The tiny village of Soldier's Grove, Wisconsin, has a population of only 534 people, but it has a rich history. In the 1980s, it became the first town in America to get more than half its energy from the sun, making it the country's first "solar village." It's also where World War II veteran Beauford T. Anderson came of age. 

Born in 1922, Anderson joined the Army at age 20 and was sent to the Pacific Theater. He returned to Wisconsin, briefly starting a floor sanding business before rejoining the Army as a recruiter. There could be no finer example of an American soldier than the one Beauford Anderson made. While fighting on Okinawa, he received the Medal of Honor for an act of valor that felt like it could only come out of a movie. 

The invasion of Okinawa in April 1945 would be the largest amphibious landing of the entire Pacific War, called the "typhoon of steel" by those who fought there. With Allied naval support, the U.S. 10th Army made up of 541,000 soldiers from four divisions and Marines from three divisions, landed to take some 1,200 square miles defended by 114,000 Japanese troops and Okinawan conscripts. The brutal fighting gave American war planners an idea of what an invasion of mainland Japan might look like. 

Thankfully, Japan would surrender before that invasion began, but the Battle of Okinawa left 90% of the island destroyed, 12,500 American troops dead, along with a staggering 94,000 Japanese  Tech  Sgt. Beauford T. Anderson was in the thick of it all. 

For two weeks, Anderson and the 96th Infantry Division held the middle of a line 1.5 miles long against repeated enemy counterattacks, often at close range. On April 13, 1945, his regiment was posted along the Kakazu Ridge when it came under one of those fierce close-in attacks. Just before dawn, his unit was caught by surprise, struck by a Japanese flanking attack. He ordered his men to take cover in a nearby tomb, then grabbed his carbine and went to meet them – alone. 

 What he saw was a rush of enemy soldiers. Anderson emptied his magazine into the onslaught and then improvised a game-changing tactic: he picked up an unspent Japanese mortar shell and threw it back to them. The explosion killed several enemy soldiers. There's an old Army saying: "If it's stupid and it works, it isn't stupid." Anderson found a box of mortar shells, pulled the safeties, and started banging the bases on nearby rocks, then started chucking them at the oncoming enemy. 

If this sounds like something you might have seen before, a similar tactic was used by the Americans fighting the Nazis, but that was in the movie "Saving Private Ryan" – Anderson was doing it in real combat. He lobbed so many close-in mortar strikes the Japanese were forced to withdraw from their attack. It wasn't without cost. However, Anderson was struck by shrapnel in the melee and was bleeding profusely. His actions that day took out 25 enemy soldiers and several machine guns and mortars and ended the threat to his regiment's flank. 

Beauford T. Anderson would survive the war and receive the Medal of Honor from President Harry S. Truman himself on Memorial Day, 1946. 

He went home to Wisconsin and started his business, but the Army called to him. He rejoined and stayed in Wisconsin until the Army moved him to Fort Ord, California, and promoted to second lieutenant. Eventually, he would be medically discharged. He spent the rest of his life in California, ranching and serving in local government. He died in 1996 at age 74. He and his wife are interred at Arlington National Cemetery. 
 

Have you claimed your FREE Military Service Plaque yet? This attractive custom presentation, which can be accessed via the 'Plaque" button on your Profile Page, contains a visual summary of your military service including service photo, ribbon rack, badges, primary unit patch, and sleeve insignia.

Your plaque is very versatile. It can be printed out as an 11"x 6" landscape print and framed. You can also upload your Plaque to your cellphone which is perfectly sized to display as a convenient Veteran ID or printed out as a business card.

Login to Together We Served today to view your FREE Military Service Plaque and add any information needed to complete.

The first year of the American Civil War wasn’t a great one for the Union Army. Losses at places like Bull Run and Ball’s Bluff overshadowed a string of smaller but equally important battles across the country. President Abraham Lincoln’s general-in-chief, George B. McClellan, was highly regarded by his men but was difficult to deal with, increasingly insubordinate, and failed to follow up on his victories. 

However, a shining star was beginning to emerge in the Western Theater of the war. Ulysses S. Grant began the war in 1861 as a Colonel but was elevated to command a campaign along the Mississippi, Tennessee, and Cumberland Rivers by Maj. Gen. John C. Frémont. Grant, it would turn out, had the aggression necessary to take the fight to the rebels. He bloodied the Confederates at Fort Henry and Fort Donelson, the two most significant Union victories at the time, forcing the rebels out of Kentucky. 

President Lincoln promoted Grant, now a media hero dubbed “Unconditional Surrender Grant,” who began massing Union troops from the Army of the Tennessee and the Army of the Ohio in preparation to push toward Vicksburg, Mississippi. Capturing Vicksburg meant splitting the Confederacy in two and giving the Union total control of the Mississippi River.

Standing in Grant’s way was a Confederate Army led by Albert Sidney Johnston. Johnston realized the Union army was waiting for reinforcements at Pittsburg Landing and decided to attack before it got bigger than it already was. 

The rebel plan was to attack the Union left and push it back toward swampland, making it difficult for the force to maneuver. At the same time, it wanted to prevent any reinforcement or supplies from reaching the Federal forces. On the morning of April 6, 1862, the Union army was camped near a church called Shiloh when thousands of rebel soldiers came screaming out of the nearby woods, catching it unprepared. 

The first Union troops to be attacked were under the command of Brig. Gen. Benjamin M. Prentiss and Brig. Gen. William T. Sherman. Though mostly raw recruits, Sherman led his division with a cool head and slowly moved his force back behind the church. Prentiss was saved by rebel soldiers who had stopped to loot his camp. The Union troops who did flee were stopped at Pittsburg Landing, where Grant had just arrived and was forming a counterattack while his troops began to dig in.

Confederate troops were pushing the Union left and right all day but taking massive casualties as Federal artillery poured into them during tactical withdrawals. The rebel commander, Albert Sidney Johnston, was shot during one of these engagements, bleeding out during an advance. He would be the highest-ranking soldier to die in combat during the war. 

At the end of the first day, the new commander, Gen. Pierre G. T. Beauregard, saw his forces advancing, forcing the Union back to Pittsburg Landing. His troops had fought hard to take a thicket of oak trees dubbed “The Hornet’s Nest,” which led him to believe he would win the day.

As night fell on the battlefield, Beauregard ordered a stop to the rebel advance, believing he would destroy Grant the next day.

It was a critical error. U.S. Navy gunboats had arrived and began to harass the Confederates, attacking the Union left flank. The fighting at the Hornet’s Nest had bought Grant time to build up the defenses at Pittsburg Landing and reform the stragglers and survivors from the morning’s fighting. Most importantly, Don Carlos Buell’s army began to arrive that evening. When dawn broke the next day, the Union’s fresh defenses were manned by 54,000 men, while the Confederates’ tired, disorganized army only boasted 30,000. 

But in “Unconditional Surrender,” Grant wouldn’t wait for Beauregard to attack. The next morning, Union troops came pouring out into the Confederate camp. The rebels stood their ground but, by noon, were falling back. The Hornet’s Nest fell to the Federal army, and despite repeated counterattacks, Beauregard was forced to fall back. By 3 p.m. on April 7, the rebel commander realized he was beaten and ordered a withdrawal. 

Both armies suffered roughly equal casualties, including around 1,750 killed and more than 8,000 wounded. At the time, it was the largest battle fought on American soil and the bloodiest of the Civil War to that point. Grant was heavily criticized for being caught off guard, but President Lincoln would not call for his resignation—he finally had a general who was willing to take the fight to the South. 
 

Do you have old photos from your service days stashed away in a drawer or in a shoe box in your attic? Old photos fade with time and if they are not scanned and preserved digitally, they risk eventually being lost forever.

This is where TWS can help. We have just invested in a high quality Fujitsu book and photo scanner that can scan any size of photo or yearbook. As a service to our members, we would like to offer you a free photo scanning service for your most significant photos from your service which we will then return to you, in original condition, along with a CD containing your photo files.

In addition, we can upload your photos for you to your Photo Album on your TWS Service Profile which will also appear in your Shadow box and available to you to access or download at any time.

Please contact us at Admin@togetherweserved.com for full details on this Free Service.

SMSgt Charles Herring, US Air Force (Ret)
Served 1960-1987

The grounds of the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs are packed to the gills with Air Force history. Among the legends on display is a green-colored Air Force Reserve A-10 Thunderbolt II (also known as a Warthog), positioned with its nose skyward. A closer look at that nose reveals its name: "The Chopper Popper." 

Nose art isn't that common in the Air Force these days, but it's not totally forbidden. The aging but plucky fleet of A-10s have all but kept the tradition alive in recent decades. Warthogs are usually bearing teeth or tusks on their noses, not the sea creature gripping a helicopter in its massive claws. The Chopper Popper's art is an homage to its nickname, picked up for the stunning air-to-air kill made by then-Capt. Bob Swain during the first Gulf War.

The A-10 is known for a lot of things, but dogfighting isn't one of them. It was designed to be a gun with wings, a flying tank that could get in close with the grunts on the ground and put lots of holes in pesky enemy armor with its massive GAU-8 Avenger cannon. In fact, it is the only airframe designed solely for close-air support ever made by the U.S. Air Force. 

But that doesn't mean it couldn't take down another aircraft (or anything else for that matter), given the opportunity. The GAU-8 Avenger is a hydraulic-driven autocannon that fires 30x173 millimeter, armor-piercing incendiary, high-explosive rounds with a depleted uranium core. If it can shred the toughest tanks of the Cold War, an aircraft in flight wouldn't stand a chance. Because the A-10's maximum speed is 439 miles per hour, most aircraft are out of its reach – but not helicopters. 

On February 6, 1991, Capt. Bob Swain had just fired Maverick missiles at Iraqi tanks on the ground when he saw two black dots racing across the desert. There was no dust and he had never seen anything like it on the ground before. He told his observation plane it must be a helicopter. After his OV-10 observation plane confirmed they were indeed helicopters, Swain moved to intercept. 

When the helicopters noticed they were being hunted, they broke away from each other, one to the north, and one to the south. Swain stayed on the one to the south, the one about to become a part of Air Force lore. At 50 feet above the ground, the enemy chopper ws too low for the A-10's AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, so – despite being a full mile away – Swain switched to the gun, with a maximum range of 12,000 feet.

"I started firing about a mile away," Swain told the Los Angeles Times after the incident. "Some of the bullets ran through him, but we weren't sure if it was stopped completely. So I came back with the final pass, hit it and it fell apart.

"On the final pass, I shot about 300 bullets at him. That's a pretty good burst. On the first pass, maybe 75 rounds. The second pass, I put enough bullets down, it looked like I hit with a bomb.

"We tried to ID the helicopter after we were done and it was just in a bunch of little pieces, so we can't tell what type it was."

It was the first air-to-air kill in the A-10's operational history. After writing this small but mighty chapter of Air Force History, Swain, a reservist, went home and resumed flying Boeing 747s for USAir. 

Together We Served has a growing archive of more than 23,000 Boot Camp/ Basic Training Graduation Photos which we now display on your Military Service Page and Shadow Box. We also have a growing collection of Yearbooks which we will be made available on the site shortly.

We are still searching for Boot Camp/ Basic Training Photos and Yearbooks. So if you have yours available, please contact us at Admin@togetherweserved.com.

Either you can send us a scanned file of your photo or you can send it to us for scanning. We will add this for you to the Recruit/ Officer Training section of your Military Service Page.

All photos and yearbooks will be returned to you in the original condition along with a CD containing your scanned photo.

 "With its silvery round design standing nearly five feet tall 
 and eighteen feet wide, the Avro Canada VZ-9AV looked like  
something out of a 1950s science-fiction film…
something a Martian would fly. The Avrocar was anything 
but science fiction."

633rd Air Base Wing, October 23 2012, Joint Base Langley-Eustis
                                   

From 1947 to 1969, the US Air Force investigated Unidentified Flying Objects under Project Blue Book, a name selected to refer to the blue booklets used for written testing at many colleges and universities. The research, headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH, was terminated on December 17, 1969. Approximately 12,618 sightings were reported to Project Blue Book, and roughly 700 remained unidentified in the end. The Project was initially directed by Captain Edward J. Ruppelt and followed research similar to Project Sign, which was established in 1947, and Project Grudge, in 1949. Project Blue Book had two goals: to determine if UFOs were a threat to national security and to analyze UFO-related data scientifically. UFO research and conspiracy theories have also been undertaken officially and unofficially by almost all world governments having departments of defense and science establishments. Air Force TWS lists no members assigned to any unit readily known to be doing this work. To this day, broadcast television still perennially presents UFO programming and witness statements almost monthly. Concepts gleaned from USAF Avrocar testing between 1958-61 are still being implemented today with the development of the U.S. Marine variant of the F-35B Lightning II with the capability to land vertically, making it the first aircraft in history to combine both stealth and vertical landing capabilities. An Avrocar prototype is on display in the National USAF Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, and another resides at the US Army Transportation Museum at Fort Eustis, VA, where plans are underway for restoration. 

"On Halloween morning, 1938, Orson Welles awoke to find himself the most talked about man in America. The night before, Welles and his Mercury Theater on the Air had performed a radio adaptation of H.G. Wells's The War of the Worlds, converting the 40-year-old novel into fake news bulletins describing a Martian invasion of New Jersey. Some listeners mistook those bulletins for the real thing, and their anxious phone calls to police, newspaper offices, and radio stations convinced many journalists that the show had caused nationwide hysteria." For the War Department, it was "Game On." Only WWII delayed the serious research that was to come afterward. Astronomers had seen what they called "canals" on Mars in the 1870s, presumed to have been made by a species capable of invading earth and so Project Blue Book became inevitable by a confluence of related events.

Each US Air Force Base had its own Blue Book officer to collect UFO reports and forward them to this Project, the records of which include approximately two cubic feet of unarranged Project or administrative files, 37 cubic feet of case files in which individual sightings are arranged chronologically, and three cubic feet of records relating to the Office of Special Investigations. A cubic foot of records consists of about 2,000 pages. Access to Blue Book textual records uses 94 rolls of 35mm microfilm in the National Archives Microfilm Reading Room. Motion picture film, sound recordings, and some photographs are maintained by the Motion Picture & Sound & Video Branch and the Still Picture Branch. Nevertheless, the National Archives said, "Since Blue Book was closed, nothing has happened to indicate that the Air Force should resume investigating UFOS. Because of the considerable cost to the Air Force in the past, and the tight funding of Air Force needs today, there is no likelihood the Air Force will become involved with UFO investigation again." and "…The National Archives has received many requests for documentation and information about 'Project MJ-12.' Many inquiries concern a memorandum from Robert Cutler to Gen. Nathan Twining, dated July 14, 1954. This particular document posed problems… No records indicated or even hinted at the recovery of alien bodies or extraterrestrial materials."

All documentation related to this case is now declassified, and the information is in the public domain at the office of the Air Force Historian at Maxwell AFB. As a result of the Condon Report, which concluded that the study of UFOs was unlikely to yield significant scientific discoveries, and a review of the report by the National Academy of Sciences, Project Blue Book was terminated. Leading figures overseeing the three official UFO projects included Kenneth Arnold, Gen. Hoyt Vandenberg, Gen. Charles Cabell, Gen. William Garland, Michael Swords, J. Allen Hynek, H.P. Robertson, Capt. Charles Hardin, Capt. George Gregory, LtCol. Robert Friend, Maj. Hector Quintanilla, James McDonald, Col. Raymond Sleeper, Gen. John Samford, and Jerome Clark among numerous others.

In 1953, the assigned staff was reduced from more than ten to two subordinates. It was directed that the 4602nd Air Intelligence Service Squadron be charged with UFO investigations, which led to effectively bifurcating the Project between DOD and civilian entities (eventually, the 4602nd was inactivated, and the 1066th Air Intelligence Service Squadron took over). That same year, Joint Army-Navy-Air Force Regulation number 146 made it a crime for military personnel to discuss classified UFO reports with unauthorized persons. Violators faced up to two years in prison and fines of up to $10,000. Believe it or don't believe it, as a result of these investigations, studies, and experience gained from investigating UFO reports since 1948, the conclusions of Project Blue Book were:
1.    No UFO reported, investigated, or evaluated by the Air Force has ever given any indication of a threat to our national security.
2. The Air Force has not submitted to or discovered evidence that sightings categorized as "unidentified" represent technological developments or principles beyond the range of present-day scientific knowledge.
3. no evidence indicates the sightings categorized as "unidentified" are extraterrestrial vehicles.

As often happens with many government acronyms, the UFO has been transformed to become a UAP, Unidentified Anomalous Phenomenon. In January 2024, the House Oversight Committee conducted proceedings to reinvestigate. "David Grusch said he was informed of a multi-decade UAP crash retrieval and reverse-engineering program'. He accused the military of misappropriating funds to shield these operations from congressional oversight. He claimed he had interviewed officials who had direct knowledge of aircraft with 'nonhuman' origins and that so-called 'biologics' were recovered from some craft. The Pentagon denied his claims. The hearings resulted in "… a new bipartisan bill that would enable civilian pilots and personnel to report UAP encounters to the FAA, which would then be required to send those reports to the Pentagon office investigating the phenomena. The bill, known as the Safe Airspace for Americans Act, would also offer protections for those who come forward… Unidentified anomalous phenomena encompass a broad range of strange objects or data points detected in the air, on land, or at sea. The most well-known UAPs have been reported by military pilots, who typically describe round or cylindrical objects traveling at impossibly high speeds with no apparent means of propulsion. Some of the objects have been caught on video. The military has improved avenues for pilots to report UAP in recent years and worked to reduce the stigma associated with doing so. The Pentagon office dedicated to examining the encounters has received hundreds of reports in recent years."

Military pilots, not known for a habitual sense of humor or exaggeration when in flight, are unlikely to describe things they do not see or cannot record and measure. The All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), established in 2022, is an office within the United States Office of the Secretary of Defense that investigates UFOs and other phenomena in the air, at sea, in space, and on land. It is also sometimes referred to as an unidentified aerial phenomenon. On April 12, 2021, the Pentagon confirmed the authenticity of pictures and videos gathered by a Task Force, purportedly showing "what appears to be pyramid-shaped objects" hovering above USS Russell in 2019, off the coast of California, with spokeswoman Susan Gough saying, "I can confirm that the referenced photos and videos were taken by Navy personnel. The UAPTF has included these incidents in their ongoing examinations." AARO will focus on Surveillance, Collection and Recording, System Capabilities and Design, Intelligence Operations and Analysis, Mitigation and Defeat, Governance, and Science and Technology. It is to continue the collection and reporting of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) incidents across the DoD's special use airspace (SUA), as well as the collection and reporting of anomalous, unidentified space, airborne, submerged, and transmedia objects. AARO is to identify and reduce gaps in operational, intelligence, and counterintelligence capability and to recommend policy changes, whether regulatory or statutory, to reduce those gaps." In addition, the Director of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Research at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) oversees the investigation of unidentified flying objects (UFOs). 

Withstanding it all, public interest in UFO/UAP remains steadfast in some quarters, notably almost the entire town of Roswell, NM. Hollywood has produced dozens of entertaining films, including "It Came From Outer Space"; "Mork and Mindy"; "ET"; "Men in Black"; "Close Encounters of the Third Kind"; "Superman"; "Marvin the Martian" (an animated cartoon character); "Earth Girls are Easy"; "Independence Day"; "My Favorite Martian"; and "The Day the Earth Stood Still" which fictionalize or sensationalize UFO/UAP and beings from outer space. Desolate Nevada state road 375 is named "Extraterrestrial Highway" between Crystal Springs and Warm Springs. Some imagine Top Secret Area 51 to be the site of UFO/UAP investigations. An online search for UFO books yields just short of seven million hits in less than one second. Presumably, the newly inaugurated Space Force service branch will play a role in future investigations akin to Project Blue Book. Jack Webb produced and narrated Project UFO, a 1978-79 TV series based on Project Blue Book (though shifting the investigation to the present day instead of the 1950s-60s era).

The series followed two Air Force investigators (William Jordan as Maj. Jake Gatlin, replaced in the second season by Edward Winter as Maj. Ben Ryan) and Caskey Swaim as SSgt (later TSgt) Harry Fitz, covering a wide variety of UFO incidents. Project Blue Book played a significant role in the second season of the 1990–91 TV series Twin Peaks. Maj. Garland Briggs, an Air Force officer who worked on the program, approaches protagonist Dale Cooper and reveals that Cooper's name turned up in an otherwise nonsensical radio transmission intercepted by the Air Force. Every episode of the original Battlestar Galactica spin-off series, Galactica 1980, ended with a short statement about Project Blue Book's findings that UFOs are not proven to exist and "are not a threat to national security." The Project is also the inspiration for a drama series, Project Blue Book, which began airing on the History Channel in January 2019. As of April 2024, the Pentagon still asserts that there is no evidence of UFOs or Space Aliens. Nevertheless, Project Blue Book may be said to have formalized a thirty-plus year and continuing Air Force study of unorthodox earthly aerial activity touching upon medicine, physics, chemistry, folklore, history, aerodynamics, prophesy, geology, perception, fantasy, astronomy, psychology, weaponry, fiction, security, art, geography, legislation, flight, design, anthropology, sexuality, academics, propulsion, cinematography, metaphysics, fashion, animation, warfare and even biblical human understanding which shows no hint of abating. "Nanu Nanu" – and tandem highly skilled Air Force test pilots could not persuade the VZ-9AV to produce sustained, stable flight more than 35 mph three feet off the ground in three years' time.
 

TWS has nearly 2 million members who served in a wide range of units, ships, squadrons and duty stations. Get more people to your Reunion by sending your Reunion information to us in the following format and we will post it for free in our Reunion Announcements on Together We Served, in emails that go to our members and in our Newsletters.

Please contact us at admin@togetherweserved.com with the following details of your Reunion:

Service Branch Reunion Applies To:
Your Reunion Name:
Associated Unit or Association:
Date Starting:
Date Finishing:
Place Where Held:
City:
State:
Contact Person:
Contact Phone Number:
Contact Email Address:
Website:
Other Comments:

Homeownership has many positive features for Veterans and their families. A home provides shelter and safety. With planning, a home is an anchor to a strong community with solid schools for children. Connecting to the community can bring purpose and a sense of belonging to replace those experienced in the military.

Another positive feature of homeownership is the increase in net wealth, which can happen when the home appreciates in value over time. For example, if you purchase a $500,000 home and sell it later for $600,000, you keep the $100,000 extra that remains once you pay off the old mortgage. This money can be used for many reasons, including children's college education, starting a business, or retirement. For many, including Veterans, your home may be the largest asset in your portfolio.

Most people purchase a home with the assistance of a financial institution and a mortgage – an agreement to pay for the purchase monthly over a period of years – traditionally 30 years. Non-veterans who purchase a home normally have to come up with a downpayment as a requirement to get a mortgage. This is often expressed as a percentage – i.e., 10 or 20 percent – of the home's value. In the example of purchasing a $500,000 home, this would be $100,000 if 20 percent was required.

Saving $100,000 for this purchase often delays homeownership for years, as the potential owner defers purchases to accumulate this money. Many will fail to save and, as a result, never own a home. A successful civilian home purchaser will also find he has to pay Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) each month to protect the financial institution if they can't make their mortgage payments.

Veterans, due to their military service, face a very different situation because of the Veteran benefit known as the Home Loan Guaranty. This is the formal name for the ability to purchase a home with no money down. In short, unlike a civilian counterpart, a Veteran doesn't have to save for years and can achieve home ownership earlier. Further, a Veteran using this benefit won't pay PMI and often receives a lower interest rate on their mortgage.

Eligibility for this benefit depends upon your length of service and discharge status. Learn more at https://benefits.va.gov/homeloans/. Being eligible doesn't necessarily mean you will qualify for a mortgage from a financial intuition. This is key because the VA only guarantees the downpayment; the Veteran has to obtain a mortgage. That often depends on passing a credit check and demonstrating you have sufficient income.

•    Credit—Yours will be checked using the standard 300 to 850 score. There is no minimum score, but generally, the higher the score, the better. Additional reviews of payment history will be made to determine how likely mortgage repayment will be.
•    Sufficient income – there is no minimum income, but your Debt-To-Income (DTI) ratio will be reviewed to ensure you can repay the mortgage. VA uses 41% as the guideline, but financial institutions may use a different number.
The process to use this benefit is as follows:
1.    Obtain a COE from VA (explained below)
2.    Select a lender
3.    Find a suitable home
4.    Get the home appraised by a VA-approved appraiser (explained below)
5.    Confirm your loan is approved
6.    Close on your home and move in

Your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) is the official document that demonstrates your eligibility to participate in the VA home loan program. Your lender may be able to obtain it for you, but you can also get it online at VA.gov or complete VA Form 26-1880, "Request for Certificate of Eligibility," and return it via mail.

VA will have the home appraised by an approved appraiser. They do this to get an informed opinion on the house's value. When the appraisal is complete, a report is provided. Issues may arise if the property doesn't appraise at or above the sale price. These will be discussed with the buyer.

What does this cost?
You will be asked to pay the Funding Fee. This is a percentage of the mortgage that enables the VA to recoup the costs of administering this program. It is based on the number of times you have used the program and the size of your downpayment. A detailed explanation can be found here: https://www.va.gov/housing-assistance/home-loans/funding-fee-and-closing-costs/. 
 
You can pay the Funding Fee by writing a check at closing. Most, however, add the Funding Fee to their mortgage, increasing the size of the mortgage but enabling them to pay it over the life of the mortgage. The Funding Fee may be waived for certain reasons, the most common of which is the Veteran being service-connected.

If you have questions about the program, call VA's Home Loan Guaranty experts at 877-827-3702.

Paul R. Lawrence, Ph.D., served as Under Secretary of Benefits at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs from May 2018 to January 2021. He is the author of "Veterans Benefits for You: Get What You Deserve," available from Amazon.

TWS is building a searchable yearbook archive that will be up and running later this year.

What's in it depends on members like you. We have invested in a high-quality Fujitsu book and photo scanner that can scan any size of photo or yearbook.

Allowing us to scan your book helps family and your brothers & sisters find a photo they may have lost along the way.

If you would like your book scanned, email us at admin@togetherweserved.com. We'll send you a flash drive with the scans when we return your book to you. You'll also receive a tracking link via Stamps.com.

In 1890, the U.S. Census Bureau announced that there was no discernable frontier between American settlements. The frontier was officially closed, and the cost was more than monetary. Native Americans fought the settlers and the U.S. Army in a decades-long fight for survival that began in earnest with hungry tribesmen and a lame cow. 

Fighting between the Army and the Natives who inhabited the erstwhile wilderness that is today the United States began long before settlers started manifesting destiny. States and territories that saw significant population growth among white settlers—California, Texas, Utah, and New Mexico, to name a few—had seen bloodshed since white settlers landed in the New World. In the years before the Civil War, settlers pushed tribes into the Great Plains and into conflict with the settlers, who eventually began moving there, too. 

In 1854, a drought effectively killed the population of bison on the plains, leading to mass starvation among the tribes there, especially the Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Sioux. In August 1854, some 4,000 Brule Sioux were camped outside of Fort Laramie, Wyoming, and were in the same condition: starving. That's when a lame cow ambled into their camp.

The tribesmen did what any starving person with a gun might do when confronted with a lone, lame cow: they shot it and then ate it. 

Unfortunately, then, as now, even lame cows were a big deal to settlers and ranchers. The cow had come from a group of Mormon settlers moving along the Oregon Trail. Officially, the settlers wrote that they were happy to let the natives eat the meat. But apparently, a Sioux (named High Forehead) had shot a second, healthy cow, which wandered back to its owners. 

U.S. Army Lt. Hugh Fleming rode out to the Sioux to negotiate a restitution with a Chief, Conquering Bear, and resolve the dispute. Conquering Bear offered to replace the cow with one of their horses, but the cow's owner wouldn't have it and demanded the Natives pay him $25 instead (more than $923 in today's dollars). Barring that, the Army demanded the arrest of the man who shot the cow. Conquering Bear couldn't force the man to give himself up. Since they also had no money, so the negotiation ended in a stalemate. 

Two days later, a contingent of soldiers rode to the Sioux encampment, led by recent West Point graduate Lt. John L. Grattan, to arrest the man by force, if necessary. The truth was, Grattan was ready for a fight despite having only 31 men to the Native's 1,200 warriors. His translator, a Frenchman, was drunk and didn't actually know the dialect of Sioux, so he needed to talk to the Natives. He told the Sioux the Army had come to kill them all. It was a tense situation.

When Grattan realized he was terribly outnumbered, he asked the owner of the local trading post, Lucien Bordeaux, what to do. Bordeaux told him to talk to Conquering Bear and negotiate. But first, he went to High Forehead's lodge and demanded his surrender. 

Only when High Forehead exclaimed he would die first did Grattan talk to Conquering Bear? The Chief again told the Army he couldn't force High Forehead to surrender and again offered a horse in exchange. Bordeaux offered to translate. As the Natives began to take flanking positions around the soldiers, he knew a fight he couldn't defuse was coming. 

But it almost didn't come at all. Grattan was calmly walking back to his horse as a nervous soldier fired into the Natives. Arrows and gunshots began to fly. Grattan and 11 of his men (including his drunken interpreter) were killed. Conquering Bear was the only Sioux to die of his wounds. As the rest of the soldiers tried to escape, they were cut off and killed by a band of warriors led by Oglala Chief Red Cloud. 

Back East, the press called the incident the "Grattan Massacre," and Secretary of War Jefferson Davis began devising a plan to punish the Sioux for it. Brig. Gen. William S. Harney would fight the Brule Sioux in Nebraska the following year, which resulted in a rout for the Natives and a temporary, uneasy truce. But that wasn't the end of the Plains Wars. The Cheyenne, Utes, Comanches, and other tribes would fight sporadically and even piecemeal until the last battle – in 1918. 

Available for Together We Served members only! Together We Served has two hard-working Marines devoting their time and energy to help our members find long-lost friends who are not yet members of our Together We Served.

If you are looking for someone, email us at admin@togetherweserved.com with name, approximate age, where they were from, last known address, marital status, and name of spouse. We'll do our best!

SFC George Gradnigo US Army (Ret)
Served 1974-1997

In the hallowed corridors of the Veterans Affairs (VA) medical system, stories of resilience, gratitude, and triumph echo. Among these narratives stands that of a grateful veteran whose journey through the throes of ischemic heart disease, prostate cancer, and diabetes spans two decades. This is not merely a chronicle of survival; it is a testament to the transformation of the VA's medical services over the years, saving lives and fostering hope where once there was despair.

A Battleground of Health Challenges
My journey began with the diagnosis of ischemic heart disease, formidable foes that could easily have overwhelmed a lesser spirit. But the VA's medical professionals, armed with cutting-edge treatments and a commitment to excellence, stood by me as I faced the challenges of heart disease and cancer head-on.

As if in a cruel twist of fate, prostate cancer soon emerged as a second adversary. The VA, however, had refined its arsenal of medical services. I benefited from state-of-the-art diagnostic tools, personalized treatment plans, and compassionate care that addressed not only the physical but also the emotional toll of the battle.

Just when it seemed the war was perhaps won, diabetes emerged as a silent assailant. Yet, the VA's comprehensive approach to healthcare has matured over the years. Advanced monitoring, innovative therapies, and a focus on preventative care transformed my struggle with diabetes into a manageable aspect of my life rather than an insurmountable hurdle.

The Evolution of VA Medical Services
Over the past two decades, the VA has undergone a profound metamorphosis. The transformation is evident not only in the sheer breadth of services but also in the commitment to continuous improvement. The expansion of medical facilities, the recruitment of top-tier healthcare professionals, and the integration of cutting-edge technologies have elevated the standard of care for veterans like me.

The VA's emphasis on holistic care has proven to be a game-changer. Mental health services, nutritional guidance, and rehabilitation programs have become integral components of the veteran healthcare experience. Like many others, I found solace in the fact that the VA was not merely treating symptoms but addressing the entirety of my well-being.

Gratitude Beyond Words
As I reflect on my 20-year journey, my gratitude for the VA knows no bounds. "They didn't just save my life; they gave me a life worth living," I feel. The camaraderie between veterans and the medical professionals at the VA has become a defining characteristic of the healthcare provided.

My story is not an isolated incident but emblematic of a larger narrative unfolding within the VA. The statistics speak volumes – lives saved, diseases conquered, and a veteran community empowered by the unwavering dedication of the VA's healthcare system.

VA Disability Compensation and Pension Benefits System
The Veterans Administration (VA) Disability Compensation and Pension Benefits system is a critical component of the support framework for veterans who have served in the United States Armed Forces. I have benefitted from this system quite graciously over the past 2 ½ years. While the system aims to provide earned financial assistance to those who have incurred disabilities or injuries during their service, it is not without its shortcomings. Understanding these limitations is essential for policymakers and stakeholders seeking to improve the overall effectiveness of veterans' support systems.

The system does play a crucial role in recognizing and supporting the sacrifices made by U.S. veterans. However, policymakers, veterans' advocates, and the public must work collaboratively to address these issues and ensure that the system evolves to meet the changing financial and medical needs of veterans in a more efficient, consistent, and comprehensive manner. A responsive and adaptive benefits system is essential to fulfilling the nation's commitment to those who have faithfully served.

A Beacon of Hope for the Future
My seemingly triumphant tale, etched in the annals of my VA medical records, serves as a beacon of hope for veterans facing their own health battles. It reflects the collective commitment to excellence within the VA, an institution that has evolved to meet the dynamic healthcare needs of its deserving beneficiaries.

As we celebrate my successes over ischemic heart disease, prostate cancer, and diabetes, we also celebrate the tireless efforts of the VA's medical professionals who have transformed a once-daunting landscape into a realm of healing, compassion, and unparalleled support. My journey is a testament to the indomitable spirit of veterans and the transformative power of exceptional healthcare.

In the evolving narrative of veteran healthcare, my story stands as a living testament to the profound impact of the VA's commitment to excellence. As we look toward the future, let us carry forward the lessons learned from this journey – that with resilience, innovation, and unwavering dedication, we can overcome any obstacle and emerge stronger on the other side.

Freelance writer Jim Hulton is a proud veteran who has faced the formidable trio of life-threatening diseases with unwavering courage. Over the past 20 years, he has navigated the complex landscape of healthcare within the VA system, experiencing firsthand the remarkable evolution in both the quantity and quality of services provided.
 

Nick Parker is a Combat Security Police Flight Chief at Ko Kha Air Station, a remote radar outpost on the Thailand-Laos border. As the war in Vietnam draws to a close, he is suddenly thrust into a dark, secret war taking place in Thailand and must devise an effective defense for his small but important radar station, one that serves both the Air Force and the CIA. 

Ever the joker, Nick finds himself competing with his boss, who was expected to take the assignment. Nick Parker's life isn't all about war, however. He struggles with the injuries he sustained during the war, the ready availability of drugs and alcohol, and – tragically – the suicide of a close friend and fellow soldier. Nick has to defend his radar station while grappling with a murder accusation and being torn between his love back home and the one he potentially finds while at war. 

It's not often we get to review works of fiction by veteran authors, but "Cobra Talon," the first in a series of novels by Vietnam veteran Patrick Sydor, is worth reading. Based on true events from Sydor's service, the author draws from his experience to tell an entertaining story for any reader—it even includes a glossary of terms for those who might be unfamiliar with the lingo of the Vietnam era. 

Sydor himself was a Security Policeman at a remote radar station, and the title "Cobra Talon" was a military and CIA code name for the detection of missile launches and ground movements of North Vietnamese troops throughout Vietnam and Laos. Like many of our own war stories, it weaves in the personal struggles of being far from home while fighting a war so far away. 

After the war, Patrick Sydor earned a Master's degree in Education from Indiana University and began teaching while working in sales. He writes from his beachside home in Ecuador and enjoys traveling to add authenticity to his novels. Will Nick Parker do the same after his war ends? The only way to find out is to read the whole series. 

"Cobra Talon" is available on Amazon Kindle for $2.99 or paperback for $14.95. 

If you wish to make a post to our new Bulletin Board - People Sought, Assistance Needed, Jobs Available in Your Company, Reunions Pending, Items for Sale or Wanted, Services Available or Wanted, Product or Service Recommendations, Discounts for Vets, Announcements, Death Notices - email it to us at admin@togetherweserved.com.

Service Reflections Video of the Month

#TributetoaVeteran - SGT Janet Hindman U.S. Air Force, 1978-1983

Are You a Writer?
As you know, Together We Served is always looking for interesting articles to post to our forums and in this newsletter. Have you written any military-related articles you want to share with a broader audience? Send your submissions to admin@togetherweserved.com, and you may see them in an upcoming issue.

TWS Flyers Available
Do you have a reunion coming up and would like to spread the word about Together We Served? We now have flyers that help explain who we are and what we do.

Send your requests to admin@togetherweserved.com. Please include your name and address and how many flyers you require.

TWS Invite Cards
Did you know we have Together We Served invite cards you can hand out to any veteran you meet? We have included a handy QR code on the back of the card so prospects can scan the card right away to get started.

If you would like some cards, email us your name and address at admin@togetherweserved.com, and we will get them in the mail. 

Association Chapter Logos 

Does your association chapter have a different logo from your state or national association chapter? We are working on programming that will allow us to add chapter logos. If you have one, please email it to admin@togetherweserved.com, and we'll add it.

Military Volunteers Needed

TWS has recently been working with an organization called Stories Behind the Stars. They are working hard on telling the stories of all our World War II fallen. We can help them tell the story by checking the military details added to the profiles they have built or edited. We have the tools for you, and we will train you!

If you love details and have some time on your hands, please get in touch with us at admin@togetherweserved.com, and we'll get you started.

Updates from TWS

We have recently started uploading all the yearbooks we have scanned to our yearbook archive. If you've sent us a book to scan over the years, you will see it under your boot camp/BMT/basic training details when we upload it to the archive. Eventually, members will receive an email if the book has been uploaded. (Still working on various programming issues). You can also search for yearbooks in photos. This short video will walk you through it. Yearbook Search

Your Invite QR Code

It is now available to download to your phone and share it with the veterans you may meet. Through this QR code, you will get credit for their membership. You receive six months of full membership for every five people who join from your invite. If 50 people join, you'll receive a life membership!

Military News

Court OKs Lawsuit Accusing VA of Discrimination in Disability Claims
By Leo Shane III Military Times

A lawsuit accusing Veterans Affairs officials of racial discrimination in disability benefits processing can move ahead after a federal court on Friday rejected a government request to dismiss the case.

The move potentially opens the door for a significant legal review of more than five decades of VA benefits decisions, with a focus on whether Black veterans are less likely to have their cases approved than their white peers because of systemic problems within the department.

Advocates initially filed the lawsuit in November 2022 and hailed last week's decision by the U.S. District Court for Connecticut as an important step forward in a likely years-long legal fight.

"Since its inception, the department has designed and implemented its benefits programs to reinforce our nation's racial caste system, neglecting its moral, ethical, and legal responsibility to intervene to ensure racism was not a barrier to accessing home loans, education benefits, and disability compensation," Richard Brookshire, co-founder of Black Veterans Project, said in a statement.

"The consequence has been dire, resulting in hundreds of billions in economic loss to Black veterans."

The suit was filed by the Yale Law School Veterans Legal Services Clinic on behalf of Vietnam War veteran Conley Monk Jr. It asks for "redress for the harms caused by the failure of VA staff and leaders to administer these benefits programs in a manner free from racial discrimination against Black veterans."

Last month, department leaders announced plans to overhaul outreach efforts directed at transitioning troops as part of an effort to close gaps in disability benefits grant rates between Black and white vets.

According to VA's internal research, from 2017 to 2023, Black veterans had a higher acceptance rate for claims submitted within the first year (85% to 83% for whites) but a lower rate after that (65% to 68% for whites). Officials have said a key in fixing the problem is getting minority veterans to file sooner.

But research from the Government Accountability Office released last summer found that from 2010 to 2020, Black veterans were less likely than any other racial group to have their initial disability claims approved by the department. Roughly 61% of Black veterans saw those claims accepted, as opposed to 75% of white veterans.

The Monk lawsuit cites in part VA documents that found between 2001 and 2020, the average denial rate for disability claims filed for Black veterans was 29.5%, significantly above the 24.2% for white veterans.

Advocates say they believe the problem dates back even further, to at least the 1970s and possibly as far back as World War II.

"It has been some 50 years of waiting for some sort of justice and resolution for how the VA system treats Black veterans," Monk said in a statement. "This decision not only excites and inspires me but also brings hope to other veterans who have suffered."

Officials with the Yale clinic have said they will help file related administrative claims on behalf of veterans who believe their past cases may have been wrongly handled because of systemic problems.

More information is available on their website. https://law.yale.edu/studying-law-yale/clinical-and-experiential-learning/our-clinics/veterans-legal-services-clinic/monk-v-us

Hip Replacements, Other Orthopedic Devices Not Properly Tracked by VA
By Leo Shane III Military Times

If a veteran's artificial hip or shoulder reconstruction gets recalled because of manufacturing problems, Veterans Affairs officials may not be able to notify them, according to a warning from a government watchdog released this week.

Investigators from the Government Accountability Office said despite widespread use of non-biological implantable medical devices among VA patients, the department lacks an effective tracking system for many of the items, leading to health and safety concerns.

"The Veterans Health Administration has not fully assessed its ability across all specialties to ensure that non-biological implantable medical devices can be effectively tracked back to individual patients," GAO officials wrote in a report released Wednesday.

"Some VA medical center officials said that if they needed to identify patients affected by a safety issue with an orthopedic implantable device, it would require a time-consuming search of the medical records."

Investigators noted that the problem does not extend to cardiac devices like pacemakers or implantable defibrillators, where such recalls and problems demand immediate attention. Those items are monitored and tracked meticulously by VA staffers, the GAO found.

But other medical devices are not accounted for in the same way. While the department tracks total numbers of items in use, the specific equipment is not stored in a database with the Veteran using it, leaving a gap in information if problems arise.

VA officials said they implanted more than 1 million such devices in veteran patients from 2019 to 2023. The GAO said there have been four major recalls to hip replacements and other implantable orthopedic medical equipment in the last three years, although the actions covered fewer than 30,000 items nationwide.

Still, officials warned, "When an implantable medical device fails, the patient with that device can face serious health risks if the failure is not addressed."

In a statement, VA officials promised to review the issue and address needed changes by March 2025. They also said that work may entail "establishing new national program offices or reorganizing current program offices" to conduct the work, which may require additional funding from Congress.

The full report is available online at the GAO website. https://www.gao.gov/assets/d24106621.pdf

How Adm. Elmo 'Bud' Zumwalt Helped Pave the Way For Women in the Navy
By Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti Military Times

Women's History Month is a time to acknowledge and honor the advancements made by and for Navy women: active and reserve, retired and Veteran, uniformed and civilian.

Our Navy is a learning organization with a long list of leaders who opened paths of opportunity for me and the more than 134,000 women serving in our Navy today.

One of those leaders whose policies expanded the opportunities for Navy women was Adm. Elmo R. "Bud" Zumwalt, our 19th chief of naval operations, who led our sea service from 1970 to 1974.

Zumwalt inspired me to write this article to highlight the unique leadership and career opportunities available in today's Navy and as a call to action to encourage people from across the rich fabric of America to join our Navy team.

His policy decisions played a key role in my Navy career, and I invite you to join me in invoking his legacy to bring that message to people from every zip code in our great nation.

As chief of naval operations, Zumwalt focused on warfighting and warfighters. He showed that a leader can, in his own words, "modernize and humanize the Navy."

But while Zumwalt spearheaded and advanced many Navy programs, such as the Perry-class frigate, the Ohio-class submarine, and the F-14 Tomcat fighter jet, he also dealt with many personnel challenges, most notably plummeting retention as the nation shifted from the draft to the all-volunteer force. He directed special attention to integrating historically marginalized groups more fully into the fleet.

In the early months of his tenure as CNO, Zumwalt sent 121 naval messages, known as Z-grams, which focused on improving sailors' quality of life. These messages had an immediate impact.

Z-116, "Equal Rights and Opportunities for Women in the Navy," initiated and directed the process of more fully integrating women into the Navy by opening more ratings and billets to enlisted women.

Zumwalt penned Z-Gram 116 to allow women "to contribute their extensive talents and to achieve full professional status" within the service.

In addition, this message allowed for the assignment of women to ships opened the all-staff corps, restricted line communities to women, and improved pathways for women to progress to flag rank.

My personal path to joining the Navy in 1985 was made possible because Zumwalt had opened the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps to women.

He understood that incorporating the talent and expertise of American women was necessary.

I planned to be in the Navy for four years. I'm still here 38 years later because of our mission and the great teams I have been able to work within a Navy that is now, in the words of Zumwalt's daughter Mouzetta Zumwalt-Weathers, "as dad knew it could be."

It is this Navy that I want you to talk about with teachers, administrators, librarians, coaches, community leaders, and other influencers who engage regularly with our nation's youth.

After my confirmation, Zumwalt's daughters, Ann and Mouzetta, shared with me that my tenure as the first woman CNO brings their father's vision full circle. I am awed and humbled by the weight and meaning of those words.

Vice Adm. Pat Tracey, the first woman three-star, said of Zumwalt, "His great gift was the ability to go beyond disruptive vision to know how to lay the railroad tracks for change that would have to play out over time."

"Most visionaries don't have the mental discipline to do that."

More Military Commissaries to Offer Home Grocery Delivery This Year
By Karen Jowers Military Times

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Commissary customers across the country will soon be able to get groceries delivered to their doorstep as officials prepare to expand the military's home-delivery pilot program this summer.

Grocery deliveries will start in the western United States around midsummer before rolling out nationwide, Defense Commissary Agency Director John Hall told Military Times in an interview Tuesday. Hall announced the program's expansion the same day at a meeting of the American Logistics Association, a trade association representing companies that sell to commissaries, exchanges, and morale, welfare, and recreation entities on bases.

Where the program will become available depends on the delivery range of companies that are picked to provide the service. Hall said there are early indications that companies are interested in almost all of the commissary locations in the continental United States.

Officials expect to solicit contract bids from delivery companies soon.

The commissary agency has run a grocery-delivery pilot program at eight commissaries for nearly two years. Customers have logged nearly 28,000 transactions, averaging $128.70 per order, since June 1, 2022, according to the Defense Commissary Agency.

When the pilot began, two companies held contracts to ferry food and other goods from stores to customers' homes. One of those companies, ChowCall, took over deliveries for all eight commissaries in March 2023. About 60% of ChowCall's deliveries head off base, while 40% stay on base, according to Todd Waldemar, the company's chief executive officer.

Their customers range from active duty families to troops living in barracks, retirees, and disabled veterans - and people who want to get a head start on shopping or grab a bite to eat while at work.

"We've delivered a bunch of orders to aircraft hangars," Waldemar said.

The service can be especially helpful to young families of troops who are deployed.

"If you're living on base and your spouse is deployed, 99.9% of the time, you can't get diapers and formula delivered to your house," Waldemar said.

That's changed for those who live near a commissary that currently falls under the pilot program. Right now, those include Scott Air Force Base, Illinois; Fort Liberty South, North Carolina; MacDill AFB, Florida; Fort Belvoir and Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia; Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington; and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and Naval Base San Diego in California.

"We've had a lot of positive comments. … Some people do a lot of orders," Waldemar said, noting one repeat customer has placed 98 orders. One sailor in the unaccompanied housing at NS Norfolk has placed 56 orders, the CEO said.

When the pilot first launched in 2022, most delivery fees hovered around $4 per order. Those low fees made it financially difficult for companies to cover operating costs like gas prices and drivers' salaries.

When ChowCall took over last year, they were allowed to launch a new pricing structure with fees that change based on a customer's distance from the commissary. Delivery fees now range from $10.99 to $16.70 for a trip of five miles or less to $29.99 for a 16- to 20-mile trip.

Nearly 250,000 Veterans to Receive Payouts in 3M Earplug Settlement
By Leo Shane III Military Times

More than 249,000 veterans will receive part of the $6 billion lawsuit settlement against 3M as part of the Combat Arms Earplug settlement announced in 2023, corporate officials announced.

The figure represents more than 99% of all of the claimants who filed suit against the manufacturing company, accusing them of causing hearing damage in troops through faulty production of military-grade hearing protection.

The earplugs, produced by Aearo Technologies before it was bought by 3M in 2008, were sold from 1999 to 2015 and used extensively by troops deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, and other locations.

The high-profile legal fight has been grinding through courts for years, with a handful of individual claimants winning their cases against the company. In the summer of 2023, attorneys involved in a class-action lawsuit against the company announced plans to end all outstanding action against 3M if at least 98% of claimants agreed to the $6 billion settlement.

Of the nearly 300,000 cases filed against the company, more than 41,000 were thrown out by the court overseeing the agreement, 3M officials said. Those dismissals allowed lawyers to meet the threshold for triggering the agreement.

3M, based in Minnesota, has not acknowledged flaws with the earplugs.

In past statements, officials from the company have said the equipment is safe and effective "when used properly."

Veterans involved in the lawsuit will see payouts between now and 2029. Exact amounts will depend on the severity of their injuries, but the total payouts 3M will be liable for will not exceed $6 billion.

In the summer of 2023, 3M reached a separate $10 billion settlement with numerous municipalities to resolve pending claims over the company's alleged contamination of drinking water systems through their manufacturing processes.

More information on the settlement is available through an information site set up by the company. https://www.3mearplugsfacts.com/

Key Bridge Collapse Affecting Shipments of Some Troops' Belongings
By Karen Jowers Military Times

Some shipments of troops' household goods and personal vehicles have stalled after Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed March 26, halting vessel traffic at the Port of Baltimore, U.S. Transportation Command said Wednesday.

No military operations have been affected by the port's inability to send out or receive ships, command spokesman Erik Anthony told Military Times.

TRANSCOM officials are working with the military services, the household goods-shipping contractors, and the vehicle-shipping contractor to identify which belongings are affected, Anthony said.

"We're able to mitigate a lot of those impacts," he said. "Thankfully, we have a host of ports on the East Coast that we can use as alternate ports."

The TRANSCOM team will be in contact with service members to notify them if their belongings are affected, he added.

Key Bridge, a major thoroughfare in the Baltimore-Washington region that hosted more than 30,000 travelers each day, was destroyed early Tuesday when a cargo ship lost power and rammed into a support column. The bodies of two men were recovered at the site Wednesday; another four people remain missing and are presumed dead.

Federal officials have estimated rebuilding the bridge could cost at least $2 billion. At a White House press conference Wednesday, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg did not say how long new construction could take but noted that building the original bridge took five years. Reopening the Port of Baltimore may come sooner.

The accident has snagged travel in the mid-Atlantic ahead of the military's busy moving season, which typically begins May 15.

Since vessel traffic at the port is indefinitely suspended, TRANSCOM officials are working to mitigate the potential long-term effects, Anthony said. Alternate ports that handle commercial shipments are expected to grow increasingly congested; officials are looking at moving cargo by rail and truck and perhaps sending some shipments to a West Coast port instead of one on the East Coast.

International Auto Logistics, the company that ships troops' personal vehicles to and from overseas, said on its website Wednesday that it didn't have any cargo aboard the Dali, the ship involved in the incident.

"IAL is currently working with our shipping partners for alternate shipping ports to minimize delays as much as possible," company officials said.

Company representatives will be contacting troops who may experience delays because of the incident "as soon as more information becomes available," IAL said.

"All carriers that use Baltimore as their primary port of call are competing for the same resources at other ports on the U.S. East Coast, so making a decision on where to move operations requires ensuring that assets to support loading and unloading along with adequate port space to stage cargo have been secured and are available," the company added.

Vet Owned Business

Veterans Portraits

Mickey is a retired Navy Photographers Mate, Chief Petty Officer, and was the Leading Chief of the Navy's elite Combat Camera Group Pacific. Mickey's current focus is the Veterans Portrait Series, which documents veterans' stories of service. He is focused on our World' Greatest Generation. The veterans of World War II.

Mickey interviews each VetVeteranollecting and writing their service stories, archiving these notable historical figures and their stories for generations to come. Mickey has collected and displayed images and stories from over 100 warriors who, at one point, signed the dotted line when our country needed their sacrifice of service most. Mickey continues to collect Veterans from all services for the Veterans Portrait Series. In 2019, this body of work was displayed at the Palm Beach Photographic Centre Museum from November 11, 2019, to March 1, 2020.

Mickey and the project were in the national spotlight, featured on the Sunday Today Show with Harry Smith Today Show Link to YouTube. See the Google 360 Virtual walk through from the Palm Beach Museum Exhibit. Enjoy, and thank you for your help with this project. In 2022 Mickey has photographed over 25 more WW2 Veterans and will be hosting a print show in San Diego in November with an open house on Veterans Day.

To find out more, visit his wonderful website: https://veteransportrait.com/

CAP Marines

In July 21, 1970 I was wounded in the morning there was another Marine as well that got hurt, to this day I can't remember who the other Marine was and the unit that I was in at the time. The area was located around Quang Nam Qua Giang! I was in a CAP unit at the time and learned later on that the number may have changed so that it could be any of the 2-7 cap units. Another Marine had his M-79 explode, and I was standing off to the side of him when it happened. I assume he was hurt worse than me, but to this day, I have been unable to piece this together. I was wondering if someone does remember something like this that happened. I believe we were medivac to DaNang, and I ended up in a hospital in Guam for over a month. Do you think you can help me with this? I
 
I was in Cap 273 when I first arrived in January 1970, we had a lot of casualties between then and July we may have gotten mixed with different CAPs.

LCpl Donald Carbone
USMC 1969-1970
doedcar14@comcast.net

Family Stories and Histories: A Thank You by Joan Regen Ramirez
I wanted to write a family saga based on my war medic hero uncle's memorabilia. 

My problem became a quest for an answer: I needed to know his final rank when he was honorably discharged. 

The poor man's service to his country had been doubly complicated because he'd been misclassified, sent to the wrong base for basic training, and given the wrong classification. 

Without him here to guide me, I set out on a journey that started with contacting the U.S. Army's office of records from WWII. They had his name, but since he was shipped out to North Africa shortly after completing basic and then to Italy for his second tour of duty, I felt like I was starting a new puzzle while several pieces of the old one were missing. 

I gave the military all the facts from letters he sent home from both military campaigns. When I was about to give up hope, Together We Served sent me what I'd been looking for: The correct spelling of his name, rank, years served, primary unit, etc. 

I think what turned the tide in my favor was my mention of his being Jewish. While all American soldiers served one master, the United States Army, he was observant. It was noted on his original draft paperwork, but I didn't think it would make a difference in providing this bit of information. However, I'm proud to say, from his memoirs, he recalled saying prayers in Hebrew and English on the battlefield. 

Now, my journey is complete, and thanks to TWS, I can complete my novel by filling in the blanks for my uncle's war records. 

Bio: Joan Ramirez is an ESL and Autism teacher and entrepreneurial trainer. In addition to publishing five books (fiction and nonfiction), she is now embarking on a journey of historical fiction/suspense novels, with three completed works. For those interested in conversing online re WWII military memories, she can be  reached at writerjr1044@gmail.com