WANTED: Someone with expert knowledge on pursuing grants!

Fort Villanow Veterans Project is trying to expand as quickly as possible for our Veterans! Someone with helpful knowledge in helping pursue our goals is needed! This could be a full time, well payed job! If you can or know anyone that can help us in this field please contact us at the Fort: 706-397-8860 or 706-397-8909.

Make sure to call in advance for a meeting and tour on Saturday, June 24th, 10:00 AM at the Fort so you can learn about who and what we are!

 

Remembering Veteran and Good Friend Bucky Hatfield

April 24, 1943 – May 29, 2017

Bucky Hatfield, friend, fellow Marine Veteran passed away Monday, Memorial Day around 9pm in Texas with his wife Carla and family by his side. Bucky suffered many years with cancer, arthritis and other illnesses from the days he fought in the Vietnam war.  A Service will be held this week in Livingston, Texas then travel to Crossville, Tennessee. On Wednesday, June 7, a service will be held at Harmony Baptist Church at 1pm, then laid to rest next to his mother at Crossville City Cemetery. He was only 74.

Fort Villanow Veterans will be present to provide the bugle call of TAPS.

He made his living as a Professional Farrier along with other Veterans who help at the Fort. He was there in 2001 when fellow farrier veterans started the horse program for Veterans. Bucky visited last in fall of 2016.  Even frail then, he was the same Bucky, joking and talking about the “ole school” days.

Bucky was a fighter and a Christian who has gone home to be with Jesus. We will miss him.

Email:   hatfieldcarla@yahoo.com  facebook:   carlachapmanhatfield    

A GoFund me account has been set up for donations  

FREE Self Defense Course!

What we live in today is the threat of terrorism.

Let’s face facts, terrorist are trained overseas to kill using anything that they can get their hands on. From knives, vehicles, and even some of the most simplistic items.

In order to help protect our children, our neighbors, your fellow countrymen, we are offering a self-defense course, with instructors who are trained Veteran experts. This FREE course could save you or someone else’s life.

Men and woman ages 16 and over. Please contact us for more info.

Saturday March 25th 10-2, Saturday April 8th 10-2 then Saturday April 29th 10-2

RSVP preferred and drop-ins welcome!

Georgia News

A Letter From Congressman Tom Graves

Friends,

This year's focus in the U.S. House of Representatives is delivering results for the American people - and we’ve hit the ground running. 

Over the last five weeks, we’ve already passed legislation to cut regulations, restore our relationship with Israel and took the first step in repealing Obamacare. 

We’re pursing policies that will empower individuals to make their own decisions and pursue their own American Dream. Our policies will take power from Washington and give it back to the people – where it belongs.

My committee and subcommittee assignments also put me in a great position to help the Trump administration mop up the mess that I believe the previous administration made of our financial infrastructure, our military and our relationships around the globe. 

As the new chairman of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Appropriations, I’m in a unique position to slash harmful regulations, streamline outdated agency processes and improve customer service for the taxpayers at agencies like the IRS and FCC.

With eight major military installations in Georgia, my assignment on the Defense Subcommittee on Appropriations will help ensure Georgia and the servicemembers stationed here receive the resources they need to accomplish their critical missions. 

With all the opportunities we have this year, I'm more excited about the future than ever. I promise we will use this fresh start to deliver results for Georgians and all Americans. 
 
Freedom first,

Tom

Mesothelioma Veterans Outreach

The Mesothelioma Veterans Center was created to provide information and assistance to veterans regarding treatment, clinical trials, and VA benefits for veterans suffering from asbestos illnesses. The MVC was founded by retired Navy LCDR Carl Jewett. Commander Jewett is a VA-accredited claims agent and has helped hundreds of veterans get approved for their VA benefits after developing mesothelioma or asbestos related lung cancer from their asbestos exposure in the military.

Our Mission

No one gets left behind.  To that end, we strive to provide veterans diagnosed with any asbestos illness the best information, advice and assistance we possibly can.  From filing for VA Disability Compensation, to helping veterans find the best medical treatment, we never stop fighting.

Our Vision

Because veterans comprise the single largest group of Americans diagnosed with mesothelioma and asbestos lung cancers each year, they are the most affected, yet their needs are the most underserved.  There are many benefits available to veterans, which many overlook.  We envision a day when we are able to ensure that every veteran diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestos lung cancer is able to get the best medical treatment available, and that they receive any and all VA benefits for which they are eligible.

Our Values

Honor, Integrity and Precision

Honor:  We live our lives by the same code of conduct with which we conducted ourselves as fighting men and women of the Armed Forces.  We shall never do anything that would bring dishonor on our organization, the military or ourselves.  We belong to one large fraternity made up of our “Brothers in Arms”.  As we did in the military, we will look out for each other so that our veterans can always count on us to have their back.

Integrity:  We will be truthful always.  We will be frank with every veteran or his or her family member.  We will provide advice that is founded in VA law and publication.  We never speculate.  We speak only of what we know to be true.  We will never be afraid to say “I don’t know, but I will go look it up for you”.

Precision:  Attention to detail is the cornerstone of our approach to each VA claim.  Every asbestos related claim is different.  Therefore, we will ensure that we provide the veteran with the information and guidance that they need to ensure that their claim is complete, correct, and compelling.  If the veteran does not feel that we made the entire process easy to understand, and stress free to file, we haven’t done our job.

For more information about mesothelioma symptoms and help, check out their website!

Entrepreneurship Meeting

Fort Villanow would like to do a monthly meeting for Veterans wanting to start their own business. Their are several unemployed Veterans and we would like to help guide them so they may prosper into a job that one can feel comfortable with and call their own. Please feel free to contact us at ftvillanow@gmail.com or 706-397-8909 for more information. We would like to set a date for this so the more people interested the sooner we can get the ball rolling for  our first meeting!

Black Rifle Coffee

In response to Starbucks announcing it would hire 10,000 refugees to protest President Donald Trump's executive order on immigration, one veteran has a different plan.

Evan Hafer, an Army Special Forces veteran and CEO of Black Rifle Coffee Company, said he would fire 10,000 veterans.

"Our plan is to build 600 stores in the next six years. I'm gonna try to push this forward with the community behind me," Hafer said Tuesday as a guest on "Fox & Friends."

According to January 2017 data from the Department of Labor, there is a 6.3 percent post 9/11 veteran unemployment rate in the country.

Hafer said he would be mostly hiring from this group but would extend to Gulf War veterans as well if need be.

Black Rifle Coffee Company was founded two years ago and has a more than 50 percent hiring rate of veterans as employees.

"Hiring vets is not PR for me; it's who we are," Hafer said.

WE HOPE TO BE GETTING SOME AT THE FORT FOR OUR MARCH 25TH MEETING!

March 25th BBQ and Meeting!

I have received numerous questions about why I want to sell interest in the Veterans Project in Villanow. Here is my short answer:

 

#1 I did not go into this business to make money, I went into it to help Veterans!

#2 I am almost 75 years old, I would like to see this project continue and to expand its capabilities.

#3 I would like to see this project owned and operated by Veterans and/or family members but would not rule out civilians.

#4 I have been in business over half of my life and nothing has been more rewarding than this project. I realize I won’t live forever. I also realize that unless people make their own personal investment they won’t put their heart into it.

 

As of now I am working on building a woodworking shop, blacksmith shop, motorcycle maintenance and repair shop, vegetable garden and produce stand and the kid’s camp.

 

My goal is to extend the Fort to the state of Montana to build a small lodge for hunting and fishing.

I have contacted many Governors of other states and they are all for the idea of allowing free fishing licenses for our Veterans so they could fellowship with each other no matter their location. They love this!

 

If you would like to participate, join in, buy in, you would actually own a part of the Fort Villanow Veterans Project.!

 

I invite you to meet us on Saturday, March 25th, noon to discuss and ask questions.

 

Please share this so we can get the word out!

 

For those retired, I have found that it can be a blessing if you are doing something worthwhile!   

 

Investing In The Fort

The owner of the property is well over age 70. He is now opening an investment opportunity for other Veterans.

He is willing to allow 10-15 Veterans to buy in.

They would own and operate it based on the original idea of helping other Veterans in the community and their families.

We want Veteran Investors who are motivated to expand the projects in progress and design new ones.

A meeting will be held March 25th, 12 noon.

Help With Memorial Markers

Mr. Bearden, a World War II Army Veteran who passed away in 1978, never received his Memorial Marker from the VA, despite his family ordering it for the funeral. So his family enlisted Fort Villanow Veterans project for help.

Pictured here is PFC Beardens grave plot before his stone arrived. Notice his family have theirs, but his is left empty. 

Pictured here is PFC Beardens grave plot before his stone arrived. Notice his family have theirs, but his is left empty. 

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) furnishes upon request, at no charge to the applicant, that includes shipping a Government headstone or marker for the unmarked grave of any deceased eligible Veteran in any cemetery around the world, regardless of their date of death. Also, when a family member passes you can ask your funeral home to issue one for you.

The marble memorial marker that was shipped FREE from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The marble memorial marker that was shipped FREE from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Fort Villanow Veterans Project would like to help ANY family member of a fallen Veteran with this! All one needs to do is contact our office at (706)397-8660 with their DD2-14 and we will get the ball rolling. You can have your memorial either delivered to the Fort or your home and we can even have a nearby Veteran member help you place it!

Here two Veterans help with placing the Memorial Marker. Finally, Beardens resting place is complete.

Here two Veterans help with placing the Memorial Marker. Finally, Beardens resting place is complete.

Helping families of Veterans

Fort Villanow is proud to announce that they have helped ANOTHER family of a fallen Veteran receive a free headstone in Cartersville, Georgia!

As a reminder, we can and WANT to help any person in this process!

Here is some helpful information:

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) furnishes upon request, at no charge to the applicant, a Government headstone or marker for the unmarked grave of any deceased eligible Veteran in any cemetery around the world, regardless of their date of death.

For eligible veterans that died on or after Nov. 1, 1990 and whose grave is marked with a privately purchased headstone, VA may also furnish a headstone or marker to supplement the graves or a Medallion to be affixed to a privately purchased headstone.

Flat markers in granite, marble, and bronze and upright headstones in granite and marble are available. Bronze niche markers are also available to mark columbaria used for inurnment of cremated remains. The style chosen must be permitted by the officials in charge of the private cemetery where it will be placed.

When burial or memorialization is in a national cemetery, state Veterans' cemetery, or military post/base cemetery, a headstone or marker will be ordered by the cemetery officials based on inscription information provided by the next of kin or authorized representative.

Spouses and dependents are not eligible for a Government-furnished headstone or marker unless they are buried in a national cemetery, state Veteran's cemetery, or military post/base cemetery.

Note: There is no charge for the headstone or marker itself, however arrangements for placing it in a private cemetery are the applicant's responsibility and all setting fees are at private expense.

Eligibility

Eligibility for a VA headstone or marker is the same as for burial in a national cemetery. VA cannot issue a headstone or marker for a spouse or dependent buried in a private cemetery. Twenty-year reservists without active-duty service are eligible for a headstone or grave marker, if they are entitled to military retired pay at the time of death.

Who Can Apply

 Only the following individuals may apply for a headstone, marker or medallion:

  1. Decedent's next-of-kin (NOK)
  2. Authorized representative on behalf of decedent
  3. Authorized representative on behalf of next-of-kin

If someone other than the NOK is applying for the headstone, marker or medallion, the application package must include a written statement signed by the NOK or decedent authorizing that person (the applicant) to apply for this benefit. A notarized statement is not required for these purposes.

National, Post, or State Veterans' Cemetery
A headstone or marker will be ordered by the cemetery officials based on inscription information provided by the next of kin.

Private Cemetery
To receive a headstone, marker, or medallion, the eligible applicant must submit a VA Form 40-1330, Claim for Standard Government Headstone or Marker or VA Form 40-1330M, Claim for Government Medallion to the VA along with proof of military service, to request a Government-provided headstone or marker. Do not send original documents, as they will not be returned.