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Fair queen’s reign coming to end
by Register Staff
mdrnews@mydailyregister.com

POINT PLEASANT — Jordan Cullen, 2011 Mason County Fair Queen, has spent the last year representing the fair, as well as the entire county - a year which included traveling across the state during her reign.

On Monday, Aug. 6, Cullen will give up her title when she crowns the new fair queen during the fair’s annual queen pageant which begins at 8 p.m. that night on the main stage.

However, before Cullen’s year as queen comes to an end, Ohio Valley Bank (the pageant’s sponsor) is hosting a reception in Cullen’s honor on Monday, July 31 at the Point Pleasant Moose Lodge. The reception will also serve as a forum to introduce this year’s queen contestants - more on these 11 young ladies will appear in an upcoming edition of the Point Pleasant Register.

As for Cullen, some of her travels this year have included stops at the West Virginia State Fair; historic Monroe County; the Greenbrier Resort; Country Fall Festival Pageant; Mothman Festival Pageant; Point Pleasant TNT Pageant; Gallipolis River Recreation Pageant; Regatta Pageant; National 4-H Week; Queen’s Caroling; Mason County Fair Bash and more.

Cullen also competed in the West Virginia State Fairs and Festivals Pageant, where she represented the Mason County Fair. In addition, Cullen has participated in all the local parades; the county Miss 4-H Pageant where she served as the emcee; and visited the Jackson County Fair and the Gallia County Junior Fair.

Cullen is the 20-year old daughter of Jack and Joann Cullen of Letart. She is a 2010 graduate of Point Pleasant High School and currently a junior at West Virginia University’s School of Nursing. She plans to first utilize her degree towards working as a registered nurse in an intensive care unit setting, and then eventually further her education towards becoming a certified registered nurse anesthetist.

Reflecting on the past year, Cullen explained: “Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved the Mason County Fair with all my heart. Being a third generation 4-H member and fair activist, it’s a true tradition in our family. This will help explain why being crowned the Mason County Fair Queen has meant so much to me; it is one the highest honors I have ever received. The opportunities I have been given throughout my journey as queen have been so rewarding.”

Cullen also expressed her gratitude to the residents of Mason County for their “kindness, generosity and support throughout this past year.”

“It was such a blessing to have the opportunity to represent the Mason County Fair, and I will be forever grateful to have had such an incredible journey,” Cullen said.

In addition, Cullen has strong family ties to the Mason County Fair. According to Cullen, her “Mamaw Lucy” served as secretary on one of the first county fair boards. She has also been a life-long participant in the fair herself. She is a 12 year member of the Hillbillies 4-H Club, where she has served in most of the officer positions and many club committees. Cullen has also taken a commercial feeder calf to the fair for the past 12 years, where she has won a reserve champion award and numerous blue ribbons.

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Henry Jackson Cain
Jun 17, 2013 | 376 views | 0 0 comments | 3 3 recommendations | email to a friend | print

Henry Jackson Cain, 76, of Leon, W.Va., passed away June 14, 2013, in Cabell Huntington Hospital, of injuries received in an automobile accident, on June 11, near his home.

He was born January 25, 1937, in Leon, W.Va., a son of the late Roy J. and Lona Bell (Casto) Cain. His sons, Floyd Allen Cain, and Douglas Cain, a brother, Bert Hess, and sisters, Mae Lewis and Margaret Twohig, also preceded him in death.

He was formerly employed by Union Carbide, and Asphalt, Inc., and was a retired grader operator from the West Virginia Department of Highways. He was a farmer and enjoyed hunting and fishing.

Survivors include his sons, Rick Cain, and John Cain, both of Leon, Jim Cain and Lloyd Cain both of Columbus, Ohio, Tim Cain and Brian Cain, both of London, Ohio, and Henry Cain, Jr., of Tenn.; daughters, Linda Cain, and Elizabeth Cain both of London, Ohio, Hanna Leary of Jackson, Mi., Kim VanDine and Marshie Krietz, and Bonnie Cain, all of Columbus, Ohio, and Sharon Richesson of Athens, Ohio; brothers, Charles Cain of Leon, Sam Cain of Howell, Mi., and Lee Casto of London, Ohio; sisters, Mary Kimbler and Ernestine DeVault both of Sidney, Ohio, Barbara Gray of Maplewood, Ohio, and Alice Bennett of Washington Courthouse, Ohio; 40 grandchildren, and 38 great-grandchildren.

Service will be 11 a.m., Tuesday, June 18, 2013, at Casto Funeral Home Chapel, Evans, W.Va., with the Rev. Verlin Hart officiating. Burial will follow in the Creston Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m,. Monday, at the funeral home.

Email condolences may be sent to: castofh@gmail.com.

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Bobby O. Parker
Jun 17, 2013 | 153 views | 0 0 comments | 4 4 recommendations | email to a friend | print

Bobby O. Parker, 81, of Boynton Beach, Florida, passed away on June 13, 2013.

A memorial service will be held on Monday June 17, 2013 at 7 p.m. in the chapel of Palm Beach Memorial Park Funeral Home, 3691 Seacrest Blvd. Lantana, FL 33436, (561) 586-1237.

In lieu of flowers, Bobby requested donations be made to the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (in memory of his beloved wife Ramona Parker), 801 Roeder Rd., Suite 400, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

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Healing the Invisible Wounds of War
by Senator Jay Rockefeller
Jun 16, 2013 | 6639 views | 0 0 comments | 4 4 recommendations | email to a friend | print

Imagine you’re the mom of three young boys with special needs. You are deeply proud of your husband, a combat veteran who served five tours of duty and earned two combat action badges. But you and your family struggle every single day with the invisible wounds of war.

Tracy White stands firmly by her husband’s side. She is with him when his unimaginable combat experiences — like taking his friend’s photograph at the moment he was killed by an IED — manifest in frightening ways. She is working with every fiber of her being to support their family, including holding down a part-time job so she can also be there for their sons.

She is also her husband’s biggest champion while he navigates an unfairly complex system to get the care and benefits he earned.

The Whites have no health coverage. When Jerry sought therapy through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), a counselor told Tracy she should sleep in another room and call the police for protection. He was told he didn’t fit into a certain stereotype of someone with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

So as he awaits a decision from the VA about his disability benefits, he remains isolated in his home. He says he feels like a prisoner.

This is someone who served his country. Who selflessly answered the call, and in doing so faced the ruthless realities of war that are forever cemented in his mind.

The system is failing him. We are failing him. But I believe we can do more. We can find a way for Jerry, and thousands of veterans like him, to get beyond this struggle.

I’m working closely with the Whites to make sure Jerry gets the care he needs, and his family gets the support they deserve, in return for his service. And I was so grateful that they joined me for a conversation I recently held in West Virginia about veterans’ mental health needs.

I’ve met with veterans on countless occasions, but this was an especially powerful and important discussion – because the Whites and other veterans and their families bravely chose to share their experiences publicly. They felt they needed to for the many others who suffer silently.

With the end of the Iraq War, and with tens of thousands of veterans coming home from Afghanistan, the VA and the Department of Defense (DOD) — both of whom were there for our conversation — know the complexities of caring for returning service members with conditions like PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

As the demand for mental health care increases, we must be prepared to answer the call for our newest veterans and those from every generation.

In recent days, the VA announced that it has filled 1,600 mental health positions and the vacancies of more than 2,000 mental health clinical providers. This is an important step, and something I pushed for.

But I believe we must do more to deliver the strong, timely, consistent, individualized care our veterans need, including providing highly-skilled doctors and therapists — and making sure that care is always available.

We must end the months-long delay that places veterans in limbo when transitioning their paperwork from active duty status at the DOD to the VA. And we can no longer expect veterans tormented by mental health issues to twist and turn through multiple levels of bureaucracy to get the care we owe them.

The reality for our veterans is that, far too often, they face a host of issues when they come home – backlogs, claim delays, stigma and lack of understanding around their private struggles. Without the right care, things can start to spiral out of control – financial hardship, marital stress, feelings of hopelessness.

This is a difficult issue. But we can’t let the complexity be an excuse for not delivering the kind of support our veterans have earned. No one is more deserving.

We know the system can work for our veterans when the VA, DOD, vet centers, counselors and support networks get it right. And we know the right kind of care when it is most needed can keep families together. It can also transform and save lives.

We should be relentless in our pursuit of that outcome for the Whites, and for each and every veteran and their loved ones.

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Henry Jackson Cain
Jun 17, 2013 | 376 views | 0 0 comments | 3 3 recommendations | email to a friend | print

Henry Jackson Cain, 76, of Leon, W.Va., passed away June 14, 2013, in Cabell Huntington Hospital, of injuries received in an automobile accident, on June 11, near his home.

He was born January 25, 1937, in Leon, W.Va., a son of the late Roy J. and Lona Bell (Casto) Cain. His sons, Floyd Allen Cain, and Douglas Cain, a brother, Bert Hess, and sisters, Mae Lewis and Margaret Twohig, also preceded him in death.

He was formerly employed by Union Carbide, and Asphalt, Inc., and was a retired grader operator from the West Virginia Department of Highways. He was a farmer and enjoyed hunting and fishing.

Survivors include his sons, Rick Cain, and John Cain, both of Leon, Jim Cain and Lloyd Cain both of Columbus, Ohio, Tim Cain and Brian Cain, both of London, Ohio, and Henry Cain, Jr., of Tenn.; daughters, Linda Cain, and Elizabeth Cain both of London, Ohio, Hanna Leary of Jackson, Mi., Kim VanDine and Marshie Krietz, and Bonnie Cain, all of Columbus, Ohio, and Sharon Richesson of Athens, Ohio; brothers, Charles Cain of Leon, Sam Cain of Howell, Mi., and Lee Casto of London, Ohio; sisters, Mary Kimbler and Ernestine DeVault both of Sidney, Ohio, Barbara Gray of Maplewood, Ohio, and Alice Bennett of Washington Courthouse, Ohio; 40 grandchildren, and 38 great-grandchildren.

Service will be 11 a.m., Tuesday, June 18, 2013, at Casto Funeral Home Chapel, Evans, W.Va., with the Rev. Verlin Hart officiating. Burial will follow in the Creston Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m,. Monday, at the funeral home.

Email condolences may be sent to: castofh@gmail.com.

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Bobby O. Parker
Jun 17, 2013 | 153 views | 0 0 comments | 4 4 recommendations | email to a friend | print

Bobby O. Parker, 81, of Boynton Beach, Florida, passed away on June 13, 2013.

A memorial service will be held on Monday June 17, 2013 at 7 p.m. in the chapel of Palm Beach Memorial Park Funeral Home, 3691 Seacrest Blvd. Lantana, FL 33436, (561) 586-1237.

In lieu of flowers, Bobby requested donations be made to the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (in memory of his beloved wife Ramona Parker), 801 Roeder Rd., Suite 400, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

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Healing the Invisible Wounds of War
by Senator Jay Rockefeller
Jun 16, 2013 | 6639 views | 0 0 comments | 4 4 recommendations | email to a friend | print

Imagine you’re the mom of three young boys with special needs. You are deeply proud of your husband, a combat veteran who served five tours of duty and earned two combat action badges. But you and your family struggle every single day with the invisible wounds of war.

Tracy White stands firmly by her husband’s side. She is with him when his unimaginable combat experiences — like taking his friend’s photograph at the moment he was killed by an IED — manifest in frightening ways. She is working with every fiber of her being to support their family, including holding down a part-time job so she can also be there for their sons.

She is also her husband’s biggest champion while he navigates an unfairly complex system to get the care and benefits he earned.

The Whites have no health coverage. When Jerry sought therapy through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), a counselor told Tracy she should sleep in another room and call the police for protection. He was told he didn’t fit into a certain stereotype of someone with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

So as he awaits a decision from the VA about his disability benefits, he remains isolated in his home. He says he feels like a prisoner.

This is someone who served his country. Who selflessly answered the call, and in doing so faced the ruthless realities of war that are forever cemented in his mind.

The system is failing him. We are failing him. But I believe we can do more. We can find a way for Jerry, and thousands of veterans like him, to get beyond this struggle.

I’m working closely with the Whites to make sure Jerry gets the care he needs, and his family gets the support they deserve, in return for his service. And I was so grateful that they joined me for a conversation I recently held in West Virginia about veterans’ mental health needs.

I’ve met with veterans on countless occasions, but this was an especially powerful and important discussion – because the Whites and other veterans and their families bravely chose to share their experiences publicly. They felt they needed to for the many others who suffer silently.

With the end of the Iraq War, and with tens of thousands of veterans coming home from Afghanistan, the VA and the Department of Defense (DOD) — both of whom were there for our conversation — know the complexities of caring for returning service members with conditions like PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

As the demand for mental health care increases, we must be prepared to answer the call for our newest veterans and those from every generation.

In recent days, the VA announced that it has filled 1,600 mental health positions and the vacancies of more than 2,000 mental health clinical providers. This is an important step, and something I pushed for.

But I believe we must do more to deliver the strong, timely, consistent, individualized care our veterans need, including providing highly-skilled doctors and therapists — and making sure that care is always available.

We must end the months-long delay that places veterans in limbo when transitioning their paperwork from active duty status at the DOD to the VA. And we can no longer expect veterans tormented by mental health issues to twist and turn through multiple levels of bureaucracy to get the care we owe them.

The reality for our veterans is that, far too often, they face a host of issues when they come home – backlogs, claim delays, stigma and lack of understanding around their private struggles. Without the right care, things can start to spiral out of control – financial hardship, marital stress, feelings of hopelessness.

This is a difficult issue. But we can’t let the complexity be an excuse for not delivering the kind of support our veterans have earned. No one is more deserving.

We know the system can work for our veterans when the VA, DOD, vet centers, counselors and support networks get it right. And we know the right kind of care when it is most needed can keep families together. It can also transform and save lives.

We should be relentless in our pursuit of that outcome for the Whites, and for each and every veteran and their loved ones.

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Henry Jackson Cain
Jun 17, 2013 | 376 views | 0 0 comments | 3 3 recommendations | email to a friend | print

Henry Jackson Cain, 76, of Leon, W.Va., passed away June 14, 2013, in Cabell Huntington Hospital, of injuries received in an automobile accident, on June 11, near his home.

He was born January 25, 1937, in Leon, W.Va., a son of the late Roy J. and Lona Bell (Casto) Cain. His sons, Floyd Allen Cain, and Douglas Cain, a brother, Bert Hess, and sisters, Mae Lewis and Margaret Twohig, also preceded him in death.

He was formerly employed by Union Carbide, and Asphalt, Inc., and was a retired grader operator from the West Virginia Department of Highways. He was a farmer and enjoyed hunting and fishing.

Survivors include his sons, Rick Cain, and John Cain, both of Leon, Jim Cain and Lloyd Cain both of Columbus, Ohio, Tim Cain and Brian Cain, both of London, Ohio, and Henry Cain, Jr., of Tenn.; daughters, Linda Cain, and Elizabeth Cain both of London, Ohio, Hanna Leary of Jackson, Mi., Kim VanDine and Marshie Krietz, and Bonnie Cain, all of Columbus, Ohio, and Sharon Richesson of Athens, Ohio; brothers, Charles Cain of Leon, Sam Cain of Howell, Mi., and Lee Casto of London, Ohio; sisters, Mary Kimbler and Ernestine DeVault both of Sidney, Ohio, Barbara Gray of Maplewood, Ohio, and Alice Bennett of Washington Courthouse, Ohio; 40 grandchildren, and 38 great-grandchildren.

Service will be 11 a.m., Tuesday, June 18, 2013, at Casto Funeral Home Chapel, Evans, W.Va., with the Rev. Verlin Hart officiating. Burial will follow in the Creston Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m,. Monday, at the funeral home.

Email condolences may be sent to: castofh@gmail.com.

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Bobby O. Parker
Jun 17, 2013 | 153 views | 0 0 comments | 4 4 recommendations | email to a friend | print

Bobby O. Parker, 81, of Boynton Beach, Florida, passed away on June 13, 2013.

A memorial service will be held on Monday June 17, 2013 at 7 p.m. in the chapel of Palm Beach Memorial Park Funeral Home, 3691 Seacrest Blvd. Lantana, FL 33436, (561) 586-1237.

In lieu of flowers, Bobby requested donations be made to the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (in memory of his beloved wife Ramona Parker), 801 Roeder Rd., Suite 400, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

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Healing the Invisible Wounds of War
by Senator Jay Rockefeller
Jun 16, 2013 | 6639 views | 0 0 comments | 4 4 recommendations | email to a friend | print

Imagine you’re the mom of three young boys with special needs. You are deeply proud of your husband, a combat veteran who served five tours of duty and earned two combat action badges. But you and your family struggle every single day with the invisible wounds of war.

Tracy White stands firmly by her husband’s side. She is with him when his unimaginable combat experiences — like taking his friend’s photograph at the moment he was killed by an IED — manifest in frightening ways. She is working with every fiber of her being to support their family, including holding down a part-time job so she can also be there for their sons.

She is also her husband’s biggest champion while he navigates an unfairly complex system to get the care and benefits he earned.

The Whites have no health coverage. When Jerry sought therapy through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), a counselor told Tracy she should sleep in another room and call the police for protection. He was told he didn’t fit into a certain stereotype of someone with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

So as he awaits a decision from the VA about his disability benefits, he remains isolated in his home. He says he feels like a prisoner.

This is someone who served his country. Who selflessly answered the call, and in doing so faced the ruthless realities of war that are forever cemented in his mind.

The system is failing him. We are failing him. But I believe we can do more. We can find a way for Jerry, and thousands of veterans like him, to get beyond this struggle.

I’m working closely with the Whites to make sure Jerry gets the care he needs, and his family gets the support they deserve, in return for his service. And I was so grateful that they joined me for a conversation I recently held in West Virginia about veterans’ mental health needs.

I’ve met with veterans on countless occasions, but this was an especially powerful and important discussion – because the Whites and other veterans and their families bravely chose to share their experiences publicly. They felt they needed to for the many others who suffer silently.

With the end of the Iraq War, and with tens of thousands of veterans coming home from Afghanistan, the VA and the Department of Defense (DOD) — both of whom were there for our conversation — know the complexities of caring for returning service members with conditions like PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

As the demand for mental health care increases, we must be prepared to answer the call for our newest veterans and those from every generation.

In recent days, the VA announced that it has filled 1,600 mental health positions and the vacancies of more than 2,000 mental health clinical providers. This is an important step, and something I pushed for.

But I believe we must do more to deliver the strong, timely, consistent, individualized care our veterans need, including providing highly-skilled doctors and therapists — and making sure that care is always available.

We must end the months-long delay that places veterans in limbo when transitioning their paperwork from active duty status at the DOD to the VA. And we can no longer expect veterans tormented by mental health issues to twist and turn through multiple levels of bureaucracy to get the care we owe them.

The reality for our veterans is that, far too often, they face a host of issues when they come home – backlogs, claim delays, stigma and lack of understanding around their private struggles. Without the right care, things can start to spiral out of control – financial hardship, marital stress, feelings of hopelessness.

This is a difficult issue. But we can’t let the complexity be an excuse for not delivering the kind of support our veterans have earned. No one is more deserving.

We know the system can work for our veterans when the VA, DOD, vet centers, counselors and support networks get it right. And we know the right kind of care when it is most needed can keep families together. It can also transform and save lives.

We should be relentless in our pursuit of that outcome for the Whites, and for each and every veteran and their loved ones.

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Henry Jackson Cain
Jun 17, 2013 | 376 views | 0 0 comments | 3 3 recommendations | email to a friend | print

Henry Jackson Cain, 76, of Leon, W.Va., passed away June 14, 2013, in Cabell Huntington Hospital, of injuries received in an automobile accident, on June 11, near his home.

He was born January 25, 1937, in Leon, W.Va., a son of the late Roy J. and Lona Bell (Casto) Cain. His sons, Floyd Allen Cain, and Douglas Cain, a brother, Bert Hess, and sisters, Mae Lewis and Margaret Twohig, also preceded him in death.

He was formerly employed by Union Carbide, and Asphalt, Inc., and was a retired grader operator from the West Virginia Department of Highways. He was a farmer and enjoyed hunting and fishing.

Survivors include his sons, Rick Cain, and John Cain, both of Leon, Jim Cain and Lloyd Cain both of Columbus, Ohio, Tim Cain and Brian Cain, both of London, Ohio, and Henry Cain, Jr., of Tenn.; daughters, Linda Cain, and Elizabeth Cain both of London, Ohio, Hanna Leary of Jackson, Mi., Kim VanDine and Marshie Krietz, and Bonnie Cain, all of Columbus, Ohio, and Sharon Richesson of Athens, Ohio; brothers, Charles Cain of Leon, Sam Cain of Howell, Mi., and Lee Casto of London, Ohio; sisters, Mary Kimbler and Ernestine DeVault both of Sidney, Ohio, Barbara Gray of Maplewood, Ohio, and Alice Bennett of Washington Courthouse, Ohio; 40 grandchildren, and 38 great-grandchildren.

Service will be 11 a.m., Tuesday, June 18, 2013, at Casto Funeral Home Chapel, Evans, W.Va., with the Rev. Verlin Hart officiating. Burial will follow in the Creston Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m,. Monday, at the funeral home.

Email condolences may be sent to: castofh@gmail.com.

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Bobby O. Parker
Jun 17, 2013 | 153 views | 0 0 comments | 4 4 recommendations | email to a friend | print

Bobby O. Parker, 81, of Boynton Beach, Florida, passed away on June 13, 2013.

A memorial service will be held on Monday June 17, 2013 at 7 p.m. in the chapel of Palm Beach Memorial Park Funeral Home, 3691 Seacrest Blvd. Lantana, FL 33436, (561) 586-1237.

In lieu of flowers, Bobby requested donations be made to the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (in memory of his beloved wife Ramona Parker), 801 Roeder Rd., Suite 400, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

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Healing the Invisible Wounds of War
by Senator Jay Rockefeller
Jun 16, 2013 | 6639 views | 0 0 comments | 4 4 recommendations | email to a friend | print

Imagine you’re the mom of three young boys with special needs. You are deeply proud of your husband, a combat veteran who served five tours of duty and earned two combat action badges. But you and your family struggle every single day with the invisible wounds of war.

Tracy White stands firmly by her husband’s side. She is with him when his unimaginable combat experiences — like taking his friend’s photograph at the moment he was killed by an IED — manifest in frightening ways. She is working with every fiber of her being to support their family, including holding down a part-time job so she can also be there for their sons.

She is also her husband’s biggest champion while he navigates an unfairly complex system to get the care and benefits he earned.

The Whites have no health coverage. When Jerry sought therapy through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), a counselor told Tracy she should sleep in another room and call the police for protection. He was told he didn’t fit into a certain stereotype of someone with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

So as he awaits a decision from the VA about his disability benefits, he remains isolated in his home. He says he feels like a prisoner.

This is someone who served his country. Who selflessly answered the call, and in doing so faced the ruthless realities of war that are forever cemented in his mind.

The system is failing him. We are failing him. But I believe we can do more. We can find a way for Jerry, and thousands of veterans like him, to get beyond this struggle.

I’m working closely with the Whites to make sure Jerry gets the care he needs, and his family gets the support they deserve, in return for his service. And I was so grateful that they joined me for a conversation I recently held in West Virginia about veterans’ mental health needs.

I’ve met with veterans on countless occasions, but this was an especially powerful and important discussion – because the Whites and other veterans and their families bravely chose to share their experiences publicly. They felt they needed to for the many others who suffer silently.

With the end of the Iraq War, and with tens of thousands of veterans coming home from Afghanistan, the VA and the Department of Defense (DOD) — both of whom were there for our conversation — know the complexities of caring for returning service members with conditions like PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

As the demand for mental health care increases, we must be prepared to answer the call for our newest veterans and those from every generation.

In recent days, the VA announced that it has filled 1,600 mental health positions and the vacancies of more than 2,000 mental health clinical providers. This is an important step, and something I pushed for.

But I believe we must do more to deliver the strong, timely, consistent, individualized care our veterans need, including providing highly-skilled doctors and therapists — and making sure that care is always available.

We must end the months-long delay that places veterans in limbo when transitioning their paperwork from active duty status at the DOD to the VA. And we can no longer expect veterans tormented by mental health issues to twist and turn through multiple levels of bureaucracy to get the care we owe them.

The reality for our veterans is that, far too often, they face a host of issues when they come home – backlogs, claim delays, stigma and lack of understanding around their private struggles. Without the right care, things can start to spiral out of control – financial hardship, marital stress, feelings of hopelessness.

This is a difficult issue. But we can’t let the complexity be an excuse for not delivering the kind of support our veterans have earned. No one is more deserving.

We know the system can work for our veterans when the VA, DOD, vet centers, counselors and support networks get it right. And we know the right kind of care when it is most needed can keep families together. It can also transform and save lives.

We should be relentless in our pursuit of that outcome for the Whites, and for each and every veteran and their loved ones.

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Henry Jackson Cain
Jun 17, 2013 | 376 views | 0 0 comments | 3 3 recommendations | email to a friend | print

Henry Jackson Cain, 76, of Leon, W.Va., passed away June 14, 2013, in Cabell Huntington Hospital, of injuries received in an automobile accident, on June 11, near his home.

He was born January 25, 1937, in Leon, W.Va., a son of the late Roy J. and Lona Bell (Casto) Cain. His sons, Floyd Allen Cain, and Douglas Cain, a brother, Bert Hess, and sisters, Mae Lewis and Margaret Twohig, also preceded him in death.

He was formerly employed by Union Carbide, and Asphalt, Inc., and was a retired grader operator from the West Virginia Department of Highways. He was a farmer and enjoyed hunting and fishing.

Survivors include his sons, Rick Cain, and John Cain, both of Leon, Jim Cain and Lloyd Cain both of Columbus, Ohio, Tim Cain and Brian Cain, both of London, Ohio, and Henry Cain, Jr., of Tenn.; daughters, Linda Cain, and Elizabeth Cain both of London, Ohio, Hanna Leary of Jackson, Mi., Kim VanDine and Marshie Krietz, and Bonnie Cain, all of Columbus, Ohio, and Sharon Richesson of Athens, Ohio; brothers, Charles Cain of Leon, Sam Cain of Howell, Mi., and Lee Casto of London, Ohio; sisters, Mary Kimbler and Ernestine DeVault both of Sidney, Ohio, Barbara Gray of Maplewood, Ohio, and Alice Bennett of Washington Courthouse, Ohio; 40 grandchildren, and 38 great-grandchildren.

Service will be 11 a.m., Tuesday, June 18, 2013, at Casto Funeral Home Chapel, Evans, W.Va., with the Rev. Verlin Hart officiating. Burial will follow in the Creston Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m,. Monday, at the funeral home.

Email condolences may be sent to: castofh@gmail.com.

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Bobby O. Parker
Jun 17, 2013 | 153 views | 0 0 comments | 4 4 recommendations | email to a friend | print

Bobby O. Parker, 81, of Boynton Beach, Florida, passed away on June 13, 2013.

A memorial service will be held on Monday June 17, 2013 at 7 p.m. in the chapel of Palm Beach Memorial Park Funeral Home, 3691 Seacrest Blvd. Lantana, FL 33436, (561) 586-1237.

In lieu of flowers, Bobby requested donations be made to the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (in memory of his beloved wife Ramona Parker), 801 Roeder Rd., Suite 400, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

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Healing the Invisible Wounds of War
by Senator Jay Rockefeller
Jun 16, 2013 | 6639 views | 0 0 comments | 4 4 recommendations | email to a friend | print

Imagine you’re the mom of three young boys with special needs. You are deeply proud of your husband, a combat veteran who served five tours of duty and earned two combat action badges. But you and your family struggle every single day with the invisible wounds of war.

Tracy White stands firmly by her husband’s side. She is with him when his unimaginable combat experiences — like taking his friend’s photograph at the moment he was killed by an IED — manifest in frightening ways. She is working with every fiber of her being to support their family, including holding down a part-time job so she can also be there for their sons.

She is also her husband’s biggest champion while he navigates an unfairly complex system to get the care and benefits he earned.

The Whites have no health coverage. When Jerry sought therapy through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), a counselor told Tracy she should sleep in another room and call the police for protection. He was told he didn’t fit into a certain stereotype of someone with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

So as he awaits a decision from the VA about his disability benefits, he remains isolated in his home. He says he feels like a prisoner.

This is someone who served his country. Who selflessly answered the call, and in doing so faced the ruthless realities of war that are forever cemented in his mind.

The system is failing him. We are failing him. But I believe we can do more. We can find a way for Jerry, and thousands of veterans like him, to get beyond this struggle.

I’m working closely with the Whites to make sure Jerry gets the care he needs, and his family gets the support they deserve, in return for his service. And I was so grateful that they joined me for a conversation I recently held in West Virginia about veterans’ mental health needs.

I’ve met with veterans on countless occasions, but this was an especially powerful and important discussion – because the Whites and other veterans and their families bravely chose to share their experiences publicly. They felt they needed to for the many others who suffer silently.

With the end of the Iraq War, and with tens of thousands of veterans coming home from Afghanistan, the VA and the Department of Defense (DOD) — both of whom were there for our conversation — know the complexities of caring for returning service members with conditions like PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

As the demand for mental health care increases, we must be prepared to answer the call for our newest veterans and those from every generation.

In recent days, the VA announced that it has filled 1,600 mental health positions and the vacancies of more than 2,000 mental health clinical providers. This is an important step, and something I pushed for.

But I believe we must do more to deliver the strong, timely, consistent, individualized care our veterans need, including providing highly-skilled doctors and therapists — and making sure that care is always available.

We must end the months-long delay that places veterans in limbo when transitioning their paperwork from active duty status at the DOD to the VA. And we can no longer expect veterans tormented by mental health issues to twist and turn through multiple levels of bureaucracy to get the care we owe them.

The reality for our veterans is that, far too often, they face a host of issues when they come home – backlogs, claim delays, stigma and lack of understanding around their private struggles. Without the right care, things can start to spiral out of control – financial hardship, marital stress, feelings of hopelessness.

This is a difficult issue. But we can’t let the complexity be an excuse for not delivering the kind of support our veterans have earned. No one is more deserving.

We know the system can work for our veterans when the VA, DOD, vet centers, counselors and support networks get it right. And we know the right kind of care when it is most needed can keep families together. It can also transform and save lives.

We should be relentless in our pursuit of that outcome for the Whites, and for each and every veteran and their loved ones.

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<p>Jamie N. Roberts</p>

Jamie N. Roberts

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Henry Jackson Cain
Jun 17, 2013 | 376 views | 0 0 comments | 3 3 recommendations | email to a friend | print

Henry Jackson Cain, 76, of Leon, W.Va., passed away June 14, 2013, in Cabell Huntington Hospital, of injuries received in an automobile accident, on June 11, near his home.

He was born January 25, 1937, in Leon, W.Va., a son of the late Roy J. and Lona Bell (Casto) Cain. His sons, Floyd Allen Cain, and Douglas Cain, a brother, Bert Hess, and sisters, Mae Lewis and Margaret Twohig, also preceded him in death.

He was formerly employed by Union Carbide, and Asphalt, Inc., and was a retired grader operator from the West Virginia Department of Highways. He was a farmer and enjoyed hunting and fishing.

Survivors include his sons, Rick Cain, and John Cain, both of Leon, Jim Cain and Lloyd Cain both of Columbus, Ohio, Tim Cain and Brian Cain, both of London, Ohio, and Henry Cain, Jr., of Tenn.; daughters, Linda Cain, and Elizabeth Cain both of London, Ohio, Hanna Leary of Jackson, Mi., Kim VanDine and Marshie Krietz, and Bonnie Cain, all of Columbus, Ohio, and Sharon Richesson of Athens, Ohio; brothers, Charles Cain of Leon, Sam Cain of Howell, Mi., and Lee Casto of London, Ohio; sisters, Mary Kimbler and Ernestine DeVault both of Sidney, Ohio, Barbara Gray of Maplewood, Ohio, and Alice Bennett of Washington Courthouse, Ohio; 40 grandchildren, and 38 great-grandchildren.

Service will be 11 a.m., Tuesday, June 18, 2013, at Casto Funeral Home Chapel, Evans, W.Va., with the Rev. Verlin Hart officiating. Burial will follow in the Creston Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m,. Monday, at the funeral home.

Email condolences may be sent to: castofh@gmail.com.

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Bobby O. Parker
Jun 17, 2013 | 153 views | 0 0 comments | 4 4 recommendations | email to a friend | print

Bobby O. Parker, 81, of Boynton Beach, Florida, passed away on June 13, 2013.

A memorial service will be held on Monday June 17, 2013 at 7 p.m. in the chapel of Palm Beach Memorial Park Funeral Home, 3691 Seacrest Blvd. Lantana, FL 33436, (561) 586-1237.

In lieu of flowers, Bobby requested donations be made to the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (in memory of his beloved wife Ramona Parker), 801 Roeder Rd., Suite 400, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

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Healing the Invisible Wounds of War
by Senator Jay Rockefeller
Jun 16, 2013 | 6639 views | 0 0 comments | 4 4 recommendations | email to a friend | print

Imagine you’re the mom of three young boys with special needs. You are deeply proud of your husband, a combat veteran who served five tours of duty and earned two combat action badges. But you and your family struggle every single day with the invisible wounds of war.

Tracy White stands firmly by her husband’s side. She is with him when his unimaginable combat experiences — like taking his friend’s photograph at the moment he was killed by an IED — manifest in frightening ways. She is working with every fiber of her being to support their family, including holding down a part-time job so she can also be there for their sons.

She is also her husband’s biggest champion while he navigates an unfairly complex system to get the care and benefits he earned.

The Whites have no health coverage. When Jerry sought therapy through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), a counselor told Tracy she should sleep in another room and call the police for protection. He was told he didn’t fit into a certain stereotype of someone with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

So as he awaits a decision from the VA about his disability benefits, he remains isolated in his home. He says he feels like a prisoner.

This is someone who served his country. Who selflessly answered the call, and in doing so faced the ruthless realities of war that are forever cemented in his mind.

The system is failing him. We are failing him. But I believe we can do more. We can find a way for Jerry, and thousands of veterans like him, to get beyond this struggle.

I’m working closely with the Whites to make sure Jerry gets the care he needs, and his family gets the support they deserve, in return for his service. And I was so grateful that they joined me for a conversation I recently held in West Virginia about veterans’ mental health needs.

I’ve met with veterans on countless occasions, but this was an especially powerful and important discussion – because the Whites and other veterans and their families bravely chose to share their experiences publicly. They felt they needed to for the many others who suffer silently.

With the end of the Iraq War, and with tens of thousands of veterans coming home from Afghanistan, the VA and the Department of Defense (DOD) — both of whom were there for our conversation — know the complexities of caring for returning service members with conditions like PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

As the demand for mental health care increases, we must be prepared to answer the call for our newest veterans and those from every generation.

In recent days, the VA announced that it has filled 1,600 mental health positions and the vacancies of more than 2,000 mental health clinical providers. This is an important step, and something I pushed for.

But I believe we must do more to deliver the strong, timely, consistent, individualized care our veterans need, including providing highly-skilled doctors and therapists — and making sure that care is always available.

We must end the months-long delay that places veterans in limbo when transitioning their paperwork from active duty status at the DOD to the VA. And we can no longer expect veterans tormented by mental health issues to twist and turn through multiple levels of bureaucracy to get the care we owe them.

The reality for our veterans is that, far too often, they face a host of issues when they come home – backlogs, claim delays, stigma and lack of understanding around their private struggles. Without the right care, things can start to spiral out of control – financial hardship, marital stress, feelings of hopelessness.

This is a difficult issue. But we can’t let the complexity be an excuse for not delivering the kind of support our veterans have earned. No one is more deserving.

We know the system can work for our veterans when the VA, DOD, vet centers, counselors and support networks get it right. And we know the right kind of care when it is most needed can keep families together. It can also transform and save lives.

We should be relentless in our pursuit of that outcome for the Whites, and for each and every veteran and their loved ones.

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<p>Jamie N. Roberts</p>

Jamie N. Roberts

slideshow
download June 17, 2013
Henry Jackson Cain
Jun 17, 2013 | 376 views | 0 0 comments | 3 3 recommendations | email to a friend | print

Henry Jackson Cain, 76, of Leon, W.Va., passed away June 14, 2013, in Cabell Huntington Hospital, of injuries received in an automobile accident, on June 11, near his home.

He was born January 25, 1937, in Leon, W.Va., a son of the late Roy J. and Lona Bell (Casto) Cain. His sons, Floyd Allen Cain, and Douglas Cain, a brother, Bert Hess, and sisters, Mae Lewis and Margaret Twohig, also preceded him in death.

He was formerly employed by Union Carbide, and Asphalt, Inc., and was a retired grader operator from the West Virginia Department of Highways. He was a farmer and enjoyed hunting and fishing.

Survivors include his sons, Rick Cain, and John Cain, both of Leon, Jim Cain and Lloyd Cain both of Columbus, Ohio, Tim Cain and Brian Cain, both of London, Ohio, and Henry Cain, Jr., of Tenn.; daughters, Linda Cain, and Elizabeth Cain both of London, Ohio, Hanna Leary of Jackson, Mi., Kim VanDine and Marshie Krietz, and Bonnie Cain, all of Columbus, Ohio, and Sharon Richesson of Athens, Ohio; brothers, Charles Cain of Leon, Sam Cain of Howell, Mi., and Lee Casto of London, Ohio; sisters, Mary Kimbler and Ernestine DeVault both of Sidney, Ohio, Barbara Gray of Maplewood, Ohio, and Alice Bennett of Washington Courthouse, Ohio; 40 grandchildren, and 38 great-grandchildren.

Service will be 11 a.m., Tuesday, June 18, 2013, at Casto Funeral Home Chapel, Evans, W.Va., with the Rev. Verlin Hart officiating. Burial will follow in the Creston Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m,. Monday, at the funeral home.

Email condolences may be sent to: castofh@gmail.com.

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Bobby O. Parker
Jun 17, 2013 | 153 views | 0 0 comments | 4 4 recommendations | email to a friend | print

Bobby O. Parker, 81, of Boynton Beach, Florida, passed away on June 13, 2013.

A memorial service will be held on Monday June 17, 2013 at 7 p.m. in the chapel of Palm Beach Memorial Park Funeral Home, 3691 Seacrest Blvd. Lantana, FL 33436, (561) 586-1237.

In lieu of flowers, Bobby requested donations be made to the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (in memory of his beloved wife Ramona Parker), 801 Roeder Rd., Suite 400, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

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Comments-icon Post a Comment
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Healing the Invisible Wounds of War
by Senator Jay Rockefeller
Jun 16, 2013 | 6639 views | 0 0 comments | 4 4 recommendations | email to a friend | print

Imagine you’re the mom of three young boys with special needs. You are deeply proud of your husband, a combat veteran who served five tours of duty and earned two combat action badges. But you and your family struggle every single day with the invisible wounds of war.

Tracy White stands firmly by her husband’s side. She is with him when his unimaginable combat experiences — like taking his friend’s photograph at the moment he was killed by an IED — manifest in frightening ways. She is working with every fiber of her being to support their family, including holding down a part-time job so she can also be there for their sons.

She is also her husband’s biggest champion while he navigates an unfairly complex system to get the care and benefits he earned.

The Whites have no health coverage. When Jerry sought therapy through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), a counselor told Tracy she should sleep in another room and call the police for protection. He was told he didn’t fit into a certain stereotype of someone with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

So as he awaits a decision from the VA about his disability benefits, he remains isolated in his home. He says he feels like a prisoner.

This is someone who served his country. Who selflessly answered the call, and in doing so faced the ruthless realities of war that are forever cemented in his mind.

The system is failing him. We are failing him. But I believe we can do more. We can find a way for Jerry, and thousands of veterans like him, to get beyond this struggle.

I’m working closely with the Whites to make sure Jerry gets the care he needs, and his family gets the support they deserve, in return for his service. And I was so grateful that they joined me for a conversation I recently held in West Virginia about veterans’ mental health needs.

I’ve met with veterans on countless occasions, but this was an especially powerful and important discussion – because the Whites and other veterans and their families bravely chose to share their experiences publicly. They felt they needed to for the many others who suffer silently.

With the end of the Iraq War, and with tens of thousands of veterans coming home from Afghanistan, the VA and the Department of Defense (DOD) — both of whom were there for our conversation — know the complexities of caring for returning service members with conditions like PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

As the demand for mental health care increases, we must be prepared to answer the call for our newest veterans and those from every generation.

In recent days, the VA announced that it has filled 1,600 mental health positions and the vacancies of more than 2,000 mental health clinical providers. This is an important step, and something I pushed for.

But I believe we must do more to deliver the strong, timely, consistent, individualized care our veterans need, including providing highly-skilled doctors and therapists — and making sure that care is always available.

We must end the months-long delay that places veterans in limbo when transitioning their paperwork from active duty status at the DOD to the VA. And we can no longer expect veterans tormented by mental health issues to twist and turn through multiple levels of bureaucracy to get the care we owe them.

The reality for our veterans is that, far too often, they face a host of issues when they come home – backlogs, claim delays, stigma and lack of understanding around their private struggles. Without the right care, things can start to spiral out of control – financial hardship, marital stress, feelings of hopelessness.

This is a difficult issue. But we can’t let the complexity be an excuse for not delivering the kind of support our veterans have earned. No one is more deserving.

We know the system can work for our veterans when the VA, DOD, vet centers, counselors and support networks get it right. And we know the right kind of care when it is most needed can keep families together. It can also transform and save lives.

We should be relentless in our pursuit of that outcome for the Whites, and for each and every veteran and their loved ones.

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<p>Jamie N. Roberts</p>

Jamie N. Roberts

slideshow