UVLC Minutes – Wednesday, April 7, 2010
• Call to order – 0930 Hrs.
• Invocation – Lt. Col. John Morris-MNNG Chaplain
• Pledge of Allegiance – Howard Wilson
• Recognition of visitors and guests and Commander’s of VSO’s
• Reports from: Chairman, Ralph Donais – Vice Chairman, Jerry Kyser : Ralph D. – thanked Jerry for all he has done with legislature and Jerry K. – commented on the March 18, 2010 Support the Troops
1. State Agencies and MN Veteran Assistance Organizations
MN Dept of Veteran Affairs – Commissioner – Mike Pugliese: Mike thanked all for the support on March 18. No cuts and a little extra money for MACV & Honor Guard. Re-worked the CVSO’s Legislation. Commented on other legislation accomplishments. Clark Dyrud will retire on the 14th. The Department is looking for free land for state cemeteries. Feds require 40 acres of usable land.
Gil Acevedo – Vets Homes: Thanked all for continued support. Dept. of Justice closed investigation and dropped law suit and applauded the efforts that had been done. Bldg 4 is being renovated, Bldg 9 close to ground breaking, Bldg 17 will be demolished and there is some funding for rebuilding. Fegus Falls is letting land dry, it will be complete Jan, 2011. Silver Bay completed 8 rooms & starting the other half. Luverne will get cover over entrance and add additional parking.
MN Veterans 2009 Legislative Info – Information Officer – Anna Long: Newsletters available. Their program will debut on 4/18/10 On TPT MN at 8 pm. Facilitating Agent Orange forum on 4/21 at Lutheran Social Services . There will be resources and CVSOs available. April is month of the Military child. MN DVA got award for excellence in the PR field.
MN Mil Action – John Baker commented on Veteran Courts; striving to be the first state with them. Brock explained the Veterans Court System.
MN Military Affairs – Officer Candidate Fisher – Annual report available if you need more please ask. They introduced an initiative for folding State flag. Feds are going to take two aircraft from MN Reserves. Gov. Pawlenty has written to feds to ask for reversal.
MN Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV) – Kathy Vitalis: Additional money will mean helping 75-100 extra families. Construction began in Duluth on remodeling. This should mean a moved in date by the end of the year. May 25-26 is the Metro stand-down. Annual fundraiser October 8 at Officer’s club. WWII History Round Table: Don Patton – explained what they do. MN History Museum is looking for a scrap Huey. Wants a VE Day celebration on May 8 for the 65th anniversary and one in Sep for VJ Day.
MN Air & Space: Jerry K. said they got the go ahead for construction. Have brochures. Also want volunteers & others to sign-up on their website.
Other MN Veteran Organizations: None
2. Federal Agencies
VISN 23 – Cynthia Breyfogle, Deputy Director: Working on trying to streamline getting help for presumptive deceases. They have been working well with ARRA. They are working with the community as well as in house to work on homeless vets.
VA Regional Office – Dr Carol Fillman, Director: There will be 9 new presumptive for Gulf War vets. Comments on Post 911 GI Bill & new education outlook. Move of Regional Office has to be complete by June 2011. E-benefits coming online. Vets can go from my healthevet to e-benefits. Have excess furniture which can be available to Veterans organizations. It is mostly office type furniture. She is retiring at the end of the month. Don Monroe is Asst. Director
Mpls VA Medical Center – Steve Kleinglass, Director: 2nd Fisher house started. The parking lot is under construction. Lots of construction inside Medical center. Ambulance can come to VA in some cases.
St Cloud VA Medical Center – Barb Oemcke – Have started designs for their several construction projects. Day surgery should be able to see patients in August. Working on 2 energy projects. Several new staff members.
New Brighton Vets Center – : absent
Ft Snelling Cemetery – Art Smith, Director: (put in new numbers)
December Current FYTD Total to Date Breakdown by Service:
Total Internments 376 2,150 189,486 Army 92 CG 1
Caskets 183 1,080 150,223 Navy 41 MM 3
Cremations 155 869 37,400 Air Force 18
Columbarium 38 201 1,863 Marines 19
Female Veterans – Total 1,435
National Cemeteries theme this year is families. He has accepted a position in Washington DC at end of June. Jim Gemmell will be his replacement. There will be an assistant director. Memorial Day May 31, 2010.
Veterans Training Service [VETS] – Jerry for Jodi Bean: 2010 Veteran Career Fair – Earle Brown Heritage Center, Brooklyn Park, May 5, 11am-3pm. There have been 21 USERRA cases and 6 Vet preference cases since October. Warrior to Citizen Program developing USERRA like program. VETS agency national is working on partnerships to help drive our mission of employment for vets and military members.
Honor Flight: May 22, 2010 next flight. They have lost 20 attendee reservations since the last
flight.
3. Federal Congressional Senators and Representatives
Senator Amy Klobuchar – Greg Swanholm: Gave report on Sen. Klobuchar’s activities. Senator Al Franken – Nicole Ly: Absent .
1st District Representative – Tim Walz – Josh Syrjamaki, Chief of Staff: explained the new members of their staff and introduced Shawn Schloesser. Parking at VA is one of their issues. Hand out outlines that and other issues they are working on. Shawn gave his brief bio on himself. Gave out an additional handout on the Veteran’ Affairs Committee.
2nd District Representative – John Kline – Chaz Johnson: Absent
3rd District Representative – Erik Paulsen – John-Paul Yates: Told some of the things Rep. Paulsen has been doing.
4th District Representative – Betty McCollum – Connie Haddeland: Presented a letter from Betty. Handed out fact sheets. Will be starting interviews for Academies, should have all 5 represented.
5th District Representative – Keith Ellison – Mike Siebenaler: Letter to Sec of Air Force has signed letter. Veteran’s cost of living increase was signed. End homeless veterans act also passed ( in the fact sheet by Betty M). Wants all to watch what information is being put out – some of them are just trying to use veterans to further their cause.
6th District Representative – Bachmann – Chase R. Kroll: Absent
7th District Representative – Collin Peterson – Al Loehr: Absent.
8th District Representative – James Oberstar – Melissa Jabas : Absent
4. Announcements –
Ralph D. spoke on veterans starting MN businesses. Armed Forces Armed Service center needs 360 people/mo. Need more volunteers. Jerry K. spoke about DOT not implementing the veteran preference. Several met with DOT and MNDVA to try to get some changes made.
5. Meeting in Recess for 10 minutes
6. Old Business –
Treasurer’s report-given: Starting Balance-$4,190.11; income-$300.00; expenses- $149.62; ending balance-$4,340.49. Motion to accept report by Fay Hassie , second Lawrence Dean, motion carried.
7. New Business –
Mr. Baker gave guidelines for what UVLC can do in the upcoming political season.
501c(3) cannot directly or indirectly participate in any campaign. Motion J.Nalipinski, L. Dean
second to make plaques or Certificates for three: Dyrud, Smith, and Dr. Fillman up to $60.00 each.
Carried.
8. Good of the Order –
March 11 9th Circuit Court said use of God in pledge and on money is constitutional.
Adjourned: 1220 Hrs. / Next Meeting 9:30 Hrs. – Wed, May 5, 2010 Building 9
Auditorium Mpls Medical Center Campus, Mpls, MN
Ralph Donais, Chairman: Phone: 763-441-2630 E-mail: r.l.donais@izoom.net
Jerry Kyser, 1st Vice Chairman: Phone: 651-338-2717 E-mail: crazyjerry45@hotmail.com
Lawrence Dean, 2nd Vice Chairman: Phone: 651-484-2837 E-mail: lodean.1@uno.com
Don Rask, Treasurer: Phone: 651-647-0398 E-mail: rchief1533@comcast.net
Fay Hassie, Secretary: Phone: 651-698-5860 E-mail: Hassco@iname.com