VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS OF THE UNITED STATES AUXILIARY

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1 VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS OF THE UNITED STATES AUXILIARY From the desk of: Jan Owens National Secretary-Treasurer Dear Sample, We firmly believe that a nation that creates veterans needs to be prepared to care for them when they get back. But with funding for veterans programs always in peril, our defenders often face an uphill battle. That s where you come in. In this issue, you ll find an article about Gabby Kubinyi, a Gold Star widow who honors her husband through her work as a VFW Service Officer. You ll also read about medically retired Staff Sergeant Wyatt Browning, a veteran who was able to care for his newborn son because of the VFW Unmet Needs program. We are only able to lead the charge for veterans rights and care for veterans in need because of VFW Auxiliary members like you. We hope we can count on you to continue your outstanding support in Sincerely, Jan Owens, National Secretary-Treasurer 406 West 34th Street Kansas City, MO LT3

2 AN UPDATE FOR PATRIOTIC SUPPORTERS H WINTER 2017 Gabby Kubinyi with husband Jeffrey Ferren Gold Star Wife Dedicates Career to Helping Veterans The only way to get through something bad is to turn it around and create something good. I feel the best use of my time is in a career centered around helping people. Kubinyi s life was forever changed in the split second she lost her husband, Jeffrey Ferren, active duty Navy service member, when he passed away at the age of 31 from an undiagnosed heart condition. It s incredibly isolating to lose the person you re planning to spend your life with, Kubinyi said. You can t truly understand that pain unless you ve experienced it yourself. Ferren enlisted in the Navy at the age of 27, and was promoted to Petty Officer Second Class after working as an engineman. We had a plan for our life together, Kubinyi recalled, and that life ended when I lost him. I had to begin a second life. I never imagined I would have to do that. Kubinyi drew comfort from other widows and Gold Star families. Bolstered by this newfound support, Kubinyi enrolled in a semester-long program at American University in Washington, D.C., where she also completed an internship with the VFW. Continued on page 4 FIGHTING FOR VETERANS! Around the world, the VFW is reaching out to America s heroes during long, dangerous deployments, during the often difficult transition back to civilian life and always in the years that follow. The VFW supports our veterans and service members with programs that make a real difference... educational resources and support... financial assistance during hard times... help navigating the VA system. These programs are available at no charge to veterans and their families, thanks to the generosity of members of the VFW, VFW Auxiliary and millions of patriotic supporters. H H H H H What s Inside 4th Generation Staff Sergeant Supported by VFW... 2 VFW Priority Goals... 2 Letters from the Heart... 3 From the Adjutant General... 4 Scholarship Recipient to Help Veterans... 4 H Thank You for Your Support We realize that much of our work would not be possible without your generous and dedicated support, and we would like to let you know how much we recognize and appreciate your continuing contributions.

3 4th Generation Staff Sergeant Supported by VFW 2 Wyatt Browning Being a father is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I m filled with joy every time I see my son s face and hear his laugh. Staff Sergeant Wyatt Browning, 23, recently medically retired after serving five years in the Army. Now studying to become a Nurse Practitioner, Browning s number one priority is caring for his son Odin, who turned 1 on Veterans Day. Browning always knew he wanted to serve in the Army. My family has served in the military for four generations, including my grandfather, who was my hero. I ve always admired their strength and courage. After being medically retired earlier this year, he began to realize the price of his service. I have several injuries from my time in Iraq, including blindness in one eye and PTSD, Browning related. Browning didn t receive his VA benefits on time, so he began to search for programs that helped veterans. As a single father, the need for support was becoming more urgent each day. After applying for the Unmet Needs program at VFW Post 91 in Olympia, Washington, he soon received assistance that allowed him to pay for rent, car insurance and electricity bills. The financial assistance helped me breathe easier, and gave me what I needed to care for my son. The VFW really is helping veterans who are in need, Browning concluded. I m thankful for their support, and look forward to the day that I ll be able to help a fellow veteran. H The VFW Announces 2017 Priority Goals Your Advocacy Counts! Each year, the VFW National Legislative Service publishes the VFW Priority Goals to serve as a guide for VFW advocates when engaging with their elected representatives. This contains an important overview of the critical issues. According to Ray Kelley, Director, VFW Legislative Services, 2017 will bring new challenges. As we transition to a new administration, we are working hard to forge relationships that benefit veterans, military and their families. These relationships will be key as new policies are developed or modified. Kelley reports that his team will also be keeping a watchful eye on VA reforms already made to ensure no backsliding in programs and services occur. Veterans access and a fully funded VA continue to be critically important, Kelley says. Kelley encourages Americans who care about veterans issues to stay informed by signing up to receive the Action Corps Weekly at heroes.vfw.org/actioncorps. Read the complete VFW Priority Goals at vfw.org/advocacy/nationallegislative-service. Budget: Congress must fully fund VA and DOD programs and services. Work Force Development and Accountability: Congress and the VA must take measures to attract and maintain a quality workforce. Health Care: Congress and VA must ensure that veterans receive timely access to high quality, comprehensive and veteran-centric care at no added cost to veterans. Compensation and Benefits: Timely and accurate disability ratings are the gateway to compensation and other benefits. The government must ensure veterans and their Support Today s Veterans & Military Help us ensure an adequate VA system will be there for the millions of current and future veterans. When you visit your congressional representatives, please stress these are the issues we will be fighting for in the 115th Congress. These goals reflect the resolutions passed and supported by the men and women of the VFW and its Auxiliary. To find out who your congressional representatives are, visit the VFW website at and click on the Advocacy Grassroots Efforts Priority Goals dependents have access to these earned benefits. Education, Employment and Transition Assistance: Veterans must have an opportunity to obtain meaningful employment after leaving military service. Defense/Homeland Security: Congress, DOD and Department of Homeland Security must fully support U.S. troops and their mission to fight the war on terrorism and protect our nation s citizens and interests around the world. Military Quality of Life: Congress and DOD must maintain a quality and comprehensive benefits and retirement package that is the backbone for an all-volunteer force. POW/MIA: Congress and DOD must make POW/MIA recovery a national priority. H Play a Role in the Process Ensure that these Priority Goals are enacted. Sign up today for the VFW s Action Corps Weekly e-newsletter at

4 Letters from the Heart Every day, the VFW receives heartfelt letters of gratitude from America s heroes. The support the VFW gave us is one of the nicest things I ve ever received. The money allowed me not to stress about being able to pay rent, so I was able to focus on rehab and school. It is hard to ask for help to begin with. With that said, I was taken aback by the support we received from the VFW. It went far beyond what I imagined; my family and I are very grateful. I honestly do not know where we d be without it. The VFW brought us a real sense of relief. We even received an additional month s rent, as well as money to buy a stroller, car seat and baby clothes! The Japanese attack 75 years ago resulted in more than 3,500 dead or wounded, and while it was a day of immense tragedy, it would also become a day which showcased America s unbreakable spirit. The attack has come to stand as a testament to future generations that while our homeland may be attacked, our enemies will never defeat our republic or our way of life. Official VFW Statement on National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, A SIMPLE BUT MEANINGFUL WAY TO GIVE Consider including a gift to the VFW in your will. In doing so, you help fight for health care, jobs, education and justice FOR VETERANS. 3 WAYS TO GIVE 1. A specific amount gives a stated sum to the beneficiary you name. 2. Specific property gives a particular item, such as a home or stock holding to the beneficiary you name. 3. A residual gift gives a percentage of what remains in your estate after other bequests, debts and taxes have been paid. Your gift helps better the lives of all those who have served our country. Visit to learn more. H H H After 15 years of nonstop war, what these younger [veterans] bring to the table is the need for action, not talk, which is an energy we need to fully embrace and absorb. Historically, most new war specific organizations fade away once their wars end. That is what makes the VFW so unique, because we are built on the rocks of eternity, not the sands of time. VFW Commander-in-Chief Brian Duffy HAVE A QUESTION? WE CAN HELP. Planned Giving Office (816) plannedgiving@vfw.org

5 4 From the Adjutant General Here we are at the beginning of a New Year with a new administration in the White House. While we can t deny the complexities and tumultuous nature of the 2016 campaigns, as the nation s largest combat veterans organization our purpose remains quite singular regardless of the outcome of any federal election. We will maintain our steadfast commitment to being the voice for America s veterans on Capitol Hill and in legislatures across the country. And when our defenders find themselves in a time of need, the VFW s many assistance programs will be there to help. No matter who is in the White House, our one goal is to make sure the president and Congress care for America s veterans, service members and their families, and to advocate for strong national defense and homeland Bob Wallace, Adjutant General security programs. As we prepare to speak before Congress and carry the voices and concerns of our nation s fighting men and women to lawmakers on the Hill, I still maintain sequestration is the most significant threat to the VA and our nation s military readiness. The best way you can help the VFW in the fight to end sequestration is to reach out to your Congressional representatives and let them know you support veterans and a strong national defense and you vote. The VFW is privileged to have the support of patriotic citizens like you behind us as we work to protect the rights of America s veterans. Thank you for your continued advocacy and generosity for the men and women who defend our country. H Gold Star Wife continued from page 1 When she served as an intern in VFW Legislative Services, she brought a unique perspective on the needs of surviving spouses. Kubinyi spearheaded the VFW s effort to expand education benefits for survivors as part of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of Kubinyi later took a position at the Fleet and Family Services Center at NSA Bethesda, working directly with service members to help them transition from active duty. That was how I found out about the opportunity with the VFW. I remembered I enjoyed my time as an intern, so I decided to give it a shot. Kubinyi now works as a Customer Support Claims Consultant. The bulk of her day is spent answering inquiries from veterans around the country and connecting them with VFW Service Officers in their region. She most enjoys giving veterans the tools they need so they can navigate the process and receive the benefits they re entitled to. Kubinyi said that oftentimes, simply providing resources to make veterans needs heard is the most important part of her job. Just having someone pick up the phone or refer them to the person they need can alleviate so much stress and anxiety, and that s what I want to do. When asked about the new direction she has chosen for her career and for her life, Kubinyi says it all comes back to her husband. It s all for him. I think of the way in which I hope he would have been treated, and try to treat the veterans I come in contact with the same way. H Scholarship Recipient to Help Veterans Through Hard Times The importance of education has revealed itself greatly in today s time, said 13-year Navy veteran LaShonda Hill of Georgia. Without an education, you have to work 100 times harder to succeed in this competitive world. Hill is currently working on her Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy with an emphasis on Military Families from Northcentral University, where halfway through her program, her G.I. Bill benefits ran out. Fortunately, Hill s LaShonda Hill financial aid advisor urged her to apply for a VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship, which is helping her finish her degree without the stress and financial strain. My ultimate goal is to establish my own nonprofit for veterans, helping them get through tough periods of transition, such as entering the civilian world, divorce and relationship issues, said Hill. Hill credits her VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship for keeping her on the path to success. Without this scholarship, I would not be able to afford my education, said Hill. So many thanks to the VFW. H BR1