VFW Action Corps Weekly 12-13-21
 

VFW Action Corps Weekly - December 13, 2021
Re: https://vfworg-cdn.azureedge.net/-/m...211210T193547Z

(Note: Several more links available on site only - for more specific details).

VFW Testifies Before House Subcommittee:

The House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity held a hearing on removing barriers to homeownership for veterans. VFW National Legislative Associate Director Emily DeVito testified on the need for VA to combat misconceptions about VA-guaranteed home loans that make them less competitive with other loans. “For sellers, accepting an offer with a VA-guaranteed loan may be seen as burdensome as sellers fear not meeting VA appraisal standards or the hassle of an extended timeline,” said DeVito. She also stressed the need to educate buyers on all the benefits VA-guaranteed loans offer, such as the opportunity to obtain an Energy Efficient Mortgage. Watch the hearing or read the testimony.

Wreaths Across America:

Every December, wreathlaying ceremonies organized by the nonprofit Wreaths Across America to remember and honor our fallen veterans take place at more than 2,500
locations across the United States, at sea, and abroad. You can still register for this year’s event to be held at Arlington National Cemetery on Saturday, Dec. 18, National Wreaths Across America Day. Learn more to sponsor, volunteer, or donate.

Defeating the Holiday Blues:

For many veterans, the holiday season intensifies feelings of stress, depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Creating a community and building connections are ways to combat the holiday blues and provide a sense of purpose. For those unable to meet in person with
family and friends, you can schedule video calls, online game nights, or virtual dinners, workouts, and watch parties. You can also volunteer with local VFW posts and veteran support organizations in your area. Read more.

Veterans’ Childcare Survey:

VA’s Office of Women’s Health Services and Veterans Experience Office have released a survey to better understand the childcare needs of veterans and caretakers to facilitate medical appointments. The survey takes less than two minutes. Take the survey.

MIA Update:

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced four burial updates for service
members who have been missing and unaccountedfor from World War II and Korea. Returning home for burial with full military honors are:

01-Army Pfc. Anthony F. Mendonca, 28, of Waipahu, Hawaii, was assigned to Company A, 106th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division. He was reported killed in action on June 28, 1944, when American forces participated in the battle for Saipan, part of a larger operation to secure the Mariana islands. Mendonca will be buried at the National Memorial
Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu on Dec. 16, 2021.
Read about Mendonca.

02 - Army Pfc. Morris E. Swackhammer, 20, of Binghamton, New York, was assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 143rd Infantry Regiment, 36th Infantry Division. In August, his unit landed on the southern coast of France as part of Operation Dragoon. On Nov. 22, 1944, Swackhammer’s unit engaged in a heavy firefight with enemy troops in a wooded area northwest of Fraize. Following the battle, his remains could not be recovered. He will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. The date has
yet to be determined. Read about Swackhammer

03 - Army Cpl. Benjamin R. Bazzell, 18, of Seymour, Connecticut, was assigned to Headquarters Battery, 57th Field Artillery Battalion, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported killed in action on Nov. 30, 1950, when his unit was attacked by enemy forces near the
Chosin Reservoir, North Korea. Following the battle, his remains could not be recovered. Bazzell will be buried in Kent, Washington. The date has yet to be determined. Read about Bazzell.

04 - -- Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Anel B. Shay, Jr., 26, of Seattle, was assigned to 345th Bombardment Squadron, 98th Bombardment Group, 9th Air Force. On Aug. 1, 1943, the B-24 Liberator aircraft on which Shay was serving as a bombardier crashed as a result of enemy anti-aircraft fire. Following the war, his remains could not be identified. Shay will be
buried in his hometown. The date has yet to be determined. Read about Shay.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Personal note: Welcome Home - may you now Rest In Peace on American soil and may
your families welcome you as well. We thank you for your service to our Country.