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520 Seymour Street, Lansing, MI 48933
Veterans & Military
Families Monthly News
June 2014 Vol. 5 No. 3
Traumatic Brain Injury
30K+ Undocumented TBIs
From: RAO Bulletin May 2014 (Lt. James EMO
Tichacek, USN (Ret) Associate Director, Retiree Assis-
tance Office, U.S. Embassy Warden & IRS VITA Baguio
City RPPSC 517 Box RCB, FPO AP 96517 Tel: (951)
238-1246 in U.S. or Cell: 0915-361-3503 in the Philip-
pines. Email: raoemo@sbcglobal.net AL/AMVETS/
DAV/FRA/NAUS/NCOA/MOAA/USDR/VFW/VVA/
CG33/DD890/AD37 member)
Despite its vaunted intelligence-gathering
capability, the U.S. military was surprised when enemies
in Iraq and Afghanistan began building and deploying
roadside bombs to kill and maim U.S. troops. It got so bad
that a soldier asked Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld
nearly two years into the Iraq war why U.S. troops were
forced to defend themselves against such improvised
explosive devices with homemade hillbilly armor. You
go to war with the Army you have, Rumsfeld told the
soldier, not the Army you might want or wish to have at
a later time. It took the Pentagon three more years before
Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles finally began
trickling into Iraq.
While the troops were waiting for that armor, the
Pentagon was also neglecting to track the traumatic brain
injuries caused by such blasts, a new medical study says.
TBIsthe signature wound of the post-9/11 warsare
tough to diagnose and treat. Without a good accounting of
those who experienced a TBI, those challenges multiply.
The reports authors, using amputations as a
proxy for TBIs, conclude that the military documented
only one in five TBIs estimated to have affected U.S.
troops between 2003 and 2006. Responding to legislation,
the Pentagon began tracking TBIs more closely beginning
in 2007. Overall, during the eight years spanning 2003 to
2010, the study estimates that 32,822 active-duty troops
suffered undocumented TBI wounds. Thats more than
the 32,176 documented by the Pentagon over the same
period of time. This analysis provides the first estimate
of undocumented incident TBIs among US military
personnel serving in Iraq and Afghanistan before
Congress demanded the improved counting, the report
says. Such missing diagnoses are important, says the
study, conducted by a pair of Johns Hopkins University
health experts. Undocumented TBIs could lead to troops
being booted from the military as malingerers or for
personality disordersdischarges that could restrict their
access to care from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
For those remaining in uniform, it could lead to
additional combat tours, boosting their chances of a sec-
ond TBI and the visual and auditory deficits, posttrau-
matic epilepsy, headaches, major depression, and suicide
risk that accompany multiple TBIs, according to the
study. Even a so-called mild TBI can rattle the
(helmeted) brain inside the skull, leading to a host of mal-
adies including memory loss, cognitive deficits, mood
volatility, substance-abuse disorders, personality changes,
sleep difficulties and possibly post-traumatic stress disor-
der. In recent years, the U.S. military has generally been
reactive, rather than proactive, in responding to public
health crises, including suicide, psychotropic drug misuse,
and gaps in wounded warrior care, says Remington
Nevin, a co-author of the study. Public-health leaders
within the Department of Defense have a troubling history
of having epidemics and programmatic deficiencies iden-
tified only by outsiders long after the time to act has
passed, rather than having these identified internally in
time to mount an optimally effective response.
A top Army psychiatrist at the time says troops
minimized the issue, and their leaders werent seeking it
out. Soldiers did not want to come forward, for fear that
would be taken out of the fight, or thought to be malinger-
ers, says retired Army colonel Elspeth Ritchie. And we
the medics and the line [officers] were not looking
for it.

We would like to express our appreciation to all of the fighting men and women in the United States
Military. Thank you for your service to this country.

2 Paid for by the Michigan Republican Party with Regulated Funds.
Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee.
520 Seymour Street, Lansing, MI 48933
Some Useful Links
Air Force Times
www.airforcetimes.com
Navy Times
www.navytimes.com
Marine Corps Times
www.marinecorpstimes.com
Army Times
www.armytimes.com
Military Times
www.militarytimes.com
TRICARE
www.tricare.mil
American Legion
www.legion.org
Veterans of Foreign Wars
www.vfw.org
AMVETS
www.amvets.org
The DAV
www.dav.org
Department of Defense
www.dod.gov
Military/Veterans Report
www.militray.com
The Pentagon Channel
www.pentagonchannel.mil
Veterans Administration
www.va.gov
Military Order of the Purple Heart
www.purpleheart.org

If anyone has a site
they would like to have
added to this growing list
please let us know!
Contact us anytime
at mhauser@migop.org


Thank
you for
your Support!
The authors used an interesting yardstick to esti-
mate the number of undocumented TBIs: they calculated
them by developing a mathematic formula that established
a relationship between amputations and TBIs, based on
the wars later years when the Pentagon was more rigor-
ously tracking TBIs. Unlike TBIsthe so-called
invisible wounds of the nations post 9/11 wars
amputations are visible and easily counted. IED blasts
cause most TBIs and amputations, making missing limbs
a good tool to estimate the missing TBIs, says the paper,
by Rachel Chase and Nevin of Hopkins Bloomberg
School of Public Health. Including amputation counts in
the model as a proxy for injury causing events is appropri-
ate, given strong clinical and ecological evidence of com-
mon mechanisms of injury for amputations and TBIs,
they write in an article in the Journal of Head Trauma Re-
habilitation slated to be posted next week.
Too often, wars impacts arent gleaned until
years later. Mustard gas experiments poisoned thousands
during World War II. Cold War nuclear-weapons tests are
suspected of causing cancer. Agent Orange was the tick-
ing time bomb in Vietnamthe Department of Veterans
Affairs is still adding to its list of medical consequences.
Gulf War Syndrome stemming from the first war with
Iraq, in 1991, remains a mystery. Traumatic brain injury is
simply the latest in the list of wars unintended repercus-
sions. [Source: Time | Mark Thompson | Apr 30, 2014
++]
A Note From: Lest We Forget
Speakers Bureau
This notice from LWF is to inform the reader of
the development of a Lest We Forget Speakers
Bureau. Since our organization has conducted three
yearlong courses at Lake Michigan College, we have
many topics and many qualified speakers to present
information from WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, and
our involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.
We have developed formats for school children
of all ages, and for veterans organization. Whatever the
event we will gladly produce the correct format We
would be glad to present any topic of interest to any
group.
As coordinator, I will be glad to help with the
choices of presentations and help with planning.

Gary C. Lulenski
Coordinator Speakers Bureau
269-428-3442
Garykaye2@comcast.net

3 Paid for by the Michigan Republican Party with Regulated Funds.
Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee.
520 Seymour Street, Lansing, MI 48933
Veterans have a New
Weapon in their Arsenal
of Job-Seeking Tools.
Members of all branches of the U.S. Armed
Forces face a unique set of challenges when separating
from service and transitioning into the civilian
workforce. In the best of times, acclimating to a new
civilian environment after years of immersion in a
predictable and structured military profession poses
difficulties.
However, these are most certainly not the best of
times. Our economy has been weakened by governmental
spending, generating budgetary deficits considered by
many economists to be unprecedented in the recorded
history of the United States.
Corporations once thought to be too large to
fail are failing in record numbers, and a weak labor
market is generating unemployment numbers which
havent been this high since the Carter Administration in
the 1970s. To make matters worse, policy decisions by
the Obama Administration are generating so much
uncertainty that businesses are freezing their plans for
expansion and hiring.
While this discouraging scenario plays out on the
national stage in our mainstream media, military veteran
and author Michael I. Kaplan has recently published a
cutting-edge book he believes will provide sensible
answers to this problem.
Based on the 5-STAR reviews his book is
currently earning on Amazon.com, many military
veterans who have read his book believe hes correct.
Kaplans book, The Prior-Service Entrepreneur,
was just released in January 2014 and is already being
hailed as a valuable resource by veterans who have read
it. Kaplans writing style is refreshingly direct and to the
point, offering military veterans an unapologetic
assessment of the employment outlook and a unique set of
proven solutions which allow them to succeed in the
civilian workforce.
His extensive background spans more than 25
years in government professions and entrepreneurship,
experience which he believes allows him to see both sides
of the military mindset / civilian workforce equation.
This is my opportunity to give back to a community that
gave me so much, states Kaplan, and what took me 25
years to learn I can teach back to military veterans in 266
pages.
The strategy outlined by Kaplan is simple and
easy to understand. The Prior-Service Entrepreneur
provides a tactical advantage to military veterans
transitioning into the civilian workforce, Kaplan
explained to us, because it cuts through the business
jargon and helps the reader to understand both their
actual and symbolic value to Corporate America. It
touches uncomfortable topics others avoid, and provides
veterans creative solutions the mainstream tends to
ignore.
Is this book only for veterans who wish to
become entrepreneurs? Absolutely not, says Kaplan,
but military personnel are uniquely suited for that
task. What most veterans dont realize is that the skill
sets required to be successful in entrepreneurship are
identical to those theyll need to be competitive and
successful within any corporation in America.
Veterans have a new weapon in their arsenal of
job-seeking tools: The Prior-Service Entrepreneur. Order
your copy of the book today and be better prepared to
transition into the civilian workforce successfully.

Links for Michael I. Kaplan
Website: www.michaelikaplan.com
LinkedIn:http://www.linkedin.com/in/
michaelkaplan4pmg/
Email: mikdivemedic@gmail.com

More Information on the next page:


4 Paid for by the Michigan Republican Party with Regulated Funds.
Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee.
520 Seymour Street, Lansing, MI 48933
Military veterans transitioning into the civilian
workforce are facing a wide range of unique challenges
in 2014. A depressed economy, constricted labor market
and employers who struggle to understand how skills
obtained in the military are transferable to civilian jobs
are only the tip of the iceberg. Veterans will need to
possess unique insights and skill sets well beyond those
currently discussed within mainstream hiring circles.
Michael I. Kaplan, a veteran of the U.S. Army
and an entrepreneur with 25-years of experience creating
and developing small business ventures, brings a
powerful and unique perspective to the veteran
employment equation. Kaplan has revealed his proven
strategies in a book written for participants in all phases
of the employment process: veterans, military spouses,
corporate recruiters, job-board administrators, members
of veteran support organizations (VSOs) and advocacy
groups.
Preparing military veterans to seek employment
is critical but its only the first step in a complex process
with many equally important components. Once hired,
the veteran candidate must be successfully retained and
developed over the long-term. Kaplans process of
self-assessment, prioritization and conducting an
effective inventory of skills speaks directly to this issue.
While this thought-provoking book does put
particular emphasis on entrepreneurship, Kaplan argues
convincingly that the skills and mindset needed to be
successful in pursuing the path of a Vetrepreneur are
identical to those required to secure and maintain
employment in Corporate America. Veterans who
possess the skills proposed by Kaplan can transition
seamlessly into the civilian workforce, and then again
into entrepreneurship if they choose to do so.
Military veterans are uniquely conditioned to be
successful in the civilian workforce. Michael I. Kaplans
book, The Prior-Service Entrepreneur, will provide
military veterans and those who support them with a
distinct competitive advantage in their pursuit of
realizing that success.
Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/The-
Prior-Service-Entrepreneur-Experience-Profitable/
dp/1494949172/ref=sr_1_1?
ie=UTF8&qid=1389783490&sr=8-
1&keywords=The+prior-service+entrepreneur
New Nonprofit in Michigan to
Help Veterans, Soldiers and
Families
Created by a Veteran for Veterans,
Soldiers and their Families
Metamora, MI, August 1,
2013: Suits for Soldiers is a
new nonprofit in Michigan, but
available nationwide. We are
looking to help Veterans,
Soldiers and their families with
a variety of services and as we
grow, increase the services that
we provide. The initial services
we will be offering are: cloth-
ing for interviews and jobs,
mentoring, resume writing and review, interview
assistance, local job connections, education counseling,
VA education benefits help and connecting Veterans with
realtors and mortgage professionals who are familiar with
working with Veterans. Our goal by the end of the year is
to have a place with computer access where those who
need our services can come and get clothing, improve
their resumes and apply for jobs, get face to face mentor-
ing from local business professionals, take classes and get
training that will improve skill sets to get them ready for
gainful employment.
There are many programs currently out there that
offer similar services, but at times are overwhelmed by
the number in need of help. Suits for Soldiers would like
to be another option for Veterans, Soldiers and their
families. There can never be enough resources for the
men and women who have served our country. Without
these heroes who have sacrificed their families and
themselves, we would not be able to be as free as we are
today.
Suits for Soldiers is asking for the help of those
in the television, print and social media to spread the
word of our organization, so that we can grow and not
only help in Michigan, but reach out to more states and
those who are in need of help. Each Veteran we help
touches the lives of so many!!!
Below are the ways in which you can find Suits
for Soldiers on the web:
www.suitsforsoldiers.org
www.facebook.com/suitsforsoldiers
Twitter: @suitsforsoldier

Thank you,
Scott Fader
Suits for Soldiers
We would like to express our appreciation to all of the
fighting men and women in the United States
Military. Thank you for your service to this country.

5 Paid for by the Michigan Republican Party with Regulated Funds.
Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee.
520 Seymour Street, Lansing, MI 48933
A story over 100 Years in the making.
A story that needs to be told. Especially as we approach the 100th
Anniversary of the start of the First World War in 2014.
Stay tuned in 2014 for more
details! We cannot wait to see the
film once finished!
Veterans Radio is dedicated to all of the men
and women who have served or are currently
serving in the armed forces of the United States
of America. Our mission is to provide all veter-
ans with a voice, to give them a forum where they are able to discuss their issuesand tell their stories. You can
listen to the show on: WDEO (990-AM Ann Arbor/Detroit), WMAX (1440-AM, Saginaw), WDEO-FM (99.5 FM,
Naples FL), KAGY (1510-AM Port Sulfur/New Orleans LA), KIXW (960-AM, Apple Valley CA) and KMRC (1430-
AM Morgan City, LA). Or, listen to our Webcast and archives at: www.veteransradio.net.

6 Paid for by the Michigan Republican Party with Regulated Funds.
Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee.
520 Seymour Street, Lansing, MI 48933
The World War I Memorial
Foundation
From: www.wwimemorial.org
In March 2008, Frank Buckles, the last surviving
American veteran of World War I, visited the District of
Columbia War Memorial, on the National Mall in
Washington DC. He observed that this peaceful, secluded
memorial, dedicated in 1931 as a memorial to the 499
residents of the District of Columbia who gave their lives
in that war, sits neglected and in extreme disrepair, and
that there is no national memorial to World War I. Mr.
Buckles issued a call for the restoration and re-dedication
of the D.C. memorial as a National and District of Co-
lumbia World War I Memorial.
The World War I Memorial Foundation was
formed to make Frank Buckles dream a reality. The
mission of the Foundation is to advocate and raise funds
for the re-dedication of the DC War Memorial as a
national World War I memorial, dedicated to all those
Americans who served in the Great War.
In 2014 the world will mark the centennial of
World War I. Nearly 5 million Americans served during
the war, and 116,516 Americans died in defense of
democracy overseas. Americas support of its allies in
World War I marked the first time in this nations history
that American soldiers went abroad to defend foreign soil
against aggression -- and it marked the true beginning of
the American century.
Yet while the later conflicts of the 20th century -
World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War --
rightfully have national memorials on the National Mall,
there is no such memorial to the Great War, even
though more Americans gave their lives in World War I
than in Korea or Vietnam. The D.C. memorial, which is
already located adjacent to those other memorials, is the
most fitting site for a national World War I memorial.
Photo: The Late Frank Buckles during his 2008 visit to
the Washington D.C. World War I Monument.
What is ESGR
From: www.esgr.mil
ESGR, a Department of Defense agency, was
established in 1972 to promote cooperation and under-
standing between Reserve Component Service members
and their civilian employers and to assist in the resolution
of conflicts arising from an employee's military commit-
ment. ESGR is supported by a network of more than
4,800 volunteers in 54 committees located across all 50
states, the District of Columbia, Guam-CNMI, the U.S.
Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Volunteers, hailing from
small business and industry, government, education and
prior military service bring a vast wealth of experience to
assist in serving employers, service members and their
families. Together with Headquarters ESGR staff and a
small cadre of support staff for each State Committee,
volunteers work to promote and enhance employer
support for military service in the Guard and Reserve.
ESGR has served our country for 40 years, devel-
oping and promoting a culture in which all American
employers support and value the military service of their
employees serving in the Guard and Reserve. These
citizen warriors could not defend and protect us at home
and abroad without the continued promise of meaningful
civilian employment for themselves and their families.
ESGR has continued to adapt to meet the needs of our
Reserve Component members, their families and Ameri-
cas employers by joining forces with a network of other
national, state and local government and professional
trade organizations as together, We All Serve!

7 Paid for by the Michigan Republican Party with Regulated Funds.
Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee.
520 Seymour Street, Lansing, MI 48933

8 Paid for by the Michigan Republican Party with Regulated Funds.
Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee.
520 Seymour Street, Lansing, MI 48933
Lest We Forget
Sponsors
International
WWII Tour
BENTON HARBOR - Southwestern Michigan's
Lest We Forget organization is sponsoring the tour
"WWII and The Western Front," commonly referred to as
the "Band of Brothers Tour." The tour, to take place in
summer of 2014, will give you a tangible connection to
the most crucial moments of World War II. You will
stand where the soldiers fought, see where the leaders
met, and walk where the civilians lived. The tour will
range from Churchill's Cabinet War Rooms in London, to
the D-Day beaches of Normandy, to the battlefields at
Bastogne and the historic sites such as Checkpoint
Charlie, Brandenburg Gate and the Wall in Berlin. For a
very nominal fee the tour can be extended three days to
Nuremburg, Munich and Salzburg where you will see the
Dachau concentration camp, Hitler's Eagle Nest at
Berchtesgaden and much more. You will truly experience
first-hand the war that changed the world forever!
This historic tour is produced by Education First
Educational Tours (EF) of Cambridge MA, the interna-
tional leader in educational tours for group travel. EF has
been in existence for over 50 years and has over 400
offices and schools in over 50 countries around the globe.
Make history come
alive for you and your
grandchildren. Showing
them where you or a member
of your family served during
WWII will provide a sense
of history, reality and a
greater understanding of
your military experience.
We will have a full-time EF
tour director accompany our group and at each of the
stops there will be expert, licensed local guides. Tour in-
cludes eight overnight stays (11 on the extended tour) in
hotels and one night ferry accommodation--crossing the
English Channel.
You will travel from July 14
th
to 24
th
, 2014 (or
through the 27
th
if you take the 3-day extension). An
introductory meeting is scheduled for Aug 21st, 2013 at 7
pm at Lake Michigan College's Benton Harbor campus in
the Blue Lecture Hall. Be certain to attend to learn more
about this impressive itinerary which takes you from
England to France, Belgium and Germany.
The cost for this 11 day tour is $3,810 for
students under 20 and $4,205 for adults. With the three
day extension the cost is $4,295 and $4,690. To view this
tour online, go to www.eftours.com/1449819 .
For questions call Don Alsbro at 269-921-7176 or deals-
bro@comcast.net.
About Our Home
Transitional of Genesee
County
From: Carrie Miller
Our Home Transitional provides various types of
assistance to homeless single female veterans (i.e. job
training and placement, educational training, home
placement assistance, and mental and physical healthcare)
through other local and national organizations in efforts to
help them transition to self-sufficiency in civilian society.
These programs will be offered by Our Home Transition-
al, along with our partnering organizations, such as the
VA, VetBiz Central, Land Bank, SV MAP, Workforce
Development Veterans Division, LearnKey Veterans
Division, VetQuest, Cars4Vets, National Education
Alliance, MI Talent bank and many more!
Our Home Transitional will deliver a unique
family style environment not offered by any other
housing placements in our area. We can also create an
opportunity to revitalize and beautify the City of Flint by
utilizing homes that are empty, acquire and then rehab
them for permanent placement of our clients.
To learn more about our Board of Directors,
please visit our Board of Directors page.
To learn more about volunteers working with Our Home
Transitional, visit our Volunteer page.

9 Paid for by the Michigan Republican Party with Regulated Funds.
Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee.
520 Seymour Street, Lansing, MI 48933
National Gold Star Registry
From: Wendy Lynn Day
(www.goldstarfamilyregistry.com)
The National Gold Star Family Registry is the
first comprehensive database of the United States fallen
Heroes and their families ever developed. The Registry
not only affords family members the opportunity to
publicly remember their loved one, but serves as a
historical log of our Nations true Heroes. By providing
educational resources and personal accounts, the Registry
ensures that future generations may know who these
brave Americans werenot only how they died, but,
more importantly, how they lived.
The information in the Registry is compiled from
a number of different public sources including the
Department of Defense and the National Archives.
Adhering to Department of Defense guidelines for
families who receive the Gold Star Pin, the Registry
only includes the names of Heroes who have given their
lives on the battlefield.
From the Vietnam Wall in Washington, DC, to
the countless war memorials on courthouse lawns, the
United States is peppered with stone monuments honor-
ing those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. These
treasures are powerful, but access is limited by
geography, and names inscribed in stone dont tell the
Heroes full story. The National Gold Star Family
Registry serves as a 21st Century monument, utilizing the
latest in internet technology to memorialize those same
men and women in a whole new way.

How the Registry Began
The National Gold Star Family Registry is a
project of Military Families United, a not-for-profit 501
(c)(3) charitable organization whose mission is to Honor
the Fallen, Support Those Who Fight, and Serve Their
Families. Through various events held for Gold Star
Family members, Military Families United recognized a
need for families to be able to share the stories of their
Heroes with the world. In the beginning, families
attending these events wrote their stories in a notebook to
share with other Gold Star families, this concept
eventually took the form of the virtual memorial.
First launched in 2010, the Registry has been
continually upgraded with the latest in technology and
resources. This 21st Century memorial ensures that
anyone anywhere can honor and remember the Heroes
who have laid down their lives in defense of freedom.
Whether they gave their life in Iraq, Afghanistan,
Vietnam, Korea, WWII, or another conflict, the Registry
is a place to ensure their memory will live on.
About Military Families United
Military Families United is a not-for-profit 501(c)
(3) charitable organization whose mission is to Honor the
Fallen, Support Those Who Fight, and Serve Their
Families. We are a national coalition of Gold Star and
Blue Star families, veterans, and patriotic Americans who
share a deep appreciation for our men and women in
uniform and support them in their mission to keep
America safe. Founded in 2005 to provide an avenue for
military families to remind the nation of the importance
of supporting our military and the mission they have been
given , the organization expanded to provide charitable
programs offering families direct support. Through a
portfolio of unique services, events, and advocacy
programs, the organization seeks to ensure that future
generations of Americans will never forget the sacrifices
of our courageous military.
The MPVA Mission
From: www.michiganpva.org
MPVA is celebrating its 50th year of service in Michigan. It
is a chapter of the national Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), operating according to the standards and practices
established by the PVA.
MPVA is, however, a separate 501(c)(3) charitable organization. The Michigan programs, services, education,
and outreach conducted here are made possible by local volunteers, partners, sponsors, and donors.
The mission of Michigan Paralyzed Veterans of America is to enhance the lives of veterans with spinal cord
injury or disease as well as all citizens with disabilities, by advocating for civil rights, assuring quality health care,
supporting continued research and education, and encouraging independence and healthy living through various health,
sports and recreational programs. MPVA shall continue striving to remain at the forefront of both veterans benefits
services and disability rights, while working toward a better quality of life for all American citizens.

10 Paid for by the Michigan Republican Party with Regulated Funds.
Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee.
520 Seymour Street, Lansing, MI 48933
Brain Injury
Association of
Michigan
From: Rick Briggs, Major, USAF (Ret)
The Brain Injury Association of Michigan
(BIAMI) Veterans Program utilizes numerous types of
outdoor activities to gather Veterans and currently
serving military personnel together for a little R&R.
These special events are almost always free for the
troops depending totally on the kind donations of spon-
sors and donors. In addition to being a great way to say
Thank you for their service, these activities serve as
the mechanism to get the troops to open up a little if
they are having post-deployment issues. Frequently
we find that in the comfortable confines with others
who have been there, done that they tend to be more
receptive to learn about Invisible Wounds says Rick
Briggs the Program Manager, both PTSD and TBI are
treatable if they seek the proper help. To find out
more about these activities, or to donate to their
Veterans Program, please make out checks to BIAMI
Veterans Program and send them to 7305 Grand River
Suite #100, Brighton, MI 48114 or contact Rick
Briggs at veterans@biami.org or call him (810) 229-
5880 or visit www.biami.org.
About the Brain Injury Asso-
ciation of Michigan (BIAMI):
BIAMI is celebrating its 30th Anniversary as it
continues to strive to provide persons with a brain injury
and their families, healthcare professionals, and the
general public with the resources necessary to enhance
brain injury awareness, education, prevention, and
support. BIAMI is also fields the first and only dedicated
Veterans Program staff within the Brain Injury Associa-
tion of America.
Legal Help for Veterans
From: James G. Fausone
Legal Help for Veterans, PLLC is a law firm
located in Northville, Michigan. We have a national
practice representing veterans on veterans disability
claims. This representation occurs at the United States
Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, the Board of
Veterans Appeals and regional offices. We have helped
veterans collect over $10,000,000 in retro and future
benefits. Over the last decade, LHFV has become a
trusted name in the legal community for providing legal
services to veterans and lecturing at law schools, bar
associations and community events.
Members of the Legal Help for Veterans practice
group are former service members who bring not only
legal expertise but an understanding of service and duty.
The members of the group have medical and administra-
tive backgrounds as well as finely honed legal skills
developed over twenty years of practice and experi-
ence. We have represented thousands of veterans and
currently have over 650 active clients.
For more information about the organization and
about legal help for veterans and for contact information
www.legalhelpforveterans.com and found on Twitter,
Facebook and YouTube. Our telephone number is
800.693.4800. Our blog discusses current issues facing
veterans and the VA.
Typically our clients are enlisted men and
women who served post Korea. The Vietnam vet is still
the one with the most common problems. These include
Agent Orange related disabilities, PTSD, psychiatric
or orthopedic injuries. Other vets often have hearing loss,
military sexual trauma or tinnitus. We are now seeing
Iraq and Afghanistan vets with TBI. Many vets do not
even begin the disability claim process until many years
after service. The trigger may be unemployability and
the need for benefits. With a million claim back log at
VA, it is a slow and confusing process and many people
need professional help establishing the proper diagnosis
and service connection. That is what Legal Help for
Veterans, PLLC has been doing for clients for years.
We would like to express our appreciation to all of the
fighting men and women in the United States
Military. Thank you for your service to this country.

11 Paid for by the Michigan Republican Party with Regulated Funds.
Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee.
520 Seymour Street, Lansing, MI 48933
For more information please visit www.supportamericanvets.org and
www.grassrootsationteam.org. More details coming soon.
The Grassroots Action Team was created in order to advocate for Veterans and others about issues
concerning mental health parity and physical health. We will be doing this first and foremost by educating
people and making sure they are aware of the issues. Then we will make sure our leaders in Washington and at
the State level are aware of the issues and vote in favor of our Veterans. We will keep the pressure on to make
sure programs that are already in place as well as any new programs helping veterans are in fact implemented.
If you would like to make a donation or have ideas and/or suggestions for us please write to our
President, Hank Fuhs, Lt. Col., United States Air Force/ANG/USAF Reserves (ret.) at 3848 Leonard St. NE,
Grand Rapids, MI 49525 or email him athankfuhs@gmail.com or info@grassrootsactionteam.org.
We would like to express our appreciation to all of the fighting men and women in the United States
Military. Thank you for your service to this country.

12 Paid for by the Michigan Republican Party with Regulated Funds.
Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee.
520 Seymour Street, Lansing, MI 48933
Rep. Jim Stamas
Committee Chair

Welcome to the Military and
Veterans Affairs and Homeland
Security Committee. The committee's
regularly scheduled meeting time is
Wednesday at 9:00am in room 308 of
the House Office Building in
Lansing. I welcome citizens to
contact me or other committee members regarding bills
or proposals our committee is addressing. Individuals
needing special accommodations to participate in a
committee meeting may contact my office to request the
necessary assistance.
Military and Veterans Affairs
and Homeland Security

Committee Members

Jim Stamas (R) Committee Chair, 98th District
Ray Franz (R) Majority Vice-Chair, 101st District
Gail Haines (R) 43rd District
Kenneth Kurtz (R) 58th District
Tom Hooker (R) 77th District
Dale Zorn (R) 56th District
Joseph Graves (R) 51st District
Harvey Santana (D) Minority Vice-Chair, 9th District
George Darany (D) 15th District
Dian Slavens (D) 21st District
Brian Banks (D) 1st District
Henry Yanez (D) 25th District
Phil Cavanagh (D) 10th District

Ben Cook, Committee Clerk
517-373-2002

Two Great Sources for Veterans/Military Legislative Updates in Washington D.C.
Simply click the images to view the site.

13 Paid for by the Michigan Republican Party with Regulated Funds.
Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee.
520 Seymour Street, Lansing, MI 48933
Stand Up For Veterans-They Stood Up For US
-The DAV
In Closing
Thank you for your service
to our country. It is truly the men
and women like you who make this
nation great, and we must never
forget that.
Thank you to everyone for all the help you
have given us with the newsletter. We have been able
to reach more people because of your help. Compared
to when we first started, the amount of input and ideas
we receive has increased greatly. For that we are very
thankful. If you have anything you would like to share,
any questions, or have an article idea, please let me
know.
You may contact us anytime at mhauser@migop.org.

Sincerely,

Matthew X. Hauser and Lt. Col Hank Fuhs
We would like to express our appreciation to all of the
fighting men and women in the United States
Military. Thank you for your service to this country.
Lest We Forget-A Clip from Hank Fuhs
Lt. Col., USAF, Ret, ANG
(Just Click the Link Below)
I Fought For You
News From American Legion Post 341
American Legion Post
341 is seeking the names of
troops that are deployed to a
combat zone so that we can
send them large package of
goodies and that their names
and address should be sent to
the address below.
Also post 341 is always
seeking new members please
contact Robert at the same address if interested.

American Legion Post 341
Sr. Vice Commander
Robert P. Goulet
6130 Nicholas
West Bloomfield, MI
rgoulet264@aol.com
Coordinator-
Matthew X. Hauser

Contributors-
Don Alsbro
Rick Briggs
Helen Budd
Sen. Patrick Colbeck
Sam Cottle
Rep. Kurt Damrow
Matt Davis
David Duenow
Vicki Dunlop
Mark Eddy
Keith Famie
James G. Fausone
Rep. Ray Franz
Sean M. Furr
Denny Gillem
Robert Goulet
Dr. Jack Grenan
John Haggard
Larry Harr
Dan Heckman
Dale Hemphill
John Hess
Norma Housey
Sec. of State Ruth Johnson
James Julian
Adrian Keogh
Adele Krovsky
Bill Langbehn
Merridy Lewis
Gary C. Lulenski
Claude McManus
Chad Miles
Louis Nigro
Roger Rosenberg
Sid Rubin
Eugene (Gene) A. Simon
Phil Smith
Sherry Swann
Tim Pascarella
Bob Tidmore
Rep. Fred Upton
Maureen VanHooser
Publisher-Hank Fuhs
Staff & Contributors
American Legion Post is in looking for current military members to send care
packages to. Please contact Robert Goulet if you know of any military member
who might like something. Please see News From American Legion Post 341
below for more information. Thank you very much!
In Memory of Gary Lillie

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