Amerivan Legion Veterans Day Edition , District 15

15TH DISTRICT

LEGION

NAIRE

“The Nation that forgets its Defenders 15th District Legionnaire

...will itself be forgotten.”

“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties"

Sunday, November 11, 2018 | VETERANS DAY | 1

C OM M A N DE R E DDI E ORO S C O 2 0 1 8 - 2 0 1 9

COMMANDER'S CORNER Greetings Fellow Legionnaires For those of you I have not yet met, allow me to introduce myself. I am Ralph Wenzinger, Commander of the 15th District for 2018-19. My eligibility for membership in the American Legion comes from my service in the world’s greatest air power, the United States Air Force, during the war in Viet Nam. I am a member of Bakersfield Post 26 where I have served as Sgt-at-Arms for the past 5 years and on the Post Executive Committee. I am the Junior Past President of Chapter 26 of the American Legion Riders and current Alternate Area 3 Vice President for the American Legion Riders for the Department of California.

My involvement with the 15th District started four years ago when I was elected District Sgt-at-Arms.

F

In a few days, we will celebrate Veterans Day; the day set aside to remember, honor and thank those who have served in the armed forces of our nation regardless of when and where.

There will be festivities at American Legion Posts and in communities across the country. Toasts will be made to those with whom we served and to those who we didn’t. There will be the inevitable good-natured kidding about which is the best

(Continued on Page 4)

"Happy Birthday "American Legion -100 years" of service to our veterans!

Let's not forget, those who served our great country for justice, freedom and democracy.

PLUS INSIDE...

H

Natl' Commander..............Page 2

Department President Joan Cannon, chose this year's theme of "Freedom Blooms when Veterans are Served". This year's focus is on the needs of our veterans especially to our female veterans.

At the ALA's National Convention in Minneapolis - Guest speaker, Steven Peck spoke about the Women Vets on Point organization, an independent, not-for-profit program designed and informed by women veterans for women veterans in order to address critical needs and barriers to mental health care after military service. The program is funded by a consortium of Southern California foundations and brings together a team of program developers, service providers, and researchers from Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC), and the United States Veterans lnitiatjve (U.S.VETS). Our female veterans are often overlooked because they do not want to ask for help or for some reason are reluctant to admit they are a veteran! For more information go to wvop@usvetsinc.org.

Want to learn more about the American Legion Auxiliary "go online" to our California Department website at www.calegionaux.org for information on our programs, events, and workshops and more!

McCain's Final Farewell....Page 13

Comm. Service Award....Page 18

Your membership is the "Heart'' of this organization but your participation is the "Key'' to our mission. "In the spirit of Service, Not Self, the mission of the American Legion Auxiliary is to support The American Legion and to honor the sacrifice of those who serve by enhancing the lives of our veterans, military, and their families, both at home and abroad."

Wishing our American Legion Auxiliary a very successful year!

Caltrans Hiring Vets..... Page 23

Dee Ann Graham 15th District President 2018-2019

Affordabe Colleges....... Page 31 THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS

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2 | VETERANS DAY 2018

15th District Legionnaire

NATIONAL COMMANDER

15TH DISTRICT OFFICERS COMMANDER Ralph Wenzinger, Post 26

FINANCE OFFICER David Graham, Post 26

1st VICE COMMANDER Don Johnson, Post 18

ADJUTANT Frank Vail, Post 26

2nd VICE COMMANDER Tony Strauss, Post 221

CHAPLAIN Juan Lopez, Post 779

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS Jose Rocha, Post 19

SERVICE OFFICER Michael Johnson, Post 221

JUDGE ADVOCATE Bobby Mahaffey, Post 26

HISTORIAN Brian Adams, Post 20

T H E N E X T G E N E R AT ION OF A M E R IC A N L E G ION L E A DE R S

I can’t believe it’s been three weeks since I was fortunate enough to be elected national commander of The American Legion. As I stood on the 100th National Convention stage in Minneapolis, I thought back about all the mentors who helped, supported and advised me on this journey.

I

For nearly a century, our organization has remained strong because of you, the dedicated, hard-working volunteers who passionately fulfill so many needs at the community, state and national levels.

15TH AUXILIARY OFFICERS

I’m continually inspired when I hear stories of American Legion successes. Take, for example, American Legion Riders chapters rallying to raise funds for those in need – like children who qualify for the American Legion Legacy Scholarship. Or Legionnaires who educate our youth about flag respect and honor. Or American Legion members who volunteer their time to improve their cities, towns and neighborhoods.

President Dee Ann Graham, Post 26

Chaplain Dolores Ryan, Post 26

First Vice President Barbara Goodlow, Post 26

Historian (unassigned)

Second Vice President Linda Carmichael, Post 221

Parliamentarian Genieca Risner, Post 213

Much of this year will be spent looking back at The American Legion’s successes and legacy over the past 100 years. At the same time, we must look ahead to the next 100 years.

Secretary Treasurer Karen Herrera, Post 20

Sergeant-at-Arms & Marshall (unassigned)

Are we teaching the next generation of American Legion members how to lead successful programs at the post level?

Treasurer Brenda Preston, Post 26

Junior Past President Zana Chaney, Post 124

Are we taking the time to engage the next generation of American Legion leaders, as past generations has mentored us?

The American Legion is a strong, influential and determined organization because of you.

Because you dedicate yourself to your fellow veterans, the service members who follow in our paths, your communities, states and our great nation.

Are we providing the necessary resources for the post 9/11 generation to advance the organization as our generation joins Post Everlasting?

I have had the pleasure to meet many of The American Legion’s next generation of leaders.

They are passionate about their fellow veterans, excited about the future and willing to work hard. Please view this quick video about what we’re calling Team 100.

These members want the same thing we wanted when we joined: camaraderie, mentorship and success. It’s up to us to provide that guiding hand. The post-9/11 American Legion member you take time to mentor today could find himself or herself on a future national convention stage talking about the importance of your mentorship. #Team100

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MEMBERSHIP REPORT DISTRICT 15 STANDINGS

Post # Post Name & City

ne s rs nli fer l be s O s L l d d m n a e UF ai ai ra Tot Goa T P P P M l oa 19 019 019 19 19 19 19 G 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 %

0015 Tulare, Tulare

0 37

1

20

0

58 80

72.50%

0018 Visalia, Visalia

1 14

4

39

0

58 75

77.33%

0019 Alta, Dinuba

1

7

3

17

0

28 38

73.68%

0020 Porterville, Porterville

0 29

6

61

0

96 183

52.46%

0026 Bakersfield, Bakersfield

8 55

38

290

1 392 661

59.30%

0063 Fellows, Taft

6

5

5

27

0

43 56

76.79%

0094 Exeter, Exeter

0

6

3

16

0

25 57

43.86%

0124 Merle Reed, Delano

1 10

2

29

0

42 68

61.76%

0128 Lindsay, Lindsay

0

1

0

6

0

7

19

36.84%

0221 Tehachapi, Tehachapi

4 15

15

52

0

86 125

68.80%

0682 Buttonwillow, Bakersfield

0 28

2

40

0

70 184

38.04%

0711 East Bakersfield, Bakersfield

0

8

8

28

0

44 70

62.86%

0743 Charter Oak, Ivanhoe

0

9

1

7

0

17 33

51.52%

0779 Terra Bella, Terra Bella

1

5

0

16

0

22 29

75.86%

0785 Sierra, Visalia

8 11

0

53

3

75 81

92.59%

District 15 Totals

30 240

88 701 4 1063 1759 60.43%

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VETERANS DAY 2018 | 3

4 | VETERANS DAY 2018

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C OM M A N DE R ' S M E S S AG E

(Continued from Page 1)

NAT IONA L C OM M A N DE R ' S

branch of the military. Regardless of the outcome of the ensuing debate, we share a common bond with those who donned the uniform of our sister services. It is a bond that those who did not serve will ever fully grasp. Here in Bakersfield we will participate in what is arguably the largest parade of the year. Most certainly it is the largest demonstration of patriotism the city comes together for. I suspect the same can be said for other communities in the 15th District for we are blessed to live in an area where veterans are truly appreciated. One needs to look no further than the signs along highways marking the entry into Kern County.

They are adorned with the words, “Kern County. Where We Honor Veteran’s.”

I ask, however, during your celebrations you take a moment to toast and give thanks to our future veterans; those men and women who are currently serving here at home and around the world. Keep in mind the families who wait for the return of their soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen as did our families and those of every veteran of every generation who served before us. For they, too, have sacrificed in the name of the freedoms we enjoy and cherish. Let us especially not forget those veterans who are unable to attend celebrations due to age or infirmity.

To all my brother and sister veterans I wish you a happy and well-deserved Veterans Day.

Ralph Wenzinger 15th District Commander 2018-2019

INCENTIVE PROGRAM THE AMERICAN LEGION

A

American Legion National Commander Brett P. Reistad will award his national commander "Membership Excellence: Team 100" incentive pin to any Legion Family member who obtains three new members into The American Legion.

A new member is any eligible person joining for the 2019 membership year who was not a member of The American Legion during the 2018 membership year.

Each member listed must be eligible for membership in The American Legion. Forward names of Sons of The American Legion members or Auxiliary members to your detachment or unit for use in their respective incentive programs.

Only one pin will be awarded per individual. Upon receipt, national membership staff will confirm the names and mail the pin directly to the person who earned it. Commander Reistad's pin incentive program will end June 30, 2019, or when supplies are exhausted.

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VETERANS DAY 2018 | 5

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6 | VETERANS DAY 2018

DI S T R IC T 1 5

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VETERANS DAY 2018 | 7

NATIONAL COMMANDER

C OM M A N DE R R E F L E C T S ON T H E A M E R IC A N L E G ION AT 1 0 0

“My answer is, ‘Hell no! The best is yet to come!’”

The commander’s report to the national convention touched on VA health care, disaster relief, membership improvements and other aspects of her year as leader of the nation’s largest Veteran’s organization.

She discussed the promise of the recently signed VA Mission Act, which streamlines VA in many ways and adopts American Legion resolution-driven initiatives into the system, including expanded benefits for veteran caregivers of the pre-9/11 era.

She expressed the Legion’s ongoing position of extreme caution on VA privatization. “While we recognize that VA is not always a practical option for all veterans, the expansion of Choice for some should not require the cutting of services for others. We believe that veterans fought for the red, white and blue, not Blue Cross and Blue Shield. They deserve real health care, not just a thank you and a voucher.”

A

American Legion National Commander Denise H. Rohan did not slam the gavel on the podium to open the 100th American Legion National Convention Tuesday. There’s a reason for that, but she didn’t reveal it until late in the afternoon when she explained to thousands of veterans and their families gathered in Minneapolis.

“It has nothing to do with gender stereotypes and everything to do with our history. That gavel is the same one that was used here in 1919. And even though it is an antique, the real value from that convention was the legacy that was left for all of us.”

Rohan noted that the centennial of The American Legion “is a significant milestone that very few organizations achieve, but to gather here with the same mission – the same pillars – and the same commitment to serve as our founders did a century ago, is truly a remarkable achievement.”

After running through several of the Legion’s accomplishments during and since the 1st National Convention in Minneapolis in November 1919, she posed a question: “At 99 years old, people might understandably ask The American Legion, ‘Aren’t you tired?’

She told her fellow Legionnaires that “you certainly didn’t get tired when you gave generously to hurricane victims in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico. I also know you won’t be too tired to continue to give to victims impacted by the hurricane in Hawaii and wildfires out West.

“The American Legion Family wasn’t too tired to help brand-new families – those welcoming infants this year with an Operation Comfort Warriors grant – appropriately awarded the week of Mother’s Day.” She explained that effective service to others is essential for The American Legion today. “We must be present for active-duty troops and the families of those who are deployed. We shouldn’t just be there for troop send-offs and welcome-homes but when the television cameras are turned off, as well. Help the family whose loved one is deployed … by mowing a yard, shoveling snow or fixing a leaky faucet. And when our heroes come home, give them a place to go where they will feel comfortable sharing their friendship and their thoughts. Get them help if they need it. Give them something to do to make them feel like a needed member of our family. God knows, we could all use some extra hands at the post.

“We must personally engage with all of our Legionnaires so they can understand that they are all valued members of our family.”

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8 | VETERANS DAY 2018

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VETERANS DAY 2018 | 9

NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE PARTNERS WITH VA VA PA RT N E R SH I P W I T H NAT IONA L C A N C E R I N S T I T U T E W I L L B O O S T V E T E R A N AC C E S S TO C L I N IC A L T R IA L S

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that it has formed a partnership with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) which will provide more access to the latest treatment options for VA patients with cancer.

T

“Strategic partnerships, such as this one with the National Cancer Institute, allow VA to leverage the strengths of both organizations to the benefit of all stakeholders, especially our Veterans,” said VA’s Acting Secretary Peter O’Rourke.

“By increasing enrollment in these trials, VA and Veterans will contribute to important cancer research — this will not only help our Veterans, but also advance cancer care for all Americans and people around the world.”

The NCI and VA Interagency Group to Accelerate Trials Enrollment, also known as NAVIGATE, is launching at 12 VA sites: Atlanta, Georgia; Bronx, New York; Charleston, South Carolina; Denver, Colorado; Durham, North Carolina; Hines, Illinois; Long Beach, California; Minneapolis, Minne-

sota; Palo Alto, California; Portland, Oregon; San Antonio, Texas; and West Haven, Connecticut. Boston, Massachusetts, will also serve as a coordinating center for the effort.

NAVIGATE will build infrastructure at VA sites to enable more Veterans to take part in cutting-edge clinical trials sponsored by NCI. Such trials typically test innovative experimental treatments, such as precision-medicine therapies based on patients’ genetic profiles, or immunotherapy’s that harness patients’ own immune systems to bring about cures.

The NAVIGATE network will also establish best practices and share insights to help other VA Medical Centers nationwide enroll more Veterans in cancer clinical trials. Special attention is being given to minority patients, who often have less access to new treatments and are not as well represented in clinical trials in the U.S. While VA has a robust research program — including clinical trials on cancer and other diseases — at more than 100

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To learn about other Veteran benefits that you may be eligible for, please call the Kern County Veterans Service Department at 661.868.7300.

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sites nationwide, VA facilities often face challenges initiating and completing trials, including ones conducted through the NCI National Clinical Trials Network. Local VA research staff, for example, may lack adequate support to handle certain regulatory and administrative tasks involved in these studies. NAVIGATE will help remove those barriers.

NAVIGATE will also seek to enroll Veterans in trials sponsored by NCI’s Community Oncology Research Program, which focuses on cancer prevention and symptom management.

VA’s involvement in NAVIGATE is being managed through the Cooperative Studies Program (CSP) part of VA’s Office of Research and Development. CSP has a long history of running impactful clinical trials focused on Veterans’ health needs.

10 | VETERANS DAY 2018

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Inspiring Excellence

Transforming Lives • •

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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.

• • • •

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.

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.

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VETERANS DAY 2018 | 11

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

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VETERANS DAY 2018 | 13

MCCAIN'S FAREWELL STATEMENT ' W E N E V E R SU R R E N DE R '

O

On Monday, Rick Davis, Sen. John McCain’s former presidential campaign manager and a family spokesman, read the following farewell statement from McCain at a press conference at the Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix.

“My fellow Americans, whom I have gratefully served for 60 years, and especially my fellow Arizonans, “Thank you for the privilege of serving you and for the rewarding life that service in uniform and in public office has allowed me to lead. I have tried to serve our country honorably. I have made mistakes, but I hope my love for America will be weighed favorably against them.

“I have often observed that I am the luckiest person on Earth. I feel that way even now as I prepare for the end of my life. I have loved my life, all of it. I have had experiences, adventures and friendships enough for ten satisfying lives, and I am so thankful. Like most people, I have regrets. But I would not trade a day of my life, in good or bad times, for the best day of anyone else’s.

“I owe that satisfaction to the love of my family. No man ever had a more loving wife or children he was prouder of than I am of mine. And I owe it to America. To be connected to America’s causes – liberty, equal justice, respect for the dignity of all people – brings happiness more sublime than life’s fleeting pleasures. Our identities and sense of worth are not circumscribed but enlarged by serving good causes bigger than ourselves. “‘Fellow Americans’ – that association has meant more to me than any other. I lived and died a proud American. We are citizens of the world’s greatest republic, a nation of ideals, not blood and soil. We are blessed and are a blessing to humanity when we uphold and advance those ideals at home and in the world. We have helped liberate more people from tyranny and poverty than ever before in history. We have acquired great wealth and power in the process.

“We weaken our greatness when we confuse our patriotism with tribal rivalries that have sown resentment and hatred and violence in all the corners of the globe. We weaken it when we hide behind walls, rather than tear them down, when we doubt the power of our ideals, rather than trust them to be the great force for change they have always been.

“We are 325 million opinionated, vociferous individuals. We argue and compete and sometimes even vilify each other in our raucous public debates. But we have always had so much more in common with each other than in disagreement. If only we remember that and give each other the benefit of the presumption that we all love our country we will get through these challenging times. We will come through them stronger than before. We always do.

“Ten years ago, I had the privilege to concede defeat in the election for president. I want to end my farewell to you with the heartfelt faith in Americans that I felt so powerfully that evening.

“I feel it powerfully still.

“Do not despair of our present difficulties but believe always in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here. Americans never quit. We never surrender. We never hide from history. We make history.

“Farewell, fellow Americans. God bless you, and God bless America.”

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14 | VETERANS DAY 2018

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MCCAIN HONORED

AS A PAT R IOT A N D A NAT IONA L I N SP I R AT ION

BY LEO SHANE III

A

America’s political and military leaders remembered John McCain at a Capitol ceremony Friday as a lifelong public servant whose time in the Navy, Congress and time in the national spotlight all offered inspiration to country.

“Half a world away, wearing our nation’s uniform, John McCain stood up for every value that this Capitol building represents,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. “Then he brought that same patriotism inside his walls to advocate for our service members, our veterans, and our moral leadership in the world.”

“So it is only right that today, near the end of his long journey, that John lies here in this great hall under this mighty dome, like other American heroes before him.”

McCain died on Aug. 25 after a year-long battle with brain cancer. The Navy Academy graduate was arguably the most well-known veteran in the country today, both for his time as a prisoner of war in Vietnam and for decades as a congressman and senator from the state of Arizona.

PROOF

He is the 31st person to lie in state at the U.S. Capitol, an honor typically associated with American presidents. McCain twice unsuccessfully ran for the presidency, but his colleagues noted those defeats never shook his resolve to keep serving the country.

“The highest office alluded him, but he attained what is far more enduring: the abiding affection of his fellow citizens, and an example for future generations,” said House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisc.

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“This is one of the bravest souls our nation has ever produced.”

McCain was the son and grandson of four-star admirals who frequently joked that he was one of the worst students to ever graduate from the Naval Academy. He was shot down over Vietnam during the height of the war and spent more than five years in captivity, enduring torture that left lingering medical problems for the rest of his life.

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He returned home and entered politics, where he became one of the Republican Party’s most influential defense and foreign policy voices in recent decades. He was a frequent foil to multiple presidents, including George W. Bush and Barack Obama (both of whom defeated him in their campaign bids) and Donald Trump.

The Capitol Hill ceremony — which included McCain’s family, members of the Pentagon leadership, dozens of lawmakers and even more congressional staffers — was part of a weeklong celebration of McCain’s life, including similar high-profile events in his adopted home state of Arizona.

Funeral services will be held Saturday before McCain is buried on Sunday at his alma mater.

Vice President Mike Pence said the locations of those ceremonies are another reminder of McCain’s remarkable life. “ Today, he lies in the place where he served to the last, the Congress of the United States,” he said. “Soon, he will to rest on the grounds where he served first, the United States Naval Academy. The eyes of the American people will be upon him as he goes.”

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VETERANS DAY 2018 | 15

16 | VETERANS DAY 2018

“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties”

15th District Legionnaire

Talented. Smart. Confident. You and VF

! t fi ur o y d n i F

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VETERANS DAY 2018 | 17

DI S T R IC T 1 5

AUXILIARY W

We received a total of 2423 items from our 4 Dollar Tree Stores... Each store reported items that we picked and our volunteers sign for them.

Thank you! It was a very successful event. We distributed to about 20 teachers who picked up 25-30 items for their classroom and 15 Legion family children.

We also took a box to KGET for their School Backpack event and David delivered a box to the Veteran's Center. We will continue to distribute until our supply is exhausted Once again we would like to thank all those involved.

E L IG I B I L I T Y I N F OR M AT ION

JOIN THE AMERICAN LEGION

Veterans

I

THANK YOU

We salute you!

Founded on Faith, Rooted in Tradition, Growing in Excellence

If you have served federal active duty in the United States Armed Forces during any of the war eras listed below, and have been honorably discharged or are still serving — you are eligible for membership in The American Legion!

*August 2, 1990 to Today

(Persian Gulf/ War On Terrorism)

December 20, 1989 to January 31, 1990

(Operation Just Cause - Panama)

August 24, 1982 to July 31, 1984

February 28, 1961 to May 7, 1975

(Vietnam)

June 25, 1950 to January 31, 1955

(Korea)

(Lebanon/Grenada)

December 7, 1941 to December 31, 1946

(World War II)

(World War I)

April 6, 1917 to November 11, 1918

*Because eligibility dates remain open, all members of the U.S. Armed Forces are eligible to join The American Legion at this time, until the date of the end of hostilities as determined by the government of the United States.

U.S. Merchant Marine eligible only from December 7, 1941 to December 31, 1946 (WWII).

Honor.

Respect.

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18 | VETERANS DAY 2018

15th District Legionnaire

DON DOWLING

R E C E I V E S C OM M U N I T Y SE RV IC E AWA R D

It is an honor and privilege to present Alta Mira Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution’s Community Service Award.

I

www.comoso.com ibuy@comoso.com

This award is given to someone who has given their time and talent in service to our community. Our recipient has given not only to the community at large but especially to our veteran community.

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He came as a 6 year old to Porterville. He attended Doyle school, Pioneer Jr. High and went to Porterville High He left high school in 1965 at 17 to join the Army. Too young to go to Viet Nam, he was sent to Fort Bragg, NC and then to Santa Domingo in the Dominican Republic. It was during basic training that he earned his GED and became a graduate of Porterville High.

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

After turning 18 he went to Viet Nam as part of the 101st Airborne Division. He moved from demolition supervisor to Special Forces and then became a Green Beret. For 2 ½ years he was on search and destroy missions working with tribal/mountain people.

Returning home to his sweetheart in Porterville, he married Marion DeMasters on Dec. 27, 1969. He and his wife were off to Fort Bragg in the New Year. From there it was 11 years in Europe. His last assignment was in Youngstown Ohio as an Active Duty Advisor.

At age 40 he retired in 1986. He received many citations, badges and medals in his 22 years of service. Including the Purple Heart, Bronze star with V for valor, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm.

Returning to Porterville with his wife and 7 children, he was hired as a State Police Officer at Porterville Development Center. He retired from state service in 2010.

His community service includes Commander of the VFW, Chairman of the Veteran’s Homecoming Committee, serving on the Board of Directors for Porterville Veteran’s Memorial District and a member of the Porterville Flag Day Committee. He has been an avid Boy scouter for 30 years., receiving the Silver Beaver Recipient Award for excellence in scouting. He is the Woodbadge Course Director for adult leaders and an instructor for Area 5 which covers 5 western states, including Hawaii.

A true patriot, his Veterans banner is flying in front of Porterville City Hall.

There should be no doubt who is receiving this year’s Community Service award. Serving his second term as Commander of the American Legion Post 20. I am proud to present this National DAR Award to Don Dowling.

Proud to support our Veterans!

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“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties”

15th District Legionnaire

VETERANS DAY 2018 | 19

PROUD SUPPORTER OF OUR LOCAL VETERANS AND ARMED FORCES. Strong veterans make strong communities.

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20 | VETERANS DAY 2018

15th District Legionnaire

NEW PSA

ON L E G ION ' S V I M E O C HA N N E L

BY THE AMERICAN LEGION

A

The American Legion has an abundance of promotional videos and public service announcements (PSAs) that help tell the Legion's story, as well as aid in membership recruiting, fundraising efforts, support for programs and events, and more. And it's all easily accessible on The American Legion's Vimeo Channel at https://vimeo.com/americanlegion.

New PSAs added to the channel include "American Legion Team 100" to help promote National Commander Brett Reistad's centennial membership theme of leading The American Legion into its second century. Another new PSA is "Women of The American Legion."

The PSAs and videos housed on the Legion's Vimeo channel can be shared via mobile devices or downloaded onto a computer hard drive and shared without the need for Internet connection. They too can be shared with media outlets and movie cinemas to promote what The American Legion does locally and nationally.

Proud To Support Our

Veterans 303 Mt Vernon Ave # B • Bakersfield, CA 93307 (661) 846-3200 • www.west-mark.com THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS

“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties”

15th District Legionnaire

VETERANS DAY 2018 | 21

POST 26 U P DAT E

M

Mid-April 2018 a vehicle participating in an organized “cruising” event struck a fire hydrant a block away from the American Legion Post 26 building. Due to the hours it took to locate a buried shutoff valve and the building being a low spot on the block the main hall and hallway were flooded in the main building as well as the Veteran Support Store. It took hours after the flooding to remove the water and start fans to dry the area. The existing tile flooring and several inches of drywall were heavily impacted by the water.

The Post, in conjunction with its insurance agency had the damaged areas inspected and it was determined that the mastic under the flooring contained asbestos and, several layers deep, the damaged sheetrock contained lead-based paint. The Post deemed the main hall unusable and began to make arrangements to postpone/cancel or hold events in other locations during repairs.

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First, a company certified to remove hazardous materials was contracted to remove the flooring and the lower 1 foot of drywall in the main hall, hallway and store. Prior to their starting work the members removed and stored all of the pictures, mounted flags, banners, TV’s and other exposed items so that they would not be contaminated. Soon plastic barriers were installed and workers in protective clothing and masks were going through access chambers to remove the flooring and drywall. Once that was done and certified it was time to progress to Stage 2.

Prior to the Post taking the building in the late 70’s the building had been an appliance store that had undergone renovations some of which involved internal walls. With the concrete flooring exposed all of the floor irregularities were visible. After looking at options and the pros and cons of each the Post decided that the best approach would be to have the floors leveled, holes filled, sanded, stained, and sealed. Bids were taken and a company contracted to do the floor repairs.

Stage 3 was the repairs to the drywall, painting, and the floor molding installed. Again, bids were taken and a company contracted to repair/replace drywall, paint, and install the molding. Three months later the process began to reinstall the pictures, mounted flags, banners, TV’s and other exposed items.

Post, Unit, Squadron, and Chapter that had moved their meetings and activities to accommodate the repairs were able to return to using the main hall. Dinners, Honor Flight Kern County, and civic groups again could have their events in the main hall.

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“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties”

22 | VETERANS DAY 2018

VETERANS ADMINISTRATION AC C O U N TA B I L I T Y I N Q U E S T ION

A 2014 investigation into the manipulation of waitlists at 110 VA health-care facilities uncovered hundreds of thousands of veterans who were denied care while their names were held on unreported lists. Several veterans died while waiting for unscheduled appointments.

are being personally charged medical costs from non-VA providers. Some providers are opting out of the program due to VA’s failure to correctly compensate them on time.

Choice was a program that was supposed to benefit veterans lacking access to care, not punish them.

VA leaders investigated and fired top executives and other employees involved. Unfortunately, many personnel actions were overturned by a process that allows options like quitting, retiring or transferring.

Over $1 billion and many years of effort have gone into the development of a lifetime medical records system that truly connects DoD and VA. The project remains incomplete, slowing down the claims process and frustrating veterans of all war eras.

A

Congress tried to help VA by passing legislation to remove obstacles that were contributing to an inability to discipline or terminate executives, managers and employees who failed to fulfill their responsibilities. However, five senior VA employees wouldn’t appear in a congressional hearing until subpoenas were issued in October, and after they were ordered to appear, two key figures in the hearing invoked the Fifth Amendment.

After wrongdoing was established, an appeals hearing before the Merit Systems Protection Board reversed executive punishments VA had attempted to impose. At the same time, a number of other government accountability issues continue to negatively affect the lives of veterans, including: Veterans using the Choice Program because VA facilities are too distant or overcrowded

Veterans suffering with PTSD and TBI – signature wounds of the war – are denied acceptance of alternative treatment programs even if they are effective.

Federal laws, regulations and guidelines to help veterans in business and employment are not being fulfilled. Examples include less than 3 percent, as required by law, of federal contracts to service-disabled veteran-owned businesses and inconsistent compliance with Veterans Preference Hiring requirements.

Call volume to VA’s Veteran Crisis Line soared from 164,101 in 2011 to 450,940 in 2014, more than doubling the number of suicide calls that go to backup centers between 2013 and 2014, and an undisclosed number of crisis calls that go to voice mail.

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15th District Legionnaire

15th District Legionnaire

“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties”

VETERANS DAY 2018 | 23

CALTRANS

NAT IONA L C OM M A N DE R ' S

P RO G R A M F OR JOB L E S S V E T E R A N S I N K E R N C O U N T Y

Caltrans is offering jobless Kern County veterans a new opportunity for employment. And although the California Department of Transportation program is all about road cleanup, the potential for advancement is real.

C

Caltrans started its Veterans Outreach Program in January, and already the temporary Caltrans employees hired through the new project have cleared more than 11,000 bags of trash from state roads — and at least one worker has become a Caltrans supervisor.

"That means I'm doing my job," said Frank Najera of Caltrans, who’s promoted subordinate is now a supervisor for the Kern County Veteran’s crew.

Najera, who supervises both parolees and veterans, said he has a few other workers who are taking the test to become engineers.

The program for veterans and active duty members began in Solano County and then expanded to Tulare County. With Kern County now on board, Caltrans plans to add crews in San Diego County too.

The state transportation agency plans to spend $12 million on the program, which gives jobs to veterans and trains them in skills that can be used in other, similar industries.

Caltrans determines where to set up its veteran program by researching the rate of unemployed or homeless veterans in a given area, as well as whether there is a need there for litter removal.

Caltrans maintenance program manager Trent Manning said while Kern County didn't have one of the worst ratings, there was definitely a need.

About 8 percent of Kern County veterans are unemployed — just under the national rate of 9 percent.

"That is not a grateful America," Manning said in a press conference announcing the program's arrival in Kern County.

Joe Hidalgo, 58, was a U.S. Marine for three years. He began with a crew in Visalia but will now work with the crew in Bakersfield.

"I never got tired of driving from Bakersfield to Visalia because I always knew I'd be laughing," Hidalgo said of the job.

He said the crew he worked with in Visalia worked as a good team, joking, talking and looking out for each other while they were out working the roads.

And because they were among the first in the program, Hidalgo said they had a "pride of ownership": They wanted it to be successful and didn't want to let each other down.

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24 | VETERANS DAY 2018

“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties”

NAT IONA L RCIC OM DI S T TM1A 5 N DE R ' S

PHOTOS

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15th District Legionnaire

15th District Legionnaire

“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties”

NAT IONA L C OM M A N DE R ' S

LEGION DAY AT THE GAME

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VETERANS DAY 2018 | 25

NAT IONA L C OM M A N DE R ' S

FLAG DAY

“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties”

26 | VETERANS DAY 2018

15th District Legionnaire

'CELEBRATING OUR LEGACY' . . . A N D M U C H M OR E

BY STEVEN B. BROOKS

“Today begins a 15-month celebration of our centennial," said Reistad, a 37-year member of McLean Post 270 in McLean, Va. “A lot of history has been made in the past 100 years.

This is a unique opportunity for us to reflect on our many accomplishments and share them with our friends, neighbors and communities.

N

Newly elected American Legion National Commander Brett Reistad will lead the organization as it begins a celebration of its 100 years of service to veterans, the military, community, state and nation.

And while there will be plenty of time to look back at The American Legion’s many accomplishments, Reistad said the centennial celebration should be about more than that.

“It’s also an opportunity for us to be a part of that history. My theme for the year is 'Celebrating Our Legacy,' but, it’s more than that.

It’s also about charting the course for our future and remaining strong and relevant.

Strength my friends, is paramount.”

To maintain that strength, Reistad said, means maintaining a strong membership and working together. He has experience leading that effort, having taken The American Legion Department of Virginia to an all-time high membership while serving as department commander from 2005 to 2006.

“That is why I have chosen ‘Team 100’ to be our centennial membership theme - to bring all our resources to bear, increase our membership and start our second century of service off on the right foot,” he said. “You, my fellow Legionnaires are ‘Team 100,’ and I need your commitment to achieve this success, just as you once committed yourself to serving your country.

“A wise man once said, ‘In order to succeed, we must believe that we can.’ I not only believe that we can, I know we can. I truly believe that you are the right team at the right time.”

Reistad praised what he said is the spirit and commitment of Legionnaires – both that of the organization’s founders and those currently carrying out its mission.

“Whether it be volunteering in a VA medical center, conducting funeral honors for our departed brothers and sisters in arms, volunteer-

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ing at American Legion Boys State, or raising money for a Legion charity, you make a difference in the lives that you touch,” Reistad said.

A U.S. Army veteran who served from 1974 to 1978 in the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, “The Old Guard”, at Fort Myer, Va., Reistad has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and spent 26 years with the Fairfax County (Va.) Police Department in suburban Washington, D.C. He served in patrol, investigative, forensic and administrative assignments – mostly in a supervisory capacity. He currently serves as a law enforcement services coordinator for the Regional Organized Crime Information Center, a component of the Regional Information Sharing Systems program, a law enforcement assistance program funded by Congress through the U.S. Department of Justice.

Reistad said there are many similarities between first responders and veterans. “We are all committed to public service – a commitment

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“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties”

15th District Legionnaire

VETERANS DAY 2018 | 27

C E L E T R AT I N G O U R L E G AC Y

(Continued from Page 26) that requires the willingness to risk our own lives to perform our sworn duties,” he said. “And that’s exactly what the founders of our organization did more than a century ago. They sacrificed, fought and many were wounded to free Europe so Americans could be safe at home.

It’s a scenario that has repeated itself in other parts of the world, in every war era since.

“From World War I to the current Global War on Terrorism, Legionnaires have responded to our national emergencies. Whether stateside or in a combat theater, we all sacrificed something to ensure that our liberties and our communities would be preserved.”

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Looking back, Reistad said what The American Legion’s founders did in establishing the organization was “unprecedented. They formed a network committed to a half dozen bedrock principles. They included care for one another; support for the families of those who did not come home from World War I, as well as those who came home sick and disabled; (and providing) a support network for children and youth, who the early Legionnaires saw as the future of the nation and the key to strengthening the nation in the event of future national security needs.”

Reistad said the founders also promoted patriotic values, fought for a well-resourced and equipped military, and ensured that U.S. military sacrifices were not forgotten.

“Out of these principles arose what The American Legion calls its ‘Four Pillars’ — veterans, Youth, defense and Americanism,” he said. “Built on a strong foundation of God and country, under each pillar are programs and services undertaken at every level of America — from the local American Legion post to the department, to the National Headquarters and international U.S. military duty stations located in foreign countries.

“All the same values envisioned by the World War I generation are performed in communities, states, the nation and around the world today.”

Reistad said when The American Legion received its federal charter from Congress on Sept. 16, 1919, it was in part to fulfill functions the government would otherwise need to perform. Foremost, he said, is representation of veterans in the pursuit of Department of Veterans Affairs benefits, education, health care and respect from a grateful nation.

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“At any given time, The American Legion’s more than 3,600 accredited service officers today are working on the disability claims of some 750,000 veterans worldwide,” he said.

“Prior to The American Legion’s efforts, veterans had little or no route to appeal their benefits decisions.”

The drafting, promotion, passage and ongoing stewardship of the original GI Bill remains one of The American Legion’s most important accomplishments, Reistad said.

“When American Legion Past National Commander Harry Colmery distilled multiple government responsibilities into just 10 initiatives in the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, critics declared it would break the United States Treasury,” he said. “Instead, the provisions approved in the GI Bill returned $7 for every $1 the government invested.

“The American Legion has worked with Congress over the decades to improve the GI Bill for subsequent generations of wartime veterans. The most recent example of this is the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017, which improves and extends GI Bill benefits for Post 9/11-generation veterans and their dependents.”

Reistad said that while the most recent GI Bill was meant to lift restrictions on the time a veteran must use the benefit – giving it the name the “Forever GI Bill” – “only in Washington does ‘forever’ NOT really mean ‘forever.’ Last month, the Defense Department announced a new rule which prohibits members of the armed forces with more than 16 years of service from transferring their GI Bill benefits to their dependents.

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“We have a message to the Pentagon, Congress and the White House – veterans earned these benefits, and The American Legion will not stand by as you slash the intent of the Harry W. Colmery Forever GI Bill.”

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Reistad said The American Legion will continue to honor its Four Pillars through such efforts as working to eradicate veteran homelessness, lobbying for a well-funded Department of Defense, fighting to hold together retirement benefits and health-care services for military retirees, and providing programs like Boys State and Boys Nation and the Na-

(VLLX) THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS

(Continued on Page 28)

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“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties”

C E L E T R AT I N G O U R L E G AC Y

(Continued from Page 27) tional High School Oratorical Contest to incentivize young people to take a strong interest in government, public service and constitutional awareness.

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To commemorate The American Legion centennial, Reistad said the organization has focused largely on empowering its galaxy of local posts — each of which has its own legacy of service — to tell its centennial story at the community level and increase awareness of all The American Legion is and does.

“Each American Legion post is different, its own separate corporation, and its functions vary by community,” he said. “Some American Legion posts operate local ambulance services and hospitals. Some have blue-ribbon child-safety programs. Legionnaires in Mexico dedicate their time, money and efforts to disabled children there. In Pennsylvania, The American Legion’s Housing for Homeless Veterans program is a model of success for the rest of the nation. In Montana, The American Legion places markers along the roadways to remind drivers to slow down and be careful.

“The American Legion does all this — at the community, state and nation levels — because veterans believe they have an individual obligation to continue serving their country.”

15th District Legionnaire

Gina Fanucchi Vice President FDR 450

661.324.9821 661.324.3947 Fax 1100 Truxtun Ave. Bakersfield, CA 93301

Mailing Address P.O. Box 1528 Bakersfield, CA 93302

Reistad said The American Legion’s centennial celebration is an opportunity to connect its legacy of accomplishments and significance in communities to a vision for the future. That includes a new generation of veterans taking on a greater role in the organization.

“Just as it was when the World War I generation handed the reins over to the World War II generation, then the Korean War generation, Vietnam and Gulf War, the future belongs to a new generation of veterans — those who have served in the War on Terror,” he said.

“One by one, and in groups, these honorable wartime veterans are joining The American Legion, assuming leadership roles and advancing a vision of the future that matches that of our World War I founders — serve veterans, support the military, promote Americanism, and create healthy, educational opportunities for young people.

“Many are joining because they have been the firsthand beneficiaries of American Legion support in the struggle to resume civilian life after wartime service.”

The American Legion's values, conceived 100 years ago, are “as timeless as the common bond of military service across the generations,” Reistad said. “How The American Legion executes those values — the pillars — is certain to change as the future unfolds, but the underlying commitment to service, to community, state and nation, under the flag for which so many lives were given to ensure our nation’s freedoms -- will never change. It’s also a legacy – that under my watch – we will continue to celebrate.”

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P.O. Bin 1969 Bakersfield, CA 93303 Tel 661.395.7100 • Fax 661.395.7110

“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties”

15th District Legionnaire

VETERANS DAY 2018 | 29

VA BACKLOG G R E AT E R T HA N R E P ORT E D

BY NIKKI WENTLING

T

The number of backlogged benefits claims at the Department of Veterans Affairs is larger than the agency reported, according to findings released Monday from a government watchdog.

The VA considers backlogged claims to be veterans’ claims for benefits that take longer than 125 days to approve or deny. The VA Inspector General’s Office reported officials omitted 63,600 backlogged claims from its count during the first half of 2016, creating a misrepresentation of how many claims were delayed.

Overall, the VA’s estimated backlog represents only 79 percent of actual backlogged claims, the IG determined.

The report states “The pending backlog could be significantly understated.”

to make decisions on claims, which can take years to complete. In 2013, the number of backlogged claims hit a peak of 611,000.

The VA has taken steps to reduce the backlog, and as of last week, the agency reported there were about 86,000 backlogged claims. However, the VA is underestimating that number because of unclear parameters about which claims apply for the backlog, the IG concluded.

Inspectors blamed the problems on “ineffective oversight and training.” The Inspector General’s Office found no instances of fraud during its investigation.

In response to the report, Paul Lawrence, the VA undersecretary for benefits, vowed to retrain employees and clarify which claims should be counted in the backlog.

He expects the training to be complete by next September.

The VA has been criticized in recent years for being slow

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“It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who has given us the freedom to demonstrate. It is the soldier, who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag.”

— Father Dennis Edward O’Brien, USMC

30 | VETERANS DAY 2018

“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.

Thank You

Veterans!

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.

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“Saluting Kern & Tulare Counties”

15th District Legionnaire

VETERANS DAY 2018 | 31

VETERAN SUICIDE

VA R E V E A L S I T S V E T E R A N SU IC I DE S TAT I S T IC I N C LU DE D AC T I V E - D U T Y T RO OP S

BY NIKKI WENTLING

Gino Valpredo For years, the Department of Veterans Affairs reported an average of 20 veterans died by suicide every day -- an often-cited statistic that raised alarm nationwide about the rate of veteran suicide.

F

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725 East 19th Street • Bakersfield, CA 93305

However, the statistic has long been misunderstood, according to a report released this week.

The VA has now revealed the average daily number of veteran suicides has always included deaths of active-duty service members and members of the National Guard and Reserve, not just veterans.

Craig Bryan, a psychologist and leader of the National Center for Veterans Studies, said the new information could now help advocates in the fight against military and veteran suicide.

"The key message is that suicides are elevated among those who have ever served," Bryan said. "The benefit of separating out subgroups is that it can help us identify higher risk subgroups of the whole, which may be able to help us determine where and how to best focus resources."

The VA released its newest National Suicide Data Report on Monday, which includes data from 2005 through 2015.

Much in the report remained unchanged from two years ago, when the VA reported suicide statistics through 2014. Veteran suicide rates are still higher than the rest of the population, particularly among women.

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In both reports, the VA said an average of 20 veterans succumbed to suicide every day. In its newest version, the VA was more specific.

The report shows the total is 20.6 suicides every day.

Of those, 16.8 were veterans and 3.8 were active-duty service members, guardsmen and reservists, the report states. That amounts to 6,132 veterans and 1,387 service members who died by suicide in one year.

The VA's 2012 report stated 22 veterans succumbed to suicide every day — a number that’s still often cited incorrectly. That number also included active-duty troops, Guard and Reserve, VA Press Secretary Curt Cashour said Wednesday.

VA officials determine the statistic by analyzing state death certificates and calculating the percentage of veterans out of all suicides. The death certificates include a field designating whether the deceased ever served in the U.S. military.

Information in the 2012 report wasn’t as complete as the newer ones. At the time, only 21 states shared information from their death certificates. California and Texas, which have large veteran populations, were two of the states that didn’t provide their data.

"Since that report was released, we have been closely collaborating with the [Department of Defense] to in-

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V E T E R A N S SU IC I DE

(Continued from Page 31)

C A L I F O R N I A S TAT E L E G I S L AT U R E

crease our level of accuracy in reporting," Cashour wrote in an email.

F O U RT E E N T H S E N AT E D I S T R I C T

Following the release of the new National Suicide Data Report on Monday, some veteran advocates responded on social media with questions. One person said the community was "thrown off."

Bryan said the situation "highlights a common source of confusion regarding who is and who is not considered a ‘veteran.’"

is is a heartfelt thank you to Valley Legionnaires for your brave service defending America's freedom and for now actively serving the same communities you defended.

Heidi Kar, a project director at the nonprofit Education Development Center and a clinical psychologist with expertise in veteran suicide, said she had previously understood the statistic to be a veteran-only number.

Overall, Kar thinks the VA put more emphasis in its latest report about suicide as a public health issue that requires the help of multiple agencies and community-based groups. The report shows that of the 20.6 veterans and service members who died by suicide every day, six had recently used VA health care services. The suicide rate among the people who didn’t receive VA care increased faster than ones who did.

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"The biggest message is that suicide prevention is everyone’s job," Kar said. "It’s a problem for active duty, it’s a problem for vets, it’s a problem for the elderly and for young people.

So, the response has to be multidimensional, and different sectors have to problem-solve together."

The VA said in a statement that it’s working with the Defense Department and the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to publish 2016 suicide statistics in the fall. The agency said it’s part of an ongoing review of millions of death records that could lead to improvements in the VA’s suicide prevention programs.

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PAST PRESIDENTS NAT IONA L C OM M A N DE R ' S

O

On March 24 Past President of Units, District and Department met at Merle Reed Unit 124 for a Lunch and fundraiser for Nursing Scholarships for the Department of California.

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Legion Family Post 13-Decorating Luncheon $5.00 pp

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Black Tie New Year Cocktail-Dinner Party w/National Commanders, Legion, SAL, Aux President, & Celebrities $80 pp/$150 Couple (hosted bar)

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Troops to College program 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.

SDSU lays out welcome mat for veterans To welcome returning troops, San Diego State University has established a campus veterans center and a plethora of scholarship and funding available to our country's newest veterans. Military housing might even be available on fraternity row, and the campus center will answer veterans' financial aid questions and give them a place to relax.

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Veterans who lack the course requirements or grades for admission will have their file reviewed by an administrator, a retired Army lieutenant colonel. Once enrolled, veterans get priority in selecting classes.

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KERN COUNTY VETERANS SPEAK OUT F OR M E DIC A L M A R I J UA NA AS DI SP E N S A RY DE A DL I N E N E A R S

BY SAM MORGEN

When Chad Garcia left the army in 2014, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs prescribed him a laundry list of drugs to help him deal with the injuries – mental and physical – he suffered during his service.

W

“The VA gives you a bag of medication,” he said. “We dub it the 'combat cocktail.'”

Garcia, 36, had suffered four concussions during his time in the army. One concussion came from the explosion of an IED, another came after a rocket-propelled grenade went off nearby.

The hardest part of his service, he said, was watching his friends fall in combat.

“It’s not like I’m watching them die and nothing is going on,” he said. “I’m watching

them die, and then having to fight at the same time.”

“I was losing my family. I was becoming very suicidal myself,” he said.

He served from 2001-14, with three deployments in Afghanistan, in stints with the 82nd Airborne Division and the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division. He eventually attained the rank of sergeant before being medically retired due to posttraumatic stress.

Garcia eventually turned to medical marijuana after obtaining a prescription.

When he returned to Bakersfield, he found it difficult to live the life he wanted to.

“I was drinking down all these pills and trying to adjust myself to transition into civilian life, and it wasn’t working out,” he said.

His thoughts kept returning to his deployment, to what he could have done differently. He was paranoid and had severe mood swings.

He now takes various forms of medical marijuana to “stay mellow” throughout the day.

He uses a mixture of cannabidiol – a cannabis compound less psychoactive than THC – and indica, a cannabis strain believed to have relaxing effects.

“Just like every other medication, you’ve got to take doses, you’ve got to take it throughout the day,” Garcia said. “You can’t just wake up, take a bong rip, and expect it to work.”

The marijuana aided his symptoms much better than the medication prescribed by the VA, he said.

“I’ve seen a complete change in my temperament, a complete change in the way I interact with people,” he said. “Everybody who knows me has seen a change.”

When Garcia began using medical marijuana, he joined a contingent of the Kern County veteran community who use the drug to deal with maladies accrued while in the service.

Garcia has advocated to the Kern County Board of Supervisors for them to overturn the county’s ban on medical marijuana dispensaries.

He provided an informal survey he conducted to the supervisors, in which 52 of 88 respondents who identified themselves as local veterans said they had used cannabis to relieve health issues.

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K E R N C O U N T Y V E T R A N S SP E A K O U T

(Continued from Page 38) These veterans, along with every other medical marijuana user in the county, could soon be dealing with the closure of the local market.

All 31 medical marijuana dispensaries currently legally operating are scheduled to shut down Nov. 24 or shortly afterward.

The permits for the dispensaries were grandfathered in after the ban, with the November end date in place should nothing change.

“That would suck,” said U.S. Marine veteran Nick Miranda. “It would make me feel like I’m some kind of high school delinquent who is sneaking out of the house to meet up with a shady character. Veterans should be treated with more dignity than that.”

Miranda, 35, has a metal disk in his foot, placed there after he suffered a repetitive stress injury as a 50-caliber machine gunner on a helicopter during the Iraq War. He served as a marine from 2006 to 2010, deploying to Iraq in 2007.

While on deployment, a dust storm caused a stomach infection, which impacted Miranda’s appetite.

When he returned to Kern County, he said he became addicted to hydrocodone, which had been prescribed to him by the VA. “It was horrible,” he said. “The first thing I’d do when I woke up was reach for that pill bottle. It got to the point where I’d chew like three to five at a time and, boom that would be my morning kick.”

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K E R N C O U N T Y V E T E R A N S SP E A K O U T

(Continued from Page 39)

600,000 VETERANS

When Miranda turned to marijuana, he found it treated him better than the medication he had been taking for his PTSD, foot injury, and stomach issues.

“It helps me relax, and function out in society without looking like this ADHD guy who is constantly looking like he’s uncomfortable,” he said.

Miranda does not think the situation in the county is ideal. He said the county’s current plan limits the products he is able to purchase, while counties to the west of Kern provide far more options to their customers.

He said most of the veterans he knows, even those who do not use medical marijuana, think the same way he does.

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“Veterans, we all talk,” he said. “We’re scratching our heads trying to figure out what’s going on. This is not about political party, either. There are Democrats and Republican veterans.

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Miranda said he hopes attitudes about marijuana will soon change throughout the county.

“I am a veteran. I am a marine," he said. "I realize that for myself and many of our fellow veterans, this is something that we do need, and this is something that we need in Kern County."

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GENESIS OF THE AMERICAN LEGION T

Twenty non-career officers personally selected by Lt. Col. Theodore Roosevelt Jr. were ordered by American Expeditionary Forces Commanding Gen. John Pershing to report to a YMCA office in Paris on Feb. 15, 1919. Their ostensible purpose was to address declining morale among cold, wet, miserable troops awaiting passage home from the war that was supposed to end all wars. But the officers, who met again for dinner the following evening, had something more in mind than the moods of their restless buddies. This was the perfect time, they decided, to talk about a new kind of veterans association, one specifically for them, built on what they had learned from the war.

Nine of the 20 officers had something else in common: they were alumni of the Plattsburgh Training Camps of upstate New York, where civilian volunteers defied the Wilson White House by preparing to fight in a war the president did not initially want the United States to enter.

U.S. intervention was controversial. Many considered it to be purely a European affair. And with thousands of new immigrants to the United States from the warring nations in Europe, uprisings were a concern if America went in.

After Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, on June 28, 1914, armies mobilized across the European landscape, and the Great War was on, a war like none before it.

Military investment had been relatively high in Europe before the assassination. The opposite was true in the United States. Alec Campbell noted in his 2010 essay “The Sociopolitical Origins of The American Legion” that between the U.S. Civil War and World War I, major European states “enrolled between 0.7 and 1.65 percent of their populations in the military while the United States came in between 0.06 and 0.17 percent. These numbers understate the relative differences, as conscription and reserve forces increased the available fighting power of most European states in that period.”

The United States, an ocean away from Europe, saw no great need for a large standing military, with a friendly neighbor to the north and only sporadic conflicts on the southern border. The national focus remained on developing the West, building railroads, overcoming native tribes and harvesting the bountiful natural resources west of the Mississippi.

Even during the Spanish-American War, when future President Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Riders gained fame, the United States involved only about 72,000 troops.

And although limited in scope, the Spanish-American War

“could build national accord as well as national character” and resolve “class and sectional hatreds,” Roosevelt suggested.

He recruited troops from elite colleges and clubs and then “scattered eastern swells through (the) entire unit ... purposely bunking cowhands with capitalists.”

According to author M. Perlman, newspapers claimed this was “the most representative body of men on American soil, for in it were cowboys and millionaires, side by side, all men equal.”

In contrast, Europe was much more familiar with military action and political battles. In the last two decades of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th, the continent saw conflicts between Serbia and Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey; numerous uprisings and subsequent suppressions of groups opposing the Ottoman Empire; an attempt

by Macedonia to split off; a Russo-Japanese conflict; and numerous peasant revolts. Germany was still consolidating into one, as was Italy. European armies marched into each other, seemingly at the slightest provocation, while America marched westward, away from these distant skirmishes, laying tracks of economic expansion.

The assassination of Ferdinand, however, disrupted America’s manifest destiny and fractured U.S. foreign policy.

Roosevelt, as president from 1901 until 1909, had sought to raise America’s international clout by securing the Panama Canal and negotiating peace terms to end the Russo-Japanese War. He launched the sparkling new Great White Fleet with a two-year world tour to demonstrate U.S. naval prowess.

In contrast, Woodrow Wilson was elected in 1912 on a platform of neutrality and isolationism, hearkening to a view espoused by Thomas Jefferson, who said that “essential principles of our government (are) peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none.”

The Great War challenged Wilson’s resolve, but in 1916 he was re-elected on a platform summed up by the campaign slogan: “He kept us out of war.”

The Preparedness Movement Roosevelt and others, like former Secretary of the Army Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood, were less sure the United States would be able to – or should – stay out of the fight in Europe. They resolved to ensure that if the call to arms came, at least some Americans would be trained to lead. At the time, the U.S. military had less than one-tenth of the personnel needed for the eventual war.

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G E N E SI S OF T H E A M E R IC A N L E G ION

(Continued from Page 42) Wood and Roosevelt, along with former war secretaries Elihu Root and Henry Stimson, began calling for preparedness. Wood started the National Security League (NSL) in 1914, and by the middle of that year “the League’s total civilian membership resembled an interlocking preparedness directory,” one author noted. The NSL quickly grew to more than 50,000 members in 155 chapters across 42 states.

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The German U-boat sinking of the British ocean liner RMS Lusitania on May 7, 1915, validated to many the need for U.S. military intervention. Of the nearly 1,200 who perished in the attack, 128 were Americans. U.S. entry into the war grew ever more likely.

Roosevelt and Wood believed that lists of people were helpful, but modern training was vital. Thus was conceived the “Plattsburgh Idea,” named for a small city near the Canadian border where voluntary training could be conducted by college-educated men, including Theodore Roosevelt Jr., under the watchful eyes of the former president and Wood.

The broader concept was a series of military training camps for business and professional men, similar to programs already operated by the Army on some college campuses in the form of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. The Plattsburgh camps took greater shape in the fall of 1915 and were attended by roughly 1,700 men that year. By the end of the 1916 camps, another 17,000 had completed volunteer training. The Military Training Camps Association (MTCA) that would govern Plattsburgh and other regional camps across the country expected 50,000 more to train in 1917. That prediction was obviated on April 6, 1917, when Wilson pivoted and declared U.S. entry in the Great War. Future founders of The American Legion – many of whom were also members of a nationwide volunteer network called American Legion, Inc. – were quickly commissioned as officers to help lead Pershing’s young force. At war, the future founders realized that physical conditions, discipline and mental sharpness among the mostly drafted U.S. troops generally were inadequate. Literacy, fitness, weaponry, training and supplies were also sorely lacking. In addition, many AEF troops were new U.S. immigrants and had scant understanding of what they were fighting for.

To many, the concepts of justice, freedom and democracy were foreign, literally and figuratively, and English was a second language, if they could speak it at all.

“Nine of the initial 20 Legion organizers had been involved

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as leaders or participants in the Plattsburg(h) movement,” Campbell writes. “Three had been involved in the NSL, and five were National Guard officers. Accounting for multiple associations, 60 percent had been involved in at least one pre-war preparedness organization, and 75 percent had been involved in either a preparedness organization or the National Guard.”

Franklin D’Olier, who in 1919 would be elected the first national commander of The American Legion, never trained at Plattsburgh, but he granted leave to employees of his mercantile business to attend.

Author Ralph Barton Perry, writing in 1922, explained that a typical Plattsburg(h) trainee “discovered new physical values. He learned to view his body in a new light, as something to be cared for, as a man might groom his horse. He learned that he walked on his feet and that his feet had to be respected accordingly. He learned something about his physical energy, its reserves and its limits, and what you can do to increase it ... He discovered extremes of fatigue and hunger that were totally new to him, and the soul-satisfying joy which may exalt such humble things as sitting down by the roadside and drinking warm water from a canteen.

When he came to carry his house, his wardrobe and his stores about on his back, he learned how few things a man really needs to keep him going, (needs) and how many things he can get along without.”

Politics 101 Following the February 1919 meeting of officers, and after the formative Paris Caucus a month later, focus among the Legion’s all-officer founders turned to creating a national organization that would represent different parts of the country without regard to socioeconomic, political, educational or military pedigree. The new American Legion would not fall into traps of admitting officers only or taking sides in political contests.

“The two great veterans’ organizations with which we were all familiar as boys and girls were highly political and intensely partisan,” D’Olier wrote in 1928. “In the North, the Legion was called the successor to the Grand Army of the Republic, and in the South it was thought of as the heir to the traditions of the United Confederate Veterans.

In New York state, the political currents already had caught up Roosevelt and he was, or shortly became, a candidate for the Legislature.”

Before moving to a permanent national headquarters in Indianapolis, the Legion used the MTCA office in New York,

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G E N E SI S OF T H E A M E R IC A N L E G ION

(Continued from Page 43) conveniently located near the famous Harvard Club, of which the Roosevelts were members.

Manhattan and the Harvard Club were not necessarily the best icons to appeal to a broad cross section of veterans. For the newly formed organization to endure, it would need to diversify. The founders distanced the new organization from the elite optics of northeastern Ivy League culture.

To achieve that distance, they installed a sort of Senate, the National Executive Committee, with elected representatives from across the country, representing each state. To identify potential NEC members, the founders turned to the MTCA and recruited from its diverse list of alumni.

“The incidental costs of finding state committeemen were borne by the MTCA, which paid for the hundreds of telegrams sent to potential state organizers,” Campbell wrote. “Moreover, state-level contacts were often made through preparedness organizations.”

Initial attempts to gather names for early American Legion organizing committees in the states were often made by Arthur Cosby, executive secretary of the MTCA, a former Rough Rider who served under Roosevelt but was not a veteran of the Great War and so was ineligible for Legion membership. Cosby helped the cause by using his MTCA contacts to find what he called “the right sort of men.”

D’Olier was particularly cognizant of Roosevelt’s Republican persuasion and how

that might be viewed in states that leaned Democrat. To balance it out among the more famous Legion founders, D’Olier, a Quaker, and other early leaders of the organization paired Roosevelt with Bennett Champ Clark, son of U.S. Speaker of the House Rep. Champ Clark, a Democrat from Missouri. Clark had graduated from a Plattsburgh sister camp at Fort Myer, Va., and knew the MTCA. D’Olier noted that in letters to recruit MTCA alumni as leaders of The American Legion, “most of the delegates were obtained by dealing through men in the different states that some of us knew. In dealing with Democratic states, we would sign Clark’s name to telegrams, and in Republican states, we would use Roosevelt’s. In doubtful states, both names.”

“It would be unfortunate to place The American Legion in conflict with the political parties,” opined Brig. Gen. William G. Price, a veteran of Cuban service during the Spanish-American War who later led the 28th Infantry Division. “But (the Legion) will uphold what is right so firmly and forcefully that whatever party is wrong will learn to fear it. It is the brotherhood of men who have realized thoroughly their responsibility to the nation.”

As the organization took shape, membership recruitment was the foremost concern, and a “Speakers Bureau” of Legionnaires took the group’s message from the local meeting hall to the public square.

As one such Legion speaker noted, “read-

justments in social and labor conditions are taking place, and it is a very vital function of The American Legion to show ... not only why it is to the interest of all to become members of the Legion but also the great part which the Legion does play in national affairs.”

the Legion was right and would win.”

George Wheat noted in his 1919 “The Story of The American Legion” that “... it became most necessary to properly present the Legion to those men who had remained at home and who had gotten out of the service, and to those who were incoming from France and rapidly being demobilized, as it was upon them that the success of the Legion depended. Furthermore, their opinions were the soil upon which the various state organizations had to work, and at that particular time it was vital that the Legion should be widely known and thoroughly understood; that its aims and ambitions should not be misconstrued either willfully or unintentionally, nor its precepts perverted.”

“I left for Minneapolis a candidate for nothing except some railroad tickets to take my family on that promised vacation,” he wrote. “Bill Donovan and Ted Roosevelt talked me into permitting my name to go before the convention. They picked me for my negative qualities. I had never made a public speech in my life. I had never given an interview to a newspaper reporter. I had never been in politics and would never get in because I lacked the qualifications. I was thought to be capable of giving the Legion a quiet, plain business administration, which was felt to be a good thing during a presidential year.”

The Drive for Members As Roosevelt, D’Olier and others worked out of the MTCA offices in New York to raise money and get the Legion up and running, state officers were hitting the streets to find eligible veterans to join.

“It was a long, hard-working summer and fall,” D’Olier wrote. “By July 1, six weeks after the St. Louis Caucus, we had less than a thousand posts going. But by Aug. 1, the number had more than doubled, and by Sept. 1, it had quadrupled. On Oct. 1, the number of posts was 5,670, and we felt that

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At the first national convention in November that year, D’Olier found himself on the ballot for national commander, a position he had not asked for, dreamed of or even particularly relished.

D’Olier, beholden to no one, and without any obvious political persuasions or desires, was just what the Legion needed to avoid the politicization that had divided previous veterans organizations.

“I was no orator, had no desire to become one ... and anyway felt that the country was a bit fed up on oratory and that the public would be more interested in plain business statements as to what the Legion was actually accomplishing and intended to do ...

I felt that the public would be more interested in brief communiqués from the front than in oratorical effort.”

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G E N E SI S OF T H E A M E R IC A N L E G ION

(Continued from Page 44)

AMERICAN LEGION

Campbell wrote that “the organizational model for the Legion was the MTCA, which had sought mass-based participation. The Legion was not meant to be a tightly controlled elite organization like the NSL. Ideologically, the Legion’s leaders believed in what they were doing and that the vast majority of common Americans shared their views.”

Unsurprisingly, many of the first resolutions passed by the Legion dealt with preparedness.

The Report of the Committee on Military Policy set forth unambiguously its belief that “a large standing army is uneconomic and un-American. National safety with freedom from militarism is best assured by a national citizen army and navy based on the democratic and American principles of the quality of obligation and opportunity for all.”

Universal military training – and, importantly, not universal military service – would long be a priority of the Legion. “We have had a bitter experience in the cost of unpreparedness for national defense and the lack of proper training on the part of officers and men,” the committee reported. “We favor a national military and naval system based on universal military obligation, to include a relatively small regular army and navy, and a citizen army and navy capable of rapid expansion sufficient to meet any national emergency.”

The Plattsburgh Idea had become official policy of the brand-new American Legion. The committee added in its first report that “we favor the continuance of training camps for the training and education of officers to serve in case of national requirement.”

Physical and mental discipline, military preparedness, promotion of democracy, and strengthening of young people all were undoubtedly topics discussed among future founders of The American Legion between training-camp exercises before the war. And when they had proof of their convictions fresh in mind in the winter of 1919, they turned their principles into an organization that would long outlive them all.

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EMPLOYING VETERANS

L E G ION TASK F ORC E A DDR E S SE S C HA L L E N G E S TO E M P L OY I N G V E T E R A N S

BY CAMERAN RICHARDSON

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Identifying how to source veterans seeking employment and accessing service members before they separate from the military were two challenges that several private employers said they currently face. This discussion was the focus of The American Legion’s Employment Innovation Task Force roundtable in Minneapolis on Aug. 27, which involved federal agencies, private employers, and members of the Legion’s Veterans Employment and Education Commission.

It’s the second time the task force has convened since The American Legion’s Washington Conference in February, with the objective to assess veteran employment and transition issues.

Guest speaker Jack Fanous shared an employment resource that was of interest to the task force.

JobPath is an online veteran employment job searching, job training and mentoring site that is drawing 24,000 new veteran users every month. Fanous, co-founder and CEO, launched the online portal as a way to address many of the concerns that veterans were facing when attending a job fair – not finding a job or being told to go back home and apply for jobs online. “Many veterans took that as a brush-off, that they didn’t really want to hire me, they just wanted to get me away from the booth,” Fanous said.

JobPath is a technology-based solution, the likes of Google or LinkedIn, that’s built for veterans, transitioning service members and spouses. It got underway five years ago but the first two years were spent writing 7,500 military occupational specialty (MOS) translations so that when veterans upload resumes “they speak corporate America speak,” Fanous

said. The site is free for veterans and their families and provides recommendations on the type of jobs veterans should be applying for; what licenses and credentials they are eligible for based off their MOS; connects them with jobs that are locally based off their MOS; and connects them with jobs based off their career interest. Other training tools include connecting veterans with their VA and education benefits.

About 1,000 employers are working with JobPath and pay a monthly fee of $500 for job postings.

“Employers want to do the right thing, they want to hire veterans but they are intimidated. First of all they don’t know the language, don’t know how to approach the community, and they don’t want to ask because it makes them feel embarrassed,” Fanous said. “What we focus on is educating the employers and giving them the tools and resources to understand exactly who it is that they are hiring. We want to make sure they are hiring the right people for the right roles to increase retention numbers. Only way to get there is by educating employers and helping them understand who they’re looking at.”

Retention of veterans by employers is a criteria for the HIRE Vets Medallion Program, a Department of Labor (DoL) program that is a top priority for the department, said Timothy Green, director for Office of Strategic Outreach at DoL, Veterans Employment and Training Services. The program was established through the HIRE Vets Act that was signed into law by President Trump in May 2017, and is the only federal program that rewards employers for hiring and retaining veterans in the workforce.

In November, the first awards will be presented for the program’s demonstration group where 300 companies applied.

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The HIRE Vets Medallion Program will be fully implemented in January 2019 for companies to apply.

Companies can use the medallion as a marketing tool. And a list of the program’s recipients will be given to transitioning service members.

Accessing transitioning service members When the task force was asked about what they need to recruit more veterans, TAP was mentioned.

“We’re not in the TAP (transition assistance program) process, we’re not heavily involved and engaged to let people know what we’re doing as (employers) and VSOs (veteran service organizations),” said James Simpson, Military Talent Acquisition manager for Pike Enterprises, LLC, in Jacksonville, N.C. “We hire 35,000 employees a year and we are in 48 states. I would love to bring recruiters up to interact with TAP candidates and do nothing more than mock interviews and resume reviews,” said David Gaulin, director of Military and Veteran Affairs for Comcast NBCUniversal.

Improving access to TAP is one of the things that the new TAP curriculum addresses. As part of the revision, VSOs will be invited to speak for 15 minutes and connect with the service members, said Meredith Bedenbaugh-Thomas, assistant director of Military to Civilian Transition with Department of Veterans Affairs Transition Economic Development (TED).

“I think it’s a good idea to bring employers in (to TAP) … I think the key there is that individuals who are going through

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HONORING ALL WHO SERVED US ARMY VETERAN www.shannongrove.net THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS

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E M P L OY I N G V E T E R A N S

(Continued from Page 46) transition get to see this whole process humanized by looking at a person with a heartbeat and going, ‘Oh, you’re an employer and I may have an opportunity to work for your company,’” said Chris Davison, veteran recruiting and warrior integration program manager for Talent Solutions. “I think that does a lot rather than having an instructor talk to you, the VA coming in, and then they go out say, ‘Here’s my resume, now what?’”

Green said DoL will have improvements to TAP as well, especially on the employment workshop side. Military separation preparation will start 365 days out and will include a career assessment before the employment workshop. TAP is now about “how can we make the transition experience the best it can be based on the new guidance we are getting from the NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act),” Green said.

TAP survey results The American Legion recently conducted a survey to gauge the effectiveness of TAP and challenges service members faced upon transitioning that included family relationships, personal finances, education, employment, housing and VA benefits. Out of the more than 550 responses, 60 percent reported challenges post transition with finances; nearly 40 percent reported challenges with current VA benefits or VA health care; and nearly 25 percent reported continuing challenges with family or personal relationships, and personal finances.

And more than half of all respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed that TAP prepared them to access their VA benefits and services.

Bedenbaugh-Thomas said with the new improvements to TAP, TED will be “proactively embedding transition throughout a service member’s career instead of waiting till the end.

Now, from the time someone enlists or commissions, we are there from day one talking about education benefits, help you make decisions early on. That’s really a big change because you’re not waiting until the end of that transition for someone to separate.”

Survey respondents also suggested that delivery of TAP tracks and information would be better handled by eBooks, downloads, videos and through social media platforms.

“This merits some further investigation into the most effective way to translate TAP information for this generation of a transitioning service member to pursue benefits and employment, and learn to be more effective on finances and family relationships,” said Linda Brooks Rix, Co-CEO of Avue Technologies Corp., and task force moderator.

Fanous said that at JobPath “we take the approach that TAP is local and TAP never ends. If we think TAP ends the day you separate, that’s the number one reason why we’re failing transition service members.”

ORGANIZATIONS WARNING V E T E R A N S SHO U L D B E WA RY OF ORG A N I Z AT ION S

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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.

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VETERANS AND IDENTITY FRAUD P ROT E C T I N G V E T E R A N S F ROM I DE N T I T Y F R AU D

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Over 16.7 million people were affected by identity fraud in 2017 alone. Everyone is vulnerable; however, veterans are at a higher risk than civilians because of the military protocol they are accustomed to for personal identification. All veterans should be aware of the serious consequences that identity fraud can cause for both themselves and for their beneficiaries.

Andy Barkate, MS President

2222 E St • Suite 3 • Bakersfield, CA 93301 Toll Free: 800-914-6837 • Local: 661-631-4355 • Fax: 661-631-4350 email: abarkate@calretirement.com • web: @calretirement.com

John Hardin, CLTC Financial Advisor

An Ameriprise Financial franchise

Hardin & Associates A financial advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. 36 E Morton Ave. Porterville, CA 93257-3804 T: 559.781.8956 x1 F: 559.781.2120 John.S.Hardin@ampf.com CA Insurance #0772557

Areas of Practice

Borton Petrini, LLP is Kern County’s oldest law firm, serving the community for over 115 years.

5060 California Avenue, Suite 700 Bakersfield, California 93309 Tel: (661) 322-3051 Fax: (661) 322-4628 www.bortonpetrini.com

Agricultural Law Business & Civil Litigation Business Law Commercial Law Construction Law & Defect Contract Law Corporate Law Employment & Labor Law Estate Planning & Probate Family Law Insurance Defense Land Use Oil, Gas & Mineral Law Property Association Law Real Estate Law Transportation/Trucking Law Water Rights

Once a criminal has obtained personal information it can be misused in many ways. The two most common approaches, according to a 2017 Federal Trade Commission report, include credit card fraud where new accounts are opened in your name and tax fraud to obtain your tax refund. Bank account fraud and taking out loans and lines of credit in your name are other ways that criminals can take advantage of their victims, and you should consult your bank on what steps to take to prevent account fraud from happening.

All of these actions can negatively impact your credit score, affect your ability to access your benefits including medical care and housing, and can take a significant amount of time and money to resolve criminal charges and to close bad accounts. So how can you prevent that from happening?

Keep your personal information private.

As a veteran, you are used to sharing your social security number to identify yourself as a service member and veteran. Consider the source asking for your social security number and never share it via text, social media platforms or publicly accessible sites.

Shred your sensitive documents.

Tax records should be kept for 7 years and you can shred any prior returns after consulting with your tax advisor. Make sure your documents are shred in a way that it is impossible to put back together for fraudulent purposes.

Sign up for account alerts.

Most financial service providers allow you to receive a text message or email if unusual activity or fraud is suspected on your accounts. You can even set threshold alerts for transactions over a certain dollar amount so you are in-theknow when money leaves your accounts.

Regularly review bank and credit card account statements.

Criminals will test to see if you notice small purchases they make on your account. If you don’t notice, they’ll use your account number to make large purchases that could prove devastating.

Review your credit report three times a year.

Obtain a free credit report annually from each of the three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) at www.annualcreditreport.com or by calling (877) 322-8228. In general, don’t check it more than three times a year as it could dink your credit.

For additional identity protection information, visit the US Department of Veterans Affairs at www.va.gov/identitytheft or listen to a recent interview with the Western Bankers Association regarding how banks are helping individuals protect their identity at www.cvcb.com/identity-protection.

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IMPROVING VETERANS CARE

PE NC E VOWS TO C ON T I N U E I M PROV I NG V ET E R A N S C A R E

BY HENRY HOWARD

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The White House has made it easier for veterans to access their health care and benefits, Vice President Mike Pence told American Legion members as its 100th National Convention drew to a close Aug. 31 in Minneapolis.

of a Bronze Star recipient from the Korean War and is the father of a U.S. Marine. “Your work over the past century has made an incalculable difference for our nation’s veterans, those who serve in the armed forces today and their families.”

“We’ve expanded telehealth options, we’ve opened a new White House VA hotline run by veterans for veterans and we’ve made it easier for America’s veterans to get the mental health care services they need to treat the invisible wounds of war,” Pence said.

Pence noted the historic 100th national convention of The American Legion.

He vowed to improve the services for the current generation of servicemembers returning home from war. “You do not carry that burden alone.”

While touching on a range of issues, Pence highlighted efforts that he said showed the administration has worked hard to improve the Department of Veterans Affairs, noting there has been $55 million in retroactive benefits paid out to veterans. That work is thanks to the work and advocacy of The American Legion.

“Throughout your storied history, The American Legion has advocated for its nation’s veterans in the highest levels of our nation’s government,” said Pence, who is the son

“A century of service and sacrifice,” he told the assembled crowd of veterans. “Thanks to the men and women of The American Legion, we are at the start of a new century of American strength, and The American Legion has been there every step of the way.”

He thanked the veterans for their service. ”You, Legionnaires, answered that call in your time. You veterans are emblematic of American greatness.”

Pence paid tribute to the late Sen. John McCain, a Vietnam War prisoner of war. “He did not yield,” the vice president said. “After he returned home, he entered a new kind of service in the halls of our nation’s Capitol. America will always remember and honor the lifetime of service of United States Sen. John McCain.”

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He also addressed national security and the various threats the U.S. faces, including the progress made against the Islamic State. “Together with our allies, we've taken the fight to radicalized Islam on their soil. ISIS is on the run, their caliphate has crumbled and we soon will drive ISIS from the face of the earth.”

The vice president also praised The American Legion for its support of children and youth programs. In 1977, Pence won The American Legion Department of Indiana’s Oratorical Contest. “It began my lifelong love of the Constitution of the United States.”

Throughout his roughly 25-minute address, Pence touched on a variety of programs and initiatives carried out by The American Legion.

“Throughout your storied history you have advocated for veterans at the highest levels of our government, and your work over the past century made a difference for all those who serve in the armed forces and their families,” he said.

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“ We must never forget the courage and sacrifice of our veterans.

It is our obligation and a symbol of our gratitude that we honor their service to our country.”

www.McCarthyforCongress.com Paid for by Kevin McCarthy for Congress

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The VA and Accelerated Urgent Care have forged a partnership to increase Veterans access to medical care closer to home. Simply call (877-252-4866) for pre-approval and be seen at Accelerated Urgent Care within approximately 15 minutes.

Veterans may be referred to Accelerated Urgent Care for treatment of common minor illnesses, such as strep throat; ear, eye, sinus, bladder and bronchial infections; nausea, vomiting and diarrhea; and heartburn and indigestion.

Additionally, minor wounds, abrasions, skin conditions, sprains and strains may also be treated.

All enrolled, VA, ACCs and CBOCs within VAGLAHS - may contact the Veterans Integrated Service Network.

All it takes is a simple phone call to 877-252-4866

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE ACCELERATED URGENT CARE – EXPERT CARE ON YOUR TIME 2400 K St 661-885 9909 Hours: 8:00am – 9:00pm Daily

9917 Olive Dr 661-695 9656 Hours: 8:00am – 9:00pm Daily

9710 Brimhall Rd 661-829-6747 Hours: 8:00am – 9:30pm Daily

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9500 Stockdale Hwy 661-735-3943 Hours: 8:00am – 9:00pm Daily

4871 White Ln 661-832-1679 Hours: 8:00am – 9:00pm Daily