Veterans Life A Sound Publishing Monthly Magazine
www.kitsapveteranslife.com
May 2014
VETERAN PROFILE: THE ANONYMOUS BATTLE, PART THREE By Jessica Ginet In our March 2014 issue, we covered the basic premise of what is now known as the Anonymous Battle, which took place in War Zone C in South Vietnam on March 26, 1970. Last month, we featured the recollection of Olalla resident Paul Evans, Private First Class, Rifleman, Charlie Company, Second Battalion, 8th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). This month read about Port Orchard resident and Private First Class Stanley Carter’s experience during the Anonymous Battle. Carter, part of Alpha Troop, was the loader for Sergeant Guiterrez on the tank ‘American Woman’. Alpha Troop rescued Charlie Company after they found themselves literally on top of a North Vietnamese Army stronghold, outnumbered, and running out of ammunition. His first firefight was during the Anonymous Battle in March 1970. Carter, who was drafted into the Army in June 1969, was in the country for just over two months when he found himself in the middle of chaos. The Anonymous Battle on March 26 is always on Stan Carter’s mind when he recalls his war experiences. Carter arrived in DUTY-HONOR-COUNTRY
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Stan Carter Vietnam on Jan. 10, 1970. He was assigned to the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment and also to Alpha Troop, second platoon. Carter went to Armor School in Ft. Knox, KY, where he learned his way around tanks. He loaded ammunition on Sheridan and M-48 tanks while in Vietnam. “I was on a few ACAVs at first, then I was assigned as a loader on a Sheridan tank, an A-27, named ‘Avilla’ at that time and changed to ‘American Woman’ soon after I arrived.” While researching the popular culture of this era, it was noted the song “American Woman,” by the Canadian group The Guess Who, was considered anti-American. The group was prohibited from playing this song when they performed for Nixon at the White House in 1970, SEMPER FI
the same time that Carter’s platoon was involved in the Anonymous Battle in Vietnam. Carter’s tank commander was Staff Sergeant Pasqual “Gus” Gutierrez. “He was a two-year man who graduated top of his NCO class and came out an E-6 instead of an E-5,” Carter said, continuing, “I have to say right now that Gus saved my life and the crew of A-27 many, many times. When we got into a firefight or were ambushed, in any situation, he knew exactly what to do. I felt safe with him as my tank commander.” Carter recalls the platoon he was assigned as a very capable one. “The crew of A-27, if I do say so myself, was exceptional. Our driver [Harry Disler] was a great driver and drove exactly as ordered in battle and out of battle. He was a good mechanic and the tank was always well maintained.” Carter was taught how to load the main gun line on the M-48 by Gutierrez. “In a firefight we had a system that went real smooth. I’d turn the main gun switch to on and say, ‘She’s ready.’ Gus would reply, ‘On the way’ and pull the trigger to shoot the main gun. I would then reload the canister round.” Carter said that during a firefight, the dialog between the two, with
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Carter saying, “She’s ready” and Gus replying, “On the way,” would progress quickly, in a sort of pattern, indicating the main gun was always firing, which was good. Carter remembers Lieutenant Healey tell-
“Busting jungle was causing a lot of tree branches and vines to come across our turret. Gus told me to get inside, close the loader’s hatch, and stay inside ‘till we reached the grunts.” ing the second platoon, “[We’re] going to rescue some grunts trapped in a bunker complex.” Without hesitation, the second platoon started busting jungle on their mission to assist Charlie Company. While Carter usually stood on the loader’s seat with his upper body exposed outside of the tank, he was quickly told to drop down inside. “Busting jungle was causing a lot of tree branches and vines to come across our turret. Gus told me to get inside, close the loader’s hatch, and stay inside ‘till we reached the grunts.”
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Carter doesn’t recall just how long he was sitting inside the hot, stifling turret before they reached Charlie Company. “When we got there, we could hear shooting. When we were getting on line to move in, Gus told me to get ready. Then all hell broke loose,” Carter said, adding, “Main guns, .50 calibers, M-60 machine guns, M-16s, everything. I don’t know what everybody was doing because I was down inside loading the whole time.” At one point, Carter remembers coming up to give Gus additional .50 caliber ammo boxes that he couldn’t reach. “At one time our tank shook and Gus came on the horn and said that Sergeant Foreman (of Alpha Troop) got hit. It was a very sad moment, the thought of what happened to him. His crewmen must have been devastated . . . but that’s war.” When the firefight was over, Carter came up out of the turret to help Gus change his .50 caliber barrel. The barrel had turned red-hot from the continuous firing. Emerging from the turret, soaking wet from being confined the hot, small space for hours, Carter was both weary and anxious. “I remember that when leaving the area, the tank in front of us had a body wrapped up in some ponchos on the rear deck. I was wondering if it was Sergeant Foreman.” In Captain John Poindexter’s book, “The Anonymous Battle”, Staff Sgt. Gutierrez described Carter: “I don’t remember our loader’s name, but I can clearly see his face - a skinny kid with blond hair and dark horn-rimmed glasses. I must have looked at his face a hundred times that day as he handed me grenades so I could throw them at the bunker openings to keep those RPGs from coming out at us.” One short week after the Anonymous Battle, on April 1, 1970, Carter found himself in yet another firefight. And yet a month later, in May of 1970, Carter was with the troops Nixon sent into Cambodia to locate weapon caches and supplies of the enemy. “I thought at that point that I wouldn’t make it out of Cambodia,” Carter said. Carter remained in
country until Oct. 24, 1970, when he was injured by a tank. “We usually had a hooch to stay dry under and stay out of the sun with but this time we didn’t have the stuff we needed,” he said. His platoon was securing a highway when a monsoon hit. “I saw our gunner during the monsoon getting out of the rain by going under the front of the tank and I decided to do the same.” The next morning, however, either the driver forgot or didn’t receive word from the tank commander that there were men underneath the tank. According to Carter, the tank moved, pivoting, and crushed his right foot, breaking a bone in his left foot as well, and injured the gunner’s calf. “That was the first and the last time we ever did that,” Carter said. Carter was supposed to stay in country until his tour was over in January 1971, but he was transported out of Vietnam on November 5, 1970, and sent to Letterman Army Medical Center in San Francisco, to heal and recuperate. Carter just happened to be surfing the net in 2004 when he stumbled up on the site for the 11th Armored Cavalry. It was on that site that Carter found contact information from guys he remembered from his platoon. He attended his first reunion in Colorado Springs in 2005, 38 years after the Anonymous Battle took place. “I’ve been to every reunion since then except one,” Carter said. “When you’re drafted, you don’t think about being a veteran.” Carter continued, adding, “As I look back on times as I’m older, I realize it was probably one of the best things that’s happened to me.” For his service during those intense 10 and a half months in Vietnam, Carter received the National Defense Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Sharpshooters Medal, Marksman Medal and the Presidential Unit Citation. To read the first and second parts of this series, go to www.KitsapVeteranslife. com.
On the inside There are no words we could ever express to the families of those who have lost loved ones due to military service. There aren’t enough hugs, smiles or words of encouragement that could take away the pain of knowing that a favorite uncle, brother, husband, wife, cousin or other relative isn’t coming home. But still, there is Memorial Day. Memorial Day is a way for Americans to pay tribute to those who have paid the ultimate price to defend the United States of America. It still doesn’t bring loved ones back home, but it may be a reminder that their sacrifices are appreciated, respected and never forgotten. This issue is special to us because of the tight-knit military community there is in this county. As many will say, military folks are a family that takes care of its own. In a special two-page feature this month, readers will meet Mick Hersey, a veteran who spends his free time restoring the county’s memorials. He doesn’t get paid to do it, but he does it because of how much other veterans mean to him. This issue also highlights the Run to Tahoma, a bittersweet final ride home for those whose remains have gone unclaimed. Writer Kevan Moore highlights everything the public needs to know about attending or participating in the event, and how the touching event got its start. Readers will also meet Dmitry Solominsky, an avid biker with a big dream: to cycle across country to raise awareness about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, also known as PTSD. His trip, which started in April, is to raise funds for the nonprofit Hope For The Warriors. The organization assists post-9/11 service members and their families with those stricken with physical and psychological issues from active duty service. However you will spend this Memorial Day — whether it be a family picnic or placing flags on a deceased service member’s grave site — remember to take a moment to pause and reflect upon the lives of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice. Memorial Day began in 1866. As it was then, it still is recognized as a sacred day of remembrance and honor. The National Moment of Remembrance takes place at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day, which is a moment of silence to honor those who have died in service to the nation. May you remember what “memorial” means during Memorial Day. As always, if you have any suggestions or comments, please feel free to contact us at lkelly@ soundpublishing.com or spage@soundpublishing.com.
ON THE COVER: The American Flag is folded during part of last year’s Run to Tahoma. (Photo
by Kevan Moore.)
INSIDE
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A TRIBUTE LIKE NO OTHER Here are the details for this year’s Run to Tahoma, an event that honors service members whose remains have gone unclaimed.
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REMEMBERING THOSE WHO ARE GONE
Navy veteran Mick Hersey spends his time restoring Kitsap County’s veteran memorials, and he does it without expecting a dime in return.
ONE LAST LOOK Todd Best, a Navy veteran, shares the importance of taking care of local memorials and his part in renovating the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
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Kevan Moore/staff photos 2013
Run to Tahoma is a poignant tribute to vets
By Kevan Moore The Run to Tahoma has quickly become one of Kitsap County’s most poignant events, honoring former service members, especially those whose remains have gone unclaimed. The celebration of life ceremony here in Kitsap County stirs many emotions and the long processional to Tahoma National Cemetery allows for some quiet reflection. Once there, a lone bugler, the volley of gunfire and the finality of laying veterans to rest with their brothers and sisters leaves a lasting impact that few could ever forget. The Unforgotten, Run to Tahoma V Celebration of Life ceremony will take place on the outdoor plaza of the County Administration Building in Port Orchard this year. Last year’s event, outside of the Kitsap County Coroner’s office, drew more than 400 people and parking
was an issue. This year’s Memorial Day weekend event starts at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 24. In the event of inclement weather, the celebration of life will be moved indoors, followed by the motorcade to Tahoma National Cemetery. People coming for the Celebration of Life ceremony only can park anywhere on side streets around the county campus. Division Street will be closed. In 2008 Mike Carroll, a founding member of the Kitsap County Veterans Advisor Board (KCVAB), read an article about the abandoned remains of deceased veterans at a funeral home in Missouri. Carroll contacted Leif Bentsen, the then-coordinator for Kitsap County Veterans Assistance Program (KCVAP) to see if Kitsap County had any unclaimed remains. Bentsen, who is retired and now volunteers at the Kitsap County Coroner’s Office as a
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Deceased Veterans Liaison, made an inquiry with Coroner Greg Sandstrom who reported that his office had six unclaimed, deceased veterans on the shelves in his office. Sandstrom agreed to turn them over KCVAP for internment in Tahoma National Cemetery. Bentsen brought the issue before the Veterans Advisory Board. Carroll immediately volunteered to help Bentsen with the project. Carroll was also the national chaplain for Combat Veterans International and arranged for a professional motorcycle escort to Tahoma National Cemetery 50 miles away. October 2, 2008, was a cold and rainy day when the six deceased veterans were received from the care of the coroner at his temporary office in Givens Community Center in Port Orchard. More than 50 motorcyclists and other concerned veterans arrived to join
the procession. Having never done this before, Bentsen and Carroll made some impromptu decisions, which have evolved into traditions: the deceased will be carried by a veteran to the hearse vehicle; pallbearer will be accompanied by an active duty member; on the way to Tahoma, the deceased will be accompanied by an unopened bottle of cognac, a cigar, and the U.S. Flag; the hearse will be black with a premium name badge or an antique in immaculate condition; and the hearse will be in the ‘cradle’ of Combat Veterans International. The second event didn’t occur until 2011 and became a collaboration of county’s Veterans Advisory Board, County Coroner’s Office and Combat Veterans International. The location and date were changed to the coroner’s office and to the Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend. A Celebration
of Life ceremony was created with music, eulogy, and prayer. That same year, Vietnam Veterans/Legacy Veterans started the tradition of providing simple, wooden urns for each deceased. At the Veterans Advisory Board June 2011 meeting, the board moved to hold the event every year providing that there was a least one, unclaimed deceased veteran in the care of the county coroner. In 2012, the first veteran who was not unclaimed was included in the event at the request of the surviving family. During the fall 2012, at the request of KCVAP, the coroner’s office reviewed records of unclaimed deceased who were buried prior to 2008. Twenty-one veterans and one widow were identified and recovered from Silverdale Community Cemetery for The Unforgotten, Run to Tahoma IV on May 25, 2103. In addition two surviving families
submitted relatives. “We currently have six deceased, of which only one is unclaimed,” Bentsen said of this year’s event. “The other five have been submitted by family or friends. It includes two brothers, one who passed away last fall, the other last month. “People wanting to continue with us to Tahoma, should enter the county campus area at Taylor on Sidney,” Bentsen added. “They will be guided to designated funeral procession assembly area parking.” The Run to Tahoma funeral cortege is under the auspices of Combat Veterans International and not Kitsap County, Bentsen noted. “Everyone is invited to join the cortege, however participants are responsible for their own individual liability in case of accident or injury to themselves or others,” he said.
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Vietnam veteran wins award for short story By DANNIE OLIVEAUX Former South Kitsap teacher Tom Juvik won the 2014 Syracuse University Institute for Veterans and Military Families Prize for written work by a veteran for his short story “War on Terror.” The prize is selected by a panel of experienced writers who also are military veterans. Juvik, 66, served as an Air Force radio operator in Vietnam during the 1968 Tet Offensive. He is a graduate of Peninsula High School. A graduate of the University of Washington creative writing program, Juvik retired in 2011 after a 35-year career teaching English and social studies at South Kitsap High School and Cedar Heights Junior High. He began teaching in the district in 1974. For several years, he sponsored writing clubs and literary magazines at both schools.
a sort of “crisis setting” for the story in the wake of 9/11. “One scene in the story involves a ferry ride from Bremerton to see a Seahawks game about a year after 9/11 and involves the first time I remember having a Safeboat escort across the Puget Sound,” said Juvik. “It was eerie.” He said he started tinkering with the story, then in 2002 he came back to it because it “haunted” him. “I began writing it in earnest over the course of the last two years,” said Juvik. Like many war veterans, Juvik said he still has moments where he worries about all the bad things that could happen. “As beautiful as the view is from our home, I sometimes imagine everything going up in flames,” he said. “So, I guess that’s the inspiration for the main character, who feels helpless to watch over his son who is stationed in Basra.
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Tom Juvik The annual prize consists of a $500 cash award and an original alabaster stone canoe carving by noted sculptor Tom Huff. “War on Terror,” is set in Manchester and involves a Vietnam veteran whose son has volunteered to serve in the Marine Corps following 9/11. Juvik said his home overlooks Manchester with a view of Seattle and Puget Sound shipping channels, which provides
In the end, he comes to understand he can only do what he can do, which is deal with the ordinary household crises that are right in front of him — the things most families face.” He said winning the award is special for two reasons: the award came from a veteran’s organization and was selected by soldier-writers who served in more recent wars, and resurrecting his writing career after some personal setbacks. “Getting my work out there in front of readers is very humbling and exciting at the same time,” said Juvik. “Just to know I’m not too old to Rock ’n’ Roll has me jazzed to write some more.” He feels the reason the story won the award is it is not — strictly speaking — a war story. “It captures the pressure on families, not just those who have directly served,” Juvik said. “I think the non-draft era soldiers and
their families have taken on an inordinate share of the responsibility over the last 30 years for protecting America’s interests. We tend not think about the true weight of the war because they have taken that on their shoulders for the rest of us; we do not thank them enough. So, in essence, the story is a family story set in war time.” Juvik said as his 67th birthday nears, he is scrambling to place a full-length novel he just finished in the hands of book publishers. He was raised in Tacoma, then moved to Gig Harbor where he graduated from Peninsula High School. He has lived in South Kitsap since 1974, where he spent his first year teaching at Cedar Heights Junior High. Juvik’s story appears in Issue Eight of Stone Canoe, a journal of arts and literature published annually by Syracuse
University. The issue also includes prize-winning work in poetry, nonfiction and fiction. Juvik’s short fiction has appeared in numerous literary magazines over the course of the past 30 years, including publications such as Glimmer Train, Seattle Review, Soundings and Steam Ticket. He also was a recipient of the Writers’ Digest Grand Prize, the Hackney Literary Award for short fiction, and the Pacific Northwest Writers Conference Award for mainstream novel. He also served as a staff writer for The Fox Late Show and Comedy Central’s Almost Live, in addition to writing a column for The News Tribune. Stone Canoe is available through the Syracuse University Bookstore, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon.com.
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Navy veteran among first on land at Nagasaki By Leslie Kelly The year was 1944. He was just 17 and joining the U.S. Navy. And a very short time later, Ray Tee was aboard the USS Ammen heading for the South Pacific. “I just kept thinking what’s a skinny farm boy like me doing here?” said Tee, now 86 and a resident of Silverdale. Tee was born Feb. 4, 1927, at New Port, Washington. He lost his mother early on and he was sent to live with an aunt and uncle on a farm in Latah, south of Spokane. Farm life was difficult and sometimes he wasn’t able to attend school. So at 17, he decided to leave school and join the Navy. He found his father, who signed the papers that allowed him to enlist at 17. His first stop was boot camp in Idaho, and then he was assigned to the Ammen, a World War II destroyer that had a mission to fight in the South Pacific. “There were five of us from boot camp who were put on a bus and sent to California,” he said. “We were sent to the Mare Island shipyard where the first thing we saw was a ship that had been hit in the Leyte Gulf in the Philippines by a kamikaze bomber. Both smoke stacks of the super structure were missing.” It was a omen of sorts, he now knows, of what was ahead. For the next year, Tee would be in the midst of some of the worst sea combat of World War II. Aboard the Ammen, he was part of a convoy of ships stationed between the Philippines and Japan, that protected Okinawa as an American held territory and fought off the Japanese kamikaze pilots who were attempting to take it. The invasion of Okinawa happened on April Fool’s Day 1944. “Very little has been written about it,” Tee said. “I was assigned to radar duty. There was one row of ships about 25 miles out and another row of destroyers about 50 miles out from Okinawa.” Tee said the worst part
Leslie Kelly/staff photo
Ray Tee and his wife, Helen, enjoy their porch swing. was being closer to Japan. “Our job was to intercept the kamikazes trying to get to the bigger (U.S.) ships,” he said. Most of the time, Tee was in the “powder stores” handling cans of gun powder, sending them up through an eight-inch hole to feed the five-inch guns. “Basically, you’re trapped in there,” he said. “If the ship were to get hit, there was no escaping.” He and the other sailors were assigned to general quarters from dusk to dawn. At night there was no stopping to rest. Sometimes, they could catch some sleep during the day. The battle went on 82 days. “It seemed like it was forever and ever,” Tee said. “I thought it would never stop.” During that time, 35 U.S. Destroyers were sunk and another 122 were scrapped or sunk. Five thousand sailors were killed and another 4,832 were wounded. Tee knows that now, but at the time, the losses were kept very quiet. About 80 percent of the U.S. ships in the area were lost. “The U.S. didn’t want those at home to know that we were losing the war in the South Pacific,” he said. “At the time, nothing was reported in the media and no one talked about it.” His ship, the Ammen had a near miss with a 500-pound bomb. “It disabled us for awhile,” Tee said. The Japanese planes were suicidal and when they flew into U.S. ships, the pilots blew themselves up, along with damaging the ships and killing Navy sailors.
While the U.S. losses were great, Japan finally ran out of airplanes. The war was still on, Tee said, when Okinawa was secured. Some of the ships were then sent to bombard Japan, with sailors abroad who were unaware that the U.S. planned to drop atomic bombs on Japan. After those bombs were dropped on Aug. 9, 1945, Tee and his shipmates were sent into Nagasaki to secure the city. “It was very frightening,” he said. “There was a sense of quiet that was unusual. It was a huge city and there was no one. Not even the sound of a bird singing. There were no automobiles, no horns honking.” What he saw was unbelievable. “The atomic bombs had such intense heat that it melted everything,” Tee said. “If it wasn’t concrete…well…” Tee pulled out his Kodak Brownie 127 camera and snapped a few photos. Cameras were not allowed and he wasn’t suppose to have one. But he did. “I know my superiors
saw me,” he said. “But there was such a sense of everything being overwhelming that no one cared.” He went on with his assignment which was to help find and release prisoners of war. “They threw open the gates and the POWs were on their own,” he said. “The Japanese guards fled and we took care of the POWs the best we could.” Among them were Americans, Australians, English and Filipinos. Soon the U.S. Navy’s hospital ship “The Comfort,” arrived and the POWs were taken aboard. It wasn’t until Tee arrived home at the end of the war in June of
that the photographs were first published in a local newspaper. His service is something that he is proud of. But being a quiet person, he wasn’t the kind to talk about it much. He was ready to get on with his life and he did. Back home, he met his wife, Helen, through a friend. They were married on Jan. 18, 1948, and have been married for 66 years. “When I met Ray, I was engaged to another guy at the time,” she said. “But I knew he was the one for me.” The Tees stayed in Spokane and eventually, Ray joined the Navy Reserves and served in the Korean War. He
Leslie Kelly/ staff photo
Tee’s photos kept in a tin box for more than 60 years. 1946 that he remembered the film he sent home from Hawaii to be developed. He looked at the tiny 2 by 4 inch photographs and put them away in an Army green tin box, along with some Japanese occupational money and some jewelry he traded cigarettes for while in the Philippines. It wasn’t until 2002, when he attended a World War II Kamikaze Survivors Reunion that he thought about the photos. It was then, too,
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was stationed on the Destroyer Escort as a machinist mate third class. He was assigned to the engine room and was located in Tacoma. “I served in the battle of Tacoma,” he said jokingly. In 1952, he went to work in the insulation business and he and his wife had two children, David in 1953 and Delores in 1956. They have three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
The family moved to Alaska in 1957 and Ray spent 20 years working for the Alaska ferry system. They then retired to Kitsap County to be closer to family. They had a larger home in Poulsbo, until about a year ago when they downsized to the County Cottages retirement living in Silverdale. Today, Tee spends time in the two greenhouses near his cottage. He’s known by the neighbors as someone with a green thumb. The entrance to his cottage bears the proof, with pots of pansies and geraniums. And he has a “pea patch” out back where he grows a few vegetables. Looking back at his Navy experiences, Tee knows that it forced him to grow up quick. “What I saw made me respect life more. Just seeing so much…” he trailed off. He is sometimes bothered by the fact that those who died at the hands of the Japanese kamikaze pilots aren’t often remembered in history. “They gave their lives,” he said. “It was a difficult time because we were not winning. People don’t want to remember that.” He knows that is the reason why the bombs had to be dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, even though seeing the aftermath was more than anyone should ever have to bear. “It was very frightening,” he said, noting that they had no protective gear on. “Troops came in and mine swept and cleared the harbor and then we went on land. It was a city of 100,000 or more and there was not a soul alive that we could see.”
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Veteran to cycle country to raise PTSD awareness By CHRIS CHANCELLOR SEATTLE — There is no textbook preparation for his conquest. As he sat in a friend’s living room, awaiting the arrival of his bicycle, 30-year-old New Yorker Dmitry Solominsky was aware of just that. Within days, he would embark upon a journey that would take him from the shores of the Pacific through the Great Plains before finishing in Yorktown, Va. The impetus behind the trip is to raise funds and awareness of the effects of PTSD. In early April, Solominsky pedaled his mid-1980s Lotus Éclair from Seattle to Astoria, Ore., where he will
begin his route on the TransAmerican Trail. He is raising proceeds for Hope For The Warriors, a national nonprofit organization that assists post9/11 service members, their families, and relatives of those stricken with physical and psychological issues sustained during active duty. A member of the National Guard from 20012009, Solominsky will not be joined by a cadre of veterans. He has dubbed his trip “rideSolo.” “The reason behind that is a lot of guys and gals that do have PTSD feel like they’re alone in their battle,” he said, adding that is the reason behind taking the trip alone. “They feel
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like they’re alone in their battle, they feel like no one is around, no one can help them, no one understands and no one cares.” I am grateful beyond belief to have the opportunity to change the norm. If I can assist even one person into … taking strides they never thought possible, I will consider this trip a success.” While Solominsky did not suffer from PTSD upon his return home, he said his time in Iraq, where he was first stationed in Taji and then Baghdad and its surrounding areas, was difficult. Solominsky’s role was to help protect the main road between the airport and the Green Zone. The day before his arrival in one area, he said a Bradley Fighting Vehicle was hit by a daisy-chain round of explosives, which killed eight people. “I had a very eventful tour,” Solominsky said. “I lost 19 of my friends. However I managed to avoid it, I am not sure. I knew every day could potentially be my last.” An avid reader, Solominsky also was impacted last year when he read a Department of Veterans Affairs investigation revealing that 22 veterans — one every 65 minutes — commit suicide each day. “I just have no words for how disgusting, how hor-
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Dmitry Solominsky cycles his way across America. rible, how tragic that is,” Solominsky said. “I’m not saying all of those people can be saved. I’m just saying with more and proper outreach, that number can be petered down.” He hopes those numbers can be pared down as he shares his story along the more than 4,300-mile TransAmerican Trail. Solominsky, who said his mother is a psychiatrist who had several colleagues check on him after his service ended, has a simple message for those struggling with the aftermath of combat. “It will have long-lasting impacts, but it’s something you can work through,” he said. “You just need a strong support system.” That includes inspiration from friends. Solominsky said his peers have conquered goals ranging from
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hiking the Appalachian trail to climbing the southern portion of Mount Kilimanjaro. “I have nothing tying me down to the city and I really want to give back to the veteran community in a grand way,” he said. “I wanted to bring outreach and more notoriety for this very, very important issue that is not getting the coverage it deserves.” That does not mean the trip will not result in sacrifice for Solominsky. He is a contractor for TaskRabbit, an online and mobile marketplace that allows users to outsource small jobs and tasks locally. The website has gained notoriety for paying people to hold places in lines, but Solominsky handles handyman and carpentry work. He said he is ranked No. 7 on TaskRabbit for his services in New York City. The biking tour will take him out of work for three months, though — without compensation. “Everything that I’m raising is for [Hope For The Warriors],” Solominsky said. “I don’t want to see a benefit from it.” He believes his regular job, where he regularly carries a 40-pound backpack up several flights of stairs, will help him prepare for the journey. Solominsky, who said he was inspired to cycle two years ago when he and friends saw the Five Boro Bike Tour pass by on the highway after brunch, said his longest previous bike ride was about 150 miles about 18 months ago. During his ride on the TransAmerican Trail, he hopes to average 60 to 80 miles of cycling per day “depending on weather conditions and morale.” “If I want to take a day off, I will take a day off,” he said, adding that meeting
his goal will require him to pedal six to eight hours a day beginning at 8 a.m. Solominsky said the physical nature of the ride will be difficult for the first two weeks as his body acclimates. That is not his greatest concern, though. “One of the toughest things about this ride is the route is for all intents and purposes is doable by anyone in somewhat decent shape,” Solominsky said. “There’s nothing severely extraneous about it. It’s the psychological nature of it. Your body can take more than most people think. It’s your head that will give out first.” He said that was part of the reason behind him selecting the steel Lotus Éclair, which was transported via mail while he was staying in Seattle, to make the trip. The wellused bike, Solominsky said, previously has made a trip between each coast in addition to another from Mexico to north Texas. “It’s nice to have a traveling partner the same age as you,” he said, laughing. There will be plenty of time to become acquainted. Solominsky said he might stay in a hotel on occasion and utilize “Warm Showers,” an organization that finds places for cyclists to rest overnight. But those will be the exceptions. “I plan on camping a lot,” Solominsky said. “America’s beautiful and I might as well see the most of it. Living in a city like New York, it’s very rare to see stars and things like that.” That is part of the reason why Solominsky, who initially considered an East Coast route for his trip, decided to extend it. But he said there was a larger reason behind the change. “I came across this route and it seemed daunting, yet something that will have a lot more outreach than just a local or East Coast ride,” he said. Giving back long has been important to Solominsky. He believes an impetus behind joining the military came from 9/11, when he was in the lunchroom at the High School of Telecommunication Arts and Technology — close enough to the epicenter that some students saw smoke from the windows SEE CYCLE, PAGE 9
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as the second plane collided into the World Trade Center. That is not the only event that inspired Solominsky to give back. After all, he and his mother came to the United States from his native Russia when he was a young child. “I wasn’t born here in the States,” Solominsky said. “It’s a country that took me on as its own and I’ve grown to love and embrace everything about America. I figured again that I should give back again in some way.” That venture through 11 states has started. And he does not plan to end it Yorktown. When he finishes the TransAmerican Trail, Solominsky plans to bike to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., which will add another 180 miles to his journey. “That’s like the beacon of life for most guys who come back physically injured,” he said. “It’s a good way to tie everything together.” Solominsky, who hopes to blog about his travels at www.hopeforthewarriors.org/ ridesolo, might even bike from Bethesda back to Brooklyn. Whatever challenges Solominsky encounters — from the grueling climb through the Rocky Mountains to the redundancy of hundreds of miles of corn stalks in the midwest — he will harken back to the resiliency that he had to display during active duty in the Middle East. It is a message he hopes resonates with those suffering through PTSD. “In any kind of situation, specifically when you’re at war, if you dwell on something it makes you kind of complacent,” Solominsky said. “When it makes you complacent, you start making mistakes. I had to realize very quickly that the way of dealing with things has to be in a very strict way. Your brain kind of devolves into survival mode. You kind of do what you have to do.”
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Dimitri Solominsky is making a solo cycle journey across the United States to bring awareness to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). To help fund his journey or contribute to help veterans with PTSD, call Hope For The Warriors at 877-2HOPE4W or email info@hopeforthewarriors. org. Check out www.hopeforthewarriors.org for more information.
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Mick’s Memorials:
Veteran takes on maintenance and upkeep of memorials as if they were his own Photos and story by Seraine Page
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arion “Mick” Hersey is a man with a mission. That mission is to see that every veteran memorial in Kitsap County is well taken care of and maintained to preserve the respect that the memorial was intended to hold. The retired Navy cook’s inspiration and frustration started with a simple walk down the Bremerton boardwalk near the ferry terminal in 2010. The boardwalk’s 350-plus plaques for those who served had been obviously ignored for some time. Saltwater and wind had weathered the memorials down. The plaques looked rugged, and, even more upsetting, forgotten by the ones who had put them there in the first place, Hersey said. “I saw the plaques and wondered why nobody was taking care of them,” Hersey said. He went to the city and started asking questions. At first, no one had answers for him. He said he got the runaround, and recalled speaking to several department heads — none of which wanted to take on the responsibility. Then he found out that each plaque had been individually purchased. Each one was to be maintained by the purchaser, he was told. “The excuse was, well, whoever bought the plaque was supposed to maintain it,” said Hersey. That didn’t set well with Hersey. He wanted to know how much it would cost to re-paint and refurbish the memorials. The city contacted the business that had put the plaques in, and received a quote for upkeep. The grand total would be $7,000, the city officials told him — money the city did not have a budget for at the time. Hersey quickly discovered that most of the businesses that had individually sponsored a plaque had since shut down. Some were even old Navy ships that had been decommissioned. That left it in his hands as far as he was concerned. After speaking brief ly with Mayor Patty Lent, the two agreed that one plaque would be refurbished for the mayor’s inspection. He had shown up in her office in his grubby paint clothes, wanting to know if he would be allowed to officially fix up the forgotten plaques. “She liked it so much I got started on them,” he said. “Next thing I knew, I was working on veteran memorials.” The rest, as they say, is history — history to be taken care of by Mick Hersey himself. That spring, he and his niece, Tameka Hulen, sat on the boardwalk from March through May and painted the plaques with a tip jar sitting right beside them. After that, he couldn’t stop. “I’ve always been interested in history,” he said. If the plaques had piqued his interest; the other memorials he discovered pushed him into an obsession of finding the treasure trove of memorials that others had left alone.
Now, 76 memorials later, he has refurbishing down to a science. He also has the local Navy commands on speed dial, as well as other locals he knows who will happily volunteer their time to restoring the memorials. He also has managed to solicit the help of Lowe’s to cover the financial aspect of the refurbishments. To date, Lowe’s has provided between $4,000-$6,000 in materials for painting and upgrades to the memorials, Hersey said. Others, such as his current employer QED, have also donated
“It’s a passion that I have. When people ask why I do memorials, it’s to make sure the younger generation carries on that trend.” ~Mick Hersey
toward the project. This Memorial Day, 31 of the memorial sites with American f lags will be given new f lags to f ly, another donation from Lowe’s. The cheapest f lag is around $30, and the most expensive f lag is $300. “I think it’s fabulous. I think it’s great the community’s gotten behind him on this,” said John Benitez, Lowe’s merchandising department manager. “We’re excited to be a partner on a lot of the projects with him.” For Benitez, the projects are also personal. His wife, Cindy Benitez spent 20 years in the Navy as a boatswain’s mate. “I think it’s a good way for us to preserve our way of life. We’re a family that takes care of its own. It’s a good thing we give back to those in our community. We come back here and establish the things they’ve put here for future generations to appreciate.” When it comes to proper preservation, Hersey doesn’t just use any type of tools or chemicals to refresh the work of what’s already been done. He has borrowed tools from the Navy, and his work has offered some as well for him to work on the sites. As former Navy, Hersey learned how to take care of brass. Over the years, while doing genealogical research and visiting family graves, he also discovered how to treat the grave sites with the proper chemicals and paint. “Personally, I’ve celebrated Memorial Day as a little kid in South Dakota,” said Hersey. “We’d put f lowers on the graves (of those who served).” For every memorial he and others retouch, he learns as much as he can about it for listing on the Visit Kitsap Peninsula website. That way, visitors coming to the county can visit every known memorial. “He provided us with a lot of great information. We’ve used his work for the basis for some handouts for veterans memorials,” said
Patty Graf-Hoke, executive director of Visit Kitsap Peninsula. “It’s nice that he’s taken a leadership to help commemorate them and make sure they don’t get lost.” With the help of fellow veteran Leif Bentsen, Hersey created a comprehensive listing of all Kitsap County memorials in the area. For those who visit the official tourism website of Kitsap County, there’s a listing with brief history notes and photos to accompany each memorial. Tourists — and locals — can print out the listing to track through the county on their hunt for veteran memorials. “I think what he’s done is absolutely wonderful because many of them had been neglected for so many years. He brought a skillset of how to restore them correctly,” said Bentsen. “People need to understand how horrible war is; this helps them remember it and the sacrifices people have made.” When Hersey started his memorial preservation project, he was told there were only 26 total memorials in the whole county. Once he got going, and word got out about his project, he found more. Some are on public property; others are on private property. The memorials are in obvious places — like cemeteries — and off-thebeaten path, like at local churches or businesses. One of the projects that took the longest to work on was Naval Ammunition Depot (NAD) Park in Bremerton. For six months, Hersey worked with Navy volunteers and others to repaint a Navy jet to match its paint job it had on the very last f light it ever took. According to Hersey, the plane actually belongs to the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Fla. The jet was deeded to the city years ago, but permission is still required for any updates or paint jobs it might receive. “They actually own any Navy jet that’s in any park in the United States,” Hersey added. Upon starting the project, he only wanted to focus on Bremerton. But by then locals started sharing with him their knowledge of other memorials — from Hansville all the way down to Port Orchard. “It’s something that I don’t think should ever be let die. People have money for parks, roads; they have money to put in the memorial, but not to keep it up,” he said. “With the weather up here, things get covered up with mold and mildew real quick.” And while respect is the driving factor for keeping up the memorials that no one else wants to take on, his love of the area and history are also what keep Hersey organizing volunteer crews and spending his own time on restoration. “It’s a passion that I have,” he said. “When people ask why I do memorials, it’s to make sure the younger generation carries on the trend.” Since his first refurbishment in 2010, Hersey is always on the lookout for new memorials that may
need his touch. He also takes every weekend and drives to prior project sites to ensure that mold hasn’t taken hold in the rainy months. As the weather warms up and the sun pushes away the rain, Hersey will once again get busy in his fourth year of restorations. He already has a list of four new memorials he wants to tend to as soon as possible. His next project will be at the Miller-Woodlawn Funeral Home and Memorial Park. Just in front of the memorial park is where a First Responders memorial and a mast from the USS Bremerton sits overlooking the Puget Sound. During the first week of May, Hersey and his volunteers will tackle painting and cleaning the memorials. The park is also the burial site of Medal of Honor recipient John D. “Bud” Hawk, a fellow veteran he became close to in his last six months of life. Hersey said his family knew how much Hawk enjoyed Hersey’s company that he was bestowed with the honor of planning Hawk’s memorial service. When around the area, he’ll visit Hawk’s grave, and he plans to soon add another memorial honoring the beloved deceased Kitsap veteran. And when it comes to important memories, Hersey hopes that locals will keep his project alive once he can no longer take care of it himself. It is his hope that his passion is instilled deep enough into his volunteers and locals after they’ve been to one of the memorials he’s fixed up. When looking at the guide to “Kitsap County Veterans Memorials and Museums” from the Visit Kitsap Peninsula website, it is easy for one to become overwhelmed by the sheer amount of areas dedicated to wars as old as the War of 1812.
“I think it’s fabulous. I think it’s great the community’s gotten behind him on this. We’re excited to be a partner on a lot of the projects with him.” ~John Benitez, Lowe’s merchandising manager
Even if a visitor doesn’t have time to visit them all, just one may touch them like they’ve touched Hersey and others who have seen his dedication to the work he does, all for free. “I think it’s really special that he’s cataloged all that. We have a lot of veterans, even regardless of their affiliation, veterans are always interested in honoring other veterans over the years,” said Graf-Hoke. “I think he’s provided a tremendous service to the veterans that have served our country, and we added his list to the Visit Kitsap Peninsula website. We couldn’t of done that without the work he did.”
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For those with special cases of unemployability By Thom Stoddert For those special veterans like Butch C. from Washington State, a few words about a federal regulation of the VA called 38 CFR 4.16, or the extra scheduler benefit. Butch is a Vietnam veteran who represents many veterans that get stuck between reality and hard regulations. However, Butch is both smart and articulate. First, he got some skilled service officers who worked with him. Second he did his homework well; he familiarized himself with the benefits. Though he is service connected for diabetes at 20 percent, this doesn’t show his true impairment due to military service. He has been a truck driver most of his life with an impeccable record. However, federal regulations unrelated to the VA, deny him his all important Commercial Drivers License because he takes insulin to control his disease. In other words, once he has been prescribed insulin injections he could no longer drive a truck/commercial vehicle and earn a living. So now in his early 60s and he is unemployable at his usual career. He is not likely to find gainful employment in a related career field and the present economy is only making things worse for him and probably or a lot of other veterans. Therefore with the loss of earning potential, his longevity at the present career, overall education, and the present economic climate, all make the likelihood of gainful re-employment with his service connected medical issue(s) unlikely. Thus the need for an extra-scheduler rating for unemployability because Butch does not meet the normal criteria for individual unemployability and he did learn about 38 CFR 4.16 which reads: “38 CFR 4.16(b) It is the established policy of the Department of Veterans Affairs that all veterans who are unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation by reason of service-connected disabilities shall be rated totally disabled. Therefore,
rating boards should submit to the Director, Compensation and Pension Service, for extraschedular consideration all cases of veterans who are
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Thom Stoddert unemployable by reason of service-connected disabilities, but who fail to meet the percentage standards set forth in paragraph (a) of this section. The rating board will include a full statement as to the veteran’s service-connected disabilities, employment history, educational and vocational attainment and all other factors having a bearing on the issue.” Normally a veteran must be rated at 60 percent for a single medical issue or have a total of 70 percent for several issues and one of which must be rated at least at 40 percent. The Rating Board must consider the issue of Individual Unemployability (I/U) when these percentages exist and there is reasonable evidence of lack of employment. In most cases the VA informs the veterans — that if in fact he or she is actually not working, a VA form 21-8940, a request for unemployability should be filed. State specifically that you know that you don’t meet the normal requirements under 38 CFR 4.16 for I/U, but that you are in fact not working and not employable because of service connected issues. Do request an extra-schedular rating and provide the evidence they will need. My suggestion here is to not only submit the VA form 8940, but send in any information from your former employer(s) indicating why they let you go
and when. The VA will try to verify the information documented on the 8940. Act fast and don’t assume your former boss still has the information the VA needs; do provide what you may already have. Many small shops discard employee information after the completion of the first tax year and the new secretary hired since you left can’t think beyond his or her fingernails. So take responsibility here and not rely on a former boss to rapidly address the need for verification. The word “gainful” in relationship to employment was deliberately high-lighted, because it is a very important key word. A job paying even minimum wages supplied by sympathetic family members is not considered to be gainful employment. The veteran in this case would be unemployed if it were not for family. This is often true for charities that find work for the disabled; if it were not for the charity and a sympathetic employer, the vet would not be working. Another thought to consider when gathering your evidence for the VA; are there any benefits coming in from the Social Security Administration or other such agencies? This is useful information to build and support your claim. So, bringing this all together, do get all pertinent evidence of actual unemployment, do have the medical records and/ or statements show that the results of your military service do prevent gainful employment. Finally, do identify where all the medical treatment records are so that the VA can attempt to get them. By law they have to try or notify you of their failure to get them. For further explanations call the VA’s Regional Office at 1-800-327-1000, the Washington State Department of Veteran Affairs at 360-725-2200 or 1-800-562-0132, or VeteranFraud@gmail.com.
Yelm couple makes fishing their day’s work By Margo Myers
Margo Myers Communications
For Marc Bush, ‘a day at the office’ means loading up the fishing gear, hauling the boat, and taking clients out on the water for guided fishing trips. “I like the challenge of fishing,” says Bush. “I’ve been fishing all my life after my grandfather taught me, and now I like to share that knowledge with others.” Marc and his wife, Chris, are the owners of Twisted Waters Guide Service, a fishing guide company they started in 2009. Marc Bush retired from the U.S. Army after nearly 21 years in Special Forces, and 2014 is his first year as a full-time fishing guide. Chris Bush works as an administrative assistant at Madigan Army Medical Center and runs the business side of the fishing guide service. “We fish year around on freshwater rivers and lakes,” says Bush. “There’s always something open, and when the rivers are non-productive, we’ll move to the lakes.” Twisted
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Marc and Chris Bush are the owners of Twisted Waters Guide Service which they began in 2009. Marc is retired Army Special Forces veteran. Waters Guide Service focuses on catching trout, steelhead and salmon, fishing on the Cowlitz and Nisqually Rivers as well as the Satsop and Chehalis Rivers. They consider Lake Lawrence, near Yelm, their ‘home lake.’ “We cater to families and children,” says Chris Bush. “Military service
members come out with us, too. A lot of them might have bass gear and don’t have local fishing knowledge, so that’s where we can show how to fish in this area.” Marc adds that on a recent trip, he took out a client who caught his first steelhead, and “he was grinning from ear to ear.” They’ve had clients as
young as 5 years old, one who caught a 14 pound steelhead last summer. “That was an experience,” says Bush. Clients are guided in a 20-foot Alumaweld boat with a 150 horsepower Mercury outboard. A day on the water with all fishing gear provided costs $150 per person. Military,
seniors and Washington state employees get a $25 discount. Out on the water, Bush uses a technique called back trolling, where the boat is held against the current and then slowly ‘backed’ down the river. He also ‘free drifts,’ where the clients cast off the side of the boat as the boat travels downriver with the current. “Even people who are experienced fishermen hire guides to help them learn new areas,” says Bush. “It helps take the guesswork out of it.” The couple is relying on their education to take the guesswork out of running a full-time business. Marc obtained his bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Brandman University, while Chris received her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Brandman, and is now working on her MBA, with graduation in August 2014. “We want to use our degrees,” says Chris Bush. “I’m looking to advance on base, and then when I retire, maybe teach, plus run the guide business.”
Marc Bush’s education isn’t done yet. He’s also set to acquire his ‘six-pack’ Coast Guard license for taking out passengers. “I’ve had my boat for 10 years, and I’ve been guiding now for four years,” he says. Why hire a guide instead of just fish from shore? “Boats cost money and there’s maintenance,” says Bush. “This way, people don’t have to buy a boat, and I can share my local knowledge to get people on the water.” With the weather warming up, the Bushes are hoping business heats up, too. And even if the weather is cool and rainy? “I get wet, but we still catch fish and have a good time.” For state employees who have been thinking about continuing their education, now is the time to enroll at Brandman University. Summer term classes start May 5 and June 30, and scholarships may be available. For additional information visit www.brandman.edu or call 877-659-3982.
Veterans resources throughout the Kitsap area Here is a listing of resources for veterans: •American Legion Post 245 Service Office, Assisting Veterans, open every Thursday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., 19068 Jensen Way, Suite 3A, downtown Poulsbo, 360-779-5456. •American Legion Post 245, general meeting every third Thursday at 7 p.m., 19068 Jensen Way, Suite 3A, downtown Poulsbo, www.alpost245.org, 360779-5456 •WorkSource Kitsap County, veterans representatives, 1300 Sylvan Way, Floor 2, Bremerton, 98310, 360-337-4767, jmckenna@ esd.wa.gov, or Michael Robinson, Disabled Veterans Outreach, 360337-4727, mrobinson@esd. wa.gov. •American Legion Post 149, 4922 Kitsap Way , Bremerton, 98312, 360373-8983, www.legion149wa.org.
•VWF Post 239 Bremerton Post, 190 Dora Ave., Bremerton, 98312, 360-377-6739, Meetings are 7 p.m. 2nd Tuesday of the month. •Silverdale American Legion Post 109, 10710 Silverdale Way, Silverdale, meets on the third Monday of the month at 7 p.m. at All Star Lanes & Casino, Alpost109cmdr@gmail.
com, Facebook: American Legion Post 109 Silverdale.
Island, Twitter account: WashAmerLegion172
Wednesday of the month at 6 p.m.
•American Legion Post, 172 Bainbridge Island, 7880 NE Bucklin Hill Rd., (Mail) P.O. Box 10372, Phone 206842-5000, Meets first and third Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Website: www. bainbridgeislandpost172. org, Facebook: American Legion Post 172 Bainbridge
•Disable American Veterans, 2315 Burwell St., Bremerton, 98312, 360373-2397.
•Mason County VFW Post No. 1694 in Shelton, Memorial Hall, Second and Franklin streets, meets second and fourth Thursdays of each month at 7 p.m. Beverages and snacks are served at 6 p.m. by the Ladies Auxiliary. For more information call 360.426.4546.
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•Marine Corps League, Olympic Peninsula Detachment 531, 2315 Burwell St., Bremerton, 98312, 360-265-7492, meets on the first
•American Legion Post 200, Belfair, PO Box 24, Belfair, 98528, 360-7314415, meets first Thursday of the month at 6 p.m. For more information email Tom Welch at xtw@aol. com. To be listed in Veterans Resources, email lkelly@ soundpublishing.com
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V ET ER A NS LI FE | 13
Graduate hopes to launch global career path By Margo Myers
Margo Myers Communications
Daniel Mwangi is a high achiever with a plan. After serving in the U.S. Army in aviation maintenance, he is now a financial analyst with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in Kansas City, Missouri. He credits his master’s degree in Human Resource Management from Brandman University on the Joint Base Lewis McChord campus in 2013 as a big part of his success. Mwangi already had a bachelor’s degree in Corporate Finance from Southwest Minnesota State University, and wanted to build on that knowledge. “I knew I needed to improve my people skills and also understand how to channel human capital into sustainable long term profits for any organization I worked for,” says Mwangi. “I chose HR, and my degree has helped me a lot. My HR skills help me navigate
Contributed photo
Daniel Mwangi, who served in the U.S. Army, has used his advanced degree to build a career path that will include global humanitarian service. through many situations, allowing me to take on leadership to ensure we get to a ‘yes’ with zero conflict. The people skills I learned are immensurable.” Mwangi also wanted a specific type of learning experience. As ‘active military,’ he needed a university
that offered classes that wouldn’t interfere with his military duty and missions. He also says he didn’t want to repeat what he had seen happen to others after they were halfway done with their degree, and then were told to go online fulltime or travel to a campus
located miles away. “I chose Brandman because they are military friendly, located on base, and they worked relentlessly to ensure service members were accommodated as much as possible,” Mwangi says. Mwangi also credits his Brandman professors,
priorities in Olympia.” In April, Gov. Jay Inslee signed Senate bills that removed the one-year waiting period for veterans or active members of the military to qualify for in-state tuition rates, and award college credit for military training. There are 22,000
veterans, active-duty personnel and their dependents enrolled in Washington’s community and technical colleges; the University of Washington has 1,344 enrolled veterans alone. In addition to education benefits, new state laws expand access to home- and community-based service
programs for dependents of military-service members, provide for special recognition on state driver’s licenses and identification cards, and provide additional support and maintenance for state veteran retirement homes and facilities. “The Majority Coalition Caucus is working to put
including Dr. Arron Grow and Dr. Ben Lastimado, with making a lasting impact. “Dr. Ben was an amazing instructor,” says Mwangi. “He connected life experiences and tailored them into classroom teachings, igniting the thought process with real life stories, and instructional models that painted a picture that textbooks could not. He taught us how to put wheels onto the wagon of professional, academic and personal life.” Mwangi shares advice for others who are considering advanced college degrees, stating that it’s not easy, but also isn’t hard if it helps you achieve your dream career. “Ask yourself what do I love doing, what career would make me happy if I did it for 60 years,” advises Mwangi. “Remember it’s not all about the money, but attaining a degree that will bring total life satisfaction and happiness.” As for future career plans, Mwangi is dreaming big. He plans to use his knowledge and experience
as a public servant on a global platform. “Having been born and raised in Africa, I have seen what lack of housing, poor urban planning, lack of people skills, poor management of finances and resources can do to young kids who are in their formative years,” says Mwangi. “I want to use my knowledge on housing and urban development to help ensure we have tomorrow’s generations bristling with hope, and I want to one day work with United Nations Human Settlements Program.” And this ambitious life-long learner takes one of Lastimado’s lessons to heart; a lesson all of us could share. “He taught me not to wait to get to the peak of my career to see the world and its vast eternity, but to look and see the world as it is, to enjoy the view as well as the challenges,” says Mwangi. “Most importantly, he taught us not to forget life lessons that still humble us and make us human.”
people and solutions above politics, which is a change for Olympia,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “The people we serve include many veterans who were stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base, Joint Base Lewis-McChord or other Washington installations and chose to make our state their home after transitioning out of the military. Our coalition is acknowledging them and their service with these new opportunities.” Sen. Bruce Dammeier, R-Puyallup, is one of three veterans serving in the Senate’s Majority Coalition Caucus. “We are keenly aware of the sacrifice and personal cost that service in the military requires,” said Dammeier, a Navy veteran and graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. “We want to keep veterans and their families in our state and make sure they have the best possible transition into civilian life.” Veterans serving in the Majority Coalition Caucus include Dammeier; Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, who serves as a commander in the Naval Reserves; and Sen. Mike Hewitt, R-Walla Walla, an Army veteran.
According to Defense Manpower Data Center, 11,173 service members left the military in 2013 and made Washington their home; more than 600,000 veterans reside in Washington. The Senate bills that benefit veterans and became law are: Senate Bill 5318, introduced by Sen. Barbara Bailey, R-Oak Harbor: removed the one-year waiting period for veterans or active members of the military for the purpose of eligibility for resident tuition. Senate Bill 5969, introduced by Sen. Steve O’Ban, R-Pierce County: awards academic credit for military training Senate Bill 5691, introduced by Hewitt, R-Walla Walla: establishes a state veterans’ home in Walla Walla. Senate Bill 5775, introduced by Sen. Don Benton, R-Vancouver: provides veteran designation on drivers’ licenses and identification cards House Bill 2363 /SB 6351, introduced by Sen. Pam Roach, R-Auburn: expanded home and community-based service programs for dependents of military service members in Washington.
Legislature advanced education benefits for veterans OLYMPIA — Calling the 2014 legislative session one of the “most beneficial for veterans in a generation,” Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler said the passage of five major veteranrelated bills is “one more example of how the Majority Coalition Caucus is changing
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Carriers The North Kitsap Herald Notice to Contractors has openings for Carrier Washington Routes. No collecting, State Law no selling. Friday morn(RCW 18.27.100) ings. If interested call requires that all adverChristy 360-779-4464 tisements for construcPublisher/Advertising tion related services include the contractor’s Manager The Journal of the San current depar tment of Juans, located in Friday L a b o r a n d I n d u s t r i e s Harbor, on beautiful San registration number in Juan Island in Washing- the advertisement. ton State, is seeking an Failure to obtain a certifiexperienced, self-start- cate of registration from ing Publisher/Advertising L&I or show the registraM a n a g e r. T h r e e - p l u s tion number in all adveryears of newspaper/me- tising will result in a fine dia sales exper ience, up to $5000 against the along with leadership ex- unregistered contractor. perience required. Re- For more infor mation, sponsibilities include: call Labor and Industries print and digital ad sales; Specialty Compliance helping local businesses Services Division at 1-800-647-0982 create mar keting and business plans; supervi- or check L&Is internet site at www.lni.wa.gov sion of a small staff and involvement in the local community. The Journal of the San Juan’s is part of Sound Publishing, the largest community newspaper publisher in Washington State. We offer an excellent salar y plus a bonus/commission plan, a great work environment, medical, dental and vis i o n i n s u ra n c e, 4 0 1 k with company match, paid holidays, vacation a n d s i ck t i m e. E O E . Visit our website at www.soundpublishing.com to learn more about us! For immediate consideration, send resume and cover letter to: hr@soundpublishing.com or mail to: HR/SJJPUBSM, Sound Publishing, Inc., 11323 Commando, Road, Main Unit, Everett, WA 98204.
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NOTICE Washington State law requires wood sellers to provide an invoice (receipt) that shows the s e l l e r ’s a n d b u y e r ’s name and address and the date delivered. The invoice should also state the price, the quantity delivered and the quantity upon which the price is based. There should be a statement on the type and quality of the wood. When you buy firewood write the seller’s phone number and the license plate number of the delivery vehicle. The legal measure for firewood in Washington is the cord or a fraction of a cord. Estimate a c o r d by v i s u a l i z i n g a four-foot by eight-foot space filled with wood to a height of four feet. Most long bed pickup trucks have beds that are close to the four-foot by 8-foot dimension. To m a k e a f i r e w o o d complaint, call 360-9021857. agr.wa.gov/inspection/ WeightsMeasures/Fire woodinformation.aspx agr.wa.gov/inspection/WeightsMeasures/Firewoodinformation.aspx
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By Todd Best My journey to the Pacific Northwest started at the age of 17 when I joined the Navy. I left the front door of a house that I had called home for 17 years on the morning of August 21, 1990; it was my mother’s birthday. At basic training I learned not only how to become a sailor, but a man. After completing my basic training, I was given orders to the USS Nimitz (CVN-68). I remember getting to Bremerton in November of 1990. It was raining and a whole lot different than the Niagara Falls/Buffalo, New York area that I grew up in. My enlistment in the Navy was an amazing experience for me. I know it’s not for everyone, but we all shared a common bond in our love for our country. I visited a lot of different countries by the age of 20. During my three year enlistment, I had buddies back home who couldn’t point to a map and identify some of the countries we visited, let alone ever get a chance to experience the different cultures I was exposed to
THE BOND
File photo
Navy veteran Todd Best at a re-dedication ceremony for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. during that time. I knew at a very young age that the United States was the home of the free because of the brave folks that came before us and made sacrifices for the good of our country and future generations. Memorial Day to me is more than a federal holiday. Memorial Day is every day for me. It’s a day for all of us to remember
those who have come before us, those brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for this great nation. We must “Never Forget” our veterans. We all have something good to offer to our country, community, and sometimes just to others in general. One way I gave back was by seeing a need and by putting my words into
actions to clean up the city of Bremerton-owned Ivy Green Cemetery. Not only are several of the city of Bremerton’s “founding fathers” laid to rest there, but lots of our veterans are, too, including a Civil War hero by the name of John Nibbe. I was made aware of the deplorable conditions of this city-owned cemetery
by a fellow veteran of the Marine Corps who had visited the cemetery with his grandson to view the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a replica of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. I knew I had to do something. I knew this was going to be a major undertaking that would need the help of many people. I put out a call to action via Facebook and was overwhelmed by the support of this great community. There was a tremendous outpouring of support from local businesses and residents. People came from as far away as Seattle, Tacoma and even Arizona to help. A large group of volunteers, young and old, cleaned the grave markers and headstones of this 15-plus-acre cemetery. After the major cemetery cleanup, I could not walk away without turning my attention to our Tomb of the Unknown Soldier which was in dire need of some TLC. Our Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was dirty, with two cracked sidewalks leading to
nowhere. I was most offended by the American flag that was tattered with no light to shine upon this symbol of our great nation at night. I left the cemetery on that spring day in 2012 with a heavy heart. I asked a local artist/aspiring architect by the name of Josh Fisher for help in designing a new Tomb of the Unknown Soldier which would restore the respect and dignity that a memorial like this so deserves. Josh and I sat down over a coffee to talk over ideas and to take notes. Josh came back to me with a beautiful new sidewalk system which united both pathways as a ribbon. All the supplies, materials and labor was donated 100 percent by local businesses and local civic groups who I had given presentations to. When I walk through the cemetery and view our veterans’ graves today and think of the sacrifices that they made for our country, I feel it was an honor to be in their presence for my spring and summer of 2012 as I worked alongside them.
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If you are a Veteran Owned Business or Representative and would like to be a part of this monthly placement, call Rita Nicholson at 360-471-3610 or email her at rnicholson@soundpublishing.com
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