Confederated Umatilla Journal - Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla ...

Tribes hire new Vets coordinator
By the CUJ
MISSION – Retired from the Navy as
a chief petty officer, Bob DeRocher has
been hired as the Tribal Veterans Coordinator
on the Umatilla Indian Reservation.
The position
has been vacant since
Art McConville left
in July.
DeRocher has set
ambitious goals of
contacting 100 percent
of tribal veterans,
and their survivors,
who serviced
in wartime or during
peace.
“It doesn’t matter
Bob DeRocher
to me. We all signed
a blank check, payable
up to and including
our lives,” said DeRocher, whose
wife, Michelle, and sons, Joshua and
Jason Hughes, are enrolled members of
the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla
Indian Reservation. Another son, Tyler,
is not enrolled with the CTUIR. (Michelle
DeRocher is the new front desk receptionist
at Nixyaawii Governance Center.)
DeRocher acknowledges it will take a
great effort to locate veterans here.
“It’s a pretty big job,” he said. “I know
there are tribal veterans out there that
haven’t applied for benefits. I have 169
records in my office that go all the way
back to World War I and know there are
a lot of veterans out there than I have
files for.”
DeRocher said veterans earned certain
benefits by serving in the Armed
Forces.
“One of my goals is to do all that I can
to ensure that tribal veterans get what
they earned,” DeRocher said. “I’ll help
with all the paperwork that must be filled
out, keep detailed records, and track the
claims so that when something gets ‘lost’
in the system, we can say ‘here’s another
copy’ without the veteran having to go
back and fill it all out again.”
Above all, DeRocher believes veterans
should be acknowledged for their service
and sacrifice.
“I think of every veteran as my brother
or sister. We help each other, support
each other and stand together to make
good things happen,” DeRocher said.
The new coordinator is asking veterans
and their families to help.
“Whether you are an enrolled tribal
member of spouse or family member,
please contact me either by phone, email
or drop in at my office in the Department
of Children and Family Services. Even if
you don’t need assistance with anything
right now, at some point you or your family
might and that’s what I am here for.
I’m sure you have ideas on how to make
things work better or things you would
Barkley new VP for WW watershed board
WALLA WALLA – John Barkley, a
long-time advocate of improving water
quality, instream flows and healthy fish,
was elected Feb. 1 as vice-chairman of
the Walla Walla Watershed Partnership
board of directors.
“I appreciate the confidence in my
peers to elect me to this position,” Barkley
said. “We continue to enhance instream
flow in the Walla Walla basin with our
unique ‘flow to flexibility’ measures
using water banking, local water plans,
and exempting well mitigation. These
measures,” Barkley continued, “benefit
citizens of the basin as the theme indicates
– for farms, for fish, for everyone.”
The Board convenes a public meeting
the first Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m.
at the Walla Walla Community College
Water and Environmental Center. Board
members include an array of interests
with representatives from irrigation
districts, conservationists, City of Walla
Walla, Walla Walla County, and business
and environmental interests.
Walla Walla Watershed Partnership,
also known as W3MP, was established in
July 2009 as a local management board by
the Washington state legislation. Barkley,
who has served as vice-chairman of the
Confederated Tribes’ Water Commission
for more than 12 years, was appointed to
the W3MP by the CTUIR Board of Trustees
as its representative. BOT Secretary
Kat Brigham serves as BOT alternate.
Barkley is the Director of Field Operations
for the Native Construction Career
Institute, Council for Tribal Employment
Rights, in Federal Way, Wash. He can be
reached in his office at 253-661-2155.
like to see happen. Let’s see what we can
do to make that happen.”
DeRocher was born and raised in
the Columbia River Gorge and graduated
from Wahtonka High School in The
Dalles. He retired from the Navy after
20 years.
DeRocher was the founding member
of and past president of the VFW M/C in
San Diego where he helped raise money
for the Recreational Fund at a Chula Vista
Veterans Home and supported other
veterans’ functions and causes. He is a
life member of the VFW, and a member
of the American Legion and Fleet Reserve
Association.
Contact DeRocher at the DCFS office,
541-429-7399, or through his email at
robertderocher@ctuir.org.
March 17th
Happy Birthday Leprechaun
Love, Your Rainbow
Head 2 Toes
Full Service Salon & Spa
1904 SW Frazer / 379-0010
Thank you to
everyone for all your
prayers and support.
We appreciate
it so much.
Kimberly
Weathers
Head 2 Toes
Full Service Salon & Spa
March 2011
Confederated Umatilla Journal
23