RockVets Newsletter - October 2023

PTSD: Vietnam Memories Linger
Editorial by Jerry Donnellan
RockVets -- June 2016

It was the 24th of October, 1969. We were on a Search and Clear Operation which, a few months earlier, would have been called a Search and Destroy Mission. However, the grown-ups further up the chain of Command for some reason felt that search and destroy sounded too violent -- so it became Search and Clear. We did exactly the same thing. Who knew that the politically correct police had its roots back then?

I was an Infantry Buck Sgt. - 3rd Platoon, Company D, 3rd of the 21st, 196th Light Infantry Brigade working off LZ Center. Why it was called Center wasn’t hard to figure out. It was right between LZ East and LZ West. That was home although we spent very little time there. Most of our time was spent in what we called Indian country wandering the Central Highlands – although I guess we couldn’t call it that today. We’d have to call it Indigenous Personnel Country. At 22 I was the second oldest in my company.

The Highlands from a distance looked like the Catskills, only the vegetation was a bit different. They called this Triple Canopy Jungle. It was so dense that at noon on a sunny day the floor of the jungle would seem like night time. The temperature and humidity both were around 100 and to add to the fun of this sleep away camp, we’d have to carry anywhere between 80 and 100 pounds on our back – 8 pounds of which was water that was far more valuable than a number of other things we carried, especially the food.

In those days it was C-Rats or C-Rations some of which you literally couldn’t eat. There was one can that contained ham and lima beans. We would pray that we were resupplied before we got to the bottom of our rations and had to eat that! Many of these meals had nicknames but in polite company they can’t be printed. This stuff would truly gag a maggot.

To give you an idea of the toll that takes, when I got to Vietnam I was 6’2” and weighed 185 pounds and was in reasonably good shape. When I got home I weighed 122 Pounds. To be fair, part of that weight loss was my right leg. But still even considering that, it’s a fair amount of weight to drop in a relatively short time. I mean how much could a leg just below the knee weigh? 15-20 pounds?

Anyway, it happened on Hill 370. A couple of clicks off of the LZ. I remember it was very loud. The loudest thing I ever heard. There was a huge fireball and I was thrown...I’m guessing 10 yards... landing on my back and I knew it wasn’t good to be lying out in the open. My 12-gauge was gone. According to the Geneva Convention we weren’t supposed to have scatter shot weapons. But they issued Model 37 Ithaca pumps. The Army also gave the Duper gun (M79) guy a canister round, which made the 79 a super-sized shotgun. But then again, I never saw a referee out there to enforce any of these rules. A buddy seemed to be comforted by the fact that the Geneva convention said they could shoot you but they couldn’t eat you.

So I picked up my right arm and it fell off mid shaft – between the wrist and the elbow. What they call a double-compound fracture – 2 bones sticking out of each half of a bloody hunk of meat. And yes, your bones are white. Using my left arm, which had also been wounded, I carefully placed the broken right arm across my chest and lifted up my left leg to try and see if I could push my way back to cover. That leg was riddled with shrapnel...the inside of which looked like hamburger meat.

I carefully placed it down and lifted up my right leg…it was gone. That was kind of hard to wrap your head around. Even though I didn’t feel pain – at least the kind of pain that you think would accompany what I was seeing, there was a terrific burning sensation. Since my limbs weren’t working too well, I tried to prop myself up on my left elbow to see if I could see anyone. However, leaning forward caused a bloody head wound to run into my eyes, which blinded me. Just then I felt someone grab me. Not being able to see I didn’t know if it was the enemy or one of my own guys. Of all the things that were going on, that was simply the most terrifying. I was totally helpless. Thank God it was our medic - God bless him - without regard for himself. He started working on me. He shot me up with morphine for the pain, which you think would help. However, it had kind of an opposite and frightening effect because as the drug began to take effect I didn’t know if it was the drug entering my body or life leaving it.

A lot of good men died in those Highlands. In a funny way I think I was born there because the guy that went to that War didn’t come home. I believe that was the case with a lot of us. I don’t know how much time passed but my buddies eventually got me onto a poncho. I remember every time they moved, it hurt but it had to be done. Then I saw the greatest sight in the world. The belly of that dust off which, close to 20 years later became the logo symbol of our Vietnam Veterans group. But it just brought more pain. The down draft from the rotor blades was so strong that it began opening the wounds that had started to heal. My buddies literally threw me onto the floor of that Huey, which was awash with blood of the other wounded. Then we were out of there and on our way to Hawk Hill.

It was someone else’s war now. At Hawk Hill I was placed on a real stretcher. In turn, the stretcher was placed on a pair of saw horses. A guy came towards me with one of those bent surgical scissors. I thought he was coming to help me. Instead he cut away the right saddlebag pocket and took my AO map that was wrapped in a plastic ANP RC-25 battery bag. Then I was pissed. It seemed my maps were more important than I was. I lay there for what seemed like a long time.

Oh, did I tell you that my wife was 8-months pregnant?

Then I was put onto a cleaner Huey and off to the 95th EVAC in DaNang. I refused to go to sleep for fear that I would never wake up. I came off the chopper in DaNang and who was waiting for me but the Chaplain. Somehow last rites may help the soul, but doesn’t do much for the morale. Then into the OR, which was ice cold. It was air conditioned. I hadn’t felt air conditioning in forever. In there they finally knocked me out.

The next week or so was mostly a blur. I went from there to the 106th in Yokota, Japan. In and out of surgery, when I came to on the ward, Bonanza the old western was on TV, but in Japanese – and seeing Hoss Cartwright in a high pitched Japanese voice was hard to believe. Then I was sure I was dead.

Actually I was beginning to feel better. I could tell because I was getting pissed again. Here I was damn near killed and nobody seemed to give a damn. Everybody else was just doing their day-to-day routine. It was just another day at the office or hospital. There were no parades, no bands, nothing.

Then I’m moving out of Japan after God knows how many more surgeries. By now the calendar has turned over and it’s November and we’re heading into Anchorage, Alaska at night. We were lining the walls of the plane hanging in litters. When we landed it was snowing. They dropped the tail gate of the plane. Mind you, all we were wearing were light pj’s that were meant for tropical weather. The blood we had left was thin from tropics. So why were we opening this huge door? Simple. So the Donut Dollies could bring us hot chocolate, which by the time it got to us was ice cold. But I guess it’s the thought that counts.

We were into the second week of November and into the inky blackness over the Canadian landscape into the U.S. I think we landed once or twice – maybe to refuel or to drop off casualties at hospitals along the way. My feeling is they kept us pretty well drugged up. It was easier to deal with us because we were all starting to feel a little better. That and there were no in-flight movies to keep us busy, so drugs were the answer. But then again it was the 60’s.

By the time light had begun to break, we were coming down approaching Maguire Air Force Base in New Jersey, which sits side by side with Fort Dix. By the time we landed and got loaded off the plane and onto ambulances, it was full daylight. I remember being frightened by the speed of the ambulance. It seemed like it was going 100 mph or more. It wasn’t, but to me it seemed dangerously fast. The reason I was told was that for months we had moved either on foot or in choppers and in the choppers we got used to going relatively quickly, but it wasn’t the same as being on the ground – you didn’t see things pass so quickly.

There at Walson Army Hospital at Fort Dix, my family came to visit except for my wife who was now in her 9th month and wiser souls felt that she had been through enough recently and would not do well with a 2-hour trip. The rest of the family showed up and lied and lied and lied about how good I looked. Later my brother told me I looked like someone who had just come out of Auschwitz.

Before I left for Vietnam, I had taken my father out, at my mother’s request, to get him a decent pair of shoes. I bought him a nice pair of wing tips. My mother was pleased. The problem was my mother wasn’t going to wear the shoes. My father hated them. My father was born in Ireland and came to this country in 1929, just in time for the Stock Market Crash. He always had a great sense of timing.

Anyway, that night despite his hatred of them, he wore the ‘bloody shoes.’ Never at a loss for a stupid thing to say I said, “My God, what you have to do to get this man to wear a pair of shoes.” I thought I was being funny. He left the room crying. Then my Uncle tried to paper it over and change the tone by saying, “Well, at least you made it back in one piece.” Not to be outdone I said, “Well, two anyway.” And he was out of the room.

The next morning, they loaded me onto the cleanest Huey I had ever seen. My stretcher was high and going from left to right on the bird behind the pilot and co-pilot’s head so I could see over their shoulders.

We took off nose down as Hueys have a tendency to do and headed west towards Valley Forge Army General Hospital, Pennsylvania. I knew that because as soon as we cleared the tree, the co-pilot took out a Texaco road map that was marked for Valley Forge. This was the Army I knew and loved. As the chopper banked coming into Valley Forge Hospital, I saw men in colonial uniforms - in nice straight lines, setting up by the side of a vintage cannon. Well, I figured it’s about time – about time I got some kind of reception to fit what I had been through. Not really. I had lost track of what day it was. It turned out we just happened to be landing at 11:00 a.m. on November 11th. You got it – it wasn’t about me at all. It was dumb old Veterans Day – and I just landed in the middle of their ceremony. But what was cool was the 4 guys that carried my litter off the chopper were all amputees, and I thought, "Maybe this could work."

I tell you this because there are 58,000 who can’t – and someone should speak for them.

Jerry

Here are some upcoming events:

Tuesday, October 3, 2023: Gold Star Families Ceremony has been rescheduled and will be held on Tuesday, October 3rd, 2023 at 12:00 noon at the Congers Veterans Memorial, located at 66 Lake Road, Congers New York 10920.

Thursday, October 5th, 2023: Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter #333, monthly meeting. Board meets at 6:30 p.m. General membership meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. Meetings are held on the first Thursday of each month at the Kearsing-Edwards American Legion, Post #1600, 20 Station Road, Pomona, New York 10970.
Meeting is also available through Zoom link --

Topic: Ray Furlong's Zoom Meeting  Time: October 5th, 2023 07:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)   Join Zoom Meeting 
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89202249387?pwd=MWtFSGl3SjNCZWI3Q0VsMXZpY29SZz09
Meeting ID: 630 567 5618 Passcode: 980722
 One tap mobile +16465588656,,89202249387#,,,,*513221# US (New York) +13126266799,,89202249387#,,,,*513221# US (Chicago)  Dial by your location  +1 646 558 8656 US (New York)  +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)  +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)  +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)  +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)  +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose) Meeting ID: 630 567 5618  Passcode: 980722  Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kAooTO4Vk

Friday, October 6th, 2023: Dear Fellow Veterans and Extended Family,
Join us for our Veteran’s Game Day Social Luncheon on October 6th (Friday) from 11:00am to 2:00pm at the Community Center Town of Clarkstown - Auditorium located at 31 Zukor Road, New City, New York 10956. All Veterans and their spouses, Caregivers and Gold Star families are welcome to join us to play games including BINGO and TRIVIA for prizes, socialize and have fun! This event is provided free of charge by the Rockland County Joseph P. Dwyer Veteran Peer Support Program (VettoVet). There is plenty of parking available and the auditorium is very large with plenty of room for folks to spread out. Doors open at 10:40 am. BINGO Starts at 11am sharp. RSVP: Required especially for Lunch! There will be a sign-in table where you will pick up a ticket needed for lunch. Please contact Izzy Quintana at email iquintana@vettovetrc.org or call cell phone number 845-587-6497 to reserve a seat or if you have further questions.

Sunday, October 15th, 2023: Suffern Street Fair with VVA Chapter #333 members participating.

Monday, October 23rd, 2023: From 9:30 to 10:30 am - "Thank You For Your Service" Radio Live : Mark Woods Jr., Director of Veteran Peer Services Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Program, is on the airwaves hosting a radio show on WRCR 1700 AM. The show will air once a month on the 4th Monday at 9:30 a.m. Veterans can call in and ask questions about Veterans issues. The call-in number is: 845-429-1700. Mark will discuss Veteran issues and events in and around Rockland County. Please tune in to the show on 4th Monday of each month at 9:30 a.m. on WRCR 1700 AM radio or access the show live on WRCR's website: https://www.wrcr.com. You can also access previously recorded episodes/podcasts on the following link:
https://www.bridgesrc.org/programs-services/vet2vet/ or https://open.spotify.com/episode/43jD5NLPAPdTQdi9tz5Ngp .
For further information, get in touch with Mark Woods, Jr., Director of Veteran Peer Services, Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Program, “Vet to Vet” Email: Mwoods@vettovetrc.org / (Office) (845) 624-1366 ext 104 / Cell (845) 521-9440

Roy Tschudy and Marcus Arroyo, Vietnam veterans and members of Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter #333, once again are invited to speak with the students at Suffern High School.

It's rare for students to read a book and then be able to interact with people who've lived the experience that was written about, but that's exactly what happens each year in Mr. Casarella's 11th grade English classes. The year begins with the novel, "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien, which is based on O'Brien's own experiences in Vietnam. Mr. Casarella invites local Vietnam veterans from the Vietnam Veterans of America's Chapter 333 to speak to his students about their experiences. "It reinforces and humanizes the book and the experience of war," says Casarella. Thank you to veterans Roy Tschudy and Marcus Arroyo for taking the time to speak to SHS students!

Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter #333 -- monthly meeting is held on the first Thursday of each month, at Kearsing-Edwards American Legion Post #1600, 20 Station Road, Pomona, New York 10970. The Board will meet at their usual time of 6:30 p.m. with full membership meeting to start promptly at 7:30 p.m. Veterans from all eras are welcome.

Also, VVA 333 will hold their 35th Anniversary Celebration at the usual monthly meeting on Thursday, October 5th, 2023. The Chapter welcomes current, former and prospective VVA members to join us that evening. It will be held at the Kearsing-Edwards American Legion Post #1600, 20 Station Road, Pomona, New York starting at 7:30 p.m. For further information, contact VVA #333 President, Ray Furlong via email: Rayfur845@aol.com.

Upcoming September meeting -- Topic: Ray Furlong's Zoom Meeting  Time: September 7th, 2023 at 07:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)   Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89202249387?pwd=MWtFSGl3SjNCZWI3Q0VsMXZpY29SZz09
Meeting ID: 630 567 5618  Passcode: 980722
 One tap mobile +16465588656,,89202249387#,,,,*513221# US (New York) +13126266799,,89202249387#,,,,*513221# US (Chicago)  Dial by your location  +1 646 558 8656 US (New York)  +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)  +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)  +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)  +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)  +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose) Meeting ID: 630 567 5618  Passcode: 980722  Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kAooTO4Vk

And check out VVA #333 website created and maintained by Debby Frank. Here is a link to lots of great information such as: V.A. Info, Officers and Past Presidents, Fallen Heroes, Our Members Then, Members in Action, Veteran of The Year, RockVets Newsletters, Watchfires, Pig Roast. Then, under the Column "MORE" on the upper far right side, Momentos at The Wall, Handcycles Program, 529 Educational Program, Merchandise, Jerry Donnellan -- Founder of Chapter 333, Scholarships, Applications, Gene Sullivan Service Award, VVA National Convention, 30th Anniversary of Chapter 333, Street dedication ceremony for one of Rockland's KIAs, James Margro, and so on. Much thanks to Debby Frank for maintaining the website.

Also, for those who have not done so yet, please send a picture of yourself in uniform so Debby can add it to the VVA website. Send photos to EJF308@aol.com.
The VVA #333 website address is: http://vva333.com

Vet-to-Vet: Special Events
THE ROCKLAND COUNTY JOSEPH P. DWYER
VETERAN PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM
WEEKLY ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS

Dwyer Vet-to-Vet Events and Activities

MEDITATION - Weekly - (M, W & F) - 9-9:30 am. Class elicits deep relaxation and helps reduce stress and anxiety with experienced Instructor Brett Cotter (Stress is Gone Founder and Author of 3 Keys To Managing PTSD). Online virtual event you can experience via Zoom. Meeting ID 983 8404 0455; Passcode: join or Click here for link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/98384040455?pwd=djE3VGhUTDJzRU1HMEJ6bnJxa3E2QT09

VETERANS WALKING CLUB - Weekly - (Wednesdays) - 9:30 am at PALISADES CENTER. Meet in front of BRIDGES, 2nd Floor, next door to Autobahn Indoor Speedway. We will walk between 45 minutes to an hour. Join a fast pace group, slow pace group or walk at your own pace for however long you want. The mall offers us a comfortable indoor venue regardless of the weather outdoors where we can gather together in camaraderie and get some fitness and exercise while we get walking !

GENTLE YOGA - Weekly - (Wednesdays & Fridays) - 7-8 pm & again on (Sundays) 10-11:15 am. Virtual session via Zoom. Yoga is extremely beneficial for your physical and mental health. Instructor Mira Stangl is a 500 hour Yoga-Alliance Certified Teacher With Extensive Training in PTSD and Restorative Yoga. If interested in attending email iquintana@vettovetrc.org. Then you'll be registered to get invitations to each session.

QIGONG - Weekly - (Thursdays) from 9-10 am. (Ancient Chinese Exercise). Gentle meditative exercises based on the cultivation and refinement of Universal Life Energy known as Qi. Practicing this exercise reduces pain, stress and anxiety, improves physical fitness and improves immune function and vitality. Instructor Norman Galinsky, MFA has over 36 years experience in the art. If interested in attending or have questions, contact Izzy Quintana at email: mailto: iquintana@vettovetrc.org

Join us for Upcoming Caregiver Events!

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Caregiver Support Program (CSP) and partnering VA offices are excited to continue various events for caregivers of Veterans.

Check out our list of October events below.

At Your Wits’ End: Regaining Equilibrium as a Parent and Family Caregiver

Join October’s VA Caregiver Support Line (CSL) call for At Your Wits’ End: Regaining Equilibrium as a Parent and Family Caregiver. Calls will be held on the following dates and times:

• Tuesday, October 3, 2023, at 10 a.m. ET
• Wednesday, October 11, 2023, at 7 p.m. ET
• Wednesday, October 18, 2023, at 3 p.m. ET

Caregivers must register to join the CSL monthly education call. To register, call 1-855-260-3274. Caregivers unable to attend the calls can access presentations on the CSL’s webpage.

For more information about future calls, visit CSP’s Events page.
We look forward to you attending one of our events.

Every VA facility has a CSP team providing support and service referrals. They provide valuable information about resources to help you stay informed and supported as you care for your Veteran. Contact your CSP team to learn about more events happening in your local area.

Upcoming Veteran Programming at Intrepid!
Intrepid After Hours
For current and former service members ONLY
Mini Astronomy Night
Tuesday, October 17 | 4:30pm – 8:00pm ET
Join fellow current and former service members for some stargazing. Enjoy a planetarium show before looking at the sky through telescopes. Then, continue the conversation over a catered dinner.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/intrepid-after-hours-mini-astronomy-night-tickets-713850826037?aff=odeimcmailchimp&mc_cid=34c11e52b2&mc_eid=c985036b16

Welcome to the VA Podcast Network
Learning new things while staying entertained has never been easier for America’s Veterans. The VA Podcasts Network offers a diverse selection of top-quality podcasts made with a Veteran community in mind.

Each podcast specializes on a different topic and covers gripping content that no Veteran should want to miss out on. Just click on the podcasts and listen to the wealth of knowledge that awaits to be heard. This week's podcast is Borne the Battle #284: Empowering Veterans with the VA Health and Benefits App. On this week's episode of Borne the Battle, host Pablo Meza spoke with Rachel Han from VA's mobile app team, who shared how VA is using apps as a digital bridge connecting Veterans to VA's benefits and services.

For more Borne the Battle episodes, as well as a variety of other Veteran-related Podcasts, view this link: https://news.va.gov/va-podcast-network/#btb

Another great site for information of interest to veterans is #SITREP. Access videos on YouTube at this link: https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/thesitrep

And don't forget Dwyer Vet-to-Vet Podcasts: Thank You for Your Service
Thank You for Your Service is a monthly podcast focusing on Veteran issues in and around Rockland County NY and beyond. Each episode will focus on different veteran issues, have special guests, and call-in questions. The show airs live on the 4th Monday of every month at 9:30 EST on 1700 AM WRCR radio. It is also available live via the WRCR website www.wrcr.com and Spotify. To access previous and current podcasts, view this link:
https://www.bridgesrc.org/programs-services/vet2vet/

Film Screening with Q&A -- Vietnam: The Secret Agent
Open to current and former service members and the public. Friday, October 27 | 6:30pm – 8:30pm ET
The Intrepid Museum invites current and former service members and the public to a screening of the newly restored documentary Vietnam: The Secret Agent. This 1984 film documents the extraordinary history of chemical warfare, agricultural herbicides, damage to the world environment, and the plight of Vietnam War veterans and their families as they struggle for treatment of exposure to Agent Orange and dioxin. Almost 40 years later, Vietnam: The Secret Agent still resonates today as veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq continue to advocate for treatment of health complications due to burn pit exposure.

Following the screening, there will be a panel discussion with the filmmakers and veteran health advocates moderated by Matthew Ryba, Director of Community Outreach and Education at New York-Presbyterian Military Family Wellness Center and Marine Corps Veteran.
This program is free with advance registration.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/film-screening-qa-vietnam-the-secret-agent-tickets-714832773067?aff=odeimcmailchimp&mc_cid=34c11e52b2&mc_eid=c985036b16

Faces of Freedom -- Oral Histories and Portraits of the Men and Women that Defend Our Country

I never served in the military, and I never had to make the sacrifices US military veterans have made. I decided I wanted to do something to show my gratitude to our veterans and I began my project which I call Faces of Freedom.

The project consists of interviews and photographs. I meet with veterans, record their personal history, and take their photo. I print the photo in black and white, frame it and present it to each veteran at no charge. The interview covers each veteran’s life before, during and after their time in the service. Each veteran has the opportunity to make any changes to their bio before it is finalized. I make no money from this project and the photos are free to each veteran.

Currently these photos and bios appear on my website www.facesoffreedom.us. They also appear on my Facebook page and the photos and stories of the WWII veterans have been sent to the National WWII Museum for their archives. There are currently 80 interviews and photos on the website. I hope to make this into an exhibit for universities, high schools, community centers, libraries, etc. to help increase awareness of the 3% of the population who is doing the heavy lifting so the rest of us can enjoy all that this country has to offer.

Every veteran has a story. Some stories are about combat, some are about funny memories, some stories are sad, and some are about things accomplished after their military service. All are about service to country and making sacrifices.

You have a story and I want to tell it to the rest of the people in the United States. Let’s pick a date and get together to record your history and tell it to our fellow citizens.

Regards,
Walter Schuppe
Avon, CT
Phone: (860) 558-1072
E-mail: walter11_22@yahoo.com

Please check out Vietnam veteran Roy Tschudy's book, "Endless." Roy is a past President of Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter #333, and writes about a variety of experiences that our Vietnam vets encountered. As with all good books, be prepared to experience a lot of emotions with this: you will be intrigued, angry, surprised, maybe shed a tear or two, and laugh out loud at some of the shenanigans in this enjoyable tale of fact, fiction and myth. All proceeds of "Endless" go to help veterans. The book is available in paperback or Kindle edition from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Endless-Roy-Tschudy/dp/1524668516/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Roy+Tschudy+Endless&qid=1638898608&sr=8-1#customerReviews
"Endless" is the second book authored by Roy Tschudy. His first book also had great reviews.
"Up Close and Personal" is available through Amazon as well.

VA Hudson Valley is hiring and enrolling! Our Veterans deserve the best and we need your help to deliver that care for them. Please share with your networks!
Hiring: We currently have 100+ job vacancies posted on our USAJOBS page, available USAJOBS - Search
These include clinical and non-clinical roles at our campuses in Montrose and Castle Point, as well many of our 7 clinics throughout the Hudson Valley. Applicants can review the great VA benefits we offer, to include, compensation, leave flexibilities, student loan forgiveness, health care benefits and retirement benefits.

Some of the jobs we need filled urgently are:

Nurse, including all Specialties – Montrose Campus
Medical Support Assistant - Montrose and Castle Point locations
AC Mechanic – Castle Point Campus

Always accepting applications for Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurse and Certified Nurse Assistant. VA wants to hear from you! If you have questions about any of the above positions, please contact Timothy.McGuigan@va.gov or call 503-307-0193.
For further information, contact Timothy J McGuigan, MS, HR Senior Consultant, VA Hudson Valley HCS -- (503) 307 0193. VISN2HRSBUHudsonValley@va.gov

The Department of Civil Service: The following examination announcements have been updated and added to our public website. When filing your online application, please be advised that technical assistance is available Monday – Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Please be advised that you will need a personal NY.gov ID to apply for Department of Civil Service examinations. If you do not have a personal NY.gov ID, please create an account. Here are some of the employment opportunity examinations coming up -- please view this link for further description of each position:

Open-Competitive Examination Announcements for:

26-800, Senior Recreation Therapist - https://www.cs.ny.gov/examannouncements/announcements/oc/26-800.cfm
26-801, Senior Recreation Therapist (Spanish Language) - https://www.cs.ny.gov/examannouncements/announcements/oc/26-800.cfm

Promotion Examination Announcements

38-604, Head Recreation Therapist - https://www.cs.ny.gov/examannouncements/announcements/prom/38-604.cfm
38-605, Chief Recreation Therapist - https://www.cs.ny.gov/examannouncements/announcements/prom/38-604.cfm
38-606, Senior Recreation Therapist - https://www.cs.ny.gov/examannouncements/announcements/prom/38-606.cfm
38-607, Senior Recreation Therapist (Spanish Language) - https://www.cs.ny.gov/examannouncements/announcements/prom/38-606.cfm
38-608, Senior Recreation Therapist (Music) - https://www.cs.ny.gov/examannouncements/announcements/prom/38-606.cfm
38-947, Environmental Analyst 2 - https://www.cs.ny.gov/examannouncements/announcements/prom/38-947.cfm

Continuous Recruitment Examinations
The Department also accepts applications for most continuous recruitment examinations on an ongoing basis, with no application deadline.

Continuous Recruitment Examinations -

https://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/public/cr.cfm

HELP Program – No Examinations Required
The Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement (HELP) Program temporarily removes the civil service exam requirement for more than 100 direct care, health and human services titles across State agencies for a 12-month period. To be eligible for jobs in the HELP program, candidates must meet the jobs’ minimum qualifications and any other conditions of employment. Candidates should visit the HELP Jobs Portal and use the candidate portal to apply for jobs in the HELP program.
Check out HELP Jobs Portal here: https://www.cs.ny.gov/help/

Veterans Employment and Training Services (VETS) Resources for Veterans

The Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) is committed to helping America's veterans and separating service members by preparing them for meaningful careers, providing employment resources and expertise, and protecting their employment rights.
https://www.benefits.gov/benefit/4624

FedEx Independent Service Provider
FedEx is looking to hire full time and part time drivers to deliver and pickup packages from Blauvelt, NY. Full time schedule is Monday – Friday and part time schedule has weekend positions available. Must be over 21 years old, have a clean drivers license, and be able to pass physical and drug tests. Background checks are also required. Salary for full time starts at $700 per week. Please contact 201-724-7781 to see if you qualify.

Office of Acquisition, Logistics, and Construction of the Veterans Administration:
The link below lists current positions have been announced for the Office of Acquisition, Logistics and Construction (OALC). This is not a complete listing of all Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) vacancies and may not include all positions announced for OALC. You may access VA recruitment information on the VA Jobs site at this link: https://www.va.gov/jobs/
If you wish copies of announcements listed below, please contact the individual identified in the specific announcement. Here is the link to the OALC Job Listings:
https://www.va.gov/oalc/career.asp

Montefiore-Nyack Hospital, Nyack, New York 10960
See link for full listing and information about career opportunities at Nyack Hospital, Nyack, New York. https://montefiorenyackcareers.org

Good Samaritan Hospital, Suffern, New York. Good Samaritan Hospital is affiliated with Westchester Medical Center. See this link for available employment - https://wmchealthjobs.org/search-jobs/

Rockland County Employment Information:
Here is a link to current job openings available in Rockland County
http://rocklandgov.com/departments/personnel/job-opportunities/

Rockland County Veterans' Credits:
http://rocklandgov.com/files/8115/1120/9567/Veterans_Credit_Info.pdf

New York City Civil Service Jobs, Tests, and Results as listed in The Chief:
http://thechiefleader.com/news/civil_service/

MTA Metro-North Railroad has ongoing employment opportunities:
To apply for current jobs with the MTA, please go to the MTA Employment Portal at: http://web.mta.info/mta/employment/

NYC Green Book Online: The Green Book is the official directory of the City of New York. An indispensable reference guide for anyone living or working in New York City. Includes detailed listings of agencies. Website: http://a856-gbol.nyc.gov/GBOLWebsite/

Rockland County Marine Corps League regularly receives donations of handicap assistance equipment for disabled veterans from people who want to help. The donated equipment is available for free to military veterans and their families. The items include the following:

Motorized Wheelchairs
Manual Wheelchairs
Oxygen Generator
Walkers
Bath Chairs
Transfer Benches
Braces
Crutches
Canes

If you have need of any of this equipment, contact the folks at the Rockland County Marine Corps League - 845-323-8774.

RockVets is an Outreach program of New York Vets, Inc., a 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit organization established in 1992, to advocate for those who have worn the uniform of the U.S. Military, no matter where or when they served.

The volunteers at New York Vets / RockVets publish this monthly e-newsletter. We welcome your thoughts, questions, and feedback. E-mail: NewYorkVets@gmail.com.

We are not affiliated with any government agency such as the Veterans Administration, Rockland County Government, nor the Veterans Service Agency of Rockland.

Each month, our newsletter reaches more than 1800 local veterans or those who care about veterans' interests. Please use this forum to let veterans know of any information, resources, links or events they might enjoy. Send information to NewYorkVets@gmail.com or send us a note through our website: https://newyorkvets.org. Thank you for passing this newsletter along to other veterans.

Our Mailing Address
New York Vets, Inc. / RockVets
P.O. Box 387
Tomkins Cove, New York 10986

Pat McGlade
Co-Founder / Director
Website: http://newyorkvets.org
RockVets Newsletters: New York Vets / RockVets Newsletters
Email: mailto:NewYorkVets@gmail.com

or pat@rockvets.com