Fall 2011 - Jewish War Veterans of the United States

The JewishVETERANFall • 2011IN THIS ISSUE!Bringing a Tasteof Sweetness toDeployed JewishMilitaryPage 8Jewish Chaplain’sMemorialDedicationPage 10Treatment forTraumatic BrainInjuryPage 11What’s ADepartmentJudge AdvocateTo Do?Page 12MembershipPage 13Being Jewish InMyitkyinaPage 14A Visit ToNormandyPage 14UsingSocial MediaPage 17HOMECOMING FROM IRAQOn October 21,2011 the UnitedStates and Iraq affirmedthat the USwould withdrawall military forcesby the end of 2011– bringing a clearend to the UScombat presencein Iraq after eightyears of war.As December31st approaches,large numbersof troops are alreadybeing pulled out of Iraq. Asof November 15th, only 24,000troops remain in Iraq compared to34,000 in October.According to a recent Galluppoll, an overwhelming majorityof Americans, 75 percent, supportthe President’s decision to withdrawfrom Iraq by the end of 2011.However, questions still remainon whether the United States maynegotiate a further presence in Iraqin 2012. And the US is not completelypulling out of the region -40,000 troops located in Kuwait,Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates,and Qatar will still remain.While political leaders argueabout the end of the Iraq War, onthe home front a different questionlooms, is the United States preparedfor this next generation ofcombat veterans?As Iraq War veterans begin tomake the transition back to civilianlife they face a number of uniquechallenges including difficulty readjustingto the pace of non-militarywork, long-term problemsfrom combat injuries, and issueswith post traumatic stress disorder.The current deficit crisis has putthe resources these returning veteransneed at risk. While programsadministered by the Department ofVeterans Affairs are exempt fromthe looming budget cuts, there areother programs Veterans rely on,like jobs and homeless programs,which are not protected.In order to be successful,Iraq War veterans need the supportof an understanding publicand government. It is not enoughfor Americans to welcome IraqWar veterans home as heroes.Congressional and Administrationleadership need to make it a priorityto fund the programs and initiativesthat will help these men andwomen ease back into civilian life.Join us in Washington, DC forCapitol Hill Action Day and NEC! March 6-10, 2012Call 1-800-228-9290 to make your reservation at theCrystal City Marriott at Reagan National Airport, in Arlington, VA.

Upcoming JWV TeleconferencesYour opinions and ideas count! All JWV members are encouraged tojoin in and participate by calling this toll-free number:Dial 1-866-266-3378 and enter the JWV Code Number: 202 265 6280#.Enter the full number, including the # sign. All calls start at 8:00 PM EDTTues. - Jan. 10....... JWV Membership-Finding the Hidden, the Lost, and the Ignored JewishveteransWed. - Jan. 25....... Commanders and Quartermasters-Obligations and Legal IssuesWed. - Feb. 15...... NEC – Plans and PreparationsThur. - Mar. 22...... National Museum-Funding for the FutureThur. - Apr. 19....... Visions of the Future of JWV in the year 2015-What will we be doing?Thur. - Apr. 26...... Membership-Knowing When to Hold ‘Em-Retention when memberswant to quitWed. - May 9........ Information Technology-Getting your Post and Department on theInternetGet Social with JWV Online!JWV is on Facebook, Twitter, and the JWV Online Forum! Use our socialmedia to share pictures and keep in touch with JWV members and friends.Join now for lively discussions on the topics that interest you!The JewishVETERANThe Jewish Veteran is the Official Publication of theJewish War Veterans of the United States of AmericaNational CommanderNational EditorNational Executive DirectorManaging EditorGraphics/Production EditorEditorial FellowEDITORIAL OFFICE1811 R Street, NWWashington, D.C. 20009Allen E. FalkPaul Bernstein, PNCHerb RosenbleethNikki SalzmanChristy TurnerRobert M. Zweiman, PNCTelephone (202) 265-6280 x504Fax (202) 234-5662E-mail jwv@jwv.orgWeb Site www.jwv.orgThe Jewish Veteran is published 4 times a year:Fall, Spring, Summer, and Fall, by theJewish War Veterans of theUnited States of Americaat 1811 R Street, NWWashington, DC 20009Periodical postage paid at Washington, DC, and atadditional mailing offices.Postmaster: Send form 3579 to Jewish War Veterans,1811 R Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009.Subscription price in the United States is $5.00 peryear, included in membership. Nonmember subscriptions:$7.50.Single copies: $2.50.Photos and articles submitted to The Jewish Veteranshall be used at the discretion of the organization.The opinions expressed in signed articles and lettersin this magazine are not necessarily those of JWV.Facebook: facebook.com/JewishWarVeteransTwitter: //twitter.com/JewishWarVetsJWV Online Forum: jwvusa.ning.comAdvertising information and rates available from theEditorial Office. JWV assumes no responsibility forproducts and services advertised in this publication.© 2011 by the Jewish War Veterans of the USA.ISSN 047-2018.Reproduction without permission is prohibited.New Ways to Shop for All of YourJWV Supplies and MerchandiseOur OnlineStore is yourone-stop shop!You will find a full range of everything you need from pins,poppies, and decals to a large selection of JWV wearables,including shirts and jackets.You can access the shop directly from the home page of theJWV web site, www.jwv.org, or you can contact our vendordirectly at (703) 753-3733 or patrick.ennis@comcast.net.Enjoy the ease and convenience of secure onlineshopping and a larger selection of merchandisethan ever before!For JWV caps, you can call directly to:Keystone Uniform Cap Corporation2251 Farley St, Philadelphia, PAPhone: (215) 821-3434 • Fax: (215) 821-3438departmentsYOUR LETTERS 3MESSAGE FROM THE COMMANDER 4NEWS FROM CAPITOL HILL 4DISPATCHES FROM THE EDITOR 5COMMENTARY 6JWV AROUND THE COUNTRY 14NEW MEMBERS 16PEOPLE AND PLACES 16REUNIONS 16NOTES FROM THE COMMITTEES 18MUSEUM NEWS 20TAPS 22

Your LETTERSCORRECTION NOTEDThere was an error in the SUMMER 2011The Jewish Veteran, which arrived in November.“Ritchie Boys Reunion” by Guy Stern misstatesthey served at Fort Hunt in “Maryland.”Fort Hunt is now a frequently visited park nearMount Vernon in Virginia.It is directly across the Potomac from FortWashington on the Maryland side. Those twoforts, constructed after the fiasco of Britishtroops sacking Washington in 1815, successfullyprotected the city from the ConfederateNavy a half century later. They are important tothe history of the city because of what did nothappen there.The Washington Post had a major article onthe interrogators at Fort Hunt during their firstreunion there about five years ago.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Hunt_ParkBest wishes on the new permanent exhibit.LTC Les Bergen, RetArlington, VAAPPRECIATIONDear Editors:For the last couple of issues I’ve been meaningto write you about my great pleasure in thenew JWV periodical. The articles are fantastic.Informing, educating, stimulating pride andstimulating civic action. Thanks for keepingme on top of important matters that I wouldn’tlearn about anywhere else.Sincerely,Mrs. Leonard C. HechtWHAT HAPPENED?Dear Sirs,Today, Tuesday, November 8th 2011, I receivedThe Jewish Veteran Summer 2011 issue.We are past the summer of 2011. What happened?I always get The Jewish Veteran verylate.Truly Yours,Mark I KoppelmanSVC Bell-Oak Post 648Journal Chairman of the Queens CountyCouncilA FATHER’S SERVICEDear Commander Rosenzweig:Your recent newsletter, addressed to my father,John Levine, was forwarded to me, his son.I am sorry to inform you that Dad passedaway on July 17th. It’s difficult to convey because,if you didn’t know my Dad, you mightthink I was making this up, but his passing justtwo months short of his 89th birthday was ashock to our family and his friends around theworld, and just today I received another callfrom a friend in a distant State who just foundout about his passing.Dad believed that each day was a blessingand that it was his duty to do good deeds andspread cheer wherever he went. Although hisActive Duty ended when WWII ended, his servicecontinued. He traveled by himself throughoutthe United States and was always full ofcheer and good spirit.Wherever he traveled – actually, wheneverhe left the house – he wore his iconic WWIIVeteran/China Burma hat. It was such an equalizer.Whether it was a conversation starter forother WWII vets he encountered…or an opportunityfor an exchange of “thank you sir for yourservice” between him and a young soldier backfrom deployment overseas, his hat and what itrepresented was part of him and who he was.Dad would not have met nor married myMom in 1944 had he not been in the service.He would not have honed his accountingskills had he not been part of the tactical AirForce Command.He would not have been able to afford collegeor Law School had it not been for the GI Bill.In short, his life’s path and journey was affectedby his service in the mid-1940’s.During his last trip to visit us in theNortheast, we had occasion to watch a paradetogether. Groups of local volunteer fire departmentsand antique fire engines were joined with adisplay of the Stars and Strips. Because of Dad’sscoliosis and arthritis he endured constant painin his hips. For that reason, we positioned himtowards the front in a lawn chair facing the parade.As each Department passed by and witheach Department’s display of the Colors, he rosefrom the chair and saluted until it passed. Onlythen would he return to the chair…until the nextone…and then the next one…over fourteen timesduring the day.The Jewish War Veterans is the group thathe supported all his life and which I rememberas being in our home as a child. It was whereI first learned about service to community andcharitable giving.With best regards and with thanks for yourcommunity service.Sincerely,Fred and Ellen LevineNew York, NYWant to be featured inThe Jewish Veteran?Is your post doing interestingand innovative programming?Are you working on a projectthat could help other JWVPosts?Contact us, and your postcould be featured in the nextissue of The Jewish Veteran!Send your photos and storiesto Nikki Salzman at:nsalzman@jwv.org.IncreaseEvent AttendanceGetting members to events canoften be a struggle. Sometimespeople are busy with their ownlives. Others might mean toattend but then they forget.Email can be a great resource forevent reminders, but some JWVmembers do not use the Internetor email. To make sure the wordgets out to members, using a callservice company like OneCallNow.com or CallMultiplier.com can be agreat option.As a non-profit organization, JWVis not bound by the regulations ofthe Do-Not-Call ImplementationAct of 2003 as long as Posts areonly calling individuals affiliatedwith the organization. It isimportant to note that these callscannot be used for solicitationpurposes. Calls must be limited toreminders about event meetings ornotifications about important Postinformation.For more information contactJWV National.www.jwv.org Fall • 2011 The Jewish Veteran3

MESSAGEOctober and November have been quite busyfor me. I have been asked to attend a number offunctions in Washington, DC representing JWV.Many of these events involve JWV’s membershipin The Military Coalition (TMC). This is aninfluential consortium of 34 military and veteransorganizations. PNC Bob Zwieman is a foundingmember of the group.Here is a brief sampling of the events Iattended:October 5 - Attended The Military CoalitionAward Ceremony honoring Congressman TimWalz. It was held at Reserve Officers Associationoffices on Capitol Hill.October 11 - Along with Chief of Staff MikeLiebowitz and National Judge Advocate AlanCornblatt, attended Congressional viewing ofmemorial plaque to Jewish Chaplains held inSenate Hart Building.October 24 - Spoke at the dedication ceremoniesat Arlington National Cemetery forFROM THE COMMANDERNational Commander Allen E. Falkthe Jewish Chaplains’ Memorial Plaque. Also,along with National Auxiliary President ElaineBernstein, placed wreath at The Tomb of theUnknown Soldier.November 4 - Represented JWV at AnnualBoard of Directors meeting and regular monthlymeeting of The Military Coalition held at officesof the Air Force Association in Arlington,Virginia. I had the honor of voting to reelectNational Executive Director Herb Rosenbleethas President of The Military Coalition Boardof Directors. Also attended a luncheon at JWVNational Headquarters with the office staff.Purpose was to thank staff for their great serviceat the Jacksonville Convention.November 5 - Represented JVW at “Macks’Marines” USMC birthday luncheon held at TheMarine Corps Barracks, 8th & I, Washington,DC.November 11 - Served as a member of theVeterans Day National Committee 2011, representingJWV. Alongwith my wife Leah,attended White Housebreakfast hosted bythe President andMrs. Obama. Then,we were transportedto Arlington NationalCemetery to observe the President place a wreathat the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I then saton the amphitheatre stage while President Obamaaddressed the assembly. We then attended a receptionfor the host organization at the MarriottCrystal Gateway.The functions that I attended in DC haveshown me how respected JWV is amongst themilitary and veterans communities in DC. Oneof the top reasons for this respect has been theeffort of our National Executive Director HerbRosenbleeth who works hard to ensure our interestsare represented in our nation’s capital.NEWSFROM CAPITOL HILLBy Herb RosenbleethColonel, U.S. Army(Ret)National Executive DirectorVETERANS DAYThis past Veterans Day, VA Secretary EricShinseki directed changes and additions to theVeterans Day celebrations here in Washingtonto make this holiday more distinguishable fromMemorial Day. Veterans Day is primarily intendedto thank living veterans for their dedicated andloyal service. Memorial Day is the day set asideto honor America’s war dead.In 1954, President Eisenhower signed a billproclaiming November 11 as Veterans Day, andcalled upon all Americans to rededicate themselvesto the cause of peace.Eisenhower issued a Presidential Order directingthe head of the Veterans Administration(now called the Department of Veterans Affairs),to form a Veterans Day National Committee toorganize and oversee the national observanceof Veterans Day. The National Commander ofthe Jewish War Veterans of the USA serves as amember of this committee which, in addition toplanning and coordinating the National VeteransDay Ceremony, supports a number of VeteransDay Regional sites.Starting with this year’s Veterans Day,Secretary Shinseki created a Veterans Day concerton the day before Veterans Day to furtherdistinguish this holiday from Memorial Day.National Commander Allen E. Falk representedJWV on the dais at the Arlington NationalCemetery program. During this ceremony,our JWV Department of DC carried both theAmerican flag and the JWV flag with the Star ofDavid clearly visible against the blue sky.In addition to representing JWV on thedais at Arlington National Cemetery, NationalCommander Allen Falk represented JWV at thereception hosted by the Military Order of theWorld Wars. National Commander Falk, whoserved as a Marine Corps Captain in Vietnam,was warmly greeted by several Marines whonoticed his “Red One” lapel pin. I was extremelyproud to escort National CommanderPhoto by Herb RosenbleethFalk and his lovely wife, Leah, at this reception.The President of our Ladies Auxiliary, ElaineBernstein, and her husband, PNC Paul Bernstein,who is JWV’s National Executive CommitteeChairman, also participated at Arlington and atthis reception. JWV was well represented in theWashington, DC, Veterans Day ceremonies.4 The Jewish Veteran Fall • 2011 www.jwv.org

CommentaryBy PNC Robert M. Zweiman, Chairman, Coordinating Committee“IF THEY ASKED ME, I COULD WRITE A BOOK”The United States: a Superpower? Not if othershave their way about it. The guy at the top ofAmerica is a target bombarded here and abroadby envy, greed, power, and whatever else candemean our nation in its projected decline.Thirty-three Latin American countries havegotten together to economically challenge theUnited States globally. As long as they make iteconomic rather than political, they have a shotat becoming viable as a player, but not for thetop spot.There is Turkey and the Shiite Islamic nationswhich are developing through the ArabSpring and looking toward positioning themselvesas a modern Ottoman Empire, to thedismay of other nations who view them withconcern. We would have to look to our Sunnifriends, who have taken advantage of us for somany decades with oil dominance – they mayturn out to need us more than we need them in anew world market.There is our old friend China and SoutheastAsia. We could have a problem with India, althoughmoney always has a leveling property.Both of them already own large parts of UnitedStates properties and farms. They could evenput together a NAFTA approach with Canadaand Mexico. Canada is developing energy andMexico is economically developing domestically– who knows we may someday find illegalimmigrant Americans in Mexico.There is our friend Russia, which used to bea superpower, and has become a big oil playerand may move west. Right now they may alsohave our problem with their citizens looking ata looser government friendly to its people.It is important to realize that all of the abovenations had the ability to prevent the UnitedStates from being too big to fail, yet none ofthem came forward with offers of assistance– leaving us with stimulus packages of differentdimensions to provide money to nourishGoldman Sucks and its vampire hordes.So, the world looks to record the Rise andFall of the American Superpower. America’sdecline is a reason for ecstasy (not the drug eventhough the effect may be similar); although ifthe past is any indication, our detractors willalso suffer unless they form many consumerbases.While the world glories in America’s decline,the largest group of people consumedwith promoting the philosophy of decline arethe American people. Day in and day out themedia, television, and politicians contaminateAmerican thinking – getting our citizens to debasethemselves and our society. We are delugedwith false economic teachings. We requireour citizens to place blame upon themselvesfor our ills, and grind themselves into a flour ofshame. If we don’t respect ourselves who else isgoing to do so? No one - especially not our ownchildren.The latest slide into our political unrealityis the elimination of all restraints in the existingchild labor laws. While our children keepfalling down the scales in educational standing,politicians want to make them into commoditiesinstead of competitors. I’m convoluted enoughto see some validity in their thinking. We can deportall our illegal immigrants, and then providebackup child workers for our farms (it may behard labor, but they have to learn that life is nota pumpkin pie) and other places (school toilets,retail, and factories) where we are stuck havingto pay lower than the so-called minimum wage.What kind of stupidity is the American citizenwilling to accept and live by? How gullible hasthe American citizen become that we are willingto be motivated and governed by slogans?Well, we have to wakeup and understandand accept where we are and start to figure outhow to change our declining future. Are we ofthe mind that we must immediately repair allfinancial and money markets with a lot of unneededmoney and giving it to the people whoput us where we are, or do we say that we do notconsider money in any form the sole commodityof supply and demand? How many peopledoes it require to run government money printingpresses? First thing we have to do is to realizewhat our useable assets are and seek to developthem.Probably the first asset, which we have ignored,is education – this requires an intensesurge. Another asset is creative technology,which we are letting slip through our hands tooutsourced countries whose people come hereto our universities and by sending universityunits and colleges overseas.What is interesting in this area is that companies,such as Pfizer, (they are not alone) havelaid off 1,100 employees. They are not seekingto reduce costs of operations or increase profits,but solely to build up their cash resources to buyback an additional $5 Billion worth of their ownstock. What’s even more fascinating is that the1,100 people came out of the research and developmentlabs who might have created medicinesto contain or cure America’s or the world’sillnesses. Now ain’tthat a kick in theteeth? But don’t beconcerned, Merckopened a new research and development headquartersin Beijing, China with 600 employees.This could make us a sick nation in decline.When we started out as a nation, one of ourprimary assets was agriculture, much of whichhas now been sold or leased to multinationalcorporations who pushed out the old mom andpop farms and yet receive federal monies byway of subsidies and grants. Agriculture is anasset which can’t be picked up and outsourcedby acreage, shoveled into a ship, and sent overseas.So why not look at it as a resource for nationaldevelopment and employment? The produceis not merely food for consumption hereand for export, but also through technologicaladvances has been used in the creation of manyproducts which can industrially be made in ourown nation. Who knows? It might even reducethe number of food stamps.It is obvious that any planning cannot be accomplishedovernight, but that should not stopus from beginning. You can begin by layingaside all the political posturing. The mediocrityof those running and seeking to run the country,after a while, becomes nauseating and issuesbecome without meaning or importance toa creative solution.At one time we had a Depression, and wealso had a CCC, WPA, TVA and other alphabeticalagencies which provided for employment,infrastructure development, cultural advances,social security, etc. With World War II and warproduction most of them were gone.Right now an opportunity may be presentingitself with the 40,000 or more veterans comingback from Iraq and Afghanistan and thegovernment program for retraining, educationadvancement and the like. It calls for legislativetools, so do not use the many for-profit schoolswho steal away the proceeds of GI Bill rightsleaving the veteran without education, training,or the ability to function in our society.The education retraining project is now fullyin effect (I hope) and as it develops it can beexpanded to the many unemployed, homeless,and others requiring retraining, new opportunitytraining, education and all of the creativitywhich we are able and qualified to bind together.I know I have written a number of timesabout a National Service Plan. Each time it hasbeen shot down with the misunderstanding that6 The Jewish Veteran Fall • 2011 www.jwv.org

ANNOUNCING JWV’S NEW ONLINE POST 77AND A NEW ONLINE MEMBERSHIP FORMThis winter, JWV introduced two exciting newfeatures to its online collection: Schulte-Bruckenthal Post 77 and an online membershipform.the online post makes it possible forpeople to be members of JWV from anywhere inthe country or the world. Prospective memberswho were unable to join a post because they livein a remote area, will no longer face barriers tofull membership in JWV. This is also an excitingopportunity for the men and women currentlyserving in the military. JWV membership is freefor active duty servicemen and women, andthis online post will give those deployed abroada way to immediately engage with JWV, whichwill make them more inclined to continue theirmembership when they return home.the new online membership form servesas the perfect complement to JWV’s enhancedpresence on the Internet. The online form willallow prospective members to quickly and easilysubmit an application to JWV. Without havingto rely on the post office, JWV will be able toapprove new members in half the time.Visit the Schulte-Bruckenthal Post 77 at: http://onlinepost77.jwv.orgTo join online please go to: http://www.jwv.org/online_membership/users/membershipCommentaryit is a replacement for the voluntary Americanmilitary. NOT SO!A National Service Plan can lead to a rebirthof our way of life. It entails exactly what we aredoing with the returning veterans by integratingthem into a society from which they were taken(many were pulled from their job ventures asreservists and the national guards).Let’s really be honest, to get ahead in thisnation and the world you have to be smart andhave money. A number of nations are aheadof us, mainly from commercial espionage andtheir own educational system. The most importantingredient to us is education, whether itrelates to technology, health services, construction,infrastructure restoration, and even military,and a national system is the best tool foraccomplishing this, and accomplishment doesnot mean national ownership.Until we recognize that the guys with all themoney are the smartest and most intelligent asto what we are and what we need, we will consistentlybe delusional that there is actually amiddle class (not really just the upper strata ofthe poverty class).The Arab Spring stimulated rallies againstexisting governments which had autocraticleaders denying popular participation. The resultshave been elections and so-called responsivegovernments. It has not necessarily turnedout that way with Islamic majorities (who seekto delude the protesters with claims of openTurkish governments) taking over rather thansecular regimes. In many cases social media hasdriven the mission toward open discussion andimplementation, but who is leading?Social media has also driven a revolt of themind to other nations with mixed results. TheUnited States has also been touched in an unorganizedmanner. The demands are defused asto what the end result should be. Occupy WallStreet unfortunately targets an elusive groupwhich constitutes 1% of America’s wealthy –but, which ones?? This has resulted in a confusionof purpose. Our government is taking theapproach of Arab Nations and has sent police into remove the returning protestors. It becomes acrime to think about the present and the future.Our government does this instead of recognizingthat the protestors consist of students,unemployed, homeless, veterans, foreclosureevictees, and people who have a purpose, but nodirection. The opportunity to mobilize and givedirection to the protestors – by instead of payingmoney for police protection – to use someof the money to put some of them to work onroads, etc. and direct our government based on apositive growth and representation and rebuildingAmerica (we claim to be big nation buildersoutside of America, we should try doing itat home) not solely for the money finding itsway into the hands of non-producers who, withfinancial sophistication, drain purpose from avitally complete end result.I am definitely not calling for or seeking arerun of the 1776 Revolution - or for a Facebookoverthrow of our government. I seek a positivedeployment of the energies and desires of theOccupy Protestors across the country from NewYork to California.We cannot afford another Tea Party (fromeither the right, the left, or from any fanaticalgroups) to undertake any single issues whichdeny our citizens the full enjoyment of our wayof life.A Turkish official at a public meeting commentedon their economic growth vs. the UnitedStates’ decline while Vice President Joe Bidenwas in the audience, and the official said “thefast fish, not the big fish eats the small fish.”Our Vice President, never one with a lack ofAmerican pride, answered by saying, “in a seaof young sharks, the United States was stillthe whale.”Joe Biden has a quality missing in mostof those seeking political office, namelyan American belief, real trust in his fellowAmerican, and an ability to recognize our declineis of our own making and our ability torecover is within our own hands, minds, and desires.Superpower is a nice term, but meaninglessif our citizens continue to suffer from ourown misguided actions or inactions.It’s time for us to take the Occupy Movementout of the hands of any revolutionists and tomake it a meaningful adventure in a populistand democratic capitalism, all built on respectand compassion. We really can’t allow the politicaland greed vampires to control and directour present and future.www.jwv.org Fall • 2011 The Jewish Veteran7

10 Years Later—Bringing a Taste of Sweetness to Deployed Jewish Military for the New YearBy Michael Baum, Col, USAF (Ret)Who would have thought that 10 yearsafter 9/11 Austin Post 757 of the JewishWar Veterans of America would still besending packages to deployed Jewishsoldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines inIraq, Afghanistan and to other locationsthrough the world?Ten years ago, Barbara Golden, thenthe Austin Post 757 commander, initiatedwhat Post 757 now calls the deployedsoldier’s project as the Iraqi packageprogram. The first year, the post membersall brought in socks, hygiene items,candy, and gum and packed them for onesingle shipment that year to 30 soldiers.2011, ten years later, we still have anestimated 1000 Jewish deployed militaryforces in Afghanistan, over 500 Jewishmilitary forces in Iraq, and an unknown numberof other Jewish government workers from theState Department, USAID, Defense IntelligenceAgency, and other U.S. governmental agenciesin these combat theaters.From one mailing per year to 30 soldiers,the Austin Post 757 program to support JewishJWV Austin Post 757 members, from left, Barry Mann, FredGlosser, Jack Serif, Mel Bilich, and Shirley Berry assembly HighHoliday packages for deployed Jewish Military personnel.military personnel has grown to four shipmentsa year reaching over 800 deployed militarymembers each year for the High Holidays,Chanukah, Purim, and Passover. The AustinJWV Post 757 Program is one of the few nationwideJWV Post programs that send personalizedpackages and holiday cards to Jewish deployedforces worldwide.On Labor Day weekend the Postpackaged honey cakes, honey, dried apples,granola bars, candy bars, cards andletters, copies of the Jewish Outlook forover 200 soldiers, sailors, airmen, andMarines.The program was generously supportedby our local HEB Kosher store whichsupplied honey cakes, Manny’s UptownKitchen which supplied individual honeypackets, generous donations from membersof Agudas Achim, Shir Amir, TiferetIsrael which allowed the post to purchaseadditional Kosher food items, handmadecards from Jewish Social Services, andHigh Holiday cards signed by membersof the Jewish Community during thecommunity’s Israel Independence Daycelebration in May.For more information on JWV Post 757Deployed Soldier Project, go to www.jwv.org.[Reprinted with permission from Austin,Texas’ The Jewish Outlook]Rabbi Larry Bazer and service members celebrate Rosh Hashanahin AfghanistanDear Col. Baum and all the members AustinPost 757-JWV:On behalf of all the Jewish service membersof the Kabul Base Cluster(KBC), I wantto personally thank you for all your wonderfulHigh Holy Day gift boxes you sent us.As the Senior Jewish Chaplain in theaterand as the Rabbi of the Kabul Base ClusterJewish Community, we greatly appreciatedyour warmth and care during the holidays.You all helped bring “home” a bit closer here.Please also thank the many donations fromcongregations, businesses, and practicesin the Austin area. All the items were put togreat use.Our KBC Jewish community had wonderfulHigh Holy Day services.Although wedidn’t get the crowds that shuls in Americaget for Yontiv, wehad a very specialtime together creatingour new familycommunity. I’m enclosinga few photosfor you to sharewith all the wonderfulpeople thatdonated their timeand effort.May all thewonderful membersof JWV AustinPost 757 have ajoyous and sweetNew Year. Keepyour prayers coming this way.Shana Tova and Hag Sameach,Rabbi Larry BazerKabul Base Cluster Jewish Chaplain andAfghanistan Senior TheaterChaplain and JWV Life Member, Post 157Chaplain (LTC) Laurence Bazer26th “Yankee” BrigadeKBC Command ChaplainCamp PhoenixCol Baum:Thank you to you, Post 757 of the JWV,and the Austin Jewish Community for sendingcare packages to deployed JewishSoldiers, Airmen, Sailors, and Marines. I receivedmine today and was delighted to findso many goodies in the box. As I know youmust know, it is especially hard to be awayfrom home during the Jewish holidays. But,one of the nice things about this deploymentis hearing from Jewish communities back inthe US who want to support Jewish servicemembers. It always makes things a bit easier.Thank you again. I hope you and yourshave a happy and health new year.L’shana tova.Richard A. SugarmanMAJ, JA, USARCommand Judge AdvocateSir;Being the Jewish Lay Leader at KAF(KANDAHAR AIR FORCE) I cannot thank youenough for your overflowing RH care packages,We were down to our last few KosherMeals and Manna came from Austin. We havea very active Jewish presence here-15 soldierscome to our Friday night service and Shabbatdinner. We have a strictly kosher kitchen and 5of us are strictly kosher and Shomer Shabbat,to the best of our abilities. Please forward thisemail to all the organizations and individualsthat contributed to the awesome kosher food.Thank you once again.Cpt. Warren K GrossShavua Tov and have a wonderful happyand healthy Shana Tova.8 The Jewish Veteran Fall • 2011 www.jwv.org

Treatment for Traumatic Brain InjuryBy Jacob M. Romo, Ph.D.,Department Commander, MATraumatic Brain Injury (TBI), often called thesignature wound of the Iraq and Afghanistanwars, occurs when a sudden trauma or head injurydisrupts the function of the brain. Commoncauses of TBI include damage caused by explosivedevices, falls, and vehicle or motorcycleaccidents. Most reported TBI among OperationEnduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedomservice members and veterans has been tracedback to Improvised Explosive Devices, or IEDs,used extensively against Coalition Forces.Not all blows or jolts to the head result in aTBI. The severity of such an injury may rangefrom “mild” (i.e., a brief change in mental statusor consciousness) to “severe”, (i.e., an extendedperiod of unconsciousness or amnesia after theinjury). Each of the three forms of TraumaticBrain Injury display different symptoms.Mild TBI, otherwise known as concussion,is more difficult to diagnose both in civilian lifeand on the military battlefield. With mild TBIpatients, full recovery can be within minutes tohours; small percentages have symptoms thatmay persist months or years.Moderate TBI patients have the most variabilityin the clinical presentation picture. Thereis usually a loss of consciousness, from an hourto a day; there can be confusion for days toweeks; and mental or physical deficits that canlast months or be permanent. The vast majorityof these service members are identified andevaluated at theater-level medical facilities, andare evacuated back to the United States for furtherevaluation.Severe TBI usually results from a significantclosed head injury, as in an automobileaccident or most open or penetrating injuries,where there may be considerable residual deficitsof brain function. Depending on the injury,a severe TBI could impact speech, sensory, visionand cause cognitive deficits including difficultieswith attention, memory, concentration,and impulsiveness. There is an aggressive initialtreatment program in the theater with neurosurgicalexpertise.Initial focus of treating a TBI is to stabilizethe injured person in order to minimize secondarycomplications. After individuals with TBIhave been stabilized, the treatment plan generallyinvolves rehabilitation efforts to teachpatients how to cope with their specific injuryrelatedsymptoms.After a TBI, the body often begins a remarkablerepair process. Unlike the skin, the braindoes not heal by forming new cells. Instead, existingcells will change to make up for the lostcells. In most cases, brain swelling subsideswithin a few weeks and the pressure inside theskull stabilizes. This is the time when recoveryis most rapid. The brain’s chemical balancereturns to normal within several months. Andwhile the damaged connections between nervecells will not grow back, research has shownthat some new connections may develop betweenthese cells over an extended period oftime.Rehabilitation services are needed by individualswith TBI who continue to have medicaland functional problems following injury andinitial treatment. The need for rehabilitationcrosses all age groups, but the type, intensity,and goals differ from person to person.Early intervention is important to speedrecovery and maximize functional outcome.Rehabilitation is begun as soon as individualswith TBI are medically stable. The degreeand rate of recovery are difficult to accuratelypredict because TBI is experienced differentlyby each person depending upon several uniquecharacteristics, such as the type of injury andan individual’s personal health and resilience.Where rehabilitation takes place depends on theperson’s needs. Individuals with severe TBI’smay need inpatient care at a Military TreatmentFacility (MTF), a VA Polytrauma hospital, or acivilian rehabilitation center. Individuals with amild TBI (mTBI)/concussion may be treated atoutpatient facilities.Rehabilitation is most commonly providedby a team approach that may include a numberof different therapies such as physical therapy,occupational therapy, speech therapy, nursingcare, psychologists, social workers/case managersand other health care practitioners. Membersof the team create a program based on each individual’sneeds. For example:• Occupational therapy is intended toenhance a person’s ability to do activitiesof daily living (ADLs), job-relatedtasks, improve fine motor coordinationand maximize participation in leisureactivities.• Physical therapy involves exercising andmoving the body to preserve, enhanceor restore movement and impaired functionutilizing therapeutic exercises, assistivedevices and individual educationand training.• Speech and Cognitive therapies workwith individuals with TBI who mayhave problems with attention and concentration,learning, problem solving,memory, and speech. The goals are toretrain the brain.• Many other therapies may be used in TBIrehabilitation such as Vestibular (balance)therapy, Art therapy, TherapeuticRecreation, and Driver Rehabilitation.• Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapyshows some promise in helping patientswith traumatic brain injury regain lostbrain function, but there is not enoughevidence to decide which types of thesetherapies work and which do not.A report released by an Institute of MedicineCommittee concluded there is “limited evidence”that some types of cognitive therapy– exercises and strategies taught to patients torecover brain function – work in the long term,especially therapies addressing deficits in memory,attention and communications.Currently there are over 220,000 servicemembers diagnosed with mild and severe braininjuries since 2001.Traumatic Brain Injury Resources• America’s Heroes at Work A US Departmentof Labor project that addresses the employmentchallenges of veterans with TBI and PTSD.www.americasheroesatwork.gov• Defense Centers of Excellence for PsychologicalHealth and Traumatic Brain Injury Providesinformation and resources including a 24 houroutreach line at 1-866-966-1020.www.dcoe.health.mil/24-7help.aspx• Vet Success Contains information on the servicesthe Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment(VRE) program provides to veterans with serviceconnecteddisabilities.www.vetsuccess.gov• Wounded Warrior Project Provides programsand services to help severely injured servicemembers. www.woundedwarriorproject.org10 The Jewish Veteran Fall • 2011 www.jwv.org

WHAT’S A DEPARTMENT JUDGE ADVOCATE TO DO?By PDC Harvey WeinerDepartment of MassachusettsSix years ago, when I finished my one-yearterm as Department Commander and becameDepartment Judge Advocate, my “official” timeinvolvement in JWV dropped dramatically.There was very little for the Department JudgeAdvocate to do except to respond to an occasionallegal question, and this time reductionbothered me. I was determined to expand myrole from one in which I helped the Departmentwith its infrequent legal problems to one inwhich I also helped veterans with their manylegal problems.First, I assisted in launching and sustainingthe nascent Massachusetts Bar Association’sVeterans Dial-A-Lawyer program. A group ofabout a dozen lawyers met at the MassachusettsBar Association (MBA) offices for two hours toman (and woman) the phones and answer thegeneral legal questions of veterans and theirfamilies. This service was advertised throughoutthe state in local newspapers and in flyerssent to veterans’ organizations. We receivedassistance from the Massachusetts Departmentof Veterans’ Services, the Massachusetts BarFoundation (MBF) and the local veterans’agents. In the sessions we have had we receivedan average of almost 100 phone calls. I alwayswear my JWV cap.Through this program we realized that mostof the lawyers handling the calls could answergeneral legal questions or refer the caller tothe correct legal services center, but they werenot knowledgeable enough to answer veterans’benefits questions, a frequent subject. Now, werefer the callers with veterans’ benefits questionsto a lawyer who concentrates in that areaand who sits at the same MBA location for twohours each week. In Massachusetts, this is partof the Shelter Legal Services, a nonprofit organization,which is funded in part by variousbar association foundations. One of the sourcesof funds is through IOLTA (an acronym forthe interest on lawyers’ trust accounts) funds,which the MBF distributes. As a life fellow ofthe MBF and a grant reviewer, I have been ableto help direct funds for veterans’ legal services,such as to Shelter Legal Services.In addition, the MBA, with financial helpfrom the MBF, has launched a “Serving ourVeterans in the Law - Visiting Lawyer Program,”whereby volunteer lawyers visit the local veterans’organization to assist veterans one-on-onewith their legal questions. MBA lawyers appearon cable access shows, such as “VeteransCorner,” to perform a similar function. Elderlaw lawyers now visit veterans’ groups at thelocal Council of Aging.To provide direct pro bono veterans’ benefitslegal services, an attorney needs to be accreditedby the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs.One can obtain this information online and fillout a VA Form 21a Application as a ClaimsAgent or Attorney to obtain the accreditation.Then, one needs to take three hours of qualifyingcontinuing legal education (CLE) in veterans’benefits before being officially qualifiedto begin representation. Finally, for $100, anattorney can become a member of the UnitedThe Massachusetts Bar Association has heldveterans-specific Dial-A-Lawyer events for morethan three and a half years, helping hundreds ofveterans in Massachusetts with legal questionsand concerns. Photo credit: Bill ArchambeaultStates Circuit Court of Appeals for Veterans’Claims. I look forward to receiving my first probono veteran’s case.I now feel that I am putting my legal skillsand experience more fully to use by helpingboth the JWV and veterans. For further informationon these programs, feel free to email meat HWeiner@peabodyarnold.com or call me at617-951-2014.New Online Tools for Veteran Job-SeekersVeterans now have the ability to download official data abouttheir military training and experience, which can be used to helpthem find jobs and continue their careers. Their service data canbe uploaded to job search and networking sites to help identifyemployment opportunities.Starting Dec. 3, veterans can use the VA’s online My HealtheVetportal (www.myhealth.va.gov) to see official information abouttheir military service, including deployment data, in-uniform experience,and Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) codes whichdefine the type of work performed and skills learned during theirtour of duty. Veterans can electronically download that informationto their personal computers by using an enhanced versionof the Blue Button. This new capability is the latest addition to agrowing suite of job-hunting tools for veterans.Several industry partners have signed up to create -- or haveeven already implemented -- third-party applications that can readmilitary specialties or classification codes in Blue Button format,automatically translate those codes into civilian descriptions, andidentify openings and other resources for veterans.Military job information available to veterans under this programwill depend on discharge or retirement date.• All veterans discharged after 1980 will see military specialtyor classification codes;• Some veterans discharged between1975-1980 will seemilitary specialty or classification codes;• Some Gulf War veterans may see combat pay and deploymentperiods;• All Post-9/11 veterans will see combat pay and deploymentperiodsVeterans who have not yet signed up for My HealtheVet accesscan register for a My HealtheVet account at any VA medicalcenter by completing a one-time identity-verification processto help assure their data privacy.www.jwv.org Fall • 2011 The Jewish Veteran11

MembershipBy PDC Michael CorbettHow many times has it been said, “Membershipis the backbone of the organization!” Well,that may be true but, more importantly,“Membership IS the organization!” After all,without new members, the future of this, or anyother organization, is in doubt. Without youngermembers, an organization cannot survive thepresent generation.When we consider all the work we’ve doneto keep the organization operating successfully– the investment of time, energy, and personalresources – we come to realize the level of effortput forth by all those who came before us overthe many, many years the Jewish War Veteransof the USA has existed.So long as we break faith with future generationsof veterans eligible to join JWV andhave nothing more to offer them but a cup ofcoffee and a piece of Danish at meetings, wewill not have new members willing to work –to make the investment in this organization thatour founders, and all our members since, havemade over the years.All our Departments and Posts need a minimumnumber of people immediately preparedto beat the bushes for new members throughoutyour service areas. Within each Post peoplemust be actively engaged throughout the year,to concentrate on doing nothing but membershiptasks. These tasks include preparing marketingprograms attenuated to the Post and thecommunity surrounding it; developing lists ofbusinesses, government agencies, civilian organizations,and corporate partners through whichmembership solicitations may be accomplished;and spending time “on-the-street” locating potentialmembers and signing them up.Without the energetic, creative, and activehelp of all members of the Department and thePost we cannot succeed in filling JWV withmembers who are physically able to do thetasks necessary to carry our organization andgain even more new members. Enticing new,younger members requires a convincing repertoirefrom all members – something that maybe developed at the Post level where existingmembers are best tuned into the local community– knowing where potential members maybe found and having access to those areas.For instance, a Post may sponsor anOneg at one or more local synagogues; providea speaker for Shabbat morning; place theNational magazine or the local Post newsletterin Doctors’ offices; present a veterans’ benefitsworkshop at the local JCC; and inform thespouses of veterans who should know aboutsuch things as medical, educational, and burialbenefits.Identifyinglocal Jewish-ownedor operated businessescan providea great resource forconnecting withnew members.Selling the owneror manageron the benefitsto their business shouldbe the first step in this process. For this, thePost should have a plan and discuss in detail whatthe members are to say – when everyone is sayingthe same thing, in their own voice, it is moreconvincing than reading a script in front of anyaudience. That is why each Post should have acentral Membership Committee to develop andcoordinate the plan to be presented throughoutthe community.The active involvement of new membersmust be a consideration right on the heels ofsigning them up. Even the youngest members– individuals who may have a young family, beattending school and/or working a full-time job,may have an opportunity to attend JWV eventsif, on occasion, we open them up to the entirefamily. Posts can consider an annual familygathering wherein the Post provides food andbeverages at a local park or the parking lot ofthe local JCC or synagogue; plan and scheduleactivities for children, offer benefits presentationsfor veterans and spouses; have the localVAMC or Clinic provide a speaker or give flushots to qualified veterans. Any number ofactivities may be planned and executed withenough help from existing members.What we need to do – what we must do – ismake our organization so attractive to eligiblemembers that they are coming to us rather thanhaving our members look for them. JWV shouldbe the default organization Jewish veterans turnto when they need counseling and guidance indealing with the Veterans Administration, eitherfor educational assistance, medical care, or submittingclaims. Our Service Officers must bethe de facto resource for these veterans whenthey return to civilian status. Finding a way toconnect with these young veterans should bethe number ‘1’ priority.Let’s face it; the success of all veterans’ serviceorganizations in getting our Governmentto attend to the needs of our veterans has beenphenomenal. It is especially noteworthy thatthe media has spent so much time reportingthese accomplishments that the general population,including many veterans, feels we no longerhave a need for such organizations. Eventhe non-veteran public is beginning to feel ourcommitment toveterans goesfar beyond whatmany are willingto sacrifice.We veterans knowthe extraordinarysacrifices we madefor our country – inthe name of democracy;it is essential wekeep up the pressure.We must continue tospread the word and ensure “no man – or woman– is left behind!”We must clearly embrace the entire veterans’community, whether or not they are eligible for membershipin JWV. In other words, work for the bettermentof all veterans, become and remain thefocal point of such activities within your communityand nationally; and work continuouslyand persistently on those issues that matter toall veterans. In that way we shall appeal to theveterans eligible for membership in JWV.Our accomplishments have always addressedthe needs of veterans of the past.Without attention to veterans of the future, therewill always be a need for the vigorous workof service organizations with emphasis on thecomplete and proper treatment of the womenand men who served in uniform during peace aswell as during times of conflict. There will alwaysbe a need for advocacy on behalf of membersof the armed forces of the United States ofAmerica and honorably discharged veterans. Itwill always be necessary to direct the nation’sattention and concern for veterans of our warsto the forefront in such a manner that VA budgetsare determined years in advance, takinginto account all the issues these VSO’s haveworked so hard for over the years.Let’s all commit to growing our organization.L’Dor V’Dor has to include the next generationof Jewish women and men who havestood the trials of military service over the pastdozen or so years and are just now becomingVETERANS.DO YOU KNOW SOMEONEON ACTIVE DUTY?Membership in JWV is free for thosemen and women currently servingon active duty.Call the JWV membership departmentat 202-265-6280 or send us ane-mail at: membership@jwv.organd give us their name and address.12 The Jewish Veteran Fall • 2011 www.jwv.org

JWV AROUND THE COUNTRYSenior Vice Commanders Rudy Schwartz and Al Chanonof the Chwatsky-Farber Post 717 of Oceanside, NY shownwith 250 cell phones they collected for “Cell Phones forSoldiers” who give servicemen 100 free minutes for eachphone they receive.September 11 Ceremony at Lubavicher YeshivaAcademy in Longmeadow, MA. Left to Right:Longmeadow Fire Chief Eric Madson, MurielOrenstein, Past Post Commander Shirley Hersh,Longmeadow Police Chief Robert Siano, Post 26Commander Stanley R. Light, Robert Goldman,Lia Goldman, and LYA Educational Director Dr.Mitch Kupperman.Members of North Shore Post 220and Ladies Auxiliary were the HostOrganization in the Peabody VeteransDay Ceremonies for 2011. Left toRight: LCDR Eric Polonsky, U.S.Navy/JWV Member; Ray Silva, CommanderPeabody Veterans Council; COLRetired Barry Lischinsky, CommanderNorth Shore Post 220.Commander of the Department of Nevada and Post Commanders of theJewish War Veterans of the USA presented snack bags to USO Director, DougBradford. The presentation took place at the McCarran USO Center. Thesesnack bags are given to active duty personnel going long distances afterleaving the center. Left to Right: Stan Barbanell, Commander Post 711; EdKranson, Department of Nevada Commander; Herb Spiegel, CommanderPost 64; Doug Bradford, Las Vegas USO Center Director; and George Barnett,Commander Post 65.From left to right: Stan Shapiro, Jeanne Perkins, Bernie Tillis, andHoward Weiner of Post 125 NJ, manning their table during the Post’sannual a fund raising poppy drive in November.JWV Members Make a Difference at Walter ReedBy Bruce Bogner, Garr-Greenstein Post 39, New JerseyLeft to Right: Peter Karabashian, Margery Gross, Rabbi AaronKrauss, Paul Stern, Herb Terris, David Guralnik, and ourdriver Earl Vaudren.For the third consecutive year, members ofthe Garr-Greenstein Post 39 of the Jewish WarVeterans traveled to Walter Reed Hospital todistribute gifts to hospitalized veterans.This year the Post gave out50 DVD players, purchased withthe funds raised by selling poppies,and provided over 300 DVDsto stock the library at Walter Reed.Mr. James Cahill, librarian of theMargate library, on behalf of thelibrary, donated over 250 of theDVDs. The Post members contributedthe remainder from their personalcollections.The members of the Post thatwent to Walter Reed included PaulStern, Post Commander; DavidGuralnik, who organized and arrangedthe trip; Margery Gross, Adjutant; RabbiAaron Krauss, Post Chaplain; Herb Terris,Junior Vice Commander; and Scout MasterPeter Karabashian. As the group went room toroom meeting the wounded veterans and theirfamilies, they thanked the veteran for his/herservice. It was not easy, emotionally, to meet thewounded service personnel since they consistedof amputees and burn victims, but it was rewardingto know that Post 39’s program wouldbring comfort during their recovery.DVDs and DVD players distributed tohospitalized veterans.14 The Jewish Veteran Fall • 2011 www.jwv.org

New MembersDEPARTMENT AT LARGEAlicia Cole-100 • Stephen Linsky-100 •Benjamin May-100 • Theodore Shultz-100DEPARTMENT OF CALIFORNIAAaron Avila-118 • Robert Padilla-118 • JolieGrossman-185DEPARTMENT OF MASSACHUSETTSCary M. Dash-26 • Benjamin Apkin-140 •Leland B. Goldberg- 211DEPARTMENT OF MICHIGANMax Fertel-135 • Calvin Lippitt-474 • RichardLuterman-474 • Norman Stern-474 • RobertTam-474DEPARTMENT OF NEVADAKenneth Lee Kneitinger-21 • Alan H.Backman-64 • Barry Freedman-65 • WilliamHauser-65 • Arthur Kunis-65DEPARTMENT OF NEW JERSEYSol Bunin-125 • Bennie Boydman-536 •Sam Yablonsky-536 • Alvin Blumenfeld-609• Woody Schlackman-609 • FrederickSturim-651 • Robert Cohen-741 • MortonPeople & Places►►Nassau/Suffolk District Council CommanderLew Wanderlich and NY State DeputyCommander David Zwern presented theBrenner-Jaffe Memorial Award to Senior ViceCommander Buddy Epstein and CommanderJohn Robbins of the Chwatsky-Farber Post717 NY for the most outstanding Newsletter/Bulletin.►►Retired Tech Sgt Mervin Suskind US Armyand member of Post 128 AZ received a medalfrom the French government for being part ofthe Normandy invasion of France in June 1944during WWII.►►Lifetime member Joseph Lubell, Post 239PA, received the Human Relations Award fromthe City of Allentown, PA. He was commendedby Congressman Charles Dent (R-PA) andMayor Ed Pawlowski for his volunteer work inteaching the Holocaust at Cedar Crest Collegeand Muhlenberg College.►►Post 185 CA held a dedication ceremonyfor the JWV monument on the “MemorialWalkway” at Miramar National Cemetery inSan Diego, CA. Attendees included CantorLarry Kornit; Congresswoman Susan Davis.and post members Howard Ruhm; VickiNenner; former Air Force nurse; Rabbi BenLiner-741 • Herbert Schleifer-741 • KalmanWilliam Stein-741DEPARTMENT OF NEW YORKHenry Shulman-41 • Jeffrey Elliot-425 •Jonathan Green-425 • Samuel Scherek-652 •Charles Krinitz-717 • Stanley R. Lieber-717 •Barnett Cohen-764 • Martin Hande-776DEPARTMENT OF OHIORobert Lancz-44 • Harold Levine-44DEPARTMENT OF PENNSYLVANIALawrence Spiegel-575 • Robert Berezin-706• Seymour Jacobs-706 • Herbert Katz-706 •Martha F. Maddox-706 • Arnold Turetzky-706• William Forman-791 • Everett Leonard-791DEPARTMENT OF SOUTHWESTMichael S. Chambers-210 • Sidney Reiff-619DEPARTMENT OF TALOJule Bovis-256 • Joe C. Chow-256 • NolanLasovich-256 • Allen Kenneth Pearlman-256• Igor Cherepanov-753 • Stewart Million-Perez-753 • David Rubenstein-753 • JonathanLevi Ben-Meir-755 • Jack Marsh-755Leinow; Allen Miliefsky, Lt/Col, USAF Ret.,JWV Department of California Commander.►►A new flagpole and American flag weredonated to the Talmud Torah day school in St.Paul, MN by JWV Posts 162 and 354. Thededication ceremony was held on VeteransDay and representatives from both Posts madepresentations to the students.►►On Sunday, December 4th, 2011,Congregation Sons of Israel teamed withmembers of the Peabody Veterans Council andparticipated in a traditional Pearl Harbor DayObservance. This event was hosted by Post 220MA and the Ladies Auxiliary. Bernie Horowitzled the Service and explained to all in attendancethe symbolic examples of our culture, whileconducting a traditional Jewish Service. He alsorecognized the men and women who gave theirlives on the morning of December 7th, 1941.Colonel Barry Lischinsky (Ret), Commanderof Post 220 gave a brief history of the eventssurrounding that tragic morning on the islandof Hawaii. The service concluded with theveterans and Congregation members recitingthe Mourner’s Kaddish in memory of the 2,400military and civilians whose lives were lost onDecember 7th, 1941.Reunions►►World War II Vets, the 494th BombardmentGroup (H) is holding a reunion April 25-29,2012 in Little Rock, Arkansas at the HolidayInn; 501-375-2100. For more information,contact Marshall Keller at 248-626-3684.►►Navy NMCB 128 will hold its 45th reunionApril 17-19, 2012 in Mobile, Alabama, at theAshbury Hotel & Suites. Phone 1-800-752-0398. For more information, contact GeorgeMcDanel, 618-259-4694 or email mcdanelgk@aol.com. This event is open to all MCB 128Seabees.►►The USS Iwo Jima (LPH2/LHD7)Shipmates reunion is being held June 6-10,2012 in McLean, VA at the Crowne Plaza Hotelin Tysons Corner. For more information contactRobert G. McAnally, 757-723-0317 or emailyujack@megalink.net. This event is open to allships company and embarked Navy and MarineCorps personnel.If you would like to receivethis year’s calendar:“Patriots Yesterday, Patriots Today,”please contact Ruby DesChamps, in theJWV Development Department.E-mail: rdeschamps@jwv.orgP: 202-265-6280. EX. 401The JWV calendar is unique, combininginformation ordinarily found on a Hebrewyear calendar in a Jan.-Dec. format, whiletelling the story of Jewish service to theAmerican military and supporting theJewish War Veterans.Social Security Benefit forSpecial Extra EarningsIndividuals who served inthe military betweenJan. 1, 1957 and Dec. 31, 2001are eligible for a higher socialsecurity payment.According to the Social SecurityAdministration, special extraearnings from military servicecan be credited to an individual’ssocial security record. Thesecredits can increase the amountof social security benefit receivedup to $1,200 per calendar year.To learn more, visit:www.ssa.gov/retire2/military.htm.16 The Jewish Veteran Fall • 2011 www.jwv.org

Better Recruitment and Retention UsingSocial MediaBy PDC Darin Selnick, NECThe Jewish War Veterans, like all the other veteranservice organizations, is struggling withhow to attract new and younger members andretain existing members. The answer lies withbeing good at using social media. Increasinglyyounger and older active duty military and veteransare connecting, communicating, and supportingeach other online. It is not enough tojust have a web site or Facebook page or twitteraccount, as who will see it or find it?Today, if you want to be successful and recruitnew members you not only have to be onall of the social networking sites, you have tofind a way for active duty military and veteransto find you. Then you have to be able to keepthem engaged by developing an online presenceof personal and group connections, products,and services. How do you do that and how doyounger military and veterans find you?My research shows there are approximately26 major web sites that cater to the military andveteran community. Although many web sitesoffer some targeted engagement for our community,there is no one secure place that welcomesall members of the military community to interactsocially and connect to benefits, programs,and local services. Today’s younger veteranswant to find their peers and find opportunitiessuch as jobs, benefits, and services. Social siteslike Facebook and LinkedIn are clear leaders,but they do little for veterans and for outreach,since their focus is to remain broad and not focusedon the military community.How do you put this all together? TheDepartment of California has decided to trya new path by teaming up with ArmedZilla.Through ArmedZilla.com, we look to improveour recruitment and retention by offering onestop shopping for all of our social media needs.What is ArmedZilla.com? ArmedZilla isa social network connecting the military communityand its supporters in one secure place.It is veteran-founded and designed to bring togetherveterans, service members, families, andsupporters. It brings the military community togetheronline and creates a support communityto help ease the transition from the service, providebetter access to veteran benefits, vso’s, andother organizations that support them.ArmedZilla.com does that by its tools.KeyPoints, a visual military profile, letsmembers share their stories and life experiences.Channels allows groups, organizations,and businesses to create pages within specificcategories to promote programs, products andservices in the areas of employment; education;health and wellness; housing; finance; life; veteransupport; military; news; and entertainment.At the Dept of California, we have createdboth a channel page and an offering page onArmedZilla.com. We will be expanding ourpresence by creating additional offerings andgroup pages. Our current pages give us the abilityto communicate, send out information, andshare all of our information and events. Newgroup pages will give us the ability to have aprivate group page for just our California JWVmembers and to have a hidden private page justfor the Department staff and officers.By being on ArmedZilla.com and by usingall of the new internet social media tools in acoordinated effort, we hope to finally bringthe Department of California up-to-date and togrow through new members and retention ofexisting members. As Steve Jobs said, “Andno, we don't know where it will lead. We justknow there's something much bigger than anyof us here.”Military.com’s Benefit Calculator is designedto connect you with military benefitsinformation based on your service andstatus. The calculator can help you locateFederal benefits, State Benefits, NationalGuard State Benefits, and special militarydiscounts.To learn more about this resource, visit:http://benefits.military.com/reg/Veterans-Benefits.doVA’s Veteran Canteen ServiceHelping Homeless VeteransThe Department of Veterans Affairs is reaching out tohomeless Veterans by providing free meals and spendingmoney to eligible homeless Veterans.The free meals will be offered at Veterans CanteenService (VCS) cafeterias to homeless Veterans attendingtheir first VA medical appointment. New Veterans participatingin the Housing and Urban Development and VASupportive Housing program, who present signed leaseswill also receive a $20 coupon to be used in VCS retailstores located at every VA medical center.VCS also facilitates vendor donations to various homelessprograms, including local VA stand downs and communityorganizations. VCS operates more than 170 retailstores and cafeterias at VA medical centers acrossthe nation, providing competitively priced food andmerchandise to VA patients, their families, caregivers,VA employees, volunteers and visitors.www.jwv.org Fall • 2011 The Jewish Veteran17

NOTES from the committeesDevelopment CommitteeBy Chairman PNC Monte MayerAt this point in time, most of youhave received our 2012 calendar.We certainly trust that you haveenjoyed reading the true to life storiesof Jewish men and women inthe armed forces of the USA. Aswe have mentioned before, thestories come directly from youand our friends who have servedin the military. They are not fromFacebook or YouTube, but fromour people who have gone throughtheir own archives and submittedthem to us for publication.We appreciate, and urge youall who are reading this, to lookthrough your own memories andphotographs, and share them withus for all who read our calendar.Please be sure the photos are clearand sharp and not newspaper pictures,as they do not reproducewell. You may send them to us bymail or e-mail. Everything submittedwill be returned to you on yourrequest.In the event you have not receivedthe calendar, but have receivedit in the past, it’s possibleyou may have not sent in the muchneededdonation. Feel free to callour office and ask for a copy of thecalendar which we will be happyto mail to you, of course in returnfor your much-needed donation.The premiums our DevelopmentCommittee put together forour mailings are not a benefit ofmembership. Our function is theraising of money to maintain ourorganization into the future andyour donations go to this end. Weare all aware that these are difficultfinancial times, but the purposeof our organization cannotbe overlooked and to maintain ourmission, your help is absolutely required.We look forward to yourcontinuous support, and we lookforward to providing you withthe memories of those who haveserved our nation.Homeless/Stand DownCommitteeBy Chairman PDC Maxwell S.ColonWomen make up a growing numberof homeless veterans and, as of thisreport, account for 3 percent to 4percent of the national population ofhomeless veterans. Homelessnessamong female veterans of theIraq and Afghanistan wars has increasedevery year for the last sixyears according to the Departmentof Veterans Affairs, and they arefour times as likely as their civiliancounterparts to be homeless.Female veterans contend withthe same stresses that can lead tohomelessness among male veterans;brain injuries, drug and alcoholabuse, and post-traumatic stressdisorder. Many women also contendwith sexual trauma, domesticabuse, and pregnancy often whiletrying to raise children alone.Women today make up 14.5percent of active duty personnel andnearly 20 percent of the Reserveand National Guard. Researchershave found that at least half the ofthe homeless women veterans hadtroubled childhoods with a historyof abuse, a traumatic experienceor homelessness before they enteredthe military. Over 75 percentstated they’d been victimized orstigmatized while on active duty.More women have been appearingat the VA centers in recent times.Researchers have also shown thatthe female veterans are less likelyto seek help.In the next edition of The JewishVeteran, I will further enlighten youon the homeless veteran.Hospital CommitteeBy Chairman Jerry BlumDear Comrades,This is the time of year when wehave all, hopefully, been very involvedwith our hospitals. I hopethat you and yours have had ahealthy and happy holiday, butplease remember, for our hospitalizedveterans the need doesn’tend when the holiday season ends.Here in Connecticut we are involvedwith our three institutions.At West Haven Veterans Hospitalwe supply holiday chit bookswhich the patients who are left atthe hospital collect from many differentgroups and then spend inthe canteen or hospital store. Wehave offered different gifts, butthe men and women really like receivingthe chits. Our Norwalk,CT post holds barbeques duringnice weather, which is very muchappreciated by the patients. AtNewington CT Federal VeteransHospital, which is an immediateservice hospital rather then a longterm hospital, the General MauriceRose Post provides coffee once amonth for people entering the facility.Rocky Hill Veterans Homeis a State run facility where weare very involved. The Hartford-Laurel Post does a monthly bingothere as well as an annual barbeque.The Department of CT is also veryinvolved in the yearly Stand Downduring the summer. At Christmas/Chanukah time Post 45, alongwith the Department, provides anice special gift to the Alzheimer’sward at the home. There are alsoother events in which we try toinvolve JWV during the year, butthe bottom line is this: If there isanything that we as Jewish WarVeterans can do for our veterans,Jewish and otherwise, we owe it tothem to do it!I am sure that many of us dosimilar or even more to help ourhospitals... mazel tov and keep itup. We owe it to our veterans, andif we are going to grow our membership,we must be willing to helpour needy veterans.Holocaust CommitteeBy Chairman PDC BernhardStorchThe purpose of the HolocaustCommittee is to be up front onthe issue of the Holocaust and theLiberation of Camps.To this end, on October19, 2011, I visited West Pointand spoke to Dr. David Frey’s“Modern East and Central Europe”18 The Jewish Veteran Fall • 2011 www.jwv.orgclass. I spoke to an assembly ofAcademy faculty from variety ofdepartments and distinguishedvisitors (including a retired generaland a Medal of Honor winner).As a Polish-Jewish survivorand decorated war veteran, I toldthem about my experiences fightingacross the Eastern Front as avolunteer in the Soviet-organizedPolish Army and about liberatingSobibor, Majdanek, Chelmno, andSachsenhausen between the years1944 and April 1945.I also discussed my pre-warlife, wartime experiences, andpost-war emigration to the USwith both audiences. This was mysecond visit to Dr. Frey’s class andthe Department of History at WestPoint.I first visited in 2009, and thestory still reverberates among studentsand faculty.INVESTMENT COMMITTEEBy Chairman PNC LawrenceSchulmanThe volatile market has made investingan interesting time. Wehave two investment advisors thatdo our investing for the organizationwith our approval. We tendto lean towards being conservativewith investments and have nottried to time the market.A portion of our investmentsare in fixed income and a portionis invested in common stocks.This balance has served us wellin the many years we have beeninvesting.This philosophy has helpedus in not trying to reach for thehighest yields or to try to time themarket and not try to be active asa trader.Since this is an institutionaltype of an account we have to tendtowards the conservative side ofinvesting.If any of the membership wishesto donate appreciated securitiesto our organization, please contactour office for instructions on howto complete this very importantgift.

National Stamp ProgramUpdateBy Joint-Chairmen MarvinGarfinkle and George HoppenTo all JWV Posts – the StampProgram is still one of the bestthere is! We’re still acceptingstamps, and we still want you tosend them to us. Our stamps goto VA hospitals where they usethem for therapy activities. Thestamps give our injured soldierssomething to focus on besides thetelevision. We regularly receiveletters from soldiers thanking usfor providing this valuable service.It is our goal to continue to growthis program – but we need you tosend us stamps! If you would liketo make a donation, contact the nationaloffice at 202-265-6280 formore information.VAVS CommitteeBy Chairman Jerry BernsWhenever I receive kudos from aChief of Voluntary Service aboutone of our persons who do an out-IRS Automatic Revocation of Tax ExemptionThe IRS has recently revoked the tax exemptions of thousandsof non-profits, including some JWV echelons, for failure to filea Form 990-N (or 990 or 990-EZ) for three consecutive years.Organizations that have lost their exemption can no longer accepttax-deductible contributions and may be required to payincome tax.JWV National Headquarters has been contacting echelonsthat we have identified on the IRS revocation list, however neworganizations are being added to this list as they lose their exemptions.All JWV echelons are encouraged to view the revocationlist at www.irs.gov/eo to see if their tax exemption hasbeen revoked.Any echelon that has lost its tax exemption must immediatelyre-apply to the IRS. Instructions are available at www.jwv.org or by contacting Greg Byrne at 202-265-6280 ext. 413 orgbyrne@jwv.org.Remember that you can avoid this situation by filing an annualForm 990-N (or 990 or 990-EZ), which is a requirement of boththe IRS and JWV.standing job as a volunteer at aVA Medical Center, it makes mevery happy and very proud of thatperson.Who are these people youask me? Monroe Mayer, Our PastNational Commander is one ofthose people. Monte representsus at the White River Junction VAin Vermont. He was certified inDecember of 2001. Betty Acheson,Chief of Voluntary Services, callshim their ear in Washington andserves as Master of Ceremoniesfor yearly activities. The big thingis he’s there for veterans that needhelp or a friend. Monte, we’reproud of you!At the other end of the countryin the Southern Arizona VA HealthCare System in Tuscon, we can alsobe proud of our volunteers, SaulStolz, Murray Baker, and NormanBass (R), who passed away just recently.Chief of Voluntary ServiceDebra Brookshire has great praisefor the 16 JVW volunteers whocollectively put in over 1000 hoursyearly.We are proud of all our volunteersand are grateful for theircontributions.As your National Rep andCertifier, I will be at the 66thAnnual VAVS Voluntary ServiceNational Advisory CommitteeMeeting in Charleston, SC thiscoming March. I look forward tolearning more ways to help ourorganization bring together volunteersin serving our veterans whoreally need our help now.Generous Benefit AmountsGuaranteed Acceptance* For JWVMembers & Spouses age 65 and older.Short Term Recovery Insurance (RecoveryCare) steps in with up to $1,450.00 in cash benefitsfor each Hospital or Skilled Nursing Facility stay.JWV RecoveryCare delivers up to an additional $8,000.00 a year for home health care. (Up to$4,000.00 a year for members age 80 and older.) So you can collect $200.00 a day for:✓ Rehabilitation✓ Physical therapy✓ Nurse visits ✓ And more . . .✓ Speech therapyNewHigherBenefitEndorsed by:Underwritten by:Hartford Life and AccidentInsurance CompanySimsbury, CT 06089The Hartford ® is The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.,and its subsidiaries, including issuing company Harford Life andAccident Insurance Company.Coverage may not be issued in some states.All benefi ts are subject to the terms and conditions of the policy. Policies underwritten by Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Companydetail exclusions, limitations, reduction of benefi ts and terms under which the policies may be continued in force or discontinued.Group Policy AGP-5476 [Policy Form #SRP-1151 A (HLA) (5476)]*This policy is guaranteed acceptance, but it does contain a Pre-Existing Conditions Limitation. Please refer to the Certifi cate of Insurance formore information on exclusions and limitations, such as Pre-Existing Conditions. Any current health conditions are covered after 6 months.Help protect your savings from the cost of today’s home health careby requesting your JWV RecoveryCare Enrollment Kit today:1-800-503-9230or visit www.jwvinsure.comAR Ins. Lic. #245544, CA Ins. Lic. #0633005d/b/a in CA Seabury & Smith Insurance Program Management52627 (10/11) ©Seabury & Smith, Inc. 2011www.jwv.org Fall • 2011 The Jewish VeteranRSH52627 JWV STR ad (10/11)Bleed size = NA19

MUSEUM NEWSPRESIDENT’S MESSAGESitting in the heart of Washington,DC, the National Museum ofAmerican Jewish Military Historyoften pulls in tourists who havecome to see what our Nation’scapital offers. Among our visitorsare veterans and civilians, Jewsand non-Jews, young and old – alldrawn to learning more about thestory of Jewish Americans in ourmilitary.For many prospective visitors,though, a trip to our museum maybe months, or even years, away.That’s why the NMAJMH is workingto bring the museum to you!Recently, we’ve expanded our onlinepresence by adding Facebook(Facebook.com/NMAJMH) andTwitter (twitter.com/NMAJMH) toour arsenal.On Facebook and Twitter, theNMAJMH discusses importantmoments in American Jewish militaryhistory, interesting new acquisitions,and fun museum happenings.These online tools will giveyou a window into the NMAJMHno matter where you are in theworld. It is our hope that these resourceswill help you feel connectedto us all year round.This move into social mediabrings to mind our new exhibitPast, Present, and Future. As wework to raise the funds necessaryto complete this exhibit, we willcontinue to look to the future ofonline communication to help usreach our goals. It is our belief atthe NMAJMH that the Internetwill allow us to reach out and findnew individuals who are interestedin helping us preserve AmericanJewish military history for the nextgeneration.Connect with theNMAJMH Online!PNC Norman RosensheinPresident, NMAJMHwww.nmajmh.orgwww.facebook.com/NMAJMHwww.twitter.com/NMAJMHFROM OUR ARCHIVES By Pamela ElbeCollections Manager/Archivist NMAJMHA New Way to View Items from Our CollectionAfter much preparation, the National Museumof American Jewish Military History is proudto announce that we have made a portion of ourcollection available online. It has long been agoal of the museum to make our collection moreaccessible to the public, especially since only asmall percentage of artifacts can be on exhibitionat a time. Publishing our database onlineis another means by which the NMAJMH caneducate the public about Jewish service in theAmerican military, in addition to our in-houseexhibits and traveling displays.For the past eight years, the museum staffhas been cataloging and photographing everyitem in the collection, and while this projectis still not fully complete, we are at the stagewhere we are finally able to share the fruitsof our labor. The collection online features asearchable database of selected items from theNMAJMH’s permanent collection.Now donors and researchers will be able tosearch our collection and view objects and photographsonline. The database can be browsedby item type, event, or person, or searched bykeyword. The site currently contains roughly2000 objects, photographs, and archival items.These highlights are designed to reflect thebreadth, diversity, and tenor of the museum’ssizeable collection.We are continually expanding the selectionto include a larger representation of the museum’scollection as well as selected recent acquisitions.Please visit the site often to browse thelatest additions.To view the collection online pleasevisit the Collections and Researchsection of the NMAJMH’s web site(www.nmajmh.org). You can also godirectly to the database by visitinghttp://nmajmh.pastperfect-online.P002.030.003 – I Corps Chaplain’s Jeep – “RoughRiden’ Rabbi.” Donated by Milton Walzer.P002.018.001 -- Boxing trophy made from an airplanedashboard clock mounted in wood. Reads “FortLauderdale Naval Invitational Boxing Tourn, Jack Golomb,118 lb champion.” Donated by Jack Golomb.USAF cold weather flight jacket with Majorrank insignia on shoulders, 469th TacticalFighter Squadron patch (F-4E). Donated byFred Zedeck.20National Museum of American Jewish Military History Fall • 2011 www.nmajmh.org

MUSEUM NEWSAdministratively Speaking By Mary Westley, Asst. AdministratorStitches for SoldiersDuring the months of November throughFebruary, The National Museum of AmericanJewish Military History, located at 1811 R StreetNW, Washington, DC, is hosting a StitchingBee every Tuesday and Thursday from noon to2pm to help keep our soldiers warm this winter!We’ve asked crafters to bring their lunch andtheir projects for sweaters, gloves, hats (yes,even Yarmulkes) socks, and small blankets andsit and stitch. Participants can provide a nameand address of an active duty friend or familymember, and we will pick the name of a militaryservice personnel each session to receivesomething warm from the Noontime Stitchers.For each package sent from the NoontimeStitchers, we will include a Museum and JWVmembership brochure and a note of good cheerand thanks. If you are interested in participating,contact Mary Westley at 202-265-6280 x511.Finding Peace from PiecesRobert Fried didn’t know much about his uncle,Maurice Wolfson, who was killed-in-action duringWWII. Robert knew Maurice enlisted andwas “assigned” to be a gunner in the Air Corps.He knew his mother never felt at peace over hisinduction and ultimately what happened. Robertnever saw anything that belonged to Milton;only his picture in a high school yearbook.The year book was subsequently destroyed, hismother’s pain too much.That was over 30 years ago. Recently, Robertfelt the need to see what he could find out abouthis uncle. He used tools not available backthen; he began with Ancestry.com and foundWolfson’s enlistment record, date of death, andburial in Italy. What he found out next throughGoogle astounded him. He learned of the fatefulMission 139 of the 485th Bomb Group, andhe learned of Wayne B. Whiting, a gunner ofthe 485th Bomb Group who had written scoresof letters home, some of which had become abook (I’m Off to War, Mother, But I’ll be Back),where Wolfson was mentioned. Robert alsolearned about Enzio Vinci who with two otherresearchers had written about Mission 139.Finally, Robert found some pieces for peace.Robert Fried has presented a tribute to MauriceWolfson to the National Museum of AmericanJewish MilitaryHistory.“ I n e v e rknew. I neverknew the meaningand importanceof the485th BombGroup. I never knew what kind of plane myuncle was on, the crew size or that this was oneof many missions. I never knew where he waswhen he died or how he died or that others diedwith him. I never knew how those who livedin a small village in Italy were affected on thatfateful day. I never knew…..”To read the full memorial tribute to MauriceWolfson, visit our web site at www.nmajmh.org and click on Collections and Research, thenSearch the Collection and tap into Search theCollection Online.For more information on our Yahrzeit programclick on the Star of David graphic on ourweb site.From Our Collection By Mike RugelAssistant Collections Manager/NMAJMHGerman Propaganda“Dollar Bill” from the Albert Wenger CollectionNazis were masters of propaganda. Much of itwas designed to spread their anti-Jewish ideology.The ideas expressed in the propagandamaterials were appalling and frightening whenspread by the Third Reich. However, the significanceand meaning of these materials changein new hands. When Sgt. Albert Wenger foundthese “American dollar bills” at Kaufberen AirBase, the German propaganda, now owned bya Jewish American G.I., became a symbol ofAllied victory and of understanding what thatvictory meant to the world.The Germans dropped these leaflets overFrance beginning in 1943. Presumably Germanplanes left from Kaufberen for Paris and otherFrench cities to flood the air with the anti-American anti-Jewish message in the form of awell-disguised U.S. dollar. The bill unfolds toreveal a message in French with that old stereotypeabout Jews and money. The text explainsthat the “American Minister of Financeis the Jew Morgenthau jr.” and that the dollarbill is loaded with Jewish symbols. The messagefinishes by blamingthe Jew for war: “Willthis dollar be enough tocompensate us for thesorrows caused by theJewish war? Money hasno smell ... but the Jewhas one!”Wenger found thisleaflet when the U.S.was occupying Germany.With the material inthe hands of a JewishAmerican who had exhibitedgreat character as Allied Forces wonthe war, the absurdity of the materials becomesclear, the anti-Semitism almost laughable.German propaganda attempted to reinforce stereotypeswhile Wenger and hundreds of thousandsof his fellow Jewish Americans in themilitary were defying them.The permanent collection at the NMAJMHis filled with German propaganda, much of itGermans printed counterfeit “dollar bills” on one side, and on the other,anti-Semitic propaganda messages. These bills were then folded anddropped over French cities. From the Albert Wenger Collection.anti-Semitic. This includes Der Stürmer newspaperswith hideous depictions of Jews, portraitsand glossy photo books glorifying Hitlerand his racial philosophies, and films proclaimingNazi triumphs. These souvenirs broughthome by Jewish Americans in the military areno longer a symbol of Nazism, but of pride atproving the anti-Semitic canards false throughmilitary service.www.nmajmh.org Fall • 2011 National Museum of American Jewish Military History 21

taps IN MEMory of our DEPArtED comrADESDEPARTMENT AT LARGEMorris Abramovitz-100 • Allan Gewirtz-100• Ruth R. Landau-100 • Stanley Lapidow-100• Jack Otis-100 • Marvin Snyder-100 • IrvingPastrich-673DEPARTMENT OF CALIFORNIAHerbert Ratet- 60 • Paul Lichtman- 152 • DavidM. Tamarin-595 • David A. Bronsen-603 •Hyman D. Burstein-603 • Kurt Forst-603 •Oscar Haimowitz-603 • Philip Leviton-603 •Paul R. Miller-603 • Miriam Shor-603 • NormanE. Agron-617 • Chuck Chazen-617 • Charles H.Dengrove-680 • Joseph B. Mohr-750DEPARTMENT OF CONNECTICUTSaul Coleman-45 • Samuel Gold-45 • AbrahamLiverant-45 • Theodore Shaker-45 • DavidH. Weinstein-45 • Leo H. Kestenbaum-141 •Harry Mansfield-204DEPARTMENT OF FLORIDAJoseph Corben- 172 • Joseph Achtman-223• Morris Morry Zalmanovich-223 • JohnLevine-265 • Jack Gordon-266 • JulianKalotkin-266 • John Burson-300 • Erwin A.Ladau-300 • Marshall J. Deutsch-409 • SimeonKobrinetz-440 • Nathaniel Rothstein-475 •Edward Shatz-520 • Norman Eisenberg-613 •Charlotte Chaney-682 • Irving Schwartz-730• Irwin Koved-819 • Daniel Roseman-819 •Ralph Yachnin- 819 • Bernard M. Zitomer-819DEPARTMENT OF ILLINOISLeonard Stern- 328 • Theodore Zimmerman-328• Bernard D. Norinsky-398 • Jerome J. Elrod-800DEPARTMENT OF MARYLANDSydney M. Cohen-167 • William J.Denton-167 • Samuel Grosshandler-167 •Bernard Swerbilow-380 • Jay Graber-567 •Jerome T. Kurman-567 • Sherman Shapiro-567• Charlene L. Cohen-692 • Walter Kaplan- 692DEPARTMENT OF MASSACHUSETTSArthur H. Petlock-26 • Sidney Epstein-74• Israel W. Malkin-74 • Nathan Mass-74 •Elihu Pearlman-74 • Donald Zeman-154 •Milton Slate-211 • Edward Kaden-220 • SamLodgen-302 • John Rimer-656 • Morris Levine-735 • Robert Zeitsiff-735DEPARTMENT OF MICHIGANIrving Yura-474 • Maurice Bloch- 510 • WalterFischel-530DEPARTMENT OF MINNESOTAIrving Sadoff- 331 • Ben Feldman-354DEPARTMENT OF NEW JERSEYBernard Epstein-125 • Ray R. Rubel-126 •Edgar Wolf, Jr.-126 • Philip Watkin- 133 • DavidWallach- 569 • Jerome Estrin- 609 • ArthurFriedman-609 • Martin Litinger-609 • WilburSiegelman-609 • Mort Weil-609 • Walter Lake-651DEPARTMENT OF NEW YORKPhilip Averbach-41 • Stephen Billett-42 • MelvinShrebnick-46 • Meyer Alpert, MD-68 • SidneyL. Fassler-68 • Martin Kanter- 69 • MarvinWeingarten-69 • Harold B. Goldberg-129 • PaulN. Buchman-149 • Walter Hauser- 191 • AaronMaster-191 • Marcel Robins- 191 • SanfordMuller-648 • Herbert D. Gresser-655 • SolomonGriboff-666 • Seymour Perlin-731DEPARTMENT OF OHIOHarold Brick-44 • Walter Kugelman-44 •Sanford Kurland-44 • Ira F. Marks-44DEPARTMENT OF PENNSYLVANIABernard Fisgaer-98 • Sidney Gayman-98 •Jacob Israel-098 • Samuel Kesselman-98 •Ray Lourie-98 • Joseph Pepper-98 • Jacob A.Mitchneck-212 • Jack Seidner-212 • Philip J.Leshay-239 • Fredrick B. Feldman-305 • Abe I.Cohen-499 • Kurt C. Schreiber-499DEPARTMENT OF RHODE ISLANDMilton Levin-23DEPARTMENT OF SOUTHEASTEmanuel Rothstein-112DEPARTMENT OF SOUTHWESTLester B. Kahn-128 • Henry Wedell-194 •Martin Marcus- 210DEPARTMENT OF TALOSamuel S. Wettreich-256 • Sam Fitell-753DEPARTMENT OF VA-NCSamuel Werth-158BEING JEWISH IN MYITKYINAContinued from page 13Lieutenant Bloom knew that there were alsoAmerican soldiers in the same area, and he knewthat such a raid would result in American losses.I saw him the next morning, and he laughinglysaid, “I won’t be here much longer.” Heshowed me two teletyped messages:“Bomb the jungle”. (Signed, GeneralStillwell).“Order countermanded.” (Signed, LieutenantBloom).I never saw him again.One day we were joined by a new group ofGIs. They were shocked to find themselves in theinfantry, overseas, in the Burmese jungle, and expectedto fight. It seems they had all been membersof the Army Specialist Training Program(ASTP) at various universities in the States, deferredfrom military service until they completedcourses and became experts in areas the army feltit would need in the future – physics, mathematics,languages, etc. But at some point the armydecided they needed riflemen on the ground nowmore than academics in the future, and within amonth the program was scrapped, the studentswere sent for two weeks basic training, andshipped overseas.I met one dazed, open-mouthed soldier,whom I suspected was Jewish, and as I tried tobefriend him he turned on me:“Oy! Vas meir! What am I doing here?Where am I? Three weeks ago I was studyingengineering at CCNY, and look at me now!”He showed me his rifle, which he held awkwardly,and said, “What is this thing? I don’teven know how to use it. They explained it tome in two minutes. I’ll probably shoot myself insteadof the enemy.”I tried to soothe him as best I could but it wasof little use.As his luck would have it, we were called outthat night to man the perimeter in anticipation ofa Japanese attack. We were stooped down behinda dirt rampart when I realized that he was next tome. He was hysterical.“We are all going to get killed! The Japs aregoing to murder us! Where can we go? Wherecan we hide?”His hysteria was beginning to affect others,so I actually put my arms around him and said,“It’s going to be all right. We are much strongerthan the Japs. The war will be over soon, andyou’ll be back at CCNY as a hero. Calm down –this is probably just an exercise.”The attack was evidently pushed back (thoughnot by us) and the next morning the ASTP groupwas taken away for a bit more training. I neversaw that soldier again, but I hope he became afamous engineer.A few weeks later another weather observerflew in to take my place, and I returned to theboredom of Dinjan. Bruce refused to be replaced,still preferring the jungle to camp.By the way, I am sure you have never heardof Mitkinya and can’t pronounce it correctly,but if you ever get there, remember-there wereJews there before you.22 The Jewish Veteran Fall • 2011 www.jwv.org

USAA isProudly Endorsedby the Jewish War Veterans of theUnited States of AmericaJWV endorsed, ready to serve.Service. Loyalty. Honesty. Integrity. Like the Jewish War Veterans of the United States, USAA’score values reflect our mission to support our members. We believe those who honorably servedeserve a higher level of service, and our commitment to meeting the financial needs of themilitary, veterans who have honorably served and their eligible family members is without equal.Join today.usaa.com/jwv | 800-292-8598Insurance Banking Investments Retirement AdviceUSAA means United Services Automobile Association and its insurance, banking, investment and other companies.Use of the term “member” does not convey any legal, ownership or eligibility rights for property and casualty insurance products. Ownership rights are limited to eligible policyholders of United Services Automobile Association. The term “honorably served”applies to officers and enlisted personnel who served on active duty, in the Selected Reserve or National Guard and have a discharge type of “Honorable.” Eligibility may change based on factors such as marital status, rank or military status. Contact us to updateyour records. Adult children of USAA members are eligible to purchase auto or property insurance if their eligible parent purchases USAA auto or property insurance. JWV receives financial support from USAA for this sponsorship. © 2011 USAA. 134790-1211Job: USF744 Title: JWV Dec Endorsement Print Ad Date: 11/28/11_4:42 PM Page: Single

Happy Chanukah!Allan Abramson & Wife SheilaHappy Days and Good HealthJerry & Sara AlpersteinPCC Edward & PDP Louise BarawIn Honor to all VeteransEugene Baraw • Post 776Greetings & Best WishesHoward M. Barmad • Post 76-NJChag SameachHoward A. & Dorothy G. BergerNaples/Denver • USFA/USASETAFBless our TroopsPDC Jack & Ruja Cohen • Post 749Mr. & Mrs William J. DentonBaltimore Jewish War VeteransMarshall & Diane DubersteinFurer-Barag-Wolf Post 126JWV Cherry Hill, NJSidney M. Gluck • Mesa, AZNat. Inspector Sidney & Fay GoldmanAl Gorman, Post 128, AZ • Canada WW2A Happy & Healthy Holiday To AllPNC Sam & PNP Barb GreenbergHappy Holidays to AllPNEC Arthur H. Greenwald • Post 321PCP Mildred Pitkowsky • Aux 3Cmdr. Charles & Ilene GreinskyLife Members, Post 80 • Staten Island, NYDonald H. Haber, PDC NY, FLDr. Alvin & Carol HollenbergPNEC Jeannette Jacobson & Alan J. FoxLife Members • Post 177 • FLJewish War Veterans USA Post 1Our Original PostPPC Norm & Marylin Kailo • Post 695, NJBob Kummins, Post 400 • Ft. Meyers, FLBeth Kane Wishes You Good HealthHappy Holiday!Jack Kent (Kantrovitz) #62, Akron, OHBest Wishes & Good Health to AllIn Honor of Wanda - Post 400Bob Kummins Post 400 • Ft. Myers, FLElaine & Sam MenszerL’Chayim & Best WishesPNC Ira & Shelley NovoselskyHappy HolidaysNational JWV Committee on ScoutingSalutes our JWV HeroesLT. J. I. Platt Post 651 • JWVMelvin Kaplan, CommanderBen Podgor • Post 112, AtlantaQueens County CouncilQueens, New YorkJerry & Lea Rosenberg • Post 740, NJGood Health & Happiness to AllHerb & Francie RosenbleethHappy Holiday to You and Yours!Happy Holiday to all Comrades!PDC Murray Runin, PNEC N.Y.Cmdr. Greinsky & Sr. Vice Cmdr. SatloffPost 80, Staten Island, NY • 77 YearsCliff & Zinita Sawyer • LA 113Happy, Healthy HolidaysStephen & Helen SaxIrv Schildkraut PC JWV 440May JWV last foreverHarriet & PDC Norman SchnitzerPNC Lawrence & Judith SchulmanOur Very Best Wishes to AllTo Friends in Indiana/Ark/Talo“Gay/Kim Gazint” In Good HealthMike & Gloria ShapiroIn Health - To LifePPC Norman & Toby Smith • Post 129-NYGreta & Jerry Stoliar • 346 St. Louis, MOToda Sholom &Good Health to all JWVHy TuchmanPost 400 • Ft Meyer, FLDavid Jonah Weiner, Post 239In Honor of all VeteransPNC Robert & Jeri ZweimanTo LifeDavid S. ZwerinPost 652 • Merrick, NYSend a greeting or message to family and friends in the next issue of The Jewish Veteran!NameAddressOnly $30.00 per 1 line, or $50.00 for 2 lines, you can purchasea one year subscription which includes greetings for 4 issues!Names and greetings can be submitted anytime. Please fill out theform and send it along with your payment to :Jewish War Veterans1811 R Street, NWWashington, DC-20009Amount of payment: Check Visa MC AmexCard #Exp:1st line2nd line(no more than 30 characters per line)