WESTFIELD – Shortly after one o'clock yesterday, the Scanlon Banquet Hall at Westfield State University began buzzing with activity, as the Veteran and Military Resource Fair got off and running.
In it's second year, the event looks to provide current and former military servicemen and women with a variety of opportunities through organizations like Veterans Affairs, Veterans Inc., Disabled Veterans of America, and the Holyoke Soldiers Home, along with education and service organizations designed to assist veterans.
“It's kind of an open event to all veterans on campus, but it's also open to the outside public,” said William LaFever, veteran and military services coordinator for Westfield State. “The VA enrolled seventeen veterans last year, which is pretty good. We probably had a couple hundred people come through last year.”
Asked to summarize in his own words the mission of the event, LaFever, a retired Army veteran who is currently pursuing a master's degree from WSU, spoke passionately of the fair's importance.
“To bring the services that are available for veterans to them,” he said. “There are so many services out there that veterans aren't aware of. I found that most vets don't know that they get VA coverage for five years after they get out of the service and they're not taking advantage of it.”
LaFever said that of the over 300 veterans on campus, the majority of them have served in the Air Force, due in no small part to the proximity of the Barnes Air National Guard Base on Airport Road.
Several veterans were socializing with the assorted organization representatives early in the event, including Billy Hunt, a recently retired Navy veteran from just outside of Asheville, North Carolina, who was stationed all over the country for twelve and a half years, and started at Westfield State last month with the of hope of getting into the school's growing nursing program.
“Boston was one of my favorite cities,” said Hunt of his time in New England. “One of my good friends who was in the Air Force lives out here, so I'm living with him and going to school.”
“It's good that they've brought it here, so you can sign up for your benefits in one place, and not wonder where you have to go,” he said.
As to whether he would end up staying in New England, Hunt admitted the jury is still out.
“We'll see after the first winter.” he said with a chuckle.
Non-military students were on hand as well, including Melanie Adamopoulos, a junior sociology major from Lynn and member of the school's sociology club, who is looking to engage campus community to support active duty military members, especially with the holiday seasons approaching.
“We want to try to give something back to the men and women who serve us and fight for us,” she said. “Whether it's care packages, anything. We want to put something together, and it's something I never knew much about, which is why I came here (to the fair). I want to be a part of something bigger than myself.”
Adamopoulos added that information she received from the various representatives at the fair were of great help, giving out business cards and advice.
“I have a cousin in the military, and I think of him and my grandparents, who were in the Navy,” she added, reinforcing some personal motivation for her project. “I think we'll get enough people in the school and community to go through with this, which is what you hope for these kinds of events. It's cliche, but it's the thought that counts.”
For Jim Perrault, this event, though his first time working at it for the VA's Central-Western Massachusetts Healthcare branch, is what makes his job worth it.
“For us as an agency, it's about targeting the veterans,” he said. “We have a big drive on to employ veterans. We actually have a performance measure to hire veterans, which allows us to get veterans in the door with much less competition.”
“We love to come out here. We're the VA, we should be hiring veterans.” he added.
Perrault, a Chester native and veteran of the Army Police, said his career with Veterans Affairs started because of his father.
“He was a vet, and he used to go to the VA for treatment because he didn't have health insurance,” he said. “So it's a personal connection, for the way they treated my father and the care he received. He kept encouraging me to apply to the VA and I didn't know much about it, but I applied and a year later, I was hired.”
“I wouldn't change it,” he said. “I'm very happy where I'm at. It's been a great career, and I'd love to be there for the guys.”
Representing the Whip City's own American Legion Post 124 were Commander Gene Theroux, an Air Force veteran who retired after almost 39 years of service, and Martin Madrid, the Post's senior vice commander and a ten-year Army veteran.
“We've a couple young veterans stop by,” said Theroux. “We deal a lot with membership, trying to get new, younger members in. We lose a lot of members every year. World War II, Korean, Vietnam vets, you lose a lot every year… So we're trying to replace that so they can help us work in the community, get involved in all the things we're involved in.”
