Erie County Veterans Service Agency

08/18/2023

OIF, OEF, OND troops! PACT act special health care enrollment period ends September 30. See attached graphic for details, or go to: va.gov/pact

Cc: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

08/16/2023

See everyone at the KMR Road March!

08/14/2023

Free Fitness studio for Veterans + one! Pass it along.

08/13/2023

Veterans Day at The Erie County Fair. Ceremony at the infield. Vietnam display at Historical Building.

08/09/2023

Veteran families: when you're at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport, remember to visit the WNY Freedom Lounge for a quiet moment.

08/07/2023

Today's date marks an inauspicious day and a turning point in history: on August 6, 1945, the city of , Japan was struck with the first atomic bomb ever used in warfare. Delivered by the B-29 "Enola Gay," the bomb killed an estimated 70,000–140,000. However, the difficult decision to drop the bomb was not arrived at lightly; it was estimated that a planned conventional attack and invasion of Japan would have cost a quarter million U.S. casualties and up to 20 million Japanese lives. Take a moment to remember .

Sources: wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasaki

Cc: Erie County Veterans Service Agency

08/07/2023

Today, August 7th, is National . On this day is 1782, during the Revolutionary War, General George Washington created the "Badge for Military Merit," the oldest military award still given to U.S. military members. Now known as the Purple Heart, it is presented to service members injured or killed in service to the country.

Here's a photo of today's ceremony, raising the flags in the plaza of Old Erie County Hall, appropriately held at the monument honoring Washington himself.

Learn more: news.va.gov/122550/purple-heart-day-august-7-wounded-killed

07/17/2023

A great place for Vets to rest while traveling.

In recognizing the sacrifices our Military Service Personnel make for our Country, WNY Freedom Lounge Inc. has created a welcoming environment for traveling Military Personnel & Veterans at the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport. This Courtesy Center is a private area, away from the normal stress...

07/15/2023

Come and visit us at Hamburg Burgerfest today July 15.

07/12/2023

Here at VOSC we offer Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF proud to announce we are now serving 12 counties in New York! SSVF involves rapid re-housing and homelessness prevention. This program offers time-limited, individualized financial assistance designed to assist Veteran households to obtain and retain permanent housing. Financial assistance is provided at a level that enables Veterans to maintain housing while seeking to increase income, relocate to less expensive housing, obtain a longer-term subsidy, and/or reduce expenses to sustain housing. Even if the Veteran in need does not immediately qualify for SSVF, we will refer them to trusted community organizations or connect them with the VA in order to meet their needs. We will not turn any Veteran away! One Veteran homeless is one too many for VOSC! Contact SSVF Program Manager Apple Domingo at [email protected], or call 716-898-0110 to connect.

07/12/2023

Wood whittling for Veterans- any level of experience is welcome. Come check us out! We meet here at the Veterans One-stop Center on Niagara Street in Buffalo.
Registration closes at 8 p.m. on July 22.
RSVP here: https://www.vocwny.org/event-details/veteran-wood-whittling

07/07/2023

When is the last time you called your buddy?

07/07/2023

Photography Club: whether you use a phone or a DSLR or anything in between, you are welcome to join in here at the Veterans One-stop Center. We'll be talking about techniques, lighting, composition or whatever you want to talk about. Bring a friend!
Registration closes at 8 p.m. on July 18.
RSVP here: https://www.vocwny.org/.../photography-club-photo-discussion

07/07/2023

06/29/2023

Erie County supporting our local Service Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses on County contracts!

The county also donated four flags.

06/14/2023

Flag Day Ceremony at Eden America Legion Post 880 with the Eden Scouts Troop 603 and Cub Scouts Pack 603.

06/14/2023

06/14/2023

SAVE THE DATE!

Good afternoon everyone!

The Veterans One-stop Center and Heart, Love & Soul present our annual haircuts and breakfast event, open to all Veterans.

Sign up by June 13 by emailing us at [email protected]
or by phone: 716-898-0110

Hope to see you all there!

06/06/2023

🪖 On this date 79 years ago, June 6, 1944, the largest amphibious military operation in history took place: the Allied invasion of Normandy, France during World War II. Code-named "Operation Overlord" but commonly known as "D-Day," take a moment to remember this day and honor those who served.

Learn more: loc.gov/item/today-in-history/june-06

The Erie County Veterans Service Agency has been helping local vets since 1926. More info at: erie.gov/veterans

06/06/2023

In memory of those who were on the five beaches in Normandy, France on June 6th, 1944 D-Day. Utah (US), Omaha (US), Sword (Great Britain), Gold (Great Britian) and Juno (Canada).

06/03/2023

New name, not a new post.

The change from Fort Bragg to Fort Liberty is part of a broad Department of Defense initiative motivated by the 2020 George Floyd protests.

05/30/2023

In honor of all our military services, their flags posted inside the Rath Bldg.

05/30/2023

05/29/2023

Memorial Day services at the F.J.Donovan Post in Cheektowaga.

05/29/2023

West Seneca Memorial Day Parade and services.

05/29/2023

Other events this weekend in Erie County.

05/29/2023

Forest Lawn Memorial Day services.

05/29/2023

...yet more ceremonies in Tonawanda. Add these monuments to the prior posts. Beautiful places!

05/29/2023

More Tonawanda ceremonies today.

05/29/2023

Tonawanda Memorial Day Ceremonies.

05/27/2023

Memorial Day services at Lakeside Cemetery May 27th. New Eternal Flame Memorial dedication with a glass flame by Corning Glassworks. The Memorial was funded by West Herr to honor all military members, past and present.

05/26/2023

Tour of Buffalo War Heroes, PART 3.
In the blink of an eye, you may have driven past and wondered, what was that? Who was that person? What did they do that moved the whole city?
So now that you have the time, on a nice day, please take a self-paced tour of these Buffalo Treasures. Below are the links to them that tell their stories, but please visit in person to feels the grandeur, impact and the architects details that a photo will not give you. See the details of the project’s committees had planned for. Make yourself a memory, a talking point with your friends and discover a mystery that has escaped you.

05/26/2023

Tour of Buffalo War Memorials, Part 2.
In the blink of an eye, you may have driven past and wondered, what was that? Who was that person? What did they do that moved the whole city?
So now that you have the time, on a nice day, please take a self-paced tour of these Buffalo Treasures. Below are the links to them that tell their stories, but please visit in person to feels the grandeur, impact and the architects details that a photo will not give you. See the details of the project’s committees had planned for. Make yourself a memory, a talking point with your friends and discover a mystery that has escaped you.

05/26/2023

Tour of Buffalo War Memorials, Part 1.
In the blink of an eye, you may have driven past and wondered, what was that? Who was that person? What did they do that moved the whole city?
So now that you have the time, on a nice day, please take a self-paced tour of these Buffalo Treasures. Below are the links to them that tell their stories, but please visit in person to feels the grandeur, impact and the architects details that a photo will not give you. See the details of the project’s committees had planned for. Make yourself a memory, a talking point with your friends and discover a mystery that has escaped you.

05/25/2023

https://www.vlm.cem.va.gov/
An online memorial that honors more than 4.8 million Veterans interred in VA National Cemeteries

VLM honors Veterans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces with memorial pages. Search for your Veteran’s name along with service branch service, war period and cemetery. Share their stories, memories and more.

05/24/2023

by visiting a farmers market this weekend and earn Erie Grown Passport points when you visit. To find out more, and for Passport materials, visit erie.gov/eriegrownpassport.

*Be sure to check that markets are open before visiting.

05/24/2023

A wonderful skill to learn. Hope to sign up for the next class.

05/24/2023

A wonderful tribute. If you forgot to apply, please follow the links below to apply today.

The Presidential Memorial Certificate (PMC) is a signature memento the VA National Cemetery Administration provides to next of kin and friends of deceased Veterans.

The PMC is a gold-embossed paper certificate bearing the official signature of the sitting President of the United States. It honors the memory of a deceased Veteran and expresses the country's grateful recognition of his or her service in the Armed Forces.

Veteran Benjamin B. Belfer introduced the idea of the PMC to then Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey in January 1962.

Senator Humphrey endorsed Belfer’s idea and forwarded it to Veterans Affairs Administrator, John Gleason, Jr., and President Kennedy approved the program. Although VA issued the first PMC, March 20, 1962, statutory authority was not given to the program (38 USC 112) until, July 24,1965.

The PMC is another way to honor Veterans and keep memories of them alive.
To learn more visit https://www.va.gov/burials-memorials/memorial-items/presidential-memorial-certificates/

05/23/2023

Ready for Memorial Day.

05/23/2023

Save the Date, Monday 5 June!

Come join us for our monthly Art Expressions class, this month we are taking the wax we extracted from our Beehives last year and will be making candles.
To sign up use this link: https://voscpeersupport.wixsite.com/website/event-details/art-expressions-candle-making
Registration is open until 1 June 23