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Veterans
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The United States’ National POW/MIA Recognition Day is observed across the nation on the third Friday of September each year.
Many Americans take the time to remember those who were prisoners of war (POW) and those who are missing in action (MIA), as well as their families.
Robert R. Craner was born on June 10, 1933 in Cohoes, New York. He enlisted in the Aviation Cadet Program of the United States Air Force on February 2, 1953 and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant on May 19, 1954.
Craner was awarded his pilot wings in May 1957 and served with the 8th Fighter Bomber Squadron at Etain Air Base, France during 1958 and 1959. He then served at Spangdahlem Air Base in West Germany, until August 1961.
Promoting to captain, he then served as an instructor pilot in the F-100 Super Sabre combat crew training program with the 4520th Combat Crew Training Wing at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, until deploying to Southeast Asia in 1967.
Craner served as a “Misty Fast FAC” at Phu Cat Air Base in the Republic of Vietnam. “Misty" was the radio call sign used by the F-100F Fast Forward Air Controllers (Fast FACs) during the Vietnam War.
There were 157 pilots officially assigned to fly missions over North Vietnam from June 15, 1967 to May 19, 1970. 21 other attached pilots flew occasional missions. There were also Intelligence Officers, Flight Surgeons, and Maintenance Officers assigned. It was a small, tight-knit group of special people given a difficult task.
Of the 157 Mistys, 34 were shot down. Eight others were shot down when not flying with Misty. Two Mistys were shot down twice.
There were seven killed in action (KIA), four prisoners of war (POW), and as of January 2010, 42 were deceased.
There also was one Medal of Honor winner, two Air Force Chiefs of Staff, six general officers, a winner of the Collier Trophy, the Louis Bleriot Medal, the Presidential Citizen's Medal of Honor, and the first man to fly non-stop, un-refueled around the world. By any measure this was an unusual group of men.
Robert Craner was forced to eject over North Vietnam and was taken as a prisoner of war on Dec. 12, 1967.
After spending 1,920 days in captivity, along with future Sen. John McCain, Craner was released on March 14, 1973. He was hospitalized for his injuries and subsequently attended Holy Cross College, as an Air Force Institute of Technology assignment.
Colonel Craner graduated in 1976, and subsequently served as Air Attaché in Bulgaria and Hungary.
In September 1980, Colonel Craner returned to the United States to begin training for his next assignment, but succumbed to a heart attack on October 3, 1980, while on active duty.
Craner had a connection to Lake County, California, though he may have never known of it. All the while he was being held prisoner, a man named Leonard was flying a flag in his honor.
Leonard also wore a POW/MIA bracelet bearing the pilot’s name. They were distributed by the POW/MIA Bracelet Campaign for VIVA (Voices in Vital America), the Los Angeles based student organization that made the bracelets during the Vietnam War. Entertainers Bob Hope and Martha Raye served as honorary co-chairmen.
That flag and bracelet recently were given to the United Veterans Council of Lake County. Jim Yates has lovingly constructed a flag case of California Redwood. The case now protects the symbols of hope.
Through research, Colonel Craner’s family was located and the items have been sent to their rightful place with loved ones.
For his military accomplishments, Colonel Craner had received three Silver Stars, the Legion of Merit, four Bronze Stars, two Purple Hearts, the Distinguished Flying Cross, eight Air Medals and the Air Force Commendation Medal.
Colonel Craner, Misty 17, was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery on October 8, 1980.
Please take a moment to remember Colonel Craner and all the others on Friday, Sept. 16.
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Currently, there are no effective treatments to delay or prevent Alzheimer's.
“This research builds on several years of preliminary work by an innovative group of VA investigators and their colleagues, and we are gratified to see the progress that is being made on behalf of veterans and all Americans who are at risk for Alzheimer's disease,” said VA Under Secretary for Health Dr. Robert Petzel.
A VA team with the Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System led the trial, which was sponsored in large part by the National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The new findings appear in the Sept. 12 Archives of Neurology.
Previous studies found that low brain levels of insulin-the main hormone that turns sugar in the bloodstream into energy for cells-could contribute to Alzheimer's.
Based on these findings, VA's Dr. Suzanne Craft has led efforts to test the benefits of restoring normal insulin function in the brain.
The new study tested a nasal spray that delivers insulin quickly and directly to the brain, with no harmful side effects, such as increased insulin levels throughout the whole body. The trial included 104 adults with either amnestic mild cognitive impairment-in which people have memory loss that may progress to Alzheimer's-or mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.
The study volunteers received 20 international units (IU) of insulin, 40 IU of insulin, or a saline placebo, which were all given through a nasal delivery device for four months. Memory, cognition and functional ability were measured before and after treatment.
Some participants also received spinal taps to test cerebrospinal fluid as well as brain scans before and after treatment.
Treatment with 20 IU of intranasal insulin improved memory, and both doses of insulin preserved general cognition and functional ability.
These results warrant larger trials of insulin nasal-spray therapy to help prevent Alzheimer's disease or slow its progression.
VA Chief Research and Development Officer Dr. Joel Kupersmith stated, “VA researchers are exploring a number of possible approaches to help prevent or effectively treat this devastating disease, and these are among the most promising results to date. We are proud to partner with NIH in supporting this vital work.”
For more information on VA research, visit www.research.va.gov.
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In memorial, Gov. Brown ordered that flags be flown at half-staff over the State Capitol on Monday. Pfc. Jeffries’s family will receive a letter of condolence from the governor.
Jeffries, 20, of Springville, Calif., died of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device on Thursday, Sept. 8, in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, NY. Jeffries was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
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“This action dramatically reduces the time it will take for enrolled veterans to submit updates to their demographic information and further reduces access barriers to needed care for veterans,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.
Previously, veterans filling out the online 10-10EZR were required to print a copy, sign it and send it to their local medical center before updates to their personal, insurance or financial information could
occur.
Veterans may now submit these updates online.
For additional information, go to www.va.gov/healtheligibility or call VA's toll-free number at 1-877-222-VETS (8387).
The online form is available at https://www.1010ez.med.va.gov/sec/vha/1010ez/Form/1010ezr.pdf.
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"The expansion of the VLER pilot program will allow more veterans and facilities to participate in this exciting new technology," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. "I invite veterans to
sign up for the program. It will keep health care providers informed, improve continuity and timeliness of care, and eliminate gaps in health care information."
VLER is a multi-faceted business and technology initiative that includes a portfolio of health, benefits, personnel, and administrative information sharing capabilities.
This pilot expansion is designed to share veterans' health information electronically, safely, and privately between VA, Department of Defense (DoD), and selected private health care facilities that are members of the secure Nationwide Health Information Network.
VA is on track to implement health information exchange at 11 VA medical centers and to partner with both DoD and private health care entities by fall 2011.
This expansion will enable authorized users to access health information and will provide seamless service to America's service members and veterans.
VA's goal is to have 50,000 signed authorizations from veterans who are VA patients to participate in the pilot by the end of the fiscal year, Shinseki noted.
In addition to other ongoing efforts to share benefits and administrative data, the pilot is an initial step toward a larger capability which will become available throughout VA. VA will expand this pilot to provide these services to service members and veterans nationwide.
Existing sites:
San Diego VA Medical Center and Kaiser Permanente San Diego, in operation since winter 2009;
Hampton VA Medical Center in Virginia, MedVirginia and DoD, in operation since fall 2010;
Spokane VA Medical Center in Washington, Inland Northwest Health Services and DoD, in operation since spring 2011;
Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center in Richmond, Va., and MedVirginia, in operation since spring 2011;
Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center in Indianapolis, and Indiana hospitals, in operation since summer 2011.
Expansion sites:
Grand Junction VA Medical Center in Colorado, and rural Utah hospitals, first in Moab, Utah, through the Utah Health Information Network by fall 2011;
Asheville VA Medical Center in North Carolina and Western North Carolina Health Network by fall 2011;
VA Western New York Healthcare System in Buffalo, N.Y. and Buffalo area hospitals through the HEALTHeLINK Health Information Exchange by fall 2011;
Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center in Charleston, S.C. and Charleston area hospitals through the South Carolina Health Information Exchange by fall 2011;
Minneapolis VA Health Care System and Minnesota hospitals through the Community Health Information Collaborative Health Information Exchange by fall 2011; and
VA Puget Sound Health Care System in Washington and MultiCare sites by fall 2011.
To find out more about VLER, veterans may call the toll-free at 1-877-771-VLER (8537).
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An updated list of U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships confirmed to have operated on Vietnam's inland waterways, docked on shore, or had crewmembers sent ashore, has been posted at
http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/ to assist Vietnam veterans in determining potential eligibility for compensation benefits.
"Posting of the ships list is an important recognition of the sacrifices U.S. Navy and Coast Guard Veterans made for this Nation," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. "It provides an easier path for Veterans who served in Vietnam to get the benefits and services they are entitled to under the law."
VA presumes herbicide exposure for any veteran with duty or visitation within the country of Vietnam or on its inland waterways during the Vietnam era.
Comprehensive information about the 14 recognized illnesses under VA's "presumption" rule for Agent Orange is also located on the Web page.
In practical terms, veterans with qualifying Vietnam service who develop a disease associated with Agent Orange exposure need not prove a medical link between their illnesses and their military service. This presumption simplifies and speeds up the application process for benefits.
For questions about Agent Orange and the online list of ships, veterans may call VA's Special Issues Helpline at 1-800-749-8387 and press 3.
When a claim is filed by a veteran, surviving spouse or child, VA will determine whether the veteran qualifies for the presumption of exposure based on official records of the ship's operations. Ships will be regularly added to the list based on information confirmed in these official records.
Even if a veteran is not filing a claim, a veteran may conduct his or her own research and submit scanned documentary evidence such as deck logs, ship histories, and cruise book entries via email to
Service on board ships anchored in an open water harbor, such as Da Nang Harbor, or on ships on other open waters around Vietnam during the war, is not considered sufficient for the presumption of Agent Orange exposure.
For veterans interested in obtaining deck logs, contact the National Archives at College Park, Md., at
www.archives.gov/dc-metro/college-park/researcher-info.html.
The Agent Orange Claims Processing System Web site located at www.fasttrack.va.gov/AOFastTrack/ may be used to submit claims related to the three conditions added to the list of Agent Orange
presumptives last year (Parkinson's disease, hairy cell and other chronic B-cell leukemias, and ischemic heart disease).
This Web site makes it easy to electronically file a claim and allows veterans and their physicians to upload evidence supporting the claim. It also permits online viewing of claim status.
Veterans claiming other conditions may file online at VA's My-eBenefits Web site at: www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits-portal/ebenefits.portal. They can check the status of their claim with a premium account (confirming their identity), and use a growing number of online services.
Servicemembers may enroll in My-eBenefits using their Common Access Card at any time during their military service, or before they leave during their Transition Assistance Program briefings.
Veterans may also enroll through their myPay or MyHealtheVet accounts, by visiting their local VA regional office or Veteran Service Organization, or by calling 1-800-827-1000.
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The council is tasked with identifying and prioritizing the needs of California’s veterans and to coordinate the activities at all levels of government in addressing those needs.
“The first and immediate step is to organize this council’s membership and it’s community partners,” said CalVet Secretary Peter Gravett. “We need not reinvent the wheel in this process; instead we need to be able to break down silos and direct veterans to existing resources in an efficient manner.”
To ensure that the council is successful, CalVet requests that representatives from local government, charitable organizations, private health care and any other organizations that work with veterans contact the department if they are interested in an active role with the council.
Membership is limited but the department is seeking the input of organizations with demonstrated success delivering services to California’s veterans.
Executive Order B-9-11 directs the Secretary of the California Department of Veterans Affairs to establish the Council and work to immediately prioritize the needs of California’s 2 million veterans, with a focus on streamlining the way services are delivered.
To be a partner in the council’s effort, please email CalVet at
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and their survivors who filed claims related to one of three new Agent Orange presumptive conditions.
On Aug. 31, 2010, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) amended its regulations to add ischemic heart disease, hairy cell leukemia and other chronic B-cell leukemias, and Parkinson's disease to the list of diseases presumed to be related to exposure to Agent Orange.
"As the president said to the American Legion yesterday, VA is committed to ensuring veterans and their families receive the care and benefits they have earned," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K.
Shinseki. "I encourage all potentially eligible veterans to apply as soon as possible to preserve the most favorable effective date for payments."
For new claims, VA may authorize up to one year of retroactive benefits if a veteran can show that he or she has experienced one of those conditions since the date of the regulatory change.
VA has reviewed, and continues to review, thousands of previously filed claims that may qualify for retroactive benefits under a long-standing court order of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in Nehmer vs. U.S. Veterans Administration.
"VA encourages survivors of veterans whose death may be due to one of the three diseases to file a claim for dependency and indemnity compensation," added Under Secretary for Benefits Allison A. Hickey.
Secretary Shinseki's decision to add these conditions to the list of Agent Orange presumptive conditions was based on a study by the Institute of Medicine, which indicated a positive association between exposure to certain herbicides and the subsequent development of one or more of the three conditions.
Potentially eligible veterans include those who were exposed based on duty or visitation in Vietnam or on its inland waterways between Jan. 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975; exposed along the demilitarized zone in Korea between April 1, 1968, and August 31, 1971; or exposed due to herbicide tests and storage at military bases within and outside of the United States.
The Agent Orange Claims Processing System website located at https://www.fasttrack.va.gov/AOFastTrack/ may be used to submit claims related to the three new presumptive conditions.
The Web site makes it easy to electronically file a claim and allows veterans and their physicians to upload evidence supporting the claim. It also permits online viewing of claim status.
Beyond the three new presumptive disabilities, veterans may file online at VA's My-eBenefits Web site at https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits-portal/ebenefits.portal. They can check the status of their claim with a premium account (confirming their identity), and use a growing number of online services.
Servicemembers may enroll in My-eBenefits by using their Common Access Card at anytime during their military service, or before they leave during their Transition Assistance Program briefings.
Veterans may also enroll through their myPay or MyHealtheVet accounts by visiting their local VA regional office or Veteran Service Organization, or by calling 1-800-827-1000.
For more information about Agent Orange presumptives and disability compensation, go to
http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/.
For questions about Agent Orange, Veterans may call VA's Special Issues Helpline at 1-800-749-8387 and press 3.
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“The California Interagency Council on Veterans gives everyone a seat at the table and ensures we’re working collaboratively to address the needs of the 30,000 servicemen and women who return to California each year,” Brown said. “We owe our veterans the best and when they come home, we must serve them the same way they so bravely served us.”
Governor Brown’s executive order directs the secretary of the California Department of Veterans Affairs to establish the council, which will be tasked with identifying and prioritizing the needs of California's veterans and coordinating the activities at all levels of government in addressing those needs.
“With so many combat veterans returning to California every year it is imperative that state agencies and departments coordinate our efforts to ensure these young men and women are connected to the services and benefits they need to successfully transition home,” said California Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Peter J. Gravett.
This order is based on AB 557, authored by Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez with Assemblymembers Paul Cook, Richard Pan, and Henry T. Perea.
“I'm very pleased the governor has created the Interagency Council on Veterans Affairs because one of our most important duties is to keep faith with the men and women who have served the United States in uniform,” said Speaker Pérez. “I introduced legislation to create the Council early this session because we need to do more with less, and by creating this Council, we will bring new focus and new efficiency to provide needed services to California's veterans. I'm very pleased the Governor has taken the proactive step of creating this Council by Executive Order so that it can begin its vital work immediately."
Under the order, Speaker Pérez and Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg are each expected to appoint a member to the Council from their respective houses.
These appointees will join secretaries and department heads of the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, California Volunteers, Business Transportation and Housing Agency, Health and Human Services Agency, Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Military Department, Employment Development Department, Department of Consumer Affairs, Department of Rehabilitation and Department of Housing and Community Development.
Additionally, the governor’s order requests that the chief justice of California, president of the University of California, chancellor of California State University and chancellor of California Community Colleges each appoint a member to the council.
The secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs also will coordinate with federal partners and external stakeholders to ensure both groups are active participants on the council.
California’s veterans face many challenges as they transition back to civilian life, including:
The unemployment rate for Gulf War II veterans is 42 percent higher than it is for non-veterans.
Approximately 25 percent of Gulf War II veterans have a disability that is connected to their military service, compared with approximately 13 percent of all veterans.
Recent tests of returning troops show that 20 percent of infantry and 10 percent of other troops suffer from at least mild brain injury.
Over 35 percent of veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, who have sought health care through the Veterans Administration, have been diagnosed with mental disorders.
California has the largest number of homeless veterans in the nation and 62 percent of all homeless veterans have been diagnosed with both substance abuse issues and serious mental health problems.