Putting "Supporting our troops into action"

  1. Batavia VFW Salues C Troop 106 Cav
  2. Louise White School Honors Alumni
  3. Batavia Salutes Fallen Troops
  4. Treating “Wounds Of The Mind”

 

 

Batavia VFW Salutes Aurora National Guard Unit Deploying to Afghanistan

 

The Batavia Overseas Post 1197 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars presented the Colors and saluted the men of C Troop of the 106 Calvary of the Illinois National Guard as they prepared to deploy to Afghanistan. The Batavia Post has been supporting C Troop for over 6 years. In 2002 C Troop was deployed  as part of the 178th Infantry Battalion as part of Task Force Santa Fe, in which it performed force protection duties in and around Heidelberg, Germany. During their deployment the Post sent comfort packages to the unit. Since that time the post has adopted the unit and plans to support the members and their families while deployed. Post Commander Robert Zeman addressed the troops during the deployment ceremony.

The deployment ceremony honored approximately 70 Soldiers of Troop C, 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry at the Aurora East High School football field on Saturday, Aug. 16. 

The Soldiers are deploying to Afghanistan this year as part of the 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) and will form Police Mentor Teams (PMTs) which will train and mentor the Afghan National Police.  The PMTs will also conduct patrols and security missions alongside the Afghan National Police.

Troop C, 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry is one of approximately 30 units of the 33rd IBCT and two units from the 404th Chemical Brigade that will deploy to Afghanistan to form Task Force Phoenix VIII.  They will be joined in theater by various coalition partners and forces from other U.S. service components to form the remainder of the task force.  

            The Batavia Post has teamed up with the Fox Valley Troop Support organization to support not only C Troop but also deployed service men and women throughout the Fox Valley. The support group was on hand to provide family and friends with complementary cold drinking water to the large crowd of well wishers. The organization is co-chaired by Kathy Tobusch and Sarah Giachino. Pictured is Steve Tobusch, who has just returned from deployment in Iraq, Kathy Tousch (center) and Sarah Giachino (right). For more information about the support group contact Sarah at Myconfident@aol.com. The VFW Post can be contacted at their post home in Batavia at 630.879.9630. Post member Mike Breyne will be coordinating the support for C Troop during their deployment. The VFW provides Uplink Cards (phone cards) to deployed troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since 1996 Operation Uplink has provided over 8.5 million phone cars to active-duty troops and hospitalized veterans. The VFW hosts “Free Call Days” on special holidays throughout the year, troops can call home at no charge_ from Internet cafes throughout Iraq and Afghanistan. One of the biggest challenges for the VFW stated Mike Breyne was to support the families of the deployed soldiers. To help with any unexpected financial needs the VFW has teamed up with Vermont American. Military families can apply for cash grants of up to $2,500 to cope with emergencies and get through tough times. Through the VFW Military Assistance Program the VFW sponsored morale-boosting events and comradeship. Amercian Legion Post 504 was also present presenting information to families and deploying soldiers. The Legion took pictures of soldiers and/or families to be printed on pillows.

            Ralph Gebes, Assistant Public Relations Director of the Department of Illinois, VFW stated that the success of providing assistance to the military and their families is due to team work. “As a member of the Inter-Service Family Assistance Committee, the VFW works with military Family Readiness Groups, government agencies and other non-profit organizations such as the Red Cross and USO to provide support for the military and their families. This is especially important for the guard and reserve. The families of deployed members are scattered all over the State. Veterans Service Organizations throughout the State along with other community organizations need to meet the challenge of supporting these families.” He went on to say, “Families need to know that we understand their sacrifices and that we are here to help in any way that we can, to make their life easier. As a team the ISFAC shares ideas, resources and the challenges that deployment of our military poses.”

 

 

MG Dennis Celletti presented State of Illinois Flags to the departing commanders

 

 

 

 

Family and friends joined in the ceremonies. The soldiers were given a stand ovation.

With pride in his voice Capt. Hathan Westby, C Troop Commander addressed his troops and was confident in the future success.

 

 

Members of Operation Support Our Troops Illinois were present to provide informaton about their services to the families and troops.

 

Louise White School Honors Alumni

We are creating a display to honor those LWS alumni and staff who are currently serving in the Armed Forces.  If you know of someone who once attended LWS and is now in the service, please send a photo along with his/her name and we will add him/her to our display.  This is a fine way to keep these brave young men and women in our thoughts and hearts while they are far from home.

 
Send the photos and information to Ellen Stewart, LWS.  Please include a phone number in case further information is needed. ELLEN.STEWART@bps101.net

Batavia’s Fallen Heroes 44 Who Paid the Ultimate Sacrifice

Batavia Cares is producing a special program to be aired on BATV saluting Batavia’s War Dead. The program will look at the lives of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Anyone in Batavia who has information about Batavia’s fallen can contact Batavia Cares at 630-687-1943 or info@bataviacares.org. Batavia Cares is looking for family members, stories about their lives and pictures. Watch this space for individual information and pictures of the fallen. The following is a list of those fallen and they conflict that they served in. 

WWI:                Anderson, Julius; Amandus, Benson; John Mayo Palmer; Carlson, Andrew E.; Duffy, John; Kelly, John D.; Mier, Carl Bernhard; Peterson, Elmer R.

WWII:               Alberovsky, Francis; Anderson, Arnold; Anderson, Donald; Anderson, Robert D.; Bennett, Leo Edward; Bodeen, Arden; Brill, Richard Jack; Burch, John C.; Carr, George; Christensen, Carl E.; Conde, Clare B.; Erickson, Adolph Leroy; Edwards, Dennis Arthur; Holm, Everett; Johnson, Walter H.; Martin, Charles “Ross”; Nelson, Gerald; Palecek, Jerome J.; Pye, Robert; Schmitz, Norbert; Sherman, Homer; Sherman, Donald; Sherman, Robert; Stenman, Everett G.; Stenman, Pendral; Swanson, Kenneth; Wenberg, Laverne O. ; Wiesbrock, John Raymond; Wicklund, Donald Delbert

Korean:          Bradford, Herbert Laverne; Thomas, Gordon William

Vietnam:         Fletcher, David Foster; Johnson, Charles; Johnson, Martin Raymond; Swain, Charles M.

Cold War:       Jackson, Wilbur

Francis Severin Alberovsky

 

Betti Peinsipp came to the USA in 1903 from Neustadt.  She had these children with her:  Freda, Albert and Joseph. Her husband Albert met her and they settled in Chicago on Canal street.  I don't know what happened to Albert, but Betti became Mrs Severin Alberovsky and they lived in Batavia Illinois .

Betti and Severin had one son and Francis was his name.  He was their only child and was born around 1917.  Betti died sometime late 20's.  Francis was a Boilermaker 1st class in the US Navy during WWII and went down on the USS Arizona during the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7th 1941. 

 Severin Alberovsky was Chief of Police of Batavia Ill. until 1939 when he was killed in the line of duty just shortly before the attack on Pearl Harbor.   He was killed in a high speed crash on Wilson Ave.  

 Francis graduated from Batavia High school about 1935 and joined the Navy.  Francis was married to Donna Mari and at the time of Francis death lived in Long Beach california .  Their address was 285 Orizba Ave.  Long Beach, Ca.

Distant relatives Jim and Jeff Alberhasky live in Iowa City, IA.  They are related to Francis by their great great grandfather from Bohemia.   The Great Great Grandfather had 3 wives and 20 children.  Francis is a son from the 2nd wife and Jim and Jeff are relatives from the 3rd wife.  The Alberovsky name was changed to Alberhasky.

 

Treating “Wounds Of The Mind”

Awhile back, I wrote this story about the new Restoration and Resiliation Center at Fort Bliss and how they were utilizing alternative therapies to help treat Soldiers suffering from PTSD and TBI. I also wrote a few weeks later about how they Army was hoping to replicate the program across the Army, because of the successes they were having at Fort Bliss.

Currently the US military has $4 million allotted to study whether alternative and holistic therapies can help to mend the “wounds of the mind.” Because of the high numbers of Soldiers returning that have been diagnosed with PTSD and TBI, the government is currently offering grants for groups to conduct clinical studies on the effects of therapies such as yoga, Reiki, animal assisted therapies, meditation, etc. According to the DoD’s request for proposals which closed on May 15th, they are totally supportive of the use of alternative therapies, if they are proven to be efficacious. One person, who has applied for a research grant, Lola Scarborough, the owner of Yoga Lola studio in League City, Texas, is hoping to be able to document the benefits of Kundalini yoga on veterans who are suffering form PTSD and TBI. According to Scarborough, Kundaline yoga awakens an untapped reserve within the people who utilize it, envisioned as a sleeping serpent at the base of the spine. The thought is that this untapped reserve can help veterans deal better with anger, flashbacks, depression and anxiety …. Symptoms that are often associated with PTSD and TBI.“There is a big problem with people coming back from war. They are able to survive physical wounded through body armor, but they are blowing up their brains,” Scarborough said.1Across the country, many yoga studios are offering free sessions to veterans who are suffering from PTSD and TBI. They understand that PTSD is a chronic condition and are hoping that their services will help these veterans. They’re not, by far a cure all. Often it’s found that a combination of traditional and holistic treatments work the best, which is what is occurring at the Fort Bliss program. Practitioners of the holistic practices, say that things such as yoga, which is an ancient Hindu practice of utilizing meditation through controlled breathing, balancing and stretching, is great for relieving stress and trauma. Some Soldiers in Iraq are already using the yoga techniques, doing yoga when they can in their spare time, to help relieve the stressors.The executive director of the VA’s National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, fells that the government’s willingness to attempt to find scientific proof that yoga and other holistic treatments are beneficial for patients suffering from PTSD and TBI is a positive move.“This is what science is all about, testing something that a lot of people out there say works,” said Matthew Friedman.2

I’m all for this type of research. One of my uncle’s is a practitioner in Oriental medicine and teaches at a School of Natural Therapeutics in New Mexico. He has been in the practice for years and swears by it. I’ve talked with him extensively about his thoughts in utilizing these therapies for treatment of PTSD and TBI and am pretty excited about what he’s seen and been able to do. I look forward to hearing more about this and hope that more and more military installations across the country will begin utilizing these treatments. After all, if these non-invasive and non-pharmaceutical treatments prove effective, then this is a much better avenue of treatment for our Troops, then having them doped up on medication to help them on the road to recovery.

 

   
Batavia Cares, 324 Church St., Batavia, IL 60510 630-687-1943