Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Announcements – Ralph Donais, Chairman

US Representative Kline

  • A lot going on not a lot getting done
  • HR1971 Keep Faith with Tricare Prime act passed in House
  • Change Dept. regulations
  • Klobachar picked up in Senate
  • HR2076 Service Member medical evaluations act passed House
  • Legislation restoring pdmra passed into law
  • HR2216 FY14 Military construction of veteran affairs appropriation act passed house
  • HR2397 FY14 Dept. of Defense appropriation act
  • HR258 Stolen Valor act passed House
  • Illegal to knowingly misrepresent military making profit on wearing medals not earned
  • HR803 Skills act work training bill passed House
  • HR588 Vietnam Veterans Donor Acknowledgment act passed House
  • HR241 Veterans Timely Access to Healthcare act passed House
  • HR231, HR231, HJres47, HR679, HR1132, HR235
    Not passed into law yet

MN Representative Dettmer

  • Going to look at number of beds we have in veterans homes
  • Late session we were able to pass phase three legislation for veterans home

1. State Agencies and MN Veteran Assistance Organizations

MN Military Affairs – COL Sandy Best – Annette Kyper

  • Tomorrow 40 labor and religious leaders from MN at 133 airlift wing and taking a bus to Camp Ripley for religious event
  • Joint Force Headquarters doing annual training at Camp Ripley and tomorrow is distinguished visitor event for a variety of community leaders
  • Aug. 16th 133 airlift wing commander will be retiring from technician position and be pinning on a star promoted to Brig. General
  • Aug. 17th 133 airlift wing hosting Family Day
  • Aug. 18th Change of Command to Col. Jim Johnson
  • Aug. 23th Arden Hills Training Facility will host Open House
  • Aug. 27th Women’s Equality Day hosted by EOO
  • Aug. 28th MN State Fair Military Appreciation Day
    Discounted tickets for military members, spouses, and children.
    Information on State Fair website
    Veterans Welcome Home Parade at 1030
  • General Nash announced he has selected Brig. General Neil Loydalt as next Commanding General of 34th Infantry Division Red Bulls replacing Major General David Elasario on October 5
  • 347th regional support group new commander Col. Joanna Kliborn on Sept. 7
    In Roseville, MN
  • Congressional members, Sept. 4 congressional staff breakfast. Invite will be sent with details
  • Sept. 15th Camp Ripley Community Appreciation Day
    Heroes of the Home front theme
  • October 17th General Grass Chief of National Guard Bureau coming to be honored as Alumni of the Year
  • Next 2 Yellow Ribbons
    Big Stone County – City of Ortonville on August 17th at 1900
    August 22 Yellow Ribbon Company – Allions Life Insurance Company of North America
  • Approved action plan for Bloomington and Normandy College for Yellow Ribbon
    Celebration coming this fall
  • June, US Bank hosted a Yellow Ribbon seminar
  • Department of Natural Resources hosting next Yellow Ribbon Company seminar – date to come
  • Close to meeting our goal. Only seven cities left to become Yellow Ribbon communities

Secretary of State Mark Ritchie

  • Busses of people went to Gettysburg to rededicate
  • Only state who organized delegations
  • Alan Duff was recognized as veterans business advocate of the year

MN Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV) – Kathy Vitalis

  • 650 veterans for yesterday’s stand down
  • VA healthcare system got 13 new patients yesterday
  • VBA volunteers doing registration is part of the flow and control of yesterday’s stand down
  • Fundraising dinner Sept 20 at Hotel Sofitel
  • Virginia and Duluth stand downs at end of August. Dates on website

Military Action Group (MAG) – Ralph Donais

  • Need input of things you need to see in MN
  • Carried over from last year
    Tax credit for employers hiring veterans carried over from last year
    More military retirees to come to MN; losing millions of dollars a year to Wisconsin who has tax free for veterans
    Veterans homes discussion about fixing Minneapolis veterans home when we can build them in other places

2. Federal Agencies

VA Regional Office – Director Antione Waller

  • Continue to help neighboring states on backlog of claims
  • Managing about 9000 out of state claims
  • Effective Aug. 6 we will now grant up to one year of retro-active disability compensation for all original claims filed which are fully developed
  • Holding workshops at newly renovated regional office on Sept. 16 – more information to come
  • First floor of federal building will be open in next couple of weeks

VISN 23 – Judith Johnson-Mekota

  • Final stages of review and approval of FY14 budget
    Strategic initiatives
    Set aside dollars to build innovative and creative programs for veterans
    Looking at patient centered proactive initiatives with strategic dollars in FY14
  • Veterans will receive letters from VA business office regarding affordable care act
    Have access to VA website
    Links on 3rd page of handout for how and where to apply

VAHCS Mpls – Erik Stalhandske

  • Clinics
    July rededicated community based outreach clinics
    Give over 50% of primary care through clinics
    July 12th celebrated renovation of Twin Ports outpatient clinic in Superior Wisconsin
    July 26th dedication events for clinics in Hibbing and Ely.
    Ely clinic is new – only open Tuesday and Thursday
    Southwest Metro and southern border CVOCs nothing new to report – evaluating vendors
  • Parking garage is making great progress
    May be complete early – originally an 18 months project
  • First Impressions project in the Atrium
    Tearing out planters so it will be the initial entry point with kiosks
    Increase presence by adding business office
    Beginning in just a couple weeks and will be a 6 month project

VAHCS St Cloud VA Medical Center – Trish Aljets

  • Clinic staff
    Announcing new members: Oral surgeon, two dentists, two pediatrists, in Sept. we will have a laryngologist
  • Developing new pain clinic – more in the new future
  • Veterans rendezvous last Saturday
    Outreach event bordering on a stand down
    1500 people attended
  • Continue rollout of electronic funds transfer

Ft Snelling Cemetery – Brad Butler Assistant Director

  • Memorial wall project almost complete done by end of summer
  • Exterior fence painting project
  • 34th avenue construction project still going on
  • Thursday evening eastbound on ramp supposed to re-open and closing west bound ramp
  • 482 interments
    4 female
    216 rifle squad honors
    Army 111
    Navy 61
    Air force 31
    Marine Corp 12
    Coast Guard 1
  • Back gate is still open from 8-430

Vets Employment & Training Service [VETS] – David Seay

  • How to apply for a stand down
    First come first serve competitive grant – information on website dol.gov/vets
    2 day event is $10k, 1 day event is $7k

3. Federal Congressional Representatives and Senators

Senator Amy Klobuchar – Greg Swanholm

  • Early in July Senator chaired joint economic committee on examining trends in veterans deployment and hosted CEO of Excel Energy and their effective strategies
  • Senator presented Purple Heart to family of Vietnam veteran injured in 1968. Due to paperwork errors he never received it and contacted us because he was terminal.

Senator Al Franken – Nicole Ly

  • MN veterans workforce center last month had job and resource fair
  • Disabled American Veterans put on annual event
  • Rural Veterans Healthcare Act dropped last week w/ cosponsor from Arkansas
  • Senator Franken wants to be sure MN claims are not being put on hold to process other state claims. He will be sending out a letter in that regard.

4th District Representative – Betty McCollum – Connie Haddeland

  • Hand out list of bills
  • Coauthor of HR20D6
  • Eight entered service academy – have completed packets and contacts with young individuals getting ready to apply

6th District Representation – Michele Bachmann – Jessica Faust

  • Bill to establish a committee on POW and MIA affairs – has 33 cosponsors HR231
  • Cosponsored HR2016
  • Voted for 2014 Defense appropriations bill

4. Announcements –

Law Enforcement Training -Wayne Cornelius

  • Upper Midwest committee of policing institute
  • Provide training and technical assistance to law enforcement
  • Completing an 18 month project funded by justice department
    Traveled cross country training police on de-escalation tactics on veterans in crisis.
    Free 8 hour course to law enforcement, fire, and EMT if interested
    Would like CVSO present at each training session in MN

Bob Smith – In July 18th St Paul paper there is an editorial on supporting veterans in MN

www.facebook.com/pages/United-Veterans-Legislative-Council/305460522812395. We are also on Twitter

5. Meeting in Recess for 10 minutes

6. Business Meeting

  • Treasurer’s report:
    Membership dues – two more have paid
    Total of 38 organizations – 20 of 30 have paid up
    $4833.04 July 1st
    Deposit of $200
    Transcription $120
    Parking $29.75
    End balance of $4883.29
  • Need to get input about what we want to bring forth in next session
  • New Business
    133 airlift wing military parking concerns – now all veterans can park there
  • Adjournment/ Next Meeting 9:30 AM – Wednesday 4 September, 2013

“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