February 2008

Remember In Memory of Bill Wolf and all of our fallen brothers.....

Chapter Board Meeting: 1st Tuesday, 7:00 PM
Chapter Membership Meeting: 3rd Tuesday each month - 7:00 PM - February 19, 2008 - Kent Erickson - Vietnam Revisited
ROSEVILLE MEMORIAL HALL, Royer Park ***AWARD WINNING NEWSLETTER***

CAPITOL CITY
VETERAN

Newsletter for Sacramento Valley's Chapter 500 of the Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc.

"We remember!" FEBRUARY, 2008 "Be Proud"

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

As of February 1, Chapter 500 became 18 years young. We've gained quite a few members since the beginning, but unfortunately have lost some too. Some have moved, some have lost interest and unfortunately several have passed away. But this year will be sort of a re-birth for the Chapter as we look forward to moving into an actual office and being able to service many more Veterans with their needs as well as establish a real "home for our members. Be sure to come to the Grand Opening on "Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day", Sunday, March 30. Invite your friends and family, all are welcome!
And don't forget, it's time for Chapter elections again. Call, e-mail or send in your nominations for Chapter Officers this month. Your President, Ted Adams

WELCOME HOME VIETNAM VETERANS DAY

The President still has not proclaimed WHVVD. Resolutions have been passed in both the House and Senate to make March 30, officially "Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day". To make it final, President Bush has to agree and endorse the resolutions. So, write a letter to the President at: The White House - 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW - Washington, D.C. 20500 or e-mail at: comments@whitehouse.gov. (Corrected e-mail address from last month). Or, you can call at: 202-456-1111. Do it soon before the date passes. Urge the President to make your day official!

20th ANNIVERSARY CA VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL

As we have announced, the Anniversary events will begin on December 10th. Included in the events will be a 3 day "Reading of the Names". VVA500 will be arranging for this event. We would like to put faces to the names on the Memorial. If you have any pictures of those lost souls, please contact the Chapter.

CURRENT NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

GENERAL MEETING - FEBRUARY 19, 2008
7PM AT THE ROSEVILLE HALL

KENT ERICKSON
VIETNAM REVISITED

Kent has just returned recently from living in England for a year and also visiting Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Burma. It will be an interesting evening listening to his experiences as an American abroad along with pictures of the places he visited in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

ELECTION TIME FOR CHAPTER 500

     As we told you last month, Chapter elections will be held at the Annual Meeting, Tuesday, April 15. The following offices need to be filled: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, three Board Members, AVVA Representative, a Nominating Committee of three and a State Delegate and Alternate State Delegate.
     February is the month we call for nominations that are announced in March. To qualify, you must be a paid up member, and we must have your DD214 on file.
     You can nominate yourself or someone else (they must accept) Nominations can also be taken from the floor on April 15. Call, e-mail or send your nominations in. (Contact Info - Back Page).

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

WHAT: St. Patrick's Day Parade
WHEN: Monday, March 17, 2008
WHERE: Old Town Sac (Assemble under bridge as usual)
TIME: Assemble 4:30/5:15 - Parade begins at 6PM.

NO GENERAL MEETING IN MARCH DUE TO VVA500 GRAND OPENING, MARCH 30. DETAILS NEXT MONTH.

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THE CAPITOL VETERAN........FEBRUARY, 2008.......Page 2

VETERAN BENEFITS

     HEALTH ALERT!! This letter appeared in an issue of the VVA VETERAN, but in case you missed it, please read for your health's sake.
                                   PARASITE WARNING
     I am writing to inform all Vietnam veterans about a potential health risk that they may have been exposed to while serving in Vietnam: the little-known danger from parasites.
     My husband, who was otherwise healthy, passed away on January 20, 2006, from cholangiocarcinoma, cancer of the bile duct of the liver. It is very rare in the United States, but very prevalent in Vietnam and surrounding countries. There are two know causes of this type of cancer: from contracting hepatitis C and from ingesting a parasite from the water supply in Vietnam. My husband did not have hepatitis C; therefore, it was determined that his cancer derived from a parasite. I have received official notification from the VA that his death was service related, which is not something the VA determines without an overwhelming amount of evidence.
     This cancer does not manifest itself until later in life, when you are between 60 and 70 years old. Once the Symptoms occur, which usually include jaundice, it is very difficult to treat or beat. My husband was 58 years old when he passed away. If he had been informed that there was a possibility that he could have ingested a parasite while serving in Vietnam, he would have taken precautions to have his bile ducts examined, possibly extending his life. The parasite is long gone, but it left behind damaged cells, which developed into cancerous tumors in the bile ducts.
     If you spent time in Southeast Asia and are having gastrointestinal issues for no apparent reason, please have your physician check for damage within the bile ducts. It may save your life.
        Mrs. Edward S. (Pete) Harrison-Horseheads, New York
Chapter Note: In doing some research on this illness, some of the symptoms listed were: jaundice, clay colored stools, bilirubinuria (dark urine), pruitis (intense itching), weight loss and abdominal pain (can be described as a dull ache in the right quadrant), progressive weakness and fatigue, fever. All of these symptoms have a percentage in relation to overall occurrence in all patients and some do not occur until late stages of the disease. This disease is difficult to diagnose in the early stages, although sudden change in biochemical tests of liver function would determine if more testing is needed. Just be aware of this little known result of being in Vietnam and consult your physician if you suspect a problem per the symptoms above. It is a difficult disease to detect and treat. Time is of the essence. Remember, it has been determined to be service connected.
     There are plenty of websites to get further information, just Google "Cholangiocarcinoma".

LEGISLATIVE ISSUES FOR VETERANS AND MORE

VA INCREASES TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT FOR ELIGIBLE VETERANS

January 31, 2008
Washington - Over a million eligible veterans will see their mileage reimbursement more than double starting tomorrow, for travel to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities.
     "This increase helps veterans - especially those living in rural areas - offset some of the gasoline costs as they travel to VA's world-class health care," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake. "Increasing the mileage reimbursement is one more step by VA to help veterans access the health care they deserve."
     The 2008 appropriations act provided funding for VBA to increase the beneficiary travel mileage reimbursement rate from 11 cents per mile to 28.5 cents per mile. The increase goes into effect on February 1.
     After little more then a month on the job, Secretary Peake used his authority to establish the first increase in mileage reimbursement in 30 years, fulfilling a pledge he made during his Senate confirmation hearing last month.
     While increasing the payment, VA, as mandated by law, also equally increased the deductible amounts applied to certain mileage reimbursements. The new deductibles are $7.77 for a one way trip, $15.54 for a round trip, with a maximum of $46.62 per calendar month. However, these deductibles can be waived if they cause a financial hardship to the veteran.
Chapter Note: Well, we guess by first read, everyone thinks they are getting a present from the VA and it would have been until you do the math on the raised deductibles. Let's say you are coming from somewhere in Auburn and the roundtrip will be 60 miles at .285 cents per mile. That would be $17.10. Well the deductible is $15.54, which leaves you with $1.56 reimbursement for your gas. Gee, is that worth the time it takes to collect it? Where can you get even one gallon of gas for $1.56? But the headlines look good for our new VA Secretary.
     FYI, the current rate for mileage for business use is 50.5 cents per mile and mileage for charitable use is 14 cents per mile. These are based on what the IRS has determined is the current costs of operating an automobile.

IN MEMORY OF

We are sorry to report the deaths of two of our members, Willie Anderson, who passed away January 7, 2008, and Orville Osborne who passed away a few years ago, and we just received notice. May those brother Vets, Rest in Peace and our sincere condolences to the famiies.

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THE CAPITOL VETERAN...........FEBRUARY, 2008.........Page 3

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________
Rebels With A Cause
Where your journey of a lifetime begins.....
Kathleen Renee' DeSpain-Moore
Executive Director/Founder
3801 Duckhorn Drive #914
Sacramento, CA 95834
916-628-3180 prpersonfromhell@juno.com
www.rebelswithacause.us - www.holidaymiracles.org
Proud producers of the Capital To Capital
Ride Across America!

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

"A Continuing Tradition"

Rebecca Lee 916-501-8788
Call Rebecca for the Special Discounts available for Veterans
Many East Lawn locations in the Sacramento area
Pre-Arrangement Plans are also available.

43rd & Folsom Blvd., P.O. Box 19334, Sacramento, CA 95819
East Lawn Insurance Services, Inc. License #0747585
www.eastlawn.com

HELP YOUR BUSINESS AND SUPPORT THE VVA
Advertise in the Capitol Veteran. Reasonable Rates!!!
One issue, business card size is $5.00. Get one month free by advertising for 6 months at $25.00. Call the office for more information or submit your copy with a check to VVA by mail.

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THE CAPITOL VETERAN CALENDAR................FEBRUARY, 2008........Page 4

SUN	MON	TUES	WED	THURS	FRI	SAT
VVA500 NOMINATIONS THIS MONTH SEE PAGE 1		5 VVA Bd. Meeting VOTE TODAY	6	7	8 Boy Scouts Founded 1910	9
10	11	12 Operation Homecoming Began 1973	13	14 Memorial Anniversary Meeting	15	16 Young Marines Training
17	18 MCL President's Day	19 VVA General Meeting	20	21	22 Operation Junction City Began 1967	23 Post-Tet Offensive Began 1969
24	25	26	27	28	29

MARCH, 2008

SUN	MON	TUES	WED	THURS	FRI	SAT
						1
2 Raid on North Vietnam Began 1965	3 "Star Spangled Banner" made US National Anthem 1931	4 VVA Board Meeting Operation Utah Began 1966	5	6	7	8
9 Daylight Savings Time Begins Clocks Forward	10	11 Operation Resolve to Win Began 1968	12 Girl Scouts Founded 1912	13 Memorial Anniversary Meeting	14	15 Young Marines Recruit Graduation
16 Palm Sunday	17 St. Patrick's Day and Parade	18 NO GENERAL MEETING Operation Breakfast Began 1969	19	20 First Day of Spring	21 Good Friday	22
23 Easter Sunday	24	25	26	27	28	29
MARCH 30 - GRAND OPENING OF VVA500 NEW OFFICE IS ON "WELCOME HOME VIETNAM VETERANS DAY" - DETAILS IN NEXT NEWSLETTER

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THE CAPITOL VETERAN................FEBRUARY, 2008........Page 5

VVA500 EXPANDS IT'S OUTREACH EFFORTS

     If you have ever read our "Facts about VVA" on VVA500 Membership Application, you have seen the last paragraph that says: "Our goals for the future are to obtain funding to be able to expand our programs enabling us to reach more veterans from the Vietnam era back as well as the new veterans from more recent wars".
     Through the generosity of two "angels" we are finally going to be able to achieve our goals. While we will still be supporting the Roseville Veterans Memorial Hall, we will be leasing a building that will be more centrally located for outreach for walk-in Veterans and the majority of members as well. The building while large enough for office space, also has room for meetings, events and recreation. We will have use of an outdoor area as well as a warehouse for storage. Needless to say, we are very excited about this development.
     While everything will take place on a step by step basis, we plan on being able to have Service Officers on board for claims, other agencies with programs for Veterans and intake for placing homeless Veterans in housing and arranging for other services they might need. Up until this time, we have only been able to provide services and resources by phone, now we can become a true service provider with person to person contact.
     We are starting to accumulate furniture, filing cabinets, etc. but of course will need computers, a copy machine, meeting chairs and tables and lots of the normal office accessories. So, if you hear of anything we might need, please let us know.
     Another thing we will need are "people". For those who are retired, or semi-retired this will be a great place to help and connect with brother and sister Veterans. Can you spare a couple hours a day, a week, or whatever you can spare? And one more important fact, unless there is some special event, this will be no alcohol allowed on the premise.
     So, where is the place and when can you see it? The building is located on 796 Del Paso Rd. The last building on Del Paso before you reach Northgate Blvd. It is being renovated now for us. Anticipated move in date is the middle of March.
     As you have read, we have been planning to have an event for the March 30, "Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day". So all are invited to come to the Grand Opening on that day, Sunday, March 30. The plans are to have a small ceremony at the CA Vietnam Veterans Memorial in the morning and Grand Opening/Open House around 1PM, with a short ceremony, refreshments and some entertainment. So mark your calendars for a full day.
     After we are settled in and "in business" per say, the Chapter will begin to apply for grants to be able to provide for various types of Veteran services. Having a permanent, established office providing services for Veterans will enable the chapter to complete the mission that all Veteran organizations should be doing, and that is "Helping Veterans and our Active Duty Personnel".
     Hope to see you on March 30th and many more days after that!

AFTER ACTION REPORT

1/12 - VVA500 Board visited and approved new VVA500 offices.
1/15 - VVA500 held it's regular General Meeting. Mark Arguello detailed his experiences at the 25th Anniversary of the Wall, Ed and Deborah Getz, Gold Star Parents visited and introduced the organization "Never Forget Our Fallen". Story on Page Seven. President Adams announced plans for VVA500 new offices.
2/2 - Young Marines held their regular Training Day.
2/5 - VVA500 Board held their regular Board Meeting

                           UPDATE ON SGT. SAM NICHOLS
Left: Sam and Julie Neria at the "Reading of the Names" 2005.
Right: Sam and his wife Erin.

     Sam's progress as of February 5, 2008 from father-in-law Tony's blog at: www.tneria01.wordpress.com. "Every day Sam continues to get stronger and needs less and less assistance to keep himself upright. Erin will be visiting the Kentfield Rehabilitation Hospital where Sam will be moving to next. This hospital isn't certified by the VA, but the VA will allow for direct billing. So there is no worry about Sam not being able to be transferred when he is ready, possibly this month.
    Sam continues to improve in the auditory front. His swallowing and tongue movement continues to get better. Although he still isn't speaking, he continues to score very high marks when asked questions. Sam is improving at working with the peg board via finger and arm manipulation. When I saw him work the peg board for the first time, he was very sluggish and just barely moving the pegs on Dec. 25th. Today Erin told me he is getting so good at moving the pegs on the board, that they have moved him to a board with smaller pegs. The time it takes him to move the pegs is also improving dramatically. There are also improvements with Sam's right leg in his physical therapy session. He has been kicking his leg out on command when in a sitting position (at least his right leg. In the overall cognitive front, Sam continues to impress everyone. When Erin is wheeling him around, he smiles and waves to the nurses. while passing the nurses station.   When the medical staff says "Hi" to Sam, he waves and follows them with his eyes.

Chapter note: We keep you updated on Sam's progress not only because of the personal connection the chapter has with Julie, but to make all aware of the suffering of our wounded warriors and how long it takes for them to return to their lives. Some are able to progress to normality. But some will remain forever broken and our government must provide them with care and fulfill their needs.

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THE CAPITAL VETERAN..........FEBRUARY, 2008........Page 6

MEMBER INPUT AND FEEDBACK

     We thank our members for their submittals for the newsletter. First, here is one from James Singleton:
     In light of the recent appeals court ruling in California, with respect to the Pledge of Allegiance, the following recollection from Senator John McCain is very appropriate:
          'The Pledge of Allegiance' by Senator John McCain
     As you may know, I spent five and one half years as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War. In the early years of our imprisonment, the NVA kept us in solitary confinement two or three to a cell. In 1971 the NVA moved us from these conditions of isolation into large rooms with as many as 30 to 40 men to a room. This was, as you can imagine, a wonderful change and was a direct result of the efforts of millions of Americans on behalf of a few hundred POWs 10,000 miles from home.
     One of the men who moved into my room was a young man named Mike Christian. Mike came from a small town near Selma, Alabama. He didn't wear a pair of shoes until he was 13 years old. At 17, he enlisted in the US Navy. He later earned a commission by going to Officer Training School. Then he became a Naval Flight Officer and was shot down and captured in 1967. Mike had a keen and deep appreciation of the opportunities this country and our military provide for people who want to work and want to succeed.
     As part of the change in treatment, the Vietnamese allowed some prisoners to receive packages from home. In some of these packages were handkerchiefs, scarves and other items of clothing.
     Mike got himself a bamboo needle. Over a period of a couple of months, he created an American flag and sewed it on the inside of his shirt. Every afternoon, before we had a bowl of soup, we would hang Mike's shirt on the wall of the cell and say the Pledge of Allegiance. I know the Pledge of Allegiance may not seem the most important part of our day now, but I can assure you that in that stark cell it was indeed the most important and meaningful event.
     One day the Vietnamese searched our cell, as they did periodically, and discovered Mike's shirt with the flag sewn inside, and removed it. That evening they returned, opened the door of the cell, and for the benefit of all of us, beat Mike Christian severely for the next couple of hours. Then they opened the door of the cell and threw him in. We cleaned him up as well as we could.
     The cell in which we lived had a concrete slab in the middle on which we slept. Four naked light bulbs hung in each corner of the room. As I said, we tried to clean up Mike as well as we could. After the excitement died down, I looked in the corner of the room, and sitting there beneath that dim light bulb with a piece of red cloth, another shirt and his bamboo needle, was my friend, Mike Christian. He was sitting there with his eyes almost shut from the beating he had received, making another American flag. He was not making the flag because it made Mike Christian feel better. He was making that flag because he knew how important it was to us to be able to Pledge our allegiance to our flag and country.
               Continued in the next column.................

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, CONT.

So, the next time you say the Pledge of Allegiance, you must never forget the sacrifice and courage that thousands of Americans have made to build our nation and promote freedom around the world.
You must remember our duty, our honor, our country.
'I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.'

     THANK YOU ALSO to Jim Daniels for his kind words and a quote that is quite appropriate for this day and age:
     Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I came across this insert in my Sampson AFB Veterans Association Newsletter ,"The Roll Call". Sure looks apropos to me.
     Here's wishing everyone the best of everything for 2008. Keep up the excellent vet support, and thank each and everyone that's pulling my load.    God bless, Jim
                         DEFINITION OF A VETERAN

     A Veteran - whether active duty, retired, National Guard, or Reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America", for an amount of "up to and including my life"
     That is honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.    Author, Unknown
     And we think he got it right! Because we Understand.

CITY OF BERKELEY/MARINE CORPS RECRUITERS ISSUE

The next member comment was received by e-mail on Tuesday, February 5. It came because we sent information to the members regarding a choice of petitions regarding the Berkeley City Council's resolutions against the Marine Corps Recruiters. It was the choice of the members whether they wished to sign, agree, etc. However, one member was unhappy regarding the notification and sent these comments. Because of the content the VVA Board decided not only to respond but to publish the exchange in the newsletter, so here are both beginning with member Bob Parker which is exactly as he wrote it, other than for paragraph indents:
"I've kept my silence for several years and chose not to participate in VVA for the last seven years. This is one of the reasons I made that choice. When Al Beirnesser and I penned the Veterans life iniative and got it passed at the convention, we had hoped our organization would focus on Veterans and their families and not continue any support for the current administration and it's illegal wars abroad. Continued on Page 7.....................

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THE CAPITOL VETERAN................FEBRUARY, 2008........Page 7

MEMBER FEEDBACK, CONT.

     As for the recruiters, my personal experience with them has been that they'll lie like rugs to meet their quotas. I've counciled several family's about the offers their children were made without their knowledge or concurrence.
     There is nothing dumber than a 17 year old with more testosterone than brains wanting to be a hero. They don't tell them about the deaths and maimed bodies and souls that will come of their ill conceived rashness.
     As far as the recruiters go, If the ELECTED OFFICIALS don't want them in town then that's their business and our personal feelings are just that. Don't ask us to second guess them.
     Over the years that I have been part of VVA there have been many positions that VVA members has taken that have proven to be completely wrong and time has proven that time and time again.
     Wether it was the POW/MIA issue that after many years of claims by organizations making claims about tiger cages and more proved to be totally false. It wasn't until we backed the contact with the Vietnamese veterans that we got any real resolution to the MIA's. Trade with Vietnam was the same, more hype than substance.
     It's because of petitions like this that I won't find time for VVA. If you'd pay attention to those that have served and are now paying the price for that service rather than encourage making more screwed up vets then you would be doing more than being a knee jerk reaction to somebody's macho reaction.
     Be informed rather than just a follower!
     VVA life member - Capt. 1st Air Cav

                                    CHAPTER RESPONSE
Dear Mr. Parker:
     Obviously you have your opinion re: the City of Berkeley issue. But, you must realize that others are also allowed to have their opinion. The chapter did not take a policy stance in this instance; the information was merely passed on after receiving the information from several veteran sources. We do not take any positions that are political in nature other than legislation that will affect Veterans either for the good or negatively. Members were merely given a choice of what petition they wanted to sign and the message stated "take your choice if you want to sign a petition".
     We also have not taken a position and will not take a position on whether to support or not support the war, those are individual choices the members can make or not, but we do take the position of supporting those that are fighting the war.
     Since you have not attended any meetings or participated in any of the chapter events for some time, or possibly do not read the newsletter, it is very offensive to the chapter to insinuate that we do not focus on Veterans and their families and that we do support the current "administration and it's illegal wars". On a daily basis we are serving all Veterans and their families. We are a resource center for them and attempt to solve their problems in any way we can. We do pay attention to those who have served. If you do not feel that the chapter is taking the right path, then you should attend some meetings and make your point, not keep your silence for seven more years.

MEMBER FEEDBACK, CONT.

   As to your statements re: recruiters, they are serving where they have been sent by the military and have no choice. Most have served in combat. They do deserve some respect because of the fact they have served their country and placed themselves in harm's way. If you think they are overly aggressive in their signing up recruits, maybe you should volunteer your time at the recruitment offices and watch over and advise those they are attempting to recruit. I'm sure the Veterans for Peace would welcome you as a member as this is exactly what they do. In fact, our members do speak in schools regarding the Vietnam War as well and tell both the good and the possibilities of the bad regarding joining the military.
     In regard to the City of Berkeley Council individuals, they are also entitled to their "personal feelings", but do we know if that is the will of the people they represent?
     In closing, we do pay attention to those who have served and your comment that we "encourage making more screwed up vets" is rude, ill-mannered and an insult to our many fine members who go out of their way to help and honor Veterans and their families.
       Mary Lou McNeill, Executive Director
     "As directed by the VVA500 Board"

                          VISITORS AT JANUARY MEETING
     At the January meeting we were honored to have Eddie and Deborah Getz drop in for a visit. Eddie and Deborah are the parents of Kristofer D. S. Thomas who was killed in Afghanistan February 17, 2007. Kristofer joined the Army and became an US Army Ranger at 17. He was sent to Afghanistan and was killed in a helicopter crash along with eight other heroes and 14 others were injured.
      You have probably seen several of the news reports of the special Hummer that Deborah purchased and had artwork placed on it that memorializes her son, the others killed and injured as well as honoring all of our brave warriors.
       Deborah explained to us that after her severe mourning period she vowed not to let all those who have sacrificed their lives to be forgotten. She has formed an organization called "Never Forget Our Fallen". Her goals are to have annual Memorial Ceremonies on Kristofer's birthday honoring all of our Fallen Heroes and eventual plans to have a Wall for them. You can view her website at www.neverforgetourfallen.com. Those who have lost their loved ones in Afghanistan and Iraq can enter their names and information onto the website.
       During a break at the meeting, members took the opportunity to go out to the parking lot to view the special Hummer. It is a beautiful sight to see, a real work of art. Check out the pictures on her website and here on Page 9. The Hummer of course is large and did expand over two parking spots at the Roseville Hall. Another non-Veteran group meets on the same night as the chapter. When we went out to view the hummer we were at first amazed and then dismayed at the lack of respect for Veterans. Someone had actually left a piece of paper on the windshield of the Hummer saying: "You may be a veteran, & I salute you for that, but taking 2 parking spaces makes you an asshole as well!" What a nice thing to say to a Gold Star Mother and at a Veteran's Hall!

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THE CAPITOL VETERAN - FEBRUARY, 2008........Page 8

AFTER THE WALL
Submitted by Don Harper, Board Member, Legislative Chair

     To all readers: There was a Memory Plaque placed near the statues of the Three Soldiers near the Vietnam Wall in D.C. Its' purpose was to honor all fallen comrades whom have since died resulting from their war wounds whether it being physical or mental. What is lacking however is a sign next to the Memory Plaque explaining to visitors where the plaque is located and also what the meaning of it is.
      The plaque lays flat on the ground and most visitors are not aware of it and many times can't find it. We as a chapter have taken on the issue of working with the National Parks system, or Jan Scruggs, the creator of the Wall, or our politicians to demand that at the very least a sign goes up next to the Memory Plaque.
     Our ideal preference would be to reset the Plaque at an angle above the ground along with a sign so visitors can come and reflect on the many Vietnam Veterans who came home from the war, but still became casualties later as a result of serving in Vietnam.
     If you agree with our endeavor on this project and want to join our efforts in this matter, please contact our Executive Director, Mary Lou McNeill at 916-481-6020 or myself at 916-489-5669.
     This Memory Plaque should not be an after thought with no sign to it, but displayed, remembered, and honored as another element of the true cost of war. These are really minor changes but will allow the public to stop and reflect when viewing the Memory Plaque. I believe these minor changes will enhance their personal experience when visiting the Wall and will give them a better appreciation of those who fought in that war at that time in history.
     I look forward to hearing from all of you and your interest in this very worthwhile project.

RECOMMENDATIONS AND MAIL

Member Alan Hayashi highly recommended this movie. "Vietnam Homecoming", a History Channel production about Vietnam Veterans preparing to attend Operation Homecoming in Branson, MO. Alan ordered it through Netflix, but you can purchase it from the History Channel website: www.history.com and go to the shopping link, enter the title in the search box.

Received in the mail an invitation to view "The Veterans Network", internet and radio channels dedicated to our nation's vets. There is lots of Video with news stories, interviews, music, etc. Check it out at www.veteransnetwork.org.

WELCOME TO OUR NEW ADVERTISER!!!

272 Mandalay Ct. smith8834@sbcglobal.net
Roseville, CA 95747 916-543-3390

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THE CAPITOL VETERAN................FEBRUARY, 2008........Page 9

MARK ARGUELLO DETAILS HIS JOURNEY TO THE
25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WALL

PRESIDENT ADAMS CELEBRATES HIS BIRTHDAY WITH GIFT FROM JOE FEIRL AT JANUARY MEETING

DEBORAH'S HUMMER

EDDIE AND DEBORAH GETZ VISIT THE JANUARY MEETING

KRISTOFER - GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

MEMORIAL TO KRISTOFER'S UNIT

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THE CAPITOL VETERAN............FEBRUARY, 2008........Page 10

                                    CHAPTER INFORMATION
OFFICERS: President: Ted Adams
Vice President: Karen Anne Winnett
Secretary: Gregory McNeill
Treasurer: Jerry Quint
BOARD MEMBERS: Hank Davis, Don Harper, Monty Montoya
ADDRESS: Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc., Chapter 500
                                            P.O. Box 255484
                                           Sacramento, CA 95865
TELEPHONE:                 916-481-6020
E-MAIL:                          vva500@sbcglobal.net
CHAPTER WEBSITE: www.norcaltrav.com/vva500.htm
FOR INFORMATION: Call or e-mail, Executive Director,
                                           Mary Lou McNeill
NEWSLETTER SUBMISSIONS: Mail to Chapter address or e-mail information. Please send pictures in jpeg form.
VVA Chapter 500 is a non-profit organization, #68-0208305, CT#75945, United Way #12583. All donations to support our projects such as our Scholarship Fund, Helping Hands Fund, Events for Veterans, and Honor Guard will be gratefully appreciated. You may earmark your donation to the project you wish to support.
DIRECTIONS to the Roseville Veterans Memorial Hall. From I-80. Take the Douglas West exit. Go to the third light which is Folsom Rd. Turn right, go to the second stop sign, which is Sutter, turn left, follow the curve, you will see a sign on the right and left that says "Royer Park", turn left there. You will immediately see the hall to the right and the parking lot. That's it. In the hall, from the main door, follow the VVA sign to the meeting room. When you leave, the street is one way, so you will go to the right. You will then come up to Douglas Blvd., again and a left will go back to the freeway and whichever direction you need to go from there..

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS!
♫♫♫BG Ezell Ware, Jr. - Marines♫♫♫Walt Williams - AVVA♫♫♫George Vargas, Jr. - Army♫♫♫Kris Hollinger - AVVA♫♫♫Robert Condit, Jr. - Navy♫♫♫Dennis Whitt - Army♫♫♫William Mason - Army♫♫♫

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William Joseph Mason - Army

Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc.
Sacramento Valley's Chapter 500
P.O. Box 255484
Sacramento, CA 95865
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