Chapter 6 News and Events

NEWS & EVENTS

VA Recognizes ALS Link to MilitaryService,

amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Go here for the full reort:

http://www.usmedicine.com/dailyNews.cfm?dailyID=427

The July-August edition of VETS NEWS is now available online, www.oregon.gov/ODVA/INFO/docs/VETSNEWS/2008/July-August-2008.pdf

Director's Message
During the first week of June, Oregon's veteran community suffered the loss of two of our veteran advocate champions of the first order. Walter Crews, age 79, passed away at his home in Aurora on June 1st and Richard "Dick" Lucht, age 75, passed away at his home in McMinnville on June 5th.

President Signs Heroes Bill
President George W. Bush has signed House Resolution 6081, the Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax Act of 2008, which among other things secures Oregon's state veterans' home loan program.

Families Remember The Fallen at Afghan-Iraqi Memorial
Tom Mann
In honor of fallen service members, family, friends, and veterans gathered at the Afghan-Iraqi Freedom Memorial May 29, to unveil five new names engraved on the wall, bringing the total names on the wall to 114 since combat operations began.

National Guard Reintegration Team Builds for Tomorrow
Christopher Dauterman
Across America, war veterans are coming home to a new life. These war veterans possess an instinctive sense of self-direction instilled by honorable duty in the U.S. Armed Forces. Returning home, they seek new pathways to fulfill the next chapter in their lives.

Tri-State Women Veterans Conference a Big Success
Robin Steckley and Mike Allegre
Women veterans from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, and Arizona came together for the nation's first ever Tri-State Women Veterans' Conference in Pendleton, April 18 and 19. The event drew more than 360 female veterans ages 24 to 87.

Military Veterans Appreciation Days
The Oregon State Fair is once again recognizing servicemembers and veterans. Veterans Appreciation Days is slated for Friday August 22 and Saturday August 23. The Fair in Military Veterans Appreciation Days Salem runs through Sept. 1 (Labor Day) and features free parking for all eleven days.

6th Annual Troop and Veteran Appreciation Day in McMinnville
Throughout history our military has stood ready to serve and guard our freedom. Come and join us in honoring our National Guard and Reserves, Active Duty, and Veterans.

Veterans Services Task Force to Hold Town Halls in 17 Cities
The Governor's Task Force on Veterans Services will hold town hall meetings in 17 Oregon cities to take input from veterans and the community regarding veterans services, gaps in those services, and improvements that can be made for Oregon veterans.

Veteran Earns High School Diploma
Mike Allegre
In front of nearly 1,500 people, including 296 graduating seniors from Hillsboro High School, on June 6, Jim Mockley finally received his diploma and became a member of the class of 2008. The rest of the story is that at age 55, it had taken him 38 years to receive it.

Celebrating America's Heroes at the Military Gala
Christopher Dauterman
Ten Congressional Medal of Honor recipients from around the United States will be guests of the second annual Oregon All Military Gala-an evening of honor and gallantry, Aug. 23, at Salem's Convention Center.

ODVA to Celebrate Desegregation of the Armed Forces
The Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs and the Oregon Military Department will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the desegregation of the armed forces Saturday July 26, at 10 a.m. at the Anderson Readiness Center in Salem.

Sailors' Agent Orange Win Reversed by Appeals Court
Tom Philpott, Military.com
A federal appeals court has delivered a stinging defeat to 'Blue Water' sailors and Coast Guard veterans of the Vietnam War who have been fighting for disability compensation from illnesses they contend resulted from shipboard exposure to deadly herbicides including Agent Orange.

Grand Ronde Tribe Honors Local Veterans
The Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde honored 53 veterans this past Memorial Day with Governor Ted Kulongoski as the keynote speaker.

VA Medical Center Hosts Welcome Home Celebration for OIF/OEF Vets
Nearly 800 veterans of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom, and their families, were welcomed by Portland's VA Medical Center and treated to a day at Portland's Oaks Park on May 31. Families were served a free picnic-style lunch and also given free access to the park's amusement rides.

Blue Star Memorial Adorns Albany Veterans Site
Christopher Dauterman
A new Blue Star Memorial has been erected at the Linn County Veterans memorial, making it the 63rd in the state. Begun in 1945 following World War II, Blue Stars recognized families with members serving in the military.

Deschutes County Fair Free for Vets
Deschutes County Fair officials will be honoring the service of all veterans by offering them free admittance to the fair, July 30 to August 3, in Redmond.

Small Business Administration Thanks the Men and Women Who Have Sacrificed for Our Freedom
By Harry DeWolf, Portland SBA District Director
Flying our flag can represent a demonstration of thanks for the men and women who have served and sacrificed in defense of our freedoms. In this spirit, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has chosen to honor and support the men and women of our armed services, veterans, and their spouses with the launch of SBA's new Patriot Express Loan Pilot.

"Veterans' Night at the Elks" is a Place for Veterans to Meet and Seek Services
With no local veterans organizations, veterans in the Monmouth and Independence communities may have felt a little isolated. They were not able to connect with each other or to veterans services to help them. However, that changed in February with the implementation of Veterans' Night at the Elks.

Veterans' Cremains Given Honors at National Cemetery
EAGLE POINT - The first 14 identified veterans' cremains were given military honors and interment at Eagle Point National Cemetery on June 19. Three of the 14 cremains are World War I veterans, while the remaining 11 span from World War II to Vietnam.

Upcoming Military Reunions and Events

WAVES Looking for Members

Friends of the Home

Magazine Subscription Program

Oregon Veterans' Home Gift Form

Christopher M. Dauterman
Oregon Dept. of Veterans Affairs
www.oregon.gov/ODVA
1-800-828-8801

"Interwoven as is the love of liberty with every ligament of your hearts, no recommendation of mine is necessary to fortify or confirm the attachment." --President George Washington, 1796

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VA Reaching Out to Vets with Mortgage Problems

Peake: VA Has a "Solid Record of Success" in Helping

WASHINGTON (June 12, 2008) - Many home owners have found it difficult recently to pay their mortgages, but quick intervention by loan counselors at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has actually reduced the number of veterans defaulting on their home loans.

"VA is reaching out to veterans -- both those who use our home-loan guaranty program and those who don't take advantage of our guaranties -- to keep people in their homes," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake. "I'm proud of our solid record of success in helping veterans and active-duty personnel deal with financial crises."

Accounting for much of this success are VA counselors at nine regional loan centers who assist people with VA-guarantied loans avoid foreclosure through counseling and special financing arrangements. The counselors also can assist other veterans with financial problems. VA counselors have helped about 74,000 veterans, active-duty members and survivors keep their homes since 2000, a savings to the government of nearly $1.5 billion.

Depending on a veteran's circumstances, VA can intercede with the borrower on the veteran's behalf to pursue options -- such as repayment plans, forbearance, and loan modifications -- that would allow a veteran to keep a home.

To obtain help from a VA financial counselor, veterans can call VA toll-free at 1-877-827-3702. Information about VA's home loan guaranty program can be obtained at www.homeloans.va.gov <http://www.homeloans.va.gov/> .

Since 1944, when home-loan guaranties were offered with the original GI Bill, VA has guarantied more than 18 million home loans worth $911 billion. Last year, about 135,000 veterans, active-duty service members and survivors received loans valued at nearly $24 billion.

About 2.3 million home loans still in effect were purchased through VA's home-loan guaranty program, which makes home loans more affordable for veterans, active-duty members and some surviving spouses by protecting lenders from loss if the borrower fails to repay the loan. More than 90 percent of VA-backed home loans were given without a downpayment.

April data shows that foreclosures are down more than 50 percent from the same months in 2003. VA attributes this to prudent credit underwriting standards, its robust supplemental loan servicing program and VA financial loan counselors.

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Interest Rate Reduction Refinancing Loans (IRRRLs)

The Oregon Dept. of Veterans' Affairs (ODVA) is sharing important information about Interest Rate Reduction Refinancing Loans (IRRRLs). Recently the United States Dept. of Veterans' Affairs (VA) reminded veterans that Certificates of Eligibility (COEs) are not required for IRRRL's.

The surviving spouse who obtained a VA home loan with the veteran prior to his or her death (regardless of the cause of death), may obtain a VA guaranteed IRRRL. The unmarried surviving spouse of a veteran who died on active duty or as the result of a service-connected disability is eligible for the home loan benefit.

To learn more about IRRRL's visit the VA Home Loan website at www.homeloans.va.gov/IRRRL.htm. Lenders, Servicers and Real Estate Professionals can sign up for access to the VA Veterans Information Portal (VIP) online at https://vip.vba.va.gov.

ODVA offers a state veterans' home loan (ORVET) that is an additional and distinctively separate benefit from the VA Home Loan Guaranty Program. Information about the ORVET program is available online at www.oregon.gov/ODVA/HOMELOANS.

To locate a Service Officer for assistance with veteran benefits, go online at www.oregon.gov/ODVA/VeteransServiceOfficerDirectory.shtml.

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