Wednesday, November 6, 2013

  • Call to order- 09:30
  • Invocation – Prayer
  • Pledge of Allegiance – Everyone recites pledge
  • Greetings: Recognition of visitors and guests –
  • Announcements – Ralph Donais, Chairman -Jerry Kyser, Vice Chairman

 

  • A few new members joining tonight, welcome
  • November 11th at Earl Brown Terrace
    Salute to Veterans
    763-560-6929
    RSVP by end of day
  • Nickelodeon is donating 150 free passes to theme park for Veterans Day
    November 10th at Mall of America
  • Thank You for everyone who supported the Honor Flight Return
    Over 350 people at Hubert Humphrey to greet returning Vets
    Took 89 Veterans
    Accessibility trouble due to shutdown, 1 man was injured
    Eventually rectified situation, went in no matter what to see memorials
    Korean, Vietnam memorials were skipped due to lack of accessible facilities
    April 26th is next Honor Flight
    October 11th is the next Flight after April

State Agencies and MN Veteran Assistance Organizations

Legislative Director for Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs: Mike McElhiney

  • Busy office
  • Achieved 18.9 million share of state funding to complete Minneapolis Phase 3
  • Worked to identify to how to count beds to maximize treatment available
  • Trend is there is lack of long term health care resources for Veterans
  • Currently still working on subcommittee working on issue of housing options and homeless Veterans
    More hearings to happen
    Recommendations will be produced after
  • Bonding Portion of Biennium
    Assets Preservation request
    10 million for 50 buildings for typical updating and repairs
    Hope to spend bonding dollars evenly with repairs
  • Initiatives put forward up to Governor’s Office
    Decisions won’t be made until late January
    Updates to follow
  • Re-Grand opening of Whipple building
  • Philmore County Cemetery Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
    Friday night, Governor is keynote speaker
    Congressmen Wahl
    10.1 million dollar grant to build new cemetery
    Just off of Highway 52
    www.mn.gov/mdva
  • State Ceremony on Monday for Veterans Day
    Several events listed on website
  • Colonel Best and Co. are at a Conference
    Will send email with important dates
    Today is conference
    Military Appreciation Night at Vikings Game
    11th Nov. is Breakfast at Grove Heights
    11th Nov. Yellow Ribbon Proclamation at City of Becker High School
    14th Nov. is Normadale College Yellow Ribbon
    16th Nov. City of Eden Prairie 16th Yellow Ribbon Salute to Veterans Luncheon
    19th Nov. Military Action Group at Capital
    26th Nov. Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast
    1st Dec. yellow Ribbon: Largest YRC certified
    7th Dec. #4th Infantry Division Change of Command
    14th Dec. Yellow Ribbon Proclamation at Anoka
    17th Jan. Company Proclamation for MOA
  • Summary of Women Veterans Luncheon
    October 12th-Luncheon
    75 women Veterans
    12 of which were WWII Veterans
    Great event

MN Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV)- Kathy Vitalis

  • Golf Tournament hopefully in June
  • Next Tuesday : Stand down at Mankato Verizon Wireless Center ( last for the year)
  • Two Legal Clinics coming up soon ( last for the year)
    November 14th at Minneapolis VA Health Care system on 2nd floor
    November 26th in St. Cloud
    Any Veteran welcome to consult with attorneys
  • Hoping to get calendar together to release early next year for events
  • Annual Holiday Open House at Building 47
    Dec. 6th, 12-4 pm.
    Anyone is welcome
  • Housing in Duluth, Mankato- Structured Independent Living homes
    If you want to see, contact to make appointment
    Announcement of $1000 contribution towards homeless Vets from Greek Orthodox Church
    Above and Beyond Award to Sue in Mankato Office

VAHCS Mpls- Director Patrick J. Kelley

  • Document from Veterans Integrative Services Network
    Outreach document
    Lists medical facilities, service locations, services available
    Discusses Affordable Care Act as well
  • Parking Ramp is ahead of schedule
  • New CBOCs opening( Community Based Outpatient Clinics)
    Southern Minnesota border
    South West Metro Area of Twin Cities
    Contracts awarded within next month, opened in Spring
    Will be 12th and 13th CBOCs
    Now have 9 CBOCs in MN, and 4 in WI
  • Expanding space in Chippewa Valley CBOC, also adding services
  • Flag Atrium at Medical Center is still closed up due to Construction
    Finished around March
    Maximizing space available to centralize certain services
  • Research Proposal recently approved
    1 of 8 sites approved in study
    Several different areas of study in over 500 active research protocols
    Lung cancer screening project
    Identify heavy smokers
    Low-dose radiation treatments
    Hope to catch cancers early and treat them
  • Uof M nursing students partnership
    20 nursing students do their clinical work for Junior and Senior year
  • New and improved ID cards coming
  • Make a point to make better communication at Medical Center
  • Hiring more doctors for Ramsey Clinic to deal with large number of Veterans
  • Minneapolis VA was awarded as a Top Performing Hospital

Military Action Group

  • Start process where Veteran business can get certified by MN
    Rep. Detmer and others in MAG working on legislation
    Encourage more Veteran owned business to begin process
    Contact us afterwards to bid on construction projects
  • Vikings Stadium will go down earlier than expected due to no playoffs
  • Working to get tax reduction for disabled Veterans for homes
  • Businesses can ask Disabled Veterans to work for them without it being labeled as discrimination

Rep. Ernie Leidiger

  • Veterans as a constituency are decreasing
  • Concerned that we won’t have lobbying power to place appropriate resources for Veterans
    Will have to ‘yell louder’ to gain resources
  • Purging in Active Duty Military story
    Will need to be stronger as a force

Chaplain Glen Bloomstrom- Living Works Education

  • Large contracts with Department of Defense for Suicide Awareness and Prevention Training
    How to recognize people at risk
    Group of 30-40 retired chaplains
    Training chaplains to do SAPT with your Veteran training
    Non-proselytizing, non-denominational services
    Don’t want our warriors leaving a legacy of suicide
    14thNov. between 10-2pm at Fort Snelling Chapel
    Short program that teaches people how to ask about suicide
    Want to partner with Veterans for training

Federal Agencies

VA Regional Office- Antoine Waller

  • Had to furlough about 160 employees but all back now
  • Never stopped processing claims
  • As of June, took over 8,000 claims, down to hundreds
  • Reconstruction feedback has been that space is nice
  • Want to improve services to get exams processed quickly
    Telehealth and CBOCs would help
  • Electronic and paperless environment is at 80%
  • Fully developed claims are priority; aim to have completed within 90 days

VISN 23- Steve Julius, Chief Medical Officer

  • On Veterans Day, HBO is airing documentary on VA Crisis Line
  • Previews indicate that it’s very powerful, affirms efforts of medical staff at VA Crisis Line
  • Chippewa Falls CBOC expansion
  • Iowa City VA started “Dine on Demand” program
    Room service from their room so Veterans can select dining choice
  • VISN 8 in Florida
    Pilot w/pharmacies to have Veterans have flu shot at pharmacies but have VA pay for it
    If it works for flu shots, perhaps utilizing same system to dispense prescription medication as well
  • Effective February 2014, Dr. Robert Petzel is retiring, will stay until secured replacement
    Search committee is in place
  • Deputy Undersecretary for Health and Operations Management Bill Shoneheart
    Current Network Director Jan Murphy will be Acting Deputy Undersecretary in Washington

St. Cloud VA HCS- Sharon Meschke

  • Struggling with areas of access
  • Several new providers hired so access should improve
  • MRI is fully operational
  • Hutchinson area home base primary care is taking off after hired employee
  • New rehab center and new kitchen construction to begin soon
  • Design meetings with architect for community living center cottages, new infusion center, and addition to mental health building
  • Wind turbine: Contractor under pressure to  make it become functional
  • Public Affairs:
    Annual Veterans Day Parade on Sunday, November 10th at 1pm at Apollo HS
    Nov 11th: Veterans Day Observance Ceremony
    Friday, Nov. 8th: Caregiver Support Fair
  • Joint Commission Survey last week
    3 of 4 areas had no findings
    Barb Umpke has transitioned to White City DOM as Associate Director

Fort Snelling Cemetery- Brad Butler

  • Road construction is done
  • Post Road gate is open from 8:30-3:30
  • Shelter 4 deconstructed, still completing, hopefully done by end of year
  • Memorial wall should be finished within the month
  • Did 479 internments in October
  • 217 Rifle Squad services
  • Will be retiring at end of this month

Tom Grahek, Director of Debt Management Center

  • Mission: Balance veterans and beneficiaries’ situations with debt management
  • National organization: service to entire country
  • Help with audits, repayment plans, etc.
  • Also had to furlough, at 100% now
  • Access is a priority: how employees can get knowledge and services
  • Contact: Adding virtual hold and scheduled call back to enhance customer service
  • Call center number: 1-800 -827- 0648

Federal Congressional Representatives and Senators

Tim Cossalter from Senator Klobuchar’s Office

  • Opposition on TriCore prime, still pressing on
  • NDA:
  • Military Sexual Assault Prevention Act
  • DoD Inspector General Investigations of Sexual Assault Retaliation
  • Veterans to Paramedics Transition Acts
  • TriCore Prime Act
  • Veterans Access to Care Act
  • Been focusing on sexual assault
  • Lt. General has requested a meeting with Senator

Chaz Johnson from 2nd District Representative’s Office

  • Supported 3 bills: Veteran Centric
  • HR2189 :Task force to address backlog with disability claims
  • HR1405: Requires VA to put appeals form in response
  • HR2481: Economic Opportunity Administration- helps transition to civilian life
  • Closed Service Academy applications- great to meet new kids
  • Home Depot provides grants and does Community Service- refurbished the South St. Paul VFW(new to district)
  • Last fish fry of the year-go check out the new paint and get some fish
  • Question about bill regarding HR347- freedom of speech

Connie Haddeland from the 4th District Representative’s Office

  • Excited about Service Academy applications
  • Public Law 113-21: relates to Vietnam Memorial Center-appropriate way to acknowledge donors
  • Recent bill HR3396: Veterans’ Health Care Stamp Act-money from stamps would fund supporting service member’s families while recovering from combat injuries
  • Note passing of CW Bill Young
  • Congresswoman will be out in Grove Heights for Veterans Day

Nicole Pelzer- 6th District Representative’s Office

  • Jason from DC Office has several pieces of legislation he’s looking over
  • As Veterans, let office know if you are supporting any legislation
  • Up to 70 co-sponsors to establish a select committee on POW affairs
  • Congresswoman visited a MN soldier at Walter Reed
  • Only 10 Service Academy applications-excited to have them

Rick Olseen-8th District Representative’s Office

  • Still accepting applications for Service Academy
  • Congressmen visited clinics
  • Attended dedication for Homeless Veterans apartment building
  • Retreat at Camp Ripley
  • Working with Polaris for 4-wheeler distribution
  • Former State Senator
  • Announcements

We need your help at Capital, February 27th

Meeting in Recess for 5 Minutes

Adjournments/Next Meeting 9:30 AM – Wednesday 6 November, 2013
Treasury Report:

  • Balance as of September 1st: $4552.34
    No income in October, Spent $120 for expenses
    $4,402.59 is ending balance for as of November 1st
    Motion to accept: motion accepted
  • Old Business:
    Brochure ideas needed before December meeting
    Jim Cleary is a retiree: has 2 people replacing him
    UVLC award
    Will push for Veterans to push for bonding with bill

New Business:

  • No more new business, meeting adjourned , next meeting is December 4th

“The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional as to how they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their country.” – George Washington, 1789