January 2011 Indiana Department of Veteran Affairs Newsletter

1. Mitch Daniels - Governor
Tom Applegate - Director
January 2011 The Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs Newsletter Edition 2011-1
site’s security and require you to In This Issue:
IDVA Update click the statement:
“Continue to this website (not Indiana Guard Troops Return to Heartland..2
Goes Totally recommended.)” but you should Whitley County Office has landmark
Digital have no problem with those web
sites.
home..............................................................3
Job openings at St.Vincent....... ....................4
With this issue of the IDVA We hope everyone enjoys this
Update the Indiana Department of new digital version of the IDVA VA Launches Personalized Handbooks........4
Veterans Affairs unveils the first Update. Comments and sugges-
Veterans Affairs Services (VAS) is NOT the
edition of its totally digital news- tions are always welcome. See our VA.................................................................5
letter. mailing and contact information
on the last page. American Legion Service Office
Due to budget constraints we Relocating.....................................................5
will no longer be offering hard
Disability Evaluation Streamlined................5
copy issues of our periodic news-
letter. The newsletters will be e- Other State’s Veterans’ Benefits...................6
mailed to all County Veterans’
VA Tests Quicker Access to Medical
Service Officers, veterans’ service records...........................................................6
organizations, legislators and oth-
er subscribers. New Location for Indy Vet Center...............7
As an additional service we Other Grants and Scholarships.....................7
will have an online version of the
newsletter which can be down- Free Retreat for Female Veterans.................8
loaded by visitors to our web site.
One of the benefits of this
new digital offering, in addition to
Happy New House Postpones Debate of
“Women Veterans Bill of Rights”................8
Hoosier Women Veterans’
the cost-saving feature, is that we
will now be able to offer a full
color newsletter and, as you can
Year from Conference....................................................8
State Approving Agency News.....................9
see to the right, we have also add-
ed a table of contents for readers’ the staff Improvements to New GI Bill Could Mean
End of Old One.............................................9
convenience. The three-column
format also makes it easier to read
as it is more restful to the eye. at IDVA Federal Government Holds Forum on Home-
less Veterans...............................................10
All of the links are interactive Change of Address for Application Subm-
and will automatically take you to
the linked location. Note: some of
and sion to the Army Board for Correction of
Military Records (ABCMR) and the Army
Discharge Review Board (ADRB)..............11
the military links will tell you
there is a problem with the web SAA! Cold War Certificates still available...........11
Continued on next page
1 www.in.gov/dva January 2011

2. In This Issue (continued) was to mentor, train and operate
IDVA Annual Report..................................12
Indiana Guard with the Afghan forces."
Recent Indiana Casualties...........................13
Troops Return to That close relationship was
key in the unit's success according
The Last Six Seconds in the Lives of Two Heartland to Command Sgt. Maj. Jim
Heroic Marines...........................................13 Brown, the senior enlisted Soldier
Story by Staff Sgt. Tommi with the RCTT-2.
AMVETS Honor Flights.............................16
Meyer, Indiana National Guard "We are a corps partnering
Brave Lady..................................................16 Public Affairs team," said Brown, Indianapolis.
"Working with them (Afghans) on
VA Launches Veterans Relationship Man-
agement (VRM)..........................................16 INDIANAPOLIS - Record how to grow their Army, train it,
low temperatures greeted mem- fight it."
Improving Lives One Coat At a Time........17 bers of Indiana's Regional Corps "It takes time and patience,"
Students “Adopt” Historical Marker...........19 Training Team - 2 Sunday when he said.
the unit landed at the Indianapolis
Director’s Comments..................................20 International Airport after a 10-
month deployment to Afghanistan
2010 Wreaths and a multi-day trip across the
ocean to home.
Across America Finally a quick bus ride
brought the 18-member unit to a
warm welcome by family and
friends. Indiana Army National Guard Command Sgt. Maj.
Commander Col. Ken Ring, Jim Brown talks with Indiana's Adjutant General
Maj. Gen. R. Martin Umbarger, and his wife, Row-
Pendleton, Ind., joined his wife, ana, at the Regional Corps Training Team - 2's
Beth, and two daughters as he welcome home celebration in Indianapolis, Sunday,
Dec. 5, 2010. Brown, Indianapolis, was the team's
recounted his experience of serv- senior enlisted Soldier during a 10-month deploy-
Indiana Veterans’ Memorial ing with seasoned Soldiers. ment to Afghanistan. Indiana National Guard photo
by Staff Sgt. Tommi Meyer
Cemetery Superintendent, Alan "We handpicked the folks
Burnham, successfully conducted that went on this tour; they were According to two engineering
this year’s Wreaths Across Amer- all very motivated, very experi- soldiers in the unit, that patience
ica Ceremony at Indiana’s only enced and very dedicated. And of and training helped the team ac-
State veterans’ cemetery. course," he added, "when the fam- complish the mission.
IDVA was represented by ilies are behind the Soldiers you "It was rewarding to finally
Deputy Director, John Newsom, can do just about anything." see them get it; to have a project
at the well-attended event which Soldiers with the RCTT-2 go from concept through design
was conducted on Saturday, De- were tasked with a wide set of and the construction process; to
cember 11 at Madison, Indiana. responsibilities in their partnering have an idea when we got there
mission with Afghan national se- and when we leave it's actually a
curity forces. building and an Afghan capabili-
"We are a special team de- ty," said Maj. John Pitt, Val-
signed to work and live with the paraiso, Ind., engineer officer
Afghan security force, primarily speaking about the Afghan non-
the Army," said Ring. "Our job Continued on Page 10
2 www.in.gov/dva January 2011

3. eight veterans each week to help
Whitley County them enroll in the services of the
Veterans’ Service VA Hospital, apply for compensa-
tion for their service-related dis-
Office now has a abilities and occasionally apply
landmark home in for pensions.
"It's a continual process," he
the community said of the work he does with vet-
By Jennifer Zartman Romano erans.
Whitley County veterans can For several years, Rohrer had
feel proud in knowing a landmark been welcoming the county's vet-
Veterans Service Officer Gene Rohrer,
location has been designated for erans to an office on the second and the county's veterans, are proud of the
floor of his home near Tri Lakes. new space designated for their use.
their use.
Unfortunately, the setup wasn't
ideal as many of the veterans The new office, located at 220
Rohrer works with are disabled. West Van Buren, Suite 201, fea-
Rohrer also said he's seeing more tures a desk for office volunteer
and more veterans all the time, so Terry Almon as well as a large
a central, accessible location is table for Rohrer to conduct meet-
what's best for veterans. ings with veterans.
He said he occasionally made "This really wasn't necessary
house calls to veteran’s homes or when we had one or two people a
(Talk of the Town photos copyright set up meetings at the Whitley week, but it sure is nice now,"
Jennifer Zartman Romano) Above, the land-
County Council on Aging's The Rohrer said.
mark turret on the Van Buren side of the
Whitley County Government Center is now Woodlands Senior Center. But,
the home of the Whitley County Veterans
Service Office. this wasn't ideal. The veterans of
Whitley County needed and well-
Recently, the Whitley County deserved a home.
Commissioners, led by president "It keeps increasing," Rohrer
Mike Schrader, designated the tur- said of the numbers of veterans he
ret office on the second floor of now sees in his office overlooking
the Whitley County Government downtown Columbia City. "I'm
Center Building for the Whitley seeing more Vietnam era veterans
County Veterans Service Office now than anything, but we're start-
after learning that a larger, more Veterans Service Office volunteer Terry Al-
ing to see veterans from Iraq and mon assists Rohrer in aiding the county's vet-
accessible site was needed for a Afghanistan too." Rohrer said he erans and linking them with services they
growing population of veterans. need.
continues to work with World War To schedule an appointment
The new location is spacious, II and Korean War veterans as with the Whitley County Veterans
beautiful and, best of all, accord- well. Service Office, call 248-3189 or
ing to Veterans Service Officer "Everybody thinks it's great," (260) 341-9470. You can also send an
Pastor Gene Rohrer, it is handicap Rohrer said of veterans' comments email to whitleyvso@kcaccess.com
accessible. on the new office. "They feel like
Often, accessibility is key. they're entitled to this." From the Whitley County “Talk of the Town”, Whit-
ley County’s Online News Source, November 11, 2010
Rohrer meets with as many as
3 www.in.gov/dva January 2011

4. derson, and into rural communi- contact information for the Veter-
Positions Open ties where health services are often an's preferred local facility, ways
scarce. to schedule personal appoint-
at St. Vincent ments, guidelines for communi-
Please visit our web site to cating treatment needs and an
Health search and apply for opportunities explanation of the Veteran's re-
of interest at sponsibilities, such as copayments
St. Vincent Health is one of
www.stvincent.org/jobs. St. Vin- when applicable.
the largest employers in the state
cent Health is an Equal Opportuni- "Enhancing access isn't just
of Indiana with more than 13,000
ty Employer. about expanding the kinds of ser-
associates, meaning whatever
vices VA provides. It also in-
your specialization and whatever
your professional goals the sky is VA Launching cludes making sure we do
everything we can to ensure Vet-
the limit. New erans have a clear understanding
of the benefits available to them so
St. Vincent Health has been Personalized they can make full use of the ser-
serving the health care needs of
Indiana residents for more than Veterans Health vices they have earned," Shinseki
said.
126 years. Our health ministry
consists of 20 facilities, with a
Benefits Handbook The new handbooks will ini-
tially be available only to certain
direct presence in 46 Indiana WASHINGTON (Nov. 18,
Veterans in Cleveland and Wash-
counties. The system is comprised 2010) - The Department of Veter-
ington, D.C., areas. Following the
of one quaternary facility, three ans Affairs (VA) is piloting new,
pilot phase, full implementation is
tertiary hospitals, six critical ac- personalized Veterans Health Ben-
scheduled to begin in the fall of
cess hospitals, six specialty hospi- efits Handbooks. The handbooks
2011 for across the county.
tals, several joint venture partners are tailored to provide enrolled
For additional information,
and clinical affiliates. Veterans with the most relevant
go to
health benefits information based
www.va.gov/healtheligibility or
A philosophy of strong part- on their own specific eligibility.
call VA's toll-free number at 1-
nerships with businesses, commu- In essence, each handbook will be
877-222-VETS (8387).
nities, physicians, associates and written for the individual Veteran.
others is regarded by St. Vincent "These handbooks will give
Health as essential to improving Veterans everything they need to
the health status of Hoosiers. know and leave out everything
that doesn't apply to them," said
As advocates for a healthier Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric
society, we have developed strong K. Shinseki. "Our Veterans will
partnerships with communities now have a comprehensive, easy
and individuals who share com- to understand roadmap to the med-
patible values. We believe that ical benefits they earned with their
health care should be kept local, service."
which is why we have extended In addition to highlighting
our reach beyond urban areas such each Veteran's specific health ben-
as Indianapolis, Kokomo, and An- efits, the handbook also provides
4 www.in.gov/dva January 2011

5. (022G2) Disability
Be Aware of
Veterans Affairs Forwarded by Kevin Secor, VSO Evaluation
Services (VAS) Liaison, Office of the Secretary
of the Department of Veterans
Streamlined
It’s NOT the VA Affairs.
A pilot program that eases
An organization called Vet- medical separation and speeds
erans Affairs Services (VAS) is American Legion benefit payments for servicemem-
providing benefit and general in- bers too wounded, sick or injured
formation on VA and gathering
Veterans Service to stay in the military will expand
personal information on veterans. Office is to all military medical sites across
This organization is not af- the services by October 2011. The
filiated with VA in any way. See:
Relocating new program brings together VA
http://www.facebook.com/l/e7d9 and military medical separation
The American Legion Service processes while servicemembers
fyoi4bcewPpqRoW2mFEouow;
Office made this announcement in are still on active duty.
www.vaservices.org/us/index.ht
the latest Service and Legislative Under the new system,
ml
Update dated 11-30-10: Since the wounded, ill or injured service-
VAS may be gaining access dates mentioned have passed, I’ve members receive medical evalua-
to military personnel through modified it somewhat. tions by VA-certified doctors
their close resemblance to the VA using VA guidelines, while DoD
name and seal. Our Legal Counsel For the past several months, officials use these exams to deter-
has requested that we coordinate VA has been remodeling all it’s mine if a servicemember is able to
with DoD to inform military in- Indianapolis offices at the 575 continue in uniform. For service-
stallations, particularly mobiliza- North Pennsylvania Street members, the process is faster --
tion sites, of this group and their Minton-Capehart Federal Build- with only one set of examinations
lack of affiliation or endorsement ing. to complete. The pilot program
by VA to provide any services. The second stage of VAs ma- has been operating in 27 sites.
In addition, GC requests that jor remodeling effort includes
if you have any examples of VAS moving the service organizations From Military.com - 11/30/2010
acts that violate chapter 59 of Ti- to the core of the building for ap-
proximately 8 months while re- While we are in the temporary
tle 38 United States Code, such as office space, our mailing address
VAS employees assisting veter- modeling the outer office areas.
Our move was scheduled to take will remain the same:
ans in the preparation and presen-
tation of claims for benefits, place the week of December 13,
The American Legion Veterans
please pass any additional infor- 2010. Service Office
mation to Mr.Daugherty at the Our ability to accept phone 575 North Pennsylvania St, Rm 325
address below. calls or schedule interviews during Indianapolis, IN 46204-1519
that week [was] unlikely. If you
Michael G. Daugherty call[ed] our office between De-
Staff Attorney cember 13 and December 17 and
Department of Veterans Affairs were unsuccessful, we apologize.
Office of General Counsel Please try again.
5 www.in.gov/dva January 2011

6. "Innovations that will speed, of their medical records to the de-
State Veterans’ simplify or improve our services partment from private health-care
Benefits from to Veterans are receiving rigorous providers.
tests at VA," said Secretary of The test is expected to involve
other states Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. about 60,000 records requests
"We are committed to harnessing among regional benefits offices in
Most states offer their own the best technology and the bright- Phoenix; New York City; St. Lou-
veterans benefits. These benefits est minds in the government and is; Portland, Ore.; Chicago; An-
may include educational grants private sector to ensure Veterans chorage, Alaska; Indianapolis, and
and scholarships, special exemp- receive the benefits they have Jackson, Miss. At the conclusion
tions or discounts on fees and tax- earned." of the test, VA officials will decide
es, home loans, veteran's homes, One innovation is using a pri- whether to cancel, modify or ex-
free hunting and fishing privileg- vate contractor to assist VA in pand any changes in procedures
es, and more. collecting health-care records. nationwide.
Each state manages its own When private medical records
benefit programs and County Vet- support a Veteran's application for American Legion
erans’ Service Officers frequently benefits, a contractor will quickly
get questions from local veterans retrieve the records from the
Joins Fight Over
about the benefits offered by other health-care provider, scan them Medals Law
states. into a digital format and send the
The Associated Press
Military.com offers a quick material to VA through a secure
Posted : Wednesday Dec 15,
link to the veterans’ benefits in transmission.
2010 11:24:29 EST
other states. Go to: This pilot project hopes to
validate initial estimates that a DENVER — The American Le-
http://www.military.com/benefits/ specialized contract can yield re- gion has joined federal prosecutors in
veteran-benefits/state-veterans- cords required to process Veter- arguing that a federal court in Denver
benefits-directory ans' disability compensation should uphold a law making it illegal to
lie about being a military hero.
claims in seven to 10 days instead The veterans group filed a friend-
of VA's average 40 days. In addi-
VA Testing tion, the additional contract frees
of-the-court brief this week with the
10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Quicker Access to VA staff to focus on core duties to Prosecutors are asking the appeals
process claims more quickly. court to overturn a lower court ruling
Medical Records Exploring economical con- that the Stolen Valor Act violates free
tract support for time savings is speech.
The law makes it a crime punish-
WASHINGTON (Nov. 29, one of more than three dozen ini- able by up to a year in jail to falsely
2010) - The Department of Veter- tiatives supporting VA's claims claim to have received a medal from
ans Affairs (VA) is working to transformation plan, which aims the U.S. military.
significantly reduce the average to ensure that by 2015, Veterans' A federal appeals court in Califor-
time needed to obtain health-care claims are decided within 125 nia has also ruled the law is unconstitu-
records from private physicians days. tional. Prosecutors there have asked the
with the help of a private contrac- VA officials emphasize that court to reconsider.
Neither the Colorado nor Califor-
tor and the Internet to speed claims in all cases Veterans must sign nia appeals court has said when it
decisions. documents approving the release might rule.
6 www.in.gov/dva January 2011

7. ment at VA Medical Centers or
New Location for Vet Centers. The Vet Center has a
the Indianapolis therapist who is specially trained
to assess and provide therapy for
Vet Center MST.
More information about Vet
The Indianapolis Vet Center Centers or the location of a Vet
has moved. The new address and Centers can be obtained by calling
phone number is: 8330 Naab 317-988-1600. For more informa-
Road, Suite 103, Indianapolis, In- tion about MST, contact Laura
diana 46268; phone, 317-988- Malone at 317-988-3469. The State Student
1660, Fax, 317-988-1617. Their
normal working hours are 8:00 From the American Legion
Assistance Com-
a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Service and Legislative Update, mission of Indiana
Friday. 11-30-10
In an effort to better serve (SSACI) offers
veterans and family members, up- Applegate Addresses
on request, Vet Centers will pro-
other grants and
3rd Medical
vide services after normal work
Recruiting Battalion scholarships
hours and/or on weekends. All
military veterans are eligible to IDVA Direc- The Remission of Fees pro-
receive services, treatment and tor, Tom Ap- gram for the children of disabled
care at Vet Centers. plegate, was veterans and for recipients of the
The Indianapolis Vet Center privileged to Purple Heart medal are not the
is staffed with 80% veterans, in- address the only state-funded programs for
cluding women veterans on most recruiters and their spouses of the helping students with their college
teams, and treats over 4,000 veter- 3rd Medical Recruiting Battalion aspirations.
ans annually. The Vet Center pro- (Spartan Strong!) on Saturday, The State Student Assistance
vides free services that are private November 6th at the Hilton Commission of Indiana offers
and confidential. They provide Downtown, Indianapolis. Topic? many other educational incentives
individual, group, and family ther- State veterans’ benefits, of course. for college-bound students. Par-
apy, as well as assistance with Shown below, receiving a ents and students who call County
bereavement, claims, readjust- plaque naming him an honorary Veterans’ Service Officers and
ment/ PTSD assessments, and em- Spartan is Applegate with LTC who don’t initially appear to be
ployment services. Ronald Walker (left) and CSM eligible for the veteran-related ed-
They also provide sensitive Donald Thelen. ucational benefits should be re-
and specialized therapy for Mili- ferred to the SSACI site. The
tary Sexual Trauma (MST) survi- student just might be eligible for
vors. It is believed that 8-20% of one or more of the other offered
female veterans have experienced grants or scholarships.
MST and that many service mem- Go to:
bers are discharged without
awareness of eligibility for treat- http://www.in.gov/ssaci/2359.htm
7 www.in.gov/dva January 2011

8. CA. 'Women Veterans Bill of Rights'
Free Retreat for amid...concerns over abortion and
Female Want to apply? the addition of language on
http://www.cominghomeproject.n injured and amputee veterans."
Veterans and et/node/7399 The legislation, HR 5953,
"would direct the secretary of
Service Members Everyone is welcome as they Veterans Affairs...to ensure" that
February 10 through are and all are treated with respect. the list of rights include the "'right
February 13, 2011 There is no particular political or to request and get treatment by
Oceanside, California religious belief or affiliation that is clinicians with specific training
represented or required. The inten- and experience in women's health
During this four-day retreat tion of the Coming Home Project issues.' ...Opponents have warned
we will focus on healing, connect- is to serve our military and con- that by identifying such rights, the
ing, & finding our strengths. tribute to their well-being and bill could establish a legal basis
· Connect with other healing. for mandating abortion coverage
women veterans by sharing and require the VA to hire
stories, experiences, and abortion providers."
community
· Learn stress manage- Hoosier Women
ment techniques
· Exercise your creative Veterans’
side
· Enjoy a beautiful set-
Conference
ting
Who is eligible? All women From the Coming Home Project The Hoosier Women Veter-
who have been deployed to Iraq or web site at: ans’ Conference which was origi-
Afghanistan since September http://www.cominghomeproject.n nally schedule for September of
11th, 2001 - without regard for et/event/retreat_female_veterans_ last year (2010) will be resched-
race, religion, politics or sexual and_service_members . uled for the Spring of 2011.
preference. We anticipate a date in either
What does the retreat cost? House Postpones April or May and will be coordi-
nating with AMVETS Post 99, the
Lodging and meals for the entire
weekend is FREE. We strive to Debate On same site as the canceled confer-
ence.
make our retreats as free as possi- "Women Veterans We truly regretted the deci-
ble, but can no longer provide
transportation for our participants. Bill Of Rights." sion to cancel the conference but
because of a staff shortage at ID-
Upon acceptance, you are respon-
sible for your own transportation. VA we had no other choice. The
CQ (11/30, Symes) reports, Spring conference should be one
We offer a travel stipend on a per "House leaders postponed a
mile basis, up to $150. of the best we’ve ever put togeth-
debate scheduled for Monday on a er, so we encourage those who
Preference is given to those measure that would require
applicants within 300 miles of regularly participate to do so again
Department of Veterans Affairs this year and encourage their vet-
the retreat site in Oceanside, facilities to display a so-called eran friends to also attend.
8 www.in.gov/dva January 2011

9. · Licensing and Certifica- of program to include length and end
State Approving tion Tests goal.
Agency (SAA)
The following is a list of entitle- To learn how the GI Bill &
News ment programs for which the Indiana Post 9/11 Education Benefits can
State Approving Agency has approval
Many people
and supervisory responsibilities: pay for On-The-Job Training, Ap-
are still unaware of prenticeships, Flight Schools, Li-
what the State Ap-
censure & Testing, & both
proving Agency
(SAA) is and what
· Montgomery GI Bill - Ac- College and Non-College Degree
our responsibilities tive Duty (Chapter 30) Programs contact the Indiana
include. We decid- · Veterans Educational As- State Approving Agency or see
ed to revisit this sistance Program (Chapter the Federal VA web site at
subject and shed ad- 32) http://www.gibill.va.gov/.
ditional light on
what many refer to us as being the face of
· Post 9/11 GI Bill – Active
Duty (Chapter 33)
the GI Bill & Post 9/11 Education Bene-
fits. Each state has a State Approving
Improvements To
· Survivors and Dependents
Agency which approves VA Educational
Benefits (GI Bill) so that Veterans and
Educational Assistance New GI Bill
Program (Chapter 35)
other eligible persons may use their enti-
tled educational benefits. An eligible
Could Mean End
· Montgomery GI Bill - Se-
member cannot receive their benefits un-
less the SAA has approved those pro- lected Reserve (Chapter Of Old One
grams. We are primarily responsible to 1606)
review, evaluate, approve and oversee · Montgomery GI Bill - Se- The current issue of the Army
schools and training facilities to ensure Times (12/6/2010, Maze,) reports,
quality programs of education and train- lected Reserve (Chapter
1607) "The price of improving" the one-
ing under state and federal criteria.
year-old Post-9/11 GI Bill "may be
the death of the 24-year-old
The State Approving Agency ap- Indiana has over 370 educational
institutions, as well as 407 apprentice-
Montgomery GI Bill.
proves educational programs under con- The tradeoff is part of a
tract for the Department of Veterans ships and on-the-job training sites ap-
Affairs. The types of approved training proved to offer educational programming package of changes to the new GI
establishments include the following: and training to Indiana active duty ser- Bill program that advocates are
vice personnel, guard, reservists, veter- trying to ensure does not increase
ans and eligible dependents.
the government's overall costs."
· Universities and Colleges The Times says that while
· Vocational Schools What happens if an eligible mem- most veterans "wouldn't miss the
· Business Schools ber encounters an institution or training Montgomery GI Bill and its flat-
program they desire to participate in that
rate monthly benefit because they
· Professional Schools has not yet been approved by our agency?
Simply call one of our program directors can get more money under" the
· Vocational Flight Schools and we will make an initial assessment. Post-9/11 GI Bill, "some students
· High Schools We can be found at are better off...under the old
http://www.in.gov/dva/2331.htm or call program, such as those attending
· Apprenticeships 1-800-400-4520. Our needs are few; a
schools in low-cost areas where
point of contact and general description
· On-the-Job Training Pro- tuition is discounted or free for
grams
9 www.in.gov/dva January 2011

10. Guard Returns (cont. from Page (home) of the war and the other country are expected to take part
2) side." in a two-day national forum on
Brown, who shares six chil- ending homelessness among Vet-
commissioned officer academy dren, their spouses, and eight erans by strengthening preventa-
built during the deployment. grandchildren with wife, Cheryl, tive measures and collaboration
According to Pitt and Sgt. 1st echoes the commander's sentiment among government and private-
Class Kirk Brownson, there were on strong bonds at home and what sector organizations.
challenges to the process, but the it takes to make any Soldier a suc- "For twenty years, we have
specialized training they received cess. provided a wide array of services
at Camp Atterbury Joint Maneu- "The Soldier is a family unit; to homeless Veterans," said Secre-
ver Training Center and Musca- one piece just goes forward into tary of Veterans Affairs Eric K.
tatuck Urban Training Center in the war. Shinseki. "Today, we are interven-
Indiana helped with communica- "We," he said motioning to ing earlier in the problems that can
tion and relational challenges. his wife, "are one Soldier, right lead to homelessness, such as
"Being partnered at the corps here." mental illness, substance abuse,
level the best training we received unemployment and financial
was key leader engagement train- problems."
ing," said Pitt of the specialized The forum, held Dec. 7-8 in
training the unit requested. "We Arlington, Va., will include health
took Dari (language) courses, ne- care providers, outreach coordina-
gotiation courses and key leader tors, homeless specialists and ser-
courses." vice providers from various
"By the end of the tour I was federal agencies, plus representa-
starting to realize that the best way tives from the private sector and
to do things was to just plant seeds Indiana Army National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Ian Veterans service organizations.
Smith, Columbus, Ind., a member of Regional
... then leave. I would come back, Corps Training Team - 2, receives a hug from his Participants will work togeth-
and it would be implemented," daughter, Katie, during the unit's welcome home er in planning how to increase
celebration in Indianapolis, Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010.
said Brownson, Valparaiso, Ind. Smith and the rest of the team returned from a access to stable and affordable
"It's very much a pride thing and 10-month deployment to Afghanistan. Indiana Na- housing; expand economic securi-
tional Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Tommi Meyer
wanting it to be their idea." ty; improve health care; and
This helped when trying to change the nation's system for
encourage the Afghan forces to Federal dealing with homelessness.
work toward a more successful VA and the U.S. Interagency
model according to Pitt.
Government Holds Council on Homelessness, work-
"American NCO's are profes- Forum on ing in partnership with other fed-
sional enough to get the job done. eral agencies, are steadily
Afghan NCO's aren't there yet, but Homeless Veterans decreasing homelessness among
we are helping them get there," Veterans. Last year, the Depart-
said Pitt. Goal of Eliminating Home- ment spent nearly
According to the commander, lessness among Veterans $535 million on homeless
it all comes back to people. programs, not counting health care
"We just had a really good WASHINGTON - More than associated with homelessness.
group," said Ring. "Both this side 400 participants from across the "With our partners at the De-
partment of Labor and the Depart-
10 www.in.gov/dva January 2011

11. ment of Housing and Urban 1901 South Bell Street tions, you may contact us through
Development, we have marshaled Arlington, VA 22202-4508 the ARBA website "Contact Us"
considerable expertise and re- link at the bottom of the website
sources to help our Veterans leave The current editions of these home page.
the road to homelessness," applications also provide this Thank you for all you do for
Shinseki added. mailing address. The current ap- Veterans, Soldiers, and their fami-
Among many programs, VA plications can be printed from the lies.
has also created a national hotline ARBA website
for homeless Veterans - 1-877- http://arba.army.pentagon.mil Adair Petty
424-3838 -which is staffed around The forms are in a fillable format Operations Officer
the clock, seven days a week. so that applicants can word pro- Army Review Boards Agency
Responders can help callers find cess on the forms and print them. http://arba.army.pentagon.mil
food, shelter, clothing and other The ARBA website also pro-
assistance for homeless Veterans. vides an online process for appli-
cation to the ABCMR and the Cold War
Change of Address ADRB that can be used instead of
completing and mailing the hard
Certificates Are
for Application copy applications. We encourage Still Available
use of the online application pro-
Submission to the cess. Veterans Service Officers In accordance with section
may do the computer work for
Army Board for applicants but for all applications,
1084 of the Fiscal Year 1998 Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act,
Correction of the applicant or legal representa- the Secretary of Defense approved
tive must sign the application. awarding Cold War Recognition
Military Records When mailing a hard copy Certificates to all members of the
application or the signature page
(ABCMR) and the for the online application, appli-
armed forces and qualified federal
government civilian personnel
Army Discharge cants should provide copies of all who faithfully and honorably
records and documents they have served the United States anytime
Review Board in their possession related to their during the Cold War era, which is
application.
(ADRB) It should not be assumed that
defined as Sept. 2, 1945 to Dec.
26, 1991.
all the documents they wish the This is the only official site on
The Army Review Boards Board to consider are in their
Agency (ARBA) office at St. Lou- which to request Cold War Recog-
military record. nition Certificates. This site is op-
is has been closed in conjunction You and the veterans you
with Base Realignment and Clo- erated by the United States Army,
serve will find the ARBA website the executive agency for the Cold
sure (BRAC). Applications to the very useful.
Army Board for Correction of War Recognition Program. Cold
It provides the information, War Recognition Certificates are
Military Records (ABCMR), DD forms, online application, applica-
Form 149; and the Army Dis- available to qualified individuals
tion guides, answers to common at no cost. Any other site offering
charge Review Board (ADRB), questions, and links to many other
DD Form 293, must now be these certificates or replicas for
helpful sites. If you have ques- sale or purchase are not official
mailed to:
11 www.in.gov/dva January 2011

12. sites and are not approved or en- · U.S. Army Human Re- The federal VA invested over
dorsed by the US Army. sources Command $6 million in new construction in
Due to the remarkable suc- Cold War Recognition Office the state, and the VA medical sys-
cess of this program, turn-around Bldg II Attn: AHRC-CWRS- tem spent over $788 million dol-
time for mailing certificates will RM21 lars for medical care for almost
be a minimum of 2 months. The 1600 Spearhead Division Av- 117,000 veteran patients. That
CWRS Operations Team is work- enue means that over one fifth of
ing as fast as possible to clear the Fort Knox, KY 40122 Indiana’s 500,806 veterans are en-
backlog. Please do not request rolled in the VA health care sys-
feedback prior to 2 months from IDVA Annual tem.
the request date. Thank you for Perhaps best of all, Indiana’s
your patience and interest in the Report percentage of veterans who are
Cold War Recognition program. receiving VA compensation or
All members of the armed It’s been a busy year for the pension rose to over 12%, achiev-
forces and federal government ci- Indiana Department of Veterans ing a goal set by the Administra-
vilian personnel who faithfully Affairs and the State Approving tion in 2005.
served the United States during Agency (SAA). We have a long way to go, but
the Cold War era, Sept. 2, 1945 to Starting with the SAA, Direc- we’ve also come a long way. Al-
Dec. 26, 1991. Individuals re- tor, Ron Rousch has submitted a though we have always had a cer-
questing a certificate will certify bid to host the National SAA As- tain amount of complaints in our
that their character of service was sociation Conference in 2013. In office, we consistently hear from
honorable. Acceptable supporting addition, Indianapolis will also be veterans who tell us that Indiana
document for proof of service is the site for the National Training has the best package of benefits
any official government or mili- Institute Conference this year for veterans, spouses and depen-
tary document with recipient's (2011). dents. Following is a list of the
name, Social Security Number or Ron and his crew of Program applications for state veterans’
Military Service Number or For- Directors has put the State of Indi- benefits we processed in 2010.
eign Service Number, and date of ana on the national SAA map in a
service. big way and we are very proud of Remission of Fees................4,279
· Apply for the the fine work they’ve done. While Tax Deductions....................4,457
Certificate we don’t yet have the figures for Disabled Hoosier Plates..........878
· Frequently 2010, in 2009 our SAA was in- Purple Heart Plates....................81
Asked Questions strumental in bringing in over $56 Hunting/Fishing License.........725
· Preview Certifi- million dollars in educational ben- High School Diplomas..............37
cate efits to eligible veterans, their Governor Memorial Cert’s...3,500
spouses and dependents in the Military Family Relief Fund.....53
Phone Line: (703) 325-5864 form of G.I. Bill benefits. (Amounts to $145,227.08 in
Fax: 1-800-723-9262 On the IDVA side, CVSOs grants)
Email the CWRS Team at: continued to assist Hoosier veter-
cwrs1@conus.army.mil ans with their claims. Due in part
to their efforts, veterans brought
Address: over $718 millions dollars in com-
pensation and pension benefits in-
to the Indiana economy.
12 www.in.gov/dva January 2011

13. The Indiana nar province, Afghanistan, of During his speech, General
wounds suffered when insurgents Kelly spoke about the dedication
Operation Enduring attacked his unit using small arms and valor of the young men and
Freedom/ fire. women who step forward each
and every day to protect us. Dur-
Operation Iraqi Assigned to the 1st Battalion, ing the speech, he never men-
Freedom/Operation 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter tioned the loss of his own son. He
Army Airfield, Ga., he joined the closed the speech with the moving
New Dawn Army in 2005. account of the last 6 seconds in the
Memorial Wall lives of 2 young Marines who died
Indiana has sustained the United States with rifles blazing to protect their
Army Sergeant brother Marines...
following First Class Barry "I will leave you with a story
casualties since the last E. Jarvis, 36, of about the kind of people they are,
IDVA Update Tell City, Indiana. about the quality of the steel in
United States their backs, about the kind of ded-
Army Specialist Died Novem- ication they bring to our country
Shane Hasan ber 29, 2010 in while they serve in uniform. And
Ahmed, 31, Ches- Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan, forever after as veterans.
terfield, Michigan, in support of Operation Enduring “Two years ago when I was
and formerly of Freedom. According to initial re- the Commander of all U.S. and
Bedford, Indiana. ports, Sergeant First Class Jarvis Iraqi forces, in fact, the 22nd of
died of injuries sustained from April 2008, two Marine infantry
Killed 14 November 2010 small arms fire. battalions, 1/9 "The Walking
when his unit was fired upon by Dead," and 2/8 were switching out
insurgents while conducting oper- He was assigned to B Troop, in Ramadi. One battalion in the
ationsin Konar province, Afghani- 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regi- closing days of their deployment
stan. ment, 101st Airborne Division, going home very soon, the other
Fort Campbell, Kentucky. just starting its seven-month com-
He joined the Army in 2007 bat tour. Two Marines, Corporal
and was assigned to the 1st Battal- The Last Six Jonathan Yale and Lance Corporal
ion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Jordan Haerter, 22 and 20 years
Brigade Combat Team, 101st Air- Seconds in the old respectively, one from each
battalion, were assuming the
borne Division (Air Assault), Fort Lives of Two watch together at the entrance gate
Campbell, Ky.
Heroic Marines of an outpost that contained a
United States makeshift barracks housing 50
Army Staff Ser- On Nov 13, 2010 Lt General Marines. The same broken down
geant Kevin Mat- John Kelly, USMC gave a speech ramshackle building was also
thew Pape, 30, of to the Semper Fi Society of St. home to 100 Iraqi police, also my
Fort Wayne, Indi- Louis, MO. This was 4 days after men and our allies in the fight
ana. his son, Lt Robert Kelly, USMC against the terrorists in Ramadi, a
Died Novem- was killed by an IED while on his city until recently the most dan-
ber 16, 2010 in Ko- 3rd Combat tour. gerous city on earth and owned by
13 www.in.gov/dva January 2011

14. Al Qaeda. Yale was a dirt poor A few minutes later a large bravery, I'd have to do it as a com-
mixed-race kid from Virginia with blue truck turned down the alley bat award that requires two eye-
a wife and daughter, and a mother way - perhaps 60-70 yards in witnesses and we figured the bu-
and sister who lived with him and length - and sped its way through reaucrats back in Washington
he supported as well. He did this the serpentine of concrete jersey would never buy Iraqi statements.
on a yearly salary of less than walls. The truck stopped just short If it had any chance at all, it had to
$23,000. Haerter, on the other of where the two were posted and come under the signature of a gen-
hand, was a middle class white kid detonated, killing them both cata- eral officer.
from Long Island. They were from strophically. Twenty-four brick I traveled to Ramadi the next
two completely different worlds. masonry houses were damaged or day and spoke individually to a
Had they not joined the Marines destroyed. A mosque 100 yards half-dozen Iraqi police all of
they would never have met each away collapsed. The truck's engine whom told the same story. The
other, or understood that multiple came to rest two hundred yards blue truck turned down into the
America's exist simultaneously away knocking most of a house alley and immediately sped up as
depending on one's race, educa- down before it stopped. Our explo- it made its way through the ser-
tion level, economic status, and sive experts reckoned the blast was pentine. They all said, "We knew
where you might have been born. made of 2,000 pounds of explo- immediately what was going on as
But they were Marines, combat sives. Two died, and because these soon as the two Marines began
Marines, forged in the same cruci- two young infantrymen didn't have firing." The Iraqi police then relat-
ble of Marine training, and be- it in their DNA to run from danger, ed that some of them also fired,
cause of this bond they were they saved 150 of their Iraqi and and then to a man, ran for safety
brothers as close, or closer, than if American brothers-in-arms. just prior to the explosion. All
they were born of the same wom- “When I read the situation survived. Many were injured,
an. report about the incident a few some seriously. One of the Iraqis
‘The mission orders they re- hours after it happened I called the elaborated and with tears welling
ceived from the sergeant squad regimental commander for details up said, "They'd run like any nor-
leader I am sure went something as something about this struck me mal man would to save his life."
like: "Okay you two clowns, stand as different. Marines dying or be- "What he didn't know until
this post and let no unauthorized ing seriously wounded is com- then, he said, and what he learned
personnel or vehicles pass." "You monplace in combat. We expect that very instant, was that Marines
clear?" I am also sure Yale and Marines regardless of rank or are not normal. Choking past the
Haerter then rolled their eyes and MOS to stand their ground and do emotion he said, "Sir, in the name
said in unison something like: their duty, and even die in the pro- of God no sane man would have
"Yes Sergeant," with just enough cess, if that is what the mission stood there and done what they
attitude that made the point with- takes. But this just seemed differ- did. No sane man. They saved us
out saying the words, "No kidding ent. The regimental commander all."
sweetheart, we know what we're had just returned from the site and “What we didn't know at the
doing." They then relieved two he agreed, but reported that there time, and only learned a couple of
other Marines on watch and took were no American witnesses to days later after I wrote a summary
up their post at the entry control the event-just Iraqi police. I fig- and submitted both Yale and
point of Joint Security Station ured if there was any chance of Haerter for posthumous Navy
Nasser, in the Sophia section of finding out what actually hap- Crosses, was that one of our secu-
Ramadi, Al Anbar, Iraq. pened and then to decorate the two rity cameras, damaged initially in
Marines to acknowledge their the blast, recorded some of the
14 www.in.gov/dva January 2011

15. suicide attack. It happened exact- ers - American and Iraqi - bedded er gift nearly as precious - our
ly as the Iraqis had described it. It down in the barracks totally un- soldiers, sailors, airmen, Coast
took exactly six seconds from aware of the fact that their lives at Guardsmen, and Marines - to safe-
when the truck entered the alley that moment depended entirely on guard that gift and guarantee no
until it detonated. two Marines standing their force on this earth can ever steal it
“You can watch the last six ground. If they had been aware, away.
seconds of their young lives. Put- they would have known they were
ting myself in their heads I sup- safe because two Marines stood “It has been my distinct honor
posed it took about a second for between them and a crazed suicide to have been with you here today.
the two Marines to separately bomber. The recording shows the
come to the same conclusion truck careening to a stop immedi- “Rest assured our America,
about what was going on once the ately in front of the two Marines. this experiment in democracy
truck came into their view at the In all of the instantaneous vio- started over two centuries ago,
far end of the alley. Exactly no lence Yale and Haerter never hes- will forever remain the "land of
time to talk it over, or call the itated. By all reports and by the the free and home of the brave" so
sergeant to ask what they should recording, they never stepped long as we never run out of tough
do. Only enough time to take half back. They never even started to young Americans who are willing
an instant and think about what the step aside. They never even shift- to look beyond their own self-in-
sergeant told them to do only a ed their weight. With their feet terest and comfortable lives, and
few minutes before: "let no unau- spread shoulder width apart, they go into the darkest and most dan-
thorized personnel or vehicles leaned into the danger, firing as gerous places on earth to hunt
pass." The two Marines had about fast as they could work their down, and kill, those who would
five seconds left to live. weapons. They had only one sec- do us harm.
It took maybe another two ond left to live.
seconds for them to present their “The truck explodes. The “God Bless America, and...
weapons, take aim, and open up. camera goes blank. Two young SEMPER FIDELIS!"
By this time the truck was half- men go to their God. Six seconds.
way through the barriers and gain- Not enough time to think about
ing speed the whole time. Here, their families, their country, their
the recording shows a number of flag, or about their lives or their
Iraqi police, some of whom had deaths, but more than enough time
fired their AKs, now scattering for two very brave young men to
like the normal and rational men do their duty.
they were - some running right
past the Marines. They had three “Into eternity. That is the kind
seconds left to live. of people who are on watch all
“For about two seconds more, over the world tonight - for you.
the recording shows the Marines'
weapons firing non-stop. the “We Marines believe that
truck's windshield exploding into God gave America the greatest
shards of glass as their rounds gift he could bestow to man while
take it apart and tore in to the body he lived on this earth - freedom.
of the son-of-a-bitch who is trying We also believe he gave us anoth-
to get past them to kill their broth-
15 www.in.gov/dva January 2011

16. tion. By the end of this year, VRM
AMVETS Brave Lady will deliver improved telephone
Honor Daughter of a Navy Pilot, died
December 7, 2010
services to enable Veterans to
reach a call center agent faster.
Flights Recording and review of calls will
ensure the quality of services pro-
vided to Veterans.
VRM enhancements will be
rolled out in six-month incre-
ments. An important component
of VRM is the Internet site, which
puts the Veteran in the driver’s
seat for information.
AMVETS Post 99 in India- VA collaborated with the De-
napolis has been sending WWII partment of Defense to provide a
veterans, their spouses and other single sign-on capability for both
supporters to Washington D.C. for Service members and Veterans.
three years now to experience the Single sign-on will quickly estab-
World War II Memorial, the Kore- lish an individual’s identity and
"Resilience is accepting your
an War Memorial, Vietnam Me- allow that person to complete
new reality, even if it's less good
morial Wall and the Iwo Jima transactions without having to re-
than the one you had before. You
Memorial. The trip also includes a enter information.
can fight it, you can do nothing
trip to the Tomb of the Unknowns. Self-service access through
but scream about what you've
IDVA personnel have been the Internet site
lost, or you can accept that and
lucky enough to get on some of (www.ebenefits.va.gov) is already
try to put together something
those flights and were able to available in some benefit areas,
that's good."
share in the excitement of these including military personnel re-
Elizabeth Edwards, July 3, 1949
men and women. Director Tom cords, VA home loan eligibility
- December 7, 2010
Applegate, Deputy Director John certificates, and status information
Newsom and former State Service on compensation and pension
Officer, Kris Bertrand have partic- VA Launches claims.
ipated, and State Service Officer Once fully realized, VRM
Ashley Roberts is on the list for an Veterans promises veterans a “better experi-
upcoming flight.
On this latest trip, shown
Relationship ence” when they contact VA for
assistance.
above, Indiana Republican Con- Management
gressman Mike Pence took some
time to meet with the WWII veter- (VRM)
ans, their loved ones, Indiana Ad- VA is launching a multi-year
jutant General R. Martin initiative called Veterans Rela-
Umbarger, and Department of In- tionship Management (VRM) to
diana AMVETS at the National improve Veterans’ access to
WWII Memorial. health care and benefits informa-
16 www.in.gov/dva January 2011

17. warmth and protection they need, mann. "The coats donated prevent
Improving Lives and she also sympathized with kids from being cold and in the
One Coat their situations. long run probably prevents illness
"Words cannot express the that may cause the students to
At a Time feeling you get seeing a child get a miss school."
new coat. You can see it in their Indiana's Adjutant General,
Story by Sgt. William E. Henry, eyes that they genuinely appreci- Maj. Gen. R. Martin Umbarger,
Indiana National Guard Public ate it. No kids should be left in the visited with three selected stu-
Affairs cold, and it warms my heart to dents to personally greet them,
help," said Bentley. "I grew up like present them with new coats and
INDIANAPOLIS - A blast of these kids are growing up now, so his personal challenge coin.
bitterly cold weather rushed I can relate. I may not make a lot
through Indianapolis, Dec. 6, as of money now, but all my child's
local children headed to Stout needs and my personal needs are
Field Elementary School in single met, and it humbles me to help
digit temperatures, some with little those who are in need. These kids
or no protection from the frigid are our future; it's a great invest-
conditions according to school of- ment."
ficials. Each year Indiana National
Relief was in sight later in the Guard employees working on
school day when April Bentley, a Stout Field raise money to donate
human resources employee at the cold weather items to Stout Field
Indiana National Guard's Joint Elementary students for the
Forces Headquarters at Stout "Warm Hands, Warm Hearts" pro-
Field, arrived with approximately gram.
100 coats to ease the circumstanc- The school principal, Ms. Ju-
es of underprivileged students who dy Stegemann, said she and her
Indiana's Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. R. Martin Umbarger places a
attend. staff keep an eye out for students coat on 6th grade student Brandon Albright, while visiting Stout
Field Elementary School, to present a select few students with new
who come to school without ade- coats and his challenge coin as part of the "Warm Hands, Warm
Hearts" program, Monday, Dec. 6, 2010. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt.
quate coats every day for this pro- William E. Henry, Indiana National Guard Public Affairs)
gram.
"Teachers refer kids they have "Every year when I come
in class without a coat. Adults at down to this, all you have to do is
bus duty or car rider duty refer just look in their eyes when you
kids without coats," said Stege- hand them a brand new jacket.
mann. "Our parent liaison, Casey Some of them have never had a
Foust, gets all the referrals and brand new jacket. Some of them
works with children, families to don't even have a jacket," said
April Bentley, a human resources employee at Indiana National
Guard's Joint Forces Headquarters, and Indiana's adjutant general, get coats." Umbarger.
Maj. Gen. R. Martin Umbarger pose with students, Brandon Albright,
Joshua Shepard, and Zackery Albright, at Stout Field Elementary "These coats are given to kids "There's not a better feeling to
School, Monday, Dec. 6, 2010. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. William E.
Henry, Indiana National Guard Public Affairs) who come in without coats, have know you've helped a young child
coats that don't fit properly, or so they don't have to go out in the
Bentley said she enjoyed don't zip or button," said Stege- cold uncovered. Today, probably
helping provide students the
17 www.in.gov/dva January 2011

18. the coldest day of the year, it was "They're always giving their "With the money we earn we
only fitting that we were there." time and their talent. They're al- look out for deals on coats and
ways looking for ways to raise purchase them. We often check
money. They spend their time and with the school as to what their
effort to raise the money, and they needs are so that we can fill those
go out and buy the jackets," said specific needs. Then I arrange for
Umbarger. "They have me present the drop off," said Bentley. "The
them, and they don't want to take kids love to see the general, it
any credit for it. Now that is a true makes the moment when they re-
giver. That is a person who has a ceive their coats that much more
wonderful open heart. True philan- special."
thropy is when you give and don't "I can't say enough about the
Indiana's Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. R. Martin Umbarger explains
the symbols on his personal challenge coin to students, Brandon want any credit for it, so I just importance of this program," ex-
Albright, Joshua Shepard, and Zackery Albright, at Stout Field
Elementary School, Monday, Dec. 6, 2010. (U.S. Army photo by think all the credit should go to plained Stegemann. "These coats
Sgt. William E. Henry, Indiana National Guard Public Affairs)
them. I'm very proud of them." not only keep these kids warm, but
Brandon Albright, 6th grade, they also prevent illness, which in
Zackery Albright, 5th grade, and turn helps attendance. They also
Joshua Shepard, 5th grade, were make the kids happy. The kids are
those chosen to visit with the gen- allowed to choose a coat they like.
eral. After Zackery was given his Our kids don't get many new
coat and a coin he told Umbarger, things. Picking out a new coat is a
"I plan on being a Soldier when I big deal. It's like getting a new
grow up." pair of shoes and feeling like you
School officials and students can run faster and jump higher.
were pleased and appreciated the They just love these coats."
program. Bentley said if anyone would
"We are grateful for the sup- like to participate in the program
port of the Stout Field National they can contact her directly at
Guard. Their donations are mak- abentley@ago.in.gov
ing a direct impact on our chil-
dren," said Stegemann. "We Indiana's Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. R. Martin Umbarger places a
coat on 5th grade student, Joshua Shepard, while visiting Stout Field
provide our students a great edu- Elementary School, to present a select few students with new coats
and his challenge coin as part of the "Warm Hands, Warm Hearts"
cation, two warm meals a day, and program, Monday, Dec. 6, 2010. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. William
E. Henry, Indiana National Guard Public Affairs)
with the Guard's help a warm coat
for winter! We are truly thankful
Bentley said she handles only
for their generosity."
a portion of responsibilities among
Umbarger praised the work
seven team members who make
of those involved with the pro-
this program work. She said the
gram. He said it would not happen
team works together to host annual Indiana's Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. R. Martin Umbarger speaks
nor thrive if those who coordinat- with elementary students Zackery Albright, Brandon Albright, and
events and collect donations to Joshua Shepard, while visiting Stout Field Elementary School, to
ed it did not have such giving present the select few with new coats and his challenge coin as part
support the program. of the "Warm Hands, Warm Hearts" program, Monday, Dec. 6,
personalities. 2010. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. William E. Henry, Indiana Nation-
al Guard Public Affairs)
18 www.in.gov/dva January 2011