'Battle buddies' help Vietnam-era soldier

In the Army, the “battle buddy” system teaches soldiers to work together and look out for others – and that’s what happened recently in Priest River and Bonners Ferry.

“When my wife told me about Jerry Rogers and his challenges, I knew I had to help him,” said Jason Van Etten, the owner of Big V Handyman Services in Bonners Ferry and a combat engineer veteran with two deployments to Iraq.

Rogers, a soldier in the mid-1960s, returned to Priest River after his service to the nation, but recently his health was waning. Van Etten’s wife Jennifer met Jerry at Auburn Crest Hospice and she heard about the challenges to get into his home.

Jerry’s church in Priest River was able to help him with donations and his niece Rachel was able to build a wooden ramp, but Jason learned from his wife that a metal roof was also needed for winter weather. The roof would make walking much safer for Jerry.

A week later, Ted Moss from Priest River talked to Jerry at the Living Hope Free Methodist Church – and he learned about the need for a roof. When Moss realized that Jerry was a veteran, he connected with Jason.

“American Legion Post 147 is here to help veterans in need,” said Moss, the post’s Veteran Service Officer. “I talked to our post commander and we were there to help Jerry. Jason and Mike Haycraft from Auburn Crest Hospice worked together to help Jerry. Those two built the metal roof at no cost and Post 147 paid for the materials.”

If you are a veteran in this area and you want to help “battle buddies” in need, contact American Legion Post 147 at IdahoLegionPost147@gmail.com or call Ted Moss at 925-202-5142.