NOTICE: Please leave your remarks in our Guestbook. Click on it in our Navigation Menu, in the left margin of the site.

*I am writing this to acknowledge the passing of a Veteran and Great Friend of the Veterans of Mercer County. His name is Ken Seamans. He served as a County Commissioner and during his time there... Veterans Liaison to the Commissioners. He was involved and gladly stepped in to help his community and needy kids. He attended the VAC meetings religiously and was very instrumental in many projects and concerns of the Mercer County Veterans Community. He had a hand shake and a smile to all he met. He was the consumate.. "Gentleman Farmer" as well. Ken, you will be missed and a salute to you ... we will all meet you once again.*

This last month I was able to attend a funtion... "Bibs and Bluejeans" for a foundation in the name of Ken Seamans. It was well attended by Doctors, Judges, politicians the Amish Community and in General all of his friends, family, and acquaintances.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thoughts on and about the Mercer County (PA) Vietnam Era Veterans Association Inc.

For quite a while, I have been doing a lot of thinking on the course of the MCVEVA. We are almost 30 years old.... not old by some standards but ancient by others. I have been running our history through my head

When we formed... NOT ONE of the NATIONAL Veterans Orgs even cared for us, let alone even wanted to address our particular problems. We worked hard to get any help and over the last decades, we were able to sit at the same “table” they sit at.

MCVEVA.... + (pluses)

We were independently formed but yet part of sister groups in Lawrence, Butler, Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana Counties. When we came together we WERE a formidable Org. We all gathered at each others events...at the time a sea of Orange...*our signature color*. Over the years... some of the groups disappeared, changed to another Vietnam Veteran Org or were “absorbed” by the older Veteran Orgs. Even today, many of our members are now Officers at local, district and State levels. Some of our members are also in Politics of the area and have offices within. Today, we stand alone.... a small but yet knowledgeable, “bastard” organization.

We helped bring our POW-MIA issue out, if just in our area, when NO ONE, including the Senior Vet Orgs, would.  We even taught them of their OWN POW-MIAs of other wars.

We helped bring out the Short Comings of the VA Health System... from the vehement dismissal of problems like PTSD and Dioxin Poisoning and mental issues related to family, employment and education.

We erected a Memorial at the Courthouse in Mercer in 1983 for the men from Mercer County who were killed or missing from the Vietnam War. I believe it is the first Memorial of its kind in the county. Gen. William Westmoreland was there to dedicate it.

We started a POW-MIA Vigil in our County even before they had a national POW-MIA Recognition Day. The date was and is within 3 days of the Paris Peace Accords. It is called the “Oldest and Coldest” because we kept to that January day that the POW-MIAs were suppose to be exchanged.

We did something that, even now, other groups couldn’t. We built a traveling Memorial to our Dead/Missing of Mercer County. It includes a photo, story and tracing from the Memorial in Washington D.C.

We filled a need at that time and we still do have purpose but.... it may not be an “IN YOUR FACE” capacity anymore.

We set up an “Outreach Center” within our county and operated it for 2 ½ years. We asked for but NEVER received a penny of Government Monies but was able to offer help in Employment ... (Wednesdays were set for DVOP/LVER Vincent Darcangelo to come and be in our office for that purpose) The office was open to ANY veteran. We had the Governors Veterans Outreach set up “rap groups” and integrated Veteran/Spouse sessions at that center. Not ONE penny came from other than OUR funds. We offered the center for a place for a Veteran to come if they just needed a place to find some quiet... we had TV, Stereo, Books and a home like atmosphere....

We helped to set up a family support system for the Local Reserve Units (475^th, 347^th and 298^th QM) while they were in South West Asia during Desert Storm. We even set up a WELCOME HOME for them when they returned.

We helped to raise monies for the Family Support Groups from sales of items like locally designed and printed T-Shirts. In all of this...the Family Support system is still in place, even in this phase of the South West Asian War. It is working well on its own and offers much the same if not more than when we helped construct it in 1991.

Over the years we have been recognized as a viable member of the Veterans Community. We have awards from local orgs as well as our military entities. We have many proclamations from State and Federal level political entities.

We have a seat at Congressional Veterans Councils for our area.

We are recognized within our own county. In fact, we are the first and maybe only Veterans Organization who has been presented the Mercer County Flag by the Commissioners of our County.

We are the ONLY Veterans Organization that has NEVER asked for monetary dues. All that was asked was a little of your time. Nothing was asked of anyone that the officers would not or could not do. Since we didn’t ask for dues, we needed to acquire funds by projects... including “Orange Blossom Drives” Gun Raffles, and donations of the people of our county.

We hold 2 main functions annually... our “POW-MIA Vigil” in January and our “Remembrance and Reflections” in May. These have been picked up by other organizations throughout the region and state. No one in our Organization was ever overworked or over extended.

We, as a Veterans Organization, have had our fingers on the pulse of the Veteran Community as well as our fingers in “brick and mortar” projects that promote ALL veterans...

1)      We organized and built the Mercer County Vietnam Veterans Memorial

2)      We built the Portable Vietnam Veterans Memorial of Mercer County (Though due to repair, it was committed to our Web Page until it can be physically resurrected.)

3)      We were involved in the Silver St. Sharon bridge.... naming of the new bridge the “Veterans Bridge”

4)      We were one of the Charter Members of  the Veterans Advisory Committee of Mercer County and involved in the placement of our Mercer County WWII Monument in Mercer PA

5)      We were there from the request, legislation and location of Mercer County’s FULL TIME Veterans Affairs Community Based Outpatient Clinic on Kerwood in Hermitage. It is now a success story as it has gone from 600+ patients to over 3000 and now instead of one medical team we now have 2 and a 3^rd is being considered.

6)      We were there to push HR1594 to name this clinic after our first casualty of the Iraq War... the Clinic is now named the “Michael Marzano VA Clinic” Naming a clinic in this manner took well over a year and it changed the way our Federal Government can now name CBOCs. This was done through meetings here and in Washington as well as endless email/letters/faxes/and phone calls. There is a few things left to do at the clinic... a plaque and signage on the small side and that will be done soon as well as a finalization of which Medical Campus (SRHS or UPMC) that will be contracted to handle some of our Veterans Services in lieu of the travel to Pittsburgh, Butler, Erie, and even Cleveland.

7)      We are one of the most informed on our ENTIRE POW-MIA situation (of ALL of our Wars). Vincent Darcangelo and I go to Washington DC and meet with those in our Government who are the Movers and Shakers and we are afforded the chance to learn as well as question these people. We bring this info back for all.

8)      We  are able to contact and talk to, not just local but Federal Legislators on issues and legislation directly affecting our Veterans.

9)      We have been able to recommend legislation to be co sponsored as well as initiate legislation from proposal to the writing to the process through the House and Senate of both PA and Federal Entities

10)  We are a member of a National Coalition that helps us in Washington DC with political issues we are not allowed to handle. We are small but we do have a voice in PA and Washington.

11)  We have been called on to speak at local schools and functions.

There may be more pluses so if I missed them.... forgive me...

NOW

MCVEVA ... – (Minuses)

(Maybe a plus) We formed one of the most “pure” veteran’s orgs around. We stuck to the Vietnam Era. We never really formed an auxiliary or “friends or children of” but our families help us as well as people who volunteer. Our Charter was set up for our Organization to “die” when the last one passes. We have no present plans on existing into the 2100’s. Hopefully by then there will be no need for us and those like us. Peace is a good thought... it does little for our noticeable presence in our community.

When younger... We were active in the parades. We had numbers and marched and now we are seemingly few and we can’t even seem to get a vehicle in the parades and people to ride on them. With fewer people at our meetings.... volunteers are hard to come by. Maybe someone could have taken up the “banner” and organized that function.

We no longer have an Organization Center... maybe not having “bricks and mortar” is a plus. We hold our meetings at the same place, same time. Old members of our Org have become officers in the Senior Veteran Post/Chapters and have afforded us a place to meet. Though this works... it does little for our noticeable presence in our community.

We have now had to focus on being “behind the scenes”. Involvement is mostly within the “Meetings” and less flamboyant ways of serving the Veterans. But...that being said...that is no less important.

Now, why did I write this???? It seems that some of us think that the MCVEVA does little or nothing. I say we have done tons with nothing but our bodies and minds. We were never unapproachable with projects unless offered a project without a means to do it. We would never “NOT” do something unless there were enough VOLUNTEERS to do it. Projects needed volunteers and planners... committees. We are always open to suggestions.

If it was a question as to who the officers were/are.... nominations are the tool. Either way, we are always in need of workers.

We offer up an organization that does not have to answer to a State or National Hierarchy. This leaves us to do what we basically want in order to get the job done. We work well with others (other Veteran Orgs and Political and community entities). So, sometimes that involves meetings. Meetings offer input as well as learning.

So.... what can we do to improve ourselves???? Press for membership? Form more committees for say Parades, Fund Raisers, and Community Projects???? We need the people to fill those. If we seem to be “doing nothing” I always go back to an old saying...  “Still water runs deep”. On the surface... peaceful and content... below, turbulent and working. Maybe we need more people to make a splash as well..... What do you think and what is your plan? I personally see that we do serve a function, but that is me. I see us doing many more things that are of benefit to our Veterans... understandably not always being in the forefront but always there. Meetings are 3^rd Sunday of the month and you know the email.

I write this as a concerned Veteran and Life Member of the Mercer County (PA) Vietnam Era Veterans Assoc. Inc. I am throwing no stones; I am trying to foresee OUR future as an organization. What say you?

Wayne Stratos

Chairman

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

 THIS PART OF THIS SECTION WILL BE CHANGED TIME TO TIME TO REFLECT CHANGES IN STATUS OF LEGISLATION........

We appreciate you taking the time to come to our site.

  ............................................................................................................................................................................................................

Members and friends....  As you have to know, one of the things we are involved in is legislation. We try to keep up on the legislation that is beneficial to Veterans..... OF ALL WARS AND PEACETIME. We may not get to all of them but we try to follow on some that we feel are important. We also note that a legislator did well or we are less than enthused about their stand. Below are the legislators we watch as Veterans of Mercer County that they represent:

PA State Level:

PA Senator Bob Robbins

PA Representative Michele Brooks

PA Representative Mark Longietti

PA Representative Dick Stevenson

PA Federal Level: 

Senator Arlen Specter

Senator Bob Casey

Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper

Congressman Jason Altmire

We do keep a watch on others in our legislature as we need. If you need to follow this legislature in a more intimate manner... use these sites listed below:

PA State Legislators:     http://www.statelocalgov.net/

Federal Legislators:   http://thomas.loc.gov/

Below is an example...

H.R. 303:   To amend title 10, United States Code, to permit additional retired members of the Armed Forces who have a service-connected disability to receive both disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs for their disability and either retired pay by reason of their years of military service or Combat-Related Special Compensation and to eliminate the phase-in period under current law with respect to such concurrent receipt. None of our Legislators have signed on as yet.....

H.R. 333:   To amend title 10, United States Code, to permit retired members of the Armed Forces who have a service-connected disability rated less than 50 percent to receive concurrent payment of both retired pay and veterans' disability compensation, to eliminate the phase-in period for concurrent receipt, to extend eligibility for concurrent receipt to chapter 61 disability retirees with less than 20 years of service, and for other purposes. None of our Legislators have signed on as yet....

H.R.333 and 303 are bills that will make whole, all the Veterans who have, for years bore the inequity of NOT being able to collect their retirement AND their disability. This is in light of the fact that if they retired from any other GOVERNMENT entity other than the military... would be paid both!!!! A shame.

HRes 111:    Establishing a Select Committee on POW and MIA Affairs. FOLKS!!    This is where my eyes go REAL BAD. Last year (110th Congress), this same basic Resolution was introduced and over the year,  280 out of 435  Members of the House of Representatives SIGNED ON to this. It NEVER got to the floor for a vote. This year, in the 111th Congress, HRes 111 was reintroduced and got an initial 54 signatures. It now has 222 signatures. Of the original 54 Legislators... 2 were from PA. We CALLED, WROTE, EMAILED or VISITED every Congress Member of PA... we have 19.  We still do not have ALL PA Members on the list ( as of 22 May... 6 Dems and 2 GOP). Last year ALL PA Congress Members were signed on. This piece of legislation only differs from last years version in that it includes the newest War in South West Asia. Below are some excerpts ( minus names) of explanations of why PA Legislators will NOT sign onto H Res 111 at this time.... You read and think about it..remember...last year they were all on board.... Kudos to both Con. Altmire and Con. Dahlkemper for signing on to HRes 111.

1)   "I’ve been calling the  Pa. Congressmen that I’ve been previously in contact with, urging them to sign-on as a co-sponsor to  H Res 111.

I’ve been perplexed as to why, last year every Pa. Representative signed onto it, and this year, we are having difficulty.

An aide for Congressperson**************** told me last year there was bi-partisanship to pass the bill, but during the process, (and here it gets political),

 **** claims the Republicans made a political play with the bill, thus angering Dems.

**** stated that although there is bi-partisan support in both parties for H Res 111 this year, the bill is being held hostage, and it has become a partisan issue." 

2)    "I just received a call from a staff aide with Congressperson *******************