Chapter 103 News

V V A Chapter 103; V V A, NYSC and V V A National news and press releases are posted on this web page.





VA Telehealth Program

VA Telehealth utilizes video conferencing facilities provided at VA community based outpatient clinics and health care devices to provide Veterans with remote access to health care.

Click on the image below to view the Telehealth services available at central New York VA outpatient clinics.




The VVA, Chapter 377 Ninth Annual Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway of Valor Tribute Ride

Article by Harvey Baker. Photograph by Charlie Harrington.

On Saturday July 15th over 400 motorcycles and several cars and trucks participated in this year's Tribute Ride.



The Tribute Ride was organized by members of VVA, Chapter 377, and members of Blue Knight's Chapter 17, a law enforcement motorcycle club.

The day started out a little iffy with very light and scattered rain showers here and there. Thankfully the flood waters had receded the gravel and mud had been cleared away in several places along the route, making for a safe ride. The day however ended with bright, sunny, and warm skies.

The ride, which runs from the Pennsylvania border to the shores of Lake Ontario, is to honor all New York State Vietnam veterans and to pay tribute to two Medal of Honor recipients whose memorials are alongside Route 38; Marine Lieutenant Terrance Graves of Groton and US Army Sp4 Robert Stryker, of Troop, and the ride is also to draw attention to State Route 38, which was designated in 2008 by Governor Patterson, as the, “New York Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway of Valor”.

We left the parking lot of the Owego free Academy in Owego at 11 am for the 100 mile journey to the American Legion Post in Hannibal, NY. The ride stopped in the village of Groton across from the American Legion at noon for food and gas, and to take a break, before continuing on to Hannibal. Along the way, as we passed through small village, and through the City of Auburn, small groups of waving people lined the highway. Scores of people were standing at attention, some saluting, some with their hands over their hearts, and some who waved small flags, some large flags and still others who held up signs, thanking Vietnam veterans for our service and for helping to keep our country free.

Fire departments along the way, displayed large American flags over the highway on their ladder trucks, and VFW Posts, American Legion Posts and VVA Chapter , 480, 377, and 704, color guards stood at attention as we rode by. And, for the last twenty miles of the ride we had a three plane flyover. The planes were flown by three Vietnam Veterans, and they escorted us all the way to the American Legion Post in Hannibal.

A twenty five year Navy veteran and a Blue Knights rider from Virginia, Harold Peak, rode his Gold Wing trike in the ride, and his brother Ralph Moss, a chapter 377 member, drove his car, so they could do the ride together.

Eight police departments and twenty one fire departments helped out with this years ride, allowing us to proceed through four counties and a hundred miles safely, and let me assure you, that is no small task.


VVA, New York State Council Summer 2017 Issue of "Interchange Online"

Click on the image below to view the current issue of the NYSC newsletter.




DoD to Open Online Exchange Shopping to Veterans

The Army, Air Force and Navy Exchange Services will allow Veterans to shop online beginning Veterans Day, November 11, 2017.

To qualify for the Veterans online shopping benefit, one must be an honorably discharged Veteran of the United States Armed Forces. Those Armed Forces include the United States Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard as well as the Air Force Reserve, Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Coast Guard Reserve and National Guard.

Veterans must pre-register to utilize the AAFES online service. Eligibility will be determined by VetVerify, a shared verification service of the four military exchanges: AAFES, NEXCOM, MCX and CGX for the sole purpose of supporting the AAFES Veteran benefit.

Veterans may telephone 1-844-868-8672 to pre-register.

Veterans may also pre-register securely online at https://www.vetverify.org/index.xhtml.

Click here to view the secure home page of the AAFES shopping web site.

Note: This benefit is online only and does not provide on-base PX/BX access.


NYS Veterans—Official New York State Veteran App

The New York State Division of Veterans' Affairs offers comprehensive guidance as regards New York State Veterans benefits and services. The recent release of the "NYS Veterans—Official New York State Veteran App(lication)" supplements those services.

The app, produced by the New York State Office of Information Technology Services, is available free for the downloading in Android and Apple specific versions. Click on the appropriate image below to view the Google Play Store or the Itunes description-download-installation web page appropriate to your digital device.




US Department of Defense Office of Warrior Care Military Adaptive Sports Program

The Office of Warrior Care Policy oversees the Military Adaptive Sports Program (MASP). The MASP provides recreational activities and competitive athletic opportunities to all wounded, ill, and injured Service members to improve their physical and mental quality of life throughout the continuum of recovery and transition.

Readers of these VVA 103 web pages are likely familiar with wheelchair basketball, but other traditional sports have been adapted to the needs of the wounded warrior. For in-depth information as regards those adapted sports and MASP implementation, click on the link below.

US Department of Defense Office of Warrior Care Military Adaptive Sports Program

Click on the image below to access the MASP and other Warrior Care topic videos posted to the official "YouTube" Warrior Care web page.




Department of Veterans Affairs "YouTube" Web Pages

The VA produces a large number of "YouTube" hosted videos of interest to Veterans. The videos are of particular interest because of their accessibility by portable digital media players: such as, smartphones and tablets.

Video subjects range from an overview of Veteran benefits to in-depth discussion of a specific medical issue. Of particular interest is the "Playlists" link (within red ellipse on the image below) which presents video titles organized by topic. Other videos of interest (within blue ellipse on the image below) will be found under the Veterans Benefits Administration and Veterans Health Administration links.

Click on the image below to view the "YouTube" page of the Department of Veterans Affairs.