Franklin County Veterans Affairs office 'Pennsylvania's best-kept secret'
Public Opinion
By ANDREA RICH
Bob Harris, Franklin County director of veterans affairs, said one vet told him the county office is "Pennsylvania's best kept secret."
Why is it so hard to reach veterans?
"We try to do a campaign when units return from Reserves or National Guard," Harris explained, but the most recent group returns for Franklin County were in 2004 and 2009.
Since then troops typically separate from their units in Fort Dix, N.J. where representatives from the Disabled American Veterans and Veterans of Foreign Wars give presentations about post-active-duty life and services.
"At that point you are so overwhelmed (with the separation process) and you just want to go home," Harris said. It's a lot for soldiers to take in, he added.
As is the national trend, many young soldiers don't realize what the county office can do for them.
"We advocate - at no cost to you (the soldier)," Harris said. That includes getting veterans connected to the right people for veteran's health care, education benefits, housing allowance and employment.
The latest veteran count in Franklin County was done in Fiscal Year 2010 and at that time Franklin County had 12,984 veterans.
Harris said the county office is even more important to young veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan because they don't connect with groups that typically can get them connected to services through experience.
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Showing posts with label Pennsylvania National Guard. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pennsylvania National Guard. Show all posts
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Iraq veteran giving part of her away to Vietnam Vet
Pa. soldier makes rare, incredible donation to Vietnam veteran
Posted: Nov 12, 2012
By Megan Healey
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM)
A Pennsylvania National Guard soldier is sharing her incredible story of giving this Veterans Day. She says her journey began when she returned from her first deployment to Iraq.
"It seemed to be Vietnam veterans really welcomed us home with open arms," she said. "I had a couple of them tell me they're doing this because when they came home, they weren't welcomed home in the same way and they wanted to make sure that never happens to another soldier again. That really touched me. That really meant something to me. It wasn't just one man that did this."
We're not identifying the 36-year-old by name because she doesn't want thanks or accolades for what she's giving: a massive portion of liver to a dying Vietnam veteran three states away.
read more here
Posted: Nov 12, 2012
By Megan Healey
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM)
A Pennsylvania National Guard soldier is sharing her incredible story of giving this Veterans Day. She says her journey began when she returned from her first deployment to Iraq.
"It seemed to be Vietnam veterans really welcomed us home with open arms," she said. "I had a couple of them tell me they're doing this because when they came home, they weren't welcomed home in the same way and they wanted to make sure that never happens to another soldier again. That really touched me. That really meant something to me. It wasn't just one man that did this."
We're not identifying the 36-year-old by name because she doesn't want thanks or accolades for what she's giving: a massive portion of liver to a dying Vietnam veteran three states away.
read more here
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Pennsylvania National Guard:3 killed, 5 wounded in Afghanistan
Three Pennsylvania National Guard Soldiers Killed in Action
HARRISBURG, Pa., July 20, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Three Pennsylvania National Guard soldiers were killed and five wounded Monday when an improvised explosive device detonated on their convoy outside of Bagram, Afghanistan.
Sgt. Edward Koehler, 47, of Lebanon, Sgt. Brian Mowery, 49, of Halifax, and Staff Sgt. Kenneth VanGiesen, 30, of Kane, were transporting supplies and equipment when they were killed in the same vehicle.
None of the five wounded soldiers sustained life-threatening injuries.
The soldiers were serving with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard's, 131st Transportation Company, 213th Area Support Group, based in Williamstown and Philadelphia. The company is primarily in charge of convoys and convoy security.
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of these brave young men who have made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of this country," said Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett. "This tragic incident is a stark reminder of the dangers our troops face on a daily basis for the cause of freedom. We owe them our respect, our support and our gratitude."
read more here
Three Pennsylvania National Guard Soldiers Killed
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
228th Engineer Company returns to hugs, tears after serving in Iraq
228th Engineer Company returns to hugs, tears after serving in Iraq (VIDEO)
Published: Sunday, February 27, 2011; Last Updated: Sun. Feb 27, 2011, 11:00pm
By Phil Ellingsworth Jr., pellingsworth@pottsmerc.com
SPRING CITY — It was a heroes welcome for the members of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard 228th Engineer Company Sunday morning, as family, friends and loved ones greeted soldiers returning home from a year-long deployment in Iraq.
Tears of joy were shed, and hugs and kisses exchanged as the 96-member brigade arrived to the Spring City Armory after completing its mission of clearing improvised explosive devices and training the Iraqi Army in Baghdad.
The day was an especially poignant one for Sgt. Anthony Pezzletti of South Philadelphia, who got to see his 9-month-old son for just the second time since he was born.
After bring reunited with his son, Pezzletti was “excited” to be home and spend time with his infant son.
With the community turning out to support the troops, Spc. Dana Hess, 31, of Pittsburgh, said it was “important and special” to have loved ones greet the soldiers as they returned home.
“It means a lot to us,” Hess said.
During the mission, the company spent a great deal of time working together as a team to keep Baghdad safe, and to receive encouragement from family and friends shows they support what the troops did overseas, he said.
read more here
228th Engineer Company returns
Published: Sunday, February 27, 2011; Last Updated: Sun. Feb 27, 2011, 11:00pm
By Phil Ellingsworth Jr., pellingsworth@pottsmerc.com
SPRING CITY — It was a heroes welcome for the members of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard 228th Engineer Company Sunday morning, as family, friends and loved ones greeted soldiers returning home from a year-long deployment in Iraq.
Tears of joy were shed, and hugs and kisses exchanged as the 96-member brigade arrived to the Spring City Armory after completing its mission of clearing improvised explosive devices and training the Iraqi Army in Baghdad.
The day was an especially poignant one for Sgt. Anthony Pezzletti of South Philadelphia, who got to see his 9-month-old son for just the second time since he was born.
After bring reunited with his son, Pezzletti was “excited” to be home and spend time with his infant son.
With the community turning out to support the troops, Spc. Dana Hess, 31, of Pittsburgh, said it was “important and special” to have loved ones greet the soldiers as they returned home.
“It means a lot to us,” Hess said.
During the mission, the company spent a great deal of time working together as a team to keep Baghdad safe, and to receive encouragement from family and friends shows they support what the troops did overseas, he said.
read more here
228th Engineer Company returns
Friday, November 21, 2008
Post-Traumatic Stress Under-Treated: Local Soldiers Affected
Post-Traumatic Stress Under-Treated: Local Soldiers Affected
Target 11 Investigates Treatment Gaps
A recent study was highly critical of the care the soldiers are receiving when it comes to post-traumatic stress disorder.
Target 11 talked to a local soldier who said the military turned its back on him.
Robert Reeb spent the past 17 years in the military.
In the summer of 2006, he returned from Iraq and that's when his troubles began.
"I started using inhalants, and anything I could," said Reeb.
Diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, he was sent to Walter Reed Army Hospital in Maryland.
But halfway through, the treatment program was cut off -- Reeb was ordered back to Pennsylvania and discharged under honorable conditions.
A spokesman for the Pennsylvania National Guard said Reeb was given numerous chances, but repeated problems eventually led to his discharge. But a recent survey by the RAND corporation uncovered troubling statistics about the treatment soldiers returning from battle receive.
While some 300,000 soldiers suffer from PTSD, the study revealed only half who need it are getting treated and of those, slightly more than half received care labeled "minimally adequate".
Terri Tanielian conducted the study and said the military can do better.
"There are a number of opportunities that exist within the Department of Defense and the VA where there are tools and settings where you would hope and expect that higher quality care would be delivered," said Tanielian.
Congressman Jason Altmire agrees it's a big problem.
"It's a problem with the quality of care they are getting," said Altmire.
Altmire believes the situation facing Reeb and other soldiers is preventable.
"Certainly he did not get the treatment on the front end that he should have. And unfortunately he took a downward spiral and his life went in a different direction," said Altmire.
go here for more
http://www.wpxi.com/news/18010844/detail.html
Target 11 Investigates Treatment Gaps
A recent study was highly critical of the care the soldiers are receiving when it comes to post-traumatic stress disorder.
Target 11 talked to a local soldier who said the military turned its back on him.
Robert Reeb spent the past 17 years in the military.
In the summer of 2006, he returned from Iraq and that's when his troubles began.
"I started using inhalants, and anything I could," said Reeb.
Diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, he was sent to Walter Reed Army Hospital in Maryland.
But halfway through, the treatment program was cut off -- Reeb was ordered back to Pennsylvania and discharged under honorable conditions.
A spokesman for the Pennsylvania National Guard said Reeb was given numerous chances, but repeated problems eventually led to his discharge. But a recent survey by the RAND corporation uncovered troubling statistics about the treatment soldiers returning from battle receive.
While some 300,000 soldiers suffer from PTSD, the study revealed only half who need it are getting treated and of those, slightly more than half received care labeled "minimally adequate".
Terri Tanielian conducted the study and said the military can do better.
"There are a number of opportunities that exist within the Department of Defense and the VA where there are tools and settings where you would hope and expect that higher quality care would be delivered," said Tanielian.
Congressman Jason Altmire agrees it's a big problem.
"It's a problem with the quality of care they are getting," said Altmire.
Altmire believes the situation facing Reeb and other soldiers is preventable.
"Certainly he did not get the treatment on the front end that he should have. And unfortunately he took a downward spiral and his life went in a different direction," said Altmire.
go here for more
http://www.wpxi.com/news/18010844/detail.html
Monday, June 30, 2008
Six Units Get Call for 2009 Iraq Deployment
Six Units Get Call for 2009 Iraq Deployment
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, June 30, 2008 – The Defense Department has alerted six combat units for deployment to Iraq from January to March 2009, officials said here today.
Though the announcement identifies forces for the current level of effort in Iraq, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said, it does not try to predict decisions down the road.
“It’s proper, prudent planning to give units the time to train and to ensure they are notified in a deliberate fashion and well in advance of when they would have to deploy,” Whitman said.
The four Army combat brigades and two Marine regimental combat teams cover about 33,000 personnel. These are normal rotation forces, and all of the units have the capability of performing full-spectrum combat operations.
The Marine units notified today are Regimental Combat Team 8 and Regimental Combat Team 6, both based in Camp Lejeune, N.C.
The Army units are the 1st Cavalry Division’s 1st and 2nd brigade combat teams, based at Fort Hood, Texas; the 10th Mountain Division’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team, based at Fort Drum, N.Y.; and 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team of the Pennsylvania National Guard’s 28th Infantry Division.
The announcement for the 12-month deployments assumes a force level of 15 brigade combat teams in Iraq. “This is a planning effort for maintaining a 15-combat-brigade level,” Whitman said.
“That doesn’t mean decisions down the road couldn’t affect this,” he added. “You can always have units that redeploy earlier and deploy later. This is a planning effort to sustain the current level of operations.”
The last surge brigade will leave Iraq by the end of July. Some 45 days later, officials in Iraq, U.S. Central Command and the Pentagon will assess conditions in Iraq “post-surge,” Whitman said. Decisions after that review could affect deployments, he said.
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=50359
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, June 30, 2008 – The Defense Department has alerted six combat units for deployment to Iraq from January to March 2009, officials said here today.
Though the announcement identifies forces for the current level of effort in Iraq, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said, it does not try to predict decisions down the road.
“It’s proper, prudent planning to give units the time to train and to ensure they are notified in a deliberate fashion and well in advance of when they would have to deploy,” Whitman said.
The four Army combat brigades and two Marine regimental combat teams cover about 33,000 personnel. These are normal rotation forces, and all of the units have the capability of performing full-spectrum combat operations.
The Marine units notified today are Regimental Combat Team 8 and Regimental Combat Team 6, both based in Camp Lejeune, N.C.
The Army units are the 1st Cavalry Division’s 1st and 2nd brigade combat teams, based at Fort Hood, Texas; the 10th Mountain Division’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team, based at Fort Drum, N.Y.; and 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team of the Pennsylvania National Guard’s 28th Infantry Division.
The announcement for the 12-month deployments assumes a force level of 15 brigade combat teams in Iraq. “This is a planning effort for maintaining a 15-combat-brigade level,” Whitman said.
“That doesn’t mean decisions down the road couldn’t affect this,” he added. “You can always have units that redeploy earlier and deploy later. This is a planning effort to sustain the current level of operations.”
The last surge brigade will leave Iraq by the end of July. Some 45 days later, officials in Iraq, U.S. Central Command and the Pentagon will assess conditions in Iraq “post-surge,” Whitman said. Decisions after that review could affect deployments, he said.
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=50359
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