The Irish American Society of Nassau, Suffolk & Queens recently held its second annual Recognition Day for U.S. military veterans, with leaders of local veterans organizations urging their comrades to go to veterans groups to get help with health issues and other concerns.
Vietnam veteran Manny Grilo, commander of Mineola VFW Post 1305, recounted his frustrating “run-in” with officials at the Veterans Administration over their unresponsiveness to the post-traumatic stress syndrome he was experiencing when he came home from war.
“They told me to go home and it would eventually go away,” Grilo said.
With persistence he was able to get help from the VA. He said he is 80 percent disabled and getting medical treatment for diabetes and the physical effects he has suffered from being exposed to Agent Orange, a toxic defoliant used in Vietnam.
“Every veteran should aware of the benefits he should be getting,” Grilo told the veterans gathered at the Irish American meeting hall on Willis Avenue in Mineola.
Korean War veteran Charlie Boyd, the Nassau County VFW commander, said that veterans’ organizations have more leverage with politicians in drawing attention to issues that concern veterans.
“It’s a good thing to join a veterans organization. It helps because we have a lobby up in Albany,” Boyd said.
John Carroll, a U.S. Air Force veteran and president of the Irish American Society, said the group’s Veterans Day observance is intended to honor the veterans and “to draw the younger vets who haven’t come forward yet.”
Leann Murphy-Baker, a veteran disability advocate representing Veterans Protected, which seeks to help secure financial and health benefits for military veterans, noted that Vietnam veterans currently constitute 60 percent of the homeless veteran population in the country.
“Those numbers are rising with veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan,” she said. “We need money to help more people. The system is broken.”
Murphy-Baker said most military veterans suffer from symptoms of both post-traumatic syndrome and depression disorder and should seek both income and health-care compensation.
She was present to offer veterans who had questions about their benefits to consult with her. Her company’s Web site is www.veteransprotected.com.
The day’s observance began with the pledge of allegiance followed by the playing of recorded themes from the respective branches of the U.S. armed forces, as veterans from every branch and era of service rose to be acknowledged. The veterans enjoyed lunch, courtesy of the Irish American Society.
But the orders of the day focused on the need for returning vets to seek assistance and maintain connections with other veterans.”
Richard Mooney, commander of VFW Post 6910 in Floral Park Center and national first deputy vice president of the 1st U.S. Marine Division, said that as one who returned from Vietnam with a disaffected attitude he understood the issues that his contemporaries and younger veterans of the current foreign conflicts are experiencing.
“A lot of them are disgruntled. By bringing them into our organizations, we can guide them and be their mentors,” Mooney said. “Most veterans, when they take their uniforms off, they don’t want anything to do with the military.”
Peter Gong, a Vietnam-era veteran, said the organization he belongs to, U.S. Volunteers of America, provides families of veterans with grave side observances after they’ve completed their final missions.
“We will meet you at the cemetery. We will fire three rounds,” said Gong, who added the national organization provides a live bugler to play taps.
The volunteers group has a Web site with more information at www.USV-A.org.
