1 Paid for by the Michigan Republican Party with Regulated Funds.
Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee.
520 Seymour Street, Lansing, MI 48933 Veterans & Military Families Monthly News June 2014 Vol. 5 No. 3 Traumatic Brain Injury 30K+ Undocumented TBIs From: RAO Bulletin May 2014 (Lt. James EMO Tichacek, USN (Ret) Associate Director, Retiree Assis- tance Office, U.S. Embassy Warden & IRS VITA Baguio City RPPSC 517 Box RCB, FPO AP 96517 Tel: (951) 238-1246 in U.S. or Cell: 0915-361-3503 in the Philip- pines. Email: raoemo@sbcglobal.net AL/AMVETS/ DAV/FRA/NAUS/NCOA/MOAA/USDR/VFW/VVA/ CG33/DD890/AD37 member) Despite its vaunted intelligence-gathering capability, the U.S. military was surprised when enemies in Iraq and Afghanistan began building and deploying roadside bombs to kill and maim U.S. troops. It got so bad that a soldier asked Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld nearly two years into the Iraq war why U.S. troops were forced to defend themselves against such improvised explosive devices with homemade hillbilly armor. You go to war with the Army you have, Rumsfeld told the soldier, not the Army you might want or wish to have at a later time. It took the Pentagon three more years before Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles finally began trickling into Iraq. While the troops were waiting for that armor, the Pentagon was also neglecting to track the traumatic brain injuries caused by such blasts, a new medical study says. TBIsthe signature wound of the post-9/11 warsare tough to diagnose and treat. Without a good accounting of those who experienced a TBI, those challenges multiply. The reports authors, using amputations as a proxy for TBIs, conclude that the military documented only one in five TBIs estimated to have affected U.S. troops between 2003 and 2006. Responding to legislation, the Pentagon began tracking TBIs more closely beginning in 2007. Overall, during the eight years spanning 2003 to 2010, the study estimates that 32,822 active-duty troops suffered undocumented TBI wounds. Thats more than the 32,176 documented by the Pentagon over the same period of time. This analysis provides the first estimate of undocumented incident TBIs among US military personnel serving in Iraq and Afghanistan before Congress demanded the improved counting, the report says. Such missing diagnoses are important, says the study, conducted by a pair of Johns Hopkins University health experts. Undocumented TBIs could lead to troops being booted from the military as malingerers or for personality disordersdischarges that could restrict their access to care from the Department of Veterans Affairs. For those remaining in uniform, it could lead to additional combat tours, boosting their chances of a sec- ond TBI and the visual and auditory deficits, posttrau- matic epilepsy, headaches, major depression, and suicide risk that accompany multiple TBIs, according to the study. Even a so-called mild TBI can rattle the (helmeted) brain inside the skull, leading to a host of mal- adies including memory loss, cognitive deficits, mood volatility, substance-abuse disorders, personality changes, sleep difficulties and possibly post-traumatic stress disor- der. In recent years, the U.S. military has generally been reactive, rather than proactive, in responding to public health crises, including suicide, psychotropic drug misuse, and gaps in wounded warrior care, says Remington Nevin, a co-author of the study. Public-health leaders within the Department of Defense have a troubling history of having epidemics and programmatic deficiencies iden- tified only by outsiders long after the time to act has passed, rather than having these identified internally in time to mount an optimally effective response. A top Army psychiatrist at the time says troops minimized the issue, and their leaders werent seeking it out. Soldiers did not want to come forward, for fear that would be taken out of the fight, or thought to be malinger- ers, says retired Army colonel Elspeth Ritchie. And we the medics and the line [officers] were not looking for it.
We would like to express our appreciation to all of the fighting men and women in the United States Military. Thank you for your service to this country.
2 Paid for by the Michigan Republican Party with Regulated Funds. Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee. 520 Seymour Street, Lansing, MI 48933 Some Useful Links Air Force Times www.airforcetimes.com Navy Times www.navytimes.com Marine Corps Times www.marinecorpstimes.com Army Times www.armytimes.com Military Times www.militarytimes.com TRICARE www.tricare.mil American Legion www.legion.org Veterans of Foreign Wars www.vfw.org AMVETS www.amvets.org The DAV www.dav.org Department of Defense www.dod.gov Military/Veterans Report www.militray.com The Pentagon Channel www.pentagonchannel.mil Veterans Administration www.va.gov Military Order of the Purple Heart www.purpleheart.org
If anyone has a site they would like to have added to this growing list please let us know! Contact us anytime at mhauser@migop.org
Thank you for your Support! The authors used an interesting yardstick to esti- mate the number of undocumented TBIs: they calculated them by developing a mathematic formula that established a relationship between amputations and TBIs, based on the wars later years when the Pentagon was more rigor- ously tracking TBIs. Unlike TBIsthe so-called invisible wounds of the nations post 9/11 wars amputations are visible and easily counted. IED blasts cause most TBIs and amputations, making missing limbs a good tool to estimate the missing TBIs, says the paper, by Rachel Chase and Nevin of Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Including amputation counts in the model as a proxy for injury causing events is appropri- ate, given strong clinical and ecological evidence of com- mon mechanisms of injury for amputations and TBIs, they write in an article in the Journal of Head Trauma Re- habilitation slated to be posted next week. Too often, wars impacts arent gleaned until years later. Mustard gas experiments poisoned thousands during World War II. Cold War nuclear-weapons tests are suspected of causing cancer. Agent Orange was the tick- ing time bomb in Vietnamthe Department of Veterans Affairs is still adding to its list of medical consequences. Gulf War Syndrome stemming from the first war with Iraq, in 1991, remains a mystery. Traumatic brain injury is simply the latest in the list of wars unintended repercus- sions. [Source: Time | Mark Thompson | Apr 30, 2014 ++] A Note From: Lest We Forget Speakers Bureau This notice from LWF is to inform the reader of the development of a Lest We Forget Speakers Bureau. Since our organization has conducted three yearlong courses at Lake Michigan College, we have many topics and many qualified speakers to present information from WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, and our involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have developed formats for school children of all ages, and for veterans organization. Whatever the event we will gladly produce the correct format We would be glad to present any topic of interest to any group. As coordinator, I will be glad to help with the choices of presentations and help with planning.
Gary C. Lulenski Coordinator Speakers Bureau 269-428-3442 Garykaye2@comcast.net
3 Paid for by the Michigan Republican Party with Regulated Funds. Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee. 520 Seymour Street, Lansing, MI 48933 Veterans have a New Weapon in their Arsenal of Job-Seeking Tools. Members of all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces face a unique set of challenges when separating from service and transitioning into the civilian workforce. In the best of times, acclimating to a new civilian environment after years of immersion in a predictable and structured military profession poses difficulties. However, these are most certainly not the best of times. Our economy has been weakened by governmental spending, generating budgetary deficits considered by many economists to be unprecedented in the recorded history of the United States. Corporations once thought to be too large to fail are failing in record numbers, and a weak labor market is generating unemployment numbers which havent been this high since the Carter Administration in the 1970s. To make matters worse, policy decisions by the Obama Administration are generating so much uncertainty that businesses are freezing their plans for expansion and hiring. While this discouraging scenario plays out on the national stage in our mainstream media, military veteran and author Michael I. Kaplan has recently published a cutting-edge book he believes will provide sensible answers to this problem. Based on the 5-STAR reviews his book is currently earning on Amazon.com, many military veterans who have read his book believe hes correct. Kaplans book, The Prior-Service Entrepreneur, was just released in January 2014 and is already being hailed as a valuable resource by veterans who have read it. Kaplans writing style is refreshingly direct and to the point, offering military veterans an unapologetic assessment of the employment outlook and a unique set of proven solutions which allow them to succeed in the civilian workforce. His extensive background spans more than 25 years in government professions and entrepreneurship, experience which he believes allows him to see both sides of the military mindset / civilian workforce equation. This is my opportunity to give back to a community that gave me so much, states Kaplan, and what took me 25 years to learn I can teach back to military veterans in 266 pages. The strategy outlined by Kaplan is simple and easy to understand. The Prior-Service Entrepreneur provides a tactical advantage to military veterans transitioning into the civilian workforce, Kaplan explained to us, because it cuts through the business jargon and helps the reader to understand both their actual and symbolic value to Corporate America. It touches uncomfortable topics others avoid, and provides veterans creative solutions the mainstream tends to ignore. Is this book only for veterans who wish to become entrepreneurs? Absolutely not, says Kaplan, but military personnel are uniquely suited for that task. What most veterans dont realize is that the skill sets required to be successful in entrepreneurship are identical to those theyll need to be competitive and successful within any corporation in America. Veterans have a new weapon in their arsenal of job-seeking tools: The Prior-Service Entrepreneur. Order your copy of the book today and be better prepared to transition into the civilian workforce successfully.
Links for Michael I. Kaplan Website: www.michaelikaplan.com LinkedIn:http://www.linkedin.com/in/ michaelkaplan4pmg/ Email: mikdivemedic@gmail.com
More Information on the next page:
4 Paid for by the Michigan Republican Party with Regulated Funds. Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee. 520 Seymour Street, Lansing, MI 48933 Military veterans transitioning into the civilian workforce are facing a wide range of unique challenges in 2014. A depressed economy, constricted labor market and employers who struggle to understand how skills obtained in the military are transferable to civilian jobs are only the tip of the iceberg. Veterans will need to possess unique insights and skill sets well beyond those currently discussed within mainstream hiring circles. Michael I. Kaplan, a veteran of the U.S. Army and an entrepreneur with 25-years of experience creating and developing small business ventures, brings a powerful and unique perspective to the veteran employment equation. Kaplan has revealed his proven strategies in a book written for participants in all phases of the employment process: veterans, military spouses, corporate recruiters, job-board administrators, members of veteran support organizations (VSOs) and advocacy groups. Preparing military veterans to seek employment is critical but its only the first step in a complex process with many equally important components. Once hired, the veteran candidate must be successfully retained and developed over the long-term. Kaplans process of self-assessment, prioritization and conducting an effective inventory of skills speaks directly to this issue. While this thought-provoking book does put particular emphasis on entrepreneurship, Kaplan argues convincingly that the skills and mindset needed to be successful in pursuing the path of a Vetrepreneur are identical to those required to secure and maintain employment in Corporate America. Veterans who possess the skills proposed by Kaplan can transition seamlessly into the civilian workforce, and then again into entrepreneurship if they choose to do so. Military veterans are uniquely conditioned to be successful in the civilian workforce. Michael I. Kaplans book, The Prior-Service Entrepreneur, will provide military veterans and those who support them with a distinct competitive advantage in their pursuit of realizing that success. Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/The- Prior-Service-Entrepreneur-Experience-Profitable/ dp/1494949172/ref=sr_1_1? ie=UTF8&qid=1389783490&sr=8- 1&keywords=The+prior-service+entrepreneur New Nonprofit in Michigan to Help Veterans, Soldiers and Families Created by a Veteran for Veterans, Soldiers and their Families Metamora, MI, August 1, 2013: Suits for Soldiers is a new nonprofit in Michigan, but available nationwide. We are looking to help Veterans, Soldiers and their families with a variety of services and as we grow, increase the services that we provide. The initial services we will be offering are: cloth- ing for interviews and jobs, mentoring, resume writing and review, interview assistance, local job connections, education counseling, VA education benefits help and connecting Veterans with realtors and mortgage professionals who are familiar with working with Veterans. Our goal by the end of the year is to have a place with computer access where those who need our services can come and get clothing, improve their resumes and apply for jobs, get face to face mentor- ing from local business professionals, take classes and get training that will improve skill sets to get them ready for gainful employment. There are many programs currently out there that offer similar services, but at times are overwhelmed by the number in need of help. Suits for Soldiers would like to be another option for Veterans, Soldiers and their families. There can never be enough resources for the men and women who have served our country. Without these heroes who have sacrificed their families and themselves, we would not be able to be as free as we are today. Suits for Soldiers is asking for the help of those in the television, print and social media to spread the word of our organization, so that we can grow and not only help in Michigan, but reach out to more states and those who are in need of help. Each Veteran we help touches the lives of so many!!! Below are the ways in which you can find Suits for Soldiers on the web: www.suitsforsoldiers.org www.facebook.com/suitsforsoldiers Twitter: @suitsforsoldier
Thank you, Scott Fader Suits for Soldiers We would like to express our appreciation to all of the fighting men and women in the United States Military. Thank you for your service to this country.
5 Paid for by the Michigan Republican Party with Regulated Funds. Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee. 520 Seymour Street, Lansing, MI 48933 A story over 100 Years in the making. A story that needs to be told. Especially as we approach the 100th Anniversary of the start of the First World War in 2014. Stay tuned in 2014 for more details! We cannot wait to see the film once finished! Veterans Radio is dedicated to all of the men and women who have served or are currently serving in the armed forces of the United States of America. Our mission is to provide all veter- ans with a voice, to give them a forum where they are able to discuss their issuesand tell their stories. You can listen to the show on: WDEO (990-AM Ann Arbor/Detroit), WMAX (1440-AM, Saginaw), WDEO-FM (99.5 FM, Naples FL), KAGY (1510-AM Port Sulfur/New Orleans LA), KIXW (960-AM, Apple Valley CA) and KMRC (1430- AM Morgan City, LA). Or, listen to our Webcast and archives at: www.veteransradio.net.
6 Paid for by the Michigan Republican Party with Regulated Funds. Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee. 520 Seymour Street, Lansing, MI 48933 The World War I Memorial Foundation From: www.wwimemorial.org In March 2008, Frank Buckles, the last surviving American veteran of World War I, visited the District of Columbia War Memorial, on the National Mall in Washington DC. He observed that this peaceful, secluded memorial, dedicated in 1931 as a memorial to the 499 residents of the District of Columbia who gave their lives in that war, sits neglected and in extreme disrepair, and that there is no national memorial to World War I. Mr. Buckles issued a call for the restoration and re-dedication of the D.C. memorial as a National and District of Co- lumbia World War I Memorial. The World War I Memorial Foundation was formed to make Frank Buckles dream a reality. The mission of the Foundation is to advocate and raise funds for the re-dedication of the DC War Memorial as a national World War I memorial, dedicated to all those Americans who served in the Great War. In 2014 the world will mark the centennial of World War I. Nearly 5 million Americans served during the war, and 116,516 Americans died in defense of democracy overseas. Americas support of its allies in World War I marked the first time in this nations history that American soldiers went abroad to defend foreign soil against aggression -- and it marked the true beginning of the American century. Yet while the later conflicts of the 20th century - World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War -- rightfully have national memorials on the National Mall, there is no such memorial to the Great War, even though more Americans gave their lives in World War I than in Korea or Vietnam. The D.C. memorial, which is already located adjacent to those other memorials, is the most fitting site for a national World War I memorial. Photo: The Late Frank Buckles during his 2008 visit to the Washington D.C. World War I Monument. What is ESGR From: www.esgr.mil ESGR, a Department of Defense agency, was established in 1972 to promote cooperation and under- standing between Reserve Component Service members and their civilian employers and to assist in the resolution of conflicts arising from an employee's military commit- ment. ESGR is supported by a network of more than 4,800 volunteers in 54 committees located across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam-CNMI, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Volunteers, hailing from small business and industry, government, education and prior military service bring a vast wealth of experience to assist in serving employers, service members and their families. Together with Headquarters ESGR staff and a small cadre of support staff for each State Committee, volunteers work to promote and enhance employer support for military service in the Guard and Reserve. ESGR has served our country for 40 years, devel- oping and promoting a culture in which all American employers support and value the military service of their employees serving in the Guard and Reserve. These citizen warriors could not defend and protect us at home and abroad without the continued promise of meaningful civilian employment for themselves and their families. ESGR has continued to adapt to meet the needs of our Reserve Component members, their families and Ameri- cas employers by joining forces with a network of other national, state and local government and professional trade organizations as together, We All Serve!
7 Paid for by the Michigan Republican Party with Regulated Funds. Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee. 520 Seymour Street, Lansing, MI 48933
8 Paid for by the Michigan Republican Party with Regulated Funds. Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee. 520 Seymour Street, Lansing, MI 48933 Lest We Forget Sponsors International WWII Tour BENTON HARBOR - Southwestern Michigan's Lest We Forget organization is sponsoring the tour "WWII and The Western Front," commonly referred to as the "Band of Brothers Tour." The tour, to take place in summer of 2014, will give you a tangible connection to the most crucial moments of World War II. You will stand where the soldiers fought, see where the leaders met, and walk where the civilians lived. The tour will range from Churchill's Cabinet War Rooms in London, to the D-Day beaches of Normandy, to the battlefields at Bastogne and the historic sites such as Checkpoint Charlie, Brandenburg Gate and the Wall in Berlin. For a very nominal fee the tour can be extended three days to Nuremburg, Munich and Salzburg where you will see the Dachau concentration camp, Hitler's Eagle Nest at Berchtesgaden and much more. You will truly experience first-hand the war that changed the world forever! This historic tour is produced by Education First Educational Tours (EF) of Cambridge MA, the interna- tional leader in educational tours for group travel. EF has been in existence for over 50 years and has over 400 offices and schools in over 50 countries around the globe. Make history come alive for you and your grandchildren. Showing them where you or a member of your family served during WWII will provide a sense of history, reality and a greater understanding of your military experience. We will have a full-time EF tour director accompany our group and at each of the stops there will be expert, licensed local guides. Tour in- cludes eight overnight stays (11 on the extended tour) in hotels and one night ferry accommodation--crossing the English Channel. You will travel from July 14 th to 24 th , 2014 (or through the 27 th if you take the 3-day extension). An introductory meeting is scheduled for Aug 21st, 2013 at 7 pm at Lake Michigan College's Benton Harbor campus in the Blue Lecture Hall. Be certain to attend to learn more about this impressive itinerary which takes you from England to France, Belgium and Germany. The cost for this 11 day tour is $3,810 for students under 20 and $4,205 for adults. With the three day extension the cost is $4,295 and $4,690. To view this tour online, go to www.eftours.com/1449819 . For questions call Don Alsbro at 269-921-7176 or deals- bro@comcast.net. About Our Home Transitional of Genesee County From: Carrie Miller Our Home Transitional provides various types of assistance to homeless single female veterans (i.e. job training and placement, educational training, home placement assistance, and mental and physical healthcare) through other local and national organizations in efforts to help them transition to self-sufficiency in civilian society. These programs will be offered by Our Home Transition- al, along with our partnering organizations, such as the VA, VetBiz Central, Land Bank, SV MAP, Workforce Development Veterans Division, LearnKey Veterans Division, VetQuest, Cars4Vets, National Education Alliance, MI Talent bank and many more! Our Home Transitional will deliver a unique family style environment not offered by any other housing placements in our area. We can also create an opportunity to revitalize and beautify the City of Flint by utilizing homes that are empty, acquire and then rehab them for permanent placement of our clients. To learn more about our Board of Directors, please visit our Board of Directors page. To learn more about volunteers working with Our Home Transitional, visit our Volunteer page.
9 Paid for by the Michigan Republican Party with Regulated Funds. Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee. 520 Seymour Street, Lansing, MI 48933 National Gold Star Registry From: Wendy Lynn Day (www.goldstarfamilyregistry.com) The National Gold Star Family Registry is the first comprehensive database of the United States fallen Heroes and their families ever developed. The Registry not only affords family members the opportunity to publicly remember their loved one, but serves as a historical log of our Nations true Heroes. By providing educational resources and personal accounts, the Registry ensures that future generations may know who these brave Americans werenot only how they died, but, more importantly, how they lived. The information in the Registry is compiled from a number of different public sources including the Department of Defense and the National Archives. Adhering to Department of Defense guidelines for families who receive the Gold Star Pin, the Registry only includes the names of Heroes who have given their lives on the battlefield. From the Vietnam Wall in Washington, DC, to the countless war memorials on courthouse lawns, the United States is peppered with stone monuments honor- ing those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. These treasures are powerful, but access is limited by geography, and names inscribed in stone dont tell the Heroes full story. The National Gold Star Family Registry serves as a 21st Century monument, utilizing the latest in internet technology to memorialize those same men and women in a whole new way.
How the Registry Began The National Gold Star Family Registry is a project of Military Families United, a not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) charitable organization whose mission is to Honor the Fallen, Support Those Who Fight, and Serve Their Families. Through various events held for Gold Star Family members, Military Families United recognized a need for families to be able to share the stories of their Heroes with the world. In the beginning, families attending these events wrote their stories in a notebook to share with other Gold Star families, this concept eventually took the form of the virtual memorial. First launched in 2010, the Registry has been continually upgraded with the latest in technology and resources. This 21st Century memorial ensures that anyone anywhere can honor and remember the Heroes who have laid down their lives in defense of freedom. Whether they gave their life in Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Korea, WWII, or another conflict, the Registry is a place to ensure their memory will live on. About Military Families United Military Families United is a not-for-profit 501(c) (3) charitable organization whose mission is to Honor the Fallen, Support Those Who Fight, and Serve Their Families. We are a national coalition of Gold Star and Blue Star families, veterans, and patriotic Americans who share a deep appreciation for our men and women in uniform and support them in their mission to keep America safe. Founded in 2005 to provide an avenue for military families to remind the nation of the importance of supporting our military and the mission they have been given , the organization expanded to provide charitable programs offering families direct support. Through a portfolio of unique services, events, and advocacy programs, the organization seeks to ensure that future generations of Americans will never forget the sacrifices of our courageous military. The MPVA Mission From: www.michiganpva.org MPVA is celebrating its 50th year of service in Michigan. It is a chapter of the national Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), operating according to the standards and practices established by the PVA. MPVA is, however, a separate 501(c)(3) charitable organization. The Michigan programs, services, education, and outreach conducted here are made possible by local volunteers, partners, sponsors, and donors. The mission of Michigan Paralyzed Veterans of America is to enhance the lives of veterans with spinal cord injury or disease as well as all citizens with disabilities, by advocating for civil rights, assuring quality health care, supporting continued research and education, and encouraging independence and healthy living through various health, sports and recreational programs. MPVA shall continue striving to remain at the forefront of both veterans benefits services and disability rights, while working toward a better quality of life for all American citizens.
10 Paid for by the Michigan Republican Party with Regulated Funds. Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee. 520 Seymour Street, Lansing, MI 48933 Brain Injury Association of Michigan From: Rick Briggs, Major, USAF (Ret) The Brain Injury Association of Michigan (BIAMI) Veterans Program utilizes numerous types of outdoor activities to gather Veterans and currently serving military personnel together for a little R&R. These special events are almost always free for the troops depending totally on the kind donations of spon- sors and donors. In addition to being a great way to say Thank you for their service, these activities serve as the mechanism to get the troops to open up a little if they are having post-deployment issues. Frequently we find that in the comfortable confines with others who have been there, done that they tend to be more receptive to learn about Invisible Wounds says Rick Briggs the Program Manager, both PTSD and TBI are treatable if they seek the proper help. To find out more about these activities, or to donate to their Veterans Program, please make out checks to BIAMI Veterans Program and send them to 7305 Grand River Suite #100, Brighton, MI 48114 or contact Rick Briggs at veterans@biami.org or call him (810) 229- 5880 or visit www.biami.org. About the Brain Injury Asso- ciation of Michigan (BIAMI): BIAMI is celebrating its 30th Anniversary as it continues to strive to provide persons with a brain injury and their families, healthcare professionals, and the general public with the resources necessary to enhance brain injury awareness, education, prevention, and support. BIAMI is also fields the first and only dedicated Veterans Program staff within the Brain Injury Associa- tion of America. Legal Help for Veterans From: James G. Fausone Legal Help for Veterans, PLLC is a law firm located in Northville, Michigan. We have a national practice representing veterans on veterans disability claims. This representation occurs at the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, the Board of Veterans Appeals and regional offices. We have helped veterans collect over $10,000,000 in retro and future benefits. Over the last decade, LHFV has become a trusted name in the legal community for providing legal services to veterans and lecturing at law schools, bar associations and community events. Members of the Legal Help for Veterans practice group are former service members who bring not only legal expertise but an understanding of service and duty. The members of the group have medical and administra- tive backgrounds as well as finely honed legal skills developed over twenty years of practice and experi- ence. We have represented thousands of veterans and currently have over 650 active clients. For more information about the organization and about legal help for veterans and for contact information www.legalhelpforveterans.com and found on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Our telephone number is 800.693.4800. Our blog discusses current issues facing veterans and the VA. Typically our clients are enlisted men and women who served post Korea. The Vietnam vet is still the one with the most common problems. These include Agent Orange related disabilities, PTSD, psychiatric or orthopedic injuries. Other vets often have hearing loss, military sexual trauma or tinnitus. We are now seeing Iraq and Afghanistan vets with TBI. Many vets do not even begin the disability claim process until many years after service. The trigger may be unemployability and the need for benefits. With a million claim back log at VA, it is a slow and confusing process and many people need professional help establishing the proper diagnosis and service connection. That is what Legal Help for Veterans, PLLC has been doing for clients for years. We would like to express our appreciation to all of the fighting men and women in the United States Military. Thank you for your service to this country.
11 Paid for by the Michigan Republican Party with Regulated Funds. Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee. 520 Seymour Street, Lansing, MI 48933 For more information please visit www.supportamericanvets.org and www.grassrootsationteam.org. More details coming soon. The Grassroots Action Team was created in order to advocate for Veterans and others about issues concerning mental health parity and physical health. We will be doing this first and foremost by educating people and making sure they are aware of the issues. Then we will make sure our leaders in Washington and at the State level are aware of the issues and vote in favor of our Veterans. We will keep the pressure on to make sure programs that are already in place as well as any new programs helping veterans are in fact implemented. If you would like to make a donation or have ideas and/or suggestions for us please write to our President, Hank Fuhs, Lt. Col., United States Air Force/ANG/USAF Reserves (ret.) at 3848 Leonard St. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525 or email him athankfuhs@gmail.com or info@grassrootsactionteam.org. We would like to express our appreciation to all of the fighting men and women in the United States Military. Thank you for your service to this country.
12 Paid for by the Michigan Republican Party with Regulated Funds. Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee. 520 Seymour Street, Lansing, MI 48933 Rep. Jim Stamas Committee Chair
Welcome to the Military and Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security Committee. The committee's regularly scheduled meeting time is Wednesday at 9:00am in room 308 of the House Office Building in Lansing. I welcome citizens to contact me or other committee members regarding bills or proposals our committee is addressing. Individuals needing special accommodations to participate in a committee meeting may contact my office to request the necessary assistance. Military and Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security
Committee Members
Jim Stamas (R) Committee Chair, 98th District Ray Franz (R) Majority Vice-Chair, 101st District Gail Haines (R) 43rd District Kenneth Kurtz (R) 58th District Tom Hooker (R) 77th District Dale Zorn (R) 56th District Joseph Graves (R) 51st District Harvey Santana (D) Minority Vice-Chair, 9th District George Darany (D) 15th District Dian Slavens (D) 21st District Brian Banks (D) 1st District Henry Yanez (D) 25th District Phil Cavanagh (D) 10th District
Ben Cook, Committee Clerk 517-373-2002
Two Great Sources for Veterans/Military Legislative Updates in Washington D.C. Simply click the images to view the site.
13 Paid for by the Michigan Republican Party with Regulated Funds. Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee. 520 Seymour Street, Lansing, MI 48933 Stand Up For Veterans-They Stood Up For US -The DAV In Closing Thank you for your service to our country. It is truly the men and women like you who make this nation great, and we must never forget that. Thank you to everyone for all the help you have given us with the newsletter. We have been able to reach more people because of your help. Compared to when we first started, the amount of input and ideas we receive has increased greatly. For that we are very thankful. If you have anything you would like to share, any questions, or have an article idea, please let me know. You may contact us anytime at mhauser@migop.org.
Sincerely,
Matthew X. Hauser and Lt. Col Hank Fuhs We would like to express our appreciation to all of the fighting men and women in the United States Military. Thank you for your service to this country. Lest We Forget-A Clip from Hank Fuhs Lt. Col., USAF, Ret, ANG (Just Click the Link Below) I Fought For You News From American Legion Post 341 American Legion Post 341 is seeking the names of troops that are deployed to a combat zone so that we can send them large package of goodies and that their names and address should be sent to the address below. Also post 341 is always seeking new members please contact Robert at the same address if interested.
American Legion Post 341 Sr. Vice Commander Robert P. Goulet 6130 Nicholas West Bloomfield, MI rgoulet264@aol.com Coordinator- Matthew X. Hauser
Contributors- Don Alsbro Rick Briggs Helen Budd Sen. Patrick Colbeck Sam Cottle Rep. Kurt Damrow Matt Davis David Duenow Vicki Dunlop Mark Eddy Keith Famie James G. Fausone Rep. Ray Franz Sean M. Furr Denny Gillem Robert Goulet Dr. Jack Grenan John Haggard Larry Harr Dan Heckman Dale Hemphill John Hess Norma Housey Sec. of State Ruth Johnson James Julian Adrian Keogh Adele Krovsky Bill Langbehn Merridy Lewis Gary C. Lulenski Claude McManus Chad Miles Louis Nigro Roger Rosenberg Sid Rubin Eugene (Gene) A. Simon Phil Smith Sherry Swann Tim Pascarella Bob Tidmore Rep. Fred Upton Maureen VanHooser Publisher-Hank Fuhs Staff & Contributors American Legion Post is in looking for current military members to send care packages to. Please contact Robert Goulet if you know of any military member who might like something. Please see News From American Legion Post 341 below for more information. Thank you very much! In Memory of Gary Lillie