Story and photos by Darl DeVault, contributing editor

Oklahomans are ensuring their fellow military veterans can register for the new Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act. Hundreds of Veterans Administration employees are ensuring this is possible at well-attended monthly outreach VA Veterans Festival (VET Fest) and PACT Act Resource Fairs around the state.
The most recent event was held by Oklahoma City VA employees on July 22, in west Oklahoma City, where 30 VA employees assisted veterans at the 7725 CONNECT building. The multi-tenant business campus in the old Western Electric Plant at Reno and Council saw 70 veterans lined up at the 9 a.m. opening, and 150 were assisted throughout the day.
The event was designed to provide services for veterans, spouses, caregivers, veteran’s widows, survivors and active-duty personnel. This outreach allows the VA to provide expanded healthcare and benefits to generations of veterans and their survivors.
The Warriors for Freedom Foundation co-hosted the event from their office in the 7725 Connect building. The nonprofit volunteers assisted the Oklahoma City, VA staff in spreading the word that more veterans and their survivors are eligible for benefits and VA health care under the PACT Act.
Signed into law by President Joe Biden in August 2022, the “Honoring our PACT Act of 2022” (in its short title version) initiates the most extensive health care and benefits expansion in VA history. This sweeping federal law comprehensively addresses all the service-connected toxic exposure issues of the last six decades.
The act expands VA care eligibility for veterans who experienced exposure to toxic substances during service in Vietnam, the Gulf War and post-9/11 eras. Some veterans’ surviving family members may also be eligible for specific benefits.
The line kept moving, with 30 people who had arrived around 11:30 a.m. waiting in line at noon. The event ran until 4 p.m.
The veterans were helped to register for PACT Act services and check the status of their PACT Act claims, while some were assisted with getting a My HealtheVet Premium account which allows them to sign in to VA online tools.
“The process was timely, very helpful and friendly,” said Staff Sergeant Sarah Scott, who served at Tarin Kwot, Afghanistan, from 2010-2011. The Noble resident, now on active duty with the Oklahoma National Guard, said that once she was registered, she could go right to the people who provided her with the information she needed.
To be eligible for benefits under the PACT Act, a veteran’s disability must connect to their military service. The VA now automatically assumes that a veteran’s service caused some conditions. These are known as “presumptive conditions.” The PACT Act added more than 20 categories of presumptive conditions from exposure to burn pits, Agent Orange and other toxic substances.
“We are all excited to roll out the PACT Act to OKC veterans because this is one of the largest program expansions in veteran healthcare we have ever seen,” said Carmen Daugherty, OKC VA public affairs officer.
The veterans who attended the PACT Act presumptive claims event asked VA eligibility and service officers questions about their exposure and claim eligibility. They were able to receive toxic exposure screenings from medical staff. Some filed a claim and, in some cases, received a same-day decision from the four VA doctors on hand.
“Being a veteran, I am thrilled to help veterans get their VA health care and benefits fixed,” Daugherty said. “Some of these veterans have waited for 20 plus years to finally get answers to their exposure questions and get claims filed.”
The act also requires the VA to provide toxic exposure screenings to every veteran enrolled in VA care. Many veterans enrolled in VA care for the first time at the event and were helped to secure appointments at the downtown VA Hospital.
Those enrolling in VA care for the first time started the process of having their ID cards mailed out to them.
Some 20 Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) staffers also worked many stations to provide information about benefits and services to veterans and their families. Many other services were provided, including four State of Oklahoma staffers providing information about state veteran services and Oklahoma Tax Commission privileges extended to veterans with 100 percent disability.
An underlying emphasis of PACT Act outreach is to fully inform veteran’s widows of their access to benefits around the state in what has already been 10 VET Fest or PACT Act Resource Fairs, including several cohosted by tribal nations.
“The PACT Act makes it easier for survivors and widows to receive monthly VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (VA DIC),” Daugherty said. “They qualify if they are a surviving spouse, dependent child, or parent of a veteran who died from a service-connected disability.”
The VA also provides survivors previously denied DIC benefits the opportunity to be re-evaluated to see if they are now eligible under PACT Act provisions. The VA asks widows to come to one of the PACT Act events or the main Oklahoma City VA Health Care System to determine if they qualify.
“Our experts will re-evaluate each case and answer benefits questions for you and your family,” Daugherty said. “Some benefits include burial allowance, education and training, monthly payments, home loans and health care. At these outreach events, we are bringing the experts to investigate each case and figure out exactly what benefits veteran’s widows are entitled to register for as a surviving family member.”
Another benefit explored at these events is that a surviving spouse, dependent child, or dependent parent of a veteran may receive a one-time accrued benefits payment if the veteran was owed unpaid benefits at the time of their death. The VA also informs everyone who qualifies for a Survivors Pension as a surviving spouse or child of a veteran with wartime service.
For more information about this VA benefits outreach campaign, click The PACT Act And Your VA Benefits | Veterans Affairs.

AAA reminds drivers to stay cool behind the wheel; avoid engaging with aggressive drivers

Whether it’s gesturing, shouting, threatening-or worse-anger behind the wheel is becoming far too common on America’s roadways. Aggressive behaviors, ranging from speeding to acts of violence, pose a threat not only to other drivers but to passengers and pedestrians as well.
“Road rage is the term we use to describe extreme anger and aggression behind the wheel,” says Rylie Mansuetti, public affairs manager, AAA Oklahoma. “Not only are these displays of hostility unsafe for those on and near the roadway, but a growing number of these incidents are turning deadly.”
Aggressive driving versus road rage
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the term “aggressive driving” first began to emerge in the 1990s to describe a category of unsafe driving behaviors, such as weaving through traffic, running traffic lights, tailgating and driving at excessive speeds.
Road rage occurs when aggressive driving behaviors become extreme or violent. Examples range from angry gesturing and cursing to confronting, sideswiping and brandishing of weapons and other violent actions or threats.
While aggressive driving behaviors are traffic violations, road rage behaviors other than gesturing and shouting are criminal offenses.
Earlier this year, Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund released its latest analysis of road rage shootings in the U.S., finding that such incidents have continued to increase every year since 2018.
In 2022, 554 people were shot during road rage incidents nationwide, resulting in 413 injuries and 141 deaths-twice the numbers from 2018. The incidence of road rage shootings last year equates to one person being wounded or killed in a road rage incident every 16 hours.
The same data revealed there were 3.8 people shot per 1 million residents during road rage incidents last year in Oklahoma, putting it third among five states with the highest rate of people shot in road range incidents. These states-New Mexico, Arizona, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Wisconsin-make up 8% of the U.S. population, but 20% of road rage shooting victims. In 2023 to date, one victim has been killed and another three injured during road rage shootings.
Reasons for road rage
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), some people are more prone to road rage than others. These high-anger drivers are more impulsive, engage in hostile thinking and are more likely to seek revenge over a purported wrong. While these drivers may behave appropriately on a quiet country road, the APA points to research indicating traffic congestion and other environmental factors can more easily set off road rage behaviors.
Data from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety shows that nearly 80 percent of drivers expressed significant anger, aggression or road rage behind the wheel at least once within the previous 30 days. In a related study, the Foundation found potentially aggressive actions-such as tailgating, erratic lane changing or illegal passing-are a factor in up to 56% of fatal crashes.
While there are undoubtedly numerous reasons behind the growing problem of over-aggression behind the wheel, research from AAA and NHTSA point to a number of likely contributing factors:
Traffic congestion. No matter the cause, on-the-road delays and rising traffic congestion are frustrating for all. But some motorists have extremely low tolerance for delays, leading to tailgating, erratic lane changes and other aggressive behaviors.
Running late. A seemingly endless stream of errands and obligations weigh more heavily on some drivers than others, contributing to a pattern of aggression behind the wheel.
Anonymity. Some drivers feel insulated and detached from the outside world when in their vehicle, giving them a feeling of anonymity. For some, this causes an erosion of inhibitions to antisocial behavior, while the vehicle itself gives them a sense of power.
Changes in acceptable behavior. Just as other “norms” have changed over time-music, fashion, politics-human behaviors behind the wheel continue to evolve. It can become more acceptable to have less regard for law enforcement and fellow citizens as drivers “look out for number one.”
“Drivers should consider whether any of these scenarios apply to their own actions behind the wheel and take measures to resolve them. Learning techniques for stress-relief, better time management and anger control could help keep you and others safe,” Mansuetti says. “Think twice before making a rude gesture or laying on the horn and you’ll dodge a potential road rage incident.”
Avoiding road rage
While it isn’t possible to control another driver’s behavior, there are steps you can take to avoid becoming a victim of road rage. AAA has these tips for avoiding aggression on the roadways:
Practice polite driving habits. Follow the rules of the road and be courteous to others. If you inadvertently make an error that affects another driver, give a wave and smile. That simple act will often defuse a potential aggressor.
Slow down and let the aggressor pass. When you pull to the side or change lanes and let an aggressive driver pass, they will typically be glad they’re on their way and not try to engage further.
Keep your cool. Remember, you’re not the police. Even if a driver is doing a poor job, it is not your job to correct them. Give other drivers the benefit of the doubt and don’t take their errors as a personal attack. If you encounter an aggressive driver, do not make eye contact, display anger or engage in any way.
Lay off the horn. Save the horn for an emergency situation or tap it lightly if you need to alert a driver to a changed traffic signal. Do not use it to “call out” the driving behaviors of others.
Don’t drive under distress. Avoid driving if you’re angry, upset or fatigued. Never drive impaired.
Be realistic about your travel time. Consider the amount of traffic you’ll likely encounter and give yourself plenty of time to reach your destination without speeding or driving aggressively.
Call 911 if you’re threatened. Aggressive drivers can be reported to local police, but if an aggressive driver threatens or attacks you, call 911 immediately. Do not make eye contact or engage in any way. Drive to the nearest police station, fire station, convenience store or other public location with witnesses. Never drive home with an aggressor following you.
“Remember, driving isn’t a competition, so there’s no need to ‘one up’ another driver. Your only win should be staying safe,” says Mansuetti. “Keep your focus on your own driving and avoid actions that could make you a target of aggression from others.”
AAA provides automotive, travel, and insurance services to more than 63 million members nationwide and more than 400,000 members in Oklahoma. AAA advocates for the safety and mobility of its members and has been committed to outstanding road service for more than 100 years. AAA is a non-stock, membership corporation working on behalf of motorists, who can map a route, find local gas prices and electric vehicle charging stations, discover discounts, book a hotel, and track their roadside assistance service with the AAA Mobile app (AAA.com/mobile) for iPhone, iPad and Android. For more information on joining or renewing a Membership, visit https://cluballiance.aaa.com/.

Fireman 1st Class Raymond Camery, was born in Modesto, California on August 29th, 1915. He was killed during the Dec. 7 attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 and will be buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii, on July 20.
Navy Fireman (FN) were part of the Engine Room Force, Artificer Branch. Historically, non-rated engine room men were paid at a higher rate than their deck counterparts because of the more strenuous nature of their work. Firemen are responsible for standing engineering watches and performing minor maintenance repairs. This rating is part of an apprenticeship opportunity that leads to training in propulsion and precision welding/fabrication/plumbing
Camery’s awards and decorations include the Purple Heart Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, American Defense Service Medal (with Fleet Clasp), Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (with Bronze Star), and the World War II Victory Medal.
Camery’s promotions include: Apprentice Seaman upon enlistment, Seaman 2nd Class, Fireman 3rd Class, Fireman 2nd Class and Fireman 1st Class.

By Nick Thomas

Currently traveling the U.S. on the 2023 “Happy Together Tour” with classic pop acts such as The Turtles, The Cowsills, and Little Anthony, (see https://happytogethertour.com/), Gary Puckett never tires of performing the songs made famous with his Union Gap bandmates.
The hugely popular 5-man pop-rock group, remembered for their string of late 60s hits including “Woman, Woman,” “Lady Willpower,” and “This Girl is a Woman Now,” now features all new members but retains one of the most distinctive musical sounds of the era with Puckett delivering his characteristic soaring vocals infused with emotion and perfect pitch.
Famous for often performing in Civil War Union Army costumes and named after a town near where Puckett once lived in Washington state, the original Union Gap disbanded in 1971 but Puckett says the current group creates a sound as close as possible to the classic songs.
“The original recordings featured string and horn sections, but there’s just four of us in the group now so our keyboard player is tasked with recreating those sounds,” said Puckett while traveling to New York from his home in Florida. “I think we’ll give fans what they want to hear.”
Turning 80 last year, Puckett says he was around 8 or 9 when his family realized he could carry a tune.
“My folks would get a tape recorder and we would sing songs and record Christmas messages to my grandparents,” he recalled. “Then they would make a little record of it. My voice was way, way ‘up in the sky’ back then, and I remember my mother telling me at one point she just thought all little boys could sing like that!”
Young Gary’s mother wasn’t alone in appreciation of her son’s vocal talents. While later attending college in San Diego, Puckett and the group toured the West Coast playing small clubs and were visited by Columbia Records producer Jerry Fuller.
He came down to see us in San Diego,” Puckett remembered. “He liked my voice and the idea of wearing the outfits and walked up to the stage at midnight and said let’s go make a record.”
That record became their first hit, “Woman, Woman,” one of several Fuller would produce for the band.
“When he first played it to me it was written as a country song,” recalled Puckett. “So he added a 30-piece string, horn, and rhythm section and turned it into the pop record that established me as a singer in the music world.”
The band amassed six gold records in the space of about 3 years during the late 1960s. But musical tastes were changing as the 70s began closing in and for a decade there was little interest in the group’s music.
“Then in the early 1980s, radio stations began proliferating throughout the United States and featuring 60s music once again,” said Puckett. “I started getting calls from disc jockeys who were playing our songs and promoters who wanted us back on the road giving concerts.”
Puckett has continued to tour either solo or with the band ever since, releasing another nine solo albums over the years (see www.garypuckettmusic.com). Interacting with audiences remains a joy for the singer who is usually available at concerts to meet with fans to sign items they may bring along.
“I love to get out with the fans, it’s always great to see them smiling and enjoying the music we created way back when,” he says. “They are still appreciative of it all and the fact that they are there just honors me and the music.”
Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery, in Alabama, and has written features, columns, and interviews for numerous magazines and newspapers. See https://www.getnickt.org/.

The Oklahoma Historical Society, in partnership with the Oklahoma Conference of Black Mayors, will host the Oklahoma All-Black Towns State Conference on Saturday, August 12, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Oklahoma History Center. The conference is designed to encourage a network of state agencies to join with the mayors of some of Oklahoma’s historic All-Black towns to share resources and discuss ideas.
In the early 20th century, Oklahoma was home to more than 50 All-Black towns and communities. Segregation and Jim Crow laws led many Black people to leave the state. The Great Depression caused more families to migrate to urban areas or other states. These events devastated many small Oklahoma towns, including the All-Black towns.
From 10 a.m.-noon, mayors from more than a dozen historic All-Black towns will present their unique history, discuss future projects, and more. Starting at noon, attendees can eat lunch and listen to the keynote presentation by Earthea A. Nance, who has a doctorate in environmental engineering from Stanford University. She is an associate professor in the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern University. Nance holds joint faculty appointments in the Department of Urban Planning and Environmental Policy and the Department of Political Science. At 1 p.m., several state agencies will share resources that enable towns to collect, preserve and share their histories, including the Oklahoma Arts Council, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, and the Oklahoma Historical Society.
Registration is required. The event is free and open to the public. Attendees can pre-purchase a lunch box from Florence’s Restaurant when registering for the conference. Lunch orders must be placed by Monday, August 7, at 11:59 p.m.
The Oklahoma History Center is located at 800 Nazih Zuhdi Dr. in Oklahoma City.

Aquires The Linden at Stonehaven, Name Changes to Stonehaven

Legend Senior Living, a Wichita-based, privately owned senior living operator, announced today that it had completed the purchase of The Linden at Stonehaven Square Assisted Living and Memory Care in a joint venture with an institutional investor. The residence is located at 10802 East 81st Street in Tulsa, Oklahoma and was immediately renamed The Stonehaven.
The Stonehaven is the 5th Legend Senior Living residence in Tulsa, Oklahoma, following its recent acquisition of Prairie House Assisted Living & Memory Care in Broken Arrow in June.
The residence opened in 2017 and boasts 134 apartments, 79 of which are assisted living and 55 memory care, ranging from studios to two-bedroom apartments, and offers thousands of square feet of indoor-outdoor amenities, including a sprawling outdoor patio, front porch with fireplace, salon, 2nd story game room and theater, fitness center, and lively bistro. The Stonehaven is located approximately 20 minutes outside downtown Tulsa and is near major highways, hospitals, and recreation.
“We are excited to welcome the residents, their families, and associates to the Legend Senior Living family,” said Legend’s Executive Vice President, Matt Buchanan. “The Stonehaven is a great fit for us as we expand our mission in Tulsa and across Oklahoma. The team at The Stonehaven is top-notch, and we are excited to serve area seniors alongside them.”
The company will bring its innovative programs and therapies to the community, including its wellness-focused life enrichment, uncompromising care delivered consistently with dignity, the Best Friends® Approach in memory care and award-winning biofeedback therapy also for memory care, and its signature Gold Leaf dining program for an exquisite culinary experience.
Wichita, Kansas-based Legend Senior Living is a privately held senior housing and services company and one of the nation’s leading senior living providers. The company owns or operates 49 senior living residences across six states – in Florida, Colorado, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania. Legend residences are recognized as Great Places to Work®, have ranked among the Top 25 Best Senior Living communities in the country by Fortune Magazine, and appear on U.S. News & World Report’s Best of Senior Living.

For more information about Legend Senior Living residences, visit:
https://legendseniorliving.com/

Story and photos by Darl DeVault, contributing editor

Billed as “Our America, Spanning the Generations,” this year’s Edmond LibertyFest parade featured seniors Ms. Oklahoma Senior America Karen Tims, 70 and her invitee, America’s top air ace from the Vietnam War, Chuck DeBellevue, 77.
Taking part for the first time in what is hailed as Oklahoma’s most extensive and most patriotic parade each 4th of July, the two seniors represented the older generation well. They said they were in awe of the patriotic outpouring of American pride displayed along the 1.5-mile downtown Edmond route from the often 10-deep crowd in the shady areas.
Bands, floats, clowns, Boy and Girl Scouts by the hundreds, marching groups, horse groups, Corvettes and antique cars, clowns, round-up clubs, Shriners and more provided color and excitement to the 51st annual parade.
The City of Edmond, the University of Central Oklahoma and The Edmond School District provides people, equipment and facilities to make the all-volunteer parade happen with the support of the Chamber of Commerce. This year the presenting sponsor was Citizens Bank of Edmond.
The parade is one of the largest in Oklahoma, attracting an estimated 120,000 people, some with their extended families in place as early as 6 a.m. in the dark along the route.
Tims, a businesswoman living in Arcadia, was crowned Ms. Oklahoma Senior America 2023 during the 15th annual pageant on April 15. She asked that the organization wait to send out news releases about her new role until she could find an event newsworthy enough to warrant the state’s attention.
“My goal in being a part of the LibertyFest Parade was to honor patriotism by more than saying we support America but by also showing the parade attendees a hero of patriotism by inviting Col. Chuck DeBellevue, our top air ace from the Vietnam War, to accompany me in the parade,” Tims said. “The ability to give a decorated veteran his rightful place in his hometown’s huge celebration is far more important than the idea that I was selected as Ms. Oklahoma Senior America. I was so grateful someone of DeBellevue’s military preeminence accepted my invitation, so I designed signs for the car doors and looked forward to seeing Edmond residents honor his service to our great country in the skies over North Vietnam.”
Tims said the cheering crowds along the parade route were fabulous, with most places crowded beyond capacity. So very many stood, and others saluted the Colonel and thanked him for his service.
“I had tears streaming down my cheeks at this heartwarming experience for him to receive this appreciation,” Tims said. “This was his first Edmond parade, and he was well pleased, and for me, it was quite an experience to have met this gentleman.”
Tims said people may recall that the military returning from Vietnam were not always treated respectfully. It made her happy to see this change in the appropriate behavior for someone who served for such a long and distinguished career in the Air Force on our behalf.
She says she was delighted to see so many enjoying the parade and the joy of seeing each participant because everyone was excited and having fun with huge smiles.
“I have to say my driver and his car drew a lot of attention from the young and not-so-young boys admiring his car,” Tims said. “Andy Archbald drove us in his black Cobra convertible. He had it shining and decorated with an American flag on each side at the front of the hood to denote a military dignitary.”
Tims says the notable excitement along the parade route was so much more than she had ever expected. She was impressed that so many people were having fun at this local event.
“I will ask Col. DeBellevue to consider we switch roles next year since my status only lasts a year,” Tims said. “He will likely be invited back because of the crowd’s huge patriotic outpouring for his attendance. I am hoping he will invite me to ride along to allow me to make such wonderful memories again.”
U.S. Air Force Capt. Charles B. DeBellevue, now 77, became America’s first and only six MiG victory credit flying ace in 1972 in the skies of North Vietnam as an Air Force Weapon Systems Officer (WSO).
DeBellevue was an integral part of a two-person aircrew in the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II, a two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter bomber. His air-to-air missile victories earned him the Air Force Cross and three Silver Stars.
Living in Edmond for 25 years now, the retired colonel says he witnessed a patriotic glimpse of America on display at the parade. “It is an honor to see my fellow citizens celebrate our independence with 100 parade entries and flock to the parade route to continue one of our best traditions,” DeBellevue said.
“Early in the UCO staging area, I saw the patriotic energy in the Edmond North High School Air Force Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps cadets,” DeBellevue said. “They looked sharp in their uniforms. Five members were the 2023 National Champions of the Air Force Association’s StellarXplorers Space STEM program. They were the best of 350 teams nationwide. They earned an all-expenses-paid trip to Space Center Houston in Texas. Members of the top three teams received scholarships to pursue their STEM education and career goals.”
DeBellevue said things got even better when he learned he was to ride in a black Mustang Cobra Convertible.
He said the parade exceeded his expectations. “The crowd was amazing – energetic, patriotic and proud to be celebrating the 4th of July,” DeBellevue said. “Being in uniform, I was impressed when veterans cheered as our car went by. Some clapped, some stood, and some saluted, which I returned. The center of this country is obviously very patriotic.”
Being near the start of the parade paid off, he said. “Once we completed the parade, I watched the rest come through,” DeBellevue said. “For me, the old tractors and the Corvettes were a big hit, as were the three Edmond high school marching bands celebrating the 247th birthday of this great country.”

The Office of Tribal Government and the Oklahoma City Veterans Affairs Health Care System (OKC VA HCS) partner with multiple resources to kick-off another PACT Act event providing Tribal area Veterans and surviving spouses with healthcare assistance and an understanding of attendee’s VA benefits.
The PACT Act is one of the largest expansions of Veteran health care programs and benefits. The PACT Act will benefit millions of Veterans spanning generations of service members from World War II, Vietnam and more recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. If you served between conflicts, don’t be afraid to come in and find out if you qualify.
The OTGR is hosting this Tribal PACT Act and bringing the OKC VA resources such as eligibility teams, medical experts to provide toxic exposure screening (TES), file claims with the Muskogee Benefits Office in association with the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs.
Lawton-area Veterans are encouraged to come to the Fort Sill Apache Casino Event Center, located at 2315 E. Gore Blvd, Lawton, OK from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m on Thursday, July 27th. If you are unable to attend, please submit an intent to file so you don’t miss out on the PACT Act August 9 deadline.