The Newspaper for Veterans and All Who Love Them. VOLUME 8 NUMBER 3 MARCH/APRIL 2018 HEARTBREAK HOTEL TO HELL ON WHEELS Tri-C’s Veterans Initiative — It’s All Ahead Full! ow entering its sec- workforce/transportation-cen- ment 2006 Citizen Heroism ond decade of ser- ter or call 216-987-3226. Award for helping to subdue an vice, the Cuyahoga N Finally, DD214 salutes Tri-C armed gunman at Cleveland Community College (Tri-C®) Veterans Initiative Executive Hopkins Airport. Veterans Initiative sees no Director Rick DeChant on his DeChant is co-chair of slowing down. In fact, it’s induction into the Ohio Veter- the Northeast Ohio Veter- all ahead full! ans Hall of Fame in November ans Community Task Force, For the ninth year in a 2017. A retired commander, which focuses on leveraging row, Tri-C’s Veterans Initia- DeChant served in the U.S. VA resources, and is active in tive has been awarded the Coast Guard, including tours the Greater Cleveland Fish- Military Friendly designa- in the Gulf War and Opera- er House and NEOVETS. He tion by Victory Media (GI tion Iraqi Freedom. He has also also helped to co-author Ohio Jobs Magazine). Tri-C was Program (VEAP). An ex- are also available two days been recognized for his work House Bill 488, which requires one of 1,500 institutions tended version of what was per week or on Saturdays. with the TSA, receiving the De- all state colleges to establish of higher learning to par- known as the Veterans Up- VEAP is a one-stop shop partment of Homeland Secu- veteran service offices and re- ticipate in this year’s survey ward Bound program, VEAP for the educational, career rity Heroism Award in addition view military training for col- and one of only 700 com- allows for the inclusion of and re-entry support needs to the Cleveland Police Depart- lege credit. Job well done! munity colleges. Tri-C’s Vet- more individuals. of veterans and their fami- erans Initiative ranked No. “Beyond just veterans, lies. For more information 2 in the nation among par- VEAP allows us to serve in- on how VEAP can assist in ticipating community col- dividuals who are on active establishing a career path- leges for 2018, up from its duty or in the reserves and way or helping with your fifth-place rank in the 2017 National Guard, as well as educational success, visit survey. their children and spouses,” www.tri-c.edu/veap or call “We are thrilled with this said VEAP Director Marjo- 216-987-4938. honor,” said Rick DeChant, rie Morrison. “Current Tri-C Tri-C’s Truck Driving executive director of Tri-C’s students also benefit greatly Academy is a great option Veterans Initiative. “This from VEAP services.” for veterans looking for national recognition is a These services are free to employment. A recently se- reflection of the College’s participating students and cured grant from the De- commitment to veterans include academic tutoring partment of Transportation and represents the tremen- for general education cours- (DOT) provides training, dous effort of the entire es, financial aid advising testing and the physical ex- team.” (including GI benefits), col- amination required to re- Other big news from the lege admissions assistance, ceive a CDL-A and covers Veterans Initiative is the academic advising and ca- the entire $5,495 cost for availability of expanded ed- reer assessments. Refresher veterans. For more informa- ucational services under the courses in math, English tion about the DOT Veteran Veterans Education Access and computer technology Grant, visit www.tri-c.edu/ Combat veterans suffering from same brain disease as concussion victims CTE, the brain disease that has feed himself. “The thing I didn’t know effects on the brain are not readily seen been found in 110 of 111 deceased NFL was that his brain was continuing to on images, she says, “This has been players, has been found in 65 percent of die,” she says. Kiefer notes the irony what everyone calls an invisible injury.” studied combat vets. of her son’s situation, who had warned Dr. Sam Gandy, of Mount Sinai They did not lose limbs, but many her he might come home missing limbs, Hospital in New York City, is hoping to veterans exposed to blasts in combat or be blind or die on the battlefield. change that. He is using new technology will eventually lose their minds. Just like “Nobody ever said he could lose his to find the markers of CTE in the living athletes who endured repeated blows to mind,” she says. in order to inform those who may have the head, veterans are suffering from Boston University has been studying the disease and help find a way to the same degenerative brain disease. CTE for many years, running a leading stop its deadly progress. These images Sharyn Alfonsi reports on chronic edge program that recently found the will be crucial in his work with drug traumatic encephalopathy and its disease in 110 of 111 brains of deceased companies to find a treatment. “That’s impact on combat veterans. NFL players. The Boston VA has teamed step one,” he tells Alfonsi, “Just to stop “Nobody ever said he could lose his mind.” up with BU in a program focusing on it dead in its tracks. And then we can As America’s enemies continue to vets. Ash directed that his brain be worry about making people feel better.” make roadside bombs or improvised donated to the VA-Boston University- Veteran Tom Bates, an Army explosive devices a central battlefield Concussion Legacy Brain Bank for study. Sergeant exposed to four blasts in tactic, more combat veterans are The program’s neuropathologist Dr. Ann Afghanistan and Iraq is experiencing expected to come home like Sgt. Kevin McKee found CTE, which so far can only symptoms similar to Ash’s. Working with Ash. “His whole personality changed… be confirmed by brain autopsies, in the Dr. Gandy, he has learned his brain has he had just become hardened… He was brains of 65 percent of the brains she the markers for CTE. He hopes Gandy having blackouts… it frightened him,” has seen of deceased veterans exposed and others can eventually help prevent says Ash’s mother, Joy Kieffer. Ash had to combat blasts. his symptoms from getting worse. Right been exposed to 12 combat blasts, many Dr. McKee explains how a blast wave now, he realizes the war on CTE has of them roadside bombs, over three can damage the brain the same as a just begun. “My hope is that this study deployments in the Army Reserves. physical blow. “This blast injury creates becomes more prominent… so that we Despite medication and therapy, he a tremendous… ricochet or whiplash can actually get a reflection of what slowly lost his ability to talk, walk and injury to the brain inside the skull.” The population actually has this.” www.dd214chronicle.com DD 214 Chronicle March/April 2018 ✩3 Chairwoman and New Members Appointed to Some Headlines, Some Comments VA Advisory Committee on Women Veterans FBI supervisor wakes 83-year-old psychologist Budweiser wants Steve Bannon Is On WASHINGTON — Today the U.S. Iowa, is a U.S. Air Force Veteran. She to find handgun, Rolex accused of sexually to brew up ‘micro- A Juice Cleanse And Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is pursuing a doctorate of philosophy The Newspaper for swiped by 'exotic dancer' assaulting patient gravity’ beer on Mars Avoiding Doritos To announced the appointment of a new degree in higher education and chairwoman and four new members student affairs, with a specialization in Rolex? Said he was just practicing Great companion brew Prepare For 'Battles,' Veterans and All Who Love Them. to the Advisory Committee on Women higher education administration and How much are those whore ‘tough love.’ for their micro-flavored Book Says Veterans, an expert panel that advises policy. mongers making? beer here on earth. Hmmm. Pentagon the VA Secretary on issues and • Keronica Richardson, of CBS sued by widow of baffled by wars won PUBLISHER EMERITUS programs of importance to women Gaithersburg, Maryland, is a U.S. Half of American adults are employee who died during Heidi Fleiss Says by Doritos and juice Terence J. Uhl Veterans, their families and caregivers. Army Veteran with deployments health-care illiterate auto-erotic asphyxiation Ex-Boyfriend Tom cleanse. “As VA continues to work toward in support of operations Enduring modernization, the committee’s Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. She And half of those are plain Film at 11 (mature content.) Sizemore ‘Should Be PUBLISHER AND EDITOR illiterate. Castrated’ guidance will assist the department in serves as the assistant director for Ohio State University John H. Tidyman How Walmart plans to woo Fleiss to start precision accuses 83 students of meeting the important and evolving Women and Minority Veterans Retirement planning: Top fashion lovers knife company. using app to cheat (216) 789-3502 needs of women Veterans,” said VA Outreach at the American Legion. Secretary Dr. David J. Shulkin. “The • Wanda Wright, of Tempe, 6 things no one tells you At gunpoint. 83 cheating OSU [email protected] new chairwoman and new appointees’ Arizona, is a retired U.S. Air Force about ISIS Beheads 15 of students use new app MANAGING EDITOR deep and broad perspectives are colonel, currently serving as the No. 7: Not many people Why are so many Ohioans Its Own Fighters In to get reinstated. invaluable in anticipating these director of the Arizona Department of are going to attend your in prison? The state is Afghanistan Ann Marie Stasko needs.” Veterans Services, where she is a state funeral.