Senior News and Living sponsored a pop-up resource fair at the American Legion in Norman on Monday, May 13th. Here are a few highlights from the event.

Today, VA OKC Healthcare System (OKC HCS) announced that it housed 367 Veterans experiencing homeless in Oklahoma this fiscal year. A total of 98.8% of these Veterans have not returned to homelessness and the OKC VA HCS Social Work Services continues to reach out to any unsheltered Veterans to ensure they have access to housing and other wraparound services they deserve.
Nationally, during this same time period, VA housed 43,116 Veterans experiencing homelessness, surpassing its fiscal year 2024 goal to house 41,000 Veterans a month earlier than anticipated. A total of 96.3% of the Veterans housed have not returned to homelessness, and 38,476 unsheltered Veterans have been engaged nationally.
Preventing and eliminating Veteran homelessness is a top priority for VA and the entire Biden-Harris Administration. Between 2022 and 2023, VA permanently housed nearly 87,000 Veterans. As a result of these efforts, the number of Veterans experiencing homelessness in the U.S. has fallen by over 4% since early 2020 and by more than 52% since 2010.
“No person who has served this country should ever have to experience homelessness,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “As a result of this year’s efforts, more than 43,000 formerly homeless Veterans now have access to the homes that they deserve. And make no mistake: we won’t rest until every Veteran has a safe, stable, accessible, and affordable home to call their own.”
VA and the entire administration have taken considerable steps this year to combat Veteran homelessness. This week, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness released the federal government’s first ever framework for homelessness prevention and launched a new series spotlighting local and federal efforts to prevent homelessness. Last month, VA awarded more than $800 million in grants via its Supportive Services for Veteran Families and Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem programs, and in July, awarded over $26 million in grants to support legal services for Veterans facing homelessness. Additionally, last month, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and VA announced policy changes that will help more Veterans receive housing assistance under the HUD-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program.
VA’s efforts to combat Veteran homelessness are grounded in reaching out to homeless Veterans, understanding their unique needs, and addressing them. These efforts are built on the evidence-based “Housing First” approach, which prioritizes getting a Veteran into housing, then providing or connecting them with the wraparound services and supports they need to stay housed, including health care, job training, legal and education assistance, and more.
Every day, VA staff and VA’s community partners nationwide help Veterans find permanent housing, such as apartments or houses to rent or own, often with subsidies to help make the housing affordable. In some cases, VA staff and partners help Veterans end their homelessness by reuniting them with family and friends.
Visit the VA.gov/homeless to learn about housing initiatives and other programs supporting Veterans experiencing homelessness.

Story by Megan Brown,
Navy Office of Community Outreach

Ensign Samuel Sharp, a native of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, graduate from the Navy’s Officer Candidate School (OCS). Sharp is a graduate of Gulf Breeze High School and an Oklahoma Baptist University graduate. “I joined the Navy because I wanted to serve my country and follow in the footsteps of my family members who also previously served,” said Sharp.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Oklahoma City. “A few lessons I have learned from my hometown that have helped me throughout my time in the Navy and at OCS are the importance of being resilient, adapting to new circumstances and stepping up as a leader when needed,” said Sharp.
OCS is one of four officer accession programs operating at Officer Training Command Newport (OTCN). OCS is the final step in a sailor’s transition into the Naval Officer Corps. This rigorous 13-week program is comprehensive, intense, and designed to reinforce understanding of the responsibilities of a naval officer.
Located in Newport, Rhode Island, the command’s mission is to develop newly commissioned officers morally, mentally and physically, and imbue them with the highest ideals of honor, courage and commitment in order to prepare them for the Fleet. Additionally, this program prepares officers to become effective leaders by developing fundamental skills in leadership, written and oral communication, career management and administration.
With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
Sharp serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security. “We will earn and reinforce the trust and confidence of the American people every day,” said Adm. Lisa Franchetti, chief of naval operations. “Together we will deliver the Navy the nation needs.”
Sharp has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service. “So far, my proudest accomplishment while serving in the Navy is having the opportunity to come to OCS as a student naval aviator,” said Sharp.
As Sharp and other sailors continue to train and perform missions, they take pride in serving their country in the U.S. Navy. “Serving in the Navy means that I am able to build myself and other sailors into great leaders,” added Sharp. “It also means setting an example for others to follow, not only in the fleet, but in society as well.”

The Oklahoma History Center, in association with VillagesOKC, the local offices of Humana, Oklahoma Warriors Honor Flight, Navigating Medicare and the Force 50 Foundation, is proud to host a pinning ceremony honoring all the servicemen and servicewomen, active or reservists, who served anywhere in the world during the Vietnam War-era. Family members of any veteran unable to be present may also receive this pin. The event will be held in the Devon Great Hall of the Oklahoma History Center on Friday, March 29, from 10 a.m.-noon, with doors opening at 9 a.m. This event is free and open to the public.
March 29 was designated as Vietnam Veterans Day by the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act, to be commemorated with annual nationwide events. Guided by the stipulations in that act, only Vietnam War veterans and their families are recognized. However, the Vietnam War Commemoration organization is providing recognition pins to honor any US veteran who served on active duty or in the reserves in the US Armed Forces at any time during the period of November 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975, regardless of location, Vietnam or otherwise. Family members of any veteran unable to be present may also receive this pin.
The keynote speaker will be Colonel “Chuck” DeBellevue, who has been deemed “Ace of Aces,” one of only five to achieve that status from downing six North Vietnamese MiGs. He logged 550 combat hours while flying 220 combat missions, with 96 over Vietnam. His decorations include the Air Force Cross, three Silver Stars, three Legions of Merit, six Distinguished Flying Crosses, 18 Air Medals and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Device. In 2012, he was inducted into the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame and received the Congressional Gold Medal.
Also speaking will be Colonel Peter Plank, one of the founders of the Liberty Jump Team. This team has taken more than 100 World War II veterans back to the battlefields of Normandy and Belgium at no cost to the veterans. “Taking them to the battlefields they fought in and the villages they liberated is a humbling experience. Being a part of the Liberty Jump Team preserves the memory of those that came before us alive. We owe them that,” says Plank.
Michael Do, an Oklahoma City businessman, will speak on behalf of the Oklahoma City Vietnamese community and the South Vietnamese military. Music will be provided by the 145th Army Band, known as “The Governor’s Own.”
The Oklahoma History Center is located at 800 Nazih Zuhdi Dr. in Oklahoma City. It is open to the public Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
The Oklahoma History Center is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society and is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, National Archives and is an accredited member of the American Alliance of Museums. The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit
https://www.okhistory.org.

By Marise Boehs

They gathered at the OnCue in Yukon Sunday morning – a dozen motorcycles, a few cars and 21 volunteers preparing to surprise a veteran who had asked for a flag pole for his yard.

The skies were overcast, a little windy and cold but nobody seemed to mind. It was the first install of the 2024 season and a chance to catch up with friends and comrades and do a thing they all love and believe in.

Flag Poles Honoring Our Veterans is a 501(c)3 organization established in 2020. Their mission is to touch as many veterans as possible throughout the state of Oklahoma. The organization is completely volunteer and runs solely on donations of materials and money from individual and corporate sponsors.
Any Oklahoma veteran who has been honorably discharged and owns his or her home can ask for a flag pole through an application on their website. (FPHOV.org FPHOV has installed 560 flag poles in the past 4 years.

“The Sunday before Veterans Day every year we do 22 flagpoles in one day in the awareness of the 22 Veterans we lose a day to suicide.”
Kevin Blake, Founder FPHOV

They honor 3-5 Veterans each Sunday from mid March through Christmas unless a holiday falls on Sunday.

The fourth Annual Veteran Appreciation cookout will be in October with live music and free food for all veterans who have received a flagpole. In the evening there is a flagpole retirement ceremony.

Founder Kevin Blake explained about the ceremony. “We collect tattered flags throughout the year and we have a burn barrel. We retire each flag and call out the name of family or friend Veterans that have passed with each flag. Then I bring the barrel home after it cools and collect the grommets and make key chains out of them. Our flag never dies.”

In his own words…

In December 2019 we were helping serve dinner at a local church (Yellow Rose in Moore) to families for kids less fortunate and would be given toys to be able to have a Christmas.

A gentleman walked up to me and asked if I was the guy down the street from him that has a flagpole and every holiday (4th of July, Memorial Day) I set flags out down my driveway and along my curbside. We figured out that I was. He said he is a Veteran, he has an Army flag and an American flag and had always wanted a flagpole.
We chatted and then went our way. That night it laid on my heart “why doesn’t that Veteran have a flagpole”. So the next day I went out and purchased a flagpole, a flag, solar light and all the materials to install it. I notified his wife and asked her to have him in their driveway at noon on Sunday 3 days before Christmas.
I posted what I was doing on Facebook and asked folks to be at my house at 11:30 am Sunday. We had 19 motorcycles and 9 cars show up – almost 40 people. I loaded the concrete and tools in my riding lawnmower trailer. His wife had him outside when he heard the bikes start up. He said he thought it was just me and my biker buddies heading out. Everyone followed me on my mower with 2 people carrying the pole and when we rounded the corner his tears started flowing. With everyone videoing, going Facebook live, saying what a great idea and why hasn’t this ever been thought of before. That night my wife said to me “I think every Veteran deserves a flagpole in their yard when they retire”.

I set out and created the name, got our 501c3, nonprofit and copyright to the name and logo. And in March of 2020 (even when Covid was starting up at the same time) we got started. Our first year we Honored 100 Veterans.

The next year we set a goal of 150 Veterans and met that goal. But as volunteers with full time jobs we felt a bit pressured so we did not set an amount goal after that. We just do as many as possible.

At 97, Gillaspy Shares Tales of Courage, Service, and Resilience.

From serving in WWII to building a family farm and becoming a beloved storyteller, legacy spans generations.

Story by Richard Stephens, Jr.

By Marilyn Olson, Executive Director, VillagesOKC

March 29 will be a full day of celebration and commemoration for VillagesOKC members. It’s National Vietnam Veterans Day, and two major events will fill the day. A morning ceremony at the Oklahoma History Center Museum will honor all Vietnam-era veterans. An afternoon ceremony at Del City High School will recognize the character and sacrifice of 1st Lt. James Robert Kalsu.
VillagesOKC is partnering with the Oklahoma History Center Museum, the local offices of Humana, Oklahoma Warriors Honor Flight, the Force 50 Foundation and Navigating Medicare to host a pinning ceremony honoring all the servicemen and servicewomen, active or reservists, who served anywhere in the world during the Vietnam War-era. Each will receive a lapel pin inscribed with “A Grateful Nation Thanks and Honors You.”
The event will be held in the Devon Great Hall of the museum 10 a.m. to noon, with the doors opening at 9:00 a.m. This event is free and open to the public.
At 1 p.m. that afternoon, a larger-than-life monument to Kalsu will be unveiled at the Del City High School stadium which bears his name. At 1:30 p.m. in the Del City Performing Arts Center there will be a Vietnam-Era Veteran pinning ceremony and premier of the documentary “Uncommon Character – the Legacy of James Robert Kalsu.”
Kalsu was a stand-out student and Del City High School football star, an All-American at the University of Oklahoma, and Rookie of the Year for the Buffalo Bills, who became the only active professional athlete killed in action in the Vietnam War.
“If our children and grandchildren are to truly value the freedoms we have, it will be experiencing events like this where men and women are honored for their character and selfless acts of valor,” said VillagesOKC Executive Director Marilyn Olson. “VillagesOKC values our veterans and intends to continue finding ways to honor them.”
According to a release from the museum: “March 29 was designated as Vietnam Veterans Day by the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act, to be commemorated with annual nationwide events. Guided by the stipulations in that act, only Vietnam War veterans and their families are recognized. However, the Vietnam War Commemoration organization is providing recognition pins to honor any US veteran who served on active duty or in the reserves in the US Armed Forces at any time during the period of November 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975, regardless of location, Vietnam or elsewhere. Family members of any veteran unable to be present may also receive this pin.”
The keynote speaker will be Colonel “Chuck” DeBellevue who has been deemed “Ace of Aces;” one of only five to achieve that status from downing six North Vietnamese MiGs. Altogether, he logged 550 combat hours while flying 220 combat missions; 96 over Vietnam. His decorations include the Air Force Cross, three Silver Stars, three Legions of Merit, six Distinguished Flying Crosses, eighteen Air Medals and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Device. In 2012, he was inducted into the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame and received the Congressional Gold Medal.

Visit: https://villagesokc.org/

Story and Photo by Van Mitchell, Staff Writer

Leo Webster, a 24-year Air Force MSgt/E7 RET, knows first-hand the importance of communication when helping other veterans.
In July 2018 he started Vet Chat, a monthly meeting where veterans can gather and communicate with each other and learn about resources that are available to them.
Meetings are held the second Saturday of each month at 9 a.m. in the lobby of Cornerstone Church located at 9900 SE 15th Street in Midwest City.
Vet Chat allows veterans and service members to network and fellowship while learning about the resources available to Warriors, spouses, family members, and widows.
The program’s goal is to give a source of support while also connecting and encouraging veterans by sharing stories in passing of useful advice, information, or resources.
Topics include education benefits, VA burial benefits, Wills, Power of Attorney, disability rating, housing and spousal benefits.
“We strive to connect our veterans with local agencies, organizations, and civic groups that specialize in assisting our heroes and their families,” Webster said. “The goal of this group is to be a source of support while also connecting, encouraging and motivating veterans.”
Webster said Senior News and Living will host a Veteran’s Resource Fair at Cornerstone Church on Saturday, Sept. 14 from 9 a.m. to noon in lieu of the regular Vet Chat meeting that day.

Webster said the idea of Vet Chat began while sitting in church.
“I was sitting in church one day and just looking around at the number of veterans in my church. And being a 24-year Air Force veteran myself, I said, “We need to start talking to each other.” This is just going on in my mind,” he said. “So, I invited a group of veterans to my house to have lunch.”
Webster said he and the rest of his invited guests sat in his living room and started talking to each other.
“You put a table full of food out, you can get a lot of people,” he said. “We started thinking about what are the things that we can just start helping veterans with? And obviously benefits and services and things that were available to veterans. So, I just ran a poll around the table and said, ‘Okay, what are some things? Just write down some things that you think that we can work on.’ Each person came up with a list of things they thought.”
Webster said the Vet Chat meetings outgrew his living room.
“We met in my living room at my house for a long time, but it just mushroomed,” he said. “I asked my pastor, Ron McKey, at Cornerstone Church if I could just start using the foyer in the church. He said absolutely. He said anything that we can do to help our veterans is welcomed.”
Webster said initially the Vet Chat meeting started with around eight veterans, but has grown slowly, but steadily.
“We started off with about eight people, and we’ve had as high as 57 people,” he said. “I would love to have over 100 veterans attend the Vet Chat meetings each month.”
Webster said he gets self-satisfaction from helping others.
“If someone needs something and I can help them, I feel that if I don’t do it, then I’m not fulfilling my calling of giving back,” he said.
Webster said the military teaches toughness, but that process has its challenges.
“Being in the service, us veterans are tough. We don’t ever want to admit that we have challenges, or we have aches and pains,” he said. “I’m a veteran and tried navigating applying for VA disability myself and ended up discouraged. My experience was frustrating like many others, but I had a gentleman, a good friend of mine said, ‘Leo, I’m not going to let you give up.’ He came to my house and picked me up and said, ‘We’re going down to the VA. I’m going to sit with you and you’re going to do this. He loved me through the process and just kept on loving me. And I’m comfortable right now.’”
“We help our veterans, their spouses and especially their widows.” Webster noted. When Sue Bruce lost her husband, the only thing she was sure of was she needed someone’s help. “They supported me through every part of the process. I had no clue as to all the benefits that were available to me. They just did everything, like family.” Bruce said. Carla Evans and her husband came on a Saturday earlier this year, seeking information primarily for her father and also her husband. Just weeks later her husband unexpectedly passed away. Evans said, “I could not have made it through that time without Leo and Vet Chat.
Webster said we also look out for our active service members.
“We have several wonderful retired women, like Barbara Curry, AF MSgt RET and Deborah McQuillar AF SMSgt Ret who love to support and mentor active duty females.”
Webster said he wants Vet Chat to be a safe harbor for every veteran.
“I want Vet Chat to become the model place in Midwest City where veterans can come and know, first of all, you’re at a safe place,” he said. “What you share with us is not going to be put on Facebook, it’s not going to be put out online. You are in a safe place. We are here to help you, and it’s going to be very private and confidential what you share with us. I just want to be here for our veterans. Being a veteran myself, I know how complicated it is and I just want to make life easy for these heroes and give them a safe place to just come and hang out.”
Webster said he works hard to earn each veteran’s respect.
“I have been there (Air Force) for 24 years, and I worked hard to earn the respect of the people that I serve,” he said. “And I venture to say everybody that comes to Vet Chat will tell you how hard I work to earn their respect. And I believe they all respect me, I really do. Because I don’t take anything for granted. I’m persistent when I know that I’m doing something that God would want me to do. I’m passionate about it, and I don’t want to leave any stone unturned. I want to do it with all my heart.”
Webster said while he enjoys how Vet Chat helps veterans; he will never be pleased until every veteran’s need is met.
“Yes, I am happy to see how the program is growing, but I will never be pleased until I know every veteran’s needs or services of what they need is met. And I’ll probably never accomplish that, but that gives me the drive to keep pushing every time,” he said. “Our goal is to assist our veterans to get everything that they’re entitled to. I want to be a friend to my fellow heroes, and not just be there for them.”
For more information about Vet Chat contact Webster at (405) 202-0661 or via email at [email protected] or contact James McQuillar at (405) 659-2116 or via email at [email protected]. See our Resource Fair Flyer on page 22

Dear Savvy Senior, I understand that the Veterans Administration has a benefit that can help veterans and spouses with long-term care costs. We recently had to move my elderly father into an assisted living memory care facility, and my mother will probably need care too in the near future. What can you tell me?
Searching for Aid

Dear Searching,
The Veterans Administration (VA) does indeed have an underutilized benefit that can help wartime veterans and their surviving spouses pay for a variety of long-term care costs.
This benefit, called “Aid and Attendance,” is a special pension that’s paid on top of existing VA pensions for eligible veterans and surviving spouses. In 2024, it pays a maximum of $2,727 a month to married veterans; $2,300 a month to single veterans; or $1,478 a month to a surviving spouse. The money is tax free, and can be used to pay for assisted living, memory care, nursing home or in-home care services.
Currently, around 156,000 veterans and survivors are receiving the Aid and Attendance benefit, but many thousands more are eligible who either don’t know about it or don’t think they qualify.
Eligibility Requirements
To qualify, your dad must have served at least 90 days of active military service with at least one day of service during a period of war, and not have been discharged dishonorably. Single surviving spouses of wartime vets are eligible if their marriage ended due to death.
In addition, your dad will also have to meet certain thresholds for medical and financial need to be eligible.
To qualify medically he must be either disabled, or over the age of 65 and need help performing basic everyday living tasks such as eating, bathing, dressing or going to the bathroom. Being blind or in a nursing home due to disability or receiving Social Security Disability or SSI also qualifies him. Single surviving spouses have no age restrictions, but they must require help with basic everyday living tasks to be eligible.
To qualify financially your parents “net worth,” which includes assets and annual income combined, must be below $155,356 in 2024.
To calculate this, add up your parent’s assets, which includes their personal property (like investments, real estate, etc.) excluding their primary home and vehicles. And tally up their income over the past year (including Social Security, pensions, interest income from investments, annuities, etc.), minus any out-of-pocket medical expenses, prescription drugs, insurance premiums and long-term care costs over that same period of time.
The VA also has a three-year lookback to determine if your parents transferred any assets to ensure they would qualify for benefits. If so, they may be subject to a penalty period of up to 5 years.
How to Apply
To apply for Aid and Attendance, you’ll need to fill out VA Form 21-2680 and mail it to the Pension Management Center (PMC) for your dad’s state. You’ll need to have your dad’s doctor fill out the examination information section. Or you can also apply in person at a VA regional office near your parents.
For more information or to download application forms see
https://www.va.gov/pension/aid-attendance-housebound. You can also call the VA at 800-827-1000 if you have questions.
If you need some help, you can appoint a Veteran Service Officer (VSO), a VA-accredited attorney or claims agent to represent your dad. See
https://www.va.gov/ogc/apps/accreditation/index.asp to locate someone.
If your dad is eligible, it can take months for his application to be processed, so be patient.
You should also know that if your dad’s Aid and Attendance application is approved, the VA will send a lump sum retroactive payment covering the time from the day you filed the application until the day it was approved. Then your dad receives monthly payments going forward.
Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit https://savvysenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.