Wednesday, September 6, 2006 9:30 UVLC Agenda
• Call to order by the Chairman
• Pledge of Allegiance
• Invocation-Air Force National Guard Chaplin Rob Lubben
• Recognition of visitors and guests and Commander’s of VSO’s
• Reports from:
1. Chairman –
Jerry Kyser encouraged everyone to attend the opening ceremony for the MIA – POW 24 hour vigil. It will be on September 15 at 15:30 under the canopy of the Veterans Service Building. There will be a rifle salute, fly over, bagpiper, and wreath ceremony. Ken Hanson, Korean War POW will be the keynote speaker. Vice Chairman- Ralph Donais, recently returned from the TREA National Convention. He was deeply moved by a presentation done by a mother who has lost her son in the war for freedom. What courage.
2. State Agencies
• MN Commissioner Clark Dyrud-Update—Campus Rep Program is up and running. The Governor wants to finish the job that he started. He is committed to completing full funding for VSO/Retiree taxation. The budget is not set until November. There will be trial by fire at Grandview with all service organization people in one place at one time. Mike PugleiseProgress on WWII memorial. There is a live web cam so that everyone can view the progress. The memorial has sufficient funds for completion. There is still money coming in as donations. Funds are being accepted for the dedication ceremony. Julie Carie-has been promoted to the position of Director of Communication. Motorcycle plates are now available. $471,000 has been collected from the sale of the vehicle license plates. The
Summit will take place on September 21, 2006 at 7:30 at the Mpls Convention Center. Beginning with a continental breakfast. At noon there will be a lunch and learn session. At 4:30 there will be a call to action by Adjutant General Shellito. There are 65 tables for staticdisplay. This will be a great resource center. 4:30-7:30 there will be a kid’s corner.
• MN Rep. Kathy Tingelstad, Andover, MN-A special thanks to Pat Turgeon who works diligentently on the different initiatives for the Gov. Operation of Veteran Affairs Committee. Mn was recognized at both the American Legion and VFW conventions for its programs that deal with issues of integration; getting back into the community. Minnesota is getting national recognition for programs for veterans. Our veterans are running for office. Well-trained people with great leadership skills. The State fair had a MN military absentee voting. Thank you for your service.
• MN Military Affairs-Jeff Alger, director. Us Dept of Vet Affairs Veteran Benefits Admin. Greetings from Sue Ihrke. Former Director,Vince Crawford, also sends greetings. Interesting occurrence…Jeff attended a Purple Heart ceremony. A Lance Corporal was wounded two times in 48 hours. A bullet entered into his head by his eye and out his ear. All he wanted to do was to get a hearing aide so that he could hear his patients and get back to the field. He is a medic who speaks fluent Arabic. General Shellito wishes to have a full contingency to greet the 3,000 returning National Guard troops in February and March. We don’t want the 90 day waiting period. We wants to meet with each soldier within 30 days.
• Military Affairs, Lt Savage-Staff Sgt Josh Hanson’s funeral will be at noon on Saturday at the Pelican Rapids High School. Thanks for your support. There will be 60 returning National Guardsmen on Saturday. They surveyed and took pictures. The Air National Guard has 110 deployed who are civil engineers. In January 130 will go to Afghanistan, 39 will be deployed from Duluth.
• 88th Regional Readiness Command-William Geddes- 500 Minnesotans are now mobilized. There are many cross leveled units, meaning that more than 2,000 troops have gone out into other units from other states for support. 22 soldiers have been killed. On September 17 there will be a promotional ceremony at Ft Snelling for Sgt. Maupin, the only MIA in Iraq. Call 612-713-3012 for more information. There will be an open house on October 15th 9:30-
3:30 for the Museum of the US Army Reserve. Largest display of working armor of the 88th Infantry Division.
• MN Veteran’s Home-Chip Cox- Greetings from the board of directors. They are working on the ’08-’09 budgets for the legislative session. There is a great deal of progress on the construction projects. Building 17, Mpls Campus, dining room, Fergus Falls, dementia unit is progressing nicely. There is still an ongoing search for a Director. There is interim leadership in place. They are using a company to recruit new leadership. There is a woodshop at Hastings that makes wonderful products. It was suggested that a sample be brought to one of the UVLC meetings.
• MN Assistance Council for Vets-Kathy Vitalis-The standdown helped 500 veterans. There were over 30 providers. One hundred Reservist and National Guard helped with set up and take down. The U of M interfaced with MACV. After action reports will be complete to assist with next years planning.
• U of M VP, University Relations-Linda Thrane-update on the stadium memorial project. Principals that have developed: Accessible on game days and every day reminder of “A Sense of Place.” This will be for all Minnesotans in the past and in the future. Originally this memorial was for WWI Veteran recognition. Vets will work with the U of M. The architects have not given any renderings as of this date. The thought is to have a perpetual light and flag. Key Veteran leaders and the U of M will work hand in hand to evaluate the designs for the memorial. The environmental impact statement is done. Ground breaking will be September 30, 2006. Unveiling of the schematic design in November. Hope to see pre design yet this week. Now the issue is fundraising for the memorial. The City of
Minneapolis is also working on Memorial Park by the Grain Belt Brewery. Different veteran organizations are on the committee, including the UVLC. Artifacts and the actual monument from memorial stadium are placed in the McNamara building. TCF has contributed 97 million dollars to the U of M for the use of its name. 35 million for the
stadium. The rest is for educational scholarship and projects.
3. Federal Agencies
• St Cloud VA Hospital-Cheryl Thieschafer -Growth continues at the rate of 7% up from last year. They’ve seen 30,000 veterans. Actively recruiting for five more providers. This takes time. The desire is to hire those whom embody the mission statement. Women’s Health Day Program on September 22, 2006. This day is being set apart to encourage eligible women veterans to come out to see what we have to offer them in the line of services. The National Guard Community Re-integration program will be on October 12, 2006 in St Cloud. 330 are at our center every night. We continue to do outreach.
• VISN 23& Mpls VA-Steve Kleinglass-The housing authority has worked together with the VA to provide affordable housing, which Jimmy Lee will comment about later. Seventy-five have been treated in the trauma unit. Hundreds are receiving outpatient care. These are heroes that have served our country. The patient privacy area to the hospital is being renovated. The new spinal cord injury project is underway. Bids are in. This will be awarded by the 20th of September. New doctors have been hired. Western Wisconsin, in the Rice Lake area has been approved and funded. This facility will be open in 2007.
• Ft Snelling Cemetery-Art Smith-Total interments in Augst-375(172, caskets/203 cremations) Total year to date 4,006(2009 caskets/1997 cremations) Total-171,640(142,209 caskets/29,431 cremations) There are some issues with the construction of the columbarium. The capstones have been cracking. This is under investigation. There is an additional expansion to begin in October for 20 million dollars, to develop the acreage for burial and roadwork. A team from Washington is coming to observe the success and accomplishments of Ft Snelling Cemetary.
• Jimmie L. Coulthard – Cruse-Miller Garrison- the North building has 20 residents residing in the facility. The challenge is for the applicants to complete their rental resumes. You can’t start your program here. You need to bring your program here. Call 612-371-0766 . The open house will be in October. It is very nice housing. The rest of the project will be ready in October. Building 11 will also be ready for office space. The Al Loehr housing now has 11
residents, seven whom are veterans.
• Other Organizations- The UVLC presented Penny O’Neill with a certificate of appreciation for a lifetime of support to veterans.
• MAG Military Action Group. The National Guard’s last year’s bills were set in order to provide for college tuition. The reservists should be entitled to the same benefits. Wisconsin gives free education. Over 200 students in the state went to Wisconsin instead of staying in Mn. This needs to change. There is other information about extending TRI care. Standdown is 27th of October in Saint Cloud. Retiree activity day on the 30th of September at Mystic Lake. There are brochures for Veteran’s on the Lake that Ralph brought to the meeting. As of the 7th of January Medicare is reducing the amount of money that they are giving to your provider. Check with your provider. It will affect your supplemental insurance. This is not right. TREA resolution is established to have a brain trauma unit somewhere in the VA system. Disability income is tax free/ retirement income is not.
• There will be a historical opportunity at Fort Snelling on the 15th of September at 10:00. Call 612-725-2407 if you are a WWII veteran and would like to share your stories with students for historical educational purposes.
4. Federal Congressional Reps
2nd District John Kline-Larry reported that John Kline just flew to WA. He has been on recess since July. Military HR5355 is in the Senate and has not passed out of committee.
4th District Betty McCollum-Josh Straka- Medicare Part D. Attended the Guard tour at
Camp Ripley. They are training soldiers for urban freedom.
6th District Mark Kennedy-Chris Swedzinski-Increase of veterans case load by 50%.
7th District Collin Peterson-Al Loehr. The defense authorization bill is on the Senate side. They took a 7 million dollar cut in brain injury program at Walter Reed Hospital. 12,000 men and women are going to be affected. The hope is that in the conference committee this will be restored. Get on the phone and call Dayton and Coleman’s offices. The defense operation bill got a good vote in the house.
8th District James Oberstar-Rob Vanasek- The cost of war does not end. Working on PTSD. Information hearing on Medicare Part D. Their office has done some casework. 55 years after the fact, they helped someone receive their purple heart that they had earned.
5. Meeting in Recess for 10 minutes
6. Old Business-
Mn State Fair went very well. There is still a need for volunteers at the Armed Service Center at the airport. Sid has applications.
7. New Business-
A motion was made by Roger Ball to send a certificate of appreciation to Steve Musser for his years of service. Larry Dean seconded it. Jerry Kyser called Steve. He will be attending the Oct meeting to receive his certificate personally. Jerry Kyser will be attending the County Veteran’s Service Officer Banquet at Grandview Lodge on 9-11-06. Adjournment/ Next meeting will be on Wednesday, October 4th at 9:30 in Building 9 VA Campus