“I am heartened by the recipients’ benevolence and the steady support they have provided our nation,” Crapo said in a news release. “On this Veterans Day, it is a privilege to learn from our veterans and volunteers and pay tribute to their service and sacrifice.”

Crapo has six events planned for Veterans Day on Thursday. However, he will not be able to attend them personally. He is currently serving on a commission formed by President Barack Obama that is coming up with ideas to lower the federal deficit.

Read Crapo’s news release below.

Spirit of Freedom Awards Set For Veterans Day
Crapo honors Idaho veterans’ and volunteers’ resolve and self-sacrifice

Idaho Senator Mike Crapo is honoring fourteen inspirational Idahoans this Veterans Day in ceremonies held in Boise, Lewiston, Pocatello, Sandpoint and Twin Falls. This is the ninth year Crapo has honored Idaho veterans and volunteers who work with veterans through the Spirit of Freedom Awards.

“Veterans provide critical service and support to our State and nation that does not end with the conclusion of their military service,” said Crapo. “They exemplify courage and discipline, and their deeds provide encouragement and strengthen resolve in the face of challenge.”

Spirit of Freedom Awards are presented annually to recipients in two categories – Veterans and Volunteers. Nominations for the awards are made by a number of veterans’ organizations and the commanders of various veterans service organizations. The awardees have demonstrated the spirit, resolve and self-sacrifice integral to our Idaho character.

“I am heartened by the recipients’ benevolence and the steady support they have provided our nation,” Crapo added. “On this Veterans Day, it is a privilege to learn from our veterans and volunteers and pay tribute to their service and sacrifice.”

The following are the 2010 Spirit of Freedom Award recipients:

Veterans:

• Jimmy R. Berkley (Twin Falls): He served in the U.S. Marine Corps in the Vietnam War, and he worked at Amalgamated Sugar Company for thirty-two years.
• Ronald L. Coryell (Boise): He served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War, and he volunteers at the Boise VA Medical Center.
• Gerald Lee Hendrickson (Pocatello): He served in the U.S. Army for twenty years, including service in the Vietnam War.
• Homer H. Kling (Lewiston): He served in the U.S. Navy Armed Guard in World War II, worked for Potlatch Corporation and sold Shaklee products.
• Martimiano Salinas (Blackfoot): He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, worked as a truck driver and volunteers with veterans.
• Gina Stamper (Boise): She served in the U.S. Coast Guard, and she has worked as a Veterans Service Officer for the Idaho Division of Veterans Service.
• William R. Stevens (Sandpoint): He served in the U.S. Marine Corps for twenty years, including serving in the Vietnam War.
• Cynthia Tatro (Boise): She served in the Women’s Army Corps, and she works as Activity Coordinator at the Idaho State Veterans Home.

Volunteers:

• Georgia Bowen (Lewiston): She has more than 2800 volunteer hours at the Idaho State Veterans Home, and she has volunteered extensively with the Elks.
• Mary Ahlin Jones (Boise): She has volunteered for more than ten years at the Idaho State Veterans Home.
• Ron Katko (Boise): He has dedicated substantial time to volunteering through the Boise VA Medical Center and a number of other organizations.
• Gardner “Bud” Keyt (Boise): He served in World War II, and he has devoted nineteen years to serving veterans through volunteer work at the Boise VA Medical Center.
• Garrett “Gary” Randel, Jr. (Eagle): He served in the U.S. Marine Corps for forty-one years, including service in the Vietnam War, and his volunteer service includes serving as Commandant of the Treasure Valley Detachment of the Marine Corps League.
• Ron Tapia (Pocatello): He served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, and he worked as a Veterans Representative for the former Idaho Department of Employment.

Due to commitments associated with Crapo’s service on the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, Crapo’s staff will be distributing this year’s awards. The dates and times of Senator Crapo’s 2010 Spirit of Freedom Awards ceremonies are as follows:

• Boise, Idaho Veterans Home, 320 Collins Road: Thursday, November 11th, 11:00 a.m.
• Lewiston, Idaho Veterans Home, 821 21st Avenue: Thursday, November 11th, 10:00 a.m.
• Pocatello, Idaho Veterans Home, 1957 Alvin Ricken Drive: Thursday, November 11th, 2:30 p.m.
• Sandpoint, War Memorial Field, 801 Ontario Street: Thursday, November 11th, 11:00 a.m.
• Twin Falls, City Park, Band Shell, Shoshone Street E.: Thursday, November 11th, 11:00 a.m.

Labrador’s campaign rejected the new accusation in the ad.

The new barb aimed at Labrador stems from a 2009 law creating Gold Star license plates for families of military service members who died in combat. The ad doesn’t mention the license plate—it says Labrador “dishonored Idaho’s veterans by voting against a program honoring those who died serving our nation.”

“This is a wild overreach by a desperate candidate running a disgraceful campaign,” said Labrador’s spokesman, Phil Hardy. “Raul Labrador, while at the end of his first term in Legislature, took a stand not to vote for the creation of any more specialty license plates, as have many other legislators.” Hardy also pointed out that, in a House committee meeting, Labrador expressed his support for veterans while not supporting specialty license plates.

Minnick’s campaign manager, John Foster, called Labrador’s no vote an affront to veterans. “He can spin it all he wants but his vote was against veterans and military families,” Foster said.

Specialty license plates generally cost vehicle owners more than normal plates, with a small portion of that extra cost going to a related organization or cause. The Gold Star plates were slightly different, because only family members of fallen soldiers could get the plates. Some close relatives could get the plate without the added specialty cost. The proceeds from the plate go to the Veterans Support Fund.

More than 40 states have similar license plates, according to American Gold Star Mothers, Inc.

Labrador opposed other specialty plates in 2009 and 2010, honoring mountain biking, wilderness areas, and Freemasons. However, his position was different in his first term, when he voted for plates for the Special Olympics and rangelands, as well as a plate saying “support our troops.”

A group of state lawmakers consistently vote with Labrador against new license plates. During a debate on plates this year, Sen. Tim Corder, R-Mountain Home, said he thinks that the state shouldn’t use license plates to pay for programs besides transportation. Other lawmakers have voiced concern that the variety of plates could make it more difficult for police to check license plates while enforcing traffic laws.

Minnick’s ad also touts his work for veterans, which he has done in a previous ad.

UPDATE: A Labrador news release included a statement from Rep. Jim Clark, R-Hayden Lake, a veteran who, like Labrador, voted against the Gold Star plate. “I am against all of Idaho’s vanity plates bills,” Clark said. “These license plates don’t often account where the money goes, how it got there, or even if they cost all taxpayer’s money. So on principle, even as a veteran, I voted no. This campaign ad of Minnick’s stinks of desperation and I condemn him for it. He is not a man of character.”

Congress approved a new GI Bill last year for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Minnick’s changes to the plan, which is co-sponsored by 19 other Democrats, would add more benefits for veterans.  Among the benefits, according to Minnick, are:

•    Increase the baseline tuition to $20,000 a year for private schools and full-tuition for public schools.

•    Help pay for students to study at vocational schools.
•    Grant full GI Bill credit to National Guard members responding to national disasters;
•    Give living allowances for veterans in distance learning programs;
•    Give a $1000 book stipend for active duty students;

Minnick said at the meeting that the plan needs to be refreshed, much like the original GI Bill was after World War II.

Minnick said the corrections to the plan would help returning veterans looking to get an education.

Read all of Minnick’s testimony from the hearing at his website.

The bill is the product of the combined efforts of the three lawmakers after a rough start earlier in the legislative sessions.  Originally, Smith and Bilyeu teamed up to propose one bill that would grant the breaks to veterans, while Hagedorn constructed another.  Hagedorn told lawmakers Tuesday that both bills ran into some problems, so the three lawmakers withdrew their bills and worked with State Board of Education to develop a more worthy bill.

This legislation has already passed the Senate.  Co-sponsors estimate the tuition break could save out-of-state veterans as much as $10,000 during the course of their education.  Veterans would only receive the tuition break if they served at least two years in the armed forces and received an honorable discharge.

On the House floor Friday, Hagedorn sang praises of the bill, saying that  it would be mutually beneficial to veterans and the state.  Veterans would receive greatly reduced tuition, while universities would have more mature and financially-secure student in classrooms, said Hagedorn, himself a veteran.  He also noted that state-funded schools could use the tuition break as a recruitment tool to lure more veterans to the state.

Rep. Lynn Luker, R-Luker, questioned Hagedorn on the cost of the program.  Luker said the state already pays to subsidize the education of in-state residents, meaning that the state pays more to educate the student than the student pays in tuition, and that he feels state finances could be adversely affected by the bill’s passage.

Hagedorn said the state would benefit from having additional students at colleges and universities because it would mean that the more financially-stable veterans would mean more students who are able to stay at the school long term, which would mean in increase in tuition payments.

The measure passed the House with only one dissenting vote, cast by Rep. Lenore Hardy Barrett, R-Challis.  The bill now heads to Gov. Butch Otter for his signature.

“This is an additional tool to help those veterans that have served at least two years and are separated under honorable conditions,” said Diane Bilyeu, D-Pocatello. She said she sponsored the legislation after talking with veterans at an event at Idaho State University last year. Her measure now heads to the House.

Several states, including Oregon, New Mexico, and Ohio, have enacted similar tuition breaks in the past few years. Montana, Wyoming, and few other states offer free tuition for veterans who lived in that state prior to enlisting. Rep. Marv Hagedorn, R-Meridian, has a similar measure that has yet to make it out of a House committee. UPDATE: Hagedorn wrote, in the comments below, that he is now a co-sponsor on Bilyeu’s legislation. Read IdahoReporter.com’s first story on the tuition breaks for veterans here. Bilyeu’s legislation is available here.

Masterson said he is concerned that veterans are not receiving proper screening before leaving the service and urged the Idaho lawmakers to “to work with all branches of our military, our Veteran’s Affairs groups and VA hospitals, and strive to improve and expand the safety net that must cover our veterans.”

On Wednesday, lawmakers responded to the letter.  Here are their responses:

From Sen. Mike Crapo’s spokesman Lindsay Nothern: “While Senator Crapo cannot comment directly on this particular incident involving the Boise Police and this individual, he has been concerned about PTSD and believes more should be done to assist returning veterans.

Both Crapo and Senator Risch have made funding requests specific to PTSD and Idaho efforts at research and treatment in the past and continue to bring the issue to the attention to colleagues.

Crapo feels much more needs to be done regarding the diagnosis and treatment of PTSD.  Besides the obvious dollar issue, Congress and the military have been working together to outline things like resources and equipment for screeners and supervisors to diagnose, better equipment in the field to prevent, and better systems to identify these individuals.”

From Senator Jim Risch’s spokesman Kyle Hines: “Senator Risch… agrees more needs to be done to diagnose and treat post traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury in our active duty, reserves and veterans.  He has supported legislation that provides resources like more training for doctors and mandatory screenings to diagnose and treat PTSD and TBI.  While there has been progress in detecting and treating these illnesses in their early stages, clearly there is still work to be done.”

From Rep. Walt Minnick’s spokesman Dean Ferguson: “As a Vietnam-era veteran, I have observed firsthand, in acquaintances, the affects of what now is called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I recall a whole ward full of Vietnam vets in the 1990s who were still fighting the demons of their experiences in Vietnam. By recognizing and treating the condition, we can help Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans to quickly recover and lead productive lives. We had a generation of American soldiers who were never able to lead normal lives outside of institutions. I want to thank Chief Masterson for taking the lead in building public awareness and support for this issue for veterans and their families and their communities.”

From Rep. Mike Simspon’s spokesman Nikki Watts: “Incidents like this make it clear that we must do more to ensure our veterans are receiving the best treatment and care both on and off the battlefield.   I am proud that the Appropriations Committee has made significant investments in funding for veterans, including a  60% increase in funding in the past three years for mental health programs to better diagnose and treat PTSD and to train mental health professionals treating veterans,” said Congressman Mike Simpson.  “We must improve our system of screening, diagnosis and treatment so that our veterans are receiving the care they need and deserve.”

You can read IdahoReporter’s story on Chief Masterson’s letter here.

The letter comes just seven months after officers from the Boise Police Department were involved in a short-lived shootout with an Iraq war veteran.  The veteran, George G. Nickel, is a recipient of both the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star for bravery while on-duty in Iraq.  When citizens of Boise discovered that officers shot at a war veteran, many were outraged and flooded the department’s offices with calls and email expressing discontent over the handling of the matter.

At the time, according to a report from the Boise ombudsman, officers had no way of knowing exactly at whom they were shooting.  The report issued by the ombudsman said “the use of deadly force in response to this imminent threat to human life was both reasonable and necessary.”  No one was hurt during the standoff.

Masterson said the incident is an example of a soldier who could have used additional resources and help from the country he once served.  He adds that the military must do more to ensure the mental health and wellbeing of soldiers.

Some text from Masterson’s letter:

Whatever the issues and explanations, I am concerned that without more careful identification and treatment, these individuals may indeed pose a threat to their own safety and that of their families and community. My greatest concern is Mr. Nickel’s case is not isolated, and other police officers, not only in Boise but in Idaho and across the nation will be forced to confront a troubled veteran with weapons drawn. Any or all those involved will be chastised for doing what they felt they must for self-preservation or public safety, and worse, the outcome will be lives lost.

One citizen who wrote me said, “These veterans are our people. We need to care for them like they took care of us!”

As a Chief of Police of Idaho’s largest and Capital City, I urge you to work with all branches of our military, our Veteran’s Affairs groups and VA hospitals, and strive to improve and expand the safety net that must cover our veterans. It is the duty of the country they served to now serve and protect them, and indeed enhance their opportunities as they rejoin civilian life.

You can read Chief Masteron’s full letter to the congressional delegation by clicking here.  As soon as they come available, IdahoReporter.com will post responses to the letter by members of Idaho’s congressional delegation.