New Years

Issue

Volume Issue

May the new year bring you

many wonderful new

adventures. A special

friend wished me this just

prior to Christmas.

Wonderful New Adven-

tures!!!

There can actually be few

wishes that can top that.

Our lives should be filled

with adventures both big

and small. It is fun to

ponder what adventures will be

out there in the new year.

Indeed what will the 2020

adventures be?

Two former students of mine

when I was a just returned from

climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. (Truth

in writing they remembered me I

did not remember them.) That is

not, I say again NOT, an

adventure that is on my list. It

is arduous stepping over an

anthill. When I was young and

had to walk to school uphill both

ways that was not even an

adventure then now it would be so

no mountain climbing .

Looking back on 2019 there were

some adventures. On the lower

end of the adventure scale I did

learn to take an adequate selfie.

However there were some big

adventures!!

If I were to identify the single

most significant and rewarding

adventure of my year it would be

the Equus Effect program at

Pegasus Farm. It was there

that for the first time in over 50

years I came to the realization

that horse is just

not the other red

meat.

Not only did I take

part in in an equine

therapy pro-

gram that was one

day a week for 5

weeks I am now a

horse handler for

other Veterans

experiencing the

wonders of equine

therapy. There is an interac-

tion between the human and

the horse that a few months

ago I would have snorted in

derision and exclaimed “Bah

Humbug”. What led me to

experience this therapy is a

personal aversion to the use of

drugs as the go to solution for

Veterans suffering from PTSD.

Further it is difficult to

recommend something like equine

therapy without actual first

hand knowledge. To again quote

my aforementioned friend “I

wish you horses”

To truly comprehend that wish

you have to experience the

Equus Effect Program. The

vision statement from their

web site will aid in the

comprehension of the program:

“A country where veterans have

the opportunity to enjoy the

physical, mental and emotional

freedom they were willing to

give their lives to protect.”

“I wish you horses”!

Another adventure to help me

get a better understanding of

how to help a fellow Veteran in mind and spirit

was yoga. Yes I attended a Veterans yoga

session. Let that sink in. Yoga. I can now see

the benefits of yoga. This is especially if one

wants to be afforded the opportunity to

have a “therapy” where they are encouraged

to nap during the session. I have long been pro

nap.

What adventures are there in the New Year?

That is something that cannot be perceived in

advance. There are people who make

adventures and people who take adventures. I

am not sure if the thought processes of these

people are that different. I am going to

suggest an adventure that has been on my

mind for a long time. Perhaps it can be

transformed.

Could it be

Tai chi?

Acupuncture? Qi gong?

More Yoga? More Equine Therapy?

What we need is fencing. Fencing for Veterans.

No not how to build a fence but fencing as in

swordsmanship, epee, foil, saber, on guard and

stuff like that. (Remember the fun of pugil

sticks in basic?) So all you organizers and people

who wish to provide Veterans with a

stimulating therapy create a “Fencing for

Veterans Program”. It just might be an idea

whose time has come!

Last thing as we move into the new year. Is a

reminder for a resolution. Veteran is a proper

name so it should always be capitalized. A

“Veteran” is someone who served our nation in

the Armed Services. A “veteran” (lower case

“v”) is someone who has been on the job along

time. Also try not to use the word vet. A vet

is an animal doctor.

I am a Veteran! I wish you horses!

Karl

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Legislator Toni Addonizio and I had the

distinct honor of presenting the Putnam

County Medal to 9 of the 11 residents

who live at the Putnam County

Veterans Residence. (2 were not availa-

ble). The event took place on December

26, 2019.

Peter

Vern

Geoff

Bill

Gerry

Pat

Dennis

Edward

John

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The Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veter-ans Act of 2019 (PL 116-23) was signed into law on June 25, 2019, and takes effect January 1, 2020. The law authorizes VA to extend the presumption of herbicide exposure, such as Agent Orange, to Veterans who served in the offshore waters of the Republic of Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975. Veterans or their survivors may be eligible for benefits based onone of fourteen illnesses that have been related to contact with herbicides such as Agent Orange, used to clear trees and plants during the war.

What is Changing? Effective January 1, 2020, VA is author-ized to begin deciding claims for disability compensation under the provisions of PL 116-23. The Act also includes provisions that affect VA’s Home Loan Program, which take effect on January 1, 2020. Veterans who served in the offshore wa-ters of the Republic of Vietnam may now be eligible for disability compensation and other benefits, for themselves and their families, for disabilities VA believes may be caused by herbicides such asA-gent Orange. VA is also extending bene-fits to children with spina bifida whose Veteran parent was exposed while serv-ing in Thailand. Additionally, Veterans who served in or near the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) from September 1, 1967, to Au-gust 31, 1971, may now qualify for com-pensation and benefits for themselves and their family members.

Who may be eligible for benefits? Veterans who served aboard a U.S. military vessel in the offshore waters of the Republic of Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975. The vessel must have operated not

more than 12 nautical miles seaward from the coordinates listed in PL 116-23. Blue Water Navy (BWN) claims will be processed under current prioritization criteria which include, but are not lim-ited to, giving priority to claims of Veter-ans who are over age 85 or who have a terminal condition.

How can I find out if I am eligible? •Work with an accredited claims repre-sentative or VA regional benefits office to understand eligibility requirements before filing a claim.

•Veterans do not need to prove contact with herbicides, such as Agent Orange, to

be eligible Contact with herbicides such as Agent Or-ange may be related to several conditions, referred to as Agent Orange presumptive diseases. You may be eligible to receive disability com-pensation or benefits if you have one or more of the following conditions: •Chronic B-cell leukemia

•Hodgkin’s lymphoma

•Multiple myeloma

•Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

•Prostate cancer

•Respiratory cancers, including lung cancer

•Soft tissue sarcomas

•Amyloid light-chain (AL) amyloidosis

•Chloracne

•Diabetes mellitus type 2

•Ischemic heart disease

•Parkinson’s disease

•Peripheral neuropathy

•Porphyria cutanea tarda

What if I don’t know if my vessel was within the 12-nautical mile limit? VA is partnering with the United States National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to determine which U.S. military vessels were in offshore waters of the Republic of Vietnam be-tween 1962 and 1975. We’ve created a Vessel Locator Tool that will access these records and digitized deck logs to quickly determine the vessel’s location and verify eligibility. The best way to determine if you’re eligible is to submit a claim with VA or work directly with a VSO representative. VA will then work with you and/or your family members to determine eligi-bility.

Donald b. smith government campus

110 old route 6, bldg. #3

Carmel NY 10512

Monday—Friday 9-5

Call for appointment either location

845-808-1620

Tuesday evenings 5-7PM

2505 Carmel ave. (rt 6) Suite 212

Brewster, NY 10509

Karl Rohde, Director

Art Hanley, deputy director

BLUE WATER NAVY VIETNAM VETERANS

CALL THE NUMBERS BELOW AND MEET WITH A SERVICE OFFICER

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NOW HEAR THIS

WE HAVE A VETERAN

WHO NEEDS A RIDE

TO AND FROM WORK!

Please contact this

Office if you can help!

845-808-1620

This is Kevin Cooke and his beautiful family. Kevin has been working with the Veterans

Service Agency for the past 2 years. He is an Army Veteran. Kevin is moving on he was

offered a great job and will be leaving the Agency. We will truly miss him but we wish him

the best. His last day will be January 17 so stop and say good bye!

(Yes they expecting twins)