the veterans voice, winter 2013

7/29/2019 The Veterans Voice, Winter 2013

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THE UTAH

VETERANS VOICE

Volume 20: Issue 1 Winter 2013

UTAHS VETERANS

TRACKING SYSTEM

(VTS) PASSES FIRST

MAJOR TEST

by Larry Dawson

In a past issue we reported onthe long-standing dream ofthe Utah Department ofVeterans Affairs to have adatabase that would let theDepartment know how many

Veterans are in the State and where they arelocated. For the past 18 months that thedatabase has been in development it hasaccomplished not only do the two thingslisted above, but has some real worldapplications to assist Veterans in their effortsto find out about and apply for VA and StateBenefits.

On 12 December 2012 a test of the VTSand how it can assist Veterans was applied.The background of the test was that it notified

Veterans about a Veterans Benefit Briefing atthe Golden Hours Senior Center in downtownOgden, Utah. The information presented wasbased on benefits that would be directed moretoward Veterans in the age group of thosewho served before the Gulf War conflicts.These included such items as Aid andAttendance, enrollment into the VA MedicalSystem, Home and Vehicle Modifications,Nursing Homes, Dependency and IndemnityCompensation (DIC), and Death Benefits.

The two main briefers were Chris Scott of the Veterans Benefits Administration and LarryDawson of the Utah Department of Veterans Affairs.

A small sample of Zip Codes was selected in those areas that are part of the Ogden area.The number of Veterans in the target group in the VTS surprised the VTS administrators in thatthey exceeded 6,000 names and addresses. A postcard had been sent to each Veteran with aReturn Service Requested (address correction) item. In all, more than 4,900 postcards were

delivered, and approximately 1100 cards were returned. Most of these returns had updatedaddresses. The positive side of these returns demonstrated that the VTS could be easilyupdated. This strengthens the veracity of the VTS by improving the accuracy of the contactinformation.

Attendance for the event exceeded the capacity of the venue. More than 240 Veterans cameto hear the briefings and receive forms and assistance in making claims. Part of the registrationprocess asked attendees how they found out about the meeting. Ninety percent + noted thepostcard as reason for attending. Another item of success was found in calls to the office of theUtah Department of Veterans Affairs (UDVA) that were received in succeeding days after the

event. Phone logs note more than 350 calls by Veterans who could not attend the briefing. Thepostcard indicated that if you couldnt attend, call the UDVA for information presented at theevent. Briefing packets were then sent to requesters.

Other events like theone held in Ogden arebeing planned in thefuture throughout theState. The success of theVTS program incontacting Veterans inspecific areas will enablethe UDVA to be moreproactive and productivein its mission ofsupporting Veterans intheir ongoing quest tounderstand and acquirethose benefits to whichthey are entitled. That isthe core mission of theUDVA and its workers. PARTICIPANTS AT THE VETERANS BENEFIT BRIEFING IN OGDEN


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From t

he Ed

it

ors Desk . . .

What comes to your mind when

you hear the word warrior? Intruth, it is a much bandied-aboutword in the culture presently dueto the conflicts in which we areengaged. Merriam-Websterdefines it simply as : a manengaged or experienced inwarfare. (Odd that thisdictionary would use man rather

than person considering theunprecedented number of womenwho currently serve in the GWOT.)

Well, when I think of the wordtwo men come to mind: MSG

The Utah Veterans VoiceAdvertising Rates

Full Page 9.5 Wide x 10 High $450.001/2 Page (horizontal only) 9.5 Wide x 5 High $350.001/3 Page (vertical only) 3 Wide x 10 High $250.00

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2 Editorial Comment News Updates Feature Stories The Utah Veterans Voice

Published Quarterly By

THE UTAH DEPARTMENT

OF

VETERANS AFFAIRS

550 FOOTHILL BOULEVARD

SUITE 202

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84113http://veterans.utah.gov/

Terry Schow

Executive Director

Dennis McFall

Deputy Director

Robert WelshEditor-in-Chief

Volunteer

s Ne

ededDrivers Honor Guards

VA Medical CenterFt. Douglas Museum

Special Events Workshops

Call 1-800-894-9497

Import

ant Phone NumbersUtah Department. of Veterans Affairs

(801) 326-2372

1-800-894-9497VA Regional Office

1-800-827-1000

VA Medical Center(801) 582-15651-800-613-4012

Veterans Cemetery(801) 254-9036

Transition Assistance

Lawrence Okendo and CSM BasilPlumley. I never knew Plumley,but back in 1967, when your

editor was crawling through thejungles of Vietnam, I had thegood fortune to have Sgt. Okendoas my platoon sergeant. He wasthe epitome of a warrior, and weunhesitatingly followed him tothe proverbial Gates of Hell.

But CSM Basil Plumley and MSG

Lawrence Okendo shared somethingthat only a handful of men canclaim -- they fought in threewars and thereby earned theTriple CIB. Sadly, CSM Plumleypassed away in October. We paytribute to him on page 14.

Speaking of warriors, Defense

Secretary Leon Panetta is liftingthe military's long-standing banon women serving in combat. Bydoing so, front-line positions andpossibly special operations jobswill be open to women. That doesnot mean they have previouslybeen immune from danger or fromcombat. (The latest figure at

this writing is 152 have beenkilled in the GWOT.)

This decision, however, couldopen some 200,000 + jobs, many inArmy and Marine infantry units,to women. In recent years, thenecessities of war placed womeninto jobs as medics, military

police, and intelligence officersthat were sometimes attached tounits on the front lines.

And, since women now comprise14% of active-duty militarypersonnel, some re-thinking had

to take place. Thus, in amemorandum entitled Women inthe Service Implementation Plan,Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman ofthe Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated:The time has come to rescind thedirect combat exclusion rule forwomen and to eliminate all

unnecessary gender-basedbarriers to service.

What say you?

ContactRobert Welsh [email protected]

or call801.326.2372

about

advertising.


3/16

VETERANS UPWARD BOUNDA GREAT RESOURCEFOR VETERANS

On 1 September 2012 Veterans Upward Bound was refunded for anew five-year cycle to serve Veterans along the Wasatch Front inUtah who wish to go to school beyond high school. This program,one of just 51 currently funded in the country, and the only programof its kind in Utah, helps Veterans by providing classes and tutoringthat help them become academically ready to attend school. Inaddition to academics, the programs also helps Veterans apply forschool at any institution they wish to attend, find financial aidresources (both VA and civilian), consider appropriate majors to

study, how to develop their skills to study, and much more. And, thebest news is that this is all FREE.

To participate, Veterans must have better than a dishonorabledischarge documented by a DD 214 or other paperwork, and must nothave a Baccalaureate degree already. In addition, Veterans enrolledin higher education are not eligible unless they are takingdevelopmental or remedial classes at school.

Veterans who are interested in taking part in this free and valuableprogram should contact Veterans Upward Bound at (801) 626-7173,or via the programs website at www.weber.edu/vetsupwardbound . Ifyou have never felt your skills were up to par to attend school afterhigh school, or if you need to dust off some academic rust from beingout of education for several years, this program can help you a lot.

The Utah Veterans Voice News Updates Feature Stories Editorial Comments 3

WHOREADSTHEUTAHVETERANSVOICE . . .?

JAMES ANDREWS, A VETERAN AND ACTOR FROM THE ST. GEORGE AREA.STARS IN THE DON'T WASTE UTAHTV COMMERCIALS AND IN THE SHORTFILM BACKFIRE (2000), WHICH WAS SHOWN AT THE ECLIPSE FILMFESTIVAL. ANDREWS ALSO HAD ROLES IN "CHRISTMAS MISSION" ANDTHE MOVIE POOL DAYS (1993).


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Ancestry.com has assembled the digitized and indexed NCA burialledgers with those at NARA into a new collection, U.S. BurialRegisters, Military Posts and National Cemeteries, 1862-1960. The

burial records contain information such as name, rank,company/regiment, date of death, age at death, date of burial andgrave number. A large number of Civil War soldiers were buriedwhere they fell in battle or in temporary cemeteries, and sometimesthat information can be found in the ledgers.

The collection was posted on the Ancestry.com website onVeterans Day 2012. The information can be accessed free of chargeby VA personnel as well as by employees of the other federalagencies that maintain national cemeteries, the Departments of the

Interior and Defense. Ledger data will also be available for free at allNARA facilities, and at public libraries that subscribe toAncestry.com. NCA cemetery staff will use the database to answerrequests from the public. The general public will have access to thedatabase on their personal devices through Ancestry.coms regularsubscription service.

This partnership between Ancestry.com and NCA supports NCAsongoing Civil War 150th anniversary commemoration (2011-2015).For more information on this project, contact Sara Amy Leach

([email protected]

), NCA senior historian.

VA operates 131 national cemeteries in 39 states and Puerto Ricoand 33 soldiers lots and monument sites. Seventy two of VAsnational cemeteries date from the Civil War. More than 3.7 millionAmericans, including Veterans of every war and conflict from theRevolutionary War to the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan areburied in VAs national cemeteries on approximately 20,000 acres ofland.

4 Editorial Comments News Updates Feature Stories The Utah Veterans VoiceThe Department of Veterans Affairs has partnered

with the internet-based genealogy research firmAncestry.com to bring burial records from historic

national cemetery ledgers into the digital age. Theeffort will make the collection predominantly ofCivil War interments accessible to researchers and

Ancestry subscribers undertaking historical and genealogical research.

We are excited to be able to share this wealth of primarydocumentation, said VAs Under Secretary for Memorial AffairsSteve L. Muro. With the help of Ancestry.com, we have opened thedoors to thousands of service members histories through theinformation contained in these burial ledgers.

From the 1860s until themid-20th century, U.S. Armypersonnel tracked national

cemetery burials in hand-written burial ledgers or registers. Due toconcern for the fragile documents and a desire to expand public accessto the ledger contents, VAs National Cemetery Administration(NCA) duplicated about 60 hand-written ledgers representing 36cemeteries using a high-resolution scanning process. The effortresulted in high quality digital files that reproduced approximately9,344 pages and 113,097 individual records. NCA then transferredthe original ledgers to the National Archives and RecordsAdministration (NARA) where they will be preserved. In addition tothe NCAs ledgers, NARA was already the steward of at least 156military cemetery ledgers transferred from the Army years ago.

In 2011, NCA initiated a partnership with Ancestry.com to indexits cemetery ledgers, allowing the data to be searched or browsed in avariety of ways. Ancestry.com spent more than 600 hours indexingNCAs records at no charge to the government.


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Forthcoming Veterans EventsUtah Department of Veterans Aairs550 Foothill Boulevard, Suite 202Salt Lake City, Utah 84113

801-326-2372 1-800-894-9497

FEBRUARY16 February Veterans Fund Raiser Music from the Heart,

Spanish Fork Arena Ponderosa Building, 11001700hrs., POC: [email protected]

MARCH13 March Salt Lake City Library, 210 East 400 South, Veterans

Administration VA Benefits Presentation, POC:[email protected]

APRIL10 April Golden Hours Senior Center, Ogden, VA Benefits

Presentation650 25th St., Ogden, POC:[email protected]

12 April MIA/POW Banquet, Hilton Hotel, Salt Lake City, UT(by invitation only)

17 April Governors Military and Family Summit and Job Fair,Salt Palace Convention Center, 0800 hrs., Salt LakeCity, POC: [email protected]

20 April Central Utah Veterans Home Golf Tournament,Gladstan Golf Course, Payson, POC:[email protected] [email protected]

24 April Korean War 60th Commemoration Event,Memory Grove, Salt Lake City, 1300 1400 hrs., All

Korean War Veterans invited, POC:[email protected] May 10th Annual Veterans Memorial Golf Tournament,

Hubbard Golf Course, HAFB, Utah, POC:[email protected]

Additional information and dates when they become available will beposted under events on the Utah Department of Veteran Affairswebsite: http://www.veterans.utah.gov/

THE FUTUREOFOUR COUNTRYISIN

GOOD HANDS

by Mike Duncan

The rumble of Harley Davidson motorcycles was nearly muted bythe screams and shouts of high school students as members of variousMarine units rode their motorcycles onto the auditorium stage atClearfield High School on 21 December 2012. This kicked off theassembly that ended a weeklong fund raising drive dedicated at raising

money for Wounded WarriorsFund of Utah.

Student body officers Alex

Arave and Austin Goff, alongwith members of ClearfieldJROTC, orchestrated a week ofevents that were dedicated toraising the money. Dances, ArtAuctions, Penny Wars, and Jailand Bail were some of the

events designed to generate money.

One of the best producers was the Miracle Minute at the

basketball games and Band and Choir concerts. Student body officerswent around the audience with buckets and encouraged spectators todonate. When people found out what it was for they would empty allthe change out of their pockets. The miracle minute alone during theassembly generated $2,000. The assembly also generated $4,000 asathletic teams pooled money to buy pies to throw at their coaches.Teachers bought pies to hit each other with, and some teachers boughtthem for the right to not get hit with pies.

At the end of the assembly, Alex, Austin, and their advisor, Mrs.LeNina Wimmer, presented the Marine Corps League with a check for$12,000 to the Wounded Warrior Fund for Utah.


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6 Editorial Comments News Updates Feature Stories The Utah Veterans Voicehomelike areas for gathering and visiting. While both Ivins andPayson are similar on the inside, they will look quite different fromthe outside. Each is constructed to blend into the community and

reflect the unique architecture of the surroundings.Each location will provide approximately 150 full-time jobs in the

community with an annual payroll in excess of $3.5 million.Expenditures for food and food supplies, operating supplies, smallequipment, etc., will approach $4 million annually.

Similar to the Ogden and Salt Lake facilities, it is expected thateach location will serve as a gathering place for Veterans events,service organization meetings, and community functions that arerelated to patriotism and recognition of the great contribution and

sacrifice our Veterans have made for the state and the country. Thesefacilities will be available for such meetings at no cost or veryminimal cost to these entities.

The facilities are being constructed with funds comprised of 35%state and 65% federal dollars. In addition, citizens, businesses, andVeterans in both locations have contributed funds for specialamenities and upgrades to furnishings and interiors. Additionalcontributions are expected and are welcome in both locations.

An individual or company contributing at least $100 dollars will

have his/her name permanently engraved on a large wall plaque.Those who can sponsor a room with a contribution of $4000 will berecognized with an individual, permanent recognition plaque on thewall outside the room, with limited inscription as desired by thecontributor. Many have seen this as a unique opportunity to honor afamily member or friend who served in the armed forces and todedicate a room in honor of that individual for the benefit of theVeterans who will reside therein. For additional informationregarding contributions please see the contact information below.

Title to each of the homes will rest with the State of Utah. Thefederal VA payment for the cost of care is only available to theVeteran if he or she is residing in a state-owned facility, and bothPayson and Ivins qualify. Spouses of Veterans and certain others alsoqualify to receive care in the home, but the VA does not cover the costof their care. Several inspections and reviews must be successfullycompleted prior to receiving any payment from the federal VA;however, once formal recognition is attained, the VA dollars willcover nearly $4 million dollars in health care annually in eachlocation.

The State of Utah will not operate either facility. The only stateemployee will be one State Officer on site, full time, as required byfederal VA regulations. It is currently planned to have a VeteransBenefit Specialist or Service Officer housed in each facility for theexpress purpose of assisting Veterans and family members innavigating the maze of federal regulations and paperwork thataccompany Pension and Medical eligibility benefits and registrationwith the VA for these and related services. Actual operation of thefacility will be contracted to an existing long-term care provider

Continued on the following page

IVINS AND PAYSON

VETERANS HOMES

SCHEDULED TO OPENIN MAY 2013

by Dennis McFall, Deputy Director and Project Director

Work is progressing on schedule at both the Ivins and Payson sitesfor two new veterans nursing homes. Weather has caused minordelays in Payson but a late spring opening is not in jeopardy. Outsidewalls and roofs are nearly complete in both locations so work will

now be mostly inside and unaffected by the outside weather,particularly in Payson. Both facilities are constructed on 10-acre sitesdonated respectively by the City of Ivins and the City of Paysonthrough an exchange agreement with the real estate arm of the Churchof Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) Church.

Each facility will serve a wide geographic area in both southernand central Utah. It is important to realize these facilities are forVeterans throughout the state, but are geographically placed toaccommodate Veterans in the southern and the central sections of

Utah. The facility is not just for residents of Ivins, or residents ofPayson, but for all Veterans. Similarly, we have facilities in Ogdenand in Salt Lake, but we have residents therein from all across thestate. Now, residents of Cedar City, Kanab, Moab, Green River,Price, Richfield, Fillmore, the Uintah Basin, and many rural areas willhave additional choices as to where they can receive high qualityhealth care closer to home and avoiding the need to access care in SaltLake City or Ogden.

Once these two projects are completed, the State of Utah will havereached its maximum allowable VA certified beds as authorized underthe federal VA formula. This formula is based on the number ofVeterans that reside in each state, and for Utah this results in amaximum of 417 beds. Eligible Veterans who reside therein mayhave from 50% to as much as 100% of the cost of care paid by theVA. Both facilities will be Medicare certified, and each will have afew beds certified for Medicaid recipients. Each Veteran admittedwill have the opportunity to review all potential financial resourcesavailable for the payment of any balance not paid by the VA.

A waiting list is being compiled for those who anticipate the need

for long-term care services for themselves, a family member, or otherswho might need such care. If you know a Veteran who might needskilled nursing care please contact the Utah Department of VeteransAffairs at 801-326-2372, or send information to [email protected] will be contacted by an admissions person in April 2013 toarrange for documentation and to assist you with related paperwork.

Each of the two facilities is being constructed under the latest VAarchitectural guidelines. There will be nine 12-bed housing units for atotal of 108 private rooms each with its own bath, and each housing

unit will contain dining areas, barbeque patios, gardens, and other


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Continued from the previous pageorganization (yet to be determined). A Request for Proposals (RFP)covering all aspects of operations was published in November, and aselection committee has been named to review and evaluate theresponses to the RFP.

If you are interested in employment, we are accepting resumes andwill provide these to the management company once named. Theywill be responsible for all hiring except for the state positionsmentioned earlier.

If you have any questions about any aspect of the building or thecare that will be provided, or if you are interested in employment,volunteer service, or learning more about contributing to the facilitiesin any manner, please contact the Utah Department of VeteransAffairs at:

Utah Department of Veterans Affairs550 Foothill Dr. #202Salt Lake City, Utah 84113(801) 326-2372 (800) 894-9497

MAIN ENTRY, BUILDING A, LOOKING WEST

EXTERIOR CANOPY, BUILDING D, LOOKING SOUTHWEST

CORRIDOR BETWEEN BUILDING C AND D, PAINT READY

ALUMINUM STOREFRONT, ADMINISTRATION BUILDING

Southern Utah Veterans Home IvinsUnder IRS guidelines, your contribution is tax deductible to the extent itexceeds the Fair Market Value of goods or services received. We havedetermined this amount to be $60 per participant based upon acontribution of $100. You may only claim the amount that exceeds thevalue of goods or services provided.

Central Utah Veterans Home Payson


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8 Editorial Comments News Updates Feature Stories The Utah Veterans Voice


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Under IRS guidelines, your contribution is tax deductible to the extent itexceeds the Fair Market Value of goods or services received. We havedetermined this amount to be $60 per participant based upon acontribution of $100. You may only claim the amount that exceeds thevalue of goods or services provided.


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11/16


BUDWEISER CLYDESDALESATTHEGEORGE E. WAHLEN OGDENVETERANS HOMEby Kim Wixon, State Officer

On 7 December 2012 the famous Budweiser Clydesdale Teamcame to the George E. Wahlen Ogden Veterans Home to entertain theveterans. The idea for this visit came from the local Budweiserdistributing company, Wasatch Distributing. Randy Peterson andRich Peterson came to the Home and offered the team to come whilethey were in Utah. We of course accepted without hesitation. The

full team, drivers and even the Dalmatian mascot dog were there. Abig thank you to Wasatch Distributing, Rich and Kathy Peterson, theowners, and Randy Peterson.

BUDWEISER CLYDESDALES IN FRONT OF VETERANS TRIBUTE TOWER

THANK YOUFROMTHE UTAH STATEVETERANS NURSING HOMEby Jeff Hanson, State Officer

The Utah State Veterans Nursing Home would like to thank allwho visited and shared their time, talents, and resources during thisholiday season. Veterans organizations, businesses, family groups,and many individuals went out of their way to make the season specialfor our residents. We are grateful for the support the communityprovides.

We try hard to keep our event calendar full throughout the entireyear. If you would like to share your time, talents, or resources withour veteran residents, please contact our volunteer coordinator, Nai

Dien, by email at [email protected] or by phone at 801 584-1920.

REPRESENTATIVES FROM EHEALTH, INC. DONATE A NEW IPAD AND WII TO

THE VETERANS FOR CHRISTMAS.


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12 Editorial Comments News Updates Feature Stories The Utah Veterans Voicechamber) suitable for each bird, and adviceon avian medical needs. The mew will bewheelchair accessible if needed.

HH4H is a Utah 501(c)(3) nonprofit thatwill provide the psycho-social component inweekend workshop format and onlinecommunity programming to help rebuild re-integration skills and other challengesVeterans face returning home.

HH4H offers no-cost and stigma-free,mission-driven, and integrated combattrauma recovery services to returning

soldiers and their loved ones challenged byPost-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) andother reintegration issues. By usingintegrated modalities such as positivepsychology coaching, mindfulness, andyoga/hiking, they help Veterans readjust tolife in the new normal, while adaptingtheir warrior skills to civilian life throughtraining and self-mastery. The result is agreater overall sense of wellbeing.

If you are interested in trying this, pleaseemail us at: [email protected] andtell us a little about yourself!

WINGS

OF VALOR

by Patti Richards,Executive.Director, Great

Basin Wildlife Rescue, with RobertWelsh and Larry Dawson, UtahDepartment of Veterans Affairs

The Great Basin Wildlife Rescue inpartnership with the Utah FalconersAssociation and Harvesting Happiness forHeroes (HH4H) is pleased to support afabulous project called Wings of Valor in2013. This new project will provide disabledVeterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistanthe opportunity to experience the art ofFalconry. There is no cost to the Veterans.

Falconry is an art. It requires long hours,constant devotion, finesse, subtlety, and skill.The falconer must train a bird of prey to flyfree, hunt for a human, and then accept areturn to captivity. And, Falconry is not ahobby; it is a lifestyle of sorts, for Falconersmust devote time to their birds each and everyday, 365 days a year. Its not for everyone,and it may not be a suitable pastime forchildren.

Falconry was introduced to Europeanroyalty in the 5th Century A.D., but, it wasFrederick II of Hohenstaufen (11941250)who is generally considered the first and mostsignificant practitioner of traditional falconryin the West. He penned the falconry treatise

De arte venandi cum avibus, (The Art ofHunting with Birds), generally acceptedas the first comprehensive treatment of thepractice of falconry.

What the program will do is help theVeteran feel a closeness to nature he or sheprobably has never experienced, as well as abond with a bird of prey. Each Veteran willpartner with a general or master-class falconerand work closely with the Utah FalconersAssociation. Veterans will need to pass afalconry test to determine their suitability forthe program. Great Basin Wildlife will

provide each Veteran a mew (housing

NATIONALVETERANS

AWARENESS

RIDEThe primary event for the National

Veterans Awareness Organization (NVAO)each year is a 10-day motorcycle journeyacross the United States. Each day of travelinvolves stops at Veteran hospitals andhomes to visit, spend time with, and thankthe Veterans for their service and sacrifice.A typical day includes a stop at a memorialor cemetery for a time of remembrance or avisit to a school to teach the next generationabout the price of freedom.

This year, the 2013 National Veterans

Awareness Ride will arrive on Thursday 16May at the Utah State Veterans NursingHome at 1430 hrs., and will depart at 1600hrs. The riders always look forward to theirvisit with the Veterans at the Home. Thisyear they plan to have the same number ofmotorcycles as last year around 40motorcycles and two or three four wheeledvehicles. They will present NVARCertificates of Appreciation to selected

individuals for the good work that they do.

DYLAN HOPKINS WORKS WITH HIS BIRDEditors Note: Dylan was a friend ofmine who died, tragically, at the ageof 25 in a small plane crash in 2008.He was an EMT and Firefighter aswell as a certified falconer and afine young man. I know Dylan

would support this program.


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COLUMBARIUMAND

SCATTERING GARDEN

OPENFOR BURIALSVeteran Families Have Two New

Options at Veterans Cemeteryby Craig Morgan

Mr. Terry Schow, Director of the UtahDepartment of Veterans Affairs, recentlyannounced that Veterans and their eligibledependents can now be interred in two newareas at the Utah Veterans Cemetery andMemorial Park in Bluffdale, Utah.

We are happy to announce the long-awaited columbarium and Memorial Gardenat the Veterans Cemetery are now completed

and available for use, said Terry Schow,Executive Director of the Utah Departmentof Veterans Affairs. Veterans and familieswho prefer cremation now have the option toplace the ashes of their loved one in abeautiful, above-ground columbarium or inour new private Memorial Garden reservedfor ashes, said Schow.

Visitors to the cemetery will have nodifficulty finding these new features. Thefour section columbarium is constructed ofbeautiful light and dark granite and locateddirectly across from the large cemetery flagpole on the main entrance road. Each of thefour sections contain 128 niches to sheltercremation remains. As a primary designfeature, all niches are approximately 14

high and 13 wide large enough to

The Utah Veterans Voice News Updates Feature Stories Editorial Comments 13Speakers at the event were Dennis

Howland, of the Utah Veterans of ForeignWars, who coordinated the event, Terry

Schow, Executive Director, UtahDepartment of Veterans Affairs, andGovernor Gary Herbert. All asked thatpeople remember to thank a Veteran forhis or her service whenever they could.Gov. Herbert admonished attendees to createan environment were In Utah, Veterans areremembered every day.

Wreaths across America is two-decades-old program that began when aprivate company Worcester WreathCompany of Harrington, Maine, began atradition of placing wreaths on theheadstones of Service men and women atArlington National Cemetery.

The mission of Wreaths across America

is not just placing wreaths. It is aboutremembering, honoring, and most of all

teachingpeople aboutthe sacrificesmade onbehalf of thiscountry by itsVeterans.

The wreath atthis yearsceremony wasdedicated by

Norm Nelson, State Chaplain of theVeterans of Foreign Wars, in a prayer askingfor God to watch over those who are serving,have served, and the family members whosupport them. The wreath was then placedat the Vietnam Memorial where it remained

until the end of the year.

accommodate the ashes of both the Veteranand the spouse. To complete theenhancements, the area surrounding the

columbarium is beautifully landscaped withflowering trees and shrubs.

The other new burial option for Veteransand families is a secluded Memorial Garden.The fully landscaped Memorial Garden isprovided for families who prefer to scatterthe cremation ashes of their loved one in aprivate setting. It is located near the maincemetery flag pole and across the street fromthe columbarium.

Veterans and families who choose to useeither the Columbarium or the MemorialGarden must meet the same requirements asin other areas of the cemetery.

For more information feel free to contact

the Utah Veterans Cemetery and MemorialPark at 801.254.9036, or visit our website atwww.veterans.utah.gov.

NEW COLUMBARIUM AT THE UTAH VETERANSCEMETERY AND MEMORIAL PARK

ALTERNATIVE SCATTER GARDEN

UTAH

PARTICIPATES

IN ANNUAL

WREATHACROSS AMERICA

CEREMONY

by Larry Dawson

A presentation of a wreath at the Rotundaof the State Capitol on 10 December 2012coincided with other presentations in other

state capitols around the country.

GOVERNOR HERBERT SPEAKS ATTHE WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA

CEREMONY

THE WREATH IS PLACED ATTHE VIETNAM MEMORIAL ATTHE CAPITOL


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Disabled American Veterans (DAV)You can see a DAV National Service Officer at the

VA Regional Office at 550 Foothill Boulevard, #202.The DAV National Service Officer can assist Veteransand their dependents with issues related to VA benefits.One does not need an appointment to see a service officer. DAVNational Service Office hours are: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, andFriday: 0800 1600 hrs., and Wednesday: 0800 1200 hrs.

The DAV van transports Veterans to and from appointments at theVA Medical Center. Schedule appointments with the DAV at

1.800.613.4012 ext. 2003.

VETERANS OUTREACH

RESOURCESAND SCHEDULES

Outreach representatives from several VeteransService Organizations (VSOs) are available across thestate at various Department of Workforce Services

offices. See the monthly schedules to the right for times and locations.Please go to ww.veterans.utah.gov for an up-to-date schedule, orcontact your local Department of Workforce Services office for thedates and times a service officer will be available. (Schedules aresubject to change due to unforeseen events.)

Direct all questions regarding this schedule to the Utah Department

of Veterans Affairs at 801.326.2372 or1.800.894.9497. To schedulean appointment in Moab or Blanding, call 1.800.894.9497 (makeappointments at least 2 working days prior). For an Ogdenappointment call the Wahlen Veterans Home at 801.334.4300.

Beaver 875 N. Main Nephi 625 N. MainBlanding 544 N. 100 E. Panguitch 665 N. MainCedar City 176 E. 2nd N. Price 475 W. Price River Dr.Clearfield 1290 E. 1450 S. Provo 1550 N. 200 W.Delta 44 S. 350 E. Richfield 115 E. 100 S.Fillmore 75 West Center Roosevelt 140 W. 425 S.

Kanab

468 E. 300 S.

St. George

162 N. 400 E.

Logan 180 N. 100 W. Tooele 305 N. Main St.Manti 55 S. Main St. West Valley 2750 S. 5600 W.Midvale 7292 S. State Wahlen Ogden Veterans HomeMoab 457 Kane Creek Blvd. 1102 N. 1200 W.Legend:VFWN = VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS NORTH

ALN = AMERICAN LEGION NORTHDAV = DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS

TJS = THAD JENSEN SOUTHRMS = RICK MCMULLIN SOUTHGEWOVH = GEORGE E. WAHLEN VETERANS HOMEFor appointments in Moab or Blanding call 1.800.894.9497. Forappointments at the Wahlen Veterans Home call 801.334.4300. Makeappointments at least 2 working days in advance. All schedules aresubject to change. Call the Utah Department of Veterans Affairs at1.800.894.9497 with any questions.


Command Sergeant-Major Basil L. Plumley,a renowned career soldier whose exploits asan Army infantryman were portrayed in abook and the movie We Were Soldiers, has

died at age 92. Plumley fought in World War II, the Korean War, andVietnam and was awarded a medal for making five parachute jumpsinto combat. Plumley died of cancer on 10 October 2012.

The Sergeant-Major was near-legendary in the Army and gainedmore widespread fame through the 2002 movie starring Mel Gibson.Actor Sam Elliott played Plumley in the film. Hes iconic in militarycircles, said Greg Camp, Colonel, USARet. Among people whohave been in the military, hes beyond what a movie star would be.

His legend permeates three generations of soldiers.Plumley enlisted in the Army in 1942 andended up serving 32 years in uniform. InWorld War II he fought in the Allied invasionof Italy at Salerno and the D-Day invasion atNormandy. He later fought with the 187thAirborne Infantry Regiment in Korea. InVietnam, Plumley served as Sergeant-Major the highest enlisted rank in the 1st

Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment. That puts him in the rarest ofclubs, said journalist Joseph L. Galloway, who met Plumley whilecovering the Vietnam War for United Press International andremained lifelong friends with him. To be combat infantry in thosethree wars, in the battles he participated in, and to have survived that is miraculous. Indeed, only 325 soldiers have ever receivedwhat is known as the Triple CIB (Combat Infantrymans Badge).

In the 2002 film, journalist Galloway said several of Elliotts gruffone-liners in the movie were things Plumley actually said. Forexample, in the scene in which a soldier tells the Sergeant -Major goodmorning, Plumleys retort Who made you the f_ _ _ ing weatherman? was genuine. Sam Elliott underplayed him. He was actuallytougher than that, Galloway said. He was gruff, monosyllabic, anabsolute terror when it came to enforcing standards of training.

A Partial List of Plumleys Awards and Decorations Combat Infantryman Badge (three awards) Master Combat Parachutist Badge with gold star (5 combat jumps) Silver Star with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster Legion of Merit Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster and Valor Device Purple Heart with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters World War II Victory Medal Korean Service Medal with Arrowhead and 3 campaign stars Vietnam Service Medal with 1 silver and 3 bronze campaign stars Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal French Croix de Guerre (for World War II service) Belgian Croix de Guerre (for World War II service Vietnam Campaign Medal

Command Sergeant-Major Basil L. Plumley, requiescas in pace.


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FEBRUARY5 Price 0900 1000 hrs. ALN

Provo

1130 1300 hrs. ALN

Tooele 1430 1530 hrs. ALN6 Logan 0900 1000 hrs. ALN

Ogden 1100 1200 hrs. ALNClearfeld 1230 1400 hrs. ALN

7 Man 0930 1030 hrs. TJSRichfeld 1200 1330 hrs. TJSCedar City 0900 1030 hrs. RMSSt. George 1200 1430 hrs. RMSGEWOVH 0900 1430 hrs. DAV(By Appointment)

11 Nephi 0900 1000 hrs. TJSDelta 1130 1230 hrs. TJSFillmore 1330 1430 hrs. TJSBeaver 0900 1000 hrs. RMSPanguitch 1130 1230 hrs. RMSKanab 1400 1500 hrs. RMS

12 Blanding 0930 1100 hrs. RMS(By Appointment)Moab 1230 1430 hrs. RMS(By Appointment)

14 GEWOVH 0900 1430 hrs. DAV(By Appointment)Cedar City 0900 1030 hrs. RMSSt. George 1200 1430 hrs. RMS

19 Roosevelt 1330 1530 hrs. VFWN20 Price 0800 0900 hrs. VFWN

Provo

1030 1130 hrs.VFWN

Clearfeld 1330 1430 hrs. DAV

21 Logan 0900 1000 hrs. DAVOgden 1230 1430 hrs. DAVMan 0930 1030 hrs. TJSRichfeld 1200 1330 hrs. TJSCedar City 0900 1030 hrs. RMSSt. George 1200 1430 hrs. RMS

25 Beaver 0900 1000 hrs. RMSPanguitch 1130 1230 hrs. RMSKanab 1400 1500 hrs. RMS


28 Cedar City 0900 1030 hrs. RMSSt. George 1200 1430 hrs. RMSGEWOVH 0900 1430 hrs. DAV(By Appointment)

MARCH7 Man 0930 1030 hrs. TJS

Richfeld

1200 1330 hrs. TJS

Cedar City 0900 1030 hrs. RMSSt. George 1200 1430 hrs. RMSGEWOVH 0900 1430 hrs. DAV(By Appointment)

11 Nephi 0900 1000 hrs. TJSDelta 1130 1230 hrs. TJSFillmore 1330 1430 hrs. TJSBeaver 0900 1000 hrs. RMSPanguitch

1130 1230 hrs.

RMSKanab 1400 1500 hrs. RMS

12 Price 0900 1000 hrs. ALNProvo 1130 1300 hrs. ALNTooele 1430 1530 hrs. ALNBlanding 0930 1100 hrs. RMS(By Appointment)Moab 1230 1430 hrs. RMS(By Appointment)

13

Logan

0900 1000 hrs. ALN




Provo

1030 1130 hrs. VFWN

Clearfeld 1330 1430 hrs. DAV21 Logan 0900 1000 hrs. DAV

Ogden 1230 1430 hrs. DAVMan 0930 1030 hrs. TJSRichfeld 1200 1330 hrs. TJSCedar City 0900 1030 hrs. RMSSt. George 1200 1430 hrs. RMS




APRIL7 Man 0930 1030 hrs. TJS

Richfeld

1200 1330 hrs. TJS

Cedar City 0900 1030 hrs. RMSSt. George 1200 1430 hrs. RMSGEWOVH 0900 1430 hrs. DAV(By Appointment)

11 Nephi 0900 1000 hrs. TJSDelta 1130 1230 hrs. TJSFillmore 1330 1430 hrs. TJSBeaver 0900 1000 hrs. RMSPanguitch

1130 1230 hrs.

RMSKanab 1400 1500 hrs. RMS

12 Price 0900 1000 hrs. ALNProvo 1130 1300 hrs. ALNTooele 1430 1530 hrs. ALNBlanding 0930 1100 hrs. RMS(By Appointment)Moab 1230 1430 hrs. RMS(By Appointment)

13

Logan

0900 1000 hrs. ALN




Provo

1030 1130 hrs. VFWN

Clearfeld 1330 1430 hrs. DAV21 Logan 0900 1000 hrs. DAV

Ogden 1230 1430 hrs. DAVMan 0930 1030 hrs. TJSRichfeld 1200 1330 hrs. TJSCedar City 0900 1030 hrs. RMSSt. George 1200 1430 hrs. RMS





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the veterans voice, winter 2013

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