Veterans Blog - September 2009
Douglas Karr, Petty Officer Second Class, United States Navy Veteran
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Veterans - What You Do Doesn't Define You
When I was first enlisting in the United States Navy, I was lucky to have a father who was a career sailor. He understood how recruiting worked and how to pressure recruiters to get a great career on track in the Navy. If I hadn’t had my father, I probably would have been chipping paint for many years.
Chipping paint isn’t such a bad job, though. I respected our Boatswain’s Mates just as much as our Radar Technicians. His or her job was keeping the ship healthy, safe and livable – that’s something every sailor appreciates. As you walk on board, it’s always great to cross a quarterdeck that’s been polished and cleaned with pride.
In the United States Navy, you have both a rank and a rating. The rating defines what you do, but your rank defines who you are. A Chief, regardless of rating, is respected as a Chief. You know as soon as you see the anchors on their collar that they deserve and demand respect – and you give it to them.
I had many friends who were BMs, BTs, ETs, DCs, etc… it didn’t matter what rate they were. It was the rank that defined us and defined our respect for one another. It’s a fantastic system that works well because it separates what we did from who we were. I honestly believe that it’s the optimal system – and could be better utilized in civilian life.
Even without it, that separation helps us in civilian life as well. Your role at work doesn’t define who you are as a person, a boss, or a colleague. You can make mistakes and even fail at your role, but that doesn’t take away from the respect and experience you’ve acquired through the years.
Being successful isn’t about what you do… it truly is about who you are! Success isn’t a job, a pay raise, or an award. Success is an attitude that we carry with us. Being honorably discharged from the Navy defined me as a person. My years in the military were pretty tough and I transitioned from a troubled kid to a responsible adult, husband and father.
I’m thankful for the United States Navy for teaching me these life lessons. No doubt I would not be where I am today if it weren’t for understanding that who I am is not what I do.
I think that most veterans know what I’m talking about.
The "Poisoned Patriots" - What Caused These Men to Develop Breast Cancer?
A group of adult men have been diagnosed with breast cancer, and some have just months to live. You have to ask – how did this happen? Less than 1,900 men in our country will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, compared to over 200,000 women. None of these men had a family history of breast cancer, so their cancer must be attributed to an external factor, right? What did these men have in common?
All twenty lived or worked at Camp Lejeuene in North Carolina between the 1960s and the late 1980s.
Their stories were recently chronicled on CNN – an excellent video entitled POISONED PATRIOTS? was shown on the Campbell Brown show on CNN and is still available for viewing on the CNN website.
All of the men profiled strongly believe that their breast cancer is a result of contaminated drinking water on Camp Lejeuene. Government records state that the drinking water on the United States Marine Corps base was in fact contaminated for about three decades, with a number of different toxins.
In 1980, tests proved that Camp Lejeuene’s drinking water was “highly contaminated,” and between 1984 and 1985, several wells on base were removed and replaced due to the presence of highly toxic pollutants. Chemicals including trichloroethylene [a degreaser], benzene, and perchloroethylene [used in dry cleaning] were all found in the base’s water system.
According to the USMC, two separate, independent studies report that there is no connection between drinking contaminated water and eventual illness. The former residents of Camp Lejeuene find this a bit difficult to stomach.
Jim Fontella, a veteran who worked on the base from 1966 until 1967, said “I mean, there has to be a link somehow. That’s literally unheard of to have 20 men come from the same place…drinking the same water. And they’re [the USMC] saying that it couldn’t’ happen.”
A native of Detroit, Mr. Fontella bravely served our country in Vietnam. He was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1998, and underwent surgery. Despite surgical attempts to remove his cancer, it spread to his spine and back. Before his diagnosis, Mr. Fontella was unaware that men could even develop breast cancer. It is safe to say that many men nationwide are of the same frame of mind.
Mr. Fontella said that he “kind of manned up to it after awhile and expected to die.”
“Luckily, I have already passed my due date by five years,” Mr. Fontella told a CNN reporter. He was one of seven men who agreed to speak with CNN about their breast cancer.
Another gentleman named Peter Devereaux was diagnosed with breast cancer last year. He worked at Camp Lejeuene from 1981 until 1982, and his cancer has already spread to his ribs, hip, and spine. There is no cure for metastatic breast cancer.
“The average life expectancy is 2 to 3 years,” Mr. Devereaux told the CNN reporter. He apologized after choking up as he spoke. Can you blame him?
“Now I’m considered disabled because I can no longer work,” he said.
USMC Reports estimate that up to 500,000 people were exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeuene over a thirty-year period. However, a written statement from the USMC to CNN news states that there is no conclusive connection between the contaminated drinking water and the high numbers of male breast cancer in former Lejeuene residents and workers.
“To date, these studies have not identified a link between exposure to the historically impacted water at Camp Lejeuene and adverse health effects,” the report said.
The report goes on to state that the contamination on Camp Lejeuene did not violate the Safe Drinking Water Act. However, areas of the base are on the EPA Superfund List [which names contaminated sites nationwide].
When it comes to the contaminants found in Lejeuene’s water, the facts are scary: benzene has been recognized as a carcinogen [a cancer-causing agent] by the federal government, and both trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene are listed as having the potential to cause cancer.
Despite reluctance on the part of the Marine Corps, some researchers state that there is a strong connection between the contaminated drinking water and the development of metastatic breast cancer in these particular men. Frank Bove, an epidemiologist at the federal government’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, told CNN that the levels of toxins in Lejeuene’s water “were the highest I’ve ever seen in a public water system in this country.”
While Mr. Bove is shocked at the levels of pollution in the base’s water, he admits that he is unsure whether or not drinking the water would cause cancer or other illnesses later in life.
Sadly, these twenty men cannot receive treatment from the Veterans Administration, as there is no proof that the contaminated water on Camp Lejeuene caused their cancer [in order to receive treatment from the VA, a vet’s disease must be “service-related”].
“The Few, The Proud, The Forgotten” – a name that these men have given themselves – are not the only individuals suffering from a fatal disease that is most likely service-related. Countless veterans suffering from mesothelioma cancer, a deadly illness cause by previous exposure to asbestos, find themselves denied treatment from the VA because it may be impossible to determine whether or not they were truly exposed to asbestos during their time in the service, despite the fact that veteran asbestos exposure is not a new issue.
Like metastatic breast cancer, mesothelioma can take decades to develop. By the time of diagnosis, it is often impossible to determine where a patient was actually exposed to asbestos [or any other carcinogen, such as benzene or perchloroethylene, for that matter], but a great number of veterans recall working with asbestos on board naval ships or while working on base.
Many of the vets I’ve spoken to tell me that asbestos used to come down like snow when they would repair insulation or other materials. Hardly any of these men were given safety equipment, such as a mask or gloves. Many transferred asbestos fibers home on their work clothes and may have exposed their family members [in recent years, the number of women diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer as a result of second-hand asbestos exposure has increased greatly].
I think that veteran Rick Kelly, one of the men who is battling breast cancer, sums up the frustration felt by sickened veterans:
“How could they do this to me after I served the country faithfully? How could they do this to my fellow Marines?”
Pennsylvania Cancer Organization Reaching Out to Vets
U.S. Military veterans have faced hardships that most Americans could never comprehend. And while many chose to put their lives on the line to protect America, many veterans never expected that their time in the service could kill them decades after they returned home.
Many veterans are now facing cancer, and in some cases that cancer was caused by exposures that occurred during their time in the military. For example, veterans suffering from lung cancer or mesothelioma were likely exposed to asbestos while in the service.
Now, one Bucks County, Pennsylvania organization is hoping to change that. The Veterans and Cancer Project is a newly-developed task force run by the Delaware chapter of Gilda’s Club. The group held its first meeting last Saturday, where a cancer specialist answered questions, and information about veteran medical support and benefits were also discussed.
The organization will hold free meetings every month. Bucks County has an estimated 60,000 veterans, making it the fourth-largest military veteran population in Pennsylvania.
"We felt there was a large veteran’s community not only in Bucks County, but the Delaware Valley that we could develop," said Joe Morrison, a task force co-chairman. "It's a community that, in many ways, doesn't find its way to opportunities like a Gilda's Club, which many people feel is just for women, breast and ovarian cancer."
Studies have shown that veterans are 25 to 75 percent more likely than the general public to develop certain types of cancers. Veterans account for about than 30 percent of Americans with mesothelioma.
Veterans who served between 1940 and 1970 are considered to be at the highest risk for mesothelioma and other asbestos-related conditions. However, those who have served or are currently serving in Iraq are also at risk of asbestos exposure, as asbestos exposure in Iraq remains a serious health concern.
Dr. Larry Schmitzer says the organization's goal is simple: "We want to reach out to veterans and make them feel special."
As a veteran myself, Doc Schmitzer, I can certainly appreciate that! For more information, visit an article from earlier this month on the PhillyBurbs website.
The Story of the USS Indianapolis CA-35
Few people know the entire story of the USS Indianapolis, CA-35. For those of you who have seen the movie Jaws, there’s a chilling scene where Quint recalls the USS Indianapolis, “Japanese submarine slammed two torpedoes into our side, Chief. We was comin' back from the island of Tinian to Leyte... just delivered the bomb. The Hiroshima bomb. Eleven hundred men went into the water. Vessel went down in 12 minutes. Didn't see the first shark for about a half an hour. Tiger. 13-footer.”
He goes on to describe the horrific details of the USS Indianapolis. The USS Indianapolis delivered the world’s first atomic bomb to the island of Tinian on July 26, 1945 and then was ordered to run escorted from Guam to prepare for the invasion of Japan.
On July 30th, at 14 minutes past midnight, the ship was attacked and went down within minutes with the 1,196 crewmembers aboard. 900 made it into the water, most with life jackets. Shark attacks started after 5 days and continued for another 5 days… only 317 survived.
It remains the greatest sea disaster in US Naval history.
The Captain of the USS Indianapolis was targeted by the US Navy at the time and of the 350 ships that were sunk in World War II, only Captain McVay was court-martialed. There were two offenses – not issuing timely orders to abandon ship and not zigzagging the ship to thwart an attack.
Both charges lacked any substance and in October of 2000, legislation was passed to exonerate Captain McVay of all charges. It’s an important story – when the USS Cole was attacked in 2001, the US Navy did not pursue charges against her Captain – largely in part to the embarassment of the wrongful conviction of Captain McVay.
Here in Indianapolis, you can visit the USS Indianapolis Memorial at the North end of the Canal Walk, a beautiful section of downtown Indianapolis.
The USS INDIANAPOLIS (CA-35) National Memorial was designed, erected and paid for by The USS INDIANAPOLIS (CA-35) Survivors Memorial Organization, Inc., a not-for-profit (501-c-19) established in Indianapolis, IN., in 1990 for that purpose. No government funds per se were used. The Organization raised slightly more than eight hundred thousand dollars for the purpose. The Memorial was designated a National Memorial by an act of Congress in 1995, one of only 26 such memorials. The USS INDIANAPOLIS National Memorial was dedicated on August 2, 1995.
Support the survivors and read the first-hand reports of the USS Indianapolis CA-35 with a purchase of their book:
http://www.amazon.com/Only-317-Survived-Indianapolis-Tragedy/dp/0972596003
Visit the official site at:
http://www.ussindianapolis.org/
Eight Years Later
Do you remember where you where when the Twin Towers fell on September 11, 2001? Most Americans do. And most will never be able to forget it.
On the morning of September 11, 2001, people were arriving at their offices. Children were in school, having just returned after their summer recess. Reporters were on the air. Taxi drivers were shuttling business people to and from appointments. Doctors were performing surgery. No one was prepared for what would happen to our country at approximately 8:46 EST. At 8:46 AM, American Airlines flight 11 hit the North Tower, leaving a massive hole in the side of the structure. Several fires started in the building as a result.
Many people in NYC thought, oh no, a plane just hit the World Trade Center; there’s been a terrible accident. But it was not an accident. At 9:02 AM, a second airplane – United Air Lines flight 175 – hit the South Tower.
Because news cameras were focused in on the events that had occurred just sixteen minutes earlier, the world was watching as the second plane hit the South Tower. It was then that Americans and people all over the world realized that this was not an accident.
Not long after, a third plane would crash into the Pentagon, leaving a gaping hole in the side of the building. A fourth plane would go down in Pennsylvania, after a group of brave passengers tried to overthrow the hijackers.
Right before 10 AM, the South Tower fell, floors collapsing one on top of the other. A cloud of debris, dust, and smoke rose over Manhattan; the cloud could be seen from space and was captured on film by a NASA crew. About a half an hour later, the North Tower collapsed as thousands of people ran from the South Tower in an attempt to escape. Later that night, World Trade Center 7, a smaller building on site, also collapsed.
Twenty-five buildings in Manhattan were damaged or destroyed.
Only eleven people would be pulled from the rubble alive.
Recovery efforts began immediately, with NYC police, firefighters, and EMS technicians rushing to the World Trade Center site. Doctors from NYC hospitals arrived on the scene to triage survivors who had managed to escape from the towers before they fell. Residents and those working in the area left their desks and came outside to see for themselves what had happened. Some risked their own lives to assist with recovery efforts.
The last thing on people’s minds that day was the risk of asbestos exposure. However, eight years later, we know that several hundred individuals – firefighters, NYPD, volunteers, nearby residents in NYC and New Jersey – were in fact exposed to harmful levels of asbestos and are now developing asbestos diseases as a result. Construction workers and those who assisted with the cleanup at the site for weeks, months and years following the attack were also exposed to asbestos. These workers may have been wearing a protective mask over their nose and mouth to prevent asbestos inhalation, but on the day of the attack and in the days following, many people were left without safety equipment or masks.
You may already know, but asbestos exposure – even in small amounts – can cause mesothelioma cancer, a fatal disease that affects about 2,500 Americans annually. Although it is rare, it is still a very serious health problem, as countless people were exposed to asbestos – some unknowingly – and may one day experience symptoms of mesothelioma or another asbestos illness.
Today is a day of remembrance, reflection, and, for some, prayer. It is a day to consider the following question: are we as Americans still as united as we were following 9/11/01, or are we a divided nation? It is also a good day to raise awareness of the diseases that are affecting those who assisted with the recovery at the World Trade Center site.
And, of course, it is a day to sit quietly and consider the brave men and women who are overseas, fighting for our freedom.
To the families and friends of the almost 3,000 individuals who lost their lives on September 11, 2001: we, as a nation, have not forgotten your loved one. To the families and friends of the almost 400 NYC firefighters who perished: thank you for your selfless service. To the families and friends of the 23 NYC police officers who died that day: you are an example of what it means to be an American hero. To the 37 Port Authority officers who passed away: you are remembered.
Navy Lingo & a Visit to the WWII Memorial
Most people don’t realize that they utilize lingo from sailors on a daily basis. I wanted to share some of the more common sayings that you might use but didn’t even know came from ol’ salts!
Are you pooped out? The aft deck of old ships was also called the poop deck. When a huge wave hit the boat, it often washed the sailors violently to the back… pooping them out!
Feeling under the weather? The further you’re up on a boat, the more it sways. Getting below decks and closer to the waterline was something you’d do if you were feeling sea sick.
Gotta gotta footloose? Had nothing to do with Kevin Bacon. The foot was the bottom of a sail and if it wasn’t secured, the sail would flap wildly in the wind… footloose.
Are you groggy? Grog was the combination of Rum and water that was rationed to sailors (originally by British Admiral Vernon – Old Grogham, himself). Groggy was how a sailor felt after a drinking too much of the swill.
Got a clean bill of health? When ships used to leave, they used to have to get certified that the sailors, food, animals and other cargo carried neither disease nor infection. The ships were given an actual paper called the ‘bill of health’.
Due for an overhaul? Dragging ropes for sails would chafe the ropes, wearing them out. Before the days of pulleys, sailors had to climb up and haul the ropes over the sails.
Don’t let the cat out of the bag! In the British Navy, whipping was the punishment for a sailor getting into serious trouble. The cat o’ nine tails was a whip that was kept in a leather bag. Letting the cat out of the bag wasn’t good news!
Feeling like you’re in the doldrums? The doldrums is a part of the ocean near the equator that’s characterized by little wind and waves… getting caught in the doldrums could strand a ship for quite a while.
You passed with flying colors! Colors is the word used for your ship’s flag. All ships fly colors to let other ships know their country of origin. So… as you went by one another, you passed with flying colors. Showing your true colors is another term… ships would sometimes disguise themselves by flying another country’s flags.
It’s pretty surprising how many terms we use every day that were started by sailors!
In other news: Bob Dole – now 86 years old; can you believe it? – was in D.C. over the weekend for an appearance on ABC TV. Dole, a World War II vet, also made a visit to the World War II Memorial.
Visitors were a bit surprised to see Dole looking a bit frail, but despite his age, Dole got out of his vehicle and strolled around the Memorial, greeting fellow veterans, 108 of which were flown to D.C. from South Carolina. Twenty-nine were in wheelchairs, several carried oxygen tanks, and others required assistance while walking around the Memorial site.
Dole patiently greeted each veteran, shaking their hands and taking pictures. Dole, who was injured during WWII and permanently lost use of his right arm, spent several years lobbying for the construction of a WWII memorial in the Senate.
As a passionate crusader for his fellow veterans, Dole works with Honor Flight Network, which transports WWII vets to D.C. just to visit the World War II Memorial. Dole is always there to greet them, unless he is ill – and when he is unavailable, his wife, Elizabeth, travels to the Memorial in her husband’s place, greeting the men who served alongside her husband.
About 3,000 vets are expected to fly to D.C. to visit the Memorial this September.
“I’m going to be in town,” Dole said, “if I’m in good health.”
After greeting the 108 veterans, Dole thanked them for their service and took a group photo. He made sure to position himself appropriately when taking pictures with the veterans in wheelchairs, and made jokes about the ages of his fellow veterans. After saying “What are you, about 75?” to one wheelchair-bound veteran, Dole was surprised to learn that his fellow comrade was actually 90. A vet standing nearby, leaning on his cane for support, spoke up and told the crowd that he is 94.
Many of the vets present at the Memorial this past weekend said that they felt a bond with Dole. “I’ve been knowing him for a long time,” said veteran Edward Hutto, who joined the Navy when he was just 17 and was visiting D.C. for the very first time.
“Of course, I’ve never met him before,” he said.
Dole feels passionate about bringing WWII vets to the Memorial. “We can’t wait too long,” he said. “The average age [of WWII veterans] is 84 or 85.” According to the Honor Flight Network, 800 vets will visit D.C. this year.
If you ask Dole whether or not the veterans who visit the Memorial appreciate his work, he’ll mention a letter that he received from a veteran living in Ohio. The man wrote:
“I truly felt like a ‘hero for a day.’ This came at a time for me, for the past 3 years, I had been having a very difficult time emotionally and my self esteem was at rock bottom. [Dole’s talk] boosted my self esteem to where I think maybe I really did make a difference.”
Friends & Fellow Vets - Can You Help?
Fellow vets and friends – I wanted to share this email with all of you, with the hope that you might be able to help.
SPECIAL REQUEST for Diabetic Foot Supplies from a Hero Physician in Afghanistan
- Nexcare, DiabetiDerm, or similar Diabetic foot cream and Diabetic Socks of all sizes for Adults needed.You can find these at Walgreens, Target, Walmart. The medical supply trucks keep getting blown up by the Taliban so we are asking anyone who can to send one tube of diabetic foot cream and a pair of diabetic socks to please send this to us at:
Homefront Hugs USA
For Our Special Doc
1449 Tiger Lake Drive
Gulf Breeze, Florida
- SPONSORING A CARE PACKAGE FOR $15
- Just a quick update and it humbles us to say this- the only donation we have received in response to our urgent plea was from a US ARMY hero herself sponsoring a care package for $15. It humbled us as we should be thanking her! So please pass the word! If you would like to sponsor a care package you can send us a message to accompany your package. Visit our website [URL below] to submit your $15 care package sponsorship.
ADOPTING A HERO WHO SIGNED UP FOR SUPPORT - BE A HERO- ADOPT A HERO
- We have had about 7 wonderful people sign up to adopt...we need about 493 more... Just send an email to adoptions@HomefrontHugs.org with the word "ADOPT" and we'll send you the info within hours! And if you already are adopting - pass the word...please...please...please....
THANKS SO MUCH!! PLEASE PASS THIS REQUEST ON TO OTHERS AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
Homefront Hugs USA
Supporting our Heroes without Conditions since 9-11
[a non-profit organization you can trust]
Homefront Hugs USA- 2008 Recipient of the Four Chaplains Award and 2007 First Prize for Volunteerism from the Points of Light Foundation.
VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.HOMEFRONTHUGS.ORG
Email : info@HomefrontHugs.org
Attention! VA Pharmacy Scam!
Wanted to share this veteran alert with all of you…according to a recent post on Gathering of Eagles, a forum for vets, VA clinics have been handing out fliers warning patients of a new scam. Here’s what was written on the fliers:
While at the Vista VA Clinic on 28 Aug 09, VA staff were handing out flyers warning of a VA Scam. Here is the content of the warning flyer:
Veterans are reporting that they are receiving calls from people claiming to be from the VA Pharmacy. The callers are telling veterans that the billing procedure for prescriptions has changed, and that the veteran needs to provide his/her credit card number for prescription payment before Pharmacy will fill their medication requests.
Please alert your veterans that this is a scam! All billing for any V A treatment and/or prescriptions is done through the MCCR Section of the V A. If the veteran wishes to pay his/her account by credit card, the veteran must provide the credit card number to our Agent Cashier. Our Agent Cashier is the only VA employee authorized to accept credit card payments. Thank you.
To contact the VA with questions about health care: 1-877-222-VETS (8387) and you may also want to check out http://www.myhealth.va.gov/, which provides additional information about health care-related issues.
Civilian Volunteers: Serving Those Who Serve
My good friend’s mother, Carol, volunteers at the USO on a regular basis. “The USO is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to support the troops by providing morale, welfare and recreation-type services to our men and women in uniform.” [http://www.uso.org]
When I was in the Navy, the Navy Marine Corps relief society helped my family out a couple times. “Founded in 1904, the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society is a private non-profit charitable organization. It is sponsored by the Department of the Navy and operates nearly 250 offices ashore and afloat at Navy and Marine Corps bases throughout the world.” [http://www.nmcrs.org/]
Now that my military life is well behind me and I’ve launched my own business, there are quite a few organizations that I’m working with:
· The National Veterans Business Development Corporation – whose mission is “To create more prosperous communities and a stronger national economy by fostering entrepreneurship and business opportunities for Veterans and Service-Disabled Veterans. [http://www.veteranscorp.org/]
· National Veteran-Owned Business Association - unites current and future veteran-owned businesses by acting as the national voice for the veteran business movement. There are currently three million veteran-owned businesses in the United States. NaVOBA works to convince corporate America and the government to consider using veteran-owned businesses as preferred vendors. [http://www.navoba.com]
· Department of Veterans Affairs - Our goal is to provide excellence in patient care, veterans' benefits and customer satisfaction. We have reformed our department internally and are striving for high quality, prompt and seamless service to veterans. Our department's employees continue to offer their dedication and commitment to help veterans get the services they have earned. Our nation's veterans deserve no less. The VA also has a Vender Registry for Veteran-owned businesses – [http://www.vip.vetbiz.gov/]
The fact is that there are hundreds of organizations – some profitable and some non-profit – that are dedicated to simply help Veterans! Search: http://www1.va.gov/vso/index.cfm?template=search.
There are also charities for the families of those who paid the ultimate price, like the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund [http://www.fallenheroesfund.org] – Celebrity Apprentice winner Piers Morgan is a big supporter - and for those Veterans who were wounded [http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/].
I’m leaving hundreds of organizations out here – but find it incredible that so many Americans who didn’t serve are now serving so many of us veterans. My friend’s mother, Carol is an amazing lady – she doesn’t ask for anything but serves so many with a smile and a thoughtful hug.
I’m thankful for so many Americans who serve those who serve… or served in our Military!