Adjusting to Life After Deployment

I've added a new section in the right panel of the blog called Military and Veteran Resources with links that have been provided to me by various groups.  Kudos to the folks who put this project together.  Adjusting to Life After Deployment

Life after deployment in our family continues to be a smooth transition.  Tyler's enlistment contract expires at the end of this month and he's not renewing.  He'll continue with fire science training, become a volunteer firefighter soon to gain some experience, and hopefully join the ranks as an employed firefighter after graduation. 

Airmen Missing In Action From WWII Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of nine servicemen, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors.

Army Air Forces 1st Lt. William J. Sarsfield of Philadelphia; 2nd Lt. Charles E. Trimingham of Salinas, Calif.; Tech. Sgt. Robert L. Christopherson of Blue Earth, Minn.; and Tech. Sgt. Leonard A. Gionet of Shirley, Mass., will be buried as a group in a single casket on Sept. 21 in Arlington National Cemetery, along with remains representing previously identified crew members 2nd Lt. Herman H. Knott, 2nd Lt. Francis G. Peattie, Staff Sgt. Henry Garcia, Staff Sgt. Robert E. Griebel, and Staff Sgt. Pace P. Payne, who were individually buried in 1985. These nine airmen were ordered to carry out a bombing mission over Rabaul, Papau New Guinea (P.N.G.), in their B-17E Flying Fortress nicknamed Naughty but Nice, taking off from an airfield near Dobodura, P.N.G., on June 26, 1943. The aircraft was damaged by anti-aircraft fire and ultimately shot down by Japanese fighter aircraft. A tenth man, the navigator and only survivor of the crash -- 2nd Lt. Jose L. Holguin -- was held as a prisoner of war until his release in September 1945.

In 1949, U.S. military personnel in the area were led by local citizens to a B-17 crash site on New Britain Island. Remains were recovered but couldn't be identified given the technology of the time. The remains were buried as unknown at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.

In 1982 and 1983, Holguin returned to the area and located the crash site. A fragment of the aircraft nose art was recovered and is displayed in the War Museum in Kokopo, P.N.G. In 1985, the remains were exhumed and identified as Knott, Payne, Garcia, Peattie, and Griebel. In 2001, a team from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) excavated the site and found additional human remains and crew-related equipment.

Among forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC used dental comparisons and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA -- which matched that of some of the crewmembers' families -- in the identification of their remains.

At the end of the war, the U.S. government was unable to recover and identify approximately 79,000 Americans. Today, more than 73,000 are unaccounted for from the conflict.

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO website at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call 703-699-1169.

Writing My Way Back Home - A Free Writing Workshop for Veterans

The day after Emma Rainey finished organizing and teaching a writing workshop for veterans in 2010, she received a letter from her father—a U.S. naval officer during the Korean War—describing a war trauma he suffered and never mentioned to anyone in the family. “The irony did not escape me,” said Rainey. “I barely understood my passion to help veterans—mostly I was driven by news reports of returning veterans committing suicide and knew writing could help. To discover my father had suffered an ungodly trauma—and never mentioned it till now—sent me reeling.”

The University of Iowa Veterans Center is sponsoring its second free weekend workshop for U.S. military personnel: Writing My Way Back Home, Oct. 14-16 in the UI Communications Center, 116 S. Madison St. (between Washington & Burlington), Iowa City. No writing experience is needed to attend this workshop.

“The workshop’s primary aim is not to generate work of literary quality—although this may happen and certainly did in our first workshop,” said Rainey, a 2009 graduate of the UI Nonfiction Writing Program who will co-facilitate the workshop once again with John Mikelson, Coordinator at the UI Veterans Center. “The workshop begins the powerful process for veterans to write their stories and reflect on events they experienced in war in a way that may lead to greater insight, creativity, and healing.”

Writers from UI’s Nonfiction Writing Program, Writers Workshop, poets, a playwright, and songwriter have volunteered to teach as well as former veterans.

“Our first workshop was full of surprises,” said Rainey. “First, half the veterans were women—I didn’t expect that. Also, I was overwhelmed by the determination of disabled vets to journey to Iowa City—a blind vet flew in from Minneapolis and a paraplegic took the Greyhound Bus from Chicago—to write their stories. But what struck me most of all was the camaraderie—it didn’t matter which branch of service, age, rank, or war had been fought. They veterans were just glad to be together.”

Last year Rainey and Mikelson noted the many veterans who emailed wishing they could participate, but traveling to Iowa proved impossible. Rainey has since incorporated and is finishing the application process for non-profit status to conduct writing workshops throughout the U.S. The name—Writing My Way Back Home—came from correspondence with John Lavelle, a Viet Nam vet from Bettendorf, Iowa. “John used the expression: “writing my way home” in our email communications,” Rainey said. “This phrase was an ideal metaphor for what the vet faces when returning stateside, as well as how they must reconnect—and come home—to themselves. So when it was time incorporate and fill in the name of our organization, John Lavelle gladly gave his permission to use it.”

This summer Ms. Rainey completed a course titled “Recon Mission” at the Therapeutic Writing Institute located in Colorado. She also conducted two writing workshops this past year for Operation: Military Kids, run by Iowa State University for military children with parents about to deploy. “I think the National Guard has it particularly hard since they are not full time. And though I wasn’t born when my father served in the Korean War, I remember how difficult it was for our family when he was out to sea, sometimes for a year at a time. I’m impressed how organizations are recognizing that family members need supportive attention, too.”

                       

Class size for Writing My Way Back Home is limited to the first 40 veterans who register. Mikelson encourages interested individuals to sign up immediately, and though the workshop is free, registration is required by visiting: http://www.midwestvetswritingworkshop.com/. This writing workshop is open to all current and former military personnel—whether they were in combat or not.

Lunch will be provided for the veterans during the Saturday and Sunday workshops. Last year Bread Garden and Hy-Vee generously donated lunches. “Eating together—the vets and writers and volunteer therapists—helped deepen the bond in the writing community during the weekend.”

Rainey also mentioned Karl Marlantes new book, What It Is Like to Go to War. “Marlantes bravely looks into the heart of the warrior and demands our society recognize the healing work needed for our returning warriors.” Marlantes writes, “This book is my song. Each and every one of us veterans must have a song to sing about our war before we can walk back into the community without everyone….quaking behind the walls. Perhaps it is drawing pictures or reciting poetry about the war. Perhaps it is getting together with a small group and telling stories. Perhaps it is dreaming about it and writing the dreams down and then telling people your dreams. But it isn’t enough just to do the art in solitude and sing the song alone. You must sing it to other people. Those who are afraid or uneasy must hear it. They must see the art. They must lose their fear. When the child asks, ‘What is it like to go to war?’ to remain silent keeps you from coming home.”

This year John Mikelson is setting aside a time slot for veterans to read their work during this year’s Veterans Reception on November 9^th at the Old Capitol Centre. “The one component missing from our last workshop,” Rainey recalls, “was a venue for the veterans to read their writing to civilians. It’s a transformative experience, both for the vet and the audience, to hear and understand the warrior’s experience. It’s part of the healing process for the vet and the civilians.”

For more information or special accommodations to participate in the workshop, call Mikelson at 319-384-2020 or john-mikelson@uiowa.edu or Rainey at 641-919-2654 or emma.rainey4@gmail.com or link to Writing My Way Back Home: http://www.wix.com/emmarainey4/writingmywaybackhome#!

Rainey believes it is essential we reach out to the veterans we have sent to war to help integrate them back home. “After reading my father’s war narrative, I began to write an essay about it and realized how his unspoken trauma became an intimate member of our family—an unnamed sibling—and would have been rendered invisible if not for its explosive echo powerful enough to erupt, to this day, the lives of my sisters and mother. More than ever I am committed to helping U.S. military personnel find their way back home through writing.”

STORY SOURCE: Writing My Way Back Home, P.O. Box 3470

Iowa City, IA 52244

MEDIA CONTACTS: John Mikelson, UI Veterans Center, 319-384-2020, john-mikelson@uiowa.edu; or Emma Rainey, 641-919-2654, emma.rainey4@gmail.com

Soldier Homecoming Video Contest

For all of you Iowa National Guard Soldiers and others who have arrived home recently, I've been asked to announce a contest of your video footage. 

To enter a video of your soldier’s homecoming and become a part of the national music video for Jamie O’Neal’s smash hit single “Soldier Comin’ Home!” visit the official website www.soldiercominghomecontest.com .

The contest ends on September 30^th so hurry! It’s easy!  A free "My Country: Smash Hits 2 CD" to the first 10 readers who enter the contest.

Ten (10) videos will be selected for inclusion in Jamie O’Neal’s NATIONALLY released music video. You can see all the videos. You can vote for your favorite. Ten winners will be selected, will have their video footage included in the music video and will receive prizes. ONE Grand Prize winner will be flown to Nashville to meet Jamie and see Music City USA! ALL entries will receive a free download of Jamie O’Neal’s single, “Soldier Comin’ Home” and its corresponding ringtone.  The official site will provide all necessary contest rules, uploading instructions, media and legal releases and timelines in an easy to understand and secure format. 

Join My Country: Smash Hits 2 on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/My-Country-Smash-Hits-2/124403730984609

AND Twitter

@MyCtrySmasHits2

Assured Funding for Veterans' Health Care is Long Overdue (Guest Contributor, Douglas Karr, US Navy Veteran)

Among the obstacles to prompt and adequate health care for veterans is adequate, reliable funding. How can the Veterans Administration provide good health care if they cannot obtain the money necessary to pay physicians and other staff and provide medication, equipment and facilities needed by returning veterans? The situation is deplorable and becoming worse.

The May 10 ruling by Judge Stephen Reinhardt of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals against the Veterans Administration ("Returning Veterans Encounter VA Mental Health Meltdown",) is only one example of the urgency of this problem. The ruling stated that treatment of soldiers with mental health issues is so poor as to violate their Constitutional rights. This is not to say that VA is unwilling to provide the needed care. Without adequate funding, VA is unable to provide the needed care.

It has long been recognized that the unpredictability of the yearly appropriations process is a major cause of VA's health care woes. For this reason, bills have been introduced in Congress to provide assured funding that would alleviate this situation. Unfortunately, none of the bills has become law.

The most recent attempt to get an assured funding bill passed was in 2008. According to Open Congress, the bill introduced by Sen. Tim Johnson D SD called for permanent access to funds as needed, according to the number of veterans in the system.

With the haggling over budget and deficit concerns, it is unlikely that any action will be taken now to get this bill passed. But the question remains: In the richest country in the world, how is it moral that soldiers who have risked everything and suffered the consequences in the service of their country should be abandoned once they return home?

Those wanting to write to their Congressperson concerning this issue should reference H.R. 2514 and S. 2639. If VA is to provide adequate care, access to mandatory funding is essential.

VA is responsible for care of veterans with health issues, including rare aggressive diseases like mesothelioma, or asbestos cancer, which is caused by exposure to asbestos. No country that asks young men and women to risk everything in its service should then decline to provide the care and support needed once that service has been provided.

This post was authored by Douglas Karr, US Navy Veteran, who writes for The Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance Blog at Mesothelioma.com.  Read more about the author here.

The statements, opinions and conclusions outlined in this post are those of Douglas Karr.

Giving Voice to Veterans

Attention Veterans - Please Consider Attending this Event.
Reposting Scott Smith's Guest Editorial from the Iowa City Press-Citizen (9/3/2011).

When I left the Marine Corps, I went to the winds. I filed my disability claim with the Veterans Administration and I didn't talk to my platoon mates for some five years.

It's sick having known Marines you served with in two deployments in Iraq, and then forcing yourself to ignore the devils you suffered with and destroyed cities among.

Just as you went to the winds, so did they: Nebraska, California, Maine, Rhode Island and Texas -- there's always one from Texas.

And maybe there's an email sent, a mass one from one of the guys in WPNS Company you could never remember the first name to but just the last.

And maybe you read it, and maybe you feel that jolt of nostalgia come surging back to reenlist, to time travel back to the invasion, back to crossing the line, back to patrolling along the rivers and in the fields and watching Goldberg bloop out those 40-mike-mikes far and long into the adobe houses.

To do it all again brings the kind of joy you once felt, the giddiness of being shot or having escaped supersonic lead piercing and destroying bone and flesh.

This, you do not appreciate because you are alive.

At the time, however, you cannot recognize it, cannot fathom the later meaning, cannot cognitively register because the mind of a 20-year-old infantry man is exactly that: infantile.

But we grow up. We age and carry on with no wayward sun setting because they never set the same in the West as they do in the East where it always was rising.

Some of us attended college, keeping our military histories a secret, harboring the pretty awful truths upstairs in the attic till too many cobwebs hung and clustered and trapped whatever larva needed to hatch but couldn't, pull from their cocoons and spread their wings for us to see and for the next batch to witness in spoken word rather than first-hand experience.

The truth is, we want you to understand what we went through. I want to tell you so many things that happened in the war, so many things I thought were beautiful and transmittable.

They're people just like us and when the hatred passes you allot yourself time to contemplate what good happened over there because that's all you've got my friend.

And there were good times, too, man. But I want to tell you about the bad as well. Tell you about the pretty awful and the learned racism and the words borrowed and spoken causing both insult and injury. So here's how I'm going to do it:

At 7 p.m. Sept. 12, The Mill Restaurant will be hosting Veterans Voices, the first of a reading series lead by me.

Peter Kaboli -- a physician at the Iowa City VA Health Care System-- got in contact with me showing great interest in supporting such an event. Sixty doctors from national VAs will be in town attending a rural veterans' conference and are eager to hear veterans of a UNESCO City of Literature speak.

The reading will last 90 minutes, with veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars reading aloud their prose, poetry, letters and rhymes.

This is neither a VA-sponsored event nor a UI-sponsored event. It is a veteran-owned and -sponsored event meant to bring together the sort of disbandedness I've seen among my generation of soldiers and citizens.

There's no excuse why so many of us have stopped assimilating with what we've gone through in theater and back home on the new front.

Civilians place yellow stickers on cars and nod their heads in agreement of supporting the troops --what's not to support? But when was the last time you volunteered your time at a local VA, the last time you contributed to the DAV or walked the stumpy rows of a veteran's cemetery in deep concentration of all the dead buried on our soil but lost on foreign?

We want the American public, migrant Iraqis ... humanity in general, to hear what we feel with our wars. This is why it's so important to hear what we've felt war does to a soldier, even years after discharge.

If you are a veteran of the recent wars, or a veteran of war itself, and want to read aloud your experiences, contact me at jonathan-s-smith@uiowa.edu.

I hope to see all of you at The Mill, 1900 hours Sept. 12.

Iowa Writers' Workshop student Scott Smith served in the Marines from 2000 to 2004.

Air Force Pilot Missing From Vietnam War Identified (Air Force Major Thomas E. Reitmann)

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and returned to his family for burial with full military honors.


Air Force Major Thomas E. Reitmann of Red Wing, Minn., will be buried on Sept. 8 in Arlington National Cemetery.  In 1965, Reitmann was assigned to the 334^th Tactical Fighter Squadron deployed out of Seymour-Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., to Takhli Air Base, Thailand. 


On Dec 1, 1965, he was flying a strike mission as the number three aircraft in a flight of four F-105D Thunderchiefs as part of Operation Rolling Thunder.  His target was a railroad bridge located about 45 nautical miles northeast of Hanoi.  As the aircrew approached the target area, they encountered extremely heavy and accurate anti-aircraft artillery (AAA).  While attempting to acquire his target and release his ordnance, Reitmann received a direct AAA hit and crashed in Lang Son Province, North Vietnam.  Other pilots in the flight observed no parachute, and no signals or emergency beepers were heard.  Due to the intense enemy fire in the area a search-and-rescue team was not able to survey the site and a two-day electronic search found no sign of the aircraft or Reitmann.


In 1988, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) repatriated remains to the United States believed to be those of Reitmann.  The remains were later identified as those of another American pilot who went missing in the area on the same day as Reitmann.


Between 1991 and 2009, joint U.S.-S.R.V. teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), analyzed numerous leads, interviewed villagers, and attempted to locate the aircraft.  Although no evidence of the crash site was found, in 2009 and 2011 a local farmer turned over remains and a metal button he claimed to have found in his corn field.


Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA – which matched that of his brother -- in the identification of Reitmann’s remains.


For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call 571-422-9059.

Writing My Way Back Home: A Free Writer's Workshop for Veterans

We each have a story to tell. And this weekend writing workshop on October 15-17 will help you learn how to tell it well. By using writing exercises to explore deployment and wartime experiences—the fear, the boredom, anxieties, thrills, brutality, tears and beauty—we learn how to write a story and make it compelling. Workshop participants will explore the many approaches one can take to writing about the self and will produce personal stories by the end of the weekend, in addition to include personal stories, poems, songs and plays. Opportunities to work one-on-one with professional writers during the weekend, as well as a two-week online follow up, will help continue the writing and revision process. No writing experience is needed to attend this workshop.

A public reading to read your writing for those veterans interested has been scheduled for November 9th.

Who: Open to all current and former military personnel

Where: Communications Center
116 S. Madison Street
(Between Washington & Burlington)
Iowa City, IA 52242

When: October 15 - 17, 2011

Weekend Schedule:
Friday 7:30 - 9:00 p.m.
Saturday 9:00 - 4:30
Sunday 9:00 - 12:00

to Register http://www.midwestvetswritingworkshop.com/