veterans

If you're a landowner with at least 200 acres in the Batavia area, here's your chance to sell it.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is trying to secure a plot of land that is central to Buffalo and Rochester for a new veteran's cemetery, according to a report in the Buffalo News.

When it was pointed out that most of the land east, west, north and south of Batavia is wide open, he said, “Apparently no one wants to sell.”

At present, the closest VA cemetery for those who have served in the armed forces is more than 100 miles away in Bath.

The parcel being sought by the VA needs to be within seven miles north or south of the Thruway and no farther than 20 miles east of the Thruway and Route 77 or 18 miles west of that rural crossing.

Prospective sellers -- even a mile outside the boundaries -- should call Gary Rothfeld, a VA real estate official at (202) 495-5534.

The deadline for proposals is Feb. 16.

We just received this e-mail that I thought worth sharing:

I kept it to myself for many years that I was a Vietnam Veteran. When I went to 2 Pow Wow's with my Native American girlfriend last year in Florida, as we are snowbirds, I was delighted to be a veteran, as the Native Americans really treat the veterans with great respect.

On Thursday 11, Nov. 2010, I took my turn standing guard at the monument in Batavia. Never in my life did I expect the glory I received that day. It really made me proud to be a veteran again. People I never met came up to me with coffee, water, and snacks. The people that waved to me in cars, trucks, and semis overwhelmed me.

Then people would roll down their windows to thank me for being a Vietnam Vet. I know people have said this many times, that we did not get the welcome home we deserved due to our country being divided in turmoil. I now know what great meaning it is to be a veteran of the United States.

Being in such a great mood while eating supper in The Vets Club in Brockport, there was this young lad that kept admiring my boonie hat. Well after eating and getting ready to leave, I took off my hat pins and gave that boy my hat. I knew I had to do this in return for all the thanks I received from the Batavia residents. Then when talking to this boy's father and grandmother, I found out he was up here from North Carolina waiting for his grandfather's ashes to be sent up here so they could have a funeral. His grandfather was also a vet.

So now, I do not hang my head in shame for being a Vietnam Veteran, but walk with it high in the air. I bleed with all my fellow vets. If you do not belong to either a VFW, an American Legion, or some sort of vets club, do please come out of your shell and join one now. It is very good therapy as I found out. Again, I want to thank the community of Batavia for the great thank yous and waves you gave me on Thursday 11, November 2010.

Bob Polle
(U.S. Navy Retired)
Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 193

Here's a news release from Chris Barons, Democratic candidate for the 139th Assembly District.

The Returning Vet: A Tale of Two EAPs

Our state prepares to welcome home tens-of-thousands of military personnel who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Once the joy of reunion has subsided, our vets will be challenged to reintegrate into the civilian world.

Aside from the dramatic change in duty, our vets return to a highly competitive, repressed job market. Even for those with awaiting jobs, the transition to civilian life promises the strain of adaptive decision-making.

As a gloss, one might presume that veteran transitioning responsibility resides with the federal government. Limited to chronic needs and benefit administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs is the go-to agency.

However, transitioning thousands of returning veterans into an economically depressed setting demands a well-thought-out, comprehensive plan.

New York State has a highly developed Employee Assistance Program that offers a wide, a la carte array of services to participants. The public EAP program draws on public agencies to offer comprehensive support services to public employees. Private businesses typically contract EAP programs through private agencies and insurance carriers.

Their programs are Return On Investment (ROI) modeled and tend toward short-term interventions aimed at improving job performance and lowering absenteeism. Private focus is on the top three performance issues: stress, substance abuse and interpersonal relationships.

New York’s public EAPs offer participants long-term counseling and intervention opportunities. They are publicly funded and draw on public resources, though they serve the public employee workforce. The state EAPs also network with public agencies to provide accessible and diverse services.

Our returning vets will require specialized attention to successfully merge into civilian life. New York State has the existing agencies and networks to assist in that transition.

Now is the time to prepare for embracing our service men and women -- to have a mechanism in place for reintegrating them into our ranks. They have earned a proactive effort on their behalf. Adding our returning military personnel to the list of eligible NYS Employee Assistance Program service recipients is practical and deserved.

Tonight was the 6th Annual "Taste of Stafford," which brought together Stafford's finest food and an event to honor the community's veterans (gathered above for a group picture).

Local businesses and community groups participated -- all to raise money to maintain the Stafford museum.

More pictures after the jump:

Rain forced the closing ceremonies for the Moving Wall at the VA Center inside today, but dozens of people showed up for the short service. Bill Davis thanked all of the volunteers and donors who made bringing the wall to Batavia possible.

Afterward, a couple of dozen people spent time at the Wall before its removal.

UPDATE: The name of the "spotter" in this story has been removed. Public records indicate there is no way the person mentioned was a spotter at the time of the described incidents.  Dan says the only thing he remembers for sure was that his name was "Petey." 

While the dignitaries introduced each other and made their speeches -- all very solemn and respectful -- I couldn't help myself, I wandered over to the Wall.

The Wall is a smaller replica of the Vietnam War Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. It's on display at the Veterans Hospital in Batavia until Monday afternoon. Today, at 5 p.m., the dignitaries hosted opening ceremonies.

Dan Matthews was at the Wall, too. I took his picture, and moments later I gave him my business card and offered to send him a copy. That's when he told me his story.

Matthews, who splits time between Pembroke and Phoenix, was a sniper, an elite sniper. He served in the Marine Corps on a "recluse" mission.

A young man named XXX was assigned as his spotter.

On XXX third outing with Matthews, they were on a mission and XXX was working hard to do a good job. At one point, Matthews told him he needed to get his head down. He kept spotting. He didn't move fast enough.

"I inhaled bits of his brain," Matthews said.

He then added, "but I killed the other sniper."

Two days later, on another mission, he killed an enemy three-star general.

But to this day, Matthews said, he still struggles with the memories of his time in Southeast Asia.

When I showed him the picture I took of him touching Peter's name, he said, "I can never touch the real Wall."

I'm sorry, but I missed the speeches.

I met Dan Matthews and learned about XXXX instead. They are what the Wall is really about. With due respect to the dignitaries, it's not about speeches.

You should visit the Wall while it's here. I don't care if you're a hawk or a dove, pro-interventionist or anti-interventionist, or supported the Vietnam War or opposed it: You should visit the Wall. The Wall isn't about politics or American foreign policy. It's about young men and women who died doing either what they thought was their duty, or  they felt was the only choice they had. It isn't about the generals or the politicians. It's about our neighbors and our uncles and their friends and their family. It's about Ken Matthews and it's about XXXX

UPDATE: Click here for WBTA's coverage.

More pictures after the jump:

 

Hundreds of motorcycle riders were in the procession this morning escorting the Vietnam Memorial Moving Wall from Le Roy to the Veterans' Home in Batavia.

As local law enforcement cleared the way, the procession moved swiftly through town.

The Moving Wall will be on display through the weekend, night and day, with opening ceremonies at 5 p.m., today.

Do you know any of the men in this photo? Researcher and historian Teunis Schuurman from the Netherlands is trying to identify all the men, who were aboard a plan believed to have crashed in his hometown during World War II. He believes S/Sgt. Joseph Deffner, from Batavia, is in the front row, but isn't entirely sure which man he is. He's hoping for help in identifying him as well as finding out as much information about him as possible. Teunis can be reached at teun.pats@gmail.com.

With new construction at UMMC, local veterans must raise funds for the displaced War Veterans Memorial that sat for decades outside the main entrance to the hospital.

Today, local veterans gathered at the Jerome Center on Bank Street to honor America's war dead and kick off the fund raising efforts for the new memorial.

More pictures after the jump

The Batavia City Church's "City Gals" - featuring women and girls of all ages - display the cards they made for area veterans on Monday as part of an ongoing project.

Valentine's Day is still weeks away, but the City Gals made 80 cards on Monday for the men and women at the New York State Veteran's Home and the VA Hospital. Each attendee decorated cards with hearts, flowers and other designs while writing messages of love and encouragement. The cards will be sent to both facilities on Valentine's Day.

The idea for this project came from City Church member and volunteer Sue Gagne, who is also a member of the Genesee Veteran's Support Network. After talking to GVSN chairman Jim Neider, who wanted to see a community project of this kind undertaken for the residents of area Veterans' Homes, Gagne felt that the City Church's Women's Ministry (which is coordinating the City Gals project) would be "the perfect venue."

"Our church likes to get involved in the community," Gagne said. "This is the first time we've done [a Valentine's Day project for Veterans], so I look forward to seeing where it goes."

Gagne also said that the ladies are looking to schedule another "work party" (in her own words) in the coming weeks in order to meet the quota they set for themselves.

"We sure could use some help," she adds.

Women and girls of all ages are welcome to come in and help, regardless of whether or not they are members of the City Church.

The U.S. Veterans Affairs has recognized Detective Charles Dudek on behalf of the patients of the Batavia VA facility for 27 years of police work, the Batavia Police Department announced today.

Dudek was cited for clearing many incidents involving veterans over the years, but two incidents were cited specifically.

Many years ago, according the press release, Dudek took a knife from a suspect that had been stalking an employee of the VA Hospital Emergency Room.

More recently, Dudek, along with Detective Sergeant Patrick Corona, solved the at-first-mysterious death of a patient. The veteran was found dead outside Blockbuster on Nov. 7. Detective Dudek, under the supervision of Corona, traced his movements that evening and helped determine the circumstances that led to his death. Dudek further operated as a liaison between the police and the victim's family.

The press release reads:

Detective Dudek through his training, experience and professionalism has gained him the respect of the Veterans Affairs and the law enforcement community. His dedicated service is a tremendous benefit to the police department and the City of Batavia. It is with great pride that the police department recognizes the dedicated service of Detective Dudek and the relationships and respect he has formed with other law enforcement agencies. Congratulations to Detective Dudek and to Detective Sergeant Patrick Corona.

UPDATED with picture above: Det. Dudek receives award from Michael Messina, Chief of Police, US Department of Veterans Affairs.

The death of James Maher in Batavia on Nov. 7 brought the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan a little bit closer to home for many of us.

Here was a young man -- Maher was 27 -- who served his country with distinction, but was battling demons that apparently lead him to drink heavily and had friends fearing on that crisp Saturday night that James was out somewhere with thoughts of self destruction swimming through his mind.

Maher came to Batavia looking for help. He was one of more than 150,000 returning Iraq and Afghan war veterans who have reported to a clinic seeking help and answers for PTSD (about another 150,000 vets are estimated to suffer from PTSD, but have not sought help).

In the past year, the Jack H. Hisby, Jr. PTSD Center at the VA Hospital in Batavia has treated 557 men and 84 women in its residential clinic. Another 450 veterans are currently in out-patient treatment, according to Dr. Terri Julian, who runs the clinic.

"These patients are our sons our daughters and our bothers and our sisters and our fathers and our mothers and our aunts and our uncles," Julian said when I spoke with her at the clinic last week. "The fact that they come for treatment, we should be honoring them and patting them on the back for doing that. It’s a hard thing to do."

Until the late 1970s, when the term was coined, PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) was largely characterized as "battle fatigue" or "shell shock." It wasn't until Vietnam-era veterans made an issue about what they and their colleagues were experiencing, that PTSD became recognized as a treatable clinical condition.

Nearly 30 years later, two ongoing wars are taking a high toll on active duty soldiers and returning veterans according to recent media reports.

Military leaders acknowledge rampant psychiatric problems in their midst. According to the Army, the suicide rate among soldiers in Iraq is five times that seen in the Persian Gulf War and 11% higher than during Vietnam. The Army reported 133 suicides in 2008, the most ever. In January of this year, the 24 suicides reported by the Army outnumbered U.S. combat-related deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Marine Corps also reported an increase in suicides in 2008, to 41. The Army and Marine Corps have provided most of the troops in the two wars.

After the tragedy at Fort Hood on Nov. 5, PTSD emerged again as a topic of national discussion, with some speculation that Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan was suffering a form of PTSD stemming from his treatment of returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. There is some evidence that doctors who treat patients for PTSD can suffer "secondary trauma."

Regardless of the validity of any condition potentially suffered by Maj. Hasan, the difficulties returning veterans face has largely been ignored by the media.

The Veterans Administration, however, seems to have taken steps to deal with the psychiatric issues of returning veterans and their families.

According to Julian, the VA prepared for an increase of PTSD patients. In Batavia, for example, the residential clinic expanded in 2007 from 16 to 30 beds.

The VA also created a Web site to help families understand the difficult transition many returning vets face.

"Anybody coming back from a war zone is going to have some readjustment needs," Julian said.

The four-week residential treatment at the Batavia clinic is hard and challenging, according to veterans I met at a memorial for Maher on Veteran's Day.

Julian says, yes, in fact, treatment can be hard.

"Of course we don’t like to confront our pain because it hurts," Julian said, "but that’s exactly what we know helps.

"These are folks who go through some pretty awful stuff," Julian added. "They’re survivors and pretty courageous people. The fact that they can talk about how tough it is, we applaud that. We want them to talk about what's tough, about the work."

The treatment involves psychotherapy, group discussions, family meetings, medication, and fitness regimes.

Patients are also taught techniques to help them re-learn how to control anxiety.

There are also opportunities for patients to explore artistic abilities in pictures or music. An area fly-fishing group also offers fly-fishing classes.

“It’s all of the kinds of things that we know work from the research," Julian said.

The doctor is confident that the program is helping the vast majority of men and women who seek treatment.

"I can tell you, moving-on day," Julian said, "which is what we call our graduation, there is a  difference in those men and women who come in feeling disconnected from one another. I think one of the tough things that treatment does is, it lets you connect with your own heart and with other people again. That’s pretty scary after you’ve had losses due to war. When you let yourself do that, you remember what it’s like to feel again."

The clinic treats more than just Iraq and Afghanistan veterans (about 30 percent of the PTSD patients are from those two conflicts). There are also still a number of Vietnam vets who seek treatment for the first time (either they reach retirement and have more time to think or the current wars conjure up suppressed memories), and there are still Gulf War veterans who seek treatment.

She said after 9-11, their was a sharp increase of Korean War vets seeking treatment.

"One last thing I want to say," Julian added near the end of our interview. "It really is a privilege to be here every day and an honor to serve those who served us. I say that on behalf of our entire staff."

James Maher, the 27-year-old Iraq War veteran who died from a head wound after falling outside the Blockbuster location on Lewiston, was honored by a group of fellow veterans this evening in a memorial service on the spot where he died.

New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand used her weekly call with the media today to make a different kind of pitch -- rather than promoting some bill she's signed on to, Gillibrand made an appeal to New York's employers: Hire a veteran.

On the day before Veteran's Day, the senator is reminding businesses that there are tax credits available when they hire military -- especially war -- veterans.

Unemployment among veterans is 14.6 percent, Gillibrand said.

She also announced legislation to help veterans become entrepreneurs. The Veterans Business Center Act of 2009 would help veterans gain access to capital and federal grant money to start new businesses or expand existing ones.

“Too many veterans are coming home to a very bad job market and unable to find work,” Gillibrand said in a statement. “They fulfilled their duty to our country, and now it’s time for us to fulfill our duty to them by making sure they have access to a good-paying job.

"The tax breaks we put in place earlier this year are a win-win for businesses and veterans, but we need to make sure businesses know they are available and take advantage of them by hiring more veterans. I'm making a personal pitch to the business owners I meet to hire a vet and take advantage of the tax credit.”

Full press release after the jump:

Washington, D.C. – With unemployment among young veterans in New York topping 14.6 percent, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is making a personal pitch today to New York business to hire veterans and receive a tax break from the federal government in return. The Work Opportunity Tax Credit, which was expanded earlier this as part of the Economy Recovery Plan, can help thousands of veterans who are returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan to find a still-reeling economy and scarce jobs.

To provide additional economic assistance for veterans, Senator Gillibrand is also introducing the Veterans’ Business Center Act of 2009 – legislation that would help veterans gain access to capital and federal grant money to start new businesses and grow existing ones, as well as new a proposal to provide assistance for homeless veterans. 

“Too many veterans are coming home to a very bad job market and unable to find work,” Senator Gillibrand said. “They fulfilled their duty to our country, and now it’s time for us to fulfill our duty to them by making sure they have access to a good-paying job. The tax breaks we put in place earlier this year are a win-win for businesses and veterans, but we need to make sure businesses know they are available and take advantage of them by hiring more veterans. I'm making a personal pitch to the business owners I meet to hire a vet and take advantage of the tax credit.”
 

According to a new report from Senator Gillibrand, 7.3 percent of all veterans across New York State are unemployed.

• In New York City, an estimated 17,300 veterans are unemployed. Unemployment among New York City veterans increased by an estimated 4,700 over the last year.
• In Western New York, an estimated 8,800 veterans are unemployed. Unemployment among Western New York Veterans increased by an estimated 2,400 over the last year.
• In the Rochester/Finger Lakes Region, an estimated 6,600 veterans are unemployed. Unemployment among all Rochester-Finger Lakes Region veterans increased by an estimated 1,800 over the last year.
• In Central New York, an estimated 5,800 veterans are unemployed. Unemployment among Central New York veterans increased by an estimated 1,600 over the last year.
• In the Southern Tier, an estimated 4,500 veterans are unemployed. Unemployment among Southern Tier veterans increased by an estimated 1,200 over the last year.
• In the Capital Region, an estimated 7,200 veterans are unemployed. Unemployment among Capital Region veterans increased by an estimated 2,000 over the last year.
• In the North Country, an estimated 3,000 veterans are unemployed. Unemployment among North Country veterans increased by an estimated 800 over the last year.
• In the Hudson Valley, an estimated 9,500 veterans are unemployed. Unemployment among Hudson Valley veterans increased by an estimated 2,600 over the last year.
• On Long Island, an estimated 12,200 veterans are unemployed. Unemployment among Long Island veterans increased by an estimated 3,300 over the last year.
  

To honor our veterans and give them the resources they need during these difficult economic times, Senator Gillibrand is launching a legislative agenda to provide economic assistance for veterans. 

Jobs for Veterans, Tax Cuts for Businesses

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that Senator Gillibrand helped pass earlier this year expanded the Work Opportunity Tax Credit to include new incentives for businesses to hire returning veterans, and extended them through the end of 2010. But with so few businesses aware of the tax credit, the opportunity has gone under-utilized. Senator Gillibrand has been partnering with local Chambers of Commerce across New York State throughout this year to raise awareness among New York businesses of the tax credit, and encourage them to hire New York veterans returning home.

With Veteran’s Day this week and unemployment among New York veterans remaining high, Senator Gillibrand is writing to every single Chamber of Commerce in New York, urging them to work with their members and encourage area businesses to hire veterans and utilize the federal tax break.
 
In return for hiring a veteran, businesses may write off 40 percent of the first $6,000 paid to a veteran. The veteran needs to be out of the service for no more than five years, and must have spent at least 4 weeks of the previous year on unemployment.
Additionally, Senator Gillibrand is writing to the Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Labor, Jane Oates, requesting that the Labor Department’s Web site be updated with current information about the Work Opportunity Tax Credit to make sure businesses and veterans know about the opportunities available to them.  
 
New Veterans Business Centers

Nationwide, 14 percent of all small businesses are owned by veterans. But like all entrepreneurs, veterans face the challenge of getting access to the capital they need to get new business ideas off the ground. To help give them the start-up money they need, Senator Gillibrand is introducing the Veterans’ Business Center Act of 2009 – legislation that would establish a national network of Veterans Business Centers (VBCs) to serve as a one-stop-shop for veterans trying to start a business.

Based on effective Women Business Center models, the new national network of VBCs would help veterans navigate federal grant programs to start new businesses, and offer expert guidance for veterans working to start or grow their businesses. The legislation would provide each VBC with up to $150,000 each year for up to five years, leveraging at least 50 percent from private investments or other sources.

The VBCs would be targeted for areas with high numbers of returning veterans with the ability to assist over 100,000 businesses nationwide within their first two years. Based on New York’s share of all small businesses, that means more than 10,000 businesses assisted in New York

Veterans Homeless Fund

Over 130,000 veterans are homeless, according to estimates from the Department of Veterans Affairs. With more and more veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, and with the economic downfall keeping them out of the job market, veterans are at increasingly high risk of living in poverty and homelessness. In fact, according to a study by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, over 70,000 veterans recently home from Iraq and Afghanistan spend over half of their income on housing, despite not having access to a new job once they get home – putting them at extreme risk of going homeless.

To help give homeless veterans the resources they need, Senator Gillibrand is co-sponsoring legislation that would allow American taxpayers the opportunity to provide $3 of their taxes for homeless veterans by creating a new check-off box on federal tax returns, similar to the Presidential Election Campaign fund. 

The $3 check-box would not be required, but would simply give every taxpayer the chance to send some much-needed help to homeless veterans.