15th district veterans day

15TH DISTRICT

LEGION

NAIRE

“The Nation that forgets its Defenders 15th District Legionnaire

...will itself be forgotten.”

“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties"

Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY | 1

C OM M A N DE R DAV E G R A HA M 2 0 1 6 - 2 0 1 7

COMMANDER'S CORNER Greeting to all our fellow Legionnaires, from the American Legion National Commander, Charles E. Schmidt and the Department of California Commander, Gary Leach. I, Dave Graham am humbled to serve as your District 15 Commander for 2016 – 2017.

G

My summer schedule was quite busy attending the Department of California State Convention, The National Convention in Cincinnati and the Department of California Executive Committee meeting in held in August. Our first District 15 meeting was held in East Bakersfield at Post 682 on September 17.

Bakersfield Post 26 proudly held a fundraiser for the Erskine Fire veterans and victims that raised over $3,000. It was amazing to see how the community came together to support our veterans and the members of the Lake Isabella community. Thanks to all the local businesses that helped, and, to Halliburton who cooked for this event. District 15, along with our Auxiliary, Legion Sons, and ALR donated over $11,000 to the cause.

I would like to extend a challenge to each Post and every member to show the Department of California how dedicated we are here in the 15th District. In the words of Department Commander, Gray Leach, "RECRUIT," new members, "RENEW," current members, and, "RETAIN," all members. I encourage each Post to increase their membership and exceed your Post’s current goals by the close of books. The 15th District was number seven last year, let's aim for number one this year. All you have to do, "Is Just Ask," and be sure you carry an American Legion application with you at all times!

PLUS INSIDE...

Grand Marshall.................Page 5

The next District Membership Revitalization is coming.

Watch for the date.

God Bless The United States of America.

Suicide Awareness............Page 8

Sincerely, Dave Graham 15th District Commander

Legion Riders Check.........Page 29

Golf Tournament......... Page 31

A Very Special thank you to California American Legion Press Association Member and Porterville American Legion Post member Brian Adams. Without Brian’s help this Veterans Day Edition would not have been possible.

THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS

Sponsors Overseas.........Page 43

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“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties”

15TH DISTRICT OFFICERS COMMANDER David Graham, Post 26

ADJUTANT Frank Vail, Post 26

1st VICE COMMANDER Eddie Orosco, Post 20

CHAPLAIN Sandra Carr, Post 94

2nd VICE COMMANDER Ralph Wenzinger, Post 26 SERGEANT-AT-ARMS Don Johnson, Post 18 JUDGE ADVOCATE Bobby Mahaffey, Post 26 FINANCE OFFICER Richard Smith, Post 26

SERVICE OFFICER Richard Smith, Post 26 HISTORIAN Bryan Adams, Post 20 JUNIOR PAST COMMANDER Arturo Samora, Post 20

15TH AUXILIARY OFFICERS President

Chaplian

Zana Chaney, Post 124

Dolores Ryan, Post 26

First Vice President Harriet Clendenin, Post 221

Dee Ann Graham, Post 26

Second Vice President Pat Gracey, Post 221

Parliamentarian Genieca Risner, Post 213

Secretary Treasurer

Sergeant-at-Arms & Marshall (unassigned)

Karen Herrera, Post 20

Treasurer

Brenda Preston , Post 26

Historian

Junior Past President

Dee Ann Graham, Post 26

THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS

15th District Legionnaire

15th District Legionnaire

Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY | 3

“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties”

MEMBERSHIP REPORT

VHP

VETERANS HISTORY PROJECT T

The Veterans History Project (VHP) collects, preserves, and makes available the personal stories of American war veterans and civilian workers who supported them. These collections of firsthand accounts are gathered for use by researchers so that future generations may hear directly from veterans to better understand the realities of war.

Thousands of these accounts are available to everyone on the VHP Web site, which is a special project of the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress and is the largest oral history project in U.S. history. Since it was founded in 2000, it has collected over 65,000 items from thousands of veterans.

Approximately 150 additional items are added every week. These items can take many forms from personal narratives (audio and video-taped interviews, written memoirs) and correspondence (letters, postcards, v-mail, personal diaries) to visual materials (photographs, drawings, scrapbooks).

All of them, though, tell the stories of veterans or of U.S. citizens who were actively in-

volved in supporting war efforts, beginning with World War I and continuing through the conflicts of the 21st century. The materials collected by the Veterans History Project come from many sources, including the veterans themselves and their families.

Most of the interviews are conducted by volunteers who donate their time to record the veterans’ oral histories. What Are Oral Histories? Oral histories are firsthand accounts of events collected from the people who witnessed or participated in them, usually through spoken interviews. Oral histories are among the oldest accounts of human history, and still play an important role in the 21st century. Portable recording devices and digital publishing make it easier than ever to gather people’s stories and make them available to a wider audience.

Collecting Oral Histories Gathering the stories of friends, relatives, and neighbors can provide young people with a unique opportunity to explore the history of their families and communities, as well as bringing them into contact with extremely personal aspects of larger historical events.

DISTRICT 15 STANDINGS

Post # Post Name & City

rs be l d m a s e o ai er al Ls line nsf 15 M 7G 7P F Go 1 1 a n U 0 0 0 r % 2 2 P O T 2

0015

Tulare, Tulare

100

20

47

3

0

70

70.00%

0018

Visalia, Visalia

100

48

15

5

0

68

68.00%

0019

Alta, Dinuba

35

16

6

0

1

23

65.71%

0020

Porterville, Porterville

220

98

28

6

0

132

60.00%

0026

Bakersfield, Bakersfield

680

300

51

33

2

386

56.76%

0063

Fellows, Taft

60

20

5

1

0

26

43.33%

0094

Exeter, Exeter

63

28

6

1

0

35

55.56%

0124

Merle Reed, Delano

75

31

13

1

0

45

60.00%

0128

Lindsay, Lindsay

20

10

1

0

0

11

55.00%

0221

Tehachapi, Tehachapi

105

37

13

8

0

58

55.24%

0674

Buttonwillow, Bakersfield

10

5

2

0

0

7

70.00 %

0682

East Bakersfield, Bakersfield

225

94

33

6

1

134

59.56%

0711

Kern River Valley, Lake Isabella

90

51

8

2

0

61

67.78%

0743

Charter Oak, Ivanhoe

40

13

10

1

0

24

60.00%

0779

Terra Bella, Terra Bella

40

17

6

0

0

23

57.50%

0785

Sierra, Visalia

72

0

11

0

0

11

15.28%

District 15 Total

1,935 788 255 67

4 1,114 57.57%

Pastors Max & Nancy Van Dyke 2301 White Lane BKFD. 93304 661 834-3311

10am Sundays & 7pm Wednesdays

We Love, Honor & Support Our Military & Families PAST PRESENT & FUTURE You served us, now let us serve you!

*PTSD Help Provided

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4 | Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY

15th District Legionnaire

“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties�

P H S SE N IOR

THANKS AMERICAN LEGION!

BY THE PORTERVILLE RECORDER STAFF

A

A senior from Porterville High School thanked the Porterville American Legion Post 20 Wednesday for sending her to the American Legion Youth Environmental Leadership Conference.

Veronica Nessman, 17, made a presentation and publicly thanked the legion for sending her to the four-day conference in May at Sky Park, near Lake Tahoe. The conference was a camp for 40 or more students that educated them about nature in subjects such as fire prevention, ecosystems and animals. It also allowed the students to experience nature.

"I would do it again in a heartbeat," Nessman said after the presentation. "It was a great experience. You're forced to cooperate and to take care of things. A lot of goodness came out of it. It was wonderful, I'd recommend it to anybody."

Elyssa Wilkinson, 17, a senior at Porterville High, also attended the conference and the legion paid for both young women's expenses.

Fundraisers give the legion money to donate to local youth and children. This year, Phillips said, the legion had a fireworks booth.

"Every penny we make goes to children and youth," said legion member Roger Phillips.

The legion recently made a $500 donation to the Porterville Combined High School Orchestra, that will travel to Carnegie Hall in New York next June. "We'll challenge any group in town to do the same thing."

The orchestra, directed by Michael Allard, performed for the legion on Wednesday.

According to legion commander Brian Stanley, the American Legion is one of the largest organizations in the world and has been in Porterville since before World War I.

This story was published in The Porterville Recorder on September 16, 2004.

V E T E R A N S SE RV IC E DE PA RT M E N T

BAKERSFIELD CLIENTS Now Seen By Appointment The staff at the Veterans Service Department is immensely proud to serve our veteran community. We remain committed to assisting our veterans and their families in navigating the benefits process. In our continuous efforts to serve you more efficiently, we are proud to announce that as of January 4, 2016, we began to see clients on an appointment basis in our Bakersfield office.

Culligan of Bakersfield

Kern County Veterans Service Department 1120 Golden State Avenue Bakersfield, CA 93309 661-868-7300 | 866-218-5367

116 baker st Bakersfield, Ca. 93305 661-324-4718 culliganbk.com

HOURS Monday - Thursday: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Friday: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS

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“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties”

P O S T 2 0 F I R S T V IC E

GRAND MARSHALL

Post 20 first vice to be Grand Marshall of Veterans Day Parade in Porterville

Don Dowlings, will be this years Grand Marshall for our Veterans Day Parade. The theme this year is The Vietnam war plus 50 years. Don was in country as a Marine and fought was highly decorated earning a purple heart. He is presently 1st vice of Post 20 here in Porterville.

THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS

Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY | 5

6 | Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY

“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties”

15th District Legionnaire

H E L P F OR

HOMELESS VETS V

Veterans THANK YOU

VA is taking decisive action to end Veteran homelessness in five years. All Veterans at risk for homelessness or attempting to exit homelessness must have easy access to programs and services including Prevention, Housing Support, Treatment, Employment and Job Training.

We salute you!

If you are a Veteran who is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, you can contact the National VA Call Center at 1-877-424-3838, or contact VA online through the Homeless Veterans Chat service.

VA programs and services aim to help homeless Veterans live as self-sufficiently and independently as possible. We offer outreach, clinical assessment and referral to medical treatment, employment assistance, and supported permanent housing.

Founded on Faith, Rooted in Tradition, Growing in Excellence

Homeless Veterans or anyone concerned about one can also call the Veterans Crisis Line and get free, 24/7 support for any personal crisis. Responders are trained to work with homeless Veterans and connect them to resources in their area.

The National Call Center for Homeless Veterans provides assistance to homeless Veterans and their families; VA Medical Centers; Federal, state, and local partners; community agencies; Veterans services providers; and others in the community. If you or someone you know is a homeless Veteran in need of help, call 1-877-4AID VET (1-877-424-3838) to receive free, confidential support from a trained, VA staff member 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also get confidential support from the Homeless Veterans Chat.

For more information about VA’s prevention, housing, employment assistance, and other resources for homeless Veterans, visit http://www.va.gov/homeless.

HON OR F L IG H T

NEW 2016 JEEP RAFFLE Honor Flight Kern County is Raffling Off A Brand New 2016 Jeep

Honor Flight Kern County is raffling off a brand new 2016 Jeep to help raise funds for sending veterans, at no cost to them, to see their memorials in Washington DC. Each raffle ticket is $50. The drawing will be held in November 2016 and the winner will be announced. Buy a ticket and it could be you!

Tickets can be purchased at Bill Ray Tile 6301 E Brundage, Bakersfield (Cash or check only) Stay tuned to our Facebook page to find out when and where to see the Jeep and buy tickets.

THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS

15th District Legionnaire

“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties”

DE V E N M AT H I S P ROP O SE S L E G I SL AT ION

TO HELP VETERANS

BY THE RECORDER RECORDER@PORTERVILLERECORDER.COM

Bills address VSO funding, substance abuse referral program.

Assemblyman Devon Mathis (R-Visalia) announced his first two bills of 2016, AB-1596 and AB-1560, at a press conference at the Visalia Veterans Memorial Building Friday afternoon.

Mathis was joined by Tulare County supervisor Phil Cox, Veterans Advocate Pete Conaty, AMVETS State Legislative Chair Lorraine Plass, and AMVETS District 4 Commander Latonia M. Dixon.

There are nearly two million veterans in California and half a million of them do not collect benefits that they have earned. The value of these uncollected benefits is estimated to be $1 billion in federal funds.

AB-1596 creates and sustains a $1 million grant program to be funded from the state’s general fund that will enable Veteran Service Organizations, such as Veterans of Foreign Wars and AMVETS, to hire and train outreach specialists so that they may inform veterans of their uncollected benefits.

“It’s unfortunate that California’s economy is missing out on $1 billion, but it’s far worse that our veterans aren’t receiving benefits they’ve earned and need,” Mathis said.

AB-1560 is a follow-up to a letter that Assemblyman Mathis submitted to the California Department of Health and Human Services last year raising concern that veterans were not getting adequate access to substance abuse treatment.

There currently isn’t a way for the County Veterans Service Offices nor CalVet to refer veterans with substance abuse problems to the federal VA. AB-1560 creates a form that a veteran can fill out at their CVSO that will empower the CVSO to refer the veteran to the federal VA for treatment.

“Veterans were willing to put their lives at risk for us, we as a society must not let them fall through the cracks,” Mathis said.

“Since getting elected to the Assembly, Devon Mathis continues to be a champion of Veterans issues in Sacramento,” Conaty said. “AB-1596 will do a lot to improve the quality of life for many of our veterans and AB-1560 will save the lives of some of our most vulnerable veterans. I thank Assemblyman Mathis for introducing these two meaningful bills and I hope they are signed into law.”

THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS

Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY | 7

8 | Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY

“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties”

15th District Legionnaire

L O C A L V E T E R A N M A RC H E S TO B R I N G

AWARENESS TO SUICIDE RATE After two tours of duty in Iraq, JR Browning came back to civilian life a changed man.

"I came home and all I noticed was I couldn't relate to anybody," Browning said. "Nobody got it. Nobody really understood."

Browning eventually became homeless and lost all hope." I made the decision to commit suicide."

According to the Department of Veterans' Affairs, more and more veterans are taking their own lives.

Eric Hansen, with the Kern County Veterans' Services Department, said even he had a hard time readjusting to civilian life.

"There's a lot of different studies, there's still a lot of uncertainty as to why or who or what? But the gist of it is veterans are more likely than the rest of the population to commit suicide."

So Hansen decided to do something to raise public awareness about veterans and suicides.

He organized a 22-kilometer hike through town, starting Saturday morning at the Marketplace.

Their march will start at 8 a.m. at Lengthwise at the Marketplace.

Participants are expected at the following locations at these times.

• Bootleggers Craft Pub: 1:30 a.m. to noon • Padre Hotel: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

• Kern Veterans Memorial: 3:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.

• The Old Fashioned Social Drinkery: 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

• Lengthwise Marketplace: 8 p.m.

www.comoso.com ibuy@comoso.com

Controlled Motion Solutions, Inc.

The Kern County Veterans Service Department welcomes all veterans and their significant others to join them. Civilians are welcome to show their support at any of the stops listed above.

Sunscreen and water is recommended. The KCVSD also asks that those wanting to participate not wear anything with offensive language or that threatens violence.

Weapons of any kind are also not welcome.

Participants are encouraged to bring American flags and colors to represent each branch of the military.

THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS

800.696.6165

Hydraulics Fluid Connectors Seals Filtration Pneumatics Lubrication Systems

California and Arizona ParkerStore/Sales office locations:

Bakersfield, Burbank, Chula Vista, Escondido, Sacramento, Santa Ana, Santa Fe Springs, and Tempe, AZ

15th District Legionnaire

“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties”

Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY | 9

Military Appreciation Monday Dinner November 17th ★ 5pm - 9pm

THANK YOU VETERANS

Free “Thank You” dinner for any person who has served in the U.S. Military.

THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS

Dine-in only.

10 | Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY

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VA AWA R D S $ 3 0 0 M I L L ION M OR E I N

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V E T E R A N S C OR N E R

GRANTS TO END HOMELESSNESS

VETERANS CRISIS LINE

Ongoing Initiative targets homeless and at-risk Veterans and families.

WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today awarded approximately $300 million more in grants under the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program to help thousands of very low-income Veteran families around the nation who are permanently housed or transitioning to permanent housing. The SSVF grant program provides access to crucial services to prevent homelessness for Veterans and their families.

SSVF funding, which supports outreach, case management and other flexible assistance to prevent Veteran homelessness or rapidly re-house Veterans who become homeless, has been awarded to 275 non-profit organizations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These grants, key elements of VA’s implementation of the Housing First Strategy, enable vulnerable Veterans to secure or remain in permanent housing. A list of SSVF grantees is located at www.va.gov/homeless/ssvf.asp.

“Since 2010, the Housing First Strategy has helped cut Veteran Homelessness nearly in half,” said VA Secretary Robert A. McDonald. “Housing First is why 360,000 Veterans and family members have been housed, rehoused or prevented from falling into homelessness over the last five years.

SSVF helps homeless Veterans quickly find stable housing and access the supportive services they – and their families – need.”

Grantees will continue to provide eligible Veteran families with outreach, case management, and assistance obtaining VA and other benefits, which may include health care, income support services, financial planning, child care, legal services, transportation, housing counseling, among other services.

Grantees are expected to leverage supportive services grant funds to enhance the housing stability of very low-income Veteran families who are occupying permanent housing. In doing so, grantees are required to establish relationships with local community resources.

September is Suicide Prevention Month and as such I am compelled to address that topic here in Veterans Corner. Current statistics indicate the average suicide rate among veterans to be 20 per day, down from 22 per day in 2013. During Suicide Prevention Month and year-round, the U.S. Departments of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Defense (DoD) work together to raise awareness of the suicide prevention and mental health resources they offer and to encourage communities to support Veterans, Service members, and their families and friends.

VA collaborates with community groups, Veterans Service Organizations, health care providers, corporations, educational institutions, government agencies, and others that serve, employ, or support Veterans, to spread the word that help is available. These stakeholders help VA remind Veterans, Service members, and their loved ones that free, confidential crisis support from the Veterans Crisis Line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

The responders at the Veterans Crisis Line are specially trained and experienced in helping Veterans of all ages and circumstances — from those coping with mental health issues that were never addressed, to recent Veterans dealing with relationships or the transition back to civilian life. You can show your support for Veterans and active-duty, service members who may be in crisis, by spreading the word about The Power of 1. Veterans, service-members, and their loved ones can call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1; send a text message to 838255, or chat online to receive free, confidential support - even if they are not registered with VA or enrolled in VA health care. Our local crisis resources in Kings County can be accessed by calling (559) 582-4484 or 1-800-655-2553. Let’s work together to support our veterans in need. It only takes one person, one phone-call or one conversation – to make a difference!

In fiscal year (FY) 2015, SSVF served more than 157,000 participants and is on track to exceed that number in FY 2016. As a result of these and other efforts, Veteran homelessness is down 47 percent since the launch of the Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness in 2010.

Also since 2010, more than 360,000 Veterans and their family members have been permanently housed, rapidly re-housed, or prevented from falling into homelessness by VA’s homelessness programs and targeted housing vouchers provided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Today’s grant recipients successfully competed for grants under a January 15, 2016, Notice of Fund Availability. Applications were due February 5, 2016. The funding will support SSVF services in FY 2017, which starts October 1, 2016, and ends September 30, 2017.

The Kings County Veterans Service Office can complete the DMV Veteran Status Verification Form for the new California Veteran Designation on your driver’s license and also issues Veteran I.D. cards to honorably discharged veterans. Contact Scott Holwell if you would like to receive periodic veteran’s information by email. There are many state and federal benefits and programs available to veterans and their dependents. To determine if you are eligible for any of these benefits, visit or call our office. We can and will assist you in completing all required application forms.

For more information about the SSVF program, visit www.va.gov/homeless/ssvf.asp.

You can get information on the Web from the Kings County Veterans Service Office webpage at www.countyofkings.com/vets.

THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS

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“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties”

Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY | 11

BANK OF THE SIERRA IS A PROUD SUPPORTER OF VETERANS. We give to local organizations that improve the lives of those who have served our country, including: Paint it Forward for Heroes — Showing respect to local veterans by renovating their homes, free of charge.

Joint Service Honors Command — Providing volunteer opportunities for vets, as well as services to the families of deceased veterans.

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Strong veterans make strong communities.

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Bankof theSierra.com © 2016 Bank of the Sierra. All rights reserved.

FREEDOM IS NEVER FREE. Thank you to all the men and women of our Armed Forces.

www.BakersfieldHeartHospital.com

THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS

12 | Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY

“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties”

V E T E R A N S N E E DI N G

THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS

15th District Legionnaire

15th District Legionnaire

“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties”

Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY | 13

AUDIOLOGY AND OPTOMETRY Veterans Who Need Routine Audiology and Optometry Appointments Will Soon Be Able to Directly Schedule

Initiative Gets Veterans In to Appointments Quicker WASHINGTON – Veterans receiving care at Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Medical Centers will now be able to schedule routine ear and eye appointments at local VA Audiology and Optometry clinics without a primary care referral – a move that eliminates multiple steps and gets Veterans into appointments quicker.

Before now, Veterans seeking appointments with audiologists or optometrists had to first make an appointment with a primary care physician for a referral for a routine clinic consult visit. A clinic representative would contact the patient to set up the consult appointment, which could result in a several weeks’-long lag between the appointment and when the Veteran was actually seen. The new process, the Audiology and Optometry Direct Scheduling Initiative, which began as a successful pilot at three sites in 2015, is being expanded to all VA Medical Centers.

“The Audiology and Optometry Direct Scheduling Initiative allows Veterans who need eye and ear care to be seen sooner,” said VA Secretary Robert A. McDonald. “It also has the benefit of freeing up primary care physicians so access to primary care improves for other Veterans as well. This kind of process improvement is exactly the type of innovation we expected when we launched MyVA in 2014. In the end, we changed a VA process by considering the needs of our Veterans, a change that allows for more timely care and an improved Veteran experience.”

The Audiology and Optometry Direct Scheduling Initiative is one of a number of efforts underway at VA to improve Veterans’ access to care and wait times.

Among those recent accomplishments: • VA and Choice contractors created more than 3.1 million authorizations for Veterans to receive care in the private sector from May 1, 2015 through Apr. 30, 2016. This represents an 8-percent increase in authorizations when compared to the same period in 2014/2015.

• In FY 2015, 12 percent of all Veterans enrolled for VA care received telehealth-based care.

This includes more than 2 million telehealth visits touching 677,000 Veterans; 45 percent of these Veterans live in rural areas.

• In FY 2015, more than 6,300 Veterans accessed VA care through live interactive video telehealth from home.

• VA has activated over 3.9 million square feet of space in the past two years.

• We’ve increased authorizations for care in the community 46% in the past two years.

• Clinic production is up 10 percent as measured by the same productivity standard used by many private-sector healthcare systems. This increase translates into roughly 20 million additional hours of care for Veterans.

• As we improve access to care, more and more Veterans are choosing VA care — for the quality, for the convenience, or for the cost-savings so even though we’re completing millions more appointments, we continue to have more work to do.

• VA has increased salaries for physicians and dentists to close the pay gap with the private sector and to make VA an employer of choice. With more competitive salaries, VA will be better positioned to retain and hire more health care providers to care for Veterans.

Veterans THANK YOU

William Kehoe U.S. Navy, WWII 1911-2016

Hoffmann Hospice understands the unique needs of veterans and is prepared to meet the specific challenges that veterans and their families may face at the end of life.

We have embraced our mission to serve America’s veterans.

It’s our way of saying thank you for the sacrifices they have made in serving us.

“We want our Veterans and those who care for them to know that we are doing everything that we can to improve their experience with VA and to provide the care our Veterans deserve in a thoughtful and timely way,” said VA Under Secretary Dr. David J. Shulkin.“ We have made progress, but know there is more work to be done. This Audiology and Optometry Direct Scheduling Initiative is one of many initiatives underway to improve Veterans access to care.”

The Audiology and Optometry Direct Scheduling Initiative is expected to be fully operational within all VA Medical Centers by the end of 2016.

661.410.1010

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w w w . h o ff m a n n h o s p i c e . o r g

14 | Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY

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15th District Legionnaire

M I L I TA RY V E T E R A N S P ROV I DE A N E W

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE FOR TECH COMPANIES M

Military veterans provide a new competitive advantage for tech companies Ask any Silicon Valley CEO what some of their biggest challenges are and you likely will hear “finding and retaining great people.” Tech is booming, yet even now that valuations and financing rounds are coming back to earth, it remains incredibly hard to attract and keep talent amid a competitive ecosystem where there are so many companies going after massive ideas.

A few companies, however, have figured out a competitive advantage through a relatively untapped source of talent: military veterans — and the idea is starting to catch on.

While the tech industry has been rapidly expanding, the U.S. has seen large numbers of military veterans returning to or looking to enter the private sector. Tech companies can’t find enough skilled people, and veterans are looking for exciting careers to utilize their skills. It should be the perfect match.

But as I talked to a number of veterans looking for jobs in the tech industry, many were frustrated that employers often didn’t know how to interpret the relevance of their skills or appreciate their capacity for such all-purpose skills as rapid learning, leadership and pure smarts.

That realization nearly three years ago led me to cold-call a group called VetsinTech. I’m not a military veteran myself, but I wanted to help; as a venture capitalist, I get to work with a lot of people in tech companies. At the time, VetsinTech was just a small operation with a mission to help train, connect and find jobs for military veterans wanting careers in tech.

next five years, primarily in the fields of aerospace, telecommunications and tech.”

Related Articles VetTechTrek is creating an e-learning platform to help veterans build careers in the tech industry Celebrate Veterans Day With These 13 Veteran-Founded StartupsGoogle Launches "VetNet" To Help Military Veterans Re-Enter The Civilian Life, With Google+ As The "Plumbing"

VetsinTech and its partners, like Intuit, Salesforce, Microsoft, Palo Alto Networks, Cisco, HPE, Ten-X and Accenture, were all in attendance to support the Joining Forces initiative.

Palo Alto Networks and VetsinTech piloted a cybersecurity training program for veterans.

Salesforce is running a training program for veterans called VetForce. Facebook has hosted a couple of hackathons for veterans, including the first ever hackathon for female veterans.

Overall, VetsinTech has grown to 12 veteran-led chapters across the U.S. in just three years, and gained support from more than 20 top tech companies to hire veterans and develop training programs.

Military veterans are growing and, in some cases, transforming their careers at technology companies in Silicon Valley and the rest of the country. There is more work to do, and still far too many qualified veterans looking for an opportunity. But if there’s one thing the tech industry is good at, it’s recognizing the power of extraordinary people, and tech companies have started to tap into a new talent source that will bolster them for the next big innovations ahead.

What happened next inspired all of us. Led by the indefatigable Katherine Webster and a host of champions from the tech community, such as Craig Newmark and Craig Mullaney (to be clear, you don’t have to be named “Craig” to help veterans, but we don’t mind the name either), VetsinTech started hosting career networking events with top tech employers. This included training workshops, mentor sessions and even hackathons to introduce to some of the most exciting tech companies across the country talented men and women who had served in our armed forces. Katherine pointed out recently that over the next five years, approximately one million servicemen and women will return to the workforce.

Military veterans are growing and, in some cases, transforming their careers at technology companies.

We also found that veterans make some of the best entrepreneurs. A 2011 Small Business Administration (SBA) study concluded that “veterans are at least 45 percent more likely than those with no active-duty military experience to be self-employed.” Mark Rockefeller, CEO and co-founder of StreetShares(and a veteran) noted that one organization has produced more business owners than any other: the U.S. military.

So we ran entrepreneurship programs to mentor, educate and network veterans. We even launched a new national initiative out of a White House and Joining Forces working group that we named “VetCap” (capital for veterans), with a workshop program to teach veterans where and how to raise capital for their businesses.

A number of titans in the tech world have stepped up, such as Marc Benioff, the founder and CEO of Salesforce. They have a great heart for helping veterans, but they’re also doing it to bring exceptional people into their companies. For a while, these efforts went unnoticed, but that is changing, and a growing number of companies are seeing this competitive advantage in talent acquisition.

LinkedIn recently worked with VetsinTech to sponsor an employer meet-up at Ten-X. In May, Joining Forces, under the leadership of First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, convened tech companies and announced “110,000 new hiring commitments and nearly 60,000 new training commitments for veterans and military spouses over the

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15th District Legionnaire

“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties”

We are proud to support our veterans and active duty service members.

Thank you for your service to our country.

Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY | 15

La Paloma Generating Company, LLC

In honor of our veterans, Thank you for your service.

B A K E R S F I E L D • F R E S N O • SA N D I E G O • K L E I N L AW. C O M

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16 | Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY

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T H E A M E R IC A N L E G ION

RESOLUTION W

Whereas, by Resolution No. 33, “Congressional Gold Medals for Vietnam War Dust Off Crews,” it was “Resolved, by the National Executive Committee of The American Legion in regular meeting assembled at Indianapolis, Indiana, on May 4-5, 2016, That The American Legion calls upon the United States Congress to award to all Dust Off personnel who served in the Vietnam War the Congressional Gold Medal;” and, Whereas, the “Dust Off Crews of the Vietnam War Congressional Gold Medal Act,” S.2268, sponsored by Sen. John Cornyn (R. Tex.) and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), and H.R. 5299, sponsored by Rep. David Reichert (R-WA) and Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-WA), has been introduced in the U.S. Senate and House respectively; and, Whereas, in addition to The American Legion, said bills are supported by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, AmVets, Association of the U.S. Army, the Army Aviation Assn. of America, the Dustoff Association, the Vietnam Dust Off Assn., and by, among others, Maj. Gen. Patrick H. Brady (USA, ret.), who received the Medal of Honor as a Dust Off medevac helicopter pilot in Vietnam, and is today considered the most decorated living veteran. Gen. Brady, who is also the author of “Dead Men Flying: The Legend of Dust Off—America’s Battlefield Angels,” was for ten years the leader of the Legion’s “Citizens Flag Alliance, and was honored by the Department of California Convention in 2007; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, That the American Legion Department of California, meeting in Convention on June 24-26, 2016, in Fresno, supports Congressional adoption of the “Dust Off Crews of the Vietnam War Congressional Gold Medal Act,” S. 2268, and H.R. 5299, and calls on California’s two Senators to support S. 2268 in the Senate, and all members of the Congressional delegation to support passage of H.R. 5299 in the House.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Department Adjutant is instructed to send this resolution to both California Senators and every California Member of the House.

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15th District Legionnaire

15th District Legionnaire

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Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY | 17

Proud to support our Veterans!

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18 | Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY

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T H E C HA L L E N G E F OR T H E

FIRST PLACE CUP

BY MILDRED S. WRIGHT-PEARSON AREA 3 VICE COMMANDER

It was my first Area meeting as the Third Area Vice Commander on September 24, 2016. What fun and what a surprise I had in store for the District Commanders. It all boils down to competition amongst the District Commanders over the next Membership Year. The challenge is to get the First Place Cup as seen in the picture above (center trophy). As of right now, District 12 is in first place in membership within the Third Area.

You ask what can you do to assist your District is winning or keeping the Cup. It is simple. Help in recruiting new members. Assist in your District’s revitalization drive. Get on the phone and talk to those members who have not renewed their membership. Remember membership is not always about getting new people, it is also about maintaining the membership you have.

On a broader perspective, have you been to a national convention? Take the space we use for our Department Convention and multiply it by 55. That is how many Departments we have at our national convention. I went to our national convention in August. What I saw of the convention was great. I should have brought binoculars. Although there were screens to view what was happening on the podium, it wasn’t the greatest view.

Celebrate Life At Prestige Assisted Living at Visalia, we are proud to serve veterans and their families.

It is our goal to help you achieve an optimum level of health in all aspects of your life.

Call (559) 735-0828 today to schedule your complimentary tour and lunch.

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As in our Department convention, at the National convention we are seated in accordance with our membership numbers. While we were somewhere ranked in the 50’s, it translated to the “back of the bus” in seating. We as Posts and Districts need to do better. Our incentive should be get in the front of the bus.

This translates to a run for First place (ranking) and getting the “Cup” (seating in the front of the National convention. The challenge starts and ends with Post through Department doing all they can to ensure we attain this goal. So Legionnaires, the race is on, it is up to all of us to meet the challenge. In the words of the Department Commander Leach: “Full Speed Ahead.”

For God and Country, Mildred S. Wright-Pearson Area 3 Vice Commander Honesty, Integrity, Respect

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Prestige Assisted Living at Visalia www.PrestigeCare.com

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Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY | 19

POST 26

COMMANDER Greetings from Bakersfield Post 26

A

True Heroes Often Don’t Think of Themselves That Way BUT WE KNOW A HERO WHEN WE SEE ONE

halliburton.com

As the new Commander of Post 26 I would like to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Mitchell "Mick" Edmondson. I served in the U.S. Navy from October 1987 to October 1991.I was a boiler technician on the U.S.S. Ranger CV-61,an aircraft carrier. I made it to the rank of BT3.

During my tour of duty on board the Ranger I enjoyed one Westpac cruise and one deployment to the Persian Gulf, for Operation Desert, Shield and then Desert Storm.

After the successful liberation of Kuwait from Iraq, the Ranger returned home and shortly thereafter I was discharged honorably. One year after to the day enlisted in the California Army National Guard. I was a member of the 1st of the 144 field artillery unit A Batt, where I served as a 13 Bravo, on an M109 A5 Howitzer Crew, serving from 1992 to 1996.I am also the father of twin sons that are both veterans of the U.S. Army.

Both were combat medics one serving in Iraq and the other serving in Afghanistan.

Now after serving 2 years as 1st Vice and President of the Chapter 26 Riders I have been elected to Commander. I look forward to the next year and all the events our post will be a part of. I wanted to say a special thank you to Post Commander Richard Smith for the great job he has done and for his continued help with Post Programs and to my First Vice David Graham for his continued help and support in keeping our Post alive.

Post 26 is doing well. We have many events on the calendar and look forward to many more. We currently host bingo every Tuesday night with an opportunity to win more than $20,000. We have dinners on the second and forth Friday nights. As of right now we are planning this year’s Veterans Day Parade where we be honoring " Combat Medics - Service Before Self ".We are looking forward to a great parade.

I would personally like to thank all the Legionnaires, Sons, Legion Riders, and all Auxiliary members for helping make my first year as Commander successful.

© 2016 Halliburton. All Rights Reserved.

Commander, Post 26 American Legion

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20 | Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY

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N E W AC T C O U L D P ROV I DE P T SD V E T E R A N S W I T H

SERVICE DOGS

This alternative treatment can help soldiers truly heal.

Some soldiers find themselves fighting a completely different battle when they return to civilian life — dealing with post-traumatic stress.

That’s why Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) has introduced the Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers Act. The bill, cleverly called PAWS, would be a $10 million pilot program that would pair post-9/11 veterans with severe PTSD with service dogs, according to a press release.

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is Proud to Serve our Community

“The threat to our service members does not end when they return home, as evidenced by the tragic rates of veteran suicides,” DeSantis wrote in a guest column for The Florida Times-Union. “We must make sure that all veterans are honored and taken care of.”

Cole Lyle, a Marine who served overseas for six years, and his service dog, Kaya, inspired the bill.

According to DeSantis’ column in The Florida Times Union, when Lyle returned home from Afghanistan in 2011, he had a post-deployment health assessment.

It indicated that Lyle was suffering from depression, post-traumatic stress and anxiety. He was prescribed medication, but he didn’t feel like it was helping.

“In fact, I thought they were exacerbating my symptoms,” Lyle told Fox and Friends.

After two of his friends who also has PTSD killed themselves, he decided to quit his medication cold turkey after a year and a half of treatment.

He asked the VA about a service dog, but was told the agency only provides dogs when a vet has a physical disability, such as blindness, and not for PTSD. Fortunately for Lyle, through the financial support of his family, he was able to acquire a German shepherd named Kaya and have her certified through an Assistance Dogs International-accredited trainer.

Kaya helped Lyle tremendously, and he’s now attending college and advocating for solider rights.

In fact, Lyle was in Washington with Kaya when a senator approached and asked him about his pup. He told the senator the VA doesn’t provide service dogs to vets with PTSD. “[The senator] said, ‘Well, what do you think we should do about it?’” Lyle told Fox and Friends. “And I said, ‘Well, you’re the policymaker, you tell me.’”

The two continued talking and that’s when Lyle realized providing service dogs to vets with PTSD could be a viable solution someone would eventually support. The senator who Lyle initially spoke to didn’t support his idea, but he continued meeting with members until DeSantis stepped up to the plate and drafted the bill.

As part of the bill, vets would receive service dogs from an Assistance Dog Internationalaccredited organization or private provider, and the VA would cover veterinary insurance for the animals.

“Thousands of our post-9/11 veterans carry the invisible burden of post-traumatic stress, and there is an overwhelming need to expand the available treatment options,” DeSantis said in a press release “The VA should use every tool at their disposal to support and treat our veterans, including the specialized care offered by service dogs.”

If you would like to support this bill, call your local member of Congress and tell them you support HR4764, or Rep. DeSantis’ bill for PAWS Act.

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KernMedical.com | 661.326.2000

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POST 20

goldenwestcasino.com

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Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY | 21

22 | Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY

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1944 - 2016 RIP

GLENN CANNON O

Our comrade and friend has passed on to the big meeting above. Glenn was born in Illinois and served in the US Air force.

Residing in Bakersfield, he served Post 26 as Commander and held many positions of service, including chairman of the Veterans Day parade for several years. He also served briefly as commander of the 15th district. Glenn was a long time member of the 40 and 8. He will be remembered for his cheerful and friendly personality. May he rest in peace.

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15th District Legionnaire

15th District Legionnaire

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Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY | 23

HONORS & SUPPORTS ALL VETERANS FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO OUR CONTINUED FREEDOM **Services Provided by Proteus free of charge       

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Advantage Laundry SALUTES OUR VETERANS!

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24 | Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY

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A M E R IC A N L E G ION M OTORC YC L I S T S R A I SE M ON E Y F OR

KIDS CAMP

BY THE RECORDER RECORDER@PORTERVILLERECORDER.COM

A

Approximately 70 motorcycles gathered at the Veterans Memorial Building in west Porterville on Saturday for the 7th Annual Ride for Awareness Poker Run, hosted by the American Legion Riders Chapter 20 of Porterville.

All proceeds from the run will have gone towards the Optimal Hospice Foundation’s Kids Camp, and American Legion will have raised about $7,000 to help the children of the hospice.

The riders started by riding west of Porterville and stopping at the Custom Auction House in Visalia and later the Lindsay Memorial Building. The group would then head out to Yokohl Valley Road and back into Strathmore. From there they would eventually find their way to the Eagle Feather gas station on Highway 190. In total, the riders rode approximately 105 miles.

Before leaving, however, the riders all said the Pledge of Allegiance and Chapter 20 Chaplain Eddie Orozco blessed the bikes with a prayer.

Julian Palomino, a wrestling coach with Porterville High School, was participating in his third such ride. Though his 2005 Harley Davidson Road King was getting painted, he was able to borrow PHS head wrestling coach Tim Vanni’s 2015 Honda, a bike that was several hundred pounds lighter than what Palomino was used to.

“I’m just glad I could ride today,” he said. “Any day is a good ride.”

There were more riders this year than the 48 who showed up last year, partly due to rainy weather.

Chapter 20 Treasurer Mike Daugherty said there was more advertising for this year’s ride as well.

“It’s an awesome feeling,” he said about helping the children.

There are two local hospices, in Bakersfield and Fresno. Sometimes the riders visit both places, meet the children and have lunch with them.

“They’re very appreciative,” Daugherty said.

This ride also raised money to simply help the parents who don’t have insurance to pay the bills, according to Foundation director Cherie Shoemake.

“Oh my gosh, it’s amazing,” Shoemake said of American Legion’s fundraiser. “Just to know there’s a group like the Riders in the comuninity who want to help, it’s amazing.”

The Foundation runs four camps, and since Chapter 20 has gotten involved, the number of participating children has risen from 80 to 150.

“Without the support of these groups,” Shoemake said, “we can’t grow.”

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15th District Legionnaire

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Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY | 25

Proud to support our Veterans!

Aquatic Center

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4025 W Figarden Dr, Fresno

26 | Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY

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15th District Legionnaire

RIP

JEANINE MARY HETHERINGTON

BY KAREN HERRERA, PRESIDENT UNIT 20 DISTRICT 15

O

Jeanine Mary Hetherington an American Legion Auxiliary member since 1961.

Passed away September 13th in Fresno. She was President of District 15 in 1971 and 1996 then became Secretary/Treasurer for many years. Porterville Unit 20 she was President 1977 to 1979 and was Secretary/Treasurer for many years in the Unit. She was active in the State and National Level of the ALA. Jeanine was Married to Dan Hetherington Past Department of California Commander and Post 20 member. Jeanine is remembered fondly for her smile and willingness to listen and help those around her and her faithful involvement in may activities in the community. Some of her involvements were in the American Legion Auxiliary, 8/40, Porterville Memorial Board, Catholics Daughter of America, Hospital Board of Directors along with many Veterans Day Celebrations. Jeanine was a very kind a wonderful person and will be missed dearly by all.

Thank you to all who have served!

Tulare, CA | 559.688.1030 www.InternationalAgriCenter.org

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Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY | 27

GETTING CAPPED

DAVID GRAHAM

Proud to support our Veterans!

David Graham getting capped at this years state convention.

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28 | Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY

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15th District Legionnaire

15th District Legionnaire

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Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY | 29

A M E R IC A N L E G ION R I DE R S

PRESENT $5,000 CHECK!

BY REBECCA HESTER, PAST PRESIDENT AMERICAN LEGION AUXILIARY UNIT 20 PORTERVILLE

W

On July 6, 2016, Cheri Shoemake, Administrator of the Optimal Hospice Foundation, accepted a check for $5,000 from the American Legion Riders chapter 20 of Porterville, all proceeds from the 7th annual Poker Run to benefit the Optimal Hospice Foundations Kids Camp. The ride began and ended at the Porterville Veterans Memorial Building on May 7th where it is held each year on the Saturday before Mother's Day. The money raised goes directly to the kid’s camp fund to insure that no child pays to attend camp. These children ages 8 to 16, come from all socio-economic back rounds but they all have one thing in common, they have each lost a loved one with-in the past year. The camps are held each year at Gergen Ranch in Bakersfield and Camp Oakhurst in Fresno County and are run by an all volunteer staff from Optimal Hospice and past camp attendees. Camp provides a place for the children to enjoy all the traditional outdoor activities such as swimming, canoeing, campfire cookouts and more.

The Legion Riders of Chapter 20 Porterville would like to say Thank You to all the participants this year and especially to the many merchants and businesses that have shown their support each year by donating money and merchandise for our Awesome Raffle.

To Dan Ruiter of Visalia who has donated his fifth hand made electric guitar. To Walmart DC for the 65inch flat screen TV and many other donators from Porterville, Exeter, Visalia, Tulare and the Iron Legion Correctional Officers Motorcycle Group from Kern County. Any donation, large or small, is so appreciated. Thank you to the American Legion Auxiliary unit 20 for cooking and serving up a great breakfast and also to Frances Barrios and Susan Black for purchasing and preparing the luncheon that was served at rides end. They also made over 70 baskets from all the merchandise that was gathered by the Chapters members. All totaled, our Chapter has donated $30,000 to the Optimal Hospice Kid’s camp fund. For us, it is all about the kids.

Thank you Veterans! 10% OFF All Smogs.

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30 | Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY

“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties”

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15th District Legionnaire

15th District Legionnaire

“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties”

Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY | 31

HEROES DREAMS G OL F TO U R NA M E N T

We Salute our

VETERANS

Post 20 helped sponsor “Our Heroes Dreams golf tournament “that was held at river island country club on September 9, 2016. This is the 5th year that the post has sponsored this through donations of money, Riders honor guard and golf teams.

The group raises fund to bring about awareness of the high suicide rate among veterans. They have risen on the average of over 10K each year and it is only growing.

Get more information on the group online at our hero’s dreams.org or call Justin Bonds at 559-381-2853.

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32 | Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY

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POST 682

WELCOMED AUXILIARY PRESIDENT

David Graham welcomed the Auxiliary president during his first district meeting host by Post 682 receiving the Bread and Butter award from Art Samora.

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15th District Legionnaire

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POST 20

P RO G R A M

TROOPS TO COLLEGE A

Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY | 33

NATIVE AMERICAN VETERANS

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger created the Troops to College program to attract veterans to California's public institutions and make campuses more veteran friendly.

Under the program, veterans can - depending on their length of service - be eligible for a full ride on tuition and fees at a public college or university, which is about $3,000 at a California State University campus and $7,700 at UC Berkeley. Also, a veteran can receive up to $1,000 for books and supplies and a living stipend of up to $1,450 a month.

California State University will guarantee admission to a total of 115 military personnel each year, selected by admirals and lieutenants. Other veterans will have their applications evaluated separately from regular applicants. www.TroopsToCollege.ca.gov

We Salute Veterans.

800.909.5050 • farmcreditwest.com

Reservation for a Native American Veterans.

Post 20 honor guard and Chaplain Eddie provided services.

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34 | Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY

“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties”

L E G ION R I DE R S

CHECK FROM PORTERVILLE

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15th District Legionnaire

15th District Legionnaire

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Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY | 35

B OYS S TAT E

TULARE TEENS TRAVEL TO SACRAMENTO S

Six Tulare teenagers will spend one week of their summer vacation as part of the 78th Session of the American Legion California Boys State.

Jason Lippincott, Alejandro Yanez, Diego Cortez, from Tulare Union, Joseph Lew and Joel Rogers, from Tulare Western, and Dominic Phillips, from Mission Oak, were selected to represent the The American Legion Tulare Post No. 15.

George Maness said the teenagers, juniors going into their senior high school year, were selected following an interview process with Tulare Post No. 15 members.

The teens were quizzed on current events, politics and public speaking, Maness said.

The teens' school activities and involvement were also considered.

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Maness said he was impressed with the teens' knowledge. He also said they would represent Tulare well.

For Boys State, the Tulare teens will learn more about politics. After all, the event is in Sacramento, the state's capital.

Maness said the teens will be at an event where they need to show they can show off their smarts.

"They have to have the ability to stand up and freely speak their opinions," he said.

"They can bring that to their schools."

Maness said Bert Sa was instrumental in the selection process.

The teen's weeklong stay in Sacramento is set for June 20 to 27.

36 | Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY

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V E T E R A N S SHO U L D B E

BE WARY

Offering Services to Veterans

T

The Kern County Veterans Service Department recognizes that there are many organizations offering services to veterans, both locally and on a nationwide level. While many of these organizations operate honorably with the best intentions of assisting veterans and their families, that is not the case with all organizations. Some groups are quick to take advantage of under-informed veterans by using confusing, yet convincing, language. We urge Kern County’s veteran families to exercise caution when utilizing services from any organization, especially if payment is required for services that our department may be able to provide free of charge; and we work hard to ensure that our clients fully understand the process and benefit for which they are applying. The Kern County Veterans Service Department may work with local and nationwide groups to provide our veterans with the most comprehensive assistance possible, but we do not endorse or recommend any third-party organizations. Please notify our Department on our complaint line if you encounter any organization attempting to take advantage of you; that number is (661) 868-7323.

PROOF SAPUTO Production Facility

Saputo Dairy Foods USA, LLC 605 North J Street Tulare California 93274 USA Tel.: Fax:

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559-686-2876 559-688-4857

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Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY | 37

1 5 T H DI S T R IC T

COMMANDER & PRESIDENT

District Commander David Graham and Auxiliary President Zana Chaney

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38 | Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY

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x

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VETERAN HOMELESSNESS VA / C H RYSL E R L IQ U I DAT I N G T RU S T PA RT N E R SH I P

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is partnering with Chrysler Liquidating Trust to provide funds to support VA efforts to end Veteran homelessness. The partnership is part of the MyVA Strategic Partnership Initiative, which works with external organizations to improve the delivery and access of care for Veterans.

Earlier this year, the Chrysler Liquidating Trust committed $750,000 to support VA’s efforts to prevent homelessness in Detroit, Philadelphia and Los Angeles. Leveraging VA’s existing partnership with the Pentagon Federal Credit Union Foundation, more than $233,000 of these funds have been awarded to cover rent and utility deposits for Veterans. As of July 2016, approximately 220 grants were distributed to support Veterans and their families.

“It gives me great pleasure to announce another VA partnership,” said VA Secretary Robert A. McDonald.

“VA’s new strategic partnership with the Chrysler Liquidating Trust is a great example of ways VA is opening its doors to new kinds of partners to better serve Veterans. Just this summer, President Obama announced a nearly 50-percent decline in Veteran homelessness.

It’s these kinds of collaborations that are helping us achieve results. Caring for Veterans is a shared responsibility and opportunity.”

“After speaking with Secretary Bob and hearing about VA’s newly invigorated effort to work with external partners, I wanted to find a way to use these funds to support Veterans,” said Trusts’ Manzo. “There’s no reason VA has to take on issues like homelessness by

itself. There are ways that all organizations can step up to the plate to support this important national issue.”

The Chrysler Liquidating Trust was established as part of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). During its creation, it was pre-determined any surplus funds would be allocated to a national cause benefiting Americans. Trust officials chose to allocate those surplus funds to Veterans’ issues.

Since the launch of the MyVA, the largest transformation in the history of VA, the Department has entered into new collaborations with dozens of external organizations to combat issues of homelessness, suicide and Veteran unemployment.

The Kings County Veterans Service Office can complete the DMV Veteran Status Verification Form for the new California Veteran Designation on your driver’s license and also issues Veteran I.D. cards to honorably discharged veterans. Contact Scott Holwell if you would like to receive periodic veteran’s information by email. There are many state and federal benefits and programs available to veterans and their dependents.

To determine if you are eligible for any of these benefits, call or visit our office. We can and will assist you in completing all required application forms.

For more information on the Web from the Kings County Veterans Service Office webpage at www.countyofkings.com/vets.

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Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY | 39

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15th District Legionnaire

LOOKING FOR A DOCTOR YOU CAN COUNT ON? Our panel of physicians may include the doctor you already know and trust.

For a list of our physicians, call (661) 716-7100 4550 California Ave, Suite 100, Bakersfield, CA 93309

Contracted Health Plans: Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California, Blue Shield 65 Plus, Cigna, County of Kern EPO, Grimmway Basic Plans, Grimmway EPO Plus, Health Net, Health Net Seniority Plus, SunviewCare, UnitedHealthcare *Participation in some health plan products is limited.

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“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties�

Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY | 41

DW IG H T E I SE N HOW E R ' S TO HA RV E Y H IG L E Y

PRESIDENT'S LETTER

President Eisenhower's letter to Harvey V. Higley, Administrator of Veterans' Affairs, designating him Chairman, Veterans Day National Committee The White House Office October 8, 1954 Dear Mr. Higley,

I have today signed a proclamation calling upon all of our citizens to observe Thursday, November 11, 1954 as Veterans Day. It is my earnest hope that all veterans, their organizations, and the entire citizenry will join hands to insure proper and widespread observance of this day. With the thought that it will be most helpful to coordinate the planning, I am suggesting the formation of a Veterans Day National Committee. In view of your great personal interest as well as your official responsibilities, I have designated you to serve as Chairman. You may include in the Committee membership such other persons as you desire to select and I am requesting the heads of all departments and agencies of the Executive branch to assist the Committee in its work in every way possible.

I have every confidence that our Nation will respond wholeheartedly in the appropriate observance of Veterans Day, 1954.

Sincerely, Dwight D. Eisenhower

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15th District Legionnaire

15th District Legionnaire

“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties�

Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY | 43

POST 20

SPONSORS TEACHING OVERSEAS M

My name is Hailey Page, I am a recent college graduate from Brigham Young UniversityHawaii. I graduated with a secondary education degree with an emphasis on physical education. During my time at BYU-Hawaii I had the opportunity to go to a remote village on the island of Vanua Levu, Fiji and teach P.E. for 6 weeks.

I went with two other BYU-Hawaii students, Emily Halls and Rae Robinson. We taught in a small school in the village of Ravi Ravi called Namuka-I-Cake. We went to the school to help them with their new PEMAC(physical education, music, arts and crafts) program which they were going to be tested on as part of their new standardized testing. Each of us girls fit one of the subjects that they were needing help with. I covered PE, while Emily taught music, and Rae taught arts and crafts.

Namuka-I-Cake is a small school with about 60-65 students and 4 teachers. The head teachers name is Madam Meri Sauvou, she is what we would call a principal. She teaches year 1 and 2 which would equate to 1st and 2nd grade. She manages the other teachers and the up keep of the school, and all other general duties. She is the most patient woman I have ever met. She deals with crazy and energetic little kids all day and she never raises her voice or gets angry with her students. Madam Perina Manaseitava teaches year 3 and 4. She is great at managing her students and teaching her content. Her students love her and learn so much from her. Master Peni Navu teaches year 5 and 6. He is at the beginning of his teaching career and is so excited and motivated to teach his students. He holds after school class and Saturday class so he can study more with his year 5 and 6 kids

to help them prepare for the standardized testing that was coming up. He is a great mentor for the young students in his class.

Master Navneel Prasad teaches year 7 and 8. He is the only Fijian Indian teacher at Namuka-I-Cake. At the primary schools in Fiji if they are in the Fijian villages they must have one Fijian Indian teacher present at the school to teach Hindi and in the schools that are in the Fijian Indian communities they must have one Fijian teacher to teach Fijian to the students. They speak English in the classroom mostly but it is a broken English.

Every morning the students complete a uniform check and a health check. This requires the teachers to check that all of the students have clean and tidy uniforms and they check that they have a handkerchief with them and that they finger nails are

clean. After these checks they then go out and line up for tooth brushing. The Fijian government sends the schools tooth brushes and tooth paste at the beginning of the school year for the students to use because in the villages they really lack basic health supplies. Many of the students suffer from open and infected sores on their arms, legs and feet. Most students do not have access to proper footwear as well so it makes it difficult for them because some of the students walk about 5km to and from school each day and a very rough trail through a rocky mountain area. There are four surrounding villages that feed into the school.

Students are required to pack a lunch for school and the teachers check it every day to make sure that it contains at least

(Continued on Page 44)

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P O S T 2 0 SP ON S OR S T E AC H I N G OV E R SE AS (Continued from Page 43) 3 food groups. The teachers then give them scores based on the nutrition of their lunch and they send it to the department so that they can keep track of it. The lunches have to be checked because the nutrition is Fiji is not very good and most of the students just eat fish and rice for every meal so many of them get scurvy. Also another issue for their lunches is that they are made early in the morning before they leave for school and then they have to carry them to school and keep them in their backpacks until noon. Once it gets to lunch time the students have to eat a fish that have been marinating in their backpack all day. Before and after lunch students are required to get the class soap and wash their hands. This is extremely important because they eat with their hands so if they do not get to wash them then they can get very sick.

The items that we have previously sent to the school were greatly needed and when they received them they were extremely excited and could not thank us enough. The families around the school and the teachers do not have enough money to get these basic supplies for the students so sending what we can greatly impacts their learning.

This was an amazing experience that has impacted my life greatly.

The students and I will be forever grateful for the contributions you have made. It would not have been possible to send them all of the needed supplies without your assistance.

Thank you, Hailey Page

CHILDREN'S NAMES

Wainisi Year 7

Isoa Year 5

Eroni Year 5

Claire Year 1

Penina Year 5

Penioni Year 7

Napote Year 5

Villiame Year 2

Petero Year 2

Apenisa Year 7

Lenati Year 8

Rangingi Year 8

Meri Year 4

Koleta Year 8

Sitivani Year 3

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“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties”

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Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY | 45

46 | Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY

“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties”

15th District Legionnaire

JUST A COMMON SOLDIER (A Soldier Died Today)

BY A. LAWRENCE VAINCOURT

He was getting old and paunchy and his hair was falling fast, And he sat around the Legion, telling stories of the past.

Of a war that he had fought in and the deeds that he had done, In his exploits with his buddies; they were heroes, every one.

And tho’ sometimes, to his neighbors, his tales became a joke, All his Legion buddies listened, for they knew whereof he spoke.

But we’ll hear his tales no longer for old Bill has passed away, And the world’s a little poorer, for a soldier died today.

He will not be mourned by many, just his children and his wife, For he lived an ordinary and quite uneventful life.

Held a job and raised a family, quietly going his own way, And the world won’t note his passing, though a soldier died today.

When politicians leave this earth, their bodies lie in state, While thousands note their passing and proclaim that they were great.

Papers tell their whole life stories, from the time that they were young, But the passing of a soldier goes unnoticed and unsung.

Is the greatest contribution to the welfare of our land A guy who breaks his promises and cons his fellow man?

Or the ordinary fellow who, in times of war and strife, Goes off to serve his Country and offers up his life?

A politician’s stipend and the style in which he lives Are sometimes disproportionate to the service that he gives.

While the ordinary soldier, who offered up his all, Is paid off with a medal and perhaps, a pension small.

It’s so easy to forget them for it was so long ago, That the old Bills of our Country went to battle, but we know It was not the politicians, with their compromise and ploys, Who won for us the freedom that our Country now enjoys.

Should you find yourself in danger, with your enemies at hand, Would you want a politician with his ever-shifting stand?

Or would you prefer a soldier, who has sworn to defend His home, his kin and Country and would fight until the end?

He was just a common soldier and his ranks are growing thin, But his presence should remind us we may need his like again.

For when countries are in conflict, then we find the soldier’s part Is to clean up all the troubles that the politicians start.

If we cannot do him honor while he’s here to hear the praise, Then at least let’s give him homage at the ending of his days.

Perhaps just a simple headline in a paper that would say, Our Country is in mourning, for a soldier died today.

S.A. Recycling SALUTES OUR VETERANS!

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THANK Y U. Rogers Jewelry is proud to support our local veterans.

thinkrogers.com

Friday, November 11, 2016 | VETERANS DAY | 47

This Veterans Day, take a moment to remember the brave men and women who served and sacrificed for our freedom.

Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.®

9500 Rosedale Highway • (661) 589-5416

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Saluting the spirit of freedom and independence We always feel fortunate to live in the greatest country in the world, but our national holidays give us time to reflect on our good fortune. Have a wonderful Veterans Day.

Wells Fargo wishes you a good Veterans Day.

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2421501_17690 10.25x12.13 4c.indd 1

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3/31/16 12:02 AM