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The Veterans Crisis Line is staffed by caring, qualified crisis responders who are there to help. Many of these responders are veterans themselves. 

Crisis Line (Call 988)

Crisis Line (Text 838255)

 Camp Lejeune Justice Act 

Who is eligible?

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 kettles
Chapter member LTC. (Retired) Chuck Kettles received the Medal of Honor in July 2016

LTC Charles S. Kettles (ret) Passed Away On January 21, 2019.  Rest In Peace My Friend, Rest In Peace...

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We lost another hero on December 23, 2021, Lloyd Lee (above). 

Click Here To Find Out If You Qualify For Health Care At The VA As A Veteran.

 

President McCrumb's Message - March 2024  

 

  

dutch meThe annual Stan Harrison merchandise inventory was on February 11th. I along with Marv Rivers, his wife Wendy and twin daughter Annaliese and Nicoletter as well as Dave and Meni Draper, Berry Bourne, and Ed Scruggs inventoried the merchandise trailer. Every T-shirt, Fleece hoodies, hats and pins and anything else Stan could fine were counted and recorded.

Berry manned a desk at the Post with his computer as he worked his magic while we turned in our inventory sheets. Someone mentioned that was just like being back in school as we turned in our completed homework assignments to the teacher at his/her desk. Stan schedules the inventory yearly and I think next year I’ll try to be out of town! 

The January/February The VVA Veteran has a picture on page 32 of several of us in the Governor’s office in Lansing for the signing of the Washtenaw County Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway bill. Al Merritt advised me that the signs were delivered and will be installed in the spring. We probably will have a small celebration on Vietnam Veterans Day. 

Continuing with The Vietnam Veteran; Sandie Wilson chair of the Agent Orange & Birth Defects Registry Committee authored an important article on page 16.  On page 36 there is an article on the Philips CPAP machines. If you have a Phillips CPAP system check that article to make sure your have a model that wasn’t part of the recall. 

Sick Call: Per Stan Harrison “They had scheduled brain surgery but they couldn’t find the microscope so the moved down to my shoulder”. All kidding aside, he did have successful shoulder replacement surgery on January 25th and Berry Bourne had a successful pace maker replacement surgery on the 7th of February. Sandie Wilson has knee replacement surgery in January and is getting along quite well as she continues with physical therapy. 

We had a good Merchandise sales at the VA this month. Hats, t-shirt and pins were sold. A nurse physician assistant spotted a t-shirt that had “Boocoo Dinky Dau” along with the Vietnam Service ribbon. She broke into a huge grin! “My dad always said that to us” she said. We explained what it meant which made her grin larger. She bought the t-shirt, hat and several hat pins. Fredo worked with her so she could picked out the correct hat pins based on her dad’s branch of service. She said he father’s birthday was coming up and she wanted to surprise him. My guess is he too will have a big smile on his special day.

On February 13th a new weapons secure storage law, Public Act 17 of 2023, went into effect requiring individuals to keep unattended weapons unloaded and locked with a locking device or stored in a locked box or container if it is reasonably known that a minor is likely to be present on the premises.

At our February meeting Rev. Bob Bull discussed a resolution he will be submitting to Lansing which will be supported locally by VVA Charles S. Kettles Chapter 310 as well as the Vietnam Veterans Michigan State Council, American Legion Post 46 and VFW Post 423 to have a 988 decal placed on both sides of Michigan State Police vehicles through the state. For many years mottos like to be “D.A.R.E” and “Just Say No” were on police vehicles with great success.

A condensed version of Bob’s resolution: The suicide rate in this country is at alarming numbers. With approximately 40 or more adults taking their own lives every day, woman seeing the fastest growth in this demographic (ages 18 to 35); and children being the second or third largest demographic, ages 8 to 18; and veterans at a rate of 22 or more a day. (These statistics are from the Department Health and Human Services and the Department of Veterans Affairs). 

If you would like a copy of the resolution, contact Rev. Bull or me. Below is an example of the decal.

988A

 

Arf,

V

P. S. Wars Fade. Memories Don’t!

Arf,

V