Remembering Our Fallen Heroes Born in August

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2 Remembering Our Fallen Heroes Born in August Website Butler, Lionel Cook, Roger John Prete, Robert Nicholas Warren, Stephen Edward Holleder, Donald Walter Bernreuther, John Walter Duryea, Arnold M Perkins, William T Lane, Louis Michael Case, David Duane Moore, James Rodney Jamrock, Stanley M Crane, David Chauncey Elliott, Richard Skebeck Jr., Edward John Howard Jr., Taylor Brooks Hornyak, John Joseph Bortle, Jonathan R Coye, Roger Herbert Hopps, Gary D Papke, Theodore Arthur Cornish, Larry Irving Grauert, Hans Herbert Memorial Tours & Presentations Persons interested in on-site tours or presentations at schools or organizations, contact Chuck Macaluso at or Friends of the Memorial To be placed on the volunteer contact list, contact Chuck Macaluso at or 2

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4 POW/MIA CHAIRMAN JOE PECK There are currently no new reports from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), the National League of Families or the DOD of any serviceman recovered, returned or identified this month. The total number of Americans who are still missing from the Vietnam War still stands at There are reports of the recoveries and identifications of individuals from the following wars. Pfc. Joe S. Elmore, US Army was lost December 2, 1950 in North Korea. He was accounted for on July 5, Pfc. Willard Jenkins, US Army was lost September 20, 1944 in the Netherlands. He was accounted for on July 5, Pfc. Donald E. Brown, US Army was lost July 28, 1944 in France. He was accounted for on June 29, Pfc. Roger Gonzales, US Marine Corps Reserve was lost November 29, 1950 in North Korea. He was accounted for on June 26, Sgt. James K. Parks, US Army was lost November 23, 1944 in Germany. He was accounted for on June 21, Fireman 1 st Class Walter F. Schleiter and Raymond R. Camery and Seaman 1 st Class Daniel L. Guisinger Jr. US Navy were lost on December 7, 1941 on board the USS Oklahoma at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. They were accounted for on June 21 st and 28 th, With our Nation celebrating its 242 nd birthday. Let us thank those who have served this 4

5 great Nation, who gave their lives and those who never returned all in the name of Freedom and Justice for all. 5

6 Membership Committee Mike General, Chairman Membership Update Mike General Membership Chair Chapter 20 Membership currently is at 625 members and AVVA is at 40 members as of 06/30/18. Membership has been growing slow (only 4 new members in the last month), We need your help in recruiting new members. Don t forget to renew on time. Don t let your membership expire. We had 2 members who did not renew this last month and 4 members who passed away.. Please Renew Your Membership! All Life Memberships are $ If you a renewing as a Life Member, please remember to include a copy of your DD-214 with your application.. When you have an address change, please notify Mike General so we can keep our Roster up to date and notify National. Need your help in recruiting new members. Chapter 20 Membership is open to U.S. Veterans who served active duty (other than training purposes) in the Republic of Vietnam between February 28, 1961 and May 07, 1975, or any duty location between August 05, 1964 and May 07, Membership includes a subscription to our award-winning newspaper The BTL, and The VVA Veteran, bringing you updates on issues and legislation affecting veterans, as well as unique articles on the people, places, and history of the Vietnam experience. Associate Membership is open to anyone; you do not need to be a Veteran. WE Need New Members! Membership Applications are available on our Website or by contacting me. (mwgeneral@aol.com) We are offering an Honorary Membership to Chapter 20 to all spouses who husbands have passed away. If you know of someone who has lost their loved one, please contact Mike General. Mike 6

7 Membership application Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 20 Name: Date of Birth: Sex ( )M ( )F Address: City: Zip: County: Home Phone: ( 555 ) Work Phone: ( 555 ) Address: I am not a Vietnam Veteran, but I want to help Sponsor: Vietnam Veterans and their families. Please accept my donation: ( ) $10 ( ) $20 ( ) $50 Other ($ ) Payment Options: ( ) Check ( ) Money Order Eligibility: Vietnam and Vietnam-Era veterans who Return this application, along with a copy of your Served on active duty in the U.S. Military (for other DD214 to: than training purposes) between February 28, 1961 and May 7, 1975 (in-country Vietnam), or between Chapter 20, Vietnam Veterans of America August 5, 1964 and May 7, 1975 (for Vietnam-Era P.O. Box Veterans). Rochester, NY Term: ( ) 1 Year $20 ( ) 3 Years $50 VVA is a non-profit veterans service organization. ( ) Life Membership $100 Programs and services are funded by member dues and public donations. BETWEEN THE LINES: Between the Lines is published monthly by Chapter 20, Vietnam Veterans of America. The views and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Chapter 20 or the Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc., its Officers, Board of Directors, or the General Membership. Between the Lines can be viewed on the Chapter 20 website at We welcome letters to the editor, poetry, original articles, and suggestions. Submissions should include name and phone number and Can be sent to Between the Lines, P.O. Box 12580, Rochester, NY or ed to felliott@rochester.rr.com. We reserve the right to edit for space and clarity and to not use materials we think inappropriate for the publication. Deadline for submissions for each issue is the 10 th of the preceding month. Exceptions may be granting by contacting the Editor. 7

8 Agent Orange issues are still with us! Please read the two items I found interesting for our August 2018 electronic newsletter. As always, please feel free to pass along anything that would help out someone else. Could be your service buddy, or the guy down the street, but always find a way to "pay it forward" by sending things along. The two items that were pretty interesting to me, and hopefully to you too are about younger ages for nursing home residents, (clue: Vietnam Vets and other espoused to Agent Orange toxins) and the "potential" for a US House of Representatives bill that would include all vets who served in Thailand during the Vietnam War period as having been exposed to Agent Orange. Not just certain MOS specialties and not just a few bases, but all who served. There is also a US Senate bill that is a companion to the House bill and ways to write letters to your reps to ask for passage and support. Too long overdue and long time in coming! Respectfully submitted: Jerry McDermott, Director Health Affairs Committee Note: To check status on any veteran related legislation go to for any House or Senate bill introduced in the 115th Congress. Bills are listed in reverse numerical order for House and then Senate. Bills are normally initially assigned to a congressional committee to consider and amend before sending them on to the House or Senate as a whole. Agent Orange Thailand Update 02 H.R Concede Exposure to All Vets In January 2018, Representative Bruce Westerman (R-AR) introduced H.R. 4843, a bill that would concede herbicide exposure to all veterans who served at any military installation in Thailand during the Vietnam Era for purposes of determining their eligibility for VA benefits. This measure is a companion bill to S. 2105, introduced by Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Joe Donelly (D-IN). DAV issued an alert in support of S in December While VA's internal manual acknowledges herbicide exposure for specific military occupational specialties on the perimeter of eight specific Thai Royal Air Force Bases, Thai statutes and regulations do not automatically recognize veteran exposure to herbicides while serving in Thailand during the Vietnam Era. H.R would automatically concede herbicide exposure for all veterans who served at military installations in Thailand during the Vietnam Era, regardless of the base, duty on the perimeter or military occupational specialty. As a result, the presumptive diseases currently associated with herbicide exposure, including spina bifida for children, would be applicable to all veterans who served 8

9 at military installations in Thailand during the Vietnam Era. Consistent with DAV Resolution No. 214, DAV supports the recognition of herbicide exposure to veterans who served at military installations in Thailand so that the presumption of service connection for Agent Orange related diseases would be available to service members exposed to include those who served in Thailand. Readers are encouraged to use the editable prepared electronic letter at Take Acti Delphine Metcalf-Foster on or draft their own to urge their Representative to cosponsor H.R [Source: DAV National Commander Delphine Metcalf-Foster July 2, ] Nursing Homes Update 14 Average Vet Admission Age Decreasing James Brown worked as a heavy equipment operator for the Town of Babylon until he was 65, when retirement made way for days on the fairway as often as three times a week. The self-described scratchplus-plus golfer said he never thought that just six years later, while many of his contemporaries are still shanking tee shots into the woods or water skiing with their children, that he would be passing his days in a nursing home. I got shot at in Vietnam but never got hurt, said Brown, 71, who had both legs amputated below the knee in the past three years after a blackened left pinkie toe tipped doctors off to gangrene brought on by diabetes. Now this. I never put two and two together and realized it was Vietnam, added Brown, who as a 21-year-old soldier slogged through the Mekong Delta as a member of C Company, 6th Battalion, 31st Infantry, 9th Infantry Division. Vietnam vet James Brown, 71, of Wyandanch Now, because of what Brown describes as his poor health, the former Wyandanch fire chief has lived for just more than a year at the New York Long Island State Veterans Home in Stony Brook. For years, the 350-bed medical and rehabilitation center was home to mostly World War II and Korean War veterans in the last years of life. Today, Vietnam veterans make up more than a quarter of the residents at the facility, which typically operates at capacity, said the nursing home s director, Fred Sganga. Many of the 2.7 million veterans of that conflict, including a few who are still in their 60s, are battling health problems usually associated with men a decade or more older, including Parkinson s disease and various other neuropathies. In an area of the nursing home devoted to about 100 patients with Alzheimer s and dementia, 19 of them served during the Vietnam era. Veterans advocates said a combination of health-related factors has resulted in Vietnam War soldiers getting sick and showing up at nursing homes well before their time. Sganga has worked at the Veterans Home since 2001 and said that during that time, the average age of admission was 85 to 88. With the influx of Vietnam veterans, we ve seen the age at admission reduced by almost 15 years. Several studies have linked combat experiences with the advance of geriatric maladies. Veterans who served in Vietnam may have been exposed to an array of occupational poisons, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs, including a class of dioxane-tainted herbicides known as Agent Orange. Twenty million gallons of the herbicides were sprayed over Vietnam during the war, which studies have linked 9

10 to increased diabetes, heart disease, various cancers and other health maladies. Asbestos that was used to insulate older ships, and lead dust from firing guns are among other threatening toxins acknowledged by the VA. The Agent Orange caught up with me so bad, I couldn t walk from here to there [about 20 feet] without being out of breath, said Albert Anderson, 72, of Ronkonkoma, who has been at the Veterans Home for nearly 18 months with a multitude of health issues, including pulmonary hypertension and congestive heart failure. Anderson, a former Special Forces soldier who served two tours in Vietnam that ended in 1968, and who later worked as a Nesconset emergency medical technician, is now wheelchair-bound. I feel angry and cheated, he said. Veterans who experience moderate to severe traumatic brain injury are nearly four times as likely to develop dementia as the general population, according to a joint study by the University of San Francisco and the VA. A separate study done by the two linked military concussions and higher rates of Parkinson s disease. And the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study, conducted in the 1980s, found that more than a third of Vietnam veterans with high levels of war-zone exposure had significantly higher rates of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, which has also been linked with dementia and other cognitive declines associated with old age. A 1997 study of 1,399 Vietnam veterans showed that soldiers who developed PTSD after heavy combat were as much as 150 percent more likely to have circulatory, digestive, musculoskeletal, respiratory, infectious and other serious disease 20 years after their military service. Neuromuscular issues are the big ones, Sganga said. And also the various cancers. Soldiers of all wars, Vietnam included, routinely encounter situations that can lead to obvious brain injury, including blunt-force injuries, whiplash from traumatic falls or vehicle accidents, or gunshot wounds. And soldiers who fire mortars and other weapons can themselves be harmed by the intense shock waves those weapons produce, which pass invisibly through a victim s body but slam the brain against the skull. Brown, who had one amputation about a year ago, said he is hopeful he can heal his wounds and one day go home. Some of these guys are in here for life, said Brown of his fellow nursing home residents. I don t want to be in that group. [Source: Newsday Martin C. Evans July 8, ] Veterans Exposed to Toxins By Ned D. Foote June 19, 2018 Former Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Bob McDonald told Members of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs that no legislation on Agent Orange or Toxic exposures is needed. This statement by the DVA Secretary is in line with testimony, delivered before Congress on three 10

11 occasions in which the VA claims no research legislation is needed as other Agencies of the Federal Government are doing all of the research studies needed. John Rowan, National President of Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) responded, With all due respect to the Secretary, he could not be more wrong. Furthermore, we have yet to receive a list of these research studies referenced in VA testimony which purportedly pertain to veterans and their progeny. The events highlight the shameless wall of ignorance erected by the VA bureaucrats. Case in point is the VA s policy regarding the Blue Water Navy veterans of Vietnam. The policy states that a bright line' can be drawn across the mouth of a flowing river, with those on the inland side of that imaginary line being exposed, and those two feet away, on the harbor side of the line, not exposed. Those exposed are eligible for presumptive service connection for certain conditions, and therefore medical care and compensation, while those who served two feet away are not. We are leaving our Navy veterans out in the cold, and sadly, many of them have died and their widows have been abandoned. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a report on Gulf War illness, which I find troubling. Psychiatrists/psychologists comprised half of a panel charged with evaluating medical conditions, most probably caused by exposure to toxic chemicals. It comes as no surprise that this recent report ignores the many toxins to which Gulf War veterans were exposed and reverts to the canard that unless causality can be proved by a specific toxin, there can be no forward movement. One would hope the VA and DOD would be looking for an association of exposure to one or more toxic substances and the presence of adverse medical conditions, rather than placing an emphasis on the mind-body continuums. Yes, technically the VA is able to do what is needed without legislation, said a senior VA official. However, the VA has made its case repeatedly that, in the absence of legislation, there will be no justice accorded veterans with Toxic Wounds, nor for their innocent children and grandchildren. America s veterans of every generation need early passage of S. 901 and H.R. 1769, the Toxic Exposures Research Act, and vigorous oversight after enactment to ensure that VA actually does what is mandated in law; we need immediate passage of the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2015, H.R. 969 and S.681; and we need to push for the extension and expansion of the Agent Orange Act of 1991, to include veterans of recent and future wars, so that a system is in place to systematically review battlefield exposures, and they won t need to refight the battles we have. 11

12 Vietnam Veterans of America is the nation s only congressionally chartered veterans service organization dedicated to the needs of Vietnam-era veterans and their families. VVA s founding principle is Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another. Regards, Jerry To increase access to health care for all Veterans, VA has created VEText, an interactive mobile solution to remind Veterans of upcoming appointments via text messaging. Beginning Oct. 1, Veterans throughout the nation will be receiving interactive VEText appointment reminders on their mobile devices. Most are receiving reminders now. Make sure your VA medical center has your current cell phone number. 12

13 Highlights of the July Membership Meeting 82 People Attended New member Chuck Zeiner, Airforce New member Jim Keppel, Army /50 Winner Jim Scheid Flag drawing winner Angelo Ciresi 13

14 Val presented Nancy Van Apeldoorn with a $1000 check for the Lap Robe committee. The committee members below have made and presented over 8,000 Lap Robes to Veterans. To donate Visit Lap Robe for Veterans Face Book Page and click the PayPal donation button Or Make a check payable to FLACE Lap Robes for Veterans and mail to FLACE Lap Robes for Veterans 73 Stanton Street Rochester, New York

15 July Parades Irondequoit Photos by Glenn Peck 15

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18 Webster Photos by Glenn Peck 18

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24 Kendall Pictures by Joe Peck 24

25 Town of Barre Memorial Dedication Chapter 20 s Marching Unit at the Town of Barre s 200 th anniversary celebration. The town had a dedication plaque ceremony and a parade that followed. 25

26 Run for Louie This is our third run! So, let s make it a better and bigger one. Get the word out to all your bike friends. And go to all your restaurants you go to and ask for gift cards to use in the auction table. And if have anything you would to donate just let me know. Let s hope for a big run this year. Remember all the money come back to Chapter 20. Also, I will have shirts for sale at our meetings $15.00 Thank you Kenny Allocco *********************** 26

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28 TIME OUT Paraprosdokians You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice. I'm supposed to respect my elders, but it's getting harder and harder for me to find one now. Was learning cursive really necessary? Mapquest or Google Maps really need to start their directions on #5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died. Bad decisions make good stories. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blu-Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection... again. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page technical report that I swear I did not make any changes to. ORIGIN OF WORDS COBWEB - The Old English word for spider" was "cob". SHIP STATE ROOMS - Traveling by steamboat was considered the height of comfort. Passenger cabins on the boats were not numbered. Instead they were named after states. To this day cabins on ships are called staterooms. SLEEP TIGHT- Early beds were made with a wooden frame. Ropes were tied across the frame in a criss-cross pattern. A straw mattress was then put on top of the ropes. Over time the ropes stretched, causing the bed to sag. The owner would then tighten the ropes to get a better night s sleep. SHOWBOAT - These were floating theaters built on a barge that was pushed by a steamboat. These played small town along the Mississippi River. Unlike the boat shown in the movie "Showboat" these did not have an engine. They were gaudy and attention grabbing which is why we say someone who is being the life of the party is showboating". 28

29 Board Meetings Membership Meetings August 7, 2018 August 9, 2018 September 4, 2018 September 13, 2018 October 2, 2018 October 11, 2018 Monthly Membership Meetings start at 6:30 pm At the Italian American Sports Club, 1250 Buffalo Road, Rochester Driving Directions to the Italian American Sports Club: The Club is located at 1250 Buffalo Road close to the intersection of Howard Road, directly across from the stone quarry, next to the Eagles Club and the Catholic Diocese of Rochester. From the East: Heading west on 490, exit Mt. Read Blvd. and turn left; south on Mt. Read to Buffalo Road circle, turn right, west on Buffalo Road, 1.4 miles, the Italian-American Sports Club is on the right side. From the West: Heading east on 490, exit 33 east, Buffalo Road (Gates Center); head east on Buffalo Road; continue past Howard Road; the Italian-American Sports Club will be on the left side in about.5 mile. Italian American Sports Club 1250 Buffalo Rd. Rochester, NY (585) Denis Gurnett, Instructor 29

30 Your business card could be here. Contact Chapter Treasurer, Alan Frisa for details. Proud Supporter of Chapter 20 Vietnam Veterans of America 30

31 In Memory Donations When the simple act of placing flowers on a casket or placing stones on a headstone does not seem to be enough to honor the memory of a special someone who has passed away, one may choose to make a donation in his or her honor to commemorate the values and beliefs of the deceased. Chapter 20 VVA is committed to recognizing the sacrifices made by all military personnel in every branch of the armed forces. The memory of the deceased veteran is honored in the continuous work and service carried out by the dedicated Chapter members and associates. The monetary donations sent by individuals help make it possible to continue serving veterans and their families. The combined efforts of donors, lawmakers, members, and associates have far-reaching effects on the quality of all our lives. Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 20 offers several ways of commemorating a special person. One of those ways is the Memorial Walk at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Highland Park. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Walk is a pathway of bricks inscribed with the names of individuals who have served their country with valor. Their names will forever remain a reminder of the dedication and tenacity demonstrated by the thousands of men and women who have served in the U. S. Armed Forces. If you wish to make a monetary donation directly to Chapter 20 in support of all the functions and services they provide to veterans and their families, send your check or money order payable to Chapter 20, VVA: Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 20 P.O. Box Rochester, NY

32 E-Benefits Portal Site Enrollment/Eligibility Health Resource Center (VETS) OEF / OIF Women Veterans Benefits Line Dental Care Copays Health Resource Center Suicide Prevention Hotline (TALK) Prosthetics My HealtheVet Homeless Veterans Hotline

33 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE President Valentino Gatto h V. President Hank Wallace whwnbt@rit.edu c Secretary Joe Peck jpeck2@rochester.rr.com c Treasurer Alan Frisa alanfrisa@gmail.com c DIRECTORS Ken Allocco KBUD920@yahoo.com h Bill Auble wauble@hotmail.com c Dan Corona nycorona@juno.com c Fred Elliott felliott@rochester.rr.com c Mike General mwgeneral@aol.com h Lynn Gursslin lynngursslin@gmail.com c Chuck Macaluso chuckmac66@yahoo.com h Jerry McDermott jerrymcdermott648@gmail.com c Dick Oleksyn roleksyn@yahoo.com h Stan Patykiewicz SNMPATYK@rochester.rr.com h Mike Sanfilippo guardian175@yahoo.com h Ron Trovato Ronbo215@gmail.com c STATE COUNCIL DELEGATES Bill Auble wauble@hotmail.com c Nick DeLeo ndeleo52@yahoo.com h Valentino Gatto vgatto@rochester.rr.com h Ken Moore 17CAV@rochester.rr.com h Jerry McDermott jerrymcdermott648@gmail.com COMMITTEE CONTACTS Between The Lines Editor Vito Scarpetta vietvet6748@gmail.com c Chaplain - Tom Puff tpuff@frontiernet.net h Chapter Gear Lynn Gursslin c Constitution Fred Elliott felliott@rochester.rr.com h Finance Jerry McDermott jerrymcdermott648@gmail.com c Health Jerry McDermott jerrymcdermott648@gmail.com c Honor Guard C. Macaluso chuckmac66@yahoo.com h Incarcerated Ron Trovato Ronbo215@gmail.com c Legislative Bill Auble wauble@hotmail.com c Marching Hank Wallace whwnbt@rit.edu h Membership Mike General mwgeneral@aol.com h Memorial Chuck Macaluso chuckmac66@yahoo.com h POW/MIA Joe Peck jpeck2@rochester.rr.com c Public Affairs Mike Sanfilippo guardian175@yahoo.com h Social Events V. Gatto vgatto@rochester.rr.com h Speaker s Bureau Ken Allocco KBUD920@yahoo.com h c Vet Benefits Stan Patykiewicz SNMPATYK@rochester.rr.com h Veterans Walk C. Macaluso chuckmac66@yahoo.com h Women s Affairs Rosemary Rossi-Williams pefrose@gmail.com c VVA Chapter P.O. Box Rochester, NY VVA REGION 2 DIRECTOR Ted Wilkinson twilkinson@vva.org NYS VVA PRESIDENT Ned Foote nfoote@vva.org AVVA REGION 2 DIRECTOR Nancy Rekowski nrekowski@avva.org NYS AVVA PRESIDENT Cherie Steers csvva@optonline.net VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS AND INFORMATION Greater Rochester Vietnam Veterans Memorial (enter 9; enter 2 to leave a message) VA Outpatient Clinic 465 Westfall Rd Veterans Outreach Center 459 South Avenue VA Vet Center Veterans Administration Monroe County Veterans Service Agency serviceofficer@yahoo.com VA Veterans Benefits Hotline Women Veterans Call Center VA Medical Center in Batavia VA Hospital in Buffalo VA Medical Center in Canandaigua VA Medical Center in Bath Vietnam Veterans of America National Office Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund National League of Families POW/MIA Updates Richards House at VOC The Resource Center at VOC Stars & Stripes The Flag Store National Caregivers Support Line Homeless Hotline Crisis Hotline WEB SITES / ADDRESSES Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Highland Park VVA New York State Council Honor Flight 33