Hire a Hero and Stand Down

Hire a Hero and Stand Down
By Edward G. Aulman

The Nassau County Veterans Service Agency in association with the United Veterans Organization and the Auxiliary of the Nassau County American Legion are planning two events to aid veterans in November. The third annual homeless Veterans Stand Down is planned for Monday, Nov. 14, at the Freeport Armory. Twenty-five federal, state and county agencies and private charitable organizations will join 200 volunteers from 30 veterans organizations offering veterans job search assistance, social services, clothes, haircuts, medical screening and hot food. On Nov. 3, transportation will be provided to veterans who wish to attend the Hire a Hero Job Fair at the Javits Center in New York City. To volunteer or for information, call Pat at the Veterans Service Agency 572-8452.

Nassau Buys New Cars for Veterans

County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi announced the purchase of four new cars to be used by the 60 volunteers who run Nassau County’s Disabled Veterans Transportation Program. The new cars, which are designed to run on a mixture of ethanol and gasoline…

finish the updating of the fleet of 10 vehicles that transport 3,000 disabled veterans to the VA Medical Center in Northport and the VA Out Patient Clinic in Plainview. Volunteer drivers are needed and veterans in need of transportation for scheduled appointments should call 572-8456. Two weeks advance notice is required.

Veterans Owned Business Opportunity

Northrop Grumman AEW and EWS is planning a Service Disabled Veterans owned small business outreach this October. Call Ms. Stacy Simpson at 346-7381 for information.

The Best Way to Help in an Emergency

When disaster strikes, man-made or natural, the call goes out for trained help. Specialists are needed. Police, fire, medical and a host of others with skills and equipment are in demand. Joining the Police Auxiliary or your neighborhood volunteer fire department is one way to get the training and serve your neighbors on a regular basis. Nassau County’s new Office of Emergency Management has a program that will provide trained volunteers to communities in the early stages of an emergency. The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) can provide vital services in the absence of emergency responders whose arrival may be delayed or pre-empted by the severity of the specific situation. CERT training is a basic training that includes emergency preparedness, first aid, community and family safety, light search and rescue, disaster psychology, terrorism issues and CERT procedures. Interested volunteers should call Robert Beckmann at 573-0636.

Reserve Officers Association Offers Help

Joseph Schroder, past president of the New York State Reserve Officer Association (ROA), announced at the last meeting of the United Veterans Association that the ROA has received a grant that will enable it to help the families of service personel serving in Iraq/Afghanistan cope with unexpected bills. Contact Colonel Schroder at 599-9451. The ROA is also offering free membership to any mobilized reserve officers, a tradition that many American Legion and VFW posts also offer to members on active duty.

Lung Cancer

Lung cancer, along with 10 other diseases including prostate cancer and diabetes type II, are presumptive conditions caused by exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam. Vietnam veterans can get compensation and treatment from the Department of Veterans Affairs and surviving spouses may receive benefits. Too often an affected veteran with these conditions never seeks the aid from the VA. Call the Veterans Service Agency for information at 572-8452.

VFW Legislative Breakfast

The Nassau County Council, Veterans of Foreign Wars will host a Legislative Breakfast on Sunday, Oct. 30 at 9 a.m. at Post 5253, 155 Searingtown Road, Albertson. For information, call Ken McDonough at 681-4406.

Wounded Warrior Bus Trip

The Leathernecks, a Marine Corps veteran motorcycle club, has organized a trip to Atlantic City on Oct. 22, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the Wounded Warrior Project. A $30 donation puts you on a bus that leaves from the Sunrise Detachment Marine Corps League in Massapequa at 9 a.m. Coffee, donuts and bagels served before departure with in-bus movies going and coming back. Call Jim McGunnigle for tickets at 503-4963.

Helpful Information on VA Website

A new website designed by the Department of Veterans Affairs can be very helpful to survivors of armed forces personnel killed while on active duty and spouses of veterans who served honorably. The site http://www.vba.va.gov/survivors explains the benefits and application process for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, survivors pension, burial, home loan, casualty assistance and more. The same information is available by calling the Nassau County Veterans Service Agency at 572-8452. Note survivors of service-connected veterans generally have a wider range of benefits.

Two Veteran Friendly Employers

The Home Depot is looking for veterans, military retirees, National Guard and reservists and military spouses. Applications can be found on-line at careers.homedepot.com/military. United Parcel Service (UPS) locally has conducted two interview sessions at the Veterans Service Agency in Plainview in the last two months. For employment information with UPS, contact David Viskewich a 1-(631) 756-3842 after 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday.