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 April 18 & 19, 2008
(Oregon, Washington and Idaho) Pendleton Convention Center Pendleton, Oregon. This link to register on line, Tri-State Women Veterans Conference
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Newsletter
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| Greetings From Mothers of Military Support Inc. |
Jan 2008
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| What’s New!
 Washington State Veterans the following programs are available to you.   Veterans Innovations Program
The Veterans Innovations Program was created to provide assistance to veterans and their families.
Funds are provided to veterans and families in need through three separate programs within the Veterans Innovations Program. For more Information visit:
Defender’s Fund Competitive Grant Veterans Family Fund (Opens Spring 08)
WDVA-Defenders fund 2008 Online From OR Download MS word 97 Doc.VIP Application 2007.
Events:
Grant County-Moses Lake come visit WDVA, Verl Smith Racing, MOMS, and the Viet Nam Traveling Wall June 11-15, 2008
Contact mailto:stan.woods@comcast.net or visit there site for more information.
Mothers of Military Support Inc. In association with the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs are proud to announce the “Grant County Aviation Festival June 27-29, 2008″ in association with Moses Lake, Grant County and Port of Moses Lake, WA.
hosted by the Women Veterans Advisory Committee, Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs. Alone you are “one” But we are not “one”
Featuring the Special Forces skydiving team, aircraft of Cascade Warbirds and the ground equipment of Puget Sound Military Vehicles Collectors’ Club, this event displays the history from both the W.W.II and Korea era.
Flying displays and static displays, plus a convoy through town are the highlights of the week-end. Including a Special Tribute to our Women Veterans.
Download Grant County-Moses Lake Event PDF Flyer here.
Children 15 years and younger admitted free.
Military Veterans of the armed service are admitted free, Military ID required.   Â
For more information on Grant County-Moses Lake visit the links Maps, and History.
Free advertising on MOMS web site for Vendors.
If you want to inquire about participating as vendor, visit here. Vendor Registration
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Valentine’s DayPlace your own photo on a VISA gift card.
Mail Early ORDER HERE
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But Wait! there’s More……………………. Like “VONAPP” What is it? and New VA Rules and Benefit, 2008.
Visit MOMs Web Site http://www.mothersofmilitarysupport.org
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In This Issue
Valentine’s Day. Get it Early?
Special Offer
The Remembrance Card
Veterans “VISA” Gift Cards
Another tip
47 New Videos
Women Combat Helicopter Crew
Video’s Military 2008
WDVA Resource Guide Â
Washington State Women Veterans
MOMS
Washington State Event Locations
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| Forward this message to a friend |Â NEED Help (360) 575-VETS (8387) |
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Mothers of Military Support
1105 D 15th Ave. NR. 111
Longview, WA 98632Read the VerticalResponse marketing policy.
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January 30th, 2008
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Women Veterans Newsletter
VETWOW.COM Autumn 2007 Number 2 Women and the War in
Iraq“Female Faces of War†is a short independent documentary film by
Seattle filmmaker Ms. Kiya Bodding which highlights four women with unique perspectives. A mother of a
U.S. soldier tells her story of why and how her son went to war to serve his country but never returned. An Iraqi woman tells the story of the abuse and torture women suffered before they were able to flee Iraq for
Jordan, and the plight of the 4 million refugees who have fled their homes. An American female service member talks about the daily conditions in the war zone, including sexually abusive treatment by her superiors. And a woman who advocates for and assists female soldiers who require medical treatment and VA disability benefits, work that has also included rescuing women from war zones. See the movie trailer: www.wildirismedia.com/
Interviews with panelists, film participant and presenters: KUOW Radiohttp://www.kuow.org/defaultProgram.asp?ID=13582 The discussion starts 14 minutes into the broadcast.Interviews with Tracy Sarich and Susan Avila-Smith: KIRO710AM http://sea.bonnint.net/1004davehour3.mp3Broadcasting the entire event will be on Wednesday, October 10 at 9PM. TVW http://www.tvw.org/index.cfm?bhcp=1 Women & War Contact InfoStacy Bannerman, author of “When the War Came Home: The inside Story of Reservists and the Families They Leave Behind,†founder/director of ‘The Sanctuary for Veterans and Families www.sanctuaryvf.orgKing County Washington Women Lawyers is a non-profit organization based in Seattle, Washington. Its mission is to provide a public forum for informing its members about issues of social justice and legal concern that affect women. For more information: www.kcwwl.org.“Female Faces of War†by filmmaker Kiya Bodding will be available by advanced order only. Please contact: ki@wildirismedia.com
Zahra’s website: www.zahrairaq.orgRead an article about this program: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/334074_womenwar03.htmlFor information regarding on-line support groups and information for survivors, family and friends: VETWOW.COM
Military Events Saturday October 20, 2007 at the Kitsap Sun Pavilion at the Kitsap County, WA Fairgrounds from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.. Open to anyone with a military ID card; active duty, reserve, retired, and dependents - free. Military related services, including Tri-Care and Moral-Welfare-and Recreation (MWR) exhibitors will also be on hand. It’s a “one-stop shopping†experience to discover the products, services, and resources available to service members in
Kitsap
County. Contact the Silverdale Chamber of Commerce at 360. 692.6800.All
Washington
State Events are listed:http://www.dva.wa.gov/public_events.html
Veteran’s Day
All veterans can receive a free lunch or dinner entrée at McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants nationwide. Vets should show proper identification (VA card, VFW card, veterans ID, discharge papers, etc.) RESERVATIONS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED!
www.McCormickandSchmicks.com .
Golden Corral restaurants will be having their annual salute to the military to honor all active duty and retired military personnel with a free “thank you” dinner and beverage at any Golden Corral restaurant. For more information: www.goldencorral.net/ .
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* Flu shots are available at your VAMC October 29 - November 9, 2007 *
PTSD Information
Most of us with PTSD can use help filling out paperwork and getting organized. Most activities of daily living are so overwhelming (with PTSD) that they cannot be done on a regular basis.Keeping goals and requests simple for the veteran with PTSD is more likely to have positive results.Veteran’s
Retreat
Center for Healing,
Granite Falls, WA (360) 691-5105Healingheartsinhope@yahoo.com .Please feel free to share this information by forwarding to Providers, Veterans Organizations and Women Veterans, as well as Male Veterans with MST. Military Sexual Trauma Claims Information Military Sexual Trauma Claims are different; they are allowed “Alternative Evidence†to show something happened. If you are the victim of an assault, rape, domestic violence, mugging, stalking, or hate crime, and never reported the crime, while serving on active duty these items can be used: Private civilian records, Treatment records for a physical injury for the assault, but not reported as such Civilian police reports, Reports from Crisis Centers, Testimonial statements from friends (civilian and military), family, co-workers, clergy, Personal diary or journal, Request for changes in military assignment. Increase in sick call or leave slips, Change in military performance evaluations, Increased use of prescription and over-the-counter medications, Substance abuse and/or other compulsive behavior, Request for a pregnancy test, Request for HIV test or counseling for sexually transmitted diseases, Counseling statements in personnel file, Breakup of marriage or relationship , Reports to Child Protective Services (in cases of domestic violence). If You Are Still On Active Duty, Report The Crime!
Issues for Women & War
Comments given to Senator Patty Murray October 10, 2007 Regarding Women in Service: Military Sexual Trauma Specific IssuesCurrent (as of 9 October 2007) QTC documentation is not aware of MST, and only asks about combat trauma. This is disturbing to MST victims and is easily remedied.There is no need to recount the story and then turn veteran back to the street. QTC and initial MST contact at VARO’s and VAMC’s should include time to make sure that the veteran is mentally stable before releasing them from appointments.Women Service Officers are needed for volunteer time at the VA to help with MST claims, since many claims go unreported due to the number of male Service Officers.Women’s (private) welfare fund (like Seattle VAMC has) needs to be available for issues like child care during VA Mental Health appointments, etc. to homeless women veterans, or veterans living on a small fixed income so they may access treatment.Far too many veterans call the VARO and VAMC asking for a women’s program and or MST program and are met with “Huh? I don’t think we have that here” especially when asking for a men’s MST program that is SEPARATE from Combat PTSDEducation for VA employees on ways women and men get MST; i.e. gang rapes, doctor/medical abuse - such as forcing vaginal exams on virgins, submitting recruits/basic training service members to multiple pelvic exams, Chaplains & MP abuse, initiation into a Unit - particularly for men, date rape drugs, Command Rape, having sex to obtain ammo, food, water etc, in a War ZoneClasses to learn coping skills for PTSD needed at every VA facility and
Vet
Center as well as CBOC’sMST victims who cannot go near a VA or Vet Center due to MST need options for treatment without being forced to deal with male veterans, male service officers, male doctors, etc. (Viet Nam Veterans are not expected to be treated by Viet Cong doctors in a Vietnamese like setting)MST victims are vulnerable to both sexual predators working in in the VA system, and patients using the VA systemWhat is the Miles Foundation if they are not actually helping MST vets?ACTUAL end of McDowell checklistACTUAL start of the 1988 Congressional mandate that all criminal records from the Military are transferred to Civilian Criminal recordsOption after sexual assault to honorably discharge immediately, and seek appropriate treatmentWhy can’t Reserves and National Guard get s/c for MST?TAPS program needs to include MST - how, why, etc. and that there are benefitsAlert general public to Recruiter rapes, % MST and options or no options (such as National Guard and Reserve Service) for dealing/getting compensation or treatment with itCreate a standardized Command Response List to MST for all Services and Coast GuardEnsure that the Department of Homeland Security has program for Military Sexual Trauma for the Coast Guard since they are no longer DoDPunish perpetrators, rather than persecute victimsAllow survivors to be fee serviced out if their perpetrator goes to same VA facility they would go. If that is not possible, a COMPLETELY separate women’s clinic building or separate building for men with MSTEducate all VA Interns/Dental Technicians about men and women with MST so that their medical treatments can be effectiveProviders do not understand how MST affects compliance with medical orders; PTSD sleep patterns and disturbances, inability to use suppository medication, pain levels, forgetfulness, weight gain, being overwhelmed with the number of medicationsActive duty women who report MST need the option to go to the
Palo Alto program (650) 493-5000Hand book SPECIFICLY about MST for male and female service members and veterans. What it is, how it presents, what kinds of treatment PTSD responds toMore mental health support, money, and benefits specifically for the many women who carry their rapist’s childEducation for civilian population What does MST look like? Women who cannot keep a job, don’t dress up, won’t answer the phone, answer the door, open their mailHow to help: i.e. with filling out paperwork, reading mail, following up on urgent issues Making phone calls to the VA, or for claimLetter writing for applying for services, or to maintain their VA claimDriving to appointments and going in with them so that they feel safeWomen and MST survivors do not have a “veteran community” i.e. nowhere to go talk about the pride and “good ol days”. Women will not go up to another woman and talk about rape, as men do with combat Have a program that backs up zero tolerance in the Services, not just those two wordsAddress changing the Military’s Policy that “rape is incidental to Military Service”Outreach and public service announcements are needed to show what MST is, and that there is help, how to access it and that it is part of “the contract you signed to protect your country, while they protect you”Veterans need to be aware of possibility and process of upgrading discharge considering that most MST receives an “other” discharge. Service Officers should offer this information.Survivors of MST discriminated in s/c process, first by telling them they cannot file or other false information, then by asking all the details of the incident - rather than the facts of where they were assaulted, and by whom, if they know. They also should not be forced (or told they cannot win their claim) without the name(s) of the perpetrators. Some VA employees act as though every criminal offers their name and Social Security number after the offense and women have been denied s/c for not producing them.The Auburn Veterans Day Parade has become “Commercial” with the use of Radio Station involvement. Many veterans are no longer attending, as they would like Veterans to MC the program - people who personally know the veterans who are being honored there, to share what is being done in the community, rather than promote a radio station.MST OffendersSeparate VA facilities for homeless women and in other now co-ed environments. Seattle VA Psych Wards are co-ed. (Consideration of separating “psych” cases and PTSD cases - many women with PTSD find that in-patient status exacerbates their PTSD.) All veterans should have the right to know if they are living with a sex offender amongst them. The Domiciliary at Bay Pines,
Florida is co-ed with both combat vets and MST vets. Combat vets are allowed knives in their quarters so they “can clean the fish they catch”.VA offers Viagra as well as financial compensation (SMC - K, loss of use of a creative organ) to known sex offenders and HIV+ men. How do women access similar care and compensation for “Female Arousal Disorder” when many women and men stop having sex for life due the their rape, are given drugs for PTSD that lower libido, etc. This “message” shows rape survivors that we are not equal in the eyes of the VA.There is no “military registered sex offender” program, information does not always follow service member to their next base or to civilian worldBegin screening all “troops to teachers” for sex offendersSex offenders receiving VA benefits who re-offend should risk losing benefits. A change in the rules for “keeping” VA benefits should be addressed.In 1988 Congress said that crime records should transfer to civilian crime records, why not dishonorable discharge for criminals in the military? DNA cross checks against ALL military rape kits for serial rapists. Policy for use of military DNA needs to change to accommodate this. Recruits need to be screened for sex offender status. If the military recruits them, they should have that information available, just like the civilian world. Sex offender photos are on the internet, and people can choose how to respond. Since military members are bound by contract, they should at least have the choice to know whom they are working with for personal safety reasonsHomeless SpecificWomen veterans taking anti-depressants for MST/PTSD gain weight. As much as 60 pounds in a few months. Homeless women veterans cannot afford new clothing. Can we get them vouchers for Goodwill or somewhere that Social Worker can distribute?Most homeless women veterans with PTSD will not be going back to work. All VA homeless programs at this time are focused on getting back to work. We need a facility to house these women while they are waiting months and years for their claims - or, perhaps a quicker claims process.The VA claims process takes far too long, in part because the process is not understood by both veterans and VA employee/VSO and suitable help is not offered - it has to be found either on the internet or word of mouth. You need to ask a specific question to get the answer, and if you do not know the question they do not volunteer information that could be helpful. Claims repeatedly go through the system - when only minor issues are involved. This process is antiquated and needs attention and changeSeparate facilities for homeless women as well as in co-ed environments they have the right to know if they are living with a sex offenderPostal boxes and voice mail for homeless (free/toll free) would help so that they can have a place for VA to send correspondence regarding their claim, and obtain their VA medications - without having to go through the routine of telling the VA pharmacist “yes, they are still homeless, that they do not have an address, no they do not have an address for the future, yes they are going to have to do this “special service” this month, too, yes, they will wait - as they have no where to go, and don’t get mad at me, I am not the problem here..” Efforts to streamline the process of homeless vets obtaining medication are needed.VA personnel need to understand that just because a woman veteran is homeless, that is not a justification to force a Representative Payee on her. Nor should they have to wait months for the VA to assign one. Since this is counted as “income” women have been forced out of shelters without having access to their money. The Representative Payee program needs oversight. Male and female veterans are losing their monies to their RP, and it can take years to straighten outOur Contact InformationVETWOW is collaborating with Women Veterans of
America. Mary Parmenter, Commander. 360. 373. 3540 or by email: commander@wvapsc29.orgQuestions about the newsletter? Please contact Laura W: 9gatekeeper9@earthlink.net“Never, never be afraid to do what’s right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society’s punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way.”~~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
ÔVetwow is not affiliated with any organization.
November 9th, 2007
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asstdirector |
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