Rao bulletin 15 January 2015 html edition this bulletin contains the following articles



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Dario Raschio told protesters that they should show respect to the senator. Dario Raschio says he doesn't accept his work in WWII as being a hero, but as simply doing his job
The medal presentation was to be the first event at a Wyden town hall, one of several the senator was holding around the state in early JAN. After 15 minutes of shouting, Wyden persuaded the group to stop and let him proceed with the medal presentation. Raschio's smile returned as Wyden presented him with a frame filled with medals. He was awarded the U.S. Naval Aviator Badge, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory medal, the American Defense Service Medal, the "Ruptured Duck" award and the U.S. Navy Honorable discharge pin. He was also given a flag flown over the U.S Capitol. "It is never too late for Oregon and America to remember one of our heroes," Wyden said.
Raschio joined the Navy at the age of 27. He piloted observational planes, and was based on the USS Chester. He participated in five campaigns in the Pacific Theatre. One harrowing incident took place on Easter Sunday in 1944. He had been on a mission and took gunfire. When returning to the ship, his plane went down in the ocean and he figured that he and his passenger were likely to die in the water. A Navy destroyer came along a few hours later and rescued the pair, just as sharks were beginning to circle. He then revealed the location of an ammo dump they had viewed from the sky on a South Pacific island. The dump was destroyed.
On Saturday, Raschio glossed over the incident. He seemed more concerned by the immediate action he was witnessing. As he grabbed the mic to speak, more shouts came from the back of the room, demanding the military exit from Iraq. The feisty centenarian quickly responded, "Give me a chance" which brought chuckles from the audience. He further chastised the shouters, saying "Let's show a little respect for this occasion," to which the crowd applauded. He accepted the medals on behalf of those who died in WWII and ended his short speech by saying, "God bless America. And you people that are here for a cause, whatever it might be—show respect to Sen. Wyden." Wyden took back the mic, and followed up, "One of the reasons that we can come here today and be heard and express our views is because of veterans like Dario." But before Raschio could even sit down the unrest resumed. A protester at the front of the room announced that "for 4.5 minutes we are going to take time to pay respect to everybody who has been killed by police in this nation."
With that, the chanting began again. At 3:15, after waiting 45 minutes for the meeting to begin, organizers called it off. A coalition called Don't Shoot Portland had planned a rally on Southeast 82nd Avenue on Saturday afternoon and two were arrested earlier in the afternoon for allegedly blocking the avenue. Wyden said later, "I think that the symbolism of having a veteran 100 years old, who fought so gallantly so that those who disagree with government policies and want to exercise their First Amendment rights could be heard, that's what made today so poignant." [Source: The Oregonian | Kristyna Wentz-Graff | Jan. 03, 2015 ++]

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America's Most Beloved Vets ► Korean War (2)



Jerry Coleman Kurt Chew-een Lee Mitchell Red Cloud Neil Armstrong


  • The Yankees second baseman and sports broadcaster Jerry Coleman flew combat missions in World War II and Korea.

  • The first Asian-American Marine Corps officer Kurt Chew-een Lee helped thousands escape death at Chosin and served as a combat intelligence officer in Vietnam.

  • The Ho-Chunk Indian Mitchell Red Cloud sounded the alarm about an impending Chinese attack, killing several enemy soldiers and saving his company from being overrun before he was shot to death.

  • Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, started as a Navy pilot, flying 78 combat missions in Korea.

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Vet State Benefits & Discounts ► Idaho 2015
The state of Idaho provides several benefits to veterans as indicated below. To obtain information on these plus discounts listed on the Military and Veterans Discount Center (MCVDC) website, refer to the attachment to this Bulletin titled, “Vet State Benefits & Discounts – ID for an overview of the below benefits. Benefits are available to veterans who are residents of the state. For a more detailed explanation of each of the following refer to http://militaryandveteransdiscounts.com/location/idaho.html and http://www.veterans.idaho.gov.

  • Housing Benefits

  • Education Benefits

  • Employment Benefits

  • Other State Veteran Benefits

  • Discounts

[Source: http://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-state-benefits Jan. 2014 ++]

* Vet Legislation *


114th Congress ► Lawmakers' Priority: Fortify Promises to Vets
New Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Johnny Isakson (R-GA) said the first priority of his committee will be making sure Congress' promises to veterans from last year aren't forgotten. "We need to make sure the Veterans Choice bill is implemented and it's working, where it needs to be perfected, it's perfected," he told reporters 8 JAN. VA Secretary "Bob McDonald needs our support to see to it he can change the culture at the VA," Isakson said. "That in itself is a huge challenge and responsibility." Lawmakers returned to Washington, D.C., this week with a new House Veterans' Affairs Committee ranking member Rep. Corrine Brown (D-FL), new Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee leadership (Isakson and ranking member Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.), and a host of unfinished veterans issues from last session.
Sen. Isakson said he has not outlined any specific legislative priorities or hearing schedules for his committee yet, and instead will use the next few weeks to work out those details with fellow panel members. But, in a statement after his leadership appointment, the 70-year-old Air National Guard veteran called this "a critical moment in history with the VA" and said his main charge as chairman would be "to bring value back to the VA and our veterans." Both House and Senate leaders are still dealing with the aftermath of last year's VA scandal in which administrators at dozens of department facilities were found to be doctoring records to cover up lengthy wait times for patients. Those problems forced the resignation of VA Secretary Eric Shinseki and numerous other top department officials, and the nomination of McDonald — a former Proctor & Gamble CEO with decades of management experience — to clean up the department.
Now, with a new Congress, lawmakers are promising continued oversight into that and other problems uncovered during months of public scrutiny for the often-ignored department. On 8 JAN, House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL) announced plans for an oversight hearing later this month into "the longstanding legacy of mismanagement and waste of VA's construction program." Both committees also are reviewing VA mental health programs, and have pledged to review the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention Act, which narrowly missed congressional passage in December. And the long-term implementation and effects of the Veterans Choice Act — a sweeping, $16 billion reform bill designed to provide immediate relief to the wait times problem — remains a concern for many in Congress. That measure included a new program allowing veterans in rural areas or facing long wait times at VA hospitals to more easily access private physicians, as well as billions of dollars for new physician hiring and appointment space leases. Lawmakers have expressed concern about the slowness of those changes, and at the lack of firings of VA administrators for problems that came to light. Department officials have promised they are moving as quickly as possible on both fronts.
Congress also will look closely at long-term plans for VA care and reform when President Obama's fiscal 2016 budget proposal is released in early February. VA has been one of the few government agencies to see steady funding increases in recent years, growing almost $100 billion in the last 11 years. Veterans advocates hope that trend continues for years to come, as the long-term costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan become more apparent. But lawmakers have promised closer scrutiny of those funds in months to come, noting that the growth in funding has not always translated into better care and programs for veterans. [Source: MilitaryTimes | Leo Shane | Jan. 08, 2015 ++]
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