commit-tal service. Immediate family members may be allowed to view the actual burial only if arrange-

ments have been made in advance with the cem-etery director.

• National cemeteries do not usually conduct burials on weekends or federal holidays. However, weekend callers may schedule burials for the up-coming week.

• Floral arrangements may accompany the cas-ket or urn and will be placed on the grave after burial.

source:Department of Veterans AffairsNational Cemetery AdministrationCommunications & Outreach Support DivisionWashington, DC 20420(202) 461-6240FAX (202) 273-6698www.cem.va.govpublic.inquiry@va.gov

Arranging Burial in a VA National Cemetery

- 8 - Michigan AMVETS News Vol. 65, No. 4

- 9 - Michigan AMVETS News Vol. 65, No. 4

Veterans News & Updates--------------------------------------------------

VA Improving Veterans’ Access to Health and Benefits Information

21st Century Technology Will Improve Service

WASHINGTON (September 21, 2010)- The De-partment of Veterans Affairs is launching a multi-year initiative called Veterans Relationship Management (VRM) that will greatly improve Veterans’ access to health care and benefits information.

“VRM will transform Veterans’ interactions with VA by using innovative 21st century technologies,” said VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki. “Veterans will have a better experience when they contact VA for assistance, and our employees will be able to quickly convey accurate, up-to-date information through call centers and the Internet.”

Ultimately, veterans will find enhanced self-ser-vice capabilities, and VA employees will have the best tools to serve Veterans, their families and sur-vivors better.

By the end of 2010, VRM will deliver improved telephone services to enable Veterans to reach a call center agent faster. Recording and review of calls will ensure the quality of services provided to Veter-ans. To help guarantee success, VRM enhancements will be rolled out in six-month increments.

An important component of VRM is the Internet site, which puts the Veteran in the driver’s seat for information. VA collaborated with the Department of Defense to provide a single sign-on capability for both Servicemembers and Veterans. Single sign-on will quickly establish an individual’s identity and allow that person to complete transactions without having to re-enter information.

Self-service access through the Internet site (www.ebenefits.va.gov) is already available in some benefit areas, including military personnel records, VA home loan eligibility certificates, and status in-formation on compensation and pension claims.

VRM is just one of the many initiatives VA is launching to help Veterans get timely access to health care and benefits.

VA provides tax-free compensation, pension, edu-cation, loan guaranty, vocational rehabilitation, em-ployment and insurance benefits to eligible Veterans, their families and survivors through 57 VA regional offices.

Disability compensation is paid to a Veteran for disabilities that are a result of -- or made worse by -- injuries or diseases that happened while on active duty, active military, naval or air service. Pension is

a benefit paid to wartime Veterans with limited in-come, and who are permanently and totally disabled or age 65 or older.

VETERANS EMPLOYMENT INITATIVE

Washiington, D.C. (September 16, 2010)- Today, the President’s Interagency Council on Veterans Em-ployment was briefed by U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director John Berry, Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs Scott Gould, and De-partment of Labor’s Assistant Secretary for Veteran’s Employment and Training, Ray Jefferson, to inform them that thousands more veterans have been hired by federal agencies since last November when Presi-dent Barack Obama signed Executive Order 13518, Employment of Veterans in the Federal Government, and established the Veterans Employment Initiative. Also at the briefing, the council adopted a more ag-gressive new benchmark for veteran hiring among federal agencies.

More than 32,800 veterans have already been hired in the first six months by federal agencies, ex-ceeding last years’ number at this time. During the briefing at the Department of Labor, which was at-tended by representatives from Veterans’ Service Organizations, veterans and those currently serving in the military, Gould, Jefferson, and Director Berry joined agency officials from throughout the federal government to announce a new benchmark and dis-cuss the progress made.

“Our mission is simple: hire more veterans,” said Director Berry. “The strong sense of patriotism and public service held by members of our armed forces does not leave them when they exit from active duty. It benefits our government to utilize their skills and dedication to service.”

Council members adopted a new benchmark for veteran hiring among federal agencies at today’s meeting. The Hiring Percentage Model will guide an agency’s goal setting based on the current percent-age of veterans hired, to include disabled veterans. Those agencies with lower hiring percentages will have more aggressive goals, but will soon graduate to other tiers based on their performance.

“The jobless rate among Veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan is unacceptably high,” said Deputy Secretary Gould. “The Federal government wants to hire Veterans because of their experience, leadership skills and commitment to our Country. Working together, we can do a lot of good for our Veterans and for our Nation.”

The goal of the President’s Veteran Employment Initiative is to help Federal agencies identify quali-fied veterans, clarify the hiring process for veterans seeking employment with the Federal government, and help veterans adjust to civilian life once they are hired. Much has been accomplished in the first 10 months since the signing of the Executive Order which points directly to the uptick in the number of veterans hired, including:

Veterans were 30.2% of total new hires during the first six months of FY 2010 compared to 26.8% in the same period in FY 2009. This is approximately a 3.5

percentage point change. That is 2,600 more vet-erans hired into the Fed-eral Government in the first half of FY 2009.

The establishment of Veteran Employ-ment Program Offices in 24 Federal agencies in March 2010

The development of a Government-wide Stra-tegic Plan on Veteran recruitment and employment which was released in January 2010.

The creation of a Government-wide marketing campaign on the value of veterans, which launched in November 2009, and launching the www.FedsHire-Vets.gov website in January 2010, which established an information gateway on Federal employment for veterans.

The Veterans Employment Symposium in July 2010 which provided training to HR and hiring man-agers.

While the Government is experiencing a strong increase across the board in the first six months of 2010, there are some notable increases. The federal agencies that have already indicated a positive in-crease in veterans in the first six months as compared to FY 2009 include the Department of Treasury, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Justice hired, and the Department of Interior

“These employment outcomes show how serious-ly agencies are taking this initiative,” said Assistant Secretary Jefferson. “There is still much work to do, but it’s clear that the federal government is up to the task.”

The Council is co-chaired by Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki. Director Berry serves as its Vice Chair and Chief Operating Officer.

For additional information please visit www.Fed-sHireVets.gov.

ADDITIONAL PRESUMPTIVE CONDITIONS FOR AGENT

ORANGE EXPOSURE

WASHINGTON (August 30, 2010)- Veterans exposed to herbicides while serving in Vietnam and other areas will have an easier path to access qual-ity health care and qualify for disability compensa-tion under a final regulation that will be published on August 31, 2010 in the Federal Register by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The new rule expands the list of health problems VA will presume to be related to Agent Orange and other herbicide ex-posures to add two new conditions and expand one existing category of conditions.

“Last October, based on the requirements of the Agent Orange Act of 1991 and the Institute of Medi-cine’s 2008 Update on Agent Orange, I determined that the evidence provided was sufficient to award

- 10 - Michigan AMVETS News Vol. 65, No. 4

Veterans News & Updates, cont.

presumptions of service connection for these three additional diseases,” said Secretary of Veterans Af-fairs Eric K. Shinseki. “It was the right decision, and the President and I are proud to finally provide this group of Veterans the care and benefits they have long deserved.”

The final regulation follows Shinseki’s determi-nation to expand the list of conditions for which ser-vice connection for Vietnam Veterans is presumed. VA is adding Parkinson’s disease and ischemic heart disease and expanding chronic lymphocytic leuke-mia to include all chronic B cell leukemias, such as hairy cell leukemia.

In practical terms, Veterans who served in Viet-nam during the war and who have a “presumed” illness don’t have to prove an association between their medical problems and their military service. By helping Veterans overcome evidentiary requirements that might otherwise present significant challenges, this “presumption” simplifies and speeds up the ap-plication process and ensure that Veterans receive the benefits they deserve.

The Secretary’s decision to add these presump-tives is based on the latest evidence provided in a 2008 independent study by the Institute of Medicine concerning health problems caused by herbicides like Agent Orange.

Veterans who served in Vietnam anytime during the period beginning January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 1975, are presumed to have been exposed to herbicides.

More than 150,000 Veterans are expected to submit Agent Orange claims in the next 12 to 18 months, many of whom are potentially eligible for retroactive disability payments based on past claims. Additionally, VA will review approximately 90,000 previously denied claims by Vietnam Veterans for service connection for these conditions. All those awarded service-connection who are not currently eligible for enrollment into the VA healthcare system will become eligible.

This historic regulation is subject to provisions of the Congressional Review Act that require a 60-day Congressional review period before implemen-tation. After the review period, VA can begin pay-ing benefits for new claims and may award benefits retroactively for earlier periods. For new claims, VA may pay benefits retroactive to the effective date of the regulation or to one year before the date VA receives the application, whichever is later. For pending claims and claims that were previously de-nied, VA may pay benefits retroactive to the date it

received the claim.

VA encourag-es Vietnam Vet-erans with these three diseases to submit their ap-plications for ac-cess to VA health

care and compensation now so the agency can begin development of their claims.

Individuals can go to a website at http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/AO/claimherbicide.htm to get an understanding of how to file a claim for presumptive conditions related to herbicide ex-posure, as well as what evidence is needed by VA to make a decision about disability compensation or survivors benefits.

Additional information about Agent Orange and VA’s services for Veterans exposed to the chemical is available at www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange.

NEW PRESUMPTIVE CONDITIONS

FOR GULF WAR VETERANS

WASHINGTON (September 28, 2010) - Secre-tary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki today an-nounced the publication of a final regulation in the Federal Register that makes it easier for Veterans to obtain Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care and disability compensation for certain diseases associated with service in Southwest Asia (including Iraq) or Afghanistan.

“This is part of historic changes in how VA con-siders Gulf War Veterans’ illnesses,” said Secretary Shinseki. “By setting up scientifically based pre-sumptions of service connection, we give these de-serving Veterans a simple way to obtain the medical and compensation benefits they earned in service to our country.”

The final regulation establishes new presumptions of service connection for nine specific infectious dis-eases associated with military service in Southwest Asia beginning on or after the start of the first Gulf War on Aug. 2, 1990, through the conflict in Iraq and on or after Sept. 19, 2001, in Afghanistan.

The final regulation reflects a determination of a positive association between service in Southwest Asia or Afghanistan and nine diseases and includes information about the long-term health effects po-tentially associated with these diseases: Brucellosis, Campylobacter jejuni, Coxiella Burnetii (Q fever), Malaria, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Nontyphoid Salmonella, Shigella, Visceral leishmaniasis and West Nile virus.

With the final rule, a Veteran will only have to show service in Southwest Asia or Afghanistan and that he or she had one of the nine diseases within a certain time after service and has a current disability as a result of that disease, subject to certain time lim-its for seven of the diseases. Most of these diseases would be diagnosed within one year of return from service, through some conditions may manifest at a later time.

For non-presumptive conditions, a Veteran is re-quired to provide medical evidence to establish an actual connection between military service in South-

west Asia or Afghanistan and a specific disease.

The decision to add these presumptives was made after reviewing the 2006 report of the Na-tional Academy of Sci-ences Institute of Medi-cine (NASIOM), titled, “Gulf War and Health Volume 5: Infectious Diseases.”

The 2006 report differed from the four prior re-ports by looking at the long-term health effects of certain diseases determined to be pertinent to Gulf War Veterans. Secretary Shinseki decided to include Afghanistan Veterans in these presumptions because NAS found that the nine diseases are also prevalent in that country.

The 1998 Persian Gulf War Veterans Act requires the Secretary to review NAS reports that study scien-tific information and possible associations between illnesses and exposure to toxic agents by Veterans who served in the Persian Gulf War.

While the decision to add the nine new presump-tives predates VA’s Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses Task Force (GWVI-TF), the overarching respon-sibility of the GWVI-TF is to regain Gulf War Vet-erans’ confidence in VA’s health care, benefits, and services and reconfirm VA is 100 percent committed to Veterans of all eras. The GWVI-TF began in fall 2009 and is not a static, one-time initiative but will continue to build on its work with annual reports is-sued every August. The group’s focus centers on unanswered Gulf War Veterans’ health issues, im-proving access to benefits, ensuring cutting edge research into treatments, and to make sure Veterans’ concerns are heard and addressed. This includes continuing to solicit Veterans, experts, advocates and stakeholders to share their views to better inform the important work of the GWVI-TF. The GWVI-TF Re-port can be found at www.VA.gov.

Disability compensation is a non-taxable mon-etary benefit paid to Veterans who are disabled as a result of an injury or illness that was incurred or ag-gravated during active military service.

Last year, VA received more than one million claims for disability compensation and pension. VA provides compensation and pension benefits to over 3.8 million Veterans and beneficiaries.

Currently, the basic monthly rate of compensation ranges from $123 to $2,673 for Veterans without any dependents.

For information about health problems as-sociated with military service in Southwest Asia and Afghanistan, and related VA programs, go to www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/gulfwar/ and http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/oefoif/in-dex.asp.

For information about how to apply for disability compensation, go to www.va.gov

Continued from previous page

- 11 - Michigan AMVETS News Vol. 65, No. 4

Bolt one on for the troops today!

Yes, today!  The Michigan Support Our Troops! plates are available at all branch offices of the Secretary of State and on the 

Department of State’s Plate It Your Way website.    

Isn’t it time to show them how much we care? 

Switching into the Michigan Support Our Troops! Plate costs just 

$35.00 (the same as other specialty plates), and the troops are more than worth it.  Nothing compared to what 

they do for all of us.  Funds will benefit the programs of SupportOurTroops.Org, working for the troops and their 

families. 

Act Now!  Don’t Delay.  Don’t wait for your renewal month to get into this great new plate!. The troops didn’t wait. They went half way around for the world for us; let’s all do this simple thing for them!   For more information you can go to www.supportourtroops.org 

A Veteran’s Vietnam Odyssey

The three of us stepped out of the impressive new air terminal at Tan Son Nhut, Ho Chi Minh City, on 26 March of this year, belted by the same shocking wall of hot humid air that had greeted two of us over forty years

ago. Except this time we were quickly ushered by a guide into a modern air conditioned van instead of a sweltering GI bus with windows covered by heavy wire screens to keep grenades out.

In many ways we were an unlikely combination – I, 77 years old, a re-tired Army colonel who as a lieutenant colonel had commanded a large ar-mored cavalry task force in the uplands north of Saigon. Mike O’Connor, 63, a former Sergeant E-5, one of my tank commanders in B Troop, 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry of 1st Infantry Division – The Big Red One. Mark Kane, 62, a PhD clinical psychologist. None of us had known one another those decades ago, but on this trip we were to cement friendships that will last us for the rest of our days.

In several respects, though, we were much alike, especially one – PTSD. Two of us had it, one of us treated it.

I had lost 39 wonderful young men killed in action, and had another two killed for which my units were providing security. Mothers and fathers, wives, brothers and sisters, friends of these young men had depended upon me to bring them home safely.

Mike had lost a high school buddy in his same troop, and had two oth-ers in his platoon blown up only yards in front of him, and he had hit mines and been shot at often.

Mike and I, each in our own ways, had tried to cope, and ultimately we had sought counseling. Mark was a PTSD specialist in counseling veter-ans, and Mike was one of his clients. Mark and I first met in San Francisco on our way to Vietnam.

We were also bound in that we were on a quest, though a quest differ-ent for each of us. Our discoveries were to take place in this area north of Saigon that Mike and I had fought in so long ago, mostly in treacherous jungle, along dangerous supply routes, through forbidding rubber planta-tions.

By 1998, Vietnam had eaten so much into me that I wanted to know what it was all about, this war that had so embroiled our country and killed over 58,000 of our men and some women, and countless numbers of Viet-namese, this war that had consumed me. What in hell was it all about?

My own clinical psychologist, Dr. Charles Lamb, finding some of the root causes of my PTSD, had urged me to write – write about my experi-ences, he said. It will help.

During the war I had kept extensive journals, written dozens of letters home, made many audio tapes for my wife and daughter, taken dozens of rolls of films, hundreds of pictures. But I did not want to rely on only my own impressions for finding out what it was about. I began serious research, and in the course of it bumped into Mike on Internet, then was able to contact many members of my task force. I formed a small research group and we went to National Archives, some of us several times, and copied over 13,000 pages of records.

I went back to Vietnam in 2005 to research my battles, find the little peasant girl I had loved, about the same age as my then 11-year old daugh-ter, and hopefully feel better. I discovered many things about the battles and found Nhan, now 49 with two grown children. We had a joyous re-union. Knowing I would never return, I left sadly but with a large measure of closure.

Continued on next page

- 12 - Michigan AMVETS News Vol. 65, No. 4

Mike had been deeply involved in providing input for my book, One Hell of a Ride: Inside an Armored Cavalry Task Force in Vietnam, and he, a computer whiz, did the technical work of putting everything into print. For over ten years we were close friends, telephoning and emailing often, and meeting at least once a year for lunch and a beer. So when one night he called me and asked me to go with him to Vietnam I astonished myself by saying yes.

Mike says, “I didn’t know what PTSD was until after being stuck at home from being injured on the job but I knew something was wrong all along, during those many years after return from Vietnam. I learned about the PTSD when an alert deputy sheriff took me to the VA instead of jail when I was having a flashback.”

He says, “At first the VA was never very helpful unless I demanded help and that was only after learning about what was available from other veter-ans.” For years he had had deeply troubling marital and alcohol problems, much like many other vets with PTSD.

Then came trips on three occasions, five weeks each, to the PTSD unit at North Chicago VA. They helped, but it was only when Mike began see-ing Mark for treatment that he felt he finally had a chance for controlling his PTSD on a continuing basis. He asked Mark to go to Vietnam with him, and Mark saw an opportunity to learn things that would be enor-mously helpful in his sessions with Mike and other veteran clients, one of whom had also been in my task force.

On our trip to Vietnam, Mike’s first direct encounter with the demons of PTSD came at a stream crossing about 30 miles north of Saigon. Mike was able to guide us to the place with the same kind of certainty I had had in my 2005 trip when I arrived at the spot where at a distance of ten yards I had killed three NVA who were trying to kill me.

Now Mike looked down from a modern bridge over the stream. “There,” he said, pointing at the spot next to the bridge where his armored column had forded the small stream. He and Mark went down into the defile, and Mark began asking Mike questions: “Where were you in the column? Who was ahead of you? You went over the stream and then backed up, right? Then what happened?”

I watched and listened from the bridge. I knew from my own sessions with Dr. Lamb what Mark was up to, trying to get Mike to express what happened, to get it out of him so he could deal with it. “Then the mine went off under the ACAV in front of you, killing two of your friends, right?”

Mike had been answering quietly, haltingly, alternately choking down some sobs and quietly weeping, struggling for control, but all the while telling the story and in fact delivering himself of a horrible experience in which he had tried to save his two grotesquely wounded platoon mates

who died despite heroic efforts for which he was later awarded a Bronze Star for Valor.

Two days later we were in the Michelin Rubber Plantation, known by all who served in this area of Vietnam for its gruesome history of violence and battles going all the way back to French times. This was 30 March 2010. Exactly 41 years earlier, to the day and hour, Mike had been in the thick of the fight during the largest battle ever to be fought in the bloody Michelin. Most of the time I was overhead in a helicopter, being shot at from the ground as I directed the battle. Mike was being shot at with RPGs and small arms fire as he commanded his tank among bunkers of NVA who, according to the later testimony of prisoners, had been ordered to fight to the death. A great many of them, about 200, did just that.

As we exited the van on a single lane dirt road under the trees, we were about 200 meters south of the steam crossing where the bulk of my task force had been on line in the attack. That day we numbered about 700 sol-diers -- armored cavalry troopers, tankers, and infantry. They were riding our 90-some tanks and armored cavalry assault vehicles (ACAVs). Addi-tionally, the bulk of my air cavalry troop was overhead providing observa-tion and supporting fires, and I had fighter bombers poised for another run at this huge enemy base camp in the rubber.

Here, today, Mark was asking Mike to describe where he was, what he was doing at the critical moment when RPGs tore into his B Troop, instantly killing several men including Benny Diaz, a trooper in the cav platoon adjacent to Mike on his left.

Mike and Benny had been friends in a poor to middle class neighbor-hood of Saginaw, Michigan. They saw one another often at parties of their mutual friends and at the line of restaurants where all the kids drove cars through the parking lots and in endless loops along the Genesee Street strip. Benny was 21, over a year younger than Mike, and neither knew the other was in the Army until they met again in B Troop – Mike in Second Platoon, Benny in Third. Benny was engaged to a girl from Saginaw, and Mike was married but hardly ever getting any letters from his wife.

Mike did not even have to be there that day, as I discovered over three decades later in studying my unit records and getting Mike’s input on his experience. On the evening before we attacked into what turned out to be major elements of two enemy regiments, Mike had no commo in his tank. He could neither receive nor transmit and even had no intercom with his crew. According to cav operating procedures, he should have deadlined his tank until he could get the commo repaired. But he knew there was a big fight ahead and he wanted to be with his platoon, doing his part.

This would be an awesome task, and I often relate this story of my courageous, inventive tank commander, a 22 year old Sergeant E-5 with two tiny daughters. He was in command of a 50-ton monster mounting a 90 millimeter cannon and a coaxial machinegun, and he himself would be firing the powerful .50 caliber machinegun from his tank commander’s hatch. He would not be able to hear his platoon leader’s commands or respond, and he would not even be able to talk to his driver who was in the hull of the tank while Mike was high above in the rotating turret. Not wanting to let his platoon down by denying them one of its three tanks, he worked out a system of arm and hand signals with his platoon leader, and kicks and taps on the head with his tank crew. With these crude com-munication measures he entered a raging battle. Had I known at the time, I would have said he was nuts and given him another Bronze Star for Valor.

Mark was questioning Mike, bringing the long suppressed images to the surface:

Mark: Is this the spot where you were when Benny was killed?”Mike: “Yes.”Mark: “Did you see the RPGs hit his ACAV?” Mike: “Yes, but I did not know it was his ACAV at the time. His ACAV

was several meters to my left, and I was receiving RPGs and engaging an NVA in a tree ahead of me who was firing RPGs. I took him out with my

- 13 - Michigan AMVETS News Vol. 65, No. 4

.50 cal. I found out in a few minutes we had some KIAs but didn’t know until later that Ben-ny was one of them.”

After several minutes of further exploration by Mark, the three of us gathered at a waist-high concrete dry cistern at the edge of the road. I had lost twelve men in that day of vicious battle. Every year at reunions I read the names of all my men KIA, and the assembled troopers and I say some prayers and fight back against the inevitable tears. Here at the scene of death, 41 years later, Mike and I read the names of those twelve. As I slowly read names, Mike lit a stick of incense, one for each man, and laid it on the edge of the cistern. Then Mike read the names of the six B Troopers among them while I lit a stick for each. At the end, Mike carefully picked up the sticks, one by one, repeated the name of the trooper, and as he dropped it the cistern said, “Rest in peace.” He retained the burning stick for Benny until last, holding it to his chest, tears welling in his eyes, and finally said, “Benito Diaz, rest in peace,” and dropped the stick.

We spent two or three hours walking under the trees, now and then stopping to comment on how beautiful the plantation was – new green leaves rustling overhead in a gentle breeze, speckles of sunlight dancing everywhere on the plantation floor, birds chirping, most unlike the terrible sound and fury that could be heard for miles on that day 41 years earlier.

Finally, before we left, Mike wearily seated himself on a concrete cul-vert and was silent as he looked around. After awhile he began softly to sing. A few years ago he had set new lyrics to a song done by The Eagles called “Hotel California,” and he had named it “The Hotel Michelin.”

On a dark jungle highway, cold sweat in my hair.Acid smell of cordite, rising up through the air. Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light.I recognized the face, but it was not right.There they stood in formation, I heard the mission bell.I was thinking to myself, why did they . . . deserve this hell.Then they lit up the candles, and they showed me the way.There were voices in the rubber trees, I thought I heard them say . . . Welcome to the hotel Mich-el-in. Such an evil place (Now a peaceful place)Plenty of room at the Hotel Mich-el-in.. . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mike was having difficulty. The words were becoming harder to say.

He was blinking and vaguely looking around him, among the trees where his life had changed so many years ago. But he slowly kept singing, more softly now.

Any time of year, you can find us here . . . . My mind was definitely twisted, I got the cold sweat anew . . . There were lots of old friends there, and an NVA soldier too.How they talked to each other, I am still amazed.They talked about the battles and, each other praised.So I called up the Captain, “Please tell me the time.”He said “It don’t matter son, you live in 1969.” And still those voices are calling from far away.Wake you up in the middle of the night, just to hear them say . . . Welcome to the hotel Mich-el-in,Such an evil place (Now a peaceful place)We’ve made our peace with the Hotel Mich-el-in.Can you do the same? . . . Or you’ll go insane . . .

Mothers in the distance, call out their names. They say: “Don’t worry Mom, our friend vis-

ited us today.”He’ll be back tomorrow, as he is every night.He tries to forget the beast, but he just can’t

get it right.Last thing I remember, I was running for Lai

Khe.I had to find that freedom bird, but the mines

were in my way.Relax said Driggers, “Diaz will show you the

way,”Come back any time you want, but you can

never stay.***

So what was the outcome of our collective experience? I’m not sure, but I think several things happened.

I will never forget being with Mike as he con-fronted those terrible moments, those excruciating hours of so long ago. Because of him I felt better about many things.

Mark says, “Grieving leads to birth and commitment to self and others for restorative justice. I observed Mike while in his grief and taking an important step in rebirth, and this deeply moves and satisfies me.”

Mike says, “Going back to Vietnam had the effect of some of those blocked emotions being opened up in ways that I did not expect. I am gain-ing the ability to show and express emotions to those closest to me. It has enabled me to recover a lost relationship that I thought I had lost forever. I know that I have a long way to go, and I will likely never be able to interact socially as I should, but I have been able to reach what Mark and I consider real milestones. I no longer am fighting that war anymore.”

Note to Editor: The author, William C. Haponski, PhD, Colonel (Ret) US Army, is a member of Post 1941 residing in Florida. His book, One Hell of a Ride, is available on Amazon.com. It gives full details of the Mi-chelin and other battles in which Mike so distinguished himself.

Mark Kane, PhD, has offices in Big Rapids and Grand Rapids. He is also a member of the post as a son of a member.

Mike O’Connor lives in Big Rapids and is a past commander of Post 1941.

- 14 - Michigan AMVETS News Vol. 65, No. 4

ADPOT A FLAG POLETHE FORT CUSTER NATIONAL CEMETERY ADVISORY COMMITTEE

INVITES YOU TO FUND A FLAG POLE ON THEAVENUE OF FLAG S

The Fort Custer National Cemetery Advisory Committee is raising money to replace ourflag poles. The flag poles that now comprise the Avenue of Flags have been there since 1973 andwere installed as temporary flag poles. Due to Michigan's harsh weather and the age of the flagpoles, all 152 of them need to be replaced.

Our poles are part of history. The flags that fly on the poles at the cemetery are burialflags that were donated by family members and represent one of our beloved servicemen andwomen that are buried at the cemetery. Let's keep our flags flying over these hollowed groundsfor our veterans. The cost of each flag pole is $329.00 installed. Help keep America's prideflying; adopt a FLAG POLE. Your name or the name of your organization will be placed on amemorial board at the cemetery administration office and acknowledged at next year's MemorialDay observance. Please make checks payable to Fort Custer National Cemetery CommunityProject Fund and designate it is for the Avenue of Flags. This fund is held at the Battle CreekCommunity Foundation and donations will be tax deductible. If you have any questions aboutthis new program please call (269) 964-0309 or (269) 746-4181 and mail checks to Mrs. EleanorShelley Treasurer 15742 E. "M" Avenue Climax, MI 49034.

Sincerely,

Mrs Eleanor Shelley15742 E M AveClimax MI 49034-9712

.•..,. "::(ai)::

~Battle Creek Community Foundation I

fiN.~ ~ ~ Hi'I1L The Fort Custer National Cemetery Advisory Committee. Inc. is a Community Project Fund of the Rattle Creek. Community Foundation.

ADOPT A FLAG POLE

Fort Custer National Cemetery15501 Dickman Road

Augusta, MI 49012Phone: (269) 731-4164

FAX: (269) 731-2428

- 15 - Michigan AMVETS News Vol. 65, No. 4

The Michigan AMVETS NewsDO's and DON'TS

More WorDs

Less piCtures

post CitY DistriCt MeMBers1. 1988 BALDWIN VI 920

2. 120 MESICK VI 423

3. 29 MTCLEMENS II 371

4. 23 KENTWOOD V 288

5. 2273 DURAND III 229

6. 171 WESTLAND I 228

7. 121 ST.CLAIRSHORES II 206

8. 22 BAYCITY II 205

9. 2273 DURAND III 255

10. 1957 ADRIAN I 201

TOP TEN Posts As of November 1, 2010

DO have the articles in before deadline!Deadlines are:7th of October for the Winter Issue7th of January for the Spring Issue7th of April for the Summer Issue 7th of July for the Fall Issue. If articles are not in by the deadline they

WILL NOT appear until the following issue. If you are having an event that you want in the paper ensure that the information is received in time for the appropriate issue before your event.

DO make sure the pictures are clear and well-contrasted. Fuzzy or dark pictures won’t reproduce well. Black and white are the best, but color will do if contrasted well.

DO send in articles. Posts and districts have something newsworthy going on. Why not share it with the rest of the department? If you send pictures make sure you have an article for them. I will not write your article and the pictures will not appear in the paper.

DO send credits with your articles.Also send credits for articles from other

publications and permission to reprint if nec-essary.

DO write post numbers on the back of each picture so they can be returned to you.

DO refer to an individual as an AMVET.The organization is AMVETS.

DO refer to the AMVETS Auxiliary as the “AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary.”

DO type the article. You’re the only person who can read your writing.

DON’T use all caps when typing.

DON’T EMBED YOUR PHOTOS IN A WORD DOCUMENT

DON’T tape pictures to articles. Paper clip them to the article. We have to be able to scan the pictures to put them in the paper. This can’t be done if pictures are taped to the article and the article gets torn when we try to remove the pictures.

DON’T print or type your captions on the back of photos. Ink smears!

DON’T think we’re being too tough!We just want to make sure the paper is

done right.

THIS IS YOUR PAPER IF YOU DO NOT LIKE THE CONTENT THEN YOU SHOULD SUBMIT ARTICLES FOR IT.

In an effort to make the Michigan AMVET News a true newspaper and not a pictorial quarterly, the publica-tions committee is asking all contribu-tors to consider writing more articles and submitting fewer pictures. The old saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” is only true if everyone knows what the picture relates to. Keep in mind the four Ws:

Who, Where When, WhatThis will make your articles easier

to write.Articles should normally be 300 –

500 words and may be accompanied by one or two pictures for each article.

By increasing the number of writ-ten articles, we can increase the read-ing time of the paper vastly and spur members’ interest in what’s going on around the state.

You do want a better Michigan AM-VET News, don’t you?

Submit your digital original directly to the editor!We accept almost any file from a computer.Simply type your report, including the title, byline and story, and addnumbered captions at the end. Name the photo files to correspondwith the caption number in your report and you’re ready to go!Questions? Call me anytime at 810-796-3876.E-mail your submissions to: miamvet2008@yahoo.com

- 16 - Michigan AMVETS News Vol. 65, No. 4

Post News

Post 27 - WarrenPost 27 Sponsors 2010-2011 State AADAA Program

by ron Koscierzynski, pDC

It has been several years since the AMVETS Department of Michigan has conducted an A.A.D.A.A. (AMVETS Against Drug and Alcohol Abuse) Program. That

is understandable, considering our financial situation. Nonetheless, during that time the Lesk-Pewitt AMVETS Post 27 has continued to conduct its own local program, resulting in several National A.A.D.A.A. award recipients.

Now Post 27 has offered to make it possible for all Mich-igan posts, auxiliaries, and squadrons to likewise participate in the A.A.D.A.A. program. During a visit to the Post by the National and Department Commanders, Post 27 pledged to sponsor a Department program to the extent of its previous funding. This means that all prizes, certificates, and contest costs for the Department’s program will be paid by Post 27.

A.A.D.A.A. begins with a program at the local level con-ducted by our posts, auxiliaries, and squadrons, as well as by our districts. How to conduct a local A.A.D.A.A. program is easy:

1. Posts, Auxiliaries, and/or Squadrons contact schools, youth groups, their children and grandchildren and intro-duce the program to them. Give them a copy of the infor-mation from National AMVETS titled “The Ted Leszkie-wicz AMVETS AADAA Program” and an entry form. Also provide them with an explanation of the local program and any awards.

2. Collect the entries by April 29, 2011.3. Judge the local entries, select a 1st and 2nd place win-

ner if possible, and send their entries to Ron Koscierzynski by May 18, 2011.

4. If there are to be local awards, conduct an appropri-ate awards program. A local press release would also be outstanding.

5. Wait to hear the results of the Department and Na-tional programs.

Due to budget constraints, many police departments no longer are able to conduct DARE programs. That means that the youth of our nation – our youth, our future – may have no one but us to constantly remind them about the dan-gers of drug and alcohol abuse. That’s one of the beauties of A.A.D.A.A. – it’s a program that provides our youth with reminders from kindergarten to twelfth grade. Please con-sider conducting an A.A.D.A.A. Program in your Post, or your Auxiliary, or your Squadron. You won’t just be doing it for AMVETS; you’ll be doing it for our children.

For more information, feel free to contact me at 248-651-7362 or at drkosc47@hotmail.com. A.A.D.A.A. infor-mation packets have been mailed to the Department Com-mander, the Department Auxiliary President, and all the AMVETS District Commanders.

Michigan Student Receives

National AMVETS Honors

Troy resident Philip Gawel earned a First Place in

this year’s national American Veterans (AMVETS)

substance abuse program. The program, referred

to as A.A.D.A.A. (AMVETS Against Drug and Alcohol

Abuse) is divided into four categories based upon the

student’s grade level in school. Philip’s First Place was in

the 6-8 grade category. He received a wooden engraved

plaque and a gift certificate for $125.

Philip submitted a poem based on the theme of this

year’s program, “There is No Use for Drug Abuse.” In his

entry, Philip pointed out the importance of telling respon-

sible adults about the abuse problems of friends so profes-

sional help may be sought for them. Philip won first place

at the post level and received a certificate and a cash award

of $25.At the time of his entry, Philip was a student at Boulan

Middle School of the Troy School District. He is the son

of Matt and Nancy Gawel. He was sponsored by the Lesk-

Pewitt AMVETS Post 27 of Warren, Michigan.Con

grat

ulat

ions

Phi

lip!

- 17 - Michigan AMVETS News Vol. 65, No. 4

Post News

Post 1941 - Big Rapids

- 18 - Michigan AMVETS News Vol. 65, No. 4

Post News

Post 1942 - MonroePost 1942 adds more to County Fair for 2nd year

Corl-Gaynier AMVETS Post 1942 with the support of various local veterans’ organizations once again brings something extra to the 2010 Monroe County Fair

This was the second year for the extra activities at the 2010 Monroe County Fair in Monroe Michigan. Veterans with proper identification received free admission into the fair

until 6:00 p.m. Upon entry to the fairgrounds, each veteran received a red, white & blue ribbon to wear. (Ribbons were courtesy of the Corl-Gaynier AMVETS Post 1942), a gift bag consisting of various veterans’ related material as well as a list of vendors at the fair that day giving discounts.

About 2:30 p.m. veterans began gathering at the white tent lo-cated on the east side of the fairgrounds to participate in the parade. An estimated 65 veterans walked in the procession with various organizations wearing their uniforms and carrying flags representing their respective organizations. The procession was lead by bagpiper, Don Newman of Temperance Michigan. Participation in this year’s parade is believed to be down due to high heat and humidity.

The parade ended from where it started and a brief speech was given by Post Commander Dave Eby. Veterans in attendance were asked to stand up to be acknowledged for their time in service. A special presentation was given for the oldest veteran present. Then veterans and those in attendance were then given a special music concert performed once again from the New Odyssey band from Chicago Illinois.

During the week of the fair, located in the South Exhibit build-ing, veterans and visitors stopped by the “United Veterans Club Booth”. This was set-up and arranged by the Corl-Gaynier AM-VETS Post 1942 and also consisted of; the Matt Urban American Legion Post 40, VFW Post 1138 and the Marine Corps League, Det. 157. Guests and veterans registered for a drawing to win an American Flag donated by VFW Post1138. Veterans’ also registered for prizes donated by local businesses who contributed free meals, merchandise and services.

In addition, visitors at the United Veterans Booth viewed a slide show presentation which showed veterans of Monroe County who was either killed or missing in action, between WWII to present. Presentation is the on going project of Post 1942 Post Commander Dave Eby. Plans are being made for 2011 Monroe County Fair Veterans Day.

More pictures can be view in the Photo Gallery on Post Web site at; cgamvets1942.webs.com/

Jean Stigen pins the Veterans Ribbon to a fellow veteran as he entered the fair. Ribbons courtesy of the Corl-Gaynier AMVETS Post 1942.

Veterans walk in parade duringthe 2010 Monroe County Fair.

Unified Veterans Club booth at the 2010 Monroe County Fair was a joint project which consisted of the Corl-Gaynier AMVETS Post 1942, Matt Urban American Legion Post 40, VFW Post 1139 and the Marine Corps League Det. 157.

- 19 - Michigan AMVETS News Vol. 65, No. 4

Post News

Post 1957 - Adrian• The Detroit Tigers Baseball game on Sunday,

August 22nd, was wonderful. They beat Cleve-land 8 to 2. The weather was perfect.

• The AMVETS Bus made its inaugural voy-age to the game and the passengers rode in com-fort.

• The AMVETS Bus is finished and when you see it, it will make you proud. It is painted red, white and blue and holds 27 passengers in com-fort. I would like to thank the members and their families that donated their time and skills to com-plete the project.

• On a somber note, our Post 1957 Family lost an Auxiliary Member, Beth Almay. The profits from our Texas Hold-em held on Saturday, September 18th, ran by Cheryl Bilyou were donated to the fam-ily. 50/50 raffle proceeds held over a two day period was run by Greg Vessel, with the proceeds going to the family. Approximately $400 was donated in total to the family.

AMVETS Post 46 on Beaver Island has received the final permits for the construction of a Veterans Memorial

Park on the site of the old Beaver Island power plant located on Main St. in the middle of the the harbor.

The park will included three flagpoles that will fly the American flag, the Michigan flag, and a rotating service flag. One monument will list the names of those from Beaver Island who gave their lives in the service of their country. A second pays tribute to all veterans who have served their country and the third honors the Emmet Burke AMVETS Post 46. In front of the monuments there will be three areas con-taining bricks with veterans names and dates and service affiliation. These are available to any veteran or families and friends who wishes to honor their veteran. The bricks are 4” x 8” and an 8” x 8” and are $100 and $200 respec-tively.

Order forms for bricks and questions and answers about the park are available on the web site http://beaverislandnews.com/ or by e-mailing the Post at amvetspost46@yahoo.com and we will send you a form.

The rendering shows the park as it will look when completed and the picture is of the flags flying on Labor Day.

AMVET Post 46 wishes to thank the St. James Township Board and Wolverine Power for their help and support in this project.

Bob TidmorePost Commander

Beaver Island Veterans Memorial Park

- 20 - Michigan AMVETS News Vol. 65, No. 4

AMVETS DEPARTMENT OF MICHIGAN - POSTS1957 AdriAn 122nMAinSt 12497 AlpenA nopoStHoMe 693 ArMAdA 75185nortHAve 21988 BAldwin 1959w24tHSt 624 BAttleCreek A/lpoSt54 422 BAyCity 520pineSt 246 BeAveriSlAnd StJAMeStwpHAll 6436 BeeCHwood nopoStHoMe 71941 BigrApidS 320FourtHSt 6110 CAdillAC 127wCASS 61190 Covington vFwpoSt894513505vFwrd 71569 dAviSon vFw9474lApeerrd 34 deArBorn koFC 153 deArBorn Stp&proM.ortH.CHurCH 18 detroit 55viCtor 155 detroit nopoStHoMe 169 detroit nopoStHoMe 185 detroit nopoStHoMe 1910 detroit 21431Fenkell 12273 durAnd 8495M-71 39 eAStpoint nopoStHoMe 11583 eAtonrApidS ConF.rM223n.MAinSt. 3588 edMore veterAnSMeM.Bldg 5114 elkrApidS 410BridgeSt 6123 eSCAnABA 1315nlinColnrd 711 evArt 468185tHAve 61020 FArwell nopoStHoMe 61993 Fenville vFw2373S53rdSt 48962 gerMFASk vFwpoSt 730 grAndrApidS nopoStHoMe 5126 grAndrApidS 2929MArSHAllSe 514 HAMtrAMCk nopoStHoMe 1281 HArBorSpringS 103e.tHirdSr.(AlpoSt281) 657 HArperwoodS 199730HArper 1

13 HigginSlAke 8009n.AuSABlerd 6204 HollAnd dAvpoSt 5362 Howell A/lpoSt 3777 ironMountAin vetCenter 7122 iSHpeMing lAkeunkeyCordCd7 774 kAlAMAzoo eAgleSlodge5264 41234 kentCity nopoStHoMe 523 kentwood 9852ndSt.Se 51072 kingSton vFwpoSt3719roSSSt 21899 kinroSS 4884wCurtiS 782 lugington nopoStHoMe 6120 MeSiCk M-37S 63652 MidlAnd vFwpoSt3651 2254 MikAdo 334w.F30 62006 MilFord A/lpoSt 31942 Monroe vFw400JoneSAve 129 MtCleMenS 1AMvetdr 252 newBAltiMore 51285Countylinerd 272 newHAven 57581AMvetdr 21978 nileS 1117eBertrAnd 4108 oxFord 130edrAHner 34064 perry vFwpoSt 3101 pontiAC vFwpoSt 3115 portHope 8011ruBiConrd 279 rABe-goetzville nopoStHoMe 72965 reedCity vFwpoSt2964 6316 SAginAw 3309ruCkleSt 21994 SpringlAke nopoStHoMe 5121 StClAirSHoreS 22427enineMilerd 23720 SwArtzCreek vFw40633131elMrd 327 wArren vFw 2171 weStlAnd 1217MerriMAn 17 wyoMing nopoStHoMe 5269 ypSilAnti 2839eMiCHigAnAve 1

poSt# City AddreSS diStriCt#poSt# City AddreSS diStriCt#

- 21 - Michigan AMVETS News Vol. 65, No. 4

Department of Veterans Affairs

Pension

What Is VA Pension? Pension is a benefit paid to wartime veterans with limited income, and who are permanently and totally disabled or age 65 or older.

Who Is Eligible?

You may be eligible if: you were discharged from service under other than dishonorable conditions, AND you served 90 days or more of active duty with at least 1 day during a period of war time*, AND your countable family income is below a yearly limit set by law, AND you are permanently and totally disabled, OR you are age 65 or older.

*Note: Anyone who enlists after September 7, 1980, generally must have served at least 24 months or the full period for which called or ordered to active duty. Service from August 2, 1990 to present is considered to be a period of war (Gulf War) in addition to other periods of war such as World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.

FAMILY INCOME LIMITS (EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 1, 2008)

If you are a...

Your yearly income must be less than...

Veteran with no dependents $11,830 Veteran with a spouse or a child $15,493 (Veterans with additional children: add $2,020 to the limit for EACH child) Housebound veteran with no dependents $14,457 Housebound veteran with one dependent $18,120 Veteran who needs aid and attendance and has no dependents $19,736 Veteran who needs aid and attendance and has one dependent $23,396

Note: Some income is not counted toward the yearly limit (for example, welfare benefits, some wages earned by dependent children, and Supplemental Security Income.) How Much Does VA Pay?

VA pays you the difference between your countable family income and the yearly income limit that describes your situation (see chart above). This difference is generally paid in 12 equal monthly payments rounded down to the nearest dollar. Call the toll-free number below for details.

Note: Certain expenses (i.e., medical expenses, education expenses, or expenses related to the last illness or burial of a dependent) paid by you are taken into consideration when arriving at your countable family income.

How Can You Apply?

You can apply by filling out VA Form 21-526, Veteran's Application for Compensation and/or Pension. If available, attach copies of dependency records (marriage & children's birth certificates) and current medical evidence (doctor & hospital reports). You can also apply online through our web site at http://vabenefits.vba.va.gov/vonapp.

Related Benefits Vocational Rehabilitation Program Medical Care

For More Information, Call Toll-Free 1-800-827-1000 or Visit Our Web Site at www.va.gov.

Compensation and Pension Service – December 2008

- 22 - Michigan AMVETS News Vol. 65, No. 4

Veterans’ Medallion Available for Order

New Option for Marking Veterans’ Graves in Private CemeteriesWASHINGTON – Secretary of Veterans Affairs

Eric Shinseki announced today that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is offering bronze medal-lions to attach to existing, privately purchased head-stones or markers, signifying a deceased’s status as a Veteran.

“For Veterans not buried in a national or state Veterans cemetery, or those without a government grave marker, VA is pleased to offer this option that highlights their service and sacrifices for our coun-try,” said Secretary Shinseki.

Each service has own medallion. The new item can be furnished instead of a traditional government headstone or marker for Veterans whose death occurred on or after Nov. 1, 1990, and whose grave in a private cemetery is marked with a privately purchased headstone or marker.

Under federal law, eligible Veterans buried in a private cemetery are entitled to either a government-furnished grave marker or the new medallion, but not both. Veterans buried in a national or state Veterans cemetery will receive a gov-ernment headstone or marker of the standard design authorized at that cemetery.

The medallion is available in three sizes: 5 inches, 3 inches and 1 ½ inches in width. Each bronze medallion features the image of a folded burial flag adorned with laurels and is inscribed with the word “Veteran” at the top and the branch of service at the bottom.

Next of kin will receive the medallion, along with a kit that will allow the family or the staff of a private cemetery to affix the medallion to a headstone, grave marker, mausoleum or columbarium niche cover.

More information about VA-furnished headstones, markers and medallions can be found at http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/hm/hmtype.asp.

VA is currently developing an application form for ordering the medallion. Until it is available, applicants may use the form for ordering government head-stones and markers, VA Form 40-1330. Instructions on how to apply for a me-dallion are found on the VA Web site at www.cem.va.gov/hm_hm.asp.

Veterans with a discharge issued under conditions other than dishonorable, their spouses and eligible dependent children can be buried in a VA national cemetery. Other burial benefits available for all eligible Veterans, regardless of whether they are buried in a national cemetery or a private cemetery, include a burial flag, a Presidential Memorial Certificate and a government headstone or grave marker.

The new medallions will be available only to Veterans buried in private cemeteries without a government headstone or marker. Families of eligible decedents may also order a memorial headstone or marker when remains are not avail-able for interment.

VA operates 131 national cem-eteries in 39 states and Puerto Rico and 33 soldiers’ lots and monument sites. More than 3 million Ameri-cans, including Veterans of every

war and conflict -- from the Revolutionary War to the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan -- are buried in VA’s national cemeteries on more than 19,000 acres.

Information on VA burial benefits can be obtained from national cemetery of-fices, from the VA Web site on the Internet at www.cem.va.gov or by calling VA regional offices toll-free at 1-800-827-1000.

Post 9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon Schools for 2010-11

WASHINGTON – Paving the way for recipients of the Post-9/11 GI Bill to attend higher-cost schools, the Depart-ment of Veterans Affairs (VA) has entered into more than 3,200 agreements with over 1,100 schools for the upcoming academic year under the “Yellow Ribbon” program. Schools can enter into multiple agreements with VA to accommodate different programs of study offered.

“We are pleased that so many institutions are joining us to support the educational goals of the men and women who served this Nation so honorably,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shin-seki.

The Yellow Ribbon program, a key provision of the new Post-9/11 GI Bill, allows VA and par-ticipating educational institutions to share in sup-porting students attending high-cost schools.

Normally, the VA-administered Post-9/11 GI Bill reimburses students for tuitions that don’t exceed the highest in-state undergraduate tuition rate for a public institution. Under the Yellow Ribbon program, when schools contribute to the difference between the in-state maximum and their usual cost, VA will match them dollar for dollar up to 50 percent of the difference.

The Yellow Ribbon program is reserved for Veterans eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill who

served at least 36 months on active duty or served at least 30 continuous days before being discharged due to a service-re-lated injury.

VA launched a special outreach effort in January to en-courage more schools to participate in the program during the coming academic year. VA extended the original deadline for schools’ participation decisions, originally set for May 21, to July 23 because of overwhelming interest in the program.

Letters were also mailed to school officials and reminder e-mails sent to promote maximum participation. This year, the application process was streamlined to allow schools to fax and e-mail agreements to VA, rather than send through regular mail.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill, passed by Congress in 2008, is the most extensive educational assistance program authorized since the original GI Bill was signed into law in 1944.

The maximum benefit allows every eligible Veteran, ser-vice member, reservist and National Guard member an op-portunity to receive an in-state, undergraduate education at a public institution at no cost.

The program includes payments for tuition and fees (paid directly to the schools), a housing allowance, and a books and supplies stipend.

For information on specific schools participating in the Yel-low Ribbon Program, go to www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bill_Info/CH33/YRP/YRP_List_2010.htm.

Additional information about the Post-9/11 GI Bill, as well as VA’s other educational benefits, can be obtained by visit-ing VA’s Web site www.gibill.va.gov or by calling 1-888-GI-BILL-1 (or 1-888-442-4551).

- 23 - Michigan AMVETS News Vol. 65, No. 4

2010 HIGGINS LAKE LODGE

FALL CLEAN-UPOCTOBER 15-17, 2010

submitted by Jim May

Nineteen workers from eight different posts; (14-23-27-30-72-120-171 & 1988) rolled up their sleeves to tackle the work at our fall clean-up.

The weather was great and as a result a good deal was accomplished outdoors, such as getting a lot of leaves raked and blown away. The lodge was power washed, BBQ pits and picnic tables were cleaned and stored in the garage. A new storm door was installed on the small cabin, the large BBQ pit in back of the lodge was covered, light bulbs were replaced, porch roof flashing was re-tarred, boats were brought back in from the lake, storm door closers were repaired, cottage #2 was repainted, new batteries were installed in all of the smoke detectors as well as installation of new carbon monoxide detectors in all of the cottages, repaired the front porch doors, replaced bedroom ceiling light in cabin #3, installed insulation in cottage #4, cut up the old swing set, replaced some bad front porch ceiling tiles, repairs were done on the lake dock platform, cleaned inside walls of walk in cooler, repaired hole in wall in cottage #3, repaired flag pole light, replaced broken fence rails, and the list goes on and on.

As a reminder, we hope that the Michigan AMVET family will keep in mind that “This is their lodge."

The more workers who show for the spring clean up the easier it is on every one and more things can be completed in the short time span we have.

Spring clean up is scheduled for April 15, 16 and 17, 2011.

SPRING CLEAN-UPAPRIL 15-17, 2011

Join us!

- 24 - Michigan AMVETS News Vol. 65, No. 4

If you are planning a vacation, now is the time to call Kari at the AMVETS Higgins Lake Lodge and reserve your dates. If you are unaware, there are six - four-bedroom,

two-bath cottages, one two-bedroom cottage, and the lodge with 17 bedrooms and meals. A swimming beach, a boat dock, fire pits, five row boats (no motors) for fishing. In the fall there are color tours.

Call Kari, our manager at 989-302-7997.

RATES EFFECTIVE JAn. 1, 2011

LODGE (Per night) AMVETS ---- $33nOn-AMVETS --- $37

ROY LOVE MEMORIAL ROOM (Per night)

One Bed used -----$53Two Beds used ----$65

LITTLE CABIn (Per night) One Bed used ---- $75Two Beds used ---$85

FOUR BEDROOM COTTAGES Per Week ---- $900(Sat. 4 p.m. arrival/to Sat. 10 a.m. departure)

Weekend Rate ---- $180 Per night(Friday noon/ Sunday 2 p.m.)

MEALS In LODGEBreakfast & Lunch - $5 plus tax per personDinner ------ $8 plus tax per person

$100 Security deposit used for reservations or damages

All prices DO nOT include applicable taxes.

For your next vacation you must visit the AMVETS Lodge on beautiful Higgins Lake.

106 Thorpe Ave, Roscommon, MI 48653I-75 Exit 244 or US127 Military Road Exit

For reservations call : 989-821-6574

MAKE YOUR

RESERVATIONS TODAY!

- 25 - Michigan AMVETS News Vol. 65, No. 4

AUxILIARy NEWS

By Yvette Rusak, DEPARTMENT PRESIDENTPresident's Corner

Yvette Rusak

AUXILIARY

These past months since the June elections have been very busy. I have had the privilege to travel to the UP and visit District VII. The visit

took place at Post 122 in Ishpeming. The property is so beautiful on Lake Unkie. They brought in 12 veterans from the Jacobetti Home for a picnic. What a wonderful experience, visiting with the patients in a picnic setting. They had a wood burning fire going, hot dogs and a sing a long. The patients, the Auxiliary, the AMVETS and Post 122 did a wonderful job to make the patients feel welcomed. They look forward to this picnic every year and I am honored that I was invited to join them.

I would like to thank Jim Smith and Joe for their guidance. I got lost in the turn about in Ishpeming and went off in the wrong direction. Jim got me to the meet-ing point and I was able to follow him to Lake Unkie (I wouldn’t have found that location by myself). After the picnic, it was great to visit with Jim and Judy Smith and share a unique to the UP dinner at their house.

The next day was a guided tour through Jacobetti. Carmen Simpson (my travel buddy) and I were treated to a tour of the facility and it was great to see some fa-miliar faces. I had met several of the Veterans the day before at the picnic.

Carmen and I ended up in Grayling for the Fall Con-ference. The SEC and Fall Conference was held at the Ramada Inn. It was great to see the number of people that attended. We were honored to have the Auxiliary National President Dee Kreiling in attendance for the weekend along with the National Commander Hotop.

I would like to encourage everyone to visit or vol-unteer at one of our many Veteran Homes or Hospitals. It is a worthwhile experience especially when you see the faces of the patients light up when you talk to them. If it weren’t for a Veteran, we wouldn’t enjoy the free-doms we do today. Remember: THANK A VET!

Yours in AMVETS Auxiliary,Yvette Rusak

SADDEST SCRIBBLINGS

I have always said that the Sad Sacks are the fun and Honor Group of the AMVETS, But I was totally unprepared for the honor of receiving

the Dept of Michigan AMVET of the Year at Fall Conference. (yes, Dave you got me) I would like to thank all who nominated and voted for me

Just a reminder to all you Sack units. Don’t for-get to call or e-mail me about all you do.

This is important for both letting people know what we are and what we do. We also need this for program reporting.

Sadly yours John Hoecherl

Homeless Veterans Need Our Help

By Maureen Jackson

Do you have furniture, pots and pans, silverware, bedding, window coverings or other things that you might like to donate to a worthy cause? We have just the place for you to

contact. The John Dingell VA Medical Center is the contact facility for the Veterans Affairs Supported Housing Program (HUD-VASH).

The program assists homeless veterans in finding permanent housing in an apartment or a house. The veteran must be clinically stabilized and demonstrate an interest in changing their lifestyle and returning to work or to some other socially productive activity. They must also be prepared to make a commitment of 2-5 years to the VASH case management.

The program helps veterans get an apartment or house but they also need things to make the house or apartment a home. Because of their limited income when they are first ready to move into their new place, they need help with some of the basic necessities. This is where your help is really needed. If you have anything that you would like to donate please contact the Chief of Voluntary Servic-es Bill Browning (313- 576-1000) at John Dingell and he can help make arrangements to have your things picked up or tell you where to take them. Any help you can give these men and women is greatly appreciated.

- 26 - Michigan AMVETS News Vol. 65, No. 4

SONS OF AMVETS NEWSGreetings from the Sons of AMVETS Department of Michigan fall is

already here, where has the time gone? Last year our total Department membership was 1748 and as in the years past we will increase it. We

are encouraging our Squadrons to add 5% to 10 % to their membership. Imagine where we would be if we had all of our annual members renew as well as adding 5% to 10 % of new membership to each Squadron. Therefore I would like to encourage all our Squadrons to send out renewal reminder letters or postcard to their annual membership. This has been very successful for several squadrons.

Another goal I have for the Sons of AMVETS Department of Michigan is Project Reports last year our Project Reports totaled more than $505,000.00 and it is our intent to exceed $750,000 this year. I further would like to encourage each Squadron to file Project Reports. This only takes a few minutes each month and they make a huge impact on the AMVETS Family. We all volunteer our time, helping a neighbor, working a dinner at your post, visiting a friend in the hospital, etc. If each Squadron will send in Project Reports every month the Sons of AMVETS Department of Michigan could be second to none in the nation.

On a personal note, during our annual Fall Conference it was my honor to present Jerry Cieremans of Squadron 23 with the William A Hamilton Distin-guished Service Award for his hard work and dedication to the Sons of AM-VETS our Past Commanders chose Jerry from the list of applicants. This award is given to the most outstanding Son of AMVET member in the Department of Michigan.

This year I have decided on a Commanders project and it is my wish with our Squadrons and Department assistance to provide a portable Wii Entertainment System for the VA Medical Centers and our State run Veterans Homes, I am calling this project “Wii In A Box” this will be a self contained Wii Entertain-ment System in a locking cabinet. I have seen the benefits and the impact that the Wii Entertainment System has in the Physical Therapy Department at the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans. Each unit will cost between $600 to $1,000 depending on accessories and games we wish to include. If you or your Squad-ron wishes to make a donation please see the attached flyer for details.

Yours in Service to our VeteransDouglas S. BeedonCommander Sons of AMVETS Department of Michigan1715 N. Greenfield Cir. NE #101 Grand Rapids MI 49505dsbeedon@comcast.net616-719-2294 Home 616-304-5479 Cell

SONS OF AMVETS Douglas S. Beedon

- 27 - Michigan AMVETS News Vol. 65, No. 4

AMVETS RIDERS

RIDERS

MEMbERShIp ApplIcAtIon

RIDING FOR THOSE WHO SERVE

AMVETS RIDERS

A leader since 1944 in preserving the freedoms secured by America’s armed forces, AMVETS provides support for veterans and the active military in pro-curing their earned entitlements, as well as community service and legisla-tive reform that enhances the qual-ity of life for this nation’s citizens and veterans alike.

AMVETS is one of the largest congressionally-chartered veterans’ service organizations in the United States, and includes members from each branch of the military, including the National Guard and Reserves. For more information, visit

www.AMvEtS.oRg.

AMVETS RIDERS

RIDE FOR YOUR FELLOW VETERANS... BECOME ONE OF US TODAY

RIDER MEMbERShIp

• Membership in the National AMVETS Riders shall be limited to members in good standing of AMVETS, AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary, and Sons of AMVETS.

• Members must be the legally registered owner of a motorcycle or be the spouse of the legally registered owner within the state of registration. • Members must show for membership application a VALID State Drivers License with a Motorcycle endorsement, A VALID State Motorcycle Registration, and PROOF of insurance meeting State and Federal Regulations to the Chapter President and one other elected officer. • There will be no HONORARY memberships in National, Departments or Chapters of the AMVETS Riders.

Mission Statem

entW

e the AMV

ETS R

IDER

S are a dedicated and patriotic group of m

otorcycle riders who

hold true to an unwavering respect for our

Nation, our Flag, and our M

ilitary … past,

present and future.W

e are comm

itted to the freedom of this N

a-tion, to provide com

munity service and fellow

-ship, and to preserve and support the aim

s and goals of the AM

VET

S national organization.St

ar

t a

rid

erS

Cha

pte

r:

If yo

u ar

e in

tere

sted

in st

artin

g yo

ur o

wn

AM

VETS

Rid

ers C

hapt

er, t

he li

st b

elow

will

serv

e as

a g

uide

line

to th

e A

MVE

TS

Nat

iona

l Hea

dqua

rter

s ch

arte

r pr

oces

s. T

o be

con

side

red

as a

n offi

cial

AM

VETS

Rid

ers

Chap

ter

you

mus

t su

bmit

a co

nstit

utio

n an

d by

law

s, a

long

with

the

item

s lis

ted

belo

w to

the

AM

VETS

Exe

cutiv

e D

irect

or o

r Nat

iona

l Com

man

der.

On

this

Web

site

, you

will

find

a s

ampl

e co

nstit

utio

n to

hel

p gu

ide

you

thro

ugh

the

proc

ess.

If y

ou h

ave

any

ques

tions

, pl

ease

feel

free

to c

all A

MVE

TS N

atio

nal H

eadq

uart

ers

toll-

free

at (

877)

726

-838

7. I

tem

s Re

quire

d:

1. C

hart

er A

pplic

atio

n2.

Offi

cer R

eval

idat

ion

Form

3. E

IN N

umbe

r - th

is is

an

IRS

requ

irmen

t.4.

Pro

of o

f Lia

bilit

y In

sura

nce

5. F

ive

Char

ter M

embe

rs6.

Art

icle

s of

Inco

rpor

atio

n (A

s re

quire

d)7.

Rid

ers

Chap

ter B

y La

ws

8. A

ppro

val L

ette

r

We

the

AM

VETS

RID

ERS

are

a de

dica

ted

and

patr

ioti

c gr

oup

of m

otor

cycl

e ri

ders

w

ho h

old

true

to

an u

nwav

erin

g re

spec

t fo

r ou

r N

atio

n, o

ur F

lag,

and

our

Mili

tary

…

past

, pre

sent

and

futu

re. W

e ar

e co

mm

itte

d to

the

free

dom

of t

his

Nat

ion,

to

prov

ide

com

mun

ity

serv

ice

and

fello

wsh

ip, a

nd to

pre

serv

e an

d su

ppor

t the

aim

s an

d go

als

of

the

AM

VETS

Nat

iona

l Org

aniz

atio

n.

Department of Florida1545 Warmwood DriveGrand Island, FL 32735352-669-8490e-mail: amvetsflaexecdir@aol.com

Application for MembershipI am serving, or have served honorably, in the U.S. Armed Forces.

I apply for AMVETS membership and present:

Tem

po

rary

Mem

ber

ship

Car

d

$ for duesNAME

SIGNATURE

AUTHORIZING OFFICER

SPONSOR

STREET

CITY

STATE ZIP

POST #

DAT

E

THE

SUM

OF $

DU

ES R

ECEI

VED

BY

DU

ES R

ECEI

VED

FR

OM

SIG

NAT

URE

PHO

NE

NO

.

in p

aym

ent

of A

MV

ETS

mem

ber

ship

du

es fo

r:

POST

#ST

ATE

YEA

R

PHONE E-MAIL

BRANCH OFSERVICE

ENTEREDMONTH/YEAR

DISCHARGEDMONTH/YEAR

DATE OFBIRTH

NAME OFSPOUSE

SEXMALE/FEMALE

EligibilityTo be eligible for m

embership in AM

VET

S, you m

ust have served in the U.S. Arm

ed Forces, including the N

ational Guard or Reserves, any-

time after Sept. 15, 1940. Additionally, unless

still serving, your discharge must have been under

honorable conditions. To be eligible for m

embership in the AM

VET

S Ladies auxiliary, you m

ust be over age eighteen (18) and the m

other, wife, w

idow, daughter, stepdaughter, sister, grandm

other or grand-daughter, of a regular m

ember of AM

VET

S, or a deceased veteran w

ho would have been eligible

to join AMV

ETS.

Eligibility for mem

bership in the Sons of AM

VET

S shall be limited to all m

ale descen-dents, grandsons, adopted sons and stepsons, fathers, husbands, w

idowers, and brothers of

mem

bers of AMV

ETS, the deceased m

embers

of AMV

ETS, or personnel w

ho died and would

have been eligible for mem

bership in the par-ent organization, and are at least eighteen (18) years of age and not eligible for m

embership in

the parent organization. This is not to include

in-laws of any type.

Riders Contact Info:

chapter

Tem

pora

ry

Ride

rs M

embe

rshi

p Ca

rdAMVETS

RIDERS

DU

ES R

ECEI

VED

FRO

M _

____

____

____

____

____

____

___

DAT

E __

____

___

CHA

RTER

____

____

____

_STA

TE__

____

_ TH

E SU

M O

F $_

____

_

___

____

__ Y

EAR

DU

ES R

ECEI

VED

BY

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

___

SIG

NAT

URE

___

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

__

PHO

NE

NO

. ___

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

__

In p

aym

ents

of A

MVE

TS R

IDER

S

mem

bers

hip

dues

for:

RIDERS

AMVETS

RIDERS

MeMBersHip eLiGiBiLitY: ANY PERSON WHO SERVED OR IS CURRENTLY SERVING IN THE ARMED FORCES OF THE U.S.A. AT ANY TIME AFTER SEPTEM-

BER 15, 1940 INCLUDING RESERVISTS AND NATIONAL GUARDSMEN WITH HONORABLE DISCHARGE, HONORABLE SEPARATION OR GENERAL DIS-

CHARGE UNDER HONORABLE CONDITIONS.

DUES AT LARGE ARE $37. DUES VARy AT POSTS.

AMVetsApplication for Membership

(Please Print Information Below)

PERSON RECEIVING DUESNAME______________________________PHONE (HOME)______________________ (WORK)_______________________________________________________________

SIGNATURE OF PERSON RECEIVING DUES

DATE_________ POST#_________ STATE_________THE SUM OF $__________IN PAYMENT OF AMVETS MEMBERSHIP DUES FOR THE YEAR ____________HAVE BEEN RECEIVED FROM:NAME_______________________________________

AMVETS TEMPORARY MEMBERSHIP CARD NOT VALID MORE THAN 60 DAYS

AFTER DATE ISSUEDYour official Membership Card will be forwarded to you. If you do not receive your card within 60 days, contact AMVETS Michigan Headquarters.

MICHIGAN HEADQUARTERS5489 Main St., P.O. Box 254, Dryden, MI 48248

JOIN AMVETS TODAY!

I APPLY FOR ____NEW ANNUAL ____ RENEWAL ____LIFE MEM. AND PRESENT

$__________FOR DUES POST#__________ STATE__________

SPONSOR__________________________________________________________________

NAME__________________________________________________ SPOUSE____________________________

ADDRESS___________________________________________________ PHONE_________________________

CITY, STATE, ZIP______________________________________________________________

BRANCH OF SERVICE______________________ YEAR ENTERED SERVICE____________

DISCHARGED__________SERVICE NUMBER______________________________

TYPE OF DISCHARGE________________ SEX_____M _____F

DATE OF BIRTH_______/_______/_______

SIGNATURE_____________________________________________________

DATE___________________________________ POST_____________________________________________

AUTHORIZING OFFICER_____________________________________________________________________

THE MICHIGAN AMVETS NEWS

5489 Main St.P.O. Box 254Dryden, MI 48248

NON-PRO

FITU.S. PO

STAGE

ROYAL OAK, MI 48068

PERMIT #792

PAID

AMVETSMICHIGAN.ORG