A publication of Pennsylvania's Department of Military and Veterans Affairs

 DMVA News 

Wolf Administration Honors All Who Served And Sacrificed In Vietnam War, Encourages Participation In Wall Of Faces: 

The Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA), an official partner in the Department of Defense's Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War, reminded Pennsylvanians that every March 29 is National Vietnam War Veterans Day, a time to remember the heroism, bravery and sacrifices of Vietnam-era veterans and their families. Read more.

Female Veterans In Pennsylvania Honored: 

Pennsylvania’s First Lady Frances Wolf and Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Tony Carrelli were on hand recently to say thank you to 16 Pennsylvania women for their military service. “Tom and I can’t thank each one of you enough for making this commitment,” said Wolf. “Every single one of those women, and all of those that served before them have made a profound sacrifice.” Read more.

Cambria Veterans Court Receives $15,000 Grant: 

Cambria County’s Veterans Court will receive a $15,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Veterans’ Trust Fund (VTF), administered by the PA Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. Governor Tom Wolf announced Cambria as one of 13 counties and 18 charitable organizations to receive grant money to support veteran initiatives. Read more.

World War II Vet Celebrates 100th Birthday: 

It was a very special birthday for one World War II veteran in Lackawanna County. Gordon Bender turned 100-years-old on April 1. Newswatch 16 caught up with the vet and his friends and family at DMVA's Gino J. Merli Veterans' Center in Scranton celebrating the milestone. Read more.

 Veteran Events 

This listing is offered as a service to individuals and organizations to promote their veteran and military-oriented events being held in Pennsylvania. The information is taken directly from emailed submissions from requestors. DMVA is not responsible for incorrect information submitted. Please send details on events to [email protected] and include the following key pieces of information: 1. Name of event, 2. Date of event, 3. Time of event, 4. Address of event, 5. County of event, 6. Event website, 7. Point of contact name, 8. POC phone number, 9. POC email address, and 10. Additional details/coordinating instructions (fees, pre-registration, etc.)

Pure American Naturals Farm: 

- April 5, 2018, 7 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Glen Cauffman Farm, 545 Centerville Rd., Millerstown, PA (Perry County)
- R.S.V.P. to 717-580-1416 or 610-764-0506 or email [email protected] 
- Pure American Naturals Farm will be shearing for their exceptional Angora wool and invites veterans to join them to either watch, learn or to participate. You will learn how they collect, sort animals that are pregnant, vaccinate, treat and trim feet.
- Website.

Wellness Drug Recovery Action Planning : 

- April 3-May 22, 2018, 2:30-4:30 p.m.
- Quest Inc., 704 Metro Dr., Lebanon PA (Lebanon County)
- Register by calling 877-597-9497, ext. 10
- Free to anyone to attend. Recovery InSight, Inc’s vision is to provide peer support services that focus on the person and not their illness and to become the most proactive and inspiring peer support service in Pennsylvania.
- Website.

Free Webinar Coping With Stress And Depression Strategies For Families: 

- April 10, 2018, 7 p.m.
- Join us to learn ways to support a service member or veteran.
- Esteemed presenter Dr. Liza Zwiebach will discuss how stress impacts family and special considerations for military families. The program is designed for families, caregivers, employees and military personnel, and anyone interested in mental health resources.
- Register.

2nd Annual Women's Leadership Symposium RESCHEDULED: 

- April 11, 2018, 8:30 a.m.-noon
- Valley Forge Military Academy & College, Eisenhower Hall, 1001 Eagle Rd., Wayne, PA (Delaware County)
- Female speakers who serve as leaders from the Philadelphia region will share their experiences and expertise on a wide range of topics including career advancement, law, health and wellness, small business, entrepreneurship and more.
- Register.

Veterans Expo: 

- April 11, 2018, 1-3 p.m.
- Symphony Square, 35 Old Lancaster Rd., Bala Cynwyd, PA (Montgomery County)
- Space is limited R.S.V.P. to Lani at 610-660-6560 or email [email protected] 
- All veterans and their families are invited for a veterans Expo. Representatives from the following organizations will be on hand to help attendees learn about veterans' options: The Montgomery County Veterans Affairs Office, VA Pensions Department, Veterans Mulit-Service Center and Honor Flight.

Boots To Business Starting Or Growing A Veteran-Owned Business: 

- April 12, 2018, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
- THINK Center, 7 S. Main St., Wilkes-Barre, PA (Luzerne County)
- Point of contact: Shannon Degiglio at 610-382-3082 or email [email protected] 
- Boots to Business is an entrepreneurial education and training program offered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) as part of the Department of Defense’s Transition Assistance Program (TAP) and designed for veterans and their dependents.
- Register.

Choose U.S. Department Of Veterans Affairs (VA): 

- April 13, 2018, 9 a.m.-noon
- Fort Indiantown Gap, Bldg. 14-99 (Conference Room), Annville, PA (Lebanon County)
- Point of Contact: Damon Frantz, LCSW at 717-861-6357 or email [email protected] 
- The Lebanon VA Medical Center’s Transition and Care Management team will be available to meet with service members and veterans to provide information about VA healthcare, benefits, and services available through the Transition and Care Management Program.
- No appointment is required. If you wish to enroll, please bring a copy of your DD214.

Financial Education Webinar – “Cents and Sensibility”: 

- April 13, 2018, 1 p.m.
- Point of contact: Edward M. Butler at 717-214-3718 or [email protected] 
- This webinar will review the financial education curriculum, Cents and Sensibility: A Guide to Money Management.
- Register.

A Little Bit Country And A Little Bit Rock And Roll: 

- April 14, 2018, Doors open at 4:30 p.m., Dinner starts at 5 p.m.
- Hopwood Amvets Post 103, 123 Buttermilk Ln., Hopwood, PA (Fayette County)
- Point of contact: Patty Tegge at 724-430-1241 or email [email protected] 
- Event features tribute artists Elvis, Patsy Cline and Garth Brooks, basket auction and a 50/50.

Question Persuade Refer (QPR) Suicide Prevention Training: 

- April 17, 2018, 12:30-3:30 p.m.
- 220 East Lehman St., Lebanon, PA (Lebanon County)
- Register with Tamela Keppley at 717-274-3415 or email [email protected] 
- Objectives will be to discuss facts concerning suicide and suicide prevention, recognize warning signs, how to ask questions concerning suicide, persuade someone to get help, and refer them to the proper resource.

Milton Hershey Spend The Day With Students And Veterans: 

- April 20, 2018, 8:15 a.m.-2:50 p.m.
- Milton Hershey Schools Senior Hall South, 1201 E. Homestead Ln., Hershey, PA (Dauphin County)
- R.S.V.P. by April 6, 2018 to Sarah Cole at 717-343-4605 or email [email protected].
- Please show up by 7:45 a.m. for a briefing about your day and a light breakfast. Lunch will also be provided.

Veteran X Program Day At The Phillies: 

- April 21, 2018, 4:05 p.m.
- Citizens Bank Park, 1 Citizens Bank Way, Philadelphia, PA (Philadelphia County)
- For groups of 25 or more, contact Tony Burns at 215-463-5000 ext. 5326
- The Veteran X Program is a peer-led group welcoming all veterans. For every ticket sold, The Veteran X Program will receive a rebate that will assist in enhancing its programs.
- To order tickets visit Website. Choose April 21 and enter code DMVA.

 Around the State 

Nearly 80 Vietnam-era Veterans Receive Pins Honoring Their Service: 

Patiently waiting for the pinning ceremony for Vietnam War-era veterans to begin in a packed courtroom, Rochester (Beaver County) resident Craig Martin recalled coming home from Vietnam to a much different reception. In December 1970, returning veterans were told to avoid wearing their uniforms in public, Martin said, because of the nasty reaction it might draw from those opposed to the controversial war in southeast Asia. Read more.

WWII Pilot Remembered As Pioneer And Fierce Advocate For Military Women: 

Women Airforce Service Pilot (WASP) Florence “Shutsy” Reynolds’ last battle was one she fought and won for someone else. The trailblazing 95-year-old World War II pilot passed away in her Connellsville (Fayette County) home March 15. Her fierce advocacy for her sisters-in-arms was finally realized in 2016 when (WASPs) earned the right to be interred at Arlington National Cemetery. Read more.

April 2018 Live-Fire Exercises At Fort Indiantown Gap: 

Fort Indiantown Gap (Lebanon County) is scheduled to host live-fire training exercises during the month of April between 8 a.m.-11 p.m. Exercises include mortars training April 6-7, demolitions training April 6-8, artillery training April 10-11, and mortars training April 28-29. Fort Indiantown Gap announces training that is expected to result in increased noise levels as a courtesy to nearby residents. The training schedule is subject to change based on the military training mission. Read more.

 Across the Nation 

50 Years Later, A Nation Still Struggles With Vietnam: 

Fifty years later, the wounds still have not healed. Vietnam War Veterans Day can help to change that, yet many Vietnam veterans are largely unaware of it. Read more.

Are You A Caregiver For The Veteran In Your Life?: 

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Caregiver Support Program offers training, resources and tools to help you take on the important role of being a veteran caregiver. Curtis, a Marine Corps veteran, medically retired after an injury and needed around-the-clock care. His wife, Jenna, became his caregiver. “I’ve had to learn to be his eyes and his ears,” she says. Read more.

Comprehensive Healthcare Inspection Program Review Of The Martinsburg VA Medical Center, West Virginia: 

This Comprehensive Healthcare Inspection Program (CHIP) review provides a focused evaluation of the quality of care delivered in the inpatient and outpatient settings of the Martinsburg VA Medical Center in West Virginia. The review covers key clinical and administrative processes that are associated with promoting quality care. Read more.

Gulf War Veterans – Research Volunteers Needed: 

Researchers at the New Jersey War Related Illness and Injury Study Center (WRIISC) are actively trying to develop better treatments for Gulf War Veterans with Gulf War Illness (GWI). GWI is a term that refers to a group of unexplained or ill-defined chronic symptoms found in about one third of veterans deployed to the Persian Gulf during Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield (1990-1991). Read more.

New Appeals Status Tool Provides Tracking And Transparency For Veterans: 

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) launched a new update for the appeals status tracker and now veterans with a compensation appeal can view their past and current appeals issues, receive alerts for deadlines when action is required, preview the next events in their timeline, and see estimates of how long it will take to reach those events. The new tool, designed with help from veterans, is an effort to improve data and provide transparency. Read more.

Task Force Spartan, 28 ID Soldiers Brave The Heat Of Kuwait To Honor Bataan Death March: 

With temperatures reaching triple digits, more than a 100 men and women slung more than 35 pounds onto their backs and trekked the distance of a marathon on March 25, 2018. The service members and civilians stationed here covered sand, gravel, dirt and concrete for an opportunity to embrace the esprit de corps of the event and to pay tribute to those service members and civilians who died in the tragic Bataan Death March. Read more.

U.S. Department Of Veterans Affairs (VA) Employees Determined To Help Local Veteran: 

"Tomorrow is a different day." The motto used by a pair of Phoenix VA social workers to describe their relentless determination to help homeless veterans was realized recently as they teamed up with nurses from the Emergency Department and Community Living center to help a veteran in crisis. For three days, employees throughout the Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center approached a disabled Vietnam War veteran, situated just outside the hospital and offered him assistance. Read more.

Women In The Armed Forces: 

DefenseMediaNetwork.com continues its tradition of celebrating the nation's military and veterans. This time the spotlight is on the incredible women, past and present, who have met the call of duty. Read more.

Former POW Recalls More Than 1,300 Days In Captivity, Beginning Just Days After Pearl Harbor: 

Whatever doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger. For retired Navy Commander Jack Schwartz, that seems to be the case. The 22-year veteran spent 1,367 days in captivity as a prisoner of war during World War II and he’s about to turn 103 years old April 28, 2018. Read more.

 Employment Opportunities 

This listing is offered as a resource to both Pennsylvania's veterans and businesses that seek to employ veterans. The DMVA has not investigated the positions being offered or the businesses listed, and does not warrant or guarantee either the availability or the terms and conditions of the positions listed. Please contact the employers represented in this listing directly. To have an employment opportunity listed please email: [email protected]

CDL-A Drivers Needed: BMF Transportation, LLC: 

BMF Transportation, LLC, a Lancaster, PA based, certified veteran-owned small business, is seeking hard working CDL-A Drivers to join its small but growing company immediately. Interested? Visit Website or call 610-563-9167 to learn more!

How LinkedIn Is Empowering Job-Seeking Veterans: 

As a health system dedicated to serving those who’ve served, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) sincerely appreciates other organizations that step up and help veterans gain meaningful employment after the military. This includes LinkedIn, a company committed to providing former service members with support for career advancement. VA is highlighting a few of the valuable resources the social networking site offers to job-seeking veterans. Read more.

PAsmart – Better Jobs For Stronger Communities: 

PAsmart is a new workforce development initiative that helps connect Pennsylvanians with resources for working and training in Pennsylvania. For more information about pursuing an education and career in Pennsylvania at any stage of life, visit PAsmart.

Free Truck Driving Training: 

Current or former members of the U.S. Armed Forces, including the Guard and Reserves, qualify for free truck driving training. Spouses and adult children also qualify. You must live in Northampton, Pike, Wayne, Carbon or Lackawanna counties. Documents are required to prove eligibility but not limited to DD-214, military ID and retiree card. Training and tuition are free. Contact the Driver Training Program at the Northampton Monroe Campus at 570-369-1885 to make an appointment.
Website.

Veterans' First Fridays – Hiring Programs: 

- April 6, 2018, 1-3 p.m.
- PaCareerLink downtown Pittsburgh, 304 Wood St., Pittsburgh (Allegheny County)
- Point of contact: Melissa Handlovitch at 412-436-2225 or email [email protected] 
- This event is free to veterans and spouses. Registration is required. Panel discussion with employers who have veterans' hiring programs or initiatives.

Veterans’ Expo & Job Fair: 

- April 9, 2018, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
- Wyndham Hotel York, 2000 Loucks Rd., York, PA (York County)
- Point of contact: Kimberly Shaffer (717) 285-8123 or email [email protected] 
- The veterans’ expo will connect active and retired military members of all ages and their families with the benefits and resources available to them. In addition, the Job Fair will provide an opportunity for veterans and employers to meet face-to-face to discuss available positions. Workshops and seminars will be offered on relevant topics.
- Website.

Veterans' Seminar Apprenticeships, Training And Education: 

- April 25, 2018, 1-3 p.m.
- PACareerLink® Beaver County, 285 Beaver Valley Mall, Route 18, Monaca, PA (Beaver County)
- Point of contact: Dianne J. Funkhouser at 724-728-4860 ext. 202 or email [email protected] 
- Registration for this event is highly encouraged and seating will be limited. This is a free seminar for veterans and their dependents. Explore options in apprenticeship, training, and education. Representatives from many unions, training, and education providers will present and discuss opportunities for both veterans and dependents. A representative will explain Chapter 31 and other U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) education benefits.
- Website.

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