Monthly Archives: March 2016

March 31: When I speak at Mineola Library tonight, my $150 fee will put me at $5030 for my entire book tour and enable me to exceed my goal of raising $5000 for United Veterans Beacon House. I’ll add to that total with book talks Sunday at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock in Manhasset and Wednesday at Manhasset American Legion Post 304.

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March 23: I wrote this column for the Mineola American weekly newspaper The case of Walter C. Schmidt illustrates why many veterans absolutely loathe the Department of Veterans Affairs. Schmidt, 69, of Massapequa Park, the wheelchair-bound director of veterans services for the Town of Oyster Bay, spent three tours in Vietnam (1967-69) with the Navy as a “river rat” on gunboats, was exposed to Agent Orange, and now suffers from multiple sclerosis, a heart ailment and diabetes. He has only…..

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March 16: I had the great pleasure of speaking last night at a meeting of the Vietnam Veterans of America Thomas P. Coughlin Memorial chapter 72 at the Brooklyn VA Hospital. I met vets who had served in all four military regions in Vietnam in various capacities. The names rolled easily off their tongues: Dong Tam, Da Nang, Long Binh, Pleiku, Phu Bai, Tay Ninh, Cu Chi. The chapter puts out a great newsletter, in color, and is very engaged…..

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March 8: I was pleased to have been invited to speak at a Feb. 27 meeting of the North Hempstead Town Veterans Advisory Committee in Manhasset at town hall. Supervisor Judi Bosworth was present and expressed a desire to open a veterans service center of some kind in the area. Two days later, I met with Northport VA officials about the possibility of collaborating with the VA and possibly United Veterans Beacon House on the matter. Beacon House on Jan……

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