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Show fclMSU!PW Ommomi The U.S. Veterans Administration turned 55 on July 21, and in the words of current Administrator Harry N. Walters, is more than ever dedicated to serving Americas finest. The VA was created in 1930 to centralize the federal' governments responsibility for providing benefits to veterans and their dependents. Paralleling the vast increase in the number of veterans over the last 55 years, the VA has grown dramatically and is now the nations largest independent federal agency. The present veteran population of 28 million is almost six times the 4.7 million veterans living in America in the VAs of every 100 living veterans served founding year. Eighty-on- e of defined armed hostilities and account for 59 during periods of who ever all Americans served in war over two percent centuries. Altogether, 81.5 million persons - veterans, dependents and survivors of deceased veterans - are potentially eligible d for VA benefits and services. This is almost of the treatment schizophrenia, alcoholism, and the techniques of war. MAGNA TIMES 9124 W 2700 S MAGNA, UTAH vb i tt - . X ,.''! I .4 h - w t i v du, - I. I t God-center-ed Sincerely yours, I ar HOSPITAL QUIPS v . phan. Through September 30, 1984, the VA and its predecessor agencies spent $432 billion for benefits the nation has provided those who served in its military forces. The proposed Fiscal 1986 budget of about $27.7 billion is the third largest among, federal agencies, ranking behind only the ; Departments of Health and Human Services and Defense. As of December 1984, there were 241,929 employees on r the VA rolls. Of these, 220,591 were in the Department of Medicine and Surgery, 13,887 in the Department of Veterans Benefits, and 1,163 in the Department of Memorial Affairs. 'Die rest, 6,288 employees, were in the various staff offices needed to support the three major departments. - At age 55, the VA is indeed, robust and ready. , al Biochemist works against war agent i J t i DIAL" TOUCH THAT "-DON'T Governor declares s' Help the children Month Declaring August as HELP THE CHILDREN MONTH, Gov. Norm Bangerter encouraged Utahns to remember the importance of meeting the needs of all Utahs children. In his declaration Gov. Bangerter reinforced the need to help the homeless,, hurting children of Utah in order to bring an end to the poverty, abuse and neglect suffered by some of our children. announced Pam Hickman. Help the Children Month was initiated by UTAH CHILDREN, a newly organized statewide, nonprofit organization dedicated to the , -- protection homeless, According . of Utahs helpless, children. hurting to Pam Hickman, spokesman for Utah Children, Utah Children was formed as a rallying voice, dedicated to uniting all concerned individuals and groups toward one common cause -children. This month, in cooperation with other groups in the community, UTAH CHILDREN brings to your attention some of the exciting events planned for children : Guinea Pigs and Snails, a film presentation to be shown at Holladay Library at l:oo on August 17, shows how to love care for a unique pet. Discussion will follow and live guinea pigs will be on display. At 10 a.m that day live snakes will be on ' display and a program on the care of live snakes will be presented. Shows especially for children will be featured at . the Hansen Planetarium every Saturday during August from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. Hayrides and fishing are available at Wheeler Farm on August 22. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers will be presented at Sandy Recreation on August 12, Utah Childrens Day. An aviary bird show will be r presented at Liberty Park on August 5, 6 p.m. ! - Triad Theater will present a benefit performance of Fiddler on the Roof on Wednesday, August 21 at 7 p.m. A buffet catered by the Devereaux House will follow. Proceeds from this event will assist UTAH CHILDREN. At the performance, UTAH CHILDREN will honor an outstanding member of the community who has worked on behalf of children. for Tickets the benefit performance are available by - calling 5. UTAH CHILDREN is a new child advocacy organization, established by the Junior League of Salt Lake City and Utah Issues. Norma Matheson is Honorary Chair. Lillian Garrett is President of the Board of Trustees. Letters MAONATIMIS USPS to Ihc editor. I 3255-800- 0 24 Wart 2700 Sou Magna. Utah 84044 91 . i 1 HOWARD STAHIE Managing EdttarubUhnr BONNIE STAHLE Advertising end Office Meneger t Lot 13 txsiv PHONI 250-5- 5 . i i .5 . . Subscription rata $8 par yaar Published Thursday f Y you irt hove to iPotfmatlsr sand etianga af a4dm , 9 124 Watt 2700 South Second Uassrosrage Paid at Magna, Utah 84044 jsUnnwiiiiimnii iiiiiiiintiiiiiiiniiliiii s ,.! ' t j T ta: I , Magna. Utah 84044 coy Over the next three; years, Brigham Young University ' biochemist Donald Robertson will spend $220,000 to help the U.S. Army develop a vaccine against anthrax, a bacteria that kills thousands of livestock around the world each year. That amount is a pittance ot the military but a sizable chunk when compared to many research grants. So why is the Army interested in a disease fatal to animals. . Because there is evidence the Soviet Union is experimenting with a form of anthrax that can kill humans within a few days. In 1979, a number of people in the Soviet city of Sverdlovsk estmates range from a dozen to more than a thousand died of anthrax infection after an explosion at an ' army laboratory. Only anthrax inhaled in large quantities would be likely to cause such a fatal epidemic. So the evidence is that the Soviet Union probably was using anthrax in larger quantities than would be necessary ; for just normal experimentation, says Robertson. That evidence, though not absolute, was enough to in. terest the U.S. Army m developing a vaccine against pulmonary or inhalation anthrax. A human vaccine already' exists, but it is effective agaist the organism only when it causes infection through cuts or wounds, not when it is inhaled into the lungs. .Robertson spent last summer at the Armys Medical Research institute for Infectious Diseases at Fort Dietrick, Md., isolating the genes responsible for anthraxs toxicity. At BYU, he and four graduate students are using genetic engineering techniques to manipulate the isolated genes and alter their ability to direct production of three proteins that, . in combination, are potently lethal. Once they have a form of the toxin proteins that is nonfunctional but can still stimulate antmody production, it can be used as a baccine. . The anthrax organism produces toxic proteins as a normal part of its life cycle, explains Robertson. We want to modify those proteins so they re no longer biochemically e-make . , ei Cornelius U. Morgan physical fitness advocate, Walters has also inaugurated a nationwide program designed to emphasize exercise and fitness as an essential part of health care, focusing mainly on promoting wellness and independence for disabled and aging veterans. The biggest challenge to the VA in the future lies in the aging veteran population. Veterans 65 or older will increase from the present mark of 3.9 million to nearly 8.8 million before the turn of the century. By 1995, over 60 percent of U.S. males over age 65 will be veterans. In addition to hospital and nursing home care, the VA is exploring noninstitutional extended care programs such as hospital-base- d home care and residential placements in care homes. personal Congress has also authorized the VA a pilot, five-yeadult day-car- e program. The VA is a pioneer in exploring the whole subject of care for the aged and is deeply involved in research of Alzheimers disease and other problems of the aging. Eleven Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Centers have established at VA medical facilities to help push the state of the art in caring for the aging. . Without question, the nation has, and will continue to heed Abraham Lincolns admonition to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his or- !.' Dear Editor, Your largest constituency in this country, parents, are also the ones that are most flagrantly discriminated against. Why is this Primarily, the reason is that parents are not organized and do not present a united lobbying front. I would urge all parents to join some family organization to make their voice more effective in Washington. . One of the biggest issues that faces society today is how can we as how to educate our children-particula- rly tax of dollar to educate our parents get an equal share the of choice. children in the school our The primary right to educate resides with parents. This is a natural right bestowed on parents by the Creator and no constitution or government can abrogate that right. After all, who educated children before there was a formal school? Parents. Yet, parents that send their children to a private school as well as contribute to the support of public schools dont get an equal share of the educational pot and this is a flagrant violation of their civil rights. The only way that public schools will have the incentive to improve their deplorable educational program is by being made to compete with a viable fully finded private school sector. Private school parents, and they would be in the majority if parents grievances were addressed, are tired of being the dogs of society that feed off of the crumbs that fall from the bureaucratic table. When parents grievance is satisfied, you wont have boundaries and no need any more flak about church-statto push for prayer in the public schools since the only children in the public schools will be those parents are either atheists or agnostics. With the coming of integration and the subsequent deteriation of the public schools the minority driving force behind the direction of education in this country hasnt boded well for themselves or for us, the majority. (Facts-2- 0 percent of our population is functionally illiterate and nearly half of blacks) But with the present alinement of the Supreme Court we still cant look forward to an equitable share of the tax dollar. But they wont be there forever and now is the time for us to put pressure on legislators and judges for just laws and favorable decisions. Now is the time to write our representatives and senators to vote against all civil rights bill that dont have riders on them that assert and protect the civil rights of parents-particula- rly to grant to parents their fair share of the tax dollar to educate their children in the school of their choice. Let them know that if they dont support us on this issue, we wont suuport them at election time. England, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Canada, freedom of Germany, Australia and others-provi- de children. of their They family choice in the education to dollar tax education of the share parents a fair provide and other private that send thier children to schools. - , V 4 4 g. A for Letter to the Editor: " - admission-transferdischargeprocessin- psychic effect m long-ter- oj si? Walters has added a goal for the VA to: Provide better service to veterans and their families through the use of modern automatic data processing and telecommunications Work has already begun on installin a technology. Decetralized Hospital Computer Program which will greatly enhance clinical laboratory functions, pharmacy activities, patient scheduling, and patient ic amni-direction- (b) veterans. Post-Korea- To meet this challenge, the VA is providing the most comprehensive and diverse benefits programs in its history. From 54 hospitals in 1930, the VA hospital system has grown to include 172 medical centers, 228 outpatient clinics, ' 116 nursing home units (by the end of September), and 16 domiciliaries. It is the nations largest medical care system. With nearly 80,000 beds, the medical centers annually, treat 1.3 million patients, and nursing homes and domiciliaries care for an additional 30,000. Outpatient clinics register more than 18 million visits a year. Since 1979, the VA has operated a nationwide system of Vet Centers which provide readjustment counseling services to Vietnam Era veterans. By the end of 1985, 189 of these storefront centers will be in business around the country. More than 250,000 veterans and their family'members have received counseling for a variety of problems - including emstress disorder. ployment, marital and While providing high quality health care to the nationa veterans, VA also conducts an array of research activities concentrating on some of the most difficult research challenges facing medical science today. VA research helped to conquer tuberculosis; to develop the heart pacemaker; to perfect kidney transplants and to develop the laser cane for the blind. The VA is recognized as a world leader in research and development of prosthetic devices. Recent VA innovations include a robotic arm, wheelchairs and aids for diminished vision. VA researchers are exploring ways to improve the treatment of the spinalcord injured, including spinal cord rejuvenation, and are developing new, improved artificial limbs for amputees. VA psychiatrists and physhiologists are 1 capabilities to care for veterans in the decades ahead. A major effort is being made to improve services for women veterans and to insure that they are aware of their eligibility for veterans benefits, on an equal basis with male and death compensation and pension expenditures run about $14 billion annually, with monthly payments going to nearly 3 million veterans and 1.3 milliom widows and other survivors of veterans. Since 1944, when the first GI Bill becamr law, over 18.2 million beneficiaries have received education and training assistance, and 11.7 million have made use of the home loan guaranty program. Veterans education under the GI Bill include 7.8 million , from World War II, 2.4 million from the Korean Conflict, and n 8 million from the and Vietnam Eras. The VA has guarenteed over $230 billion home loans under the program which not only aided veterans, but helped spur one of the greatest building booms in history. Another of the VAs responsibilities in operation of one of the largest life insurance programs in the world. In 1984, the VA administered and supervised apporximately $146 billion in policies for 7.4 million veterans and military personnel. Since 1973, when the VA took over the NATIONAL Cemetery System, nine new national cemeteries have been established and two more have been approved. Today, there are 109 cemeteries in 38 states and Puerto Rico. Interments are expected to increase from 47,000 in 1984 to 80,000 in the , year 2000. The VA also provides over 250,000 headstones or markers each year to marie the graves of veterans buried in private and national cemeteries. Reflecting todays concerns, Administrator Walters has set several programs in motion that will add to the VAs one-thir- to develop "Jm.WMU.'JiwwinjiwiwainunowBwiiwwwBj r (oi VA disability nations population. continuing nrv The MaqnaTimesfhursdavugusT8985ag fjuWBi1 AdmiiniD,il'ir(2iii,iirii post-traumat- art 1 iiiiiiM'i hi i . activ- protein." non-function- al, non-toxi- c message in code, giving an organisms cells instructions about now they should behave. A gene is a segment of the double helix responsible for one or several traits. Using enzymes, Robertson can splice the target gene and remove some genetic material, thus altering the product. He doesnt know, however, how much to remove or where to do the splicing. We just randomly cut out certain regions of DNA, put the altered DNA back into the organism and ask, does it make protein. . The answer will be yes or no. If its yes, then ,we ask, is that protein biochemically active. . The answer can be yes, no or partially. ? So we will carry out a series of experiments until we get a construction that makes protein but makes absolutely nonfunctional protein. From there, its just a matter of getting large quantities to be used as a vaccine. The mutation process will be used separately for each of the three proteins responsible for toxicity of the anthrax The research is safe because theproteins are organ-ism- . potent only in combination with one another, Tney are har, mless alone. With a vaccine in hand, tests will be conducted with animals at the Fort Dietrick facility. Mice will be vaccinated then exposed to an aerosol pf the anthrax organism, Robertson said. The untreated animals will die within a few days, while the vaccinated ones should be resistant. In humans, the vaccine will pose no risk that recipients will get the disease, although rare allergic reactions are possible. The beauty of this particular approach is they cant get the disease from the vaccine, because they dont have a 1 1 ni'iiF the organism produce a disease. J |