The Oregon Veterans Home in The Dalles has received a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs grant to help recruit and retain high-quality nursing staff at skilled nursing facility.  The grant, which will be eligible for renewal over the next three years, will assist in funding three new initiatives at the Veterans Home.  A loan forgiveness program will reimburse registered nurses a portion of their school loans, up to $18,500, which is the cost of the RN program at Columbia Gorge Community College in The Dalles.   Another element will be signing bonuses of $5,000 to all newly hired RNs and a $1,000 bonus to all newly hired certified nursing assistants   And a third initiative will establish a permanent in-house training program for CNAs, which will give the Home much greater flexibility in maintaining an abundant supply of high-quality staff.  The award of just over $114,000 will be matched by Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs.