Spur POC's

Address all Spur website correspondence to:

Tom White
Silver Spur 13 - Scout pilot, '70 - '71

Roger "Bear" Young
Scout Crew Chief, '69 - '70
Spur webmaster

=====================

Silver Spur Reunion Committee:

Please see: Silver Spur Reunion News

Membership Committee Chair:
Charles Stutzman
Silver Spur 13

Please check in with Charles to be included on our Spur roster & Spur E-mail news list!

=====================

 

The Spur site was founded by and is maintained as a courtesy and at the
personal expense of Roger "Bear" Young & Pam Young
editors of The Northwest Veterans Newsletter

Bear served with the Spur Scout Platoon from Dec '69 - Nov '70.
Pam served with CINCPAC Joint Command from '70 - '74
and worked on Operation Homecoming for our POWs

 

Silver Spur Coin

Spur Coin Thumbnail

Thanks to Spur 3, Chuck Ouilline, our Silver Spur coin is available once again. For detailed picture and purchase details please see:

Silver Spur Coin

Updated 10 June 2023

 

The Huey Pilot

Casually he walks to the slick,
a helmet with dark visor in his hand,
stepping from the skid into the cockpit,
the switches and dials at his command.

He may be tired from many runs,
it seems he lives under this plexidome,
but with the stick between his legs
and the pedals at his feet, he feels once again at home.

He fires up that turbine as the pre-flight is performed,
the Jesus nut begins to turn,
that machine begins to rock
and now starts that steady "Whop,"
and air begins to churn.

As those massive blades begin to claw the air he
skillfully lifts his baby off the ground,
the tail begins to rise and the front seems to follow
but no better pilot will be found.

I never saw his face,
I never knew his name,
but I'll never forget the day the Huey Pilot came.

With surgical precision he causes that Huey to hover,
dip and dance behind a hill, then he routinely skims the
tops of trees, rising only to have his Door Gunner make
another kill.

He listens to the Peter Pilot and Crew Chief as well
as he watches for popped smoke,
glancing down he sees looks of relief on haggard
faces, they know he will not choke.

With bullets pinging on the thin metal and stars
appearing on the windshield he holds steady to the stick,
people are screaming to his rear, mortars dropping
dangerously near,
but he maintains a firm control of his slick.

He saves a dozen lives and takes supplies where no one
else wishes to go; for him it is just anouther day;
at base camp he helps wash blood from the rear cabin
and after he fingers new bullet holes he casually walks away.

I never saw his face, I never knew his name,
but I'll never forget the day the Huey Pilot came.

Author Unknown - submitted by Chuck Oualline

 

Books Published by Fellow 3/17th Troopers

Zigzag Men
Copyright 2007 by Spur 19, Larry Sherrer

"I picked up a copy of Larry Sherrer's "Zigzag Men" - it is a must read for all 3/17th guys (really anybody that served in the Army at that time). Funny - sad - brilliantly written, one of those books you can't put down" - Randy Little

==================

Flying Alligators and Silver Spurs
Copyright 2004 by Spur 3, Charles E. Oualline

The dangers, tragedies, and comradeship of the Vietnam War,
in Chuck's own words

==================

BLUE TIGER
by Kenneth D. Williams
D 3/17th Air Cav
1-4033-9192-0
(Softcover)

Blue Tiger is a book that is the result of the healing process of one Viet Nam Combat Infantryman. The book is taken from the daily diary of the author. Blue Tiger tells his story and it helps put the past to rest where it belongs in the past. The Viet Nam war tore the nation apart, and the military men were caught in the middle. They were blamed for things that they had no control over. They fought to stay alive in a no win situation. For many the war will never be over. Blue Tiger just might help those searching for an end to their war, and explain to others the truth about the combat soldiers in Viet Nam and why some are still bitter.

To order call: 888-280-7715

==================

Other Great Books
[Not by the 3/17th]

We Were Soldiers Once...And Young
by Lt. Gen Hal Moore (USA Ret.) & Joe Galloway

"In November 1965, 450 U.S. soldiers were dropped into a small clearing in the Ia Drang Valley. They were surrounded by 2,000 North Vietnamese soldiers..."

 

We Are Soldiers Still: A Journey Back to the Battlefields of Vietnam
by Lt. Gen Hal Moore (USA Ret.) & Joe Galloway

"...After a trip in a Russian-made helicopter to the Ia Drang Valley in the Central Highlands, with the Vietnamese pilots using Moore's vintage U.S. Army maps and Galloway's Boy Scout compass to guide them, they reach the hallowed ground where so many died..."

 

A Tender Warrior, Leadership Letters to America
By Lt. General Hal Moore (USA Ret.) with Toby Warren

 

 

No Stone Left Unturned...

6 Apr 2011 - FLASH TRAFFIC:

I haven't seen any official release by DPMO but this is what is reported by the NLF dtd 30 Mar 2011

"...the remains of SP4 Randall D. Dalton, USA, listed as KIA/BNR on July 24, 1971 in Cambodia, were recovered September 11, 1989, and identified January 18, 2011..."

This is great news, but unfortunately no word on the remains of Sgt. Gregory Antunano who perished during the same tragic incident.

20 Jul 2011:

Vet laid to rest after 1971 Cambodia helo crash - ArmyTimes - 20 Jul 2011

 

JTF-FA CASE REOPENED on
Spurs Gregory Antunano & Randall Dalton!
Read JTF-FA report dtd 14 Apr 03 provided by Gary Antunano:
Antunano/Dalton PDF File
[Posted 16 Dec 03]
Please allow time to download and open PDF file!
Note: For privacy, Pam redacted address and phone number
Requires free Adobe® software to open

Spur background information:
A Troop, 3/17th Air Cav KIA-BNR Biographies

===============

UPDATE: 26 July 2006

GOOD NEWS TO REPORT!

7/26/2006

Mr. Young, [Spur Trooper & Webmaster]

Antunano and Dalton were lost in Cambodia on 24 July 1971 and a grave site at XU6928036344 and possibly some of the crash site at XU6925636319 are scheduled to be excavated this October [2006] in Cambodia.

Keep your fingers crossed.

DICKIE HITES
Special Assistant to the Commanding General
Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC)
JPAC Command Staff

 

UPDATE: 24 July 2006

From Gary Antunano:

Sunday July 23, 2006, Daily Republic

Brother of MIA still waiting for closure
by Ian Thompson
Daily Republic

FAIRFIELD -- Recent evidence about the fate of a Fairfield man's brother who was shot down over Cambodia 35 years ago has him hopeful that his brother's remains may finally come home.

Lack of funding to send a Joint Task Force-Full Accounting excavation team over there has Gary Antunano frustrated that this final closure may still be more than a year off.

"I am in the waiting period now for the excavation," said Antunano. "It could be a couple of years. It could be next year."

Funding cutbacks to the JTF-FA command due to other military needs has put the excavation of the possible site of Army Sgt. Gregory Antunano remains in a holding pattern.

Recently collected eyewitness accounts of the crash site and a possible grave site have pushed the excavation high on the Task Force's list of recovery projects.

Monday marks 35 years since Greg Antunano crashed in Cambodia "and I just don't want him forgotten," said Gary Antunano who was only 8 years old at the time.

But with only enough funds to carry out one excavation a year, the excavation of Greg Antunano's crash site remains undone.

"This year, my brother's case is the backup case for this year's excavations," Gary Antunano said. "Funding for the Task Force is not good due to the war."

Greg and Gary Antunano grew up in South San Francisco, with Greg born 14 years before Gary. Gary worshiped his brother, enjoying wrestling with him and getting rides in Greg's car.

Greg Antunano joined the Army in 1968, became an Airborne Ranger and was sent to South Vietnam where he was wounded twice in the first six months he was there.

His love of flying got him a job flying [in] the OH-6 Loach helicopter, the small, egg-shaped helicopters which the 1st Cavalry Division used to search for the Vietcong and North Vietnamese Army.

In mid-July 1971, Greg Antunano became part of the [ARVN] invasion of Cambodia to destroy the NVA supply bases and sanctuaries hidden there.

One month before he was due to come home, Greg Antunano flew into Cambodia on July 24 as an observer on a Loach to look for the NVA near Snoul, Cambodia. The Loach was shot down.

A medivac helicopter found the pilot alive with a broken leg, but Greg Antunano was found dead inside the helicopter. Another crewman died at the site before he could be evacuated.

The two bodies were left at the site because of fears the NVA were nearby, but when the Americans came back the next day, they found the helicopter stripped and the bodies gone.

The family has lobbied since to find Gary Antunano's body and bring it home.

Gary Antunano's father died in 1986, without ever knowing his son's fate. His mother, Virginia Antunano lobbied hard to get her son's remains found and returned.

She died in 2001 and now Gary Antunano is carrying on the fight to bring closure for his family.

"I would like to get anything home to bury with my parents," Gary Antunano said. "If not, I want to go to Cambodia to see my brother's final resting place." [End]

Webmaster's note: JTF-FA is currently known as JPAC.

===================

The Recovery of 1Lt. Thomas W. Knuckey
& Sgt. Philip C. Taylor

Courtesy of the Taylor family - Synopsis of JTF-FA search and recovery of our
fellow troopers in 1993 who perished inside Cambodia on 27 May 1971

 

3/17th Historical Finds!

ARMY AIR CREWS: Cobra Crewmembers Line of Duty Deaths in Vietnam [External link] - submitted by Art Bonevich

VIETNAM STUDIES - AIRMOBILITY 1961-1971 by Lieutenant General John J. Tolson

Republic of Vietnam...Crossroad of Culture - Courtesy of fellow Spur, Bill McCalister

WAR - by SFC David H. Plenge - Courtesy of fellow Spur, Bill McCalister

One Perspective...The Early Days (1966-1967) - Courtesy of fellow Spur, Glynn Decoteau

1968 Hawk Magazine Articles - Courtesy of fellow Spur, Bill McCalister

Spur OH-58 #68-16935 still flying!
Courtesy of the Spurs & Sunrise Helicopters, Inc.
Updated: 5 Oct 08

3/17th Air Cav Historical Supplement Posted 13 Nov 02
Courtesy of the Silver Spurs

1970 Spur Excerpts from the "Redhorse Review"
Provided by the Bluetigers!

Message from Arthur C Bonevich:

Hello!

I'd like to invite you to join the '3rd Squadron, 17th Cavalry (1960s-Present)' homepage on Military.com. The page is a great way to post updates, share photos, plan events, and more.

Just click on the link below, Then click the 'Join This Group' button.

http://www.military.com/HomePage/UnitCreatedPage/0,11003,101362,00.html

If this does not work because your email software does not support this hypertext link, please copy the URL above, paste it into your browser address area and press enter.

Military.com is the online home for anyone who has answered the call to serve, and the family and friends who support them. Come see for yourself.

Join the page and keep up-to-date on group news.

Sincerely,
Arthur C Bonevich

 

Veterans

Profile of a Vet
Submitted by Spur 12, Dan Murphy - Author unknown

* Vietnam vets are less likely to blindly accept the orders and perceptions of others.

* They are perhaps more likely to measure others by their reliability (i.e., is this someone with whom I could share a foxhole?)

* They are less hung up on appearances, less easily fooled, and have had enough bullshit thrown at them that they may see through it a little better than others.

"Many of us have violent tempers, see adrenaline-rush activities, are workaholics, alcoholics, and are maintaining but still sitting on explosive energy."

"We know how to take orders and give orders. We have shared our canteens with all classes of people. We've seen death close up. We've experienced big-time loss. We've faced our own fears and found our own courage. As a result, we are different in a way that the Indians understood and prized, but which our society does not understand and often fears."

"We have had the experience of being judge, jury, and executioner. Many of us were free to take life without having to account for our reasons. We were all affected by having that incredible power of living through an experience in which there was no law - we were the law."

==========================

"They Were Heroes Too"
by Richard Ben Cramer

War Dogs Remembered at the Wall
Veterans Day 2000 by Vietnam Dog Handlers Assoc.

Photo courtesy of The Northwest Veterans Newsletter and the Silver Spurs

 

==========================

The Vietnam Wall Experience 2001
After-action Reports!
Share in this Exciting Experience!
Photos from the Moving Wall and Memories from the Moving Wall
by Roger & Pam Young

 

Meeting at the Wall
By Chuck Oualline - Silver Spur 3

==========================

Willing And Able
by Redcatcher Bob Himrod

==========================

A Promise Kept: Lt. James R. McQuade,
Blueghost 10, Home at Last...
Courtesy of Roger & Pam Young

==========================

Lest We Forget
by Silver Spur Terry Shulze

==========================

Long Beach Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Artist conception of what will become the final resting place for the Spur's UH-1C gunship, #66-15028. Our sincere thanks to VVA Chapter 756 and the city of Long Beach for including one of our former helicopters as the centerpiece of their beautiful memorial in honor of their city's 103 best who paid the ultimate sacrifice. We'll have full reports in the future from the dedication.

Courtesy of Terry Shulze

 

From the dedication brochure:

"Why a U.S. Army Helicopter UH-1C 'the Huey' was
chosen for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial"

A look back...

In April of 1945, the U.S. was training and supplying arms to Ho Chi Minh's Viet Minh forces led by Gen. Giap to fight the Japanese occupational forces in Vietnam. This became the nucleus that would later defeat the French, and even later defeat ARVN and U.S. forces in Southeast Asia.

Thirty years later, to the month, South Vietnam would fall to the communists...

Robert McNamara, who served as defense secretary under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson from 1961 to 1968, admitted in his newly published memoirs that the Vietnam War, which he once supported despite its unpopularity, had been a mistake. McNamara wrote that his efforts to step up American involvement in the war, especially during 1964-65, had been "wrong, terribly wrong." He eventually counseled President Lyndon Johnson to end the conflict through diplomacy, but his efforts were unsuccessful and he left the Department of Defense in 1968 to take over the presidency of the World Bank.

According to McNamara, he and other U.S. officials failed to appreciate the ability of North Vietnam to wage war, underestimated the power of nationalism, placed too much confidence in America's high-technology weaponry, and organized the war poorly. The war was unwinnable, McNamara said, because the South Vietnamese, whom the U.S. was supporting, were "incapable of defending themselves."

McNamara's comments sparked a flurry of criticism from politicians, commentators, and war veterans. Many criticized him for waiting more than 30 years to make his feelings on the war public, instead of using his high-ranking position to end the conflict. More than 58,000 Americans died in the Vietnam War by the time of its conclusion in 1975.

Above articles excerpted from Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia

Copyright © 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 The Learning Company, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.

---------------------------------------------------------

The following is from the book, "Dereliction of Duty" by H.R. McMaster. (HarperCollins Publisher, copyright 1997, ISBN 0-06-092908-1) The chapter entitled "Planning for Failure." This was just prior to the then upcoming Presidential Election.

pg. 184

McNaughton, Forrestal, and William Bundy concluded that it would be preferable to fail in Vietnam after trying some level of military action than to withdraw without first committing the United States military to direct action against North Vietnam. They thought that the principal objective of military activities was to protect U.S. credibility. Because they believed that graduated military pressure could be stopped at any time and would not commit them to any further military measures, they saw less risk in using force than in not doing so. Failure to uphold the administration's commitment to preserve the independence of South Vietnam would be acceptable as long as the world recognized that the United States had done all that it could under the circumstances. McNaughton believed that the United States would be in "no worse position" in Southeast Asia if graduated pressure failed to secure American policy objectives there than it was already. Indeed, the loss of South Vietnam after the direct intervention of U.S. armed forces "would leave behind a better odor" than an immediate withdrawal and would demonstrate that the United States was a "good doctor willing to keep promises, be tough, take risks, get bloodied, and hurt the enemy badly."

This shift in thinking about the U.S. objective in Vietnam became apparent during the working group's deliberations. On October 13 McNaughton had placed helping South Vietnam and Laos "develop as independent countries" at the top of his list of goals in Southeast Asia. Three weeks later McNaughton listed the following "aims" of U.S. military action in Vietnam for the use of the Bundy committee:

A. To protect US reputation as a counter-subversion guarantor

B. To avoid domino effect especially in Southeast Asia.

C. To keep South Vietnamese territory from Red hands.

D. To emerge from crisis without considerable taint from methods.

For McNaughton and others the goal of American military intervention in South Vietnam had less to do with that country than with containing Communism and maintaining America's "intemational prestige."

pg. 185

McNaughton wrote that "it might become desirable to settle for less than complete assurances on our key objectives," namely the U.S. pledge to guarantee South Vietnam's freedom and independence.

The final report Bundy and McNaughton completed on November 26 ostensibly reaffirmed the American commitment to a free and independent South Vietnam and Laos, but it contained "fall-back objectives" consistent with McNaughton's "good doctor" metaphor:

1. To hold the situation together as long as possible, so that we have time to strengthen other areas of Asia.

2. To take forceful enough measures in the situation so that we emerge from it, even in the worst case, with our standing as the principal helper against Communist expansion as little impaired as possible.

3. To make clear to the world, and to nations in Asia particularly, that failure in South Vietnam, if it comes, was due to special local factors--such as bad colonial heritage and a lack of will to defend itself--that do not apply to other nations. [End]

---------------------------------------------------------

The Infamous "Body Count" - LBJ 15 Mar '65

The following is from the book, "Dereliction of Duty" by H.R. McMaster. (HarperCollins Publisher, copyright 1997, ISBN 0-06-092908-1) The chapter entitled "A Quicksand of Lies"

pages 248-249

Two days later General Johnson and his team returned from Vietnam. On March 15 [1965] the president [LBJ] called the JCS to the White House for consultation. Although he continued to delay approval for the deployment of additional ground forces, he talked tough and convinced the Joint Chiefs that he was committed to taking any action necessary to preserve South Vietnam. Even as he postponed his decision on ground troops, LBJ made concessions to the Chiefs in other areas and held out the promise of more decisive military action in the future. The president loosened controls on Rolling Thunder, approved most of the actions contained in Harold Johnson's report, and charged the Chiefs with finding ways to improve the military situation in the South. He ended the meeting with a pep talk. He told his military officers that he wanted them to employ any means necessary to "kill more Viet Cong." He expected a weekly report totaling the Viet Cong dead.⁽¹⁾ The meeting did nothing to clarify U.S. objectives in South Vietnam or determine what level of military force would ultimately be required to meet those objectives. The president's tough talk, however, galvanized the Chiefs and convinced Wheeler that his commander in chief was committed to "do everything possible to better our situation" in Vietnam. [End]

⁽¹⁾ -- Gravel, The Pentagon Papers, vol. 3, p. 406; Wallace Greene, Memorandum for the Record, 19 March 1965, Greene Papers; Gibbons, The U.S. Government and the Vietnam War, vol. 3, pp. 165-66. Wheeler Diary, 15 March 1965, Wheeler Papers.

---------------------------------------------------------

AP - May 26, 2006

Kissinger: U.S. 'Accepted' Communist Vietnam

Henry Kissinger quietly acknowledged to China in 1972 that Washington could accept a communist takeover of South Vietnam if that evolved after a withdrawal of U.S. troops - even as the war to drive back the communists dragged on with mounting deaths.

President Nixon's envoy told Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai, "If we can live with a communist government in China, we ought to be able to accept it in Indochina."

For many of us that were in Army Aviation, we had training at Ft. Rucker, Alabama. Ft. Rucker is also the home of the Army Aviation Museum.

In the museum's holdings is OH-6A #65-12962 which served with the Spurs! In 1970 it was crewed by C.E. Gary Swartz and had over 2,000 hours logged when it departed A-Troop, 3/17 Air Cav in 1970. Perhaps I'll get the chance someday to see Swartz's ol' warhorse from the Silver Spurs! Talk about memories! [Mission accomplished at the 2006 Silver Spur Reunion!]

962 at Cu Chi - 1970

Young photo

 

Gary Swartz with 962 in Vietnam - Swartz photo

 

Swartz's "962" was on display outside the main entrance to the museum in 1/4 Cav markings. However, information from VHPA shows the chopper began its Vietnam service with B Troop, 3/17th Cav. [See: VHPA Information on 65-12962].

962 at Ft. Rucker
Photo courtesy of Ft. Rucker

 

Bob Scurzi, Silver Spur 15, at Ft. Rucker with 962
Nov 2004 - Scurzi photo

Jan '09 Update: It has been reported by several Spurs that 962 is no longer on display at the Army Aviation Museum at Ft. Rucker. It has been replaced by a newer OH-58.

 

==================

The OH-6A Cayuse (above) was the workhorse of AeroScouts during the Vietnam War. It's power-to-weight ratio and four-blade rotor system made the Cayuse highly maneuverable. By 1970 the U.S. Army had received 1,434 military versions of the Hughes 500. The Cayuse was better known as a "Loach" which stood for Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) and had a max takeoff weight of 2,700 pounds.

An Allison T-63-A-5A turboshaft engine was de-rated to produce 285 shaft horsepower. This basically same engine was used in the later OH-58A Kiowa and produced a minimum of 317 shaft horsepower (T-63-A-700). But the increased weight of the OH-58A (3,000 pounds max. take-off) greatly decreased the reliability of this engine. In fact, in my opinion, as a Scout Crew chief who worked and flew in both models, the OH-6A was far superior for AeroScout work than the OH-58A which only had a two-blade rotor system. Not only was the OH-6A much more maneuverable and reliable - a must when flying at tree-top level - but from a crewman's standpoint, the OH-6A was far superior in regards to crash survivability. Drawbacks with the OH-6A was the thin skin of their rotor blades (flying in heavy rains would destroy the leading edge of the blades which wasn't very practical in Vietnam) and the circuit breaker panel mounted on the pedalstal which was always being damaged by dirt. The OH-6A had mechanical flight controls while the OH-58A featured hydraulic flight controls.

Both the OH-6A and OH-58A's (which started replacing the reliable OH-6A in 1970) could be armed with a 7.62 mm mini-gun mounted on the left side from the passenger compartment. The pilot was seated in the front right and the Observer in the front left seat. In another common configuration the mini-gun was removed and the Crew chief often flew in the rear to provide firepower and a pair of eyes to the right side of the Loach.

Ceramic armor offered some protection from the bottom, rear and sides for the Observer and pilot. "Chicken plates" and a well-positioned .38 or .45 offered some protection from the front.

By 1970 Loaches were most often covered by the dreaded AH-1G Cobra Attack Helicopter (AH) known as "Snakes." Working together they were known as Pink Teams.

Maintenance was not only a task for the crew chiefs, but without the skills provided by the able troops in the 575th Maintenance Detachment (including some civilian personnel) and 812th Signal Detachment the troop would have never been able to function. Kudos to all of those who supported the Spurs and kept us flying! The long hours you worked and your dedication was and is greatly appreciated!

Sources: Roger Young, Scout C.E./Line Chief and Janes Encyclopedia of Aviation

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spur LOHs live on:

"Luckey Lady" still flying
[Updated: 1 Apr 09]

Photo Courtesy of John Rouse - Gainesville Police Department - 1998

 

Spur OH-58 #68-16935 still flying!
Updated: 20 May 14

Courtesy of Sunrise Helicopters, Inc. - 2003

 

History of Stetson Cavalry Hats
Courtesy of the 1/17th Website

Cav Stetsons Available!

If you are in the Seattle area and served with the Cav, and want to replace your lost Stetson or braid, the folks at Byrnie Utz Hats at 310 Union Street in downtown Seattle can fix you up! Contact Paul or Bev Ferry (owners) at 206-623-0233. They are open Monday thru Saturday 9:30 am to 5:30 pm. or check out: Miller Hats on the web! My thanks to Jan for the url to Miller Hats!

Braid colors: (provided by John Connor)

External Links of Interest

 

Vietnam War Resources

Helicopter Losses During the Vietnam War - PDF file courtesy of VHPA

Cyber Sarge's Vet Links
Links to Information on Veterans Records, Agent Orange Pages, Veteran Organizations, Veterans Pages, Forms, and More.....

 

Silver Spur "Man in the doorway" - Larry Smith photo

PDF File: The Man in the doorway - by Michael Ryerson - Courtesy of VHPA site - A tribute to all the crew chief's and door gunners who flew the Slicks...

1st Aviation Brigade Portal - Courtesy of Larry Cox!

WELCOME BACK TO QUAN LOI! - by John Wavra, A Battery 6th Bn 27th Artillery Quan Loi VA - '70 & '71 Spurs will certainly appreciate John's efforts!

How to Request U.S. Military Medals & Awards - Courtesy of Wash. State Dept. of Veterans Affairs

The Air Cavalry - Informative link on helicopters used by air cavalry units! Located by fellow Spur, John Dostal

Vietnam Warriors: A Statistical Profile - From VFW Magazine - January 1998

 

Vet Support Links

Department of Veterans Affairs

VA Health Benefits Service Center toll free at 1-877-222-VETS

================

VA's Suicide Hot Line Begins Operations
DVA - 30 Jul 07

"...The toll-free hot line number is 1-800-273-TALK (8255). VA’s hot line will be staffed by mental health professionals in Canandaigua, N.Y. They will take toll-free calls from across the country and work closely with local VA mental health providers to help callers..."

================

Request Copies of Military Personnel Records
Courtesy of the National Archives

================

VA National Hepatitis C Program
Courtesy of VA

================

Agent Orange

PDF file: Agent Orange Dioxin Report
Courtesy of Vietnam Veterans of America
March/April 2009 - Posted 6 Apr 09

Other Agent Orange articles:

2018 Agent Orange Newsletter - VA - Posted 18 Dec 18

Agent Orange linked to serious heart disease - MSNBC - 24 Jul 09

Join our discussion on Agent Orange on our Silver Spur Blog - Opened 7 Jun 11

================

Prostrate Cancer

Nov 07: As a former Silver Spur who has struggled through prostate cancer, I want to be sure that every soldier who spent any time in the field in Vietnam from 1961 to 1971 is aware of the following quotes from the VA Handbook:

"If a Vietnam veteran requests a prostate cancer screening exam (DRE, transrectal ultrasound* and/or PSA) after the controversy regarding the value of such testing has been explained, it is recommended that the EH Clinician honor the veteran's request. *NOTE: Usually limited to veterans with abnormal DRE and/or PSA tests."

And...

"There is 'limited and/or suggestive evidence of an association' between exposure to herbicides used in Vietnam and the development of prostate cancer. Because of the provisions of the law and the IOM findings, VA has established a presumption that prostate cancer is related to exposure to herbicides in Vietnam. As a result of the establishment of this presumption, it is anticipated that many Vietnam veterans are going to seek advice about screening for prostate cancer.

In fact, if a veteran who was on the ground between 1969 and 1971 gets prostate cancer, as I did, he is automatically qualified for 100% medical disability. It takes a few months to get the benefits to start coming in and they might only last until the cancer is deemed to be in remission. Still, this information is not widely known, even among the medical community. I guess it is up to us to spread the word and look out for our own.

Other medical conditions besides prostate cancer are covered too. The most concise information is provided in this PDF file: Agent Orange: Diseases Related to Agent Orange Exposure

For prostrate cancer, see: Agent Orange: Prostate Cancer

Larry Sherrer

================

PTSD

National Center for PTSD

PDF: Understanding PTSD - VA

From WDVA site:

What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?

Traumatic events—war, combat, sexual assault, natural disasters and other life-threatening experiences—have always been a part of human experience. The impact of these events on the survivor was not well understood until the past decade.

We now know that traumatic events often change the survivor psychologically, biologically, and socially. Multiple traumatic experiences can complicate recovery, but also seems to increase the reluctance to seek care.

It is now apparent that the culture, the times, the veteran’s homecoming, and the war’s outcome, as well as many other factors influence the way trauma reactions are expressed. Untreated, trauma reactions and PTSD are highly predictive of physical illness, disrupted family life, and reduced academic and career performance.

What are some signs or symptoms of PTSD?

Most people who are exposed to sudden, dangerous or deadly events—or who are psychologically overwhelmed by these experiences—will often experience several of the following:

- Startle reactions to noise or movement
- Reliving of traumatic memories
- Hostile or suicidal feelings and impulses
- Profound grief reactions
- Lack of emotional reactivity – feeling numb
- Problems with intimacy and/or interpersonal relationships
- Avoidance of people, movies or topics related to trauma experiences
- Being hyperalert to threats to self or loved ones
- Sleep problems, dreams and nightmares
- Excessive need to control outcomes
- Guilt or depression
- Concentration and memory problems
- Anniversary reactions to the trauma
- Alcohol and/or other substance abuse
- Anxiety and hyperarousal
- Thrill seeking and risk taking behavior
- Employment difficulties
- Authority problems

Will time heal Initial Trauma and PTSD Reactions?

Experts agree that the mere passage of time will not relieve PTSD. The longer one waits, the more difficult management may become. On the other hand, it is never too late to start counseling. The use of alcohol, a workaholic life style, or avoidance, may increase the intensity of the symptoms, or delay resolution. Often, the veteran with PTSD will risk everything before seeking help.

Source: Dept of Veterans Affairs

More on PTSD:

Soldier On; The Fight Doesn't End When They Get Home

PTSD article by Point Man International Ministries

 

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
by Silver Spur David "Benny" Bonello

 

Silver Spur Pages

Introduction -- President's Corner --
Membership Committee Corner --
Chaplain's Corner -- Bulletin Board --
In Remembrance -- Spur Reunion News -- History Index --
Photo Index -- E-mail Directory -- Articles Index --
Squadron Links -- Home Page -- Silver Spur Blog

 

© Northwest Veterans Newsletter - All rights reserved