ATTORNEY's ADVICE - NO CHARGE

ATTORNEY's ADVICE - NO CHARGE
Read this and make a copy for your files in case you need to refer to it someday.  Maybe we should all take some of his advice!

A corporate attorney sent the following out to the employees in his company.
    1.   Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put 'PHOTO ID REQUIRED.' 
    2.   When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, DO NOT put the complete account number on the 'For' line.      Instead, just put the last four numbers. The credit card company knows
the rest of the number, and anyone who might be handling your check as it passes through all the check processing channels won't have access to it.
    3.   Put your work phone # on your checks instead of your home phone. If you have a POBox use that instead of your home address. If you do not have a PO Box, use your work address.  Never have your SS# printed on your checks. (DUH!) You can add it if it is necessary.   But
if you have It printed, anyone can get it.
   4..   Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine.  Do both sides of each license,  credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place.

   I also carry a photocopy of my passport when I travel either here or abroad. We've all heard horror stories about fraud that's committed on us in stealing a Name, address, Social Security number, credit cards.
        Unfortunately,  I,  an attorney, have firsthand knowledge because my wallet was stolen last month. Within a week, the thieve(S) ordered an expensive monthly cell phone package, applied for a VISA
credit card , had a credit line approved to buy a Gateway computer, received a PIN number from DMV to change my driving record information online, and more.

   But here's some critical information to limit the damage in case this happens to you or someone you know:
   5.   We have been told we should cancel our credit cards immediately.  But the key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call.  Keep those where you can find
them.
   6.   File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where your credit cards, etc., were stolen. This proves to credit providers you were diligent, and this is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one).
        But here's what is perhaps most important of all:

(I  never even thought to do this..)

   7.   Call the 3 national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and also call the Social Security fraud line number.  I had never heard of doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me an application for credit was made over the
internet in my name.
   The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen, and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit.
        By the time I was advised to do this, almost two weeks after the theft, all the damage had been done. There are records of all the credit checks initiated by the thieves' purchases, none of which I knew about before placing the alert. Since then, no additional damage has
been done, and the thieves threw my wallet away this weekend (someone turned it in).  It seems to have stopped them dead in their tracks.
        Now, here are the numbers you always need to contact about your let, if it has been stolen:
                 1.) http://www.equifax.com/" href="http://www.equifax.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Equifax :                 1-800-525-6285
                  2.) [http://www.experian...com/]http://www.experian...com/" href="http://www.experian.com/ " target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
                 3.) Trans Union :       1-800-680 7289
                4.) Social Security Administration (fraud line):   1-800-269-0271
        We pass along jokes on the Internet; we pass along just about everything..
        If you are willing to pass this information along, it could really help someone that you care about.

Show Your Gratitude To Our Veterans This Thanksgiving

Show Your Gratitude To Our Veterans This Thanksgiving  and through the Holidays

By Supporting

The Gainesville Fisher House on AmazonSmile

It's Easy! Tell your friends!

Families stay through the holidays at the Gainesville Fisher House due to the severity of the medical treatments their loved ones must undergo at the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center. We try to do what we can to make the Fisher House feel like home during such a stressful time, but we need your help.

By adding the Gainesville Fisher House as your charity on AmazonSmile, our Fisher House will receive a portion of the proceeds of your purchase at no additional cost to you.

Instructions on how to do so are down below.

Here’s how easy you can support veterans and their families with no additional cost to you:

    1. Sign in to https://smile.amazon.com/ with your Amazon login information.

    2. Under “Your Account”, select “Change Your Charity”

    3. In the “Find Your Charity” search bar, type “Gainesville Fisher House Foundation”     and click “Search”

    4. Click “Select” next to the Gainesville Fisher House Foundation

    5. Shop for all your loved ones this holiday season while supporting the Gainesville     Fisher House!

For information on other ways you can support the Gainesville Fisher House, check out our website by clicking below:

Learn More →

AAFES - HONORABLY DISCHARGED VETERANS use The EXCHANGE - Nov 11, 2017

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Remember when you could shop at the PX, BX, NEX, MCX, or CGX?

November 11, 2017, Veterans with HONORABLE DISCHARGE can shop the [ONLINE] PX and BX athttps://www.shopmyexchange.com

Go to https://www.shopmyexchange.com/veterans or Sign-Up directly at  https://www.vetverify.org/index.xhtml

HONORABLE DISCHARGE or HONORABLE SERVICE REQUIRED

TO VERIFY YOUR ELIGIBILITY

1.. Fill out the form - https://www.vetverify.org/index.xhtml

2.. Receive a determination

3.. Start shopping on November 11, 2017 at all online exchanges

ONLINE EXCHANGES:

Army and Air Force Exchange Service https://www.shopmyexchange.com/

Marine Corps Exchange http://www.mymcx.com/

Coast Guard Exchange https://shopcgx.com/

POW/MIA - REMEMBER!

.

Beginning November 11, 2017 … HONORABLY DISCHARGED VETERANS will be able to shop at THE EXCHANGE (formerly known as The Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES)).

To get to THE EXCHANGE (AAFES) web site, type: WWW.AAFES.COM

To shop THE EXCHANGE, an HONORABLY DISCHARGED VETERAN must first register athttps://www.vetverify.org/index.xhtml

Thought you might pass the word.

--

Len Yelinek

Commander, Las Vegas Chapter 711

Military Order of the Purple Heart

Patriots - forwarding a commentary from Oliver North.

A faulty retelling of ‘The Vietnam War’

Richard Nixon kept his promises, Ken Burns did not

By Oliver North - - Monday, October 16, 2017

ANALYSIS/OPINION:

When Richard Nixon was in the White House, I was in Vietnam and he was my commander in chief. When I was on Ronald Reagan’s National Security Council staff, I had the opportunity to brief former President Nixon on numerous occasions and came to admire his analysis of current events, insights on world affairs and compassion for our troops. His preparation for any meeting or discussion was exhaustive. His thirst for information was unquenchable and his tolerance for fools was nonexistent.

Mr. Nixon’s prosecution of the war in Southeast Asia is poorly told by Ken Burns in his new Public Broadcasting Servicedocumentary “The Vietnam War.” That is but one of many reasons Mr. Burns‘ latest work is such a disappointment and a tragic lost opportunity.

It’s sad, but I’ve come to accept that the real story of the heroic American GIs in Vietnam may never be told. Like too many others, Ken Burns portrays the young soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines of the Vietnam War as pot-smoking, drug-addicted, hippie marauders.

Those with whom I served were anything but. They did not commit the atrocities alleged in the unforgivable lies John Kerry described to a congressional committee so prominently featured by Mr. Burns. The troops my brother and I were blessed to lead were honorable, heroic and tenacious. They were patriotic, proud of their service, and true to their God and our country. To depict them otherwise, as Mr. Burns does, is an egregious disservice to them, the families of the fallen and to history. But his treatment of my fellow Vietnam War veterans is just the start. Some of the most blatant travesties in the film are reserved for President Nixon.

Because of endless fairy tales told by Ken Burns and others, many Americans associate Richard Nixon with the totality and the worst events of Vietnam. It’s hardly evident in the Burns “documentary,” but important to note: When Richard Nixon was elected president in 1968, he inherited a nation — and a world — engulfed in discord and teetering on the brink of widespread chaos. His predecessor, Lyndon Johnson, was forced from office with a half-million U.S. troops mired in combat and fierce anti-American government demonstrations across the country and in our nation’s capital.

Ken Burns may not recall — but my family remembers: It was Lyndon Johnson who sent my brother and me to war. It was Richard Nixon who brought us home. It is very likely we are alive today because Mr. Nixon kept his word.

That’s not the only opportunity for accuracy Mr. Burns ignored. He could have credited Mr. Nixon with granting 18-year olds the right to vote in July 1971 with the 26th Amendment to our Constitution. (Does Ken even recall the slogan, “Old enough to fight — old enough to vote!” He should. Mr. Burns turned 18 that same month.)

President Nixon pressed on to all but finish the war. As promised, he brought our combat units home, returned 591 prisoners of war to their wives and families, ended the draft, leveraged the conflict to open ties with China and improved relations with the Soviet Union. He pushed both Communist giants in Beijing and Moscow to force their North Vietnamese puppet into a negotiated settlement. Yet he is portrayed in the Burns documentary as a cold-blooded, calculating politician more interested in re-election than the lives of U.S. troops in combat.

Contrary to the film’s portrayal, Mr. Nixon had a complicated strategy to achieve “peace with honor.” His goal was to train and equip the South Vietnamese military to defend their own country in a process he called “Vietnamization,” and thereby withdraw American troops.

President Nixon succeeded in isolating the North Vietnamese diplomatically and negotiated a peace agreement that preserved the right of the people of South Vietnam to determine their own political future. Imperfect as the Saigon government was, by 1973 the South Vietnamese had many well-trained troops and units that fought well and were proud to be our allies. This intricate and sophisticated approach took shape over four wartime years but receives only superficial mention in Mr. Burns‘ production.

Despite Democrat majorities in both houses of Congress, Mr. Nixon— a deft political powerhouse — attained consistent support from America’s “Silent Majority.”

If Mr. Burns read President Nixon’s memoir or his two successive books in which the former president recounts his emotional anguish at the war’s toll — “No More Vietnams” and “In the Arena” — there is little evidence in the PBS production. Instead, Mr. Burnscherry-picks from the infamous “Nixon tapes” to brand the president as a devious manipulator, striving for mass deception — a patently false allegation.

By the time President Nixon resigned office on Aug. 9, 1974, the Vietnam War was all but won and the South Vietnamese were confident of securing a permanent victory. But in December 1974 — three months after Mr. Nixon departed the White House — a vengeful, Democrat-dominated Congress cut off all aid to South Vietnam.

It was a devastating blow for those to whom Mr. Nixon had promised — not U.S. troops — but steadfast military, economic and diplomatic support. As chronicled in memoirs written afterwards in Hanoi, Moscow, and Beijing, the communists celebrated. The ignominious end came with a full-scale North Vietnamese invasion five months later.

Despite the war’s end — and the trauma that continues to afflict our country — there is little in the Burns so-called documentary about the courage, patriotism, and dedication of the U.S. troops who fought honorably, bravely and the despicable way in which we were “welcomed” home.

The PBS “documentary” frequently reminds viewers of the “gallant nationalist fervor” among the North Vietnamese. But the South Vietnamese are portrayed as little more than conniving urchins and weak pawns of the imperialist Americans.

In a technique favored by the “progressive left,” Mr. Burns uses a small cadre of anti-war U.S. and pro-Hanoi Vietnamese “eyewitnesses” to explain the complicated policies of the U.S. government. Mr. Burns apparently refused to interview Henry Kissinger, telling the Portland Press Herald he doubted “Kissinger’s authority to adequately convey the perspectives of the U.S. government.” This alone disqualifies this “documentary” as definitive history on the Vietnam War.

Though Mr. Burns and his collaborators claim otherwise, the real heroes of “The Vietnam War” were not U.S. protesters, but the troops my brother and I led. They fought valiantly for our country and the president who brought us home.

Since meeting President Nixon in the 1980s, I have always remembered how he understood the incredible sacrifice of American blood in the battlefields of Vietnam. He was dedicated to ending the war the right way and committed to sustaining American honor. He kept his promise to bring us home.

Ken Burns failed to keep his promise to tell all sides about the long and difficult war in Vietnam. Mr. Burns, like John Kerry, has committed a grave injustice to those of us who fought there.

• Oliver North was a Marine platoon leader in Vietnam, and recipient of the Silver Star, the Bronze Star for Valor, and two Purple Hearts.

Memories from the last half of the last century.......Feel old?

I added some comments at the bottom.  Some memories, some political commentary.

Black and White

(Under age 45? You won't understand.)

You could hardly see for all the snow,

Spread the rabbit ears as far as they go.

'Good Night, David .

Good Night, Chet.'

My Mom used to cut chicken, chop eggs and spread mayo on the same cutting board with the same knife and no bleach, but we didn't seem to get food poisoning.

My Mom used to defrost hamburger on the counter and I used to eat it raw sometimes, too. Our school sandwiches were wrapped in wax paper in a brown paper bag, not in ice pack coolers, but I can't remember getting e.coli.

Almost all of us would

Have rather gone swimming in the lake instead of a pristine pool

(talk about boring), no beach closures then.

The term cell phone would have conjured up a phone in a jail cell, and a pager was the school PA system.

We all took gym, not PE... and risked permanent injury with a pair of high top Ked's (only worn in gym) instead of having cross-training athletic shoes with air cushion soles and built in light reflectors. I can't recall any injuries but they must have happened because they tell us how much safer we are now.

Flunking gym was not an option... Even for stupid kids! I guess PE must be much harder than gym.

Speaking of school, we all said prayers and sang the national anthem, and staying in detention after school caught all sorts of negative attention.

We must have had horribly damaged psyches. What an archaic health system we had then. Remember school nurses? Ours wore a hat and everything.

I thought that I was supposed to accomplish something before I was allowed to be proud of myself. – Trophies were only given to the Champions, sometimes 2^nd and 3^rdbut no Participant trophies.

I just can't recall how bored we were without computers, Play Station, Nintendo, X-box or 270 digital TV cable stations.

Oh yeah... And where was the Benadryl and sterilization kit when I got that bee sting? I could have been killed!

We played 'king of the hill' on piles of gravel left on vacant construction sites, and when we got hurt, Mom pulled out the 48-cent bottle of Mercurochrome (kids liked it better because it didn't sting like iodine did) and then we got our butt spanked.

We also played other rough full contact games without pads like “Kill the guy with the Ball’, Tackle Town, British Bulldog, Capture the Flag and Buck-Buck We got lots  of scrapes and cuts, that is for sure.

Now it's a trip to the emergency room, followed by a 10-day dose of a $99 bottle of antibiotics, and then Mom calls the attorney to sue the contractor for leaving a horribly vicious pile of gravel where it was such a threat.

We didn't act up at the neighbor's house either; because if we did we got our butt spanked there and then we got our butt spanked again when we got home, often with a belt or a paddle.

I recall Donny Reynolds from next door coming over and doing his tricks on the front stoop, just before he fell off.

Little did his Mom know that she could have owned our house.

Instead, she picked him up and swatted him for being such a jerk It was a neighborhood run a muck.

To top it off, not a single person I knew had ever been told that they were from a dysfunctional family.

How could we possibly have known that?

We needed to get into group therapy and anger management classes.

We were obviously so duped by so many societal ills, that we didn't even

notice that the entire country wasn't taking Prozac!

How did we ever survive?

LOVE TO ALL OF US WHO SHARED THIS ERA; AND TO ALL WHO DIDN'T, SORRY FOR WHAT YOU MISSED. I WOULDN'T TRADE IT FOR ANYTHING!

Pass this to someone and remember that life's most simple pleasures are very often the very best

I recall cutting lawns in the neighborhood with our push mower for a small income that kept my bicycle in intertubes that were not all patches.  Then my Father threatened to charge me rent on the tools he had to fix now and then.   Now I have to hire a landscape guy to do this task and it sometimes gets done as needed even through the language barrier.   Mine has a new and very shiny pickup truck pulling his well-stocked trailer filled with all sorts of equipment and tools.  I do not mind paying for things I could do but I am retired and my wife is never happy with the condition of things.  Even after the yard guy leaves, I have to straighten things out.  But I look at this is providing honest work to those who are willing to do it.

At age 13, I got a paper route (Oakland Tribune) where I had to deliver the paper within reach of the customer at their door.  Carrying the papers in the special carrier, an over-the-shoulders canvas carrier, folding the papers neatly as I walked the route or on Sunday, putting a rubber band around it.  No plastic bags back then.  It had to be placed where the rain would not touch it. Not bad money as good service brought good tips.   Bought a bicycle (3-speed) after saving a year for it.  Now I sometimes have to pick mine up from the street from at the 0530 delivery time by some person(s) and vehicle racing around that brings up thoughts that this might be a drive-by shooting about to occur.  This must also pay well as none of the cars I see are older than mine, are usually black and quite loud.

The Black & White TV was replaced by a magical color TV with a 10 inch or so screen as there were boxing on two days a week and Pop was a fan.  It drew neighbors to our living room. Professional football back then was rare as the college game was the big thing.  Kezar Stadium in San Francisco was used by the 49ers.  A 7,000 seat venue they paid rent at.  The big college games drew from 75 to 100,000 fans.  ABC was still black and white then at Monday Night AFL Football.  Then the merger.  It made enough money for ABC to go to color.  If you remember Howard Cosell you have mostly gray hair and arthritis.

Now, a team can move into a new, large stadium supported mostly by my and my neighbor's tax dollars.  Perhaps it is moving back in that direction again.  I hope the Raiders decide to stay in Oakland.   We are spending 1 billion in road capacity enhancement in Vegas and that won't be helped by a 65,000 seat stadium right off the main traffic route through our valley.  After a big sports event here now, there is always a problem serious enough to be noted on TV.

I could watch a news program and viewed-listened to news.   Not many talking heads back then.  Now when I watch "news" on the boob tube, I sometimes substitute the people for comic book characters as every one is an expert that interviews other experts.

So I get most of my news via the internet where I can select stories of interest from some agency that still uses the printed word.  Then there are things like uTube.  Technology, in particular, the Smartphone is great stuff but is apparently affecting our citizenry with reduced attention span, distractions from tasks such as driving and walking across the street.   I was recently at a National Park in Oregon where a sign read - "Selfie Danger Area."  Apparently they lost several tourists over the edge and were trying to reduce their paperwork and body disposals.  I still see drivers apparently texting in freeway traffic.   Personally, I despise telephones of all types although I use mine to give my wife driving directions from home (although she has built-in Nav) and for computer security.  Not all tech stuff is bad.

I read where old school subjects such as cursive writing and arithmetic are being phased out in our grammar schools.  With our local schools ranking in the lower 2% of the USA, and with most administrators drawing six-figure salaries - 3 times that of our teachers - what will they teach?  I can recall the days in grammar school when an occasional new kid from somewhere foreign would show up in class.  We kids taught them English pretty fast - in class and in after-school play and sports.  Mandatory busing has probably stopped this route to learning English.  But when one sees results and costs of teaching ESL, it is apparent that something is wrong. I have often wondered how much money could be saved and that most non-native residents had to learn English as a business language and citizenship requirement.  I believe road sign and traffic laws are available in at least a dozen languages.  This may be for getting more people behind the wheel (more revenue) but I have a feeling that the deep underlying reason for not making newer residents assimilate in language is twofold.  One to garner more votes and to also keep many in that world of second-class citizens economically and socially.

I read of the Swedish approach where they pay immigrants to learn Swedish.  Not just give them handouts.  It seems to reduce their immigrant unemployment rate enough to make it worthwhile.

Lou Rothenstein <loumisgm@yahoo.com>



Wed 11/8/2017, 8:11 AM

Lou

Veterans Day Car Show & BBQ November 10, 2017

VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System  is Hosting  a Veterans Day Car Show & BBQ November 10, 2017

What: The VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System will host a Car Show & Free BBQ in celebration of Veterans Day.

When:                      Friday, Nov. 10, 2017, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Where:                    VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System Medical Center

                               6900 N. Pecos Road

                               North Las Vegas, Nevada 89086

Background:         The VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System (VASNHS) will host its 3rd Annual Car Show & BBQ in celebration of Veterans Day. Activities include:

• Car Show (Sponsored by Las Vegas Crusin’)
• Free BBQ (Sponsored by the Masonic Service Association)
• Health & Services Fair (Hosted by the VA)
• Appearance by Count’s Kustoms
• Kids Zone and Much More

More Information:  Visit www.lasvegas.va.gov

Media RSVP:          Please email VHALASPAO@va.gov or contact Mr. David Martinez, VASNHS Public Affairs, (702) 791-9004 or Mr. Charles Ramey, Chief Public Affairs, (702) 791-9003.

-30-

FOR YOUR INFO

This is a private business with no center in NV but seems to be good info so lets set up the links on 711 pages.  r
---------- Forwarded Message ----------
From: Parker Ross <pross@drugrehab.com>
To: info@nevadavets.org
Subject: Quick question
Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2017 12:50:26 -0400

Hi NVF team,
Are you still updating your links/resources page? My organization just published a guide on the links between veterans, PTSD and substance abuse, I thought you might like to read it. Here's a link, and another to our write-up on alcohol, the most abused substance in the world:
Veterans and Addiction
drugrehab.com/addiction/veterans
Alcohol Addiction and Alcoholism
drugrehab.com/addiction/alcohol
If you like what we wrote, could you add these to your list to help us spread awareness?  Either way, let me know what you think!

--

All the best,

Parker Ross

He / him / his
Outreach Specialist

DrugRehab.com

p:
877.695.5395

e:
pross@drugrehab.com

____________________________________________________________
The Unusual Link Between Alzheimer's and Coconut Oil (Watch)
Memory Repair Protocol
http://thirdpartyoffers.netzero.net/TGL3242/59fb3b53541593b530566st04duc

FYI DATES TO REMBER

Fwd: Information

Partricia Martinelli-Price <pmartinelliprice@gmail.com>

          

Show all 2 attachments (1 MB) Download all 

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---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Partricia Martinelli-Price" <pmartinelliprice@gmail.com>
Date: Oct 27, 2017 10:13 AM
Subject: Fwd: Information
To: <al.deleon@pnkmail.com>
Cc: 

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Partricia Martinelli-Price" <pmartinelliprice@gmail.com>
Date: Oct 27, 2017 10:10 AM
Subject: Information
To: "Robert Surge" <rsurge1@outlook.com>
Cc: 

Breakfast for Veterans

https://www.facebook.com/events/899681636846130/?ti=cl

Christmas Motorcycle Run

https://www.facebook.com/events/499716073725360/?ti=cl

UPDATE ON DESERT STORM MEMORIAL FROM SCOTT STUMP

 

I wanted to forward you this Stars and Stripes article which came out on Friday following a CFA Hearing we had the day before. I wanted to keep you in the loop and up to date.. Please let me know if you have any questions or need anything additional! I hope that you have a wonderful afternoon!

Sincerely,

Scott

https://www.stripes.com/news/advocates-fight-for-desert-storm-memorial-site-near-national-mall-1.493369

Patriots, FYI

Dear Nevada Vets,
I am the events coordinator at the NV Southern Railroad Museum in Boulder City, NV.  We are one of three railroad museums in Nevada, and one of the most visited.
We love and respect our Veterans, so this Veterans Day weekend, Nov 11/12, 2017 will allow any veteran with ID to ride our trains, along with one additional relative.
Please publish the attached letters/information in your news to the Veterans of Nevada.  If you need additional information please contact me at my phone below, or email me.
Frank Carroll
Scenic Photography
fctrvlr@gmail.com
frankcarroll.photography
Phone:  702.501.4475

Fwd: American Veteran documentary at West Charleston Library, THU Sep 28th 5:30pm-7:00pm

 

 

Len Yelinek <lenyelinek@gmail.com>

 

Yesterday, 9:45 PM

MOPH Patriots -- Just received this notice.  If you are free tomorrow afternoon at 5:30pm, stop by the West Charleston Library, 6301 W. Charleston Bl.

Just right around the corner for the documentary film screening “American Veteran” this Thursday 9/28 at the West Charleston Library. In partnership with the Elizabeth Dole Foundation-Hidden Heroes.   Please also share among your network of military families and spouses that may be interested.  Attached is the flyer for the screening and evenbrite link to register.   We hope to see you there……..

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/screening-of-american-veteran-panel-discussion-tickets-36885964914

Eva Secchiari
Founder/President & Executive Director
LifeAfterActiveDuty. 501(c ) (3) nonprofit
www.lifeafteractiveduty.org
(702) 497-8744
777 N. Rainbow Blvd. Suite 150, Las Vegas NV 89107

To comply with the CAN-SPAM Act, we included a working permanent removal link, and can provide your opt-in details upon request.
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Op-Ed Get ready for the next round in the battle over the Vietnam War

http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-reston-vietnam-refought-20170903-story.html

Machine gun at the ready, a paratrooper of the U.S. 82nd Airborne Brigade advances cautiously near Hue, South Vietnam, on April 3, 1968. (Associated Press)

James Reston Jr.

There are two Vietnam wars, and the second is still going 40 years after the first ended. The United States fought the first one from 1959 to 1975 in the jungles, villages and airspace of Indochina. The second is the war over how that war, the first lost war in America’s national history, is remembered. This month, as Ken Burns’ 10-part Vietnam documentary is aired on PBS, the second conflict is sure to heat up again with renewed intensity.

The positions will be fiercely argued. What was the war good for? Absolutely nothing, as the 1970 song put it? Or was it a heroic cause? The most important — and poignant — group who will offer answers to these questions is Vietnam veterans themselves.

ADVERTISING

They see themselves reflected, against the roll of the dead, on the black granite walls of Maya Lin’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, or in the faces of Frederick Hart’s evocative sculpture of three soldiers nearby.

Many who served came home and got on with their lives, whatever the wounds and scars of war. A more visible subset of aging warriors sits astride motorcycles in Veterans Day parades or stands in the median strips of our streets holding cardboard placards. They live their lives as war survivors. They ponder what might have been.

Those who served in Vietnam or resisted may never be considered members of a Greatest Generation, like World War II veterans.

Often, no matter how their lives have unfolded, Vietnam vets have a chip on their shoulder. They ask or wish that their patriotism, their service, be better recognized, even glorified: They stepped forward, regardless of the flawed rationale and conduct of the war, when hordes of other young men, especially the so-called best and brightest, avoided the unpleasantness altogether.

For those who avoided the draft and the danger, there is often a quiet guilt — I have witnessed it many times. They dodge the inevitable question: How did you manage to get out of it? Hasty marriage? Graduate school? A trick knee? Men in this category do not invite conversation about that time in their lives, any more than combat veterans discuss the horrendous things they witnessed in the war zone. Only those who came of age after the draft turned into a lottery, the ones with high, untouchable numbers, or those who arrived after the Army went voluntary, escaped the moral dilemma of serving or resisting or malingering.

The statistics are revealing. Of the 26.8 million men who were eligible for service during the war period, 15.4 million were deferred, exempted or disqualified. Of those who served, 2.1 million were deployed to Vietnam. More than 58,000 died, 300,000 were wounded and 245,000 have filed for injuries incurred by exposure to the defoliant weapon Agent Orange. More than 50,000 draft-age men fled to Canada and Sweden. There are no statistics on those who suffer from permanent psychological wounds.

The men who actively protested against the war may feel best about themselves. They were engaged in the struggle of their generation, and they deserve the lion’s share of credit for stopping the war. Their resistance, especially from 1967 to 1969, when U.S. casualties were the highest, forced the hand of America’s leaders. They have a better argument for serenity in their old age than those who merely avoided service and stood smugly on the sidelines.

Then there are the politicians. The rationale for American involvement — the phony Tonkin Gulf resolution and the discredited domino theory — forced the moral dilemma on the Vietnam generation. Five years after Saigon fell, in the election of 1980, presidential candidate Ronald Reagan romanticized the conflict as a “noble cause.” He planted the enduring notion, so popular on political hustings nowadays, that America must never again fight a war it does not intend to win. This glib rhetoric is sure to be prominent in renewed debates over the war, and it may make those who bear the brunt of the war’s loss feel better: It wasn’t their fault. But scoffing detractors will ask whether more troops and more bombs would really have ensured victory. They will turn Reagan’s phrase upside down: America must never again force another generation to choose between service or resistance in an arguably immoral war.

It is with bitter irony that the Vietnam generation has witnessed the friendly visits of Presidents Clinton and Bush (both of whom avoided the war) to Hanoi, or the jovial Oval Office interchange between President Trump(deferred because of bone spurs) and Nguyen Xuan Phuc, the prime minister of our new ally and bulwark against China, the People’s Republic of Vietnam. They must cope with the recent revelations that Richard Nixon scuttled a Lyndon Johnson peace deal during the 1968 election for cold political reasons, a deal that might have saved the 20,000 American soldiers who died during Nixon’s subsequent six-year presidency. With mixed feelings or quiet applause, they watched John Kerry, a bonafide war hero and an antiwar leader, in his last act as secretary of State, meet the Viet Cong veteran who tried to kill him in the murky waters of the Mekong Delta.

Reconciliation after divisive wars, especially a lost war, is a tricky business. Those who served in Vietnam or resisted may never be considered members of a Greatest Generation, like World War II veterans. Nevertheless, their experiences are authentically American, deeply revealing of divisions and ideals that haunt us still.

In the early 1980s, the design for the now-celebrated Vietnam memorial wall — a site that has evolved into a place of contemplation for the pacifist as well as the warrior — attracted advocates and enemies who saw it as yet another opportunity to re-fight the war. An editorial in the Boston Globe summarized what would become a five-year art battle this way: “Commemorating the war in Vietnam is likely to prove no simpler than fighting it.”

The Burns documentary airs in a week. Get ready for another round.

James Reston Jr. will be interviewed about his latest book, “A Rift in the Earth: Art, Memory, and the Fight for a Vietnam Memorial,” at Chevalier’s Books on Sept. 28. Reston served in the U.S. Army from 1965 to 1968, and is a senior scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center.

85th National Convention of the Military Order of the Purple

85th National Convention of the Military Order of the Purple Heart in Dallas, Texas, Elects Patriot NEIL VAN ESS as National Commander  The 85th Annual Convention of The Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH) and the 84th National Convention of the MOPH Auxiliary concluded Friday, August 18, in Dallas, TX, with the election of new officers for the upcoming year. Patriot Neil Van Ess, a combat wounded veteran from Totowa, New Jersey was elected as National Commander. Elected as National Senior Vice Commander was Doug Middleton, a combat wounded veteran from Roswell, Georgia. Elected as National Junior Vice Commander was Felix Garcia, a combat wounded veteran from Sugar Land, Texas. Elected as President of the Military Order of the Purple Heart Auxiliary was Gloria Sanchez of Tallahassee, Florida. Diane Petrini of California was elected as Senior Vice President, and Cheryl Perez of Chula Vista, California was elected as Junior Vice President.  The election of NEIL VAN ESS, a former law enforcement officer and police Captain in New Jersey, with extensive Union negotiation responsibilities, brings a new depth of experience to the position of National Commander of the Order. After being sworn in to his new position, Patriot Van Ess said, "I am deeply honored to serve as National Commander of our Nation's bravest combat heroes, those Purple Heart recipients who have shed their blood to defend the freedoms that all Americans are blessed to enjoy. Anyone who knows me knows that my passion is working on behalf of veterans. I truly look forward to working together - not only with the leadership team, but each and every Member of the Order, as we honor the present, remember the past, and preserve our legacy as we work to make this the most productive year in the history of the Order." The newly elected Senior Vice Commander DOUG MIDDLETON, a retired military veteran with more than 30 years of dedicated service to the Nation, brings extensive leadership experience and qualities gained from a highly successful military career. After retiring from the U.S. Army, Middleton served as the Chief Operating Officer of the Atlanta Region of the American Red Cross. Speaking to the Members, he said "I am deeply honored and humbled by your trust. I believe that my experiences, which spanned both the Vietnam and the Gulf wars, give me a unique insight into the hopes and aspirations of all generations of our Order's Members to serve our Veterans and their families. My goal is to mentor our newest members and help develop the necessary skills for leadership of our Order's future. In the past year, I have grown to admire and respect our new Commander and look forward to assisting him in advancing the goals and objectives of the Order." Also noteworthy was the election of Patriot FELIX GARCIA as National Junior Vice Commander, making him the first post 9/11 combat wounded veteran to assume this National leadership position. Speaking to the Convention, Garcia said "I am honored to be entrusted with the mission of carrying on the traditions and legacy of this great Order by my generation, and just as important, to honor the generations of combat wounded veterans that came before us. I thank the Members for their confidence in my abilities to lead this venerated organization, and I do not take this duty and its responsibilities lightly." Region Commanders: (* = indicates newly elected) Region I - Zach Fike (VT)* Region II - Rick Cherone (WI)* Region III - Barry Gasdek (WY)* Region IV - Lee Brown (FL)*  Region V - Francisco "Paco" Elizalde (CO)* Region VI - Billy Weldon (AZ) Patriot Pete Rosie from Woodcrest, Texas was named the "MOPH Patriot of the Year." Born in Edenborough, Scotland in 1941, he immigrated to the United States in 1959, and that same year he joined the U.S. Army. In 1972, while on his second tour in Vietnam, Staff Sergeant Rosie was wounded when his APC hit an anti-tank mine. He retired in 1980 as a Sergeant First Class with 21 years of military service. After retiring from the Army, he went to work for the family of BK Johnson, heir to the famous King Ranch, where he served as Executive Assistant to Mr. Johnson. After retiring from this position in 1995, Patriot Rosie joined the MOPH, and served many years as his Chapter's Welfare and VAVS Officer, before becoming the Department of Texas Welfare Officer for six years. Patriot Rosie lives with his wife, Trish, in Windcrest, Texas, a suburb of San Antonio. He and Trish have six sons, three granddaughters and three grandsons. Trish has always been a very active and dedicated member of the MOPH Auxiliary. This year, thirty-two applicants received education scholarships, while SSgt Jacob Anderson was selected for special recognition as this year's recipient of the Navy Seal Lt. Michael Murphy Scholarship. Lt. Michael P. Murphy was the leader of a U.S. Navy SEAL Team who was killed in action on June 28, 2005, during a covert counter-terrorism combat operation in Afghanistan. Staff Sergeant Anderson has served in the U.S. Marine Corps since 2008. He received his Purple Heart for wounds received in Afghanistan. He is currently enrolled at the Citadel where he is majoring in Electrical Engineering with a minor in Aerospace Science. Upon graduation in 2019, he plans to pursue a career as a Marine pilot. For more information contact: John Bircher, MOPH Public Relations Director publicrelations@purpleheart.org.

L to R: National Commander Neil Van Ess, National Senior Vice Commander Doug Middleton and National Junior Vice Commander Felix Garcia

DAN BOUNDS Update

Yesterday, 10:44 PM

This message was sent with high importance.

I have just received notification that Dan Bounds passed away early this morning. 

His son and daughter will let us know when and where the funeral will take place.  Once I have additional information, I will send another e-mail update.

Please respect the family’s request for no phone calls at this time.

Tina Sansouci

(Home)  702-294-0402

(Cell)  702-635-2695

FW: Help us spread the word on Veterans Day activities

Dear State Commanders and Veteran Supporters,

Veterans Day 2017 is Saturday, November 11^th. There are always many activities planned!  This year, we could use your help in making a list of those activities so we may assist in getting the word out to veterans and their families who want to participate.

If you would let us know what your organization is planning to do, it would be very helpful. Give us the date, location, time and contact information. We will make sure we post those activities on our website and let everyone know through our communications, including our NDVS Newsletter about the upcoming events.

All you have to do is hit “REPLY” on this email or email me at hendryt@veterans.nv.gov or call at 775-771-2800.

Thank you very much for being a part of this partnership in serving veterans.

Respectfully,

Terri Hendry

Terri Hendry, Communications Director
Nevada Department of Veterans Services
work: (775)825-9755

cell: (775)771-2800
hendryt@veterans.nv.gov
"Serving Nevada's Heroes"

Six Interments for Thursday, 8-17

Hi Everyone,
This Thursday, August 17, 2017, the following interments are scheduled for 8:40 a.m. at the Southern Nevada Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery, 1900 Veteran’s Memorial Drive, Boulder City, NV, 89005.  We have a brief meeting at about 8:15 a.m. before proceeding to the Chapel.  If you can get there in time for that, please do.  If you can’t get there that early, please be in place in the Chapel with your flag no later than 8:30 a.m.  These interments are for Nevada’s fallen Veterans who are without family, are homeless, indigent, or just forgotten by family and friends, and their remains are unclaimed.
These interments are for:
Army Veteran:            Dean Temple
Army Veteran:            Ron Pavelchak
Navy Veteran:            John Langley
Navy Veteran:            Michael Cunningham
Navy Veteran:            William Reynolds
Navy Veteran:            James Mertirk
For anyone interested in riding over together, some of us meet for breakfast at The Coffee Cup Restaurant, in Boulder City about 7:00 a.m. with KSU at 8:00 a.m.  The friendship, conversation and camaraderie are great ways to start the day. We’d like to encourage as many PGR members as possible to join us.
**  Please note that we have moved breakfast from Sierra Gold to The Coffee Cup.


Rick Foulon

Everyone deserve a good laugh

   Navy Chief goes fishing

The rain had stopped and there was a big puddle in front of the bar
just outside the American Legion Post.

A rumpled old Navy Chief was standing near the edge with a fishing
line in the puddle.

A curious young Marine fighter pilot came over to him and asked what
he was doing.

"Fishing," the old Chief simply said.
"Poor old chief," the Marine officer thought to himself and invited
the old Navy Chief into the bar for a drink.
As he felt he should start a conversation while they were sipping
their spirits, the young jet pilot winked at another pilot and asked
the Chief, "How many have you caught today?"
"You're number 14," the old Chief answered, taking another sip from
his double shot of 12-year-old Scotch, "2 Air Force, 3 Navy and 9
Marines.”

MOPH Patriots.  If you plan on fishing this coming Saturday, maybe you can pickup a fishin' buddy at the Chapter 711 10:00 am meeting at the Sumemerlin I-HOP. Come at 9 am for breakfast and tell us your fish tales.

--
Len Yelinek
Commander
Las Vegas Chapter 711
Military Order of the Purple Heart
(702) 362-7673-h    (702) 460-0769-c

Purple Heart medal engraving ... MGM Resorts veteran free self-parking

Patriots -- During the National MOPH Convention in Dallas mid-August, the Dept. of Texas will be engraving Purple Heart medals.  NV Commander Richard Small will be attending the convention and has agreed to get your PH medal engraved with your name.  Bring your medal to Saturday's Chapter 711 meeting. Suggest you put it in a snack/sandwich bag with your full name.  Thanks Richard!

I've just found out that MGM Resorts has created a special MVP M life Rewards card for veterans that gives an automatic upgrade to Pearl status which includes benefits such as free self-parking, designated buffet line and more.  You can enroll at any MGM Resorts property.    

Chapter 730 will be conducting a ceremony commemorating Purple Heart Day on Sat, Aug 5th from 9 am to 10 am at the Southern Nevada Veterans Cemetery in Boulder City. The following Saturday, Aug 12th, the Southern Nevada Veterans Home in Boulder City will have an Open House with tours from 9 am to noon.

Chapter 711 Vice Commander Craig Mandeville is planning some fundraisers and a social or two for us.  Learn more Saturday.  Thanks Craig.

--

Len Yelinek

Commander, Las Vegas Chapter 711

Military Order of the Purple Heart

(702) 362-7673-h    (702) 460-0769-c

VA FISHER HOUSE MONTHLY REPORT

VA FISHER HOUSE MONTHLY REPORT

VA Hospital VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System Month May 2017

1. Occupancy rate: 34%_______

2. Number of Unoccupied days due to construction, maintenance, or refurbishment: 0____

3. Total number of families accommodated during the month: 62________

4. Families of Active Duty Service members accommodated during the month: 0_____

5. Families of Post 9-11OIF/OEF/OND Veterans accommodated during the month: 2____

6. Average Length of stay for families of Active Duty Servicemembers accommodated during the month: 0____

7. Number of new families accommodated this month: 28_____

8. Number of new individual guests accommodated during the month: 51_____

9. Cumulative number of families accommodated: 442__________

10. Number of families checking out: 56_______

11. Number of lodging nights provided through Fisher House Hotels for Heroes Program:0_____

12. Average length of stay: 2.76_______

13. Total number of families on waiting list during the month: 0____

14. Families referred for accommodations in the community during the month: 0__

15. Monetary donations received by VA this month: $5,150.00___

16. Monetary Donations received by the local 501c3 this month: $1,521.99___

17. Total monthly donations for the year: $33,591.75____

18. Number of hours volunteered: 151___

19. Total Number of volunteers: 17___

20. Number of VCS Canteen Booklets distributed to guests: 0____

21. Describe activities/special events held during the month:
5/2/17: Dinner provided by Girl Scout Troop; 5/4/17: Dinner and Game Night provided by Nellis 5/6; 5/12/17: Breakfast provided by Capital One Military Network; 5/12/17: Check presentation from Smith’s Food & Drug Stores; 5/17/17: Fisher House had a table at the VA Health Fair; 5/22/17: Dinner provided by Wells Fargo; 5/25/17: Attended scholarship presentation ceremony at Nellis AFB Commissary; 5/31/17: Keyless entry project completed.

Submitted by: Cadie Franco_________ Date 6/15/17___ Fisher House Manager

 

VA FISHER HOUSE MONTHLY REPORT

VA Hospital VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System Month June 2017

1. Occupancy rate: 43%_______

2. Number of Unoccupied days due to construction, maintenance, or refurbishment: 0____

3. Total number of families accommodated during the month: 57________

4. Families of Active Duty Servicemembers accommodated during the month: 0_____

5. Families of Post 9-11OIF/OEF/OND Veterans accommodated during the month: 3____

6. Average Length of stay for families of Active Duty Servicemembers accommodated during the month: 1.66____

7. Number of new families accommodated this month: 23_____

8. Number of new individual guests accommodated during the month: 54_____

9. Cumulative number of families accommodated: 499__________

10. Number of families checking out: 54_______

11. Number of lodging nights provided through Fisher House Hotels for Heroes Program:0_____

12. Average length of stay: 3.58_______

13. Total number of families on waiting list during the month: 0____

14. Families referred for accommodations in the community during the month: 0__

15. Monetary donations received by VA this month: $1,879.96___

16. Monetary Donations received by the local 501c3 this month: $3,079.45___

17. Total monthly donations for the year: $38,551.16____

18. Number of hours volunteered: 84.5___

19. Total Number of volunteers: 8___

20. Number of VCS Canteen Booklets distributed to guests: 0____

21. Describe activities/special events held during the month:
6/1/17: Delta Master Beta Sigma Phi Tour; 6/1/17: Ardiente Donation; 6/12/17: Dinner by Wells Fargo; 6/27/17: Dinner by Shadow Hills Church.

Submitted by: Cadie Franco_________ Date 7/14/17___ Fisher House Manager

Purple Heart Day - August 7th

 

Patriots:

I had been working with Tom Waters, who writes for the Veterans Reporter, to write an article for the August addition of the Veterans Reporter acknowledging "Purple Heart Day", Tom is also a member of Chapter 730.

So, for your early reading is a advanced copy of the article; I hope you enjoy it and I hope others do also.

Thanks!

Dan

 

FYI - Here is another Politics 101 article for your reading enjoyment or ...  :-)  This is the focus on Purple Heart Day and the Purple Heart medal.  

Below are 'links' to the Purple Heart Monument at the Southern Nevada Veterans Cemetery and to Governor Sandoval's Proclamation designating August 7, 2017 as Purple Heart Day in Nevada.  

You can read previous Politics 101 articles in the back issues of the Veteran Reporter Newspaper on line at <www.VeteranReporterNews.Com> 

Tom

Dr. Tom Waters

Lt. Col. USAF (Ret)

Pahrump Town Board (2011-2014)

(702) 379-3449 - Cell

VFW, DAV, & MOPH Member

DAV Website - www.dav15nv.org

Politics 101 – An Article Written by Dr. Tom Waters – What is Purple Heart Day?  August 7, 2017

While there are many of you reading this that already know that August 7^th each year is recognized as National Purple Heart Day, there remain many who do not.  It I my hope that this article will clarify “all you need to know about Purple Heart Day and the Purple Heart medal."  It will also include some recent information by Governor Sandoval for this day that means so much to so many (the Purple Heart recipients and their families).

Let’s begin by explaining Purple Heart Day.  It is ALWAYS celebrated on August 7^th each year.  

Purple Heart Day on August 7^th commemorates the day in 1782 when General George Washington created the Purple Heart Medal – a military decoration that is awarded to those wounded or killed while serving in the United States Armed Forces.  

I am pleased to write this article because, as a Purple Heart recipient (and as a student of history), I think often about all of the recipients who made the ultimate sacrifice as well as those who also met the award criteria for presentation of this medal that no one wants to earn.  However, once “earned” this medal is graciously accepted and worn. 

The Purple Heart medal is ranked immediately behind the Bronze Star and ahead of the Defense Meritorious Service Medal in order of precedence.  Possession of the Purple Heart medal does not by itself qualify veterans for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation.  However, since November 1999, Purple Heart recipients have been placed in VA’s enrollment priority group 3, unless eligible for the higher priority groups (1 or 2) based on service-connected disabilities.  Recipients are also exempt from co-payments for VA hospital care and medical outpatient care, but not from pharmacy co-payments for medications prescribed for non-service connected conditions.  

So much has already been written about the Purple Heart Medal so this article is a compilation of many public reports, articles, speeches, comments, discussions, etc. 

The Purple Heart Medal is one of the most recognized and respected medals awarded to members of the U.S. armed forces.  It was introduced as the “Badge of Military Merit” by General George Washington in 1782.  With that introduction, the Purple Heart also became the nation’s oldest military award.  In military terms, the award had “broken service,” as it was ignored for nearly 150 years until it was re-introduced on February 22, 1932, on the 200th anniversary of George Washington’s birth.  The medal’s plain inscription “FOR MILITARY MERIT” barely expresses its significance.  So, on February 22, 1932, the War Department (predecessor to the Department of Defense) announced the establishment of the Purple Heart award in General Order No. 3 that stated; “By order of the President of the United States, the Purple Heart established by General George Washington at Newburgh, August 7, 1782, during the War of the Revolution, is hereby revived out of respect to his memory and military achievements.” 
At current estimates, about 1.8 million Purple Heart medals have been awarded since then. 

With General Order No. 3 in 1932, August 7^th became Purple Heart Day and has been recognized annually ever since.  The holiday also encourages people to pay their respects to fallen military personnel, to listen to the stories of active duty military and veterans, and to thank them for their service to the nation. 

The observance is also called the National Purple Heart Day, Purple Heart Appreciation Day, and Purple Heart Recognition Day. 

Purple Heart Day is an unofficial observance.  This means that businesses, government offices and public transport do not close on this day. 

Veteran and military organizations hold remembrance meetings for fallen heroes and special events to thank Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, Veterans, and Purple Heart recipients on this day.  Many people fly the American flags at their homes and businesses as a way to show their solidarity with the troops. 

The Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH) was chartered by an Act of Congress in 1958 for “Combat Wounded Veterans” who received the Purple Heart for wounds suffered in combat.  Although the MOPH membership is restricted to the combat wounded, the local Chapters support all veterans and their families with a myriad of nation-wide programs by the Chapter, as well as, National Service Officers. 

Many of the Purple Heart recipients become members of the Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH) and join a local Chapter.  I happen to be a member of the Henderson Nevada Chapter #730 where Dan Peterson is the Commander. 

For more information on Chapter 730, go to their web page at http://www.purpleheart730.org for location and contact information.  If you are a Purple Heart recipient, or know of a Purple Heart recipient, contact Chapter 730 or look for a Chapter near you.  The MOPH is very active in supporting all veterans.  

For the State of Nevada, there is “A Proclamation by the Governor” dated July 5, 2017 that concludes with the statement:
“Now, Therefore, I, Brian Sandoval, Governor of the State of Nevada, do hereby proclaim August 7, 2017 as PURPLE HEART DAY IN NEVADA.” 

With support like this, it is no wonder that the State of Nevada has been recognized as a Purple Heart State to receive the same recognition as the Purple Heart Counties and Cities.  According to the MOPH website there are over 410 Purple Heart Counties and Cities across the United States.  In the State of Nevada, the following cities have “earned” the distinction of being named a “Purple Heart City”:
The MOPH website lists the City of Henderson as the first in Nevada.  

City of Henderson – January 13, 2014

City of Las Vegas – May 18, 2016

City of Mesquite - September 13, 2016

City of Carson City – April 20, 2017

The State of Nevada earned the distinction on Mar 15, 2017.  

I hope that you have a clear understanding of Purple Heart Day and why we celebrate by honoring those recipients of this medal.  Please celebrate with us on August 7^th as we say to each recipient (or the families of the recipients) “Thank You for Your Service to Our Country and the Sacrifices You’ve Made for Our Freedoms.”  

If you missed any of my earlier articles you can go to the Veterans Reporter News webpage at <http://www.veteransreporternews.com/> to review any Back Issues. 

I hear from MANY readers about my articles (most are positive) and I thank you for your positive or challenging “constructive” comments.  Feel free to contact me if you believe any of the information provided is inaccurate or if you have additional information that I can share with our readers. 

By: Thomas (Tom) Waters, Lt. Colonel, USAF (Ret), Ed.D. / twaters2015@gmail.com

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=929f5f4d54&view=att&th=15d247194933b4f0&attid=0.1&disp=inline&realattid=f_j4vwa2380&safe=1&zw

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=929f5f4d54&view=att&th=15d244dd6a445b79&attid=0.1&disp=safe&realattid=f_j4vuuy6i0&zw

--

Daniel Peterson

Commander

MOPH Chapter 730 Henderson, Boulder City, Nevada

702-449-4491

dpeterson6525@gmail.com

Kids can be such a joy

 

While I sat in the reception area of my doctor's office, a woman rolled an elderly man in a wheelchair into the room. As she went to the receptionist's desk, the man sat there, alone and silent. Just as I was thinking I should make small talk with him, a little boy slipped off his mother's lap and walked over to the wheelchair. Placing his hand on the man's, he said, “I know how you feel. My Mom makes me ride in the stroller too.”

*****

As I was nursing my baby, my cousin's six year old daughter, Krissy, came into the room. Never having seen anyone breast feed before, she was intrigued and full of all kinds of questions about what I was doing. After mulling over my answers, she remarked, "My mom has some of those, but I don't think she knows how to use them."

*****

Out bicycling one day with my eight-year-old granddaughter, Carolyn, I got a little wistful. “In ten years,” I said, “you'll want to be with your friends and you won't go walking, biking, and swimming with me like you do now.

Carolyn shrugged. “In ten years you'll be too old to do all those things anyway.”

******

Working as a pediatric nurse, I had the difficult assignment of giving immunization shots to children. One day, I entered the examining room to give four-year-old Lizzie her injection.

“No, no, no!” she screamed.

“Lizzie,” scolded her mother, "that's not polite behavior.”

With that, the girl yelled even louder, “No, thank you! No, thank you!"

******

On the way back from a Cub Scout meeting, my grandson innocently said to my son, “Dad, I know babies come from mommies’ tummies, but how do they get there in the first place?”

After my son hemmed and hawed awhile, my grandson finally spoke up in disgust, “You don't have to make up something, Dad. It’s okay if you don’t know the answer.”

*****

Just before I was deployed to Iraq, I sat my eight-year-old son down and broke the news to him. “I’m going to be away for a long time,” I told him. “I’m going to Iraq.”

“Why?” he asked. “Don't you know there’s a war going on over there?”

*****

Paul Newman founded the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp for children stricken with cancer, AIDS, and blood diseases. One afternoon, he and his wife, Joanne Woodward, stopped by to have lunch with the kids. A counselor at a nearby table, suspecting the young patients wouldn’t know Newman was a famous movie star, explained, “That’s the man who made this camp possible. Maybe you’ve seen his picture on his salad dressing bottle?”

Blank stares.

“Well, you’ve probably seen his face on his lemonade carton”

An eight-year-old girl perked up. “How long was he missing?”

*****

And my personal favorite...

God’s Problem Now!

His wife's graveside service was just barely finished, when there was a massive clap of thunder, followed by a tremendous bolt of lightning, accompanied by even more thunder rumbling in the distance. The little, old man looked at the pastor and calmly said, "Well, she’s there."

*****

Keep a SMILE on your face ~ And a SONG in your heart!

A smile - is a sign of joy.

A hug - is a sign of love.

A laugh - is a sign of happiness.

And a friend like me? - Well that's just a sign of good taste!

We'll be friends until I'm senile.

Then we'll be NEW friends!

My Slideshow

My Slideshow

healthevet