Last Surviving WWI Veteran Passed

Photo by Charlie Riedel
(In a May 26, 2008 file photo Frank Buckles receives an American flag during Memorial Day activities at the National World War I Museum in Kansas City, Mo.)

The passing of Mr. Frank Buckles marks the final departure of the last surviving link to the more than 2 million American men and women who served during World War I. Sadly, this generation of heroes has surrendered to time and the day has come when they no longer walk among us.

World War I unleashed an unrestrained, methodical and mechanized destruction of human life leaving more than 8 million dead and 21 million wounded. Our late entry into the war in 1917 helped stop the slaughter in Europe, but at a heavy price to the nation; 126,000 deaths and more than 200,000 wounded by the end of the war in 1918. Despite the extremes of the war; fear, courage, cruelty and compassion, America made a conscious decision to fight for the ideal of freedom.

The full scope and stark reality of that war was beyond all of us, with the exception of one man who represented an entire generation assigned to history. Frank Buckles’ service and that of his now-absent comrades was borne from neither bravery nor bravado. It came from within; a sense of selflessness…doing something good for others, despite the danger. They faced fear and accepted it, challenged it, fought it, and then acted with honor. That is their legacy to us.

And that’s why we must ensure the memory of their courage and sacrifice won’t fade or disappear into anonymity. That would be an irretrievable loss to the nation, one that we cannot afford to pay.

VFW Now Accepting Entries for the 2011 WebAward Competition

Don't miss your opportunity to get in on the action!
February 28, 2011

Kansas City, Mo., February 28, 2011 - Now VFW Departments, Districts and Posts have an opportunity to show off their creative talent in the 2011 VFW WebAward Competition.

· Websites will be evaluated based on easy navigation, quick load time, overall content and creative design.

· Judging will be done by the VFW Communications Department in two categories: “Department Websites,” and “District/Post Websites.” Awards will be given to the first and second-place winner in each category.

Winners will be announced the first week of May.

How to enter:
1. Submit entry via email before midnight April 20 to: communications@vfw.org.
2. Subject head of email message should read 2011 VFW WebAwards/Contest Category (Department or District/Post)
3. The body of the email message should contain the following information:


· Name of Department, District or Post.


· Internet URL address


· Mailing address of the Department or District/Post.


· Webmaster’s name and complete contact information.


· Department, District or Post commander.


· Any comments about your site.

Click here for complete contest rules and information.

VFW Washington Weekly

February 25, 2011

In This Issue:
1. Pentagon Picks Boeing
2. New Army Leadership
3. Seamless Transition Update

1. Pentagon Picks Boeing: The Defense Department awarded Boeing a $35 billion multiyear contract to provide 179 new KC-46A tanker aircraft to the Air Force. A new aerial refueling tanker is one of the Air Force's top priorities, but contract award was delayed for years because of disputes between aircraft manufacturers Boeing and European Aeronautic Defence and Space (EADS). The new KC-46A is scheduled to begin delivery in 2017, and will eventually replace the current fleet of almost 500 tanker aircraft, mostly KC-135 Stratotankers, which average almost 50 years old.

2. New Army Leadership:
• Gen. Martin E. Dempsey has been nominated to be the next Army Chief of Staff. He is a veteran of the first Gulf War, and commanded the 1st Armored Division in Iraq in 2003, and the Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq in 2005. Prior to his current assignment as commanding general of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, he was the deputy commander and then acting commander of U.S. Central Command. He awaits Senate confirmation. Read General Dempsey's bio.

• Command Sgt. Maj. Raymond F. Chandler III has been selected to be the next Sergeant Major of the Army. He is currently the commandant of the U.S. Sergeants Major Academy. He is an Iraq veteran and Combat Action Badge recipient, and is expected to assume his new duties on March 1, when current SMA Kenneth O. Preston retires after seven years in the Army' top enlisted position. Read CSM Chandler's bio.

3. Seamless Transition Update: The Department of Veterans Affairs announced progress on its decade-long initiative with the Defense Department to create a single electronic health record. VA Chief Information Officer Roger Baker told House VA Committee members that he expects the two departments to reach an agreement within two months. The first stage of the project is development of an open source system, which will be contracted to a vendor that can provide IT services to update VA’s existing VistA code base. Consultants on the VistA project believe that the open source system will have a positive impact for VA and the national health care community.

VFW National Commander Slams Treatment of Wounded OIF Veteran by Columbia U. Students

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Feb. 22, 2011 - The national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is appalled over the recent treatment of a combat-wounded student veteran by Columbia University students during a town-hall meeting on whether ROTC should be allowed back on the campus, calling their actions “banal and juvenile” following their recent verbal harassment of Anthony Maschek, a Columbia freshman and former Army staff sergeant. Maschek was awarded the Purple Heart after being shot multiple times during a firefight in Iraq in 2008.

“The disrespect and shoddy treatment of an American hero by the students is a direct insult to not only the veteran community but also to all members of the nation’s armed forces,” said Richard L. Eubank, national commander of the VFW, the nation’s largest organization of combat veterans.

“Their recent actions are representative of the University’s overall long-standing anti-military environment that fosters contempt and condescension for the military services. It is, in fact, a question of leadership and governing that allows this type of childish behavior and is far removed from the ethics and values of the American mainstream. Lifting the ban on ROTC at Columbia is a decision that should be made by University leadership and not left to the whim of students.”

“The faculty and the parents of the students who participated in the harassment of Mr. Maschek, need to be reminded that all the freedoms we enjoy as Americans have been earned by generations of patriots such as Anthony who were willing to fight to protect the liberties we, as Americans, enjoy. This is particularly true when considering the current war on terrorism is a direct result of the devastating attacks that occurred ten years ago in Columbia’s neighborhood.

VFW Washington Weekly

February 18, 2011

In This Issue:
1. FY 2012 VA Budget Announced
2. DOD Proposes Tricare Increases
3. House VA Committee Hearing
4. VHA Enrollment Survey
5. Vietnam Marine Receives Navy Cross

1. FY 2012 VA Budget Announced: The President's FY 2012 budget submission this week cut spending in many federal agencies, but the VA received a 3% increase over its proposed, but never passed FY 2011 budget. The new budget calls for a total of $132.2 billion in VA funding, with $70.3 billion going for mandatory benefits such as disability compensation and pension, and $61.9 billion for discretionary funding, primarily for medical care. The proposed discretionary amount is less than the $65.3 billion recommended by The Independent Budget, which the VFW coauthors with AMVETS, DAV and PVA, but it does provide a starting point for the VFW to work with the Administration and Congress to improve. Read the VFW press release. The FY 2012 Independent Budget.

2. DOD Proposes Tricare Increases: As expected, the Defense Department FY 2012 budget recommendation contains plans to raise Tricare enrollment fees for working-age military retirees — first by 13 percent, then by linking future increases to double-digit medical inflation. The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is against both plans. "Asking someone to voluntarily give up 20 or more years of their youth on the simple promise of a pension and lifelong medical care for themselves and their spouses is a cost this nation and our government should be more than willing to bear," said VFW National Commander Richard Eubank. Read the VFW press release.

3. House VA Committee Hearing: The House VA Committee held a hearing on the FY 2012 VA Budget on Thursday. Testifying were VA Secretary Eric Shinseki and the four Independent Budget coauthors (VFW, AMVETs, DAV and PVA). VFW testified on VA’s major and minor construction needs in the budget. We asked Congress to provide funding to complete numerous projects under construction and those being planned. Secretary Shinseki discussed VA’s proposed budget of $132.2 billion for both mandatory and discretionary accounts. Committee members had many questions about the claims backlog and homeless veteran programs, and how VA and DOD need to move forward on the seamless transition of electronic medical records from DOD to VA. For more on the hearing or to view the recorded webcast.

4. National VHA Enrollment Survey: The Veterans Health Administration is conducting its annual enrollment survey to help estimate enrollment, usage and expenditures related to budget policies. The three-month survey will begin the week of Feb. 28. Veterans selected to participate will receive a letter that provides information about the survey and who will be conducting the calls. For more information or a look at previous surveys.

5. Vietnam Marine Receives Navy Cross: Navy Secretary Ray Mabus presented Ned E. Seath with the nation's second highest medal last week, more than 44 years after he saved almost an entire company of fellow Marines in Vietnam. Then a lance corporal, Seath was serving as a machine gun team leader with the 3rd Marine Division’s Company K, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, when he halted an assault of North Vietnamese soldiers July 16, 1966, using an M-60 machine gun he reassembled from spare parts. His heroism was tucked away until it was remembered during a battalion reunion seven years ago. Read about the battle and efforts to get his heroism recognized here.

VFW Post 56 Hosts Community Engagement Event for Command and General Staff College Students

The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 56 of Leavenworth, KS hosted a community engagement event for students from the Command and General Staff College (CGSC), Intermediate Level Education (ILE) from Fort Leavenworth, KS. Students from staff groups 23C and 23D in class 11-01 participated in history and leadership lessons focusing on the Korean War era. Colonel, retired, Herschel “Hawk” Chapman of Leavenworth participated in the event as the guest speaker and articulated insights to the lessons he learned in leadership as he shared his personal experiences with the students. Then an infantry second lieutenant, Chapman fought in the key battle of Chipyong-ni, a turning point in the Korean War, and led his soldiers against Chinese forces in February, 1951, 60 years ago. Colonel Chapman is a life member of the VFW, having served in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and since retirement, he occupies his time as the owner of Lavery’s Jewelry in downtown Leavenworth, KS. Many thanks go out to the volunteers who provided a hot breakfast of sausage, biscuits, gravy, and eggs for the students and CGSC faculty.

Second Annual Live Streaming of VFW Legislative Conference

KANSAS CITY, Mo., February 17, 2011— For the second year in a row, VFW will stream live video from the Legislative Conference in Washington D.C., March 5-9, on www.vfw.org.

Streaming will begin with the Voice of Democracy and Patriot’s Pen Parade of Winners at 6:00 p.m. (EST) on March 6.

We’ll pick it back up with the Conference’s Opening Session, set to begin at 8:00 a.m. the next morning, featuring guest speakers Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Eric Shinseki and General Cartwright, USMC, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

A delayed stream of VFW Commander-in-Chief Richard Eubank’s testimony on Capitol Hill, will all air the afternoon of Tuesday, March 8.

In addition to streaming the segments live, all events will also be available through the on-demand feature.

For the most current information, video clips and pictures from the conference join us on Facebook

VFW Contributes $500,000 Toward Museum’s Veterans’ Hall

February 16, 2011
Contact: COL David R. Fabian (USA-Ret.)
(703) 562-4162

The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), the first major veterans service organization to pass a resolution at its 2005 national convention pledging “to support the fundraising efforts and building of the National Museum of the United States Army,” recently confirmed its commitment with a $500,000 leadership gift to support the Museum’s Veterans’ Hall.

“I cannot thank the VFW enough for their part in supporting this special space in the Museum,” remarked MG John P. Herrling, Campaign Executive Director.

“The Veterans’ Hall will be the premier feature of the Museum for exclusive use of veterans and their families. It’ll be that one special, central place in the Museum where veterans and their families can reflect, remember, and enjoy the enduring spirit of Army camaraderie, so we’re hoping other veterans’ organizations and associations of all sizes will follow the VFW’s lead in helping raise the $5 million needed to complete the project,” Herrling said.

The generous contribution not only places the VFW in the Museum campaign’s Four-Star Circle of Distinction reserved for donors of $500,000-$999,999 who will be recognized on the Museum lobby’s Donor Wall; it also ensures prominent acknowledgement of the organization as the leading contributor to date within the Veterans’ Hall itself.

According to Carol Lindamood Harlow, Deputy Executive Director for the Campaign, the names of all veterans’ groups—local posts, states, associations, and the like—that contribute substantial amounts will be acknowledged within the Veterans’ Hall. “Veterans’ groups that have already contributed substantial amounts will be properly acknowledged,” Harlow explained.

The Veterans’ Hall will provide a unique setting to honor the service and sacrifice of America’s veterans, in war and peace, and at home and abroad. The multi-functional space on the National Army Museum’s second floor will host a variety of educational outreach initiatives including presentations, demonstrations, state-of-the-art educational programs, and lecture series. The Veterans’ Hall will be available to veterans and their families for veterans’ reunions, meetings, dinners, socials, and official functions. It is also expected to house interactive features such as the Registry of the American Soldier, which already includes the service records of over 389,000 Army veterans.

“The VFW understands that it is incumbent upon us to assist in the effort to preserve and celebrate the Army’s history of service to the nation,” said VFW Adjutant General, Allen “Gunner” Kent. “The National Museum of the United States Army is a place where history, achievement, courage and sacrifice will become real for all people and will be an enduring link to the millions of American men and women who have proudly worn the uniform of the United States Army.”

The VFW was founded in 1899 following the Spanish-American War to secure rights and benefits for those who had served. Today, the VFW continues to foster camaraderie among United States veterans of overseas conflicts and ensure that veterans are respected for their service, always receive their earned entitlements, and are recognized for the sacrifices they and their loved ones have made on behalf of their country.

More information about the VFW can be found at www.vfw.org. More information about the National Museum of the United States Army is available online at www.armyhistory.org.

VFW Against Tricare Increase Plans

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 16, 2011 — In the rollout of their fiscal year 2012 budget submission, the Department of Defense on Monday announced plans to offset huge Tricare medical program expenses by increasing the annual enrollment fees paid by working-age military retirees — first by 13 percent, then by linking future increases to double-digit medical inflation. The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is against both plans.

VFW National Commander Richard L. Eubank, a retired Marine and Vietnam combat veteran from Eugene, Ore., believes tying future increases to medical inflation is an escalator clause that will raise Tricare premiums so high that retirees will disenroll and look elsewhere for coverage.

"Asking someone to voluntarily give up 20 or more years of their youth on the simple promise of a pension and lifelong medical care for themselves and their spouses is a cost this nation and our government should be more than willing to bear," he said. "Any changes to how military retirees are treated will send an ominous signal to hundreds of thousands of servicemen and women who may be contemplating military careers."

Budget Proposal a Starting Point for VA

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 15, 2011 — The national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is appreciative of the funding increase President Obama proposed Monday for the Department of Veterans Affairs, but he has some serious concerns about proposed reductions in programs ranging from construction and infrastructure to medical and prosthetic research.

"The VFW appreciates the proposed increase because it recognizes that the proper care and treatment of wounded and disabled veterans are ongoing costs of war," said Richard L. Eubank, who leads the 2.1 million-member VFW and its Auxiliaries. "Our concern, however, is that the total discretionary request of almost $62 billion is just not enough for VA to improve all the programs and services on their watch."

The proposed VA budget for fiscal year 2012 is $132.2 billion, of which $70.3 billion is for mandatory benefits such as disability compensation and pension. The remaining $61.9 billion is discretionary funding, primarily for the Veterans Health Administration, which represents about a 10-percent increase over FY 2010 funding, but just 3 percent more than the proposed but never passed FY 2011 budget.

In contrast, the Independent Budget recommends $65.3 billion, or 14.4 percent above 2010 levels and 8 percent about 2011. The VFW coauthors the Independent Budget — now in its 25th year — with AMVETs, Disabled American Veterans and Paralyzed Veterans of America.

The VFW national commander said there are budget highlights, such as proposed funding increases for medical services and support for women veterans and those veterans with psychological and cognitive health needs, as well as expanded caregiver benefits and veteran homelessness programs. But he also said there are funding reductions, most notably in construction, infrastructure, Information Technology, and medical and prosthetic research that can only be considered short-term savings.

"The average 60-year-old VA medical facility is not going to improve with age, military medical records will never get digitized for seamless transition initiatives, and new prevention and treatments will go undiscovered unless the VA leads the way," said Eubank, a retired Marine and Vietnam combat veteran from Eugene, Ore.

"The VA has great plans to better care for women veterans and those suffering from Traumatic Brain Injuries and other traumas, but it takes funding, an infrastructure, and a commitment by a nation that creates veterans to fulfill its sacred obligation to care for them when they return home wounded and disabled,"

"With the President's budget submitted, the VFW now has a starting point to work with the Administration and Congress to ensure that promise is kept," he said.

The FY 2012 Independent Budget is available online.

VFW Washington Weekly

February 11, 2011

In This Issue:
1. Congress Pushing VA on Caregiver Benefits
2. House VA Committee Discusses SCRA Violations
3. New Website Links Vets, Spouses to Jobs
4. Eleven WWII MIAs Identified

1. Congress Pushing VA on Caregiver Benefits: Congress is asking VA where the plan is for implementing The Caregiver and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act (PL 111-163), which was signed into law last May to provide training, education, a stipend, and mental health counseling to the primary caregivers of severely disabled veterans who require daily care. VA created a toll-free 1-855-260-3274 resource number and has indicated they are working as quickly as possible, but they have yet to provide specifics, even though the provisions in the new law were supposed to have begun on Jan. 31. VFW is working with all parties to find a temporary solution that will provide immediate assistance to these beneficiaries.

2. House VA Committee Discusses SCRA Violations: This week, the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee held its first hearing of the new Congress by calling on J.P. Morgan Chase Bank to discuss mortgage-related violations of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). Representatives of the bank admitted violations of improperly charging interest on some 4,500 active duty servicemembers’ mortgages beyond the 6% cap that is required under the law. They also foreclosed on 18 servicemembers’ homes while they were deployed, now the topic of a federal lawsuit. Committee Chairman Jeff Miller (R-FL) warned the entire financial industry to understand and follow the requirements of the SCRA, and to undertake the same sort of review to ensure compliance. He also asked DOD to review their educational programs to servicemembers and their families on the protections afforded them under the SCRA law.
For more on the hearing go to the House VA committee website.

3. New Website Links Vets, Spouses to Jobs: Unemployed veterans, wounded warriors, Reserve Component members and all their spouses can now link to a new Employee Partnership of the Armed Forces website at http://www.employerpartnership.org/ that helps link people looking for a job with public and private employers who are ready to hire former servicemembers and their spouses. Click here for more information.

4. Eleven WWII MIAs Identified: The Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced the identification of remains of an 11-man B-24D Liberator crew that had been missing in action since Nov. 20, 1943, when the aircraft took off from Port Moresby in New Guinea but failed to return to base. Subsequent searches failed to uncover any evidence of either the aircraft or crew, so in June 1949, the Army Graves Registration Service concluded that all were unrecoverable. Read about how they were recovered and identified.

Directory Links Wounded Warriors, Families to Resources

By Elaine Wilson
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 3, 2011 – From benefits and compensation to education and training, an online directory is providing wounded warriors, veterans and their families a direct connection to thousands of state, local and national resources.

“There’s so much information on the Web right now, it’s nice to have one place to access all of the content, the services, the information you need,” John R. Campbell, deputy assistant secretary of defense for wounded warrior care and transition policy, told American Forces Press Service. “It really permits the service member and family the ability to get information directly.”

The Defense, Labor and Veterans Affairs departments created the National Resource Directory -- located at http://www.nationalresourcedirectory.gov/ -- to link wounded warriors, service members, veterans, their families and caregivers to nationwide resources that support recovery, rehabilitation and community reintegration, Campbell explained.

Toward that end, the directory contains information on a broad range of topics, including benefits and compensation, education and training, employment, caregiver support, health, housing, and transportation and travel.

With such a vast amount of information, Campbell said, a considerable effort went into creating user-friendly navigation tools to help people pin down resources quickly, whether it’s local grassroots efforts or national-level initiatives. People can search for a resource or program by subject, state or territory. A recent addition is a state widget that people can customize and embed in home pages, blogs and other sites. Once there, the information is updated automatically.

New programs and resources are added to the directory as quickly as agencies and organizations can roll them out. Experts always are working to ensure they’re hitting on the hot topics for troops and their families, Campbell noted, and as a result, the site is constantly evolving.

Campbell cited veteran homelessness as an example.
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness is working with the Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development departments to eliminate homelessness entirely by VA’s goal of 2015.
The directory has devoted an entire section to homelessness, featuring resources that offer everything from emergency housing to employment assistance.

Spouse employment is another area of growth on the directory, Campbell noted, particularly with new programs and resources in the works. The Labor, Commerce and Defense departments and the Small Business Administration, for example, are working with the business community to expand career options for spouses. Officials will ensure new spouse employment resources are added to the directory as they arise, he said.

While officials always are on the lookout for new information to post to the directory, feedback from troops and their families plays an integral role in keeping the site current, Campbell said. The site includes an easy-to-locate section where people can submit resources for consideration or pass on praise for outstanding service.

“We’ll take that resource and, if we find out it’s a good one, we’ll put it up,” he said. Officials verify each resource before posting, he added. A nonprofit organization, for example, must be in good standing with the Better Business Bureau before it can be considered for the directory.

“That’s the idea: to make it easy, make it efficient, make it valuable,” Campbell said.

To further that effort, he said, a mobile version of the directory will launch in the spring for smart phone users.

“The target audience is younger service members and families,” he added. “We’re really excited about that.”

Campbell said he’s received great feedback on the site, and is encouraged by a vast improvement in visitors, which he attributes to word of mouth. In the last quarter of 2010, the site’s unique visitors jumped by 115 percent, he said.

“We’re continuing to get reinforcement that we’re doing the right thing,” he said.

VFW Washington Weekly

February 4, 2011

In This Issue:
1. VA Budget Reduction Suggestion Removed
2. National Caregiver Support Line Opens
3. DHS Opens New Veteran Opportunity Website


1. VA Budget Reduction Suggestion Removed: Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) posted a statement on her congressional website today that she has removed from consideration a $4.5 billion suggestion that would have affected payments made to disabled veterans. She had previously posted a list of $400 billion in suggested federal spending cuts, to include $4.5 billion from the Department of Veterans Affairs, which elicited an immediate and strong reaction from the VFW. "We appreciate her listening to the VFW and others," said National Commander Richard L. Eubank. Read the congresswoman's statement.

2. National Caregiver Support Line Opens: The VA opened a toll-free National Caregiver Support Line this week at the Canandaigua VA Medical Center in New York to serve as a primary resource/referral center for caregivers, veterans and others seeking information to help our nation’s veterans. Calls will be answered by VA employees who are licensed clinical social workers. The toll-free number is 1-855-260-3274, and is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., and on Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern. For more information visit the website.

3. DHS Opens New Veteran Opportunity Website: The Department of Homeland Security has been working hard to hire more veterans and open up additional contract opportunities for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs). To date, DHS employs 48,130 veterans, a number that is well on track to meet Secretary Napolitano’s employment objective of 50,000 veterans by the end of 2012. Another target is to award $1 billion in contracts annually to veteran-owned small businesses. DHS actually awarded $1.1 billion last year, plus they exceeded the 3% contract set-aside goal for SDVOSB firms by awarding 3.2%. For more information about job or contracting opportunities, visit the new DHS website.