News about the veteran community, for the veteran community.
From the Rough Riders to the ‘Borinqueneers,’ Hispanic Americans Have Answered the Call to Serve Throughout Our Nation’s History
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 through Oct. 15), the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs will be sharing stories from the state’s and nation’s military and cultural history, including profile individual Hispanic American service members and veterans. There are an estimated 560,000 Hispanic Americans living in Oregon today — and more than 60 million — across the United States. They represent a rich and diverse cultural heritage — as well as a proud history of service in our nation’s military, one that dates back to some of our earliest conflicts. Several thousand Hispanic volunteers, mostly from the Southwest, fought with distinction in
In One’s Element: The Value of Being On the Water
By Robert Smith, Oregon State Parks I don’t know when it started, young I guess, like most things. My favorite memories always involved water. Vacation often started with a ride on the ferry to Whidbey Island. Then there was grandpa’s house overlooking Puget Sound. Maybe it was fishing trips with my dad to Lake Leland – eating tomato soup warmed on an old Coleman stove. Dad would make sure I was safe and warm and, based on the abundance of tomato soup, would continue to grow. There were smells and sights and sounds that I still remember and that I
What Dis-ability? The Healing Power of Boating
By Ashley A. Massey, Public Information Officer, Oregon State Marine Board A day in 1969 changed the trajectory of Craig Withee’s life. A car accident left him a paraplegic, but that has not slowed down this retired Civil Engineer from Bend. In 2018, Craig Withee was appointed to the Marine Board and brought with him not only his 38-years of experience in facility engineering, operations and management for the Department of Army and the Federal Aviation Administration, but a perspective from an avid mixed-use boater and angler who happens to live with physical limitations. Withee offers his perspectives around the