Merchant Marine vets may yet be honored
Art Sloane
Special to the Republic
Feb. 5, 2008 12:55 PM
World War II has been over for 62 years and one group of men that served never has been recognized for its heroism.
These are the men of the Merchant Marine and Army Transport Service. Legal age to enter service was 17 with permission during the war, but many younger men enlisted by lying about their age.
Many chose the Merchant Marine because legal age was 16. When President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the GI Bill in 1944, he stated, "I trust Congress will soon provide similar opportunities to members of the Merchant Marine who have risked their lives time and time again during war for the welfare of our country."
Now all these years later, the few Merchant Marine war veterans still alive would like to see Senate Bill S961 passed. The House of Representatives passed the bill in 2007. Our two Arizona senators, Jon Kyl and John McCain, have not signed on even though 57 other senators have.
The bill is known as the "Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II."
• Throughout the Valley are collection points for used clothing, shoes, etc. These containers are marked Loved Ones Lost. A portion of the clothing collected goes to veterans' charities. In addition, there are two thrift shops. The organization is donating clothing to Stand Down For Homeless Veterans the weekend of Feb 15-17. For the collection depot nearest you call 480-252-1270.
Organizers of the Stand Down still need many items, such as backpacks. It is estimated that there are more than 3,000 homeless veterans on the streets of the Valley. 602-305-8585.
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Showing posts with label Stand Down. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stand Down. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Standing Up For Homeless Veterans
Standing Up For Homeless Veterans
Knowing that veterans are living on the streets is something VFW Post 10427 in Leander, Texas, couldn’t live with.
“It’s a shame that we are the most powerful country in the world, but we still have homeless veterans,” said James Towers, Texas District 28 junior vice commander. “As a veterans’ organization, we can’t allow this to happen.”
Towers and his fellow Post members learned of a community volunteer, Mike McIntire, who goes in search of homeless veterans. McIntire encounters between 75 and 100 veterans each week. He sets up VA appointments and provides them with food from local shelters.
When a Post member met McIntire at the VA clinic, the Post knew they had to help.
They donated money and fundraised for a total of $1,000, which they used to buy supplies for a November "Stand Down for Homeless Veterans" event. "Stand Down" events are an opportunity for homeless veterans to find a job and take advantage of veterans’ services like the VA. Volunteers pass out food, supplies, and personal care items.
But the Post didn’t stop there.
After cutting a deal with a sporting goods store, the Post used that money to buy almost 100 sleeping bags and around 30 backpacks, as well as various other sundries and toiletries. They also held a used clothing drive to collect between 400 and 500 articles of clothing.
Between the sleeping bags and clothing, the Post had filled a U-Haul van with items for homeless veterans at the “Stand Down” event. Towers estimated that the Post’s efforts raised about $3,000 in supplies.
“As an organization, we have a lot of resources dedicated to deployed servicemembers, which is very important,” said Towers. “But at the same time, we didn’t want these homeless vets, our comrades, to fall through the cracks.”
Return to main VFW at Work! Page
Return to main VFW at Work! Archive Page
Donate Now!
We hear a lot about how this is supposedly a Christian nation when politicians feel the need to say it, but they never prove it. These are the words from Christ Himself addressing what the rich should do when it comes to the poor. No one is expecting people to give away everything they have but it would be wonderful. All that is necessary is for really rich people to give up at least some of what they have for the sake of the poor. To have two words linked together in this nation is really pitiful. Homeless and veteran. If we can't take care of them, then what chance to just regular homeless people have?
Knowing that veterans are living on the streets is something VFW Post 10427 in Leander, Texas, couldn’t live with.
“It’s a shame that we are the most powerful country in the world, but we still have homeless veterans,” said James Towers, Texas District 28 junior vice commander. “As a veterans’ organization, we can’t allow this to happen.”
Towers and his fellow Post members learned of a community volunteer, Mike McIntire, who goes in search of homeless veterans. McIntire encounters between 75 and 100 veterans each week. He sets up VA appointments and provides them with food from local shelters.
When a Post member met McIntire at the VA clinic, the Post knew they had to help.
They donated money and fundraised for a total of $1,000, which they used to buy supplies for a November "Stand Down for Homeless Veterans" event. "Stand Down" events are an opportunity for homeless veterans to find a job and take advantage of veterans’ services like the VA. Volunteers pass out food, supplies, and personal care items.
But the Post didn’t stop there.
After cutting a deal with a sporting goods store, the Post used that money to buy almost 100 sleeping bags and around 30 backpacks, as well as various other sundries and toiletries. They also held a used clothing drive to collect between 400 and 500 articles of clothing.
Between the sleeping bags and clothing, the Post had filled a U-Haul van with items for homeless veterans at the “Stand Down” event. Towers estimated that the Post’s efforts raised about $3,000 in supplies.
“As an organization, we have a lot of resources dedicated to deployed servicemembers, which is very important,” said Towers. “But at the same time, we didn’t want these homeless vets, our comrades, to fall through the cracks.”
Return to main VFW at Work! Page
Return to main VFW at Work! Archive Page
Donate Now!
We hear a lot about how this is supposedly a Christian nation when politicians feel the need to say it, but they never prove it. These are the words from Christ Himself addressing what the rich should do when it comes to the poor. No one is expecting people to give away everything they have but it would be wonderful. All that is necessary is for really rich people to give up at least some of what they have for the sake of the poor. To have two words linked together in this nation is really pitiful. Homeless and veteran. If we can't take care of them, then what chance to just regular homeless people have?
Mark 10:17-31
The Rich Young Man
17As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
18"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone.
19You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'[a]"
20"Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."
21Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
22At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"
24The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is[b] to enter the kingdom of God!
25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
26The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?"
27Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+10%3A17-31
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Stand Down 2007 helps veterans in Connecticut
Stand Down 2007 helps veterans in Connecticut
Stand Down 2007 helps veterans in Connecticut - by Crystal Haynes
by News Channel 8's Crystal HaynesPosted Sept. 21, 2007Updated 12:12 PM
Rocky Hill (WTNH) _ They served our country, and now the state of Connecticut is lending some of our veterans' a helping hand. "Stand Down 2007" is aimed at making sure the state's veterans have everything they need.
For Eddie Torres Mills, the road from the battlefields of Iraq to a normal life in Connecticut has been a rough one.
"My company, we lost a guy. We were transportation, doing convoys. And right now they talking about PTSD and stuff and I don't really know what it is, but they say I might have it," he said.
'They' are the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs, the sponsor of Stand Down 2007. Here Torres Mills, an Army veteran, along with hundreds of the state's homeless and needy veterans, have an opportunity to get haircuts, have health screenings, get their driver's licenses restored, and even take care of misdemeanors at a special satellite superior courtroom.
Torres Mills plans to take advantage of the free legal advice.
click above for the rest
".,,,they talking about PTSD and stuff and I don't really know what it is," Why? Why after all this time a combat veteran does not know what PTSD is even though he must have been diagnosed with it? How is this possible? What more needs to be done and how fast can we do it?
Stand Down 2007 helps veterans in Connecticut - by Crystal Haynes
by News Channel 8's Crystal HaynesPosted Sept. 21, 2007Updated 12:12 PM
Rocky Hill (WTNH) _ They served our country, and now the state of Connecticut is lending some of our veterans' a helping hand. "Stand Down 2007" is aimed at making sure the state's veterans have everything they need.
For Eddie Torres Mills, the road from the battlefields of Iraq to a normal life in Connecticut has been a rough one.
"My company, we lost a guy. We were transportation, doing convoys. And right now they talking about PTSD and stuff and I don't really know what it is, but they say I might have it," he said.
'They' are the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs, the sponsor of Stand Down 2007. Here Torres Mills, an Army veteran, along with hundreds of the state's homeless and needy veterans, have an opportunity to get haircuts, have health screenings, get their driver's licenses restored, and even take care of misdemeanors at a special satellite superior courtroom.
Torres Mills plans to take advantage of the free legal advice.
click above for the rest
".,,,they talking about PTSD and stuff and I don't really know what it is," Why? Why after all this time a combat veteran does not know what PTSD is even though he must have been diagnosed with it? How is this possible? What more needs to be done and how fast can we do it?
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