Meeting Minutes – October 1, 2014

  • Call to order – 09:30, Invocation – Pledge of Allegiance –
  • Greetings: Recognition of visitors and guests –
  • Announcements – Ralph Donais, Chairman – Jerry Kyser, Vice Chairman.
  • Introduced John Knatt Director of Fort Snelling Cemetery

1. Federal Congressional Representatives and Senators

4th District Representative – Betty McCollum – Connie Haddeland

  • Deadline for Service Academy coming up soon
  • Very successful event in Bloomington a few weeks ago
  • Congresswoman has signed on to a letter to Social Security Administration asking that they expedited decisions for totally disabled  Veterans
  • Also signed on to Atomic Veterans Service Medal Veterans Act: HR:4778
    • In House sub committee
  • It is campaign time!

6th District Representation – Michele Bachmann – Nicole Pelzer

  • Cosponsor on HR:318 to authorize private funds to be raised to create a wall of Remembrance at the Korean War Memorial
  • Also met withVFW Legislative Chairman Tom McLaughlin
  • Signed on to letter in regards to VA Secretary that Connie just mentioned
  • Thanks to Senator Franken’s office in regards to Military Academy
    • Two people will be applying

Senator Al Franken – Alex Schueller

  • Continuing to press hard to get to the bottom of VA scheduling issue
  • Working on Suicide Prevention Legislation in the Senate to complement Congressmen Walz’s efforts
  • Would love to hear feedback on the Veterans Choice Act
  • 9/13: Did Deployment Ceremony with 214th Area Medical Support Company headed to Africa
  • Al town hall meetings across state were attended  by Congressmen or staff
  • Two Academy Service nights with Congresswomen Bachman and Kline
  • Participated in events honoring 22 Veterans in  Apple Valley
  • Participated in recent conference call with Director Kelly from VA
  • Participate in Deployment Ceremony with Air Force Reserve

8th District Representative – Rick Nolan –  Rick Olseen

  • Congressman’s staff have attended two stand downs up north
  • About 80 Congressional and Legislative staff congregated in Annapolis to discuss Academy Recruitment

2nd District Representative – John Kline – Chaz Johnson

  • Service Academy Information Session was on 9/22: Appreciated turnout
    • Also had a Coast Guard Rep, had about 45 kids in attendance
  • Signed on to HR:5059- Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act
    • HR:5441 VA Chapter Update
  • Met with Legislature Director for VFW
  • Proud to support continuing resolution for a key provision for the VA
    • Provided for additional 59 million dollars for funding
    • 5 million additional was for the Inspector General
    • 2.3 Million dollars in additional funding for accountability cases
  • Supported the Annual Cost of Living Adjustment

2. State Agencies and MN Veteran Assistance Organizations
                          

MN Military Affairs – LTC Joseph Sharkey

  • Leadership Changes: On 9/27, Change of responsibility
  • New Command Star Major: Doug Werthom
    • More than 26 years of service in MN National Guard
    • Fully time employee in Dept. Military Affairs
    • Veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom
  • 10/6: Honoring Col. Dirk Klauss  as becomes Brigadier General
  • 10/6: 21  Airmen from the 210th Engineer Insulation Squadron will depart for 6 month deployment
  • 10/21: 11 a.m. National Guard Association of United States will be honoring Congressmen Walz with Charles Digg Medal of Merit at Faribault Armory
  • 10/25: Welcome Home Ceremony at Chism High School for 114th Transportation Company from yearlong deployment from Afghanistan
  • Twin Cities Public TV will begin airing “Through a Soldier’s Eyes” following a soldier through Italy
  • 11/2: Brigadier General David Hammler and Reps. From MN Dept. of Veteran Affairs will be honoring  Dr. Georgopolis( has made great strides relating to PTSD) at Hellenic Post 129 at 6 p.m. for  59th Annual Anniversary Event
  • Legislative updates: Military Funeral Honor budget has been significantly reduced
    • Will greatly reduce the number of funerals the MN National Guard the can support
    • In conjunction with  the MN Dept. Of VA Affairs, will be exploring the annual number of funerals that can be supported, to potentially explore other organizations providing services
  • Beyond the Yellow Ribbon:
    • On 10/18, in Waseka county
    • On 11/17 in Big Lake
    • On 11/10, there will be proclaiming MN Southwest State University in Marshall
    •  n 10/15, Wells Fargo will be hosting a YRC conference to receive updates on initiatives, discuss best practices and recognition
      • Major General Nash and Honorable Mark Richie will be presenting awards to two Wells Fargo Veterans

MN Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV) – Kathy Vitalis

  • Stand downs: Successful ones in Grand Rapids and Bemidji
  • Still to come are Mankato on 11/12, and on 10/14 in Marshall
  • Legal Clinics at VA in Minneapolis on 10/7, Fergus Falls on 10/21, Rochester on 10/23, and Anoka on 10/30
  • Twin Cities public TV got a grant for “Crossing the Threshold” about homeless and in crisis Veterans ( airing in November)
    • About MACV
  • Fundraising dinner extremely successful- thank you everyone!
  • Cold season is upon us; donate winter gear to us please
  • Building 47 is the Metro Holiday House on 12/5
    • Always the first Friday in December
  • Veterans and their Family Act through the VA three years ago
    • Rental, utility, and crisis assistance
    • In February, the VA did another RFP
    • Provided for second grant that just looked at that community
    • Now have two grants: great news for  Hennepin and the rest of the state
    • New services upcoming -St. Stevens in going to hire 2 new street outreach staff focused on Veterans
    • 3 years for this grant ( one time funding is called a surge grant)
    • Discussion of housing needs in different areas
    • Define your needs before you delegate spaces

Military Action Group (MAG) –  Jerry Kyser

  • Meeting on Friday- not what we had anticipated
    • Want to get the equity program involved
    • Alex Tittle with the Sports Authority is on our side
    • Women and Minorities have a percentage of the workers
    • Only 1%  of business are VA owned, and only 5% of  workers are Veterans
    • Seem more concerned with hiring women and minorities
    • We don’t want more than women and minorities, we just want to be on an even playing field
    • 11/25: Next MAG meeting to discuss
    • MN Dept. of Veteran Affairs- law got passed to certify Veteran owned businesses, but no money was allocated for it

3. Federal Agencies

VA Regional Office – Ron Wooley

  • Still no new Director
    • Still Ms. Donna Meyer Hickle is interim Director
  • Will have a Town Hall meeting quarterly
    • Possibly move them around to different locations each quarter
  • Moving into a “National Work Queue”: when a Veteran submits a claim, it goes into a national list
    • If the home state has the ability to work the claim, it will do it
    • If not, the claims will be distributed on a first in-first out basis to other  states
    • Will happen next calendar year

VISN 23 – Janet Murphy – Director

  • Recent news articles about what is happening at Minneapolis
    • Taken seriously, cooperating with investigation
  • Had a very good 2014 budget year, closed yesterday
  • 2015 is shaping up to be  good budget year, as well
  • Big push is going to be Hepatitis C
    • Encourage Veterans to get tested, and get the new safer treatments available
  • Have set aside $15 million for hepatitis C treatment for 2015
  • IF we reach our goal to treat all Veterans with liver disease, we would need $30 million
    • Asked central office to reallocate funds for these purposes
    • Comment about treating Lyme Disease as well
    • Act also provided for additional caretakers, especially for specialty areas
    • Also funding for capital projects related to the Veterans Choice Act ( $9 million to St. Cloud and $15 million to Minneapolis)
    • Would like follow up for Classified Status Veterans ( because Top Secret Clearances result in Veterans being resistant to open up for treatment)

Mpls VA HCS – Director Patrick J Kelly – Ralph Heusser

  • Single Resident Only clarification:2 buildings with 150 units, contract requires 51% occupied by Veterans
    • Leasing agent said 75% of existing units occupied by Veterans
    • On 8/6, the public hearing held no public opposition to move forward with a new facility
  • Follow up on Town Hall forum: We will be similarly holding quarterly meetings
    • Will be following up all 36 questions received on 9/12
    • Two questions were related to major renovations in the flag atrium
      • How much did we spend on it? ( Which was $1,025,000)
      • Purpose was not for looks; it was to make the entry area more customer friendly to Veterans
      • More services are now centralized, plus also incorporated double door system
    • Have not had a significant price of increase of canteen food in 3 years, so that is why it increased
  • Minneapolis has a model Chronic Pain program
    • The National Institute of Health announced 13 major studies looking at complementary and alternative studies for pain treatment
    • 2 of the 13 studies coming to Minneapolis
    • 1 of them is a result of the collaboration of the MN National Guard and the Minneapolis VA since 2005 RINGS study
      • Will analyze these soldiers’ perceptions of treatment
    • 2nd study is: Collaborating with the Palmer College of Chiropractic medicine in Davenport, Iowa
    • Grant to look at how chiropractic care is integrated into total health care
      • How does chiropractic care enhance their health care?
  • Have about 6,000 female Veterans now
  • Because of their growing needs and demands, we are opening the Women’s Imagine Suite
    • On 10/17: Open house
    • Part of new integrative women’s health care program
    • Ultrasound, radiology, a diagnostic laboratory adjacent to the clinic
    • All female health care is done on site on the same day
    • Exams, diagnoses, surgery, and plastic surgery all available
    • Separate entrance in the back, as well
  • New Vet Center in Duluth in Hanes road ( staff of 7)
  • Flu shots are here: will be sending out communication about where available
    • 3 day walk in clinic from 10/29-10/31 in Medical Center
  • Comment about parking ramp: contractor working on it, should be done in a few weeks
    • Reminder: Parking is for Veterans only during the day

St Cloud VA HCS – Director Barry Bahl -Sharon Meschke

  • Construction Updates
    • Community Living Center cottages: both are up for design right now
    • Challenges with the Adult Day Health Care center in St. Cloud
      • Electronic waitlist ( have been offered non-VA care, most prefer to wait)
    • Minor project for more space for Adult Day care
    • Dental Construction project completed
    • 10/27 at 11 a.m. ribbon cutting ceremony
  • Recruitment for Primary care continues to be a struggle
  • HR Office conducted a navigating VA careers seminar
    • Will continue to provide
  • 10/17: Annual pheasant dinner for hospitalized veterans
    • Hosted by American Legion and VFW
  • 10/27 Dental clinic expansion ribbon cutting
  • 11/9: Veterans Day Parade
  • 11/11: Annual Veterans Day Program at 1:30 in Building 8
  • Access challenge with Adult Day Health Care
  • Home based primary care in Alexandra challenging to staff

Ft Snelling Cemetery – Robert Koeser

  • 469 Internments  in August
    • 4, 465 for total for year through August
    • 210,705 population
    • 7 female Veterans: 1,803 total
    • 234 Honors
      • 115 Army
      • 65 Navy
      • 35 Marine Corps
      • 18 Coast Guard
      • 1 Merchant marine
      • Total of 1,155 for year
  • Getting winter graves set for the cold season
  • About 65 percent cremations right now

4. Announcements –

– Honor flight on 10/11
-Unfortunately, almost half came off the list ( passed away or needed to change flights)
– Received a check from a Veteran’s family after he passed away, because he was so excited he got accepted to go
– Two more flights in the spring

5. Meeting in Recess for 10 minutes   

–Total is: $4,471.92
-Zero deposits
-$39 dollars from parking
-$4, 433.92   is ending balance
-Comment: Thank you for continuing with the parking
-Ralph said when he turns in his mileage statement that is when he can get paid
-Need to update roster- give numbers to Mike
-Need to start working on bills for next session, focusing on Veteran owned business certification
-Urges people to just come to meetings and get information!

Next meeting 5 November, 2014

“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