Serving those who served: Stand down provides hundreds of vets with warm clothing, information
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As low-hanging clouds misted the Jocko Valley with cold rain, hundreds of veterans from across the region found protection, warmth and information under the roof of the powwow grounds at a veteran stand down.
Though this is the first stand down to be held on the reservation in years, stand downs are held across the United States often. According to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, the original stand down was created to help returning soldiers from the Vietnam War. Troops were able to take care of personal hygiene, receive clean and warm clothing, meals, and medical and dental care. The stand down helped renew the soldier’s overall health and wellbeing. Today, the stand down’s purpose is unchanged.
Just in time for winter, veterans from across the area received boots, coats, hats, gloves and sleeping bags, to name a few of the items and services.
“This is really fantastic. I really needed new shoes,” Jack Derowatzky of Mission said of his new pair of combat boots. Derowatzky served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War.
“A lot of veterans can’t afford some of these items … most of my stuff is worn out. This is the best thing in the world they could do,” Derowatzky added.
Derowatzky and his brother Don Derowatzky of Pablo, a Vietnam Veteran, drove down to pick up a few items that would serve them during the upcoming cold months.
“It’s great,” Don Derowatzky said. “There should be a lot more of these because a lot of veterans don’t take advantage of all the services for them, and they should.”
The two-day stand down was made possible through the cooperation of several agencies, organizations and volunteers including U.S. Veteran Affairs, Montana Job Service, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Mission Valley Honor Guard and many others.
“This is the first time we’ve done it here (in Arlee),” said Buck Richardson, Minority Veteran Program Coordinator with the Rocky Mountain Health Care Network “VISN 19.”
Richardson helps coordinate stand downs in nine states and Canada, in addition to other efforts to help veterans.
“I work with minority veterans and families to increase access to benefits and coordinate with the VA and IHS for veterans,” Richardson said.
He said he orders the surplus goods based on inventory, and the VA pays for all the shipping costs.
Richardson also noted several services such as flu shots, AIDS testing, suicide prevention, homelessness programs and veteran women programs were available.
According to Jonna Brenton, Women Veterans Program Manager for Montana, there are currently 8,000 women veterans in Montana, and only 2,000 qualify for service.
“When I come to these things, my focus is to reach out to women veterans,” Brenton said. Some of the services that are available to veteran women include counseling and treatment, educational opportunities, services for homeless veterans, general health services and adjustment from deployment.
Brenton explained there is a women veteran’s program manager in every VA medical center in the United States.
“Most people who hear ‘veteran’ think of a man,” said Lucy Van Hoose, Navy, and a veteran of Iraqi Freedom, who now works at the VA Clinic of Missoula.
As Van Hoose picked up a few items from the stand down, she was joined by fellow women veterans Terry Stephens, with the Brain Injury Association of Montana in Missoula, and Edna Nasca with Disabled American Veterans.
“I don’t always wear my (veteran) hat, so people don’t always know I’m a veteran,” Stephens added.
These women are part of a smaller but growing population of veteran women who were also served at the stand down.
Richardson said in addition to the all the services, clothing items and information specific to women was made available.
“It’s been busy since we got started,” Richardson said. “With the economy the way it is, we want to help stretch peoples’ budgets and give back to vets who have given so much.”
