Teena Petro fights for those who fought for us

After all, she has had family members die of the effects of the Vietnam-era herbicide Agent Orange, and others killed in action.

"It’s about them"” she said, in a reference to their honor, seated at her desk in her office at Vietnam Veterans Family Assistance Center Inc., the organization she started to help American veterans of all wars to file claims for disability compensation.

Since 2007 she has been an accredited agent, as literally thousands of veterans seeking help with disability claims have come through her door, filling her filing cabinets with manila folders. Her professional certification notwithstanding, her efforts are provided free unless she wins an appeal, in which case she earns money that goes back into her organization.

As for Petro, who dug out a Polaroid picture of herself as a young war widow, looking like the kid she was, some contacts made through her center also recently provided information about her first husband’s death and his work with Special Forces in Vietnam.



A framed box with a Purple Heart image and a picture of Cleland hangs on a wall in her office.

"I hope this is a legacy of him"” she said.

Continue Learning:   http://www.thestarpress.com/article/20131005/LIFESTYLE/310050006/THE-VETERANS-FRIEND?gcheck=1

Skippers Take Vets Fishing off San Diego

Skippers Take Vets Fishing off San Diego

Six private sportfishing captains donated their time and their boats June 18, taking active-duty “combat-injured” military men and women out for a day of fishing off San Diego’s coast.

wenty-four men and women from the Naval Medical Care Center in San Diego and Camp Pendleton’s Wounded Transition Unit took part in the Vets Go Fishing event, organized by George Rice of Newport Beach.

Pilots offer free travel to get wounded veterans where they need to go

Pilots offer free travel to get wounded veterans where they need to go

The nonprofit organization allows wounded military personnel to fly free of charge for medical care, special occasions and other compassionate purposes.

Using a network of about 1,800 volunteer pilots, the organization works through military installations to identify wounded service members, then helps them with travel.

Of those pilots, about 47 are based in North Carolina, said Lisa Young, a flight coordinator. Young said all of the pilots donate their time, fuel and aircraft for the missions.

Since its inception nearly five years ago, she said, the organization has flown 3,880 veterans more than 2.2 million miles.