Category: News

WDVA July News

Below is the latest news from the Washington State Department of Veterans Affair’s July email bulletin.

 

News from WDVA:

 

You are Invited to attend the Korean War Wreathlaying Ceremony

July 23, 2016

11:00am

Korean War Memorial on the Capitol Campus

Please share this invitation with Korean War Veterans, their families and community members who would like to honor our Korean War Veterans.

http://www.dva.wa.gov/sites/default/files/Korean%20Wreathlaying%20Event.jpg

 

*Check out the WDVA Calendar for July Events*

(Do you have an event you would like posted?   Email your flyer and event details, or if you have regular events to post, ask us about becoming a WDVA Calendar Contributor!)

 

Follow Us on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and YouTube to read the latest agency information

 

The June 2016 Veteran Voices is now available – get your copy here!  (https://wdva.box.com/s/ygz11xtnkk0y0crxlsp9wczbxkng2kvw)

 

Please join the Governor’s Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee – VAAC – in Chelan for a Town Hall Meeting!

July 21 from 10am – 12pm

Chelan City Hall, 135 E. Johnson Ave, Chelan.

FLYER

 

Nominations are Open for the 2016 Outstanding Awards for Service to Veterans!  

The Governor’s Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee is accepting nominations for the 2016 Washington State Outstanding Awards for Service to Veterans.  These awards are open to all who serve veterans in Washington State and nominations may be submitted by any person, organization or institution. Nominations are due bySeptember 11, 2016 and the winners will be honored in the 50th Auburn Veterans Day Parade on November 7, followed by a special luncheon after the parade.
There are three Nomination Categories to choose from:
Superior Award – This award is the Committee’s highest honor and is given to recognize clearly superior accomplishments, achievements and outstanding performance.
Distinguished Service Award – This award is used to recognize significant accomplishments and special contributions.
Team Award – This award is designed to recognize significant accomplishments of a team or group of individuals. This may be for their contributions on a special project, special contribution and outstanding performance.
Complete your online nomination here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1yx_rJRD34E5TgUCIR6FhHsFSF8aId_ybVKNvC9CAZ_k/viewform

For additional information please contact Liza Narciso at 360-725-2157 or [email protected]

 

Please join the Washington State Veterans Cemetery for the annual Unclaimed Cremains Interment Ceremony

September 13, 2016 at 1:00pm. For more information contact [email protected]

 

Check out the progress on the Walla Walla State Veterans Home!

(You can even do a time lapse of the construction by clicking on one of the four images and selecting the time lapse option!)

 

Attention Veteran Owned Businesses – Check the Links below for Information and Resources!

  • If you’re a Veteran or Servicemember Owned Business – sign up here today!  It’s simple and it’sfree.
  • Are you hiring?   Let YesVets and WorkSource connect you with Veterans looking for work!

 

WDVA is Hiring! See the latest Open WDVA Positions here

 

Here’s a list of Upcoming Job Fairs

 

Don’t Miss Out on Veteran/Military Events Taking Place across the State!

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University of Washington hosts World War I Exhibit

By Lisa Oberg, University of Washington

 

As we approach the centennial of the United States’ entry in the first World War (April 6, 2017), staff in Special Collections in the University of Washington Libraries are planning an exhibit of Seattle’s WWI involvement. The exhibit will be installed on campus in late August and will run from September through January, 2017. There are many stories to be told about the war and Seattle’s contributions from the Red Cross hospital, Base Hospital 50, organized by the University of Washington to the Spruce Production Division logging Douglas Fir for the first military aircraft. And, on the home front, there was labor unrest, food rationing, victory gardens, bandage folding, knitting drives and more. Special Collections has some wonderful scrapbooks, personal papers and manuscripts relating to World War I, but we would welcome the loan of the following types of artifacts you might have in your personal collection or family memorabilia to supplement the exhibit.

 

 

  • WWI gas mask, helmet or uniform
  • Service Flags
  • Photos and memorabilia related to the UW’s Base Hospital 50 and U.S. Army Ambulance Corps
  • Overseas Hospital Service photos and memorabilia
  • WWI medals, unit patches, etc.
  • WWI women’s service photos and memorabilia
  • YMCA flyers, posters, post cards
  • Red Cross posters, flyers and other relevant WWI ephemera

 

 

If you have questions related to the exhibit or material you would be willing to loan contact the exhibit curator, Lisa Oberg, Head of Public Service, Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries. Lisa can be reached at 206-543-7492 or [email protected].

 

Mark your calendar and plan to visit the exhibit between Sep 1, 2016, and January 30, 2017. Contact Lisa, as well, if you’re interested in information about any programs offered in conjunction with the exhibit.

 

First flag retirement ceremony held in 35 years

By Charles R. Anderson

 

Burning flagOn Flag Day, June 14, 2016, Ballard Eagleson VFW Post 3063 held the first flag retirement service in more than 35 years to dispose properly of worn flags that had been left at the post.

 

It was a windy gray day with a threat of rain looming, perhaps appropriate for such an event.

 

The flags were burned as prescribed by the United StateSaluting retired flags Flag Code. The incinerator device was home-made by our Quartermaster Harold Rodenberger from half of a 55-gallon drum mounted on a piece of salvaged aluminum from an old post sign with wheels added for portability. A raised grating supported the flags, while a healthy bed of burning wood provided the fuel.

Medical Marijuana for vets

As reported on KXLF.com (Butte, MT) by Jared Dillingham, based on a release from Phoenix, AZ, “Veterans could soon talk to their doctors at the VA about medical marijuana, at least in the 23 states where it’s legal” (which includes Washington).

 

This development came about as part of a budget bill that was passed by wide margins in the U.S. House and Senate chambers on Thursday, May 19. Up to now, the VA has had a very long-standing policy of not treating veterans with cannabis. The new bill forbids the VA from using funds to enforce this rule.

 

The pertinent section of the bill (H.R. 2019 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 in the House version) and specifically the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act 2016, in Section 246, which reads, “Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used to: interfere with the ability of veterans to participate in a state-approved medicinal marijuana program, deny services to veterans participating in a program, or interfere with the ability of a VA health care provider care to comply with a program.”

 

This has not been signed into law yet, so nothing is certain at this point. Since it is part of the complete appropriations bill, there is some hope it will become law.

 

There are a number of studies confirming the efficacy of marijuana on such things as post-traumatic stress, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain and other illnesses. Groups of veterans like the Veterans for Medical Cannabis Access have been working for this option for years.

Loyalty Day Spaghetti Dinner and Raffle

Our new Ballard Eagleson Color Guard started things off by posting the colors. They looked sharp and performed with precision as they brought the colors to the stage.

 

Kay Seelig, as our Executive Chef, cooked up 230 servings of her tasty spaghetti sauce. Volunteers from her family and our post helped prepare salad ingredients, spaghetti and garlic bread.

 

Chuck Tuft, a 48-year member of our post, and his family along with other volunteers, manned the serving line. Volunteers from our post and Auxiliary baked delicious home-made cakes. More volunteers set up the hall with tables and chairs.

 

Kudos to Russ Seelig and his team for setting up the raffle prize tables and efficiently managing the raffle and thanks to Jesse Basher for serving as Master of Ceremonies.

 

After dinner Barbara Moore, District 2 Senior Vice President, gave a Loyalty Day presentation.

 

In all, more than 40 volunteers set up the hall, cooked and served the dinner, tended bar, raffled prizes and cleaned up. Grandma used to say, and John Heywood recorded in the sixteenth century, “Many hands make light work,” and the old saying was once again proved true on this occasion.

 

By Harold Rodenberger