April 10 , 2006

Veterans News, By Edward G. Aulman, Director
Nassau County Veterans Service Agency

Mandatory Funding Loses in Senate

Nine national veterans’ organizations agree that a high priority for veterans’ benefits this year is mandatory funding of veterans’ health care costs. Every year veterans have to fight with other interests to see that their VA hospitals are fully funded.   March 16, 2006 the Senate voted 54 to 46 to maintain the current situation of using discretionary funds to run the VA hospitals.  Two Republicans,  Arlen Spector of Pennsylvania, and Olympia J.  Snowe of Main, voted with the Democrats in favor of mandatory funding.  Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska was the lone Democrat that joined with the Republicans to defeat the bill supported by The American Legion, AMVETS, Blinded Veterans Association, DAV, Jewish War Veterans, MOPH, Paralyzed Veterans of America, VFW, and Vietnam Veterans of America.

On the positive side,  the same day the Senate voted 100-0 to reject the proposal to charge veterans a $250 enrollment fee at the VA hospitals and increase prescription drugs to $15.

Operation Shoe Box

 The Long Island Marine Moms (www.limarinemoms.com) are currently organizing with local School Districts in Suffolk County to send packages and letters of support to the Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. To help contact Darlene Claus at 631-846-1341or 631-495-6765.

Military Spouses Job Help

Nassau County has an active duty military population of over 400 and a Reservist and National Guard membership of more than a thousand.  A new Web site has been created to help those spouses looking for work.  The Military Spouse Corporate Career Network can be located at www.MSCCN.org.

Cradle of Aviation Recognizes Armed Forces Day

The Cradle of Aviation will have a special ceremony honoring those who served in the Korean  and Vietnam Wars Saturday, May 20, 2006 at 12:30 p.m.  Middle School students from area schools will be interviewing friends and family members who served in these wars and  participating in an essay contest.  Selected students and their profiled veterans will participate in the ceremony.  All veterans and guests will be admitted to the museum galleries for free.

Armed Forces Day will also be recognized by the Village of S. Floral Park with its high school’s band, and lots of active duty service men and women at the Village Hall/ Fire Station. For many years the Village of S. Floral Park was the only community in Nassau County to celebrate Armed Forces Day.  Festivities begin at 11:00A.M.

New York Islanders Offer to Veterans

Gary Levine, Marketing Manager with the New York Islanders has let me know that if a veterans’ organization wants to run a fundraiser at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum the group should contact him for information at 516-501-6793.

Veterans Benefit Seminar

All 140 veterans’ posts and organizations in Nassau County should take advantage of a Veterans Benefit Seminar being held on  May 6,  2006 at the Old Bethpage Restoration Village from 9:00 a.m. to noon.  Experts in federal, state, and county veterans benefits will make presentations and counselors will be available for available for questions.  Seating is limited to two persons for each post or organization.  Call 516-572-8452 to reserve your seat.  Attendees will receive a certificate from County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi.

Stand Down Needs Volunteers and Supplies

American Legion Post # 390, Hempstead is the host of Nassau County’s fourth Homeless Veterans Stand Down.  Needy veterans will enjoy a BBQ while getting the opportunity to meet with with federal, state, and local government and not for profit agencies that can help veterans Saturday, July 8, 2006 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  Pantry items, summer clothes, and suit cases are needed.  Volunteers are welcome.  Contact Pat Yngstrom at 516-227-8731.

The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor

Construction has begun on a $5 million, 7,500 square-foot facility in Vails Gate, New York that will honor our nation’s Purple Heart Recipients.  The Hall of Honor is located in the picturesque setting of the 1782-83 encampment of George Washington’s Army at the New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site.  Organizers are asking Purple Heart recipients, friends and family members to help complete the project by registering all known recipients on a data base and by submitting memorabilia associated with the recipients’ experience of war.   For instructions on how to help, visit http://nysparks.state.ny.us/info/purple_hrt.asp or call 845-561-1765.

Thank You

Every month 70 individuals in Nassau County spend many hours volunteering at the Veterans Service Agency making phone calls or using county vehicles to drive veterans to scheduled appointments at the VA Medical Center in Northport or the clinic in Plainview.  They provide this service because they want to help veterans and they never ask for recognition or even a thank you.   Here are just a few: Robbie Harte from Massapequa is a retired teacher. She has been driving for 7 years. Brian Braun from Oceanside drives twice a week.  John Cunningham of Old Bethpage and Bill Moller from Farmingdale recently retired after driving veterans since the beginning of the program in 1992.  Frank Olear a semi retired tax accountant from Massapequa has just come aboard as a driver.    Thank you.

310 MP Battalion

Nassau County’s own 800th Military Police Brigade is again sending one of its units overseas.  The 310MP Battalion will soon be departing. The East Rockaway American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars have adopted the 310th while they are deployed.

Veteran John Messina reports that there are two other organizations that are helping our deployed troops.  They are www.operationac.com and www.operationgratitude.com .