Letter to the Editor: The facts

We are writing in response to the Director of Jasper County Veterans Affairs letter dated July 22, 2025. He wrote ‘the full facts’ were not given in our letter dated July 15. We wanted to provide ‘ALL the facts’ as they happened from the ones involved.

Prairie Meadows in Altoona, was hosting an event ‘From Iowa & Back – The Vietnam Era’ on July 8. Our group, Jasper County Vietnam Veterans, expressed an interest in attending. Our members are older, some do not drive at night so we, Donna Stravers, Patrica Hollenbeck and Pam Schnathorst, thought ‘Let’s see if Jasper County Veterans Affairs office could arrange transportation for that night.’

June 16, Donna & Patricia went to the Jasper County Veterans Affairs office. Donna signed in including her phone number. The director and his assistant were in the director’s office. The assistant came out, shut the director’s door, and talked with us. We shared the event information with him, asked if it was possible for them to arrange transportation for that night. He said he would contact the Commissioners and get back to us. We asked if he would call us. He said yes, he would call later in the week. He had the name and number right there. We had not heard from them, it was time to RSVP to Prairie Meadows, we told our group they were on their own for transportation.

July 15, we sent the letter to the paper thanking Prairie Meadows and telling facts about our request to Veterans Affairs Office. The director noted our attendance at the June Veterans Affairs Commission meeting – yes, we were there for Commissioner Fred Chabot’s last meeting on the Commission. We gave him a card from our Group thanking him for serving on the Commission and all he has done for the Veterans.

We called the director after reading his letter. He said he was looking into a request form for future requests that would include all information, signed, and dated. We hope this happens so the next group of veterans asking for assistance will not be lost in secondhand information as it was in our case.

Jasper County Vietnam Veterans

Patricia Hollenbeck, Donna Stravers, Pam Schnathorst