Veterans and Military Families Newsletter July 2013

Veterans & Military Families Monthly News
July 2013 Vol. 4 No. 7

Good afternoon and thank you for reading, this months edition of the newsletter. We appreciate your involvement and continued support. Remember, we have two online sources where you can read and offer comments on the current and previous editions of the newsletter. The newsletter is posted on Facebook through the group called Veterans and Military Families Monthly News. Check it out and join the group. Click here to go directly to the page. (Keep in mind, you need a Facebook account to join; however, the documents can be viewed through the docs link toward the bottom of the page even without an account.) The second source for the online version of the newsletter is the website www.scribd.com. This online source for the newsletter works in the same fashion as the Facebook page. Please let us know what you think, or if you have any questions about the online sources. For those of you who enjoy just receiving the email each month, we will continue to send it out. But we want to build the online presence as a way to reach out to more people. As always, thank you very much for reading. Our hope is to continue to expand the newsletter. For that, we need your input. So, again, if anyone has any suggestions for topics to cover or wants to write their own piece, we will gladly try to work it in. We hope you enjoy, and please share your feedback with us. From: Gene Simon (www.about.com) As a member of the Ft. Custer National Cemetery Honor Guard, I constantly receive questions about the 21-Gun Salute. There has always been some confusion about the 21-Gun Salute vs. the rifle squad and the volleys fired at a military funeral. This should clear it up for those that have questions. The practice of firing gun salutes has existed for centuries. Early warriors demonstrated their peaceful intentions by placing their weapons in a position that rendered them ineffective. Apparently this custom was universal, with the specific act varying with time and place, depending on the weapons being used. A North African tribe, for example, trailed the points of their spears on the ground to indicate that they did not mean to be hostile. In early times, it was customary for a ship entering a friendly port to discharge its cannon to demonstrate that they were unloaded. Continued. ..
21 Gun Salute
Thank you very much! In This Issue

P.22-Free Fishing and Hunting Licenses for Military Members P.23-WWI Memorial Foundation P.24-Hildenbrand tax relief legislation for disabled veterans passes Senate P.25-Grasssroots Action Team P.26-Thunder Over Michigan P.27 Team Pascarella P.29-Military and Veteran Affairs Committee
P.4-Johnson Celebrates Special Veteran Designations on IDs P.5-France 4 Michigan D-Day P.8-Story Corps P.9-MI Military History-Post Vietnam P.11-3rd Annual Cpt. Jeff Haney Golf Scramble P.13-VA Homefront P.15-Honor Flight P.17-Cpt. Frank Smith Part IX
And much more.
We would like to express our appreciation to all of the fighting men and women in the United States Military. Thank you for your service to this country.
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Paid for by the Michigan Republican Party with Regulated Funds. Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee. 520 Seymour Street, Lansing, MI 48933
The tradition of rendering a salute by cannon originated in the 14th century as firearms and cannons came into use. Since these early devices contained only one projectile, discharging them once rendered them ineffective. Originally warships fired seven-gun salutes--the number seven probably selected because of its astrological and Biblical significance. Seven planets had been identified and the phases of the moon changed every seven days. The Bible states that God rested on the seventh day after Creation, that every seventh year was sabbatical and that the seven times seventh year ushered in the Jubilee year. Land batteries, having a greater supply of gunpowder, were able to fire three guns for every shot fired afloat, hence the salute by shore batteries was 21 guns. The multiple of three probably was chosen because of the mystical significance of the number three in many ancient civilizations. Early gunpowder, composed mainly of sodium nitrate, spoiled easily at sea, but could be kept cooler and drier in land magazines. When potassium nitrate improved the quality of gunpowder, ships at sea adopted the salute of 21 guns. For many years, the number of guns fired for various purposes differed from country to country. By 1730, the Royal Navy was prescribing 21 guns for certain anniversary dates, although this was not mandatory as a salute
to the Royal family until later in the eighteenth century. Several famous incidents involving gun salutes took place during the American Revolution. On 16 November 1776, the Continental Navy brigantine Andrew Doria, Captain Isaiah Robinson, fired a salute of 13 guns on entering the harbor of St. Eustatius in the West Indies (some accounts give 11 as the number). A few minutes later, the salute was returned by 9 (or 11) guns by order of the Dutch governor of the island. At the time, a 13 gun salute would have represented the 13 newly-formed United States; the customary salute rendered to a republic at that time was 9 guns. This has been called the "first salute" to the American flag. About three weeks before, however, an American schooner had had her colors saluted at the Danish island of St. Croix. The flag flown by the Andrew Doria and the unnamed American schooner in 1776 was not the Stars and Stripes, which had not yet been adopted. Rather, it was the Grand Union flag, consisting of thirteen alternating red and white stripes with the British Jack in the union. The first official salute by a foreign nation to the Stars and Stripes took place on 14 February 1778, when the Continental Navy ship Ranger, Captain John Paul Jones, fired 13 guns and received 9 in return from the French fleet anchored in Quiberon Bay, France. The 21-gun salute became the highest honor a nation rendered. Varying customs among the maritime powers led to confusion in saluting and return of salutes. Great Britain, the world's preeminent seapower in the 18th and 19th centuries, compelled weaker nations to salute first, and for a time monarchies received more guns than did republics. Eventually, by agreement, the international salute was established at 21 guns, although the United States did not agree on this procedure until August 1875. The gun salute system of the United States has changed considerably over the years. In 1810, the "national salute" was defined by the War Department as equal to the number of states in the Union--at that time 17. This salute was fired by all U.S. military installations at 1:00 p.m. (later at noon) on Independence Day. The President also received a salute equal to the number of states whenever he visited a military installation. The U.S. Navy regulations for 1818 were the first to prescribe a specific manner for rendering gun salutes (although gun salutes were in use before the regulations were written down). Those regulations required that "When the President shall visit a ship of the United States' Navy, he is to be saluted with 21 guns." It may be noted that 21 was the number of states in the Union at that time. For a time thereafter, it became customary to offer a salute of one gun for each state in the Union, although in practice there was a great deal of variation in the number of guns actually used in a salute.
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In addition to salutes offered to the President and heads of state, it was also a tradition in the U.S. Navy to render a "national salute" on 22 February (Washington's Birthday) and 4 July (the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence). A twenty-one gun salute for the President and heads of state, Washington's Birthday, and the Fourth of July became the standard in the United States Navy with the issuance of new regulations on 24 May 1842. Those regulations laid out the specifics: When the President of the United States shall visit " a vessel of the navy, he shall be received with the following honors: The yards shall be manned, all the officers shall be on deck in full uniform, the full guard shall be paraded and present arms, the music shall play a march, and a salute of twenty-one guns shall be fired. He shall receive the same honors when he leaves the ship." Upon the anniversary of the Declaration of Inde" pendence of the United States, the colors shall be hoisted at sunrise, and all the vessels of the navy shall, when in port, be dressed, and so continue until the colors are hauled down at sunset, if the state of the weather and other circumstances will allow it. At sunrise, at meridian, and at sunset, a salute of twenty-one guns shall be fired from every vessel in commission mounting six guns and upwards." On the twenty-second day of February, the anniversary of the birth of Washington, a salute of twenty-one guns shall be fired at meridian from every vessel of the navy in commission mounting six guns and upwards." Today, the national salute of 21 guns is fired in honor of a national flag, the soverign or chief of state of a foreign nation, a member of a reigning royal family, and the President, ex-President, and President-elect of the United States. It is also fired at noon of the day of the funeral of a President, ex-President, or President-elect, on Washington's Birthday, Presidents Day, and the Fourth of July. On Memorial Day, a salute of 21 minute guns is fired at noon while the flag is flown at half mast. Fifty guns are also fired on all military installations equipped to do so at the close of the day of the funeral of a President,
ex-President, or President-elect. Gun salutes are also rendered to other military and civilian leaders of this and other nations. The number of guns is based on their protocol rank. These salutes are always in odd numbers. For example, the Vice President of the United States, Secretary Defense, and Secretaries of the Army, Air Force, and Navy all rate 19 guns. The highest-ranking generals in the services (Commadant of the Marine Corps, Chief of Naval Operations, and the Army and Air Force Chief of Staffs) all rate 17 guns. Other 4star generals and admirals rate 17 guns. Three-stars rate 15, two-stars rate 13, and one-stars rate 11. At military funerals, one often sees three volleys of shots fired in honor of the deceased veteran. This is often mistaken by the laymen as a 21-gun salute, although it is entirely different (in the military, a "gun" is a large calibered weapon. The three volleys are fired from "rifles," not "guns." Therefore, the three volleys isn't any kind of "gun salute," at all). Anyone who is entitled to a military funeral (generally anyone who dies on active duty, honorably discharged veterans, and military retirees) are to the three rifle volleys, subject to availability of honor guard teams. As I said, this is not a 21-gun salute, nor any other type of "gun salute." They are simply three rifle volleys fired. The firing team can consist of any number, but one usually sees a team of eight, with a noncommissioned officer in charge of the firing detail. Whether the team consists of three or eight, or ten, each member fires three times (three volleys). The three volleys comes from an old battlefield custom. The two warring sides would cease hostilities to clear their dead from the battlefield, and the firing of three volleys meant that the dead had been properly cared for and the side was ready to resume the battle. The flag detail often slips three shell-casings into the folded flag before presenting the flag to the family. Each casing represents one volley. Much of the above information compiled from the Naval Historical Society and the Army Center of Military History
Veterans Radio is dedicated to all of the men and women who have served or are currently serving in the armed forces of the United States of America. Our mission is to provide all veterans with a voice, to give them a forum where they are able to discuss their issuesand tell their stories. You can listen to the show on: WDEO (990-AM Ann Arbor/Detroit), WMAX (1440-AM, Saginaw), WDEO-FM (99.5 FM, Naples FL), KAGY (1510-AM Port Sulfur/New Orleans LA), KIXW (960-AM, Apple Valley CA) and KMRC (1430AM Morgan City, LA). Or, listen to our Webcast and archives at: www.veteransradio.net. We would like to express our appreciation to all of the fighting men and women in the United States Military. Thank you for your service to this country.
Johnson celebrates signing of bills to put special veteran designation on driver's licenses
LANSING, Mich. Calling it a good day for Michigan veterans, Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson watched as Gov. Snyder signed bills that will put a special veteran designation on the driver's licenses of honorably discharged veterans. "I hope every store clerk, every bank teller and every wait staff who notices the veteran designation will take a moment to just thank that veteran," said Johnson, who worked closely with lawmakers and bill sponsors Rep. Nancy Jenkins, R-Clayton, and Senator Darwin Booher, R-Evart. "This will be easy, clear-cut proof of their service that they can use to more easily access the services they've earned and deserve." our veterans enough for the sacrifices they have made for this country, but this is another way we can make their lives easier and eliminate obstacles they may face." "In appreciation of America's veterans, many places offer discounts to veterans and their families," said Booher, R-Evart. "I sponsored this measure after hearing from veterans in my district about finding a simpler way to prove their military service. Instead of having to carry around their discharge forms, veterans can now have a special insignia appear on their driver's license and state ID that verifies their status." Garth Wooten, president of the Michigan Association of County Veterans Counselors and division manager for Oakland County Veterans Services, said veterans are looking forward to carrying the new driver's licenses. "Veterans are very proud of their service and this will give them a source of pride when they do have to show that identification," Wooten said. "We're very excited that we'll be able to use this as an opportunity to reach out to veterans to make them aware of benefits they may be eligible for." Johnson, who personally visited troops in the Middle East last year as part of her efforts to make voting easier for overseas military members, is also leading other initiatives aimed at helping veterans. Those efforts include a new law passed last year to ensure absentee ballots are sent overseas to troops by the required deadline, giving them ample time to return those ballots in time to be counted on Election Day. Also planned is a new fundraising license plate that will raise money directly for Michigan veterans and their families. In addition, her office is working with the state's Department of Military and Veteran Affairs to put veteran benefit information in each of the state's 131 Secretary of State branch offices. Johnson was also a leader on legislation that passed last year to cut government red tape and help veterans rejoin the workforce more easily once they get home. Under that new law, the road test for veterans applying for a commercial driver's license is waived if they have verified proof of heavy truck driving experience during their military service.
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The designation will be available on driver's licenses and personal state IDs beginning May 2014. "I would like to thank Representative Jenkins and Senator Booher for sponsoring these bills and Secretary Johnson for her support," said Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency Director Jeff Barnes. "The veterans designation is a great way for Michigan to honor those who have served and makes it easier for veterans to access discounts and offers from retailers, restaurants and hotels who offer special opportunities to veterans. It's another great step that improves the quality of life for Michigan's veterans." Michigan, home to some 680,000 veterans, is the 28th state to put a veteran's designation on state-issued IDs and driver's licenses. "This common-sense legislation eliminates hassles that our veterans continually go through when trying to prove their service for benefits or discounts," said Jenkins, R-Clayton. "We can never thank
The 70th Anniversary of D-Day in 2014 is fast approaching and the Lakeshore Lancers band of Stevensville Michigan has been invited by the D-Day 70th Anniversary Commemoration and American Musical Salute Committee to join as an official representative of Michigan in Normandy France in June of 2014. Our kids will join the American Liberation Victory Parade that will step off on the actual anniversary day, June 6, 2014 in the French village of Sainte-Mere-Eglise, the first village to be liberated by American troops. A 3-time State Champion, the band already represented the State of Michigan in 2004 at the inauguration of the World War II memorial in Washington DC. At the time, our students honored each living World War II Veteran of Michigan by wearing an epaulette that was eventually mailed back to them with a card to thank them for their service and provide them with a token of appreciation and gratitude.
With an invitation of such historical significance, we feel our mission should be meant for this generation to remember forever the meaning of D-Day and those Michigan citizens who made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve our freedom as well as the significant role the State of Michigan played in this war effort. In particular, we are planning on honoring each of the 419 soldiers of Michigan resting at the Normandy American Cemetery by pouring a little bit sand from Michigan on their grave as a symbol of our remembrance of their sacrifice. The Michigan sand will be collected from high schools of Michigan as an educational program and in return, we will bring back sand from Omaha Beach that will be presented back to each participating school as a token of appreciation and a symbol of remembrance. In addition, we plan for our marching students to wear a ribbon in honor of each of the last living WWII veterans of Michigan that will eventually be mailed back to them as a mark of our gratitude. Finally, our students will research the history of leading companies of Michigan during World War II and build boards that illustrate the amazing contribution of our State to the war efforts. To accomplish this extraordinary invasion, the allied forces relied on American manufacturing companies to produce military equipment such as the Sherman Tank, bombers like the B-24, gliders such as the Waco CG-4A, amphibious vehicles like the DUCW, and military transport vehicles like the GMC CCKW350, the Dodge WC, or the iconic Jeep. Continued... We would like to express our appreciation to all of the fighting men and women in the United States Military. Thank you for your service to this country.
What do all these have in common? They were all manufactured by leading companies from Michigan. In fact, the whole State of Michigan and its business leaders threw themselves in support of the war effort like no other as the backbone of what was once called the arsenal for democracy. One can argue that never in the history of Michigan, has our State had such a leading impact on the world as during World War II. Our band is quite large for a high school of less than 1000 students. As a matter of fact, our band has never travelled overseas. Most band parents simply do not have the means to pay for such a large expense. For this event, we started a comprehensive fundraising program. We are reaching out to numerous leaders of Michigan to gather support:: from local businesses, corporate leaders, private donors, foundations, the French American
Chamber of Commerce of Detroit, The Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, the Michigan Department of Education, as well as our State and Congressional representatives. The response is consistent and overwhelmingly supportive as everyone shows their patriotic support and desire to ensure that such a project gets accomplished. As we live in these difficult economic and political times, wouldnt it be extraordinary if we could celebrate in 2014 our glorious past while looking forward to a bright future that we owe to all those who served? I think you will agree that we owe it to the past generations, to the fallen, to our last surviving veterans, and to the future generations. For more information and for contribution interest, a website will be available soon: come visit us at www.ddaymichigan.com!
Some Useful Links

Air Force Times www.airforcetimes.com Navy Times www.navytimes.com Marine Corps Times www.marinecorpstimes.com Army Times www.armytimes.com Military Times www.militarytimes.com TRICARE www.tricare.mil American Legion www.legion.org Veterans of Foreign Wars www.vfw.org AMVETS www.amvets.org The DAV www.dav.org Department of Defense www.dod.gov Military/Veterans Report www.militray.com The Pentagon Channel www.pentagonchannel.mil Veterans Administration www.va.gov Military Order of the Purple Heart www.purpleheart.org
From: Gene Simon Records of Vietnam For More information please visit the site by Clicking Here
If anyone has a site they would like to have added to this growing list please let us know! Contact us anytime at mhauser@migop.org Also check out the complete list of links that appear in this newsletter on the last page.
Thank you for your Support!

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From: www.michigan.gov The All-Volunteer Force Vietnam marked the first major conflict in which U.S. armed forces were involved without including any significant call-up of the National Guard. The end of the Vietnam conflict and the introduction of the all-volunteer military combined with Defense Department policy changes to have a significant impact on the National Guard. During the Vietnam conflict, National Guard units enjoyed excellent strength. Draft-related enlistments kept the units at top strength, but enlistments dropped sharply when the draft ended. The Guard had to increase its recruiting staff. The Guard also underwent some reorganization to place units with civilian-marketable skills in some communities. The Michigan National Guard never dipped to a point where it was unable to serve the citizens of the nation or state and drops in unit strengths were turned around by the end of the 1970s. Strength began to climb back up, reaching an all-time high for the Michigan Army National Guard of 11,928 in 1986. Total Force Policy Some of the unit reorganizations were driven by a new Department of Defense policy. Defense Secretary Melvin Laird instituted the Total Force Policy in 1973. Total Force meant the active Army, the U.S. Army Reserve, and the Army National Guard would share in world -wide missions, resource allocations, and force structure. As part of this process, each active Army headquarters
Post-Vietnam
had their warfighting partners identified and became involved in their training. Michigan National Guard units knew who they would report to if they were federalized. As a result of the Total Force Policy, training standards were increased and active Army evaluators ensured Michigan National Guard units met the requirements. The Michigan Guard benefited from new equipment, increased training time and realism, and opportunities to deploy and train overseas. Michigan Guard units have trained in over 42 foreign countries. Floods, Fire, Snow, and Tornadoes Statewide flooding, snowstorms, and forest fires in the 1970s and 1980s necessitated many Michigan National Guard state mobilizations. Some of the more memorable events were the flooding of the Grand, Flint, and Red Cedar rivers in April 1975. Four-hundred Guard members were on state actual duty from April 19-24. The Seney Forest Fire in the Upper Peninsula in the summer of 1976 required 450 Guard members from the 107th Engineer Battalion to be placed on duty from August 25 through October 15. In the winter of 1977, a gigantic snow storm paralyzed southern Michigan. One-hundred Guard members were ordered out and served from January 28 to February 7, 1976. Those who served were awarded the Humanitarian Services Medal for their actions. On May 14, 1980, a tornado destroyed large portions of Kalamazoo. The Michigan National Guard responded with 150 members and equipment from the 156th Signal Battalion and the 207th Engineer Battalion. Aviation support was also provided. The Guard members worked from May 15-23 to restore essential services to Kalamazoo residents. community need when the federal government terminated its program that helped many veterans pay for transportation to VA medical facilities. The DAV has 189 Hospital Service Coordinators around the country who coordinate the transportation needs for disabled veterans. Use the DAV Hospital Service Coordinator Directory to contact your nearest HSC for information or assistance. Please remember that the DAV Transportation Network is staffed by volunteers; therefore, it is unable to cover every community. We hope we can help you. Locate your nearest VA Medical Center
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Form: www.dav.org Because so many sick and disabled veterans lack transportation to and from VA medical facilities for needed treatment, the DAV operates a nationwide Transportation Network to meet this need. Through the Transportation Network, DAV volunteers drive sick and disabled veterans to and from VA medical facilities for treatment. The Transportation Network is a clear example of veterans helping veterans. The DAV stepped in to meet a substantial
Need a Ride
From: RAO Bulletin May 2013 (Lt. James EMO Tichacek, USN (Ret) Associate Director, Retiree Assistance Office, U.S. Embassy Warden & IRS VITA Baguio City RPPSC 517 Box RCB, FPO AP 96517 Tel: (951) 238-1246 in U.S. or Cell: 0915-361-3503 in the Philippines. Email: raoemo@sbcglobal.net AL/AMVETS/DAV/ FRA/NAUS/NCOA/MOAA/USDR/VFW/VVA/CG33/ DD890/AD37 member) In the early 1990s the U.S. Army discovered hazardous chemicals dumped at Fort Gillem seeping into residential wells in neighboring Forest Park. The finding prompted the military to pass out bottled water and convert many residents to a county water system from their private wells. But two decades and a base closure later, state officials say the Army still hasnt done enough to clean up known and suspected carcinogens that are migrating from groundwater into surface water and, potentially, into the air residents breathe. State environmental officials worry that dangerous concentrations of toxic industrial solvents could be present in nearby Joy Lake, where many fish and eat their catch. They fear that the underground concentration of one volatile solvent is so high that toxic vapor may be accumulating inside homes. Theyre not convinced the source of the contamination is contained. And they say the Army hasnt done enough to warn residents of potential danger. Earlier this year, state officials grew so impatient that they turned to the environmental equivalent of the nuclear option: They asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to weigh the possibility of making Fort Gillem a Superfund site. That outcome could effectively kill a plan to transform the abandoned post into something Clayton County desperately needs, a job-creating industrial hub. Were frustrated that its taken this long, said Jim Ussery, assistant director of the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. Theyve done a lot of good things, but we dont feel the pace is rapid enough and there are a lot of areas we have concerns about. Instead, state officials say the Army has placed too much focus on preparing to transfer the land to Forest Park, which purchased 1,170 acres of the base last year for $30 million. Because of the pending sale, the state has asked for but thus far not received a plan outlining who will be responsible for the clean-up after the land is in the citys hands. Army officials say they are committed to cleaning up the base. They deny that they are placing economic objectives over human health. They say they havent dragged their feet but that environmental clean-ups are complicated, lengthy and rely on all parties to meet crucial deadlines. Were never satisfied. We want it to be faster. But that doesnt necessarily equate to that occur-
Vet Toxic Exposure ~ Ft Gillem
ring, said Glynn Ryan, the Armys site manager for Fort Gillem and Fort McPherson, both of which were closed as a result of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process. Ryan said the military is clear on its legal responsibility to manage contamination problems in perpetuity, and the Army plans to have the site cleaned up by 2018. Were all interested in the same thing, he said: the protection of human health and the environment. Army officials say they plan to do a vapor intrusion study in May. The last one was performed in 2003. Opened in 1941 during World War II, Fort Gillem began as the Atlanta Quartermaster Depot and later became the Atlanta Army Depot. It earned its current name in honor of Lt. Gen. Alvan Gillem Jr. in the early 1970s when it became a sub-installation to Fort McPherson. Historically the base was used to ship supplies around the world. At different times Gillem was home to the First U.S. Army, military police and even the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Though the base officially closed in September 2011, the military retained 257 acres which house a forensic lab, as well as Army, Navy and Georgia National Guard units. The bulk of the base, however, is a reminder of years past, with abandoned warehouses and overgrown brush. As on many military bases, parts of Gillem became dumping grounds for all sorts of chemicals and other materials. In addition to engine oil, solvents and rubber, the base is home to a German mustard gas bomb that was leaking when it was buried in the 1940s. That World War II nerve poison has been decontaminated three times, Army officials say, and theres no evidence it remains a threat. [Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution | Katie Leslie & Shannon McCaffrey | April 14, 2013 ++] We would like to express our appreciation to all of the fighting men and women in the United States Military. Thank you for your service to this country.
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From: RAO Bulletin March 2013 (Lt. James EMO Tichacek, USN (Ret) Associate Director, Retiree Assistance Office, U.S. Embassy Warden & IRS VITA Baguio City RPPSC 517 Box RCB, FPO AP 96517 Tel: (951) 238 -1246 in U.S. or Cell: 0915-361-3503 in the Philippines. Email: raoemo@sbcglobal.net AL/AMVETS/DAV/FRA/ NAUS/NCOA/MOAA/USDR/VFW/VVA/CG33/DD890/ AD37 member) The VA inspector general has reported that VA has been sending sensitive data including electronic health records over unencrypted networks, making them vulnerable to theft or misuse. According to the IG Report, which is available at http://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG -12-02802-111.pdf, it has been common practice for the agency to send the unencrypted data to outpatient clinics and private contractors, contrary to federal rules that require a higher level of security. The information included veterans' and dependents' Social Security numbers, dates of birth and other private health data. No known security breach occurred. The inspector general is
VA Data Breaches
recommending the agency put in place the necessary controls and train its personnel on understanding the importance of encrypting sensitive information. VA officials say they agree with the report's recommendations and will take corrective action. [Source: NAUS Weekly Update 8 Mar 2013 ++]
MICHIGAN AIR NATIONAL GUARD HISTORY BOOKS

The Michigan Air National Guard Historical Association created a three volume set of history books covering the periods 1926-1996. A fourth volume covering the years 1996 to 2006 is in production and should be available soon. Volume 1 covers the period 1926 to 1976-Cost: $1.00 Volume 2 covers the period 1976 to 1986-Cost: $4.00 Volume 3 covers the period 1986 to 1996-Cost: $1.00 Volume 4 covers the period 1996 to 2010-Cost: $6:00 Full color $35.00 If you wish to purchase one or more of these volumes or are interested in more information, please contact MAGHA at Phone: 586-239-6768, Fax: 586-239-6646, Email: 127.wg.selfridgeairmuseum@ang.af.mil
MANGBANG
From: Eugene (Gene) A. Simon- Command Chief Master Sergeant USAF (Retired) & Matthew X. Hauser As you may have seen in past editions of the newsletter, MANGBANG has been one of our sources. We are thankful for the source and so we just wanted to pass the information along for MANGBANG in case anyone is interested in joining the Michigan Air National Guard Historical Association. You can contact Lou Nigro if you are interested. We think it is a worthwhile investment-it supports the history of the Michigan Air National Guard and his monthly publications are very informative. For those who want to view it on our website (www.selfridgeairmuseum.org, http://www.selfridgeairmuseum.org ), Lt Col Lou Nigro, MI ANG (Ret) Executive Director, Selfridge Military Air Museum Email: louis.nigro@ang.af.mil
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A Note From: Lest We Forget Speakers Bureau

This notice from LWF is to inform the reader of the development of a Lest We Forget Speakers Bureau. Since our organization has conducted three yearlong courses at Lake Michigan College, we have many topics and many qualified speakers to present information from WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, and our involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have developed formats for school children of all ages, and for veterans organization. Whatever the event we will gladly produce the correct format We would be glad to present any topic of interest to any group. As coordinator, I will be glad to help with the choices of presentations and help with planning. Gary C. Lulenski Coordinator Speakers Bureau 269-428-3442 Garykaye2@comcast.net
From: www.esgr.mil ESGR, a Department of Defense agency, was established in 1972 to promote cooperation and understanding between Reserve Component Service members and their civilian employers and to assist in the resolution of conflicts arising from an employee's military commitment. ESGR is supported by a network of more than 4,800 volunteers in 54 committees located across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam-CNMI, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Volunteers, hailing from small business and industry, government, education and prior military service bring a vast wealth of experience to assist in serving employers, service members and their families. Together with Headquarters ESGR staff and a small cadre of support staff for each State Committee, volunteers work to promote and enhance employer support for military service in the Guard and Reserve. ESGR has served our country for 40 years, developing and promoting a culture in which all American employers support and value the military service of their employees serving in the Guard and Reserve. These citizen warriors could not defend and protect us at home and abroad without the continued promise of meaningful civilian employment for themselves and their families. ESGR has continued to adapt to meet the needs of our Reserve Component members, their families and Americas employers by joining forces with a network of other national, state and local government and professional trade organizations as together, We All Serve!
What is ESGR
From: The USO In 2013, we're calling on the brave men and women of our armed forces to make some incredible sacrifices in Afghanistan, Iraq, and remote locations around the world. That means you and I need to make an extra effort to show our support. One of the best ways to let our troops know that you've got their back is by supporting the work of the USO. Step Up and Lead -- support our troops by signing up to be part of the USO today.
STEP UP AND LEAD
Click the Michigan Flag to access the ESGR Michigan Page
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From: www.michiganpva.org MPVA is celebrating its 50th year of service in Michigan. It is a chapter of the national Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), operating according to the standards and practices established by the PVA. MPVA is, however, a separate 501(c)(3) charitable organization. The Michigan programs, services, education, and outreach conducted here are made possible by local volunteers, partners, sponsors, and donors. The mission of Michigan Paralyzed Veterans of America is to enhance the lives of veterans with spinal cord injury or disease as well as all citizens with disabilities, by advocating for civil rights, assuring quality health care, supporting continued research and education, and encouraging independence and healthy living through various health, sports and recreational programs. MPVA shall continue striving to remain at the forefront of both veterans benefits services and disability rights, while working toward a better quality of life for all American citizens.
The MPVA Mission
How the Registry Began

The National Gold Star Family Registry is a project of Military Families United, a not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) charitable organization whose mission is to Honor the Fallen, Support Those Who Fight, and Serve Their Families. Through various events held for Gold Star Family members, Military Families United recognized a need for families to be able to share the stories of their Heroes with the world. In the beginning, families attending these events wrote their stories in a notebook to share with other Gold Star families, this concept eventually took the form of the virtual memorial. First launched in 2010, the Registry has been continually upgraded with the latest in technology and resources. This 21st Century memorial ensures that anyone anywhere can honor and remember the Heroes who have laid down their lives in defense of freedom. Whether they gave their life in Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Korea, WWII, or another conflict, the Registry is a place to ensure their memory will live on.
From: Wendy Lynn Day (www.goldstarfamilyregistry.com) The National Gold Star Family Registry is the first comprehensive database of the United States fallen Heroes and their families ever developed. The Registry not only affords family members the opportunity to publicly remember their loved one, but serves as a historical log of our Nations true Heroes. By providing educational resources and personal accounts, the Registry ensures that future generations may know who these brave Americans werenot only how they died, but, more importantly, how they lived. The information in the Registry is compiled from a number of different public sources including the Department of Defense and the National Archives. Adhering to Department of Defense guidelines for families who receive the Gold Star Pin, the Registry only includes the names of Heroes who have given their lives on the battlefield. From the Vietnam Wall in Washington, DC, to the countless war memorials on courthouse lawns, the United States is peppered with stone monuments honoring those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. These treasures are powerful, but access is limited by geography, and names inscribed in stone dont tell the Heroes full story. The National Gold Star Family Registry serves as a 21st Century monument, utilizing the latest in internet technology to memorialize those same men and women in a whole new way.
National Gold Star Registry
About Military Families United

Military Families United is a not-for-profit 501(c) (3) charitable organization whose mission is to Honor the Fallen, Support Those Who Fight, and Serve Their Families. We are a national coalition of Gold Star and Blue Star families, veterans, and patriotic Americans who share a deep appreciation for our men and women in uniform and support them in their mission to keep America safe. Founded in 2005 to provide an avenue for military families to remind the nation of the importance of supporting our military and the mission they have been given , the organization expanded to provide charitable programs offering families direct support. Through a portfolio of unique services, events, and advocacy programs, the organization seeks to ensure that future generations of Americans will never forget the sacrifices of our courageous military.
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On July 4th 2012 Mr. Franklin Smith passed away. In December of 2011 I received a letter with a story attached. Since then I have been working on obtaining a copy of his full story. Don Alsbro the President of Lest We Forget SW MI provided me with the document. Mr. Smith wrote over 50 pages in his account of World War II. Over the next few months we will publish the whole story. I thank Lest We Forget for their support with this project.Matthew X. Hauser
World War II Memories From Captain Franklin H. Smith-Part IX

By: The Late Cpt. Franklin H. Smith
GERMAN OUTPOST LINES
The gasoline shortage was really something. I had an indication from Smitty, my jeep driver, who had told me a few days prior to this time that something was wrong, it was hard to get gasoline. He used to borrow it from the tankers because they carried a lot extra but they wouldnt give him any. He went back to the dump where we normally picked up our gasoline and they did not have any either. One of our jeeps was almost empty. What had happened was that gasoline was almost shut off from the 3rd Army and was diverted to the 1st Army in the north. We were told that Patton had a fit over that and said it would cost him 10,000 men by having his gasoline supply literally shut off. I knew what he was talking about. We had the Germans off balance and if we did not make any contact with them for some days, it would give them an opportunity to get set up again in a defensive position. On September 7th, my twentyfourth birthday, the 5th Division was to have an objective of seizing the town of Metz and the immediate objective of the 11th Infantry was to drive out the Germans and get a bridgehead on the Moselle River. I was to be the advance guard for the 11th Infantry and to move out toward the Moselle River at 8:00 a.m. We were moving across country with no idea of when we would pick up the Germans. I had one platoon out in front covering and I was walking behind them with my radio operator and some machine guns that were mounted on the dash boards of the jeeps. I had two M8 armored cars and their commanding officer was a lieutenant and he was riding in his jeep. Approximately
five hundred yards behind us was I company in column. The platoon leader of the 1st Platoon was Lieutenant Kozlowski, a replacement officer. He asked me several times to check the azmuth as we were moving cross country through open fields. There were trees and wooded areas and it was kind of hard to tell whether you were heading in the right direction. You had to believe the compass. We came to an area that had a ravine behind it and as we got ready to go up the hill, the vehicles could not get through because there was a wash out. I told them to go down to our left toward the 7th Armored and when they found a spot to cross, they could come up on the other side and rejoin us. I told my radio operator that he might as well jump into one of the jeeps and ride to the other side. I wanted to give him a little rest from carrying a sixty pound radio. The vehicles all took off going to the left through the open field. I could see the 7th armored units to our left and I felt there would be no problem for the jeeps. I climbed up on the hill on the other side and there was a wide-open field and to our front was a big woods, which also swung around to the right hand side. Some of the platoon had already crossed the road that we were approaching and some of them were still on this side. The platoon leader was on the other side of the road. There was a little shed in the area. I had two or three of my runners with me and they were men from different platoons. If I wanted to send a message to a platoon and the radio wasnt working, I could send it with the platoon runner. I walked up to this little shed and opened the door. Thinking back, it was a dangerous thing to do, but I did it. There were about ten freshly skinned rabbits hanging there and I thought it was strange because the shed was sitting all by itself. I felt that there was something funny going on so I called the platoon leaders and told them to be alert because someone had some skinned rabbit here. Continued...
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I had no more than finished saying that when fire opened to the front from the Germans. They opened up on the leading platoon. There was shooting all around but no one was shooting at me. I was standing there trying to figure out my next move and wondering how heavy the fire was going to get when Major Birdsong came up along side of me. He said he had been trying to call me on the radio and could not get me. My radio operator was not with me and had turned off our radio. The major had heard all the firing and had hustled up to see what was going on. To this day he thinks that I had the map but I did not have a map of the area, he did. As we were looking towards the woods he opened up the map and said something like: Orient me. We were oriented very quickly by a machine gunner from the woods who hit one of my runners. He was about six foot, three inches and the bullet hit him in the thigh and he was badly hit. That was about the height of the bullets at that time. Firing was going on to the east and then started from the south. The major and I dropped to the ground. The field was very flat. The German kept firing at us and we had no one to fire back. There were no machine guns in the area. Just as this happened the platoon leader of the armored cars arrived in his jeep. All this firing was going on and he had no idea what to do. To protect himself and his driver they jumped out of the jeep to take cover. The jeep was left sitting on the road between my leading platoon, the major, me and my runners with no one in it to fire the gun. I guess he would not have known what to fire at because it took him by surprise. The German machine gunner kept firing at Major Birdsong and myself and his fire was getting very accurate. We were calling out for someone to man the machine gun on the jeep. I was lying ahead of the major and he was slightly back to my rear. One burst went by and I knew that it had just missed my left ear. I looked ahead and I could see a small dip in the ground and I decided to crawl to that small dip. If you ever saw Will and Joe cartoons, one of them is saying; I cant get any closer to the ground because my buttons are in the way. That was exactly my position. I had gotten as close to the ground as possible. As I started to move the major said that he thought he had been hit. I crawled back a little and looked up and that burst which had just missed my ear had gone to the top of his right shoulder. It shredded his field jacket from the top to the bottom. I couldnt get up and take a good look at this shoulder or I would have had my head shot off but I looked the best that I could and I did not see any blood. I told the major that I thought he would be all right. It did turn out the shot nipped him in the right shoulder but fortunately, not severely.
We kept yelling for someone to man that machine gun and finally Sergeant Hudson, my communication sergeant, jumped up and ran over and gave a double load on the machine gun. It usually takes two pulls for the bullets to enter the chamber. In a combat situation we kept the guns so that one pull would start it firing. We called that Halfload. Sergeant Hudson was not familiar with this gun so he gave two quick pulls to make sure it fired. He knew the location of the German machine gun and he swung around started firing. That immediately stopped the bullets from popping which meant the gunner was taking a little cover himself and his shells were no longer as accurate. This allowed Major Birdsong to get up and take to the rear and allowed me to get up and get control of the situation. I ran over to find the jeep driver and told him to drive the behind a monument that was in the area. I told Sergeant Hudson to keep firing at the woods to protect me. I went back to look for the rest of my company. I saw Lieutenant Marshall lying back over the hill and he was signaling me by his hand that the company was behind the hill. I had them swing one platoon around to the right to come up to that woods. I was going to send one of the M8 cars further down the road but it was a good thing that I didnt. There was a bazooka man down there with a big bazooka and he would have knocked that M8 car out if it had come in range. It was very hectic for a while but we finally got our situation straightened up a bit although we did end up with a few casualties. Five men were killed and five men wounded. We killed fifteen Germans and captured two. One was a lieutenant and he had a map. I looked at the map and he even had their positions drawn out on it. This was the German outpost line that we had hit. I lost Private Rukstala there. He had been with me from the time I joined I company in July 1941. Big John was a man about six feet, three and a fine soldier. He never took any leadership role, but he always did his job and had a beautiful baritone voice. I failed to mention that Sergeant Hudson started firing his gun so that Major Birdsong and I were able to get on our feet. The first thing I did was run over to the area and I hollered for the driver of the jeep. Once I found him I told him to get in the jeep and drive it behind a monument that was in the area. I told Sergeant Hudson to keep firing all the time so that I could run around and get some things done. The situation was quite hectic. I looked down the road to the east and I saw one of the sergeants out on the road. I was going to holler at him and tell him to get off of the road but he was a very good sergeant so I decided not to yell at him. Unfortunately, almost at the same time he was shot and killed by the Germans. Continued
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I instructed Lieutenant Kozlowski to put his platoon on both sides of a path that led through the woods toward the east in the direction of the Moselle River and attack the Germans. Shortly after he moved out with his platoon there was a great deal of firing. Lieutenant Kozlowski appeared back on the road and he had been wounded. He told me that he had done exactly what I asked but he and his runner, Private Rukstala, got hit by a German machine gunner when they went down the path. He said that Rukstala was wounded and still in the woods. I told him to proceed toward an aid station and that was the end of Lieutenant Kozlowski. I directed some men to go in and get Rukstala out of the woods. I was busy doing other things because there was firing around on the front and the flanks. Shortly after my first sergeant caught up with me and asked me if they could get Rukstala to the aid station. I told him that I had already directed some men to get him but he told me that Rukstala was still lying back there in a ditch. I ran back to the ditch and I could see that John Rukstala had gone into shock. I had known him since 1941 and he had been a good soldier. He always did what he was supposed to do. About the time I was looking at him, two jeeps went by on the road. I called for them to stop. There was a captain in each one of the jeeps from the 7th Armored Division. They said they were going down to the Gorze. I told them they couldnt get there because there were Germans in the area. They said their commander had told them that the 11th Infantry had cleared the area. I told them that I was the company commander of I company and this was the leading element of the 11th. I told him that men were getting killed and we just had some men killed on the road to the south. I told them they were liable to get killed too if they went down there. They were very disturbed that they had been told that the area had been cleared when it had not. They were going to return to their organization so I asked them if they could take Rukstala to the aid station, which they did. A few days later I learned that John Rukstala died. When we captured the German Lieutenant with the map I learned that we had hit the German outpost line. The map indicated that they were the outpost lines for the area to the east toward the Moselle River. We continued to push toward the east and the Germans were withdrawing. We would get sporadic fire but we finally got to the high ground near the Moselle, which was our objective. When we got there we found a German First Aid Station which was underground. Some of the soldiers had gotten hold of some bread somehow and in this aid station was a jar of honey. The men asked if they could put the honey on the bread but I was afraid that the honey might be poisoned. We had routed the Germans out of the area and I didnt really think they would have had time to poison it so I said we
would use the honey for our bread. I also found some nice Sheffield straight razors there and put them in my little bag. I had expected to have them yet today but when I was evacuated the bag was stolen and the razors disappeared. September 7, 1944 was my 24th birthday and the whole day proved to be very exciting. We were very short of maps of the area until I got the one from the German Lieutenant. Plans were being made to cross the Moselle River at Dornot. I remember when Colonel Lemmon was talking about the crossing, I said that we would be going into the Great Forts. He said that Colonel Yuill had said that they were nothing but some houses. I wondered why the map said Great Forts? He did not pay particular attention to what I was saying. The plans were made for the 1st Battalion under Colonel Lemmon to cross on the morning of September 8th and the remainder of the troops would follow as the bridge was broadened. It was quite a mess at the crossing site because the 7th Armored Division was also supposed to put in a river crossing to the north of Dornot and for some reason they got down in the Dornot area and had a number of their vehicles there. It made if difficult for the 1st Battalion. Eventually, it was all worked out and the armored was to cross father up the river and the 1st Battalion was to cross and attack the forts, Somne and Blaise. There was a big one to our left called Driant, which proved later to be a very big stumbling block. I was up on the high ground south of the crossing line and I told my machine gunners and mortar men that we were not in the crossing but I wanted to go forward with our guns and give them extra protection. Continued
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I had not been told to do so but I felt that anything I could do to help in the crossing would be beneficial for the others that were crossing. I took my light machine guns and mortars and we moved up to the edge of the high ground overlooking the river and started firing at a town called Corny, which was on the high side of the river. There was a small church in Corny and I suspected the Germans were using the church so I told my machine gunners to open up on the church, which they did. The Germans came streaming out and started running up through the town and headed east from Corny. They had to proceed over a large area of open ground to get beyond the hillside on the other side of the river. We were doing the best we could with our mortars and machine gun fire to make it uncomfortable for them. I could see that apparently as we lowered the mortars to get more range out of the 60mm guns, the Germans could hear them coming. They were all spread out and they would hit the ground before the mortar shells landed. I could not see whether we actually hit anyone, but we gave them a hot time for a short period until they got beyond the ridgeline. About the time the German soldiers were hitting the ridgeline, we got picked up by two tanks that were in the woods on the other side of the river. They were up on the high ground south of Corny. These two tanks started firing shells at us and I could see that we were in big trouble. I had to figure out how we were going to get out of this mess. I told the gunners to leave the guns and to follow me and do exactly what I did. I stood up so that the tanks could see me, and the men stood up. We ran about a hundred yards to the west away from the river. Then I turned and ran approximately one hundred yards to the north and then got down on my stomach and started crawling back to the edge of the high bank overlooking the river. The men were doing exactly what I was doing. We all crawled back and stayed near the edge of the bank. It worked out exactly the way I thought it would. The tanks seeing us run to the rear thought we would continue to run to the rear and would elevate their guns and throw the shells further back. After the finally ceased their fire, we crawled over, retrieved the guns and crawled back away from the river. When we got out of their sight, we got up and walked on back to where the rest of the company was located. The 449th antiaircraft guns, big truck tractor drawn units, had pulled up in our area. When we got back, they were gone. I asked the men what happened to them. They said that when the shells came flying back, the 449th said they had gotten to close to the front and had to get out of there. Our radios were all on the same frequencies and I could listen in on what was going on with the 1st Battalion. I heard Lieutenant Drake, who was
one of our company commanders talking to Colonel Lemmon. He said they had reached the one fort and could not get it. There was a fence or something around it and shortly thereafter someone came on the radio and said that Lieutenant Drake had been killed. They started to have a number of casualties. I moved down into the town of Dornot with my company because if everything went well, we would also be crossing at the Dornot site. K Company of our division was selected to go across and join the 1st Battalion. Steven T. Lowery who had been my executive officer at one time was commanding K Company. He had done an excellent job for me and I bragged about him to Major Birdsong and as a result he made him a company commander. I walked down into the area in front of Dornot near the Moselle River to wait for K Company as they came down to cross. When K Company was moving across the ground, Lieutenant Lowery appeared and we stood and talked for a few minutes while the company moved down and were getting ready to get into boats for the crossing. We ended our conversation and Lieutenant Steve Lowery moved out to join his company. Just as they got into the boats, the enemy came down with a very heavy artillery concentration on the river area. I knew it would be tough getting across. Lieutenant Lowery had a lot of guts and I knew he would get that company to the other side, and he did. He had not been on the other side very long when I heard on the radio that he had just been killed. The Germans concentrated a lot of artillery fire on our area and kept firing on the town of Dornot. In the street was a burning halftrack vehicle that I think belonged to the 7th Armored Division. It had been hit by shellfire coming from the other side. We had asked for air support to try to bomb the forts and the weather was bad so the planes could not come to help. In fact, to my knowledge, they never did get there. It was given orders to place one of my platoons to the north of Dornot to protect the left flank. I directed the platoon leader to get his platoon in position and he had difficulty doing so. He asked if he could do it some other way that the way I had suggested. I knew he was having problems so I told him he get them into position in whichever possible way. A short time later he returned and broke down in front of me and began to cry. He had combat fatigue and I had to send him back to the aid station. Our assistant regimental commander, Colonel Merrill, had come up to Colonel Lemmons command post and said: Well, that job at Camp Polk wouldnt be so bad, would it? It kind of broke everyone up and created a lot of laughter for a few minutes because we all knew what he was talking about. On September 9th it was still rough going. Continued
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There was a lot of small arms, fire and artillery fire at the bridgehead and up into town. I had gone over to the battalion command post and Captain Doug Hargrave was there with his runner and a Frenchman who had been assisting them since Normandy. This Frenchman was dressed in an American uniform so I did not know that he was French. The runner and the Frenchman stayed in the yard. Captain Hargrave and I had started to leave the command post when I had to send my runner back for some reason, so I was by myself. As Captain Hargrave stepped out onto the porch area, artillery came in and hit the building and some trees. The two men with him were killed outright. I was in the doorway and Captain Hargrave wheeled around and put his arms on my shoulders and said, Smith, they got me. He and I had been good friends for a number of years. In fact, he had been my company commander at one time. I hauled him back through the hallway and past the room where the command post was. I took him to an empty room laid him on the floor and started cut ting his clothing so I could see where he was hit and give him first aid. Also wounded in the command post was Captain Herman Schell and there were probably some others who were also hit. Major Birdsong came into the room where I was working on Captain Hargrave. He told me that we were leaving but I did not want to leave Hargrave and I told the major that I had to take care of him. The major said he would send someone back to tell me where the new command post was located and I could come after I took care of Captain Hargrave. I continued to patch him up and it looked like he was going into shock. I was worried that I would lose him so I shook him and kept telling him to wake up. He had told me that after the war he wanted me to come up to his farm and he would have his mother do all kinds of good cooking for us. I told him not to pull any fast ones on me and I told him that he was just trying to get out of having me come for dinner. He finally opened his eyes and we had a conversation and he seemed to be back to normal. An aid man showed up and he was able to assist me and we got Doug patched up and in pretty good shape. There was just the aid man, Captain Hargrave and myself in the house. I told Doug that I had to leave him and I would leave him in the hands of the aid man. I told the aid man that he must promise me that he would not leave Captain Hargrave but would be responsible for getting him to the aid station. He said he would handle it and not let me down. After I left them I went to find the new command post. As I was going down the street some of my men who were in a house called to me. The way they said Captain, Smith I knew there was something wrong. I went into the house and asked what they wanted and
they told me that Private Bud Hill was in the house and he had been hollering my name and something was wrong with him. Private Hill was my runner and he carried my radio for me. He was one of the men that I had sent from the command post on an errand. I had them bring Private Hill out into the hallway. He wrapped his arms around me and he was shaking and was in very bad condition so I asked what happened to him. He told me that when the shelling came in he was on his way back to the command post when a man came running up the street yelling that all the officers were killed and when he asked if Captain Smith was killed the man replied yes. He said he looked in the yard and saw two men killed and one with his head torn off and something inside him snapped. I thought I had calmed him down but then some more artillery shells started coming in and he started shaking and was back in the same condition. I knew I had to get him back to the medics because he needed treatment and rest. So Private Hill was sent back and I went on over to the new command post which was on a side street in the town of Dornot. The situation in Dornot was pretty bad and Colonel Lemmon had requested that Colonel Yuill allow him to withdraw from the bridge head. Colonel Yuill had been given orders by the division to hold the bridgehead at all costs and that is what he told Colonel Lemmon. It was costing the Colonel a great loss of officers and men in his battalion. Others around the area where losing men too. On the morning of September 10th, Colonel Lemmon said: Smith, you have one platoon that is not being used and they are in a basement here in town. I told him that was true. He said that we have so many wounded on the other side, we are unable to get them out. The engineers were supposed to keep the bridgehead open and evacuate the wounded but they have been unable to do so. I had heard that the fire was so intense they were unable to stay down there and evacuate the wounded. Colonel Lemmon said that we are not going to get any of them out unless someone who knows them can get them out. He asked if I thought my platoon could get some Red Cross flags and walk down there. I did not want to send them so I hedged on my remarks. In the meantime, a new lieutenant well dressed; looking like a million dollars came into the command post looking for Colonel Lemmon. He reported to him and told him that he was sent with his platoon to work at the river crossing. Colonel Lemmon asked him if he or any of his men had any combat experience to which he replied no. The colonel told him to put his men in the basement of one of the buildings. We couldnt use them in this operation. Continued
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He did not say anything more to me but I realized that we had a lot of wounded down on the other side of the river. I decided not to ask my platoon leader to do the job, that I would do it myself. I made a decision that not matter what went on that either I would bring those wounded out or I would not come out myself. I took Lieutenant Bitneys platoon and proceeded to go down to the river crossing. There was a boat there with a rope on either end. I signaled to the men on the other side that we wanted to bring the wounded out so they started loading them in the boat on the farside and we pulled them across to our side. Those who were able walked to the aid station and we carried the ones that were unable. After I got the situation under control at the river crossing they started to rush down litter bearers to carry the wounded so the operation was going very smoothly with the exception of the artillery fire that was falling all around us. My company on the flanks was protecting us from the small arms fire but it was a hectic operation. I told the men we were lucky that the Germans were throwing their shells too far over the river and werent getting them down on us. We managed to bring over all the wounded that they had on the other side. I would have been able to leave the crossing site but Captain Geary got in touch with me and said he needed ammunition. He had tied a wire line to the boat and put a telephone in the boat. I had been jumping down in the river which was about knee deep to assist in getting the men out of the boat. I jumped down at the rivers edge and got the phone and the wire line, hooked it up and started talking to Captain Jack Geary. As I was talking I walked back to the edge of the lagoon behind the river. I told Jack that I would get more ammunition for him. Just as that time the Germans happened to get their artillery bracketed right over our heads. The barrage came in and hit the trees and so forth. Unfortunately I got hit and down I went. There was a little lagoon behind the strip of land that we were on. This strip of land was between the river and the lagoon and we had a boat in the lagoon. Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.
From: Carmen Johnson Active-duty military members who enlisted as Michigan residents and have maintained residence status can now obtain annual Michigan fishing or hunting licenses free of charge, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced today. To qualify, persons must be active-duty U.S. military members and, at the time of enlistment, must have been residents of Michigan and must have maintained residence status for the purposes of obtaining a driver's license or voting. These individuals may receive, free of charge, a resident military all-species fishing license or any hunting license for which a lottery is not required. Applicants must present proof of military status when applying for the free license. Proof of military status may include military I.D., leave papers, duty papers, military orders or other evidence verifying that the applicant is a member of the military. The licenses are available at DNR Customer Service Centers and at license retail outlets statewide. Previously, military members paid $1 for a resident all-species fishing license or hunting license not requiring a lottery. The change is part of Public Act 21 of 2013. Military members receiving a free fishing or hunting license must present the license, along with proof of military status, if requested by a conservation officer. As always, non-resident, active-duty military personnel officially stationed in Michigan may purchase all hunting and fishing licenses at Michigan resident rates.
Free fishing and hunting licenses now available to military members
Michigan Republican Party Facebook Page

Along with building the newsletters Facebook page, which can be found by the link above, the Michigan Republican Party is building their page. If you would like join, please click here.
~Ronald Reagan
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Dear Honored US Veterans and Your Families, My name is Dr. Jack Grenan and I am a psychologist and hypnotherapist who helps Veterans their families and anyone else who asks for help. I will be writing a column is this newsletter and I will be answering questions sent to me at jackgrenan@netscape.net. I have counseled many veterans with PTSD and I encourage any veteran who may have a question to email me. As far as PTSD any Veterans out there who thinks that you may have PTSD probably does and should speak to someone. Anyone who served their country is a hero for sacrificing time away from home and family to serve our Country and your fellow servicemen and women! I look forward to communicating with you every month! God Bless our Veterans, troops currently serving, their families and GOD BLESS AMERICA! Sincerely, Dr. Jack Grenan
Please Support and listen to Frontlines of Fredom Military Talk Radio Hosted by Lt. Col. Denny Gillem. You can hear it every Saturday at 1p.m. on 1260 AM the Pledge (Zeeland, MI), or by visiting the website at www.frontlinesoffreedom.com. Or on Facebook by clicking here. Thank you for your Support!
From: www.wwimemorial.org In March 2008, Frank Buckles, the last surviving American veteran of World War I, visited the District of Columbia War Memorial, on the National Mall in Washington DC. He observed that this peaceful, secluded memorial, dedicated in 1931 as a memorial to the 499 residents of the District of Columbia who gave their lives in that war, sits neglected and in extreme disrepair, and that there is no national memorial to World War I. Mr. Buckles issued a call for the restoration and re-dedication of the D.C. memorial as a National and District of Columbia World War I Memorial. The World War I Memorial Foundation was formed to make Frank Buckles dream a reality. The mission of the Foundation is to advocate and raise funds for the re-dedication of the DC War Memorial as a national World War I memorial, dedicated to all those Americans who served in the Great War. In 2014 the world will mark the centennial of World War I. Nearly 5 million Americans served during the war, and 116,516 Americans died in defense of democracy overseas. Americas support of its allies in World War I marked the first time in this nations history that American soldiers went abroad to defend foreign soil against aggression -- and it marked the true beginning of the American century. Yet while the later conflicts of the 20th century World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War -rightfully have national memorials on the National Mall, there is no such memorial to the Great War, even though more Americans gave their lives in World War I than in Korea or Vietnam. The D.C. memorial, which is already located adjacent to those other memorials, is the most fitting site for a national World War I memorial.
The World War I Memorial Foundation
Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.
~Ronald Reagan
Photo: The Late Frank Buckles during his 2008 visit to the Washington D.C. World War I Monument.
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From: www.va.gov The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is committed to informing the Veteran community about VA health benefits and services. Currently, VA is producing personalized Veteran Health Benefits Handbooks for Veterans who are enrolled in VA health care. The new handbooks are tailored specificfor each Veteran and provides detailed information about the VA health services the Veteran may be eligible to receive. The Veteran Health Benefit Handbook provides answers to common questions such as contact information for the Veteran's local facility, instructions on how to schedule appointments, guidelines for communicating treatment needs and an explanation of the Veteran's responsibilities, such as co-pays, if applicable. Veterans enrolled in VA healthcare will receive their personalized handbooks via mail as part of a national rollout campaign starting in February 2012 based on Priority Group, beginning with Priority Group 1 and ending with Priority Group 8. In the near future, VA will develop an online version of the handbook for Veterans to access via MyHealtheVet. This will allow Veterans to access their up-to-date health benefit information anywhere, anytime. Click the link below for additional information about the Veterans Health Benefits Handbook or call VA at 1 877-222-VETS (8387).
Veterans Health Benefits Handbook
Posted on May 22, 2013 by Senator Dave Hildenbrand Legislation designed to ease the costs of homeownership for Michigans disabled veterans and their spouses was approved by the Michigan Senate on Wednesday, said bill sponsor state Sen. Dave Hildenbrand. Senate Bill 352 would simplify and broaden the current property tax exemption provided to our honored disabled veterans and their spouses. Today the Michigan Senate acted to recognize the significant needs facing our disabled veterans, said Hildenbrand, R-Lowell. By passing this legislation we are one step closer to providing the tax relief necessary for these veterans to be successful homeowners. This legislation improves the currentproperty tax exemption by streamlining the process and guaranteeing this benefit to those veterans that qualify. Hildenbrand was first alerted to the need to revise the existing law when he was contacted by the widow of a disabled veteran who had been denied this property tax exemption. Due to the interpretation of the existing state law by both the local unit of government and the Michigan Tax Tribunal it was clear that changes were needed. There are roughly 82,000 disabled veterans living in Michigan, Hildenbrand said. We must ensure that our veterans are treated with open arms once they return home to Michigan. Many times the disability they received in battle makes gainful employment difficult if not impossible. This exemption recognizes that fact and provides critical financial assistance that can be used to make homeownership a reality. Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.
Hildenbrand tax relief legislation for disabled veterans passes Senate
~Ronald Reagan
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For more information please visit www.supportamericanvets.org and www.grassrootsationteam.org. More details coming soon.
The Grassroots Action Team was created in order to advocate for Veterans and others about issues concerning mental health parity and physical health. We will be doing this first and foremost by educating people and making sure they are aware of the issues. Then we will make sure our leaders in Washington and at the State level are aware of the issues and vote in favor of our Veterans. We will keep the pressure on to make sure programs that are already in place as well as any new programs helping veterans are in fact implemented. If you would like to make a donation or have ideas and/or suggestions for us please write to our President, Hank Fuhs, Lt. Col., United States Air Force/ANG/USAF Reserves (ret.) at 3848 Leonard St. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525 or email him athankfuhs@gmail.com or info@grassrootsactionteam.org.
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Dear Thunder Fans, We wanted to reach out and let you know that we have decided to change this year's dates of the Thunder Over Michigan Air Show back to our traditional early August time frame (August 10-11) to help accommodate a bigger show, number and quality of performers, and an overall better time for our loyal fans. We have traditionally held the show in early August but, we initially moved this year's show to mid-June in order to accommodate the scheduling of the United States Air Force Thunderbirds. With the Thunderbirds' entire 2013 season, including a scheduled weekend at Thunder Over Michigan, grounded due to the federal budget sequestration, we sought to move the show back to its usual August dates. Early August is what our fans have come to expect for Thunder and we are pleased that we can move back to our normal dates. The August dates now allow us to secure additional world-class performers, statics, and
displays; the weather is historically much better than in June; and there is less conflict with other events then. We recently announced the addition of a very rare aerial demonstration by the North American Aviation F-100 Super Sabre. The show will also feature world-renowned civilian aerobatic performer Michael Goulian, a demonstration by the only single-seat flyable German Me-262 jet in the world, crowd-favorites WWII and Vietnam battle reenactments, two specially-restored Vietnam-era UH-1 Huey helicopters, and a special "Vietnam Homecoming" celebration for Veterans. Click Here to Learn More! We have just begun releasing what is going to be a very thrilling, unprecedented air show lineup. With the change in dates, we will be announcing more exciting lineup additions in the next several weeks. We thank you for your ongoing support for the 2013 Thunder Over Michigan Air Show.
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For the link to the interview with Rep. Ray Franz please Click Here
Rep. Ray Franz talks about the new Veterans program "Hire Heroes" that can be found online at - http://www.hireheroesusa.org/
A Little Information about Hire Heroes

From: www.hireheroesusa.org Mission: Hire Heroes USA (Hire Heroes) is dedicated to creating job opportunities for US military veterans and their spouses through personalized employment training and corporate engagement. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, Hire Heroes services are provided at no cost to the veteran. Creating the Opportunity. Headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia, Hire Heroes USA has built a national reputation of excellence for its success at helping unemployed veterans find jobs currently at the rate of one veteran confirmed hired every business day. Our team is comprised of military veterans many with combat experience in Iraq and Afghanistan and business veterans. That mix of military and civilian experience has proven essential to effectively training veterans in the skills of self-marketing and then networking them into good jobs with great companies. The hallmark of the program is a personal approach where each veteran receives dedicated assistance from a highlytrained staff member in order to help them overcome barriers to employment. To become part of this program, click on the tab above that best suits your interest.
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Two Great Sources for Veterans/Military Legislative Updates in Washington D.C. Simply click the images to view the site.
Military and Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security

Committee Members
Jim Stamas (R) Committee Chair, 98th District Ray Franz (R) Majority Vice-Chair, 101st District Gail Haines (R) 43rd District Kenneth Kurtz (R) 58th District Tom Hooker (R) 77th District Dale Zorn (R) 56th District Joseph Graves (R) 51st District Harvey Santana (D) Minority Vice-Chair, 9th District George Darany (D) 15th District Dian Slavens (D) 21st District Brian Banks (D) 1st District Henry Yanez (D) 25th District Phil Cavanagh (D) 10th District Ben Cook, Committee Clerk 517-373-2002
Rep. Jim Stamas Committee Chair Welcome to the Military and Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security Committee. The committee's regularly scheduled meeting time is Wednesday at 9:00am in room 308 of the House Office Building in Lansing. I welcome citizens to contact me or other committee members regarding bills or proposals our committee is addressing. Individuals needing special accommodations to participate in a committee meeting may contact my office to request the necessary assistance.
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Legal Help for Veterans

From: James G. Fausone Legal Help for Veterans, PLLC is a law firm located in Northville, Michigan. We have a national practice representing veterans on veterans disability claims. This representation occurs at the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, the Board of Veterans Appeals and regional offices. We have helped veterans collect over $10,000,000 in retro and future benefits. Over the last decade, LHFV has become a trusted name in the legal community for providing legal services to veterans and lecturing at law schools, bar associations and community events. Members of the Legal Help for Veterans practice group are former service members who bring not only legal expertise but an understanding of service and duty. The members of the group have medical and administrative backgrounds as well as finely honed legal skills developed over twenty years of practice and experience. We have represented thousands of veterans and currently have over 650 active clients. For more information about the organization and about legal help for veterans and for contact information www.legalhelpforveterans.com and found on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Our telephone number is 800.693.4800. Our blog discusses current issues facing veterans and the VA. Typically our clients are enlisted men and women who served post Korea. The Vietnam vet is still the one with the most common problems. These include Agent Orange related disabilities, PTSD, psychiatric or orthopedic injuries. Other vets often have hearing loss, military sexual trauma or tinnitus. We are now seeing Iraq and Afghanistan vets with TBI. Many vets do not even begin the disability claim process until many years after service. The trigger may be unemployability and the need for benefits. With a million claim back log at VA, it is a slow and confusing process and many people need professional help establishing the proper diagnosis and service connection. That is what Legal Help for Veterans, PLLC has been doing for clients for years. We would like to express our appreciation to all of the fighting men and women in the United States Military. Thank you for your service to this country.
From: Rick Briggs, Major, USAF (Ret) The Brain Injury Association of Michigan (BIAMI) Veterans Program utilizes numerous types of outdoor activities to gather Veterans and currently serving military personnel together for a little R&R. These special events are almost always free for the troops depending totally on the kind donations of sponsors and donors. In addition to being a great way to say Thank you for their service, these activities serve as the mechanism to get the troops to open up a little if they are having post-deployment issues. Frequently we find that in the comfortable confines with others who have been there, done that they tend to be more receptive to learn about Invisible Wounds says Rick Briggs the Program Manager, both PTSD and TBI are treatable if they seek the proper help. To find out more about these activities, or to donate to their Veterans Program, please make out checks to BIAMI Veterans Program and send them to 7305 Grand River Suite #100, Brighton, MI 48114 or contact Rick Briggs at veterans@biami.org or call him (810) 2295880 or visit www.biami.org.
Brain Injury Association of Michigan
BIAMI is celebrating its 30th Anniversary as it continues to strive to provide persons with a brain injury and their families, healthcare professionals, and the general public with the resources necessary to enhance brain injury awareness, education, prevention, and support. BIAMI is also fields the first and only dedicated Veterans Program staff within the Brain Injury Association of America.
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About the Brain Injury Association of Michigan (BIAMI):
Stand Up For Veterans-They Stood Up For US

-The DAV
American Legion Post is in looking for current military members to send care packages to. Please contact Robert Goulet if you know of any military member who might like something. Please see News From American Legion Post 341 below for more information. Thank you very much!
CoordinatorMatthew X. Hauser
Staff & Contributors

Vicki Dunlop Mark Eddy Keith Famie James G. Fausone Rep. Ray Franz Sean M. Furr Denny Gillem Robert Goulet Dr. Jack Grenan John Haggard Larry Harr Dan Heckman
In Memory of Gary Lillie

Louis Nigro Roger Rosenberg Sid Rubin Eugene (Gene) A. Simon Phil Smith Sherry Swann Tim Pascarella Bob Tidmore Rep. Fred Upton Maureen VanHooser Publisher-Hank Fuhs
ContributorsDon Alsbro Rick Briggs Helen Budd Sen. Patrick Colbeck Sam Cottle Rep. Kurt Damrow Matt Davis David Duenow
Dale Hemphill John Hess Norma Housey Sec. of State Ruth Johnson James Julian Adrian Keogh Adele Krovsky Bill Langbehn Merridy Lewis Gary C. Lulenski Claude McManus Chad Miles
News From American Legion Post 341

American Legion Post 341 is seeking the names of troops that are deployed to a combat zone so that we can send them large package of goodies and that their names and address should be sent to the address below. Also post 341 is always seeking new members please contact Robert at the same address if interested. American Legion Post 341 Sr. Vice Commander Robert P. Goulet 6130 Nicholas West Bloomfield, MI rgoulet264@aol.com
Thank you for your service to our country. It is truly the men and women like you who make this nation great, and we must never forget that. Thank you to everyone for all the help you have given us with the newsletter. We have been able to reach more people because of your help. Compared to when we first started, the amount of input and ideas we receive has increased greatly. For that we are very thankful. If you have anything you would like to share, any questions, or have an article idea, please let me know. You may contact us anytime at mhauser@migop.org. Sincerely, Matthew X. Hauser and Lt. Col Hank Fuhs
In Closing
Lest We Forget-A Clip from Hank Fuhs Lt. Col., USAF, Ret, ANG (Just Click the Link Below)
I Fought For You
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Hope you enjoyed the Newsletter!

Please let us know what you thought. Contact Matthew X. Hauser at mhauser@migop.org
We need your help to grow the Newsletter
We are looking for any contact information of individuals or groups that you think would either be interested in receiving our newsletter or interested in writing articles. If you know of anyone please let us know.
Sincerely,
Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.
~Ronald Reagan
Lt. Col. Hank Fuhs & Matthew X. Hauser

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Veterans and Military Families Newsletter July 2013

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Veterans and Military Families Newsletter July 2013

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Veterans & Military Families Monthly News

July 2013 Vol. 4 No. 7

Thank you very much! In This Issue

And much more.

Some Useful Links

Thank you for your Support!

Vet Toxic Exposure ~ Ft Gillem

MICHIGAN AIR NATIONAL GUARD HISTORY BOOKS

A Note From: Lest We Forget Speakers Bureau

STEP UP AND LEAD

Click the Michigan Flag to access the ESGR Michigan Page

The MPVA Mission

How the Registry Began

National Gold Star Registry

About Military Families United

World War II Memories From Captain Franklin H. Smith-Part IX

Free fishing and hunting licenses now available to military members

Michigan Republican Party Facebook Page

The World War I Memorial Foundation

Veterans Health Benefits Handbook

Hildenbrand tax relief legislation for disabled veterans passes Senate

A Little Information about Hire Heroes

Military and Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security

Legal Help for Veterans

Brain Injury Association of Michigan

About the Brain Injury Association of Michigan (BIAMI):

Stand Up For Veterans-They Stood Up For US

Staff & Contributors

In Memory of Gary Lillie

News From American Legion Post 341

Hope you enjoyed the Newsletter!

Lt. Col. Hank Fuhs & Matthew X. Hauser

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