He's donated thousands of dollars to veterans over the years, from earnings he's made selling cups of lemonade and he isn't even closed to being finished yet.
Raising money has always been a part of 15-year-old Matthew Ott's life since he was only nine, according to Stars and Stripes. During his first lemonade stand, he ended up making $53.75 which he donated to veterans. This high school student is back at it again, but this time he has a much larger number to reach in mind. He is hoping to collect around one million dollars for veteran patients in VA hospitals and the women's center, direct support and medical services, ABC27 News stated.
Ott has always been inspired to do these good deeds particularly geared toward veterans because of his mother, Army Spc. E-4 Patricia Suella Ott, a veteran who passed away when he was only a baby, Stars and Stripes reported. He also has the support of his father Spc. E-5 John Ott, who insists his son is the one who does most of the work. This seems to be evident by his past endeavors, setting up lemonade stands, raising $10,000 and generously giving to local families of veterans suffering financially, ABC27 News mentioned.
Through determination and hard work, Ott has come a long way since his first lemonade stand.This time it's bigger than ever and he's been able to gain recognition through the media.
In an interview with ABC27, Ott said, "We want to get $10 from 100,000 people…We will reach out to corporate sponsors, it's important that our men and women get what they need."
Ott hopes to meet his goal through donations via Facebook or mailed directly to him.
It's an exciting time for the Library of Congress because 100,000 narratives written by veterans have been collected, in just 16 years. This compilation was all made possible because of the veterans who served in World War I as well as those serving up through the most recent activity in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to Military Times. This library-sponsored program, known as the Veterans History Project, was created by the U.S. Congress in 2000, the Library of Congress stated.
The Veterans History Project was built to be cherished and shared by all. Catch a glimpse into the life of a veteran at war while reading their moving words regarding first-hand experiences while serving our country. These memorable stories are available in the library's archive to be seen by current and future generations who will be able to grasp a better understanding for what these veterans went through.
In an article from the Military Times, director of the Veterans History Project, Robert Patrick said, "There are more than 22 million veterans still living in the United States, and it is our hope that even more volunteers will come forward to interview the veterans in their lives and communities and also submit original photographs, letters and other correspondence to be preserved for researchers now and to inspire future generations."
A majority of the collection is made up of veterans from World War II, followed by the Vietnam War and veterans serving most recently in Afghanistan and Iraq, along with the countless other Americans who have fought throughout the years, Military Times stated. Though the number of collected archives is high, veterans who have served or are continuing to do so, are encouraged to continue submitting their stories so the archives never stop continuing to grow.
Over 30 employees at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Cincinnati say the hospital is in disarray, reported ABC affiliate WCPO and the Scripps News Washington Bureau. Many of the allegations center on Dr. Barbara Temeck, the hospital's acting chief of staff. The whistleblowers accuse Temeck of instituting cost-cutting measures that have drastically impacted their ability to serve local veterans.
"Things I've observed at the Cincinnati VA are just not up to standard," Mike Brooks, a registered nurse at the VA Medical Center and Navy veteran, said in an interview with the television station. "It bothers me because I know the veterans who deserve the best care we can give them are being put at risk."
Under budget, underperforming
According to the whistleblowers, Temeck reduced the number of orthopedic services offered at the medical center, cut staffing for emergency airway specialists and forced surgeons to reuse questionable surgical equipment. They say she also illegally prescribed opioids and drew an annual salary of $194,343 as a cardiothoracic surgeon while never performing an operation.
Temeck wouldn't comment on the allegations.
Federal and state intervention
Sen. Rob Portman, R-OH, on Feb. 17 asked the inspector general at the Department of Veterans Affairs to look into the allegations, reported The New York Times.
"These allegations are deeply disturbing. Those who have served their country in uniform are entitled to the best possible medical care," Portman wrote in a letter to the agency.
The House Committee on Veterans' Affairs says it will investigate the hospital, as well.
The administration reacts
The VA on Feb. 13 asked officials at its offices in Pittsburgh to evaluate the veracity of the allegations and expressed concern.
"VA takes any allegations of conduct that negatively affect the care of veterans, or that is against our values, very seriously," the agency told Reuters.
Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn., intends to introduce legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives that would establish a federal organization for studying illnesses caused by toxic combat wounds and developing treatments for veterans suffering from such conditions, reported the Military Times. Walz says the Department of Veterans Affairs would manage the organization that he plans to name the Center for Excellence for Toxic Combat Wounds. Currently, the VA funds three medical facilities, called War-Related Illness and Injury Study Centers, that treat veterans suffering deployment-related physical ailments.
According to the Boston University Medical Center, around 250,000 veterans of the first Gulf War returned home with a debilitating condition caused by prolonged exposure to pesticides and other synthetic toxins. The condition, called Gulf War Illness, damages the immune and nervous systems, and reduces the amount of gray and white matter in the brain.
Another 2.6 million American soldiers were exposed to the caustic herbicide Agent Orange during the Vietnam War, reported Pro Publica. The VA has granted extended medical benefits to approximately 650,000 of these individuals since 2002.
In a recent meeting of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs' Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Walz, an Army National Guard veteran, advocated for his legislation and touched on the effect toxins like Agent Orange have had on U.S. servicemembers.
"Vietnam veterans are concerned about genetic defects caused by Agent Orange," Walz said. "There's the burn pits, there's depleted uranium. Shame on us for not learning. Every generation is having to come back and fight for all these things."
The VA's existing facilities diagnose, treat and study veterans suffering from illnesses brought on by toxic wounds. However, Walz believes the agency must combine and streamline these disparate centers to better combat the issue of deployment-related illnesses.
Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Colo., chair of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, expressed support for Walz's plan. Dr. Carolyn Clancy, assistant deputy undersecretary for health, safety and quality for the Veterans Health Administration, attended the meeting and also relayed support for such a measure.
"No matter what we call it, it's going to have to be an entity that coordinates what we are doing with Defense, with Health and Human Services and with Congress," she said. "I think that would be great."
This would be the second bill related to toxic combat wounds sponsored by Walz. The legislator, in September 2014, introduced the Veterans' Toxic Wounds Research Act, which called for the VA to establish a national database of veterans exposed to toxins during deployment. That bill is still under review in the House.
Thousands of veterans nationwide need constant care for any number of issues they may face, but not a lot have the option to actually receive such treatment. To that end, veterans in Minnesota are pushing for the construction of a veterans' nursing home in the towns of Montevideo and Bemidji.
In all, the proposed plan would build two separate facilities, each with about 70 beds for veterans who need long-term care, according to a report from the West Central Tribune. The total cost of the project has been advanced by bills in both the state House and Senate. Rep. Tim Miller, a Republican representing Prinsburg, and Sen. Lyle Koenen, a member of the Democratic Farmer Labor party representing Clara City drew up the legislation.
Both Montevideo and Bemidji have large populations of veterans, and Minnesota has a waiting list of more than 1,500 former servicemembers waiting to get into existing facilities around the state, the report said. As many as 144 beds could be added under federal rules with this plan.
Certainly these are issues that many states and municipalities need to monitor closely, especially as they try to tackle some of the most prevalent issues facing veterans today.
Many efforts now exist to help veterans find normalcy in their lives after service, and that can take many different forms. One such organization takes veterans out for fishing excursions so they can spend a relaxing day at sea off the coast of Florida.
Reel Heroes Recovery helps veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder get away from everything that might be stressful to them and hit the waters off St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and Tampa, according to a report from the Tampa Tribune. The organization is a 501c3, and has sponsored dozens of these trips. However, it has an eye on expansion in the near future.
"I've been paying for it out of my own pocket," Reel Heroes Recovery founder Justin Willis, just 28 years old, told the newspaper. "Chairs, poles, bait and tackle – we could use some help. I want to get this to the point where it's not just in Tampa, either. I'd like to see it all over with different chapters in other cities."
These kinds of efforts often make a huge difference for veterans who are still trying to cope with civilian life after years of service, and for that reason should be supported as much as possible.
A couple in Tallahassee, Florida is working to help student-veterans succeed in life after service, reported the Tallahassee Democrat. Karen and Richard Moore, co-founders of a local communications company, donated to Tallahassee Community College's veterans center, which provides academic and financial services to former military personnel enrolled in TCC degree programs. The Moores also established a mentorship program at the school that connects student-veterans with local professionals.
The couple maintains a close relationship with TCC. Their son attends the school, and Karen Moore is a trustee. The college, on Feb. 23, renamed its veterans center in honor of the Moores' contribution.
"Karen and I wanted to make a significant gift to TCC," Richard Moore said during the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Richard W. and Karen B. Moore Veteran Success Center. "Service to our country and the military runs deep on both sides of our family."
Richard Moore is an Air Force veteran. His father and four uncles saw action in World War II, as well. Karen Moore's father served in the Navy.
According to the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs, the state has the third largest veteran population in the country. And, 75 percent of these former servicemembers served in wartime.
Students centers gaining importance
Since the post-Sept. 11 G.I. Bill took effect in 2009, almost 1 million veterans and their family members have accessed federal educational benefits, reported The New York Times. In response, colleges across the country established on-campus programs to aid student-veterans as they return to campus. Eastern Kentucky University instituted new academic initiatives to support its student-veteran population, which has doubled since 2010. It now offers specialized English and math courses to incoming freshman who served in the military. Travis Martin, an Army veteran, EKU grad and instructor at the school, runs multiple orientation programs for former servicemembers.
"I've learned that creating community was key for the veterans," he told The Times. "Those relationships will keep them in school."
Other universities have long offered veteran-centered programs. The University of Maryland has hosted on-base educational programs for servicemembers since 1949.
Serving those who served
Tallahassee Community College provides a host of services for enrolled former military personnel. It offers specialized academic advisors to student-veterans and staffs a cadre of VA medical counselors who are available to ex-military members and their dependents.
"Our college will continue to do everything we can to promote those who have served our country," TCC President Jim Murdaugh, Ph.D., wrote in a blog post. "Their stories of dedication and sacrifice are a constant inspiration."
The U.S. Department of Labor, on Feb. 22, announced $13 million in grants will be given to its Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Program, which offers employment and housing services to thousands of veterans nationwide. The agency projects that this latest round of funding will help an estimated 6,000 veterans struggling with life after service.
"Finding gainful employment can change the life of a homeless veteran," Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez said in a news release. "The men and women who have served our country with distinction should not have to struggle to find and keep good jobs."
According to the Congressional Research Service, around 50,000 veterans are homeless in the U.S.
The war on veteran homelessness
In 2009, the Department of Veterans Affairs pledged to house all homeless veterans by 2015, reported NPR. In response, the Obama administration tripled federal funding for veteran housing programs. States quickly took advantage of the funding and instituted local initiatives. Ultimately, the VA missed its deadline. However, the agency's action did spur widespread change.
So far two states – Connecticut and Virginia – have effectively ended veteran homelessness using federal funding, reported The Huffington Post. And, according to The New York Times, the national veteran homeless population has fallen by 80 percent since the VA announced its ambitious plan.
"We've been able to house more vets in the last five years than at any point in our history – 30-plus years," Vince Kane, assistant to the VA secretary, told NPR. "In the past, both inside and outside of VA, we were focused on models more about managing homeless than on ending homelessness."
Federal and state services have altered their protocols for getting former servicemembers off the streets. Case workers now work to house homeless veterans before addressing their medical or psychological problems. Before outreach agencies made these tactical changes, veterans looking for housing first had to go through treatment programs, which prevented many from seeking help.
Still work to do
Despite these major leaps, many stakeholders realize there is still work to do. States like California, Louisiana and New York are still working to house struggling veterans. Even cities that report zero homeless servicemembers still have many living beneath overpasses.
"Homelessness is a continuous process. There's a veteran right now who is in a home who could very well be homeless tomorrow," Melissa Haley, director of supportive services at the New Orleans-based organization Volunteers of America, said in an interview with NPR. "Functional zero is defined as having a process and the resources in place where we can immediately house a veteran."
A local nonprofit in Milwaukee, Wisconsin is providing care to veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, reported NBC affiliate WTMJ-4. The group, called Healing Warrior Hearts, offers a variety of programs for ex-military personnel struggling through life after service with permanent psychological scars.
"It changes a person. It changes them deep inside," Patricia Clason, an emotional intelligence expert and founder of the group, told WTMJ-4. "In order to find a sense of safety again, and open their hearts again, and not be in fear every day, requires the love of a lot of people to make that happen."
Veterans in the program participate in therapeutic exercises that force them to confront past traumatic experiences and work through the accompanying emotions. Healing Warrior Hearts also hosts specialty sessions for former servicemembers who suffered sexual abuse during their deployments.
U.S. Air Force veteran Johni Baxter took part in one such session.
"Healing Warrior Hearts has given me a sense of purpose and direction in my life," she said in an interview with WTMJ-4. "It has helped me to learn how to love and be loved again and that's an ability that has changed my life."
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, 20 percent of all servicemembers who served in the last four modern military conflicts – the Afghanistan War, the Iraq War, the Gulf War and the Vietnam War – suffer from PTSD. Rates of diagnosis for the condition have risen over the past decade, reported Time magazine. In 2003, 190,000 veterans sought treatment for PTSD through the VA. In 2014, that number had climbed to more than 500,000.
Federal and state entities offer a number of services for veterans dealing with the condition but skeptics question the efficacy of these treatment programs. Others say many government-sponsored therapy plans for PTSD are fundamentally flawed.
In 2014 an Institute of Medicine panel leveled criticism against The Pentagon's offerings.
"[The programs] appear to be local, ad hoc, incremental, and crisis-driven, with little planning devoted to the development of a long-range approach to obtaining desired outcomes," the panel concluded.
Local programs such as Healing Warrior Hearts have picked up the slack and provide personalized, community-centered treatment. State governments and national nonprofits help, as well. Vermont recently began a statewide PTSD program for veterans. And national organizations like the Wounded Warriors Project offer therapy sessions and veterans insurance plans to former military personnel seeking treatment for psychological damage sustained in combat.
The University of Southern California's School for Social Work is running a unique campaign dedicated to raising funds for veterans looking to aid fellow servicemembers, reported the Daily Trojan. The program, called Salute4Vets, launched on Feb. 11 and provides free education to veterans who wish to pursue a master's degree in social work with a military specialization.
The campaign aims to raise $2.6 million to fund 120 scholarships. John Dumbacher, head of corporate partnerships for the School of Social Work, spearheaded the initiative. While talking to USC graduates with military experience, Dumbacher saw the impact veterans can have on others who served and was inspired to start Salute4Vets.
"Those students are helping on average about 100 veterans each year," he told the Daily Trojan. "We have 1,176 graduates of the program today, and that means over a 100,000 veterans were helped last year. So we started gathering the best of those stories and then [felt] we need to tell this [story] because it's amazing and unique."
Other colleges offer similar, veteran-centric education programs, reported The New York Times. For instance, San Diego State University's Joan and Art Barron Veteran Center offers former military personnel personalized assistance. Many of the center's employees are veterans themselves.
Veteran graduation rates are an ongoing concern. In 2013 alone, federal tax dollars funded college courses for over 1 million servicemembers and their families. According to The Washington Post, evidence shows veterans use these opportunities wisely. The Student Veterans of America in 2014 published analysis that revealed nearly 52 percent of veterans using the G.I. Bill completed their degree. However, the very fact that former servicemembers have 15 years to use these funds means that they take longer than traditional students to graduate.