Tonight members of the Post will be on hand at the Beer Junction handing out poppies during the tasting with 2 Towns Cider. Also look for us around West Seattle this weekend as we will be at the Outwest Bar, Safeway’s, and on Memorial Day at the Forest Lawn Cemetery for the Memorial Day commemoration. Please join us at any of these events to get your poppies.
Regards,
Commander Sullivan
On Thursday May 23rd from 5pm to 8pm members will be at the Beer Junction handing out Buddy Poppies. The tasting will be cider from 2 Towns Cider House and if that is not your style there is beer on tap. Join us in raising a pint to honor those Veterans who have passed.
Mustard gas can cause bodily damage and has been used primarily as a chemical weapon, during combat in World War I and World War II, and during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s.
Mustard gas belongs to a class of organic compounds that include sulfur mustard (Yperite) and nitrogen mustard. Lewisite is an arsenic-containing agent in this class. As gases, these agents appear yellow-brown in color and smell like mustard, garlic, or horseradish. In pure form at room temperature, they are thick and almost-odorless liquids.
Mustard Gas Experiments
In the 1940s, the Department of Defense recruited “volunteer soldier” subjects for experiments using mustard agents to evaluate clothing, ointments and equipment to protect American troops from mustard agent attacks.
Since the early 1990s, VA has conducted outreach efforts to reach Veterans identified by the Department of Defense as participants in these tests and inform them about their benefits.
Health concerns?
If you are concerned about exposure to mustard gas during military service, talk to your health care provider or local VA Environmental Health Coordinator.
Veterans not enrolled in the VA health care system, find out if you qualify for VA health care.
VA benefits
Veterans may be eligible for VA disability compensation benefits and health care benefits for health problems associated with exposure to mustard gas during military service.
Veterans’ dependents and survivors also may be eligible for benefits. Read Federal Benefits for Veterans, Dependents and Survivors to learn more.
VETERANS AND TRAUMA
The National Institutes of Health estimate that, of the approximately 2 million veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, up to 20% su!er from post-traumatic stress or PTS. Veterans of previous wars may also continue to experience symptoms of PTS. PTS is an anxiety disorder that develops as a result of exposure to a traumatic event and is characterized by:
As veteran post-traumatic stress (PTS) and suicide are on the rise, there is an urgent need to address combat stress. The Power Breath workshop allows veterans to regain a sense of self-mastery and control because they can self-administer the techniques. Research show that these programs are e!ective, safe, prevention-based and free of known side e!ects. They can be scaled up to serve large numbers of veterans at a lower cost than many traditional interventions.
POWER BREATH WORKSHOP
The Power Breath Workshop is a mind-body resilience-building program for returning veterans. It o!ers practical breath-based tools that decrease the stress, anxiety and sleep problems that many returning veterans experience. A cornerstone of the Power Breath Workshop is the SKY (Sudarshan Kriya Yoga) Practice, a set of empirically validated breathing techniques. Through rhythmic breathing patterns, the SKY Practice brings deep mental and physical relaxation which research suggests can reduce symptoms of anxiety, anger, insomnia and depression. Through interactive discussions, the Power Breath workshop also teaches resilience and empowerment strategies, and develops self-awareness, connectedness and community. Our trainers are experienced facilitators who draw upon veterans’ existing strengths and wisdom to support them in returning to their natural, healthy state. Knowledgeable about military culture with extensive experience in breathing and mind-body techniques, our trainers guide the workshop with the attitude of mutual learning and respect. The program is interactive and facilitated in an open and supportive environment where veterans can share their life experiences if they wish and think about how their values shape their life.
“There is an alternative to medications and sleepless nights for those that serve our country” – Ohio Congressman Ryan
Ohio Congressman Ryan was introduced to Project Welcome Home Troops while researching the bene” ts of mindfulness. He was heartened to see such positive results for our troops from a simple practice, and is choosing to support Project Welcome Home Troops because he wants to see the program expanded to Ohio.
Power Breath Workshop: June 10th to June 14th . Time: 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm
For more information email: seattle@pwht.org or call: 206-395-8402
Location: Seattle
Seattle City Light will hold two events in May to commemorate Memorial Day. These events are sponsored by the utility’s Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI) Change Team. The Change Team engages employees learning opportunities that promote racial equality. The Memorial Day events are designed to educate and increase understanding of the intersection of RSJI and veterans’ experiences. The events will be held at the utilities North and South Service Centers.
Logistics: May 22, 2013, 8:00 – 9:30 a.m., NSC Auditorium, 1300 N 97th St, Seattle, WA 98103
May 23, 2013, 8:00 – 9:30 a.m., SSC Multi-purpose Room, 3613 4th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98134
Draft Agenda:
Speaker: Jack Hamann, author of “On American Soil”, a book about a real-life event in Seattle’s military history that put a spotlight on racism in the military, and ultimately exonerated African-American soldiers wrongfully court-martialed for the murder of an WWII Italian POW at Ft. Lawton (now Discovery Park).
The VFW and the American Legion will be on hand at the Post today selling various items during the WSCGS. There will also be baby items and vintages items for sale.
The 9th annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day, with 281 sale sites all over the peninsula. In case you haven’t seen it yet, we wanted to quickly mention that the online version of the map is now live – until Sale Day (next Saturday, May 11th, 9 am-3 pm) is over, it has its own tab on the WSB navigation bar, below the right side of the sunset-photo header. We’re still tweaking the printable version – the online version usually debuts first, and if sellers spot any address anomalies, for example (the mapping program has had one so far, quickly fixed), we can get those handled before publishing the link to the printable map. (E-mailgaragesale@westseattleblog.com.) Text atop the map’s WSB page explains how to use the map (same format as the last 2 years) and also how it works with your smartphone.
P.S. Registration closed a week and a half ago BUT if you’re still hoping to sell some stuff next Saturday, you can check with the group sites directly to see if they have room left – WSB sponsors Hotwire Online Coffeehouse and C & P Coffee Company, as well as the VFW Hall in The Triangle and, in The Admiral District, Mind Unwind.
The VFW and the American Legion will be on hand at the Post today selling various items during the WSCGS. There will also be baby items and vintages items for sale
On Saturday, June 8th, 2013, the first annual South King County Stand Down & Veteran Families Resource Fair will take place at Green River Community College (in Auburn). This event supports Veterans from all backgrounds; including our at-risk and homeless veterans by providing resources and services such as employment & vocational resources and referrals, housing services, legal service referrals, medical and dental assistance, a great and lunch, and other social and human services.
We are asking you to stand with us and our veterans in 2013. We graciously invite you to take part in providing a hand up to our brothers and sisters in arms. It is our goal to reach those veterans who have stumbled and are in need of assistance to get back on their feet. Part of this effort will be to have female-veteran specific section that will focus on resources for women veterans. For more info please visit the site.
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Green River Community College Main Campus (Directions)
Starts at 9:00 AM
Ends at 3:00 PM
FREE Admission & Services
Free Lunch & Refreshments Provided
Legal & VA Benefits Assistance
Medical/Dental Assistance
Housing Assistance
Employment Assistance
Childcare
Counseling
Financial
Haircuts
Clothing/Food Takeaways
Commander – Nick Sullivan
Senior Vice Commander – Ray Fairbank
Junior Vice Commander – Joe Connery
Quartermaster – Nathan Hemphill
Chaplin – Cliff Heino
Surgeon – Bill Dwyer
Judge Advocate – Aimee McFarland
Trustee 3yr – Tyler Wekell
Trustee 2yr – Jesse Sheppard
Trustee 1yr – Ben Skwiercz
You understand that you share a unique bond with other veterans of overseas conflicts and those who wear this country’s uniform. Regardless of what conflict you’ve served in – from World War II to the present day Global War On Terror, you can join with others who feel the same. Join the VFW. You’ve earned it.
VFW Post 2713 | Farwell-Roosevelt 