VFW District 8 Newsletter
CWO5 Randle M. Tolliver, USN (Ret)
Commander
For veterans in crisis, the Veterans Crisis
Line's number is "988” then press "1”.
Homebound veterans requiring assistance please
contact any member.
Veterans
experiencing or at risk for homelessness, please contact any member or the
National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at (877) 424-3838.
Buddy Check! Please call or go visit elderly or homebound veterans and see
how they are doing and if they need help.
We, the
VFW, is an organization of war veterans, our mission is to assist veterans,
their families and to serve our local community. To promote Americanism and be a voice for veterans in Washington, and
Jeff City where we advocate for veterans, service members and military families.
We support veterans of all wars in matters of government compensation and
pension claims, hospitalization, and other issues.
We are always looking to have
veterans who are eligible and want to continue serving our community to join
us. If you are interested, please contact any member or post.
For your information:
Local events:
The time and place of local
post meetings and events are provided on each post’s Facebook site; come join
us!
On 18 July, Post 3777 will
present the acoustics of the "Scruffy Looking Nerf Herder” from 7-10 pm. For
more information call (636) 937-5400.
On 1 August, Post 3777 will
hold "Friday Night Live” with Monte DeClue from 7-10 pm. For more information call
(636) 937-5400.
On
2 August, Post
3777 in Festus will hold a "Texas Hold Em” tournament. Registration starts at 1
pm, play at 1:30 pm. For more information call (636) 937-5400.
On 9 August, VFW Post 2426 in Desloge will be
conducting a "Fund Raiser for Conrad. The event will start at 11 am at 399 W
Oak St, in Desloge. The event will feature food and beverages, live
entertainment, children’s activities and a silent auction. All proceeds go to
the fund raiser. For more information or to donate
directly call Joe Cerchi at (573) 734-8048.
On 29 August, Post 3777 will
hold "Friday Night Live” with Josh Driskell from 7-10 pm. For more information call
(636) 937-5400.
Legislative news:
Legislative news: The VFW supports the "Veterans’ Caregiver
Appeals Modernization Act.” H.R.3833 will require improvements to the VA’s comprehensive
assistance for family caregivers. This program allows eligible veterans to
elect in-home care from a caregiver to whom VA provides a monthly stipend.
Unfortunately, the VA’s use of multiple electronic systems causes gross
inefficiency in the application process and ultimately delaying or depriving
caregivers from receiving this vital benefit. This legislation would require
the VA to implement a single electronic application system to streamline the
process. Please
contact Senator Hawley, Senator Schmitt, and your Congressman / Congresswoman and
ask for their support.
Additional, we are still asking for your support for
the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act” (S.478/ H.R.1041)
to stop veterans, who receive VA fiduciary assistance, from losing
their constitutional rights without a court ruling or due process. Also,the
"Major Richard Star Act” (H.R. 2102 and S. 1032) to ensure that combat-injured
veterans receive full Department of Defense (DoD) retirement and VA disability
pay.
Missouri Veterans
Commission (MVC) news:
The MVC has released its inaugural Veteran Suicide
Prevention Report, titled "Left of Boom,” This report is mandated by the 2024 Senate
Bill 912 and House Bill 1495 as the step in the state’s first effort to address
veteran suicide. T report outlines a proactive strategy aimed at preventing
suicide among Missouri’s veteran population. "Left of Boom,” a military term
referring to actions taken before a critical incident, reflects MVC’s focus on
early intervention and prevention. Key
findings of the report are the veterans a suicide rate in Missouri is 42.6 per
100,000, higher than the national average of 34.7. Also, the mental health
stigma is still a major barrier preventing Veterans from seeking help. The full
report is available at mvc.dps.mo.gov.
VA news:
The VA has announced a temporarily expansion of burial
benefits for certain veterans under the "Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century
Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act.” Now, eligible veterans who are discharged
from VA-provided medical or nursing care to receive VA-provided hospice care at
their home and pass away between 1 July 2025 and 1 October, 2026 may receive
the full VA burial allowance. Previously, these veterans were not always
awarded the full VA burial allowance. The Dole Act addresses that gap. Families
and caregivers of these veterans should contact their local VA for information
about eligibility and how to apply for burial benefits. For more information, visit
VA burial benefits or call 800-827-1000.
Now let us talk a bit
about our history:
80
years ago this week at 5:29:45 AM on 16 July 1945, the first atomic bomb was
successfully tested. Code named
"Trinity”, the bomb was detonated 120 miles south of Santa Fe in Alamogordo,
New Mexico. The scientists and a few dignitaries observed from 10,000 yards
away as the first mushroom cloud of searing light stretched 40,000 feet into
the air and generated the destructive power of 15,000 to 20,000 tons of
TNT. For more information, I recommend
"The History and Science of the Manhattan Project” by Bruce Cameron Reed.
81 years ago this week, an American force consisting of 48,200, under the
overall command of Lieutenant General Holland M. Smith USMC, stormed the
beaches of Guam, seeking to reclaim the American territory after its capture
nearly three years previous. The American force was comprised of the III Marine
Amphibious Corps, 3rd Marine Division, 1st Provisional Marine Brigade, and the
Army’s 77th Infantry Division. The Japanese forces under the overall command of
Lieutenant General Takeshi Takashina were estimated to be 19,000, and consisted
of the 29th Division, 1st Tank Division, 48th Independent Brigade, and the 10th
Independent Mixed Regiment. Although the
well-positioned Japanese defenders inflicted heavy casualties, the Americans
secured the beachheads and were several thousand feet inland by nightfall. A combination of rain and jungle made
conditions difficult for the Americans, but after the 2–4 August engagement
with the main Japanese line of defense around Mount Barrigada, the Japanese defense
collapsed. The remaining Japanese
stronghold at Mount Santa Rosa was taken on 8 August. By 10 August, organized
Japanese resistance ended, and Guam was declared secure. American causalities
were 1,783 killed and 6,010 wounded while Japanese losses were approximately
18,337 killed and 1,250 captured. For
more information, I recommend "The Liberation of Guam 21 July – 10 August” by
Harry Gailey.
I offer this from DR. Robert
Oppenheimer, Director of the Manhattan Project’s Los Alamos Lab upon witnessing
the Trinity test, said, "now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds.”
Bulletin Board:
The VA one-stop telephone number is
1-800-698-2411 and press "0” for immediate assistance. The VA one stop website
is VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs .
Veterans can no longer use usernames / passwords to access
"My HealtheVet.” To regain access, you
must create a new account at www.va.gov/sign-in-changes.
For more for information concerning VA "End of
Life” benefits and services see www.va.gov/initiatives/end-of-life-benefits/
Veteran employment
opportunities! Please visit https://news.va.gov/138283/hiring-veterans-job .
The Missouri Veterans Commission (MVC) one-stop
Benefits and Resource Portal is (573) 522-4061 or www.veteranbenefits.mo.gov .
To pre-certify for burial in a Missouri Veterans
Cemetery, apply at https://my.mo.gov/gsp?id=vcp_preapplication . For
information on burial eligibility, visit https://mvc.dps.mo.gov/cemeteries .
The Missouri Job Center offers no-cost
employment assistance for veterans and spouses. Contact (417) 257-2630 or visit
jobs.mo.gov/vets.
The TRICARE Online (TOL) Patient
Portal has been replaced by MHS GENESIS. See https://health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Technology/MHS-GENESIS/
To order military service documents such as a DD
214/Separation Document or Official Military Personnel File (OMPF), contact the
National Archives, National Personnel Records Center at https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records, or call (866) 272-6272.
For more information, follow us at https://www.facebook.com/groups/967395123712841 or visit movfw.org
"Here to Serve”
