Meeting Minutes – May 2014

Call to order – 09:30, Invocation – Pledge of Allegiance –
Greetings: Recognition of visitors and guests Brigadier General Peter Bosse
Announcements – Ralph Donais, Chairman – Jerry Kyser, Vice Chairman.

  • Joe Johnson from Trust Vets is here today
  • Veterans Career Fair on Wednesday, July 9th
    Earle Brown Heritage Center in Brooklyn Center
  • State Agencies and MN Veteran Assistance Organization

Yellow Ribbon -Annette Kyper

  • Deployed 220 service members out of 34th Combat Aviation Brigade
    Going to Camp Ripley then a year in Kuwait
    Lot of outreach to those families through YRNs
  • 133rd Airlift Wing is preparing for deployment
  • Within Department of Military Affairs:
  • Several Proclamations coming up
    Working with Mayo Clinic to become a Yellow Ribbon Company
    Cargill will be proclaimed on June 11th
    McGeoff Construction will also be added as a YRC
  • Yellow Ribbon Companies are those companies that have gone above and beyond in all areas to support
  • Veterans and their families
    Yellow Ribbon Company Seminar several weeks ago at Hennepin County Technical College
    Share best practices
    Veteran Employment and Education Taskforce is meeting; several departments working together to plan how to best help Veterans in future
  • June 15th: Newest Yellow Ribbon Communities added
    Ceremony open to public
    Quad Communities: New Hope, Robbinsdale, Crystal, and Golden Valley
    Held at Crystal Airport
  • July 6th Minnesota Twins Proclamation
  • Midwest Community Policing Institute:
    Veterans in Crisis Training
    Going into all YRN communities and holding training
    $15 w/ lunch
    8 hour training for first responders and law enforcement
    May 22nd in Richfield from 8-4 p.m.

Deputy Commissioner – Robin Gulstad

  • Introduction of Robin Gulstad with Department of Veteran Affairs for 7 or 8 years
  • Veteran Homes are busy with Memorial Day observances
  • Demolition and Construction on Minneapolis campus this summer on main building
    New 100 bed facility
    State matching funds in last legislative session
    Awarded a partial grant, and hoping for complete grant in September
  • Nursing leadership at Silver Bay and Minneapolis will be applying for Federal Nursing Retention and Recruitment Grant funds
    To work on recruitment and retention for licensed nursing staff, to provide continued education, and to provide ways to advance in licensure
    Will apply in July, should hear answer in September
  • Phased out old Advisory Committee
    Reinstated a new taskforce: Commissioner’s Healthcare Taskforce
    Met 4 or 5 times, up and running
    Several key members make up committee
    Working on: Family Support Services, and Campus Planning Grant ( focusing on Hastings)
  • Legislative front: main focus is on bonding funds for Veterans Home
    Thought everything was in order for the House, but found out some tweaking on that bill
    1.7 million dollars at stake for Laverne and Silver Bay to improve and update resident rooms
    On Senate side, still funding to negotiate for War memorials in key communities
  • Still moving ahead with personal allowance increase for board and lodge residents

MN Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV)- Kathy Vitalis

  • 1st grant in Minneapolis HVRP: Homeless Veteran Reintegration Program Grant
  • 2nd grant in Duluth
  • 3rd grant for southern counties
  • Drop in legal clinic on May 13th at in VA Medical Center in Minneapolis from 9-2 in the flag atrium balcony
  • Golf tournament: A Salute to Servicewomen
    Website: birdeasepro.com/salutetoservicewomen
    Proceeds are going to MACV
    June 17th at Prestwick Golf Club in Woodbury
  • Sad news: Durbin Keeney, Regional Director from 1998-2011, passed away last week
    Herman Town Community Church: Visitation at 10, Funeral at 11 on Saturday
    4880 Maple Grove Road
    Open House from 2-4 at MACV Ramsey Offices on Friday
  • Veterans Center an Military Families in St. Cloud
    Met with Good Will Easter Seals
    Space at the college, staff person hired
    Reaching out to communities
    Community space for MACV and others to gather for outreach
    Trying to stay in touch to help partner and prevent duplication of outreach efforts

Trust Vets – Joe Johnson

  • Driving business to American Military Veterans at trustvets.com
  • Online directory of Veterans in business
  • Over 50 industries complied
  • Everyone in directory is a verified Veteran
  • Fellow Veterans in community want to do business with Veterans
  • Monthly Networking Meeting for Veterans:
    At Better Business Bureau of MN in Burnsville
  • Joe Johnson’s phone: 612 799 8397

Military Action Group (MAG) – Jerry Kyser

  • Unwanted results this year at the capital
  • One positive: The Women’s License plate is finally going to get signed off
  • Employee Tax Break for hiring Veterans didn’t get anywhere
  • Veterans Homes Tax Exemption has been advanced from 5 to 8 years
  • Told by House: no money to put In any new programs
  • In the Senate, there is a bill that went through hearing twice to have the Department of Admin certify who
  • qualifies as a Veteran owned business
  • Will just keep on pressing to push this legislature through
  • Bill stating if business organization hired a disabled or unemployed Veteran, they would get money off of their
  • state business tax gone denied , as well
  • Session ends the 18th, will find out in MAG meeting on the 13th where we are
  • Election in the fall, hopefully those elected will have the same frame of mind for helping Veterans
  • Federal Agencies

VA Regional Office -Antoine Waller Director or Ron Wooley

  • Mr. Antoine Waller is leaving us
    Tasked with becoming the Regional Director at Baltimore Regional Office
    Report date is TBD
  • Ron Wooley is leaving for 90 days
    Claims backlog is decreasing
    One other issue is backlog of dependency claims
    Rules Based Processing: You type in the information and if it meets the criteria, it processes the claim
    VA Central Office hired a team of contractors: will travel to Regional Offices with the largest backlog of dependency claims to see if they can be completed using Rules Based Processing
    Mr. Wooley will be leading one of these contractor teams.
  • VA received 10 million dollars for training
    Employees that are identified in struggling in certain areas will receive specific training to increase efficiency and reduce errors
    Money also used to train management staff
  • VBMSA: Veterans Benefit Management System Awards
    Being used by St. Paul
    This system automates the letter to let people know of their benefit awards, in a synchronized format across offices.
    Average for a compensation form: 165 days
    St. Paul has been asked to take on additional work to help other offices
    National Work Queue will reduce backlog
    (St. Paul is the 2nd best office at processing claims)
    Priority are EZ claims ( they come in with all evidence)
    Encourage everyone who is filing a claim to go through a service officer

VISN 23 – Janet Murphy- Director VISN 23 – Christopher Stomberg

  • Serving as Deputy Network Director for VISN 23
  • Also Chief Financial Officer
  • National News: New Under Secretary recently announced by White House
    His name is Dr. Jeff Murawsky
    Currently Network Director for VISN 12
    Still needs to be confirmed by Senate
  • Seeing growth again this year in new or recently expanded clinics
  • One will open later this summer in Shakopee
  • C heck out Calendar of Events in newsletter
  • May is Mental Health awareness month; online resources for Veterans and families
  • Also have entered into business agreement with a company to monitor customer satisfaction
  • National News: Story that 40 patients allegedly died because of delays in care in Phoenix
    Investigation is ongoing
    Secondary storyline about scheduling process, stating there is a “secret list”
    Leadership team and technical advisory teams have been sent to Phoenix to investigate

VAHCS Mpls – Director Patrick J. Kelly – Mike Rosecrans – Leg. Liaison

  • Parking ramp has been completed for 6 or 7 weeks
    Was not being utilized, so questioned why?
    Some people thought you had to pay, and others are just in habit of using old parking
    Running about 50-60% capacity
    1st floor is all handicapped, as well as spaces closest to doors on upper levels
  • Dr. Bruno Marshall is a pain specialist at Minneapolis Medical Center
    Testified on April 30th before Senate Affairs Committee on topic of over-medication, opiate medications, and programs on reduction
  • New Veteran ID cards: now being mailed out
    Once backlog is resolved, replacements will be mailed to those with old ID cards
  • Comments about managing pain with opiates

VAHCS St Cloud VA Medical Center – Director Barry Bahl – Andrew Frost

  • Rescheduled former PoW program : now on May 15th from 9-12
  • Wind turbine update: Still not accepted
    VHA lawyers are presentation legal actions with contractors
  • May 17th: Women Veterans Wellness Event
    At St. Cloud Civic Center from 9-3
  • May 26th: Annual Memorial Day Program
    Parade at 10:30, 11 program
  • May 29th: Volunteer Recognition Event
  • New providers: a nephrologist working one day a week, a neurologist working three days a week
  • Pain clinic is now up and running, focusing on opiate reduction
    Not just VA focusing on opiate reduction, the entire medical field is trying to reduce opiate consumption
  • New ENT provider with interest in cochlear implants for hearing impaired
  • Now have provider doing acupuncture and doing osteopathic manipulation
  • Phoenix story: We don’t believe anything similar is happening in St. Cloud, but still checking

Ft Snelling Cemetery – Robert Roeser

  • Total internments in April: 391
    Year to date: 2,510
    Current population: 208,550
    Female Vets this month: 9 Total: 1,177
    WWII: 89
    Korea: 50
    Vietnam: 69
    Persian Gulf: 4
    Peace time: 14
    Active Duty: 0
    Dependents: 165
  • Rifle Squad Honors: 199, Total: 65, 211
  • Big News: Director has moved on, so new Director position announcement will be coming soon
  • Note: $700 fee for dependents to be laid to rest with their Veteran relatives
  • Note: Criteria for internment at Arlington is available online
  • Federal Congressional Representatives and Senators

6th District Representation – Michele Bachmann- Nicole Pelzer

  • Passing out Congresswoman’s letter for memorial Day
  • Honored to participate in St. Cloud Honor Flight by sending them off and greeting them at airport upon return
    Very emotional event
    Congresswoman will be submitting a statement to the Congressional Record and recognizing the Veterans on that flight
  • Congresswoman voted for appropriations bill that will provide for an increase in funds for VA for 5th consecutive year
  • Also keeping an eye on with the breaking news out of the Phoenix VA
  • Congresswoman has been doing mobile office hours: showing up at different locations to help accommodate appointments

8th District Representative – Rick Nolan – Rick Olseen

  • Last month there were concerns about State legislature not supporting Veterans
    Went to Capital to speak with majority leaders to express concern
  • Last Saturday former Congressmen Oberstar passed away
  • Duluth Airport looking to extend runway, so group of people went to Washington to garner support for $30
  • million of funding needed
  • Duluth Airshow on August 23rd and 24th
    Congressman Nolan will be honorary chairman
    Blue Angels will be there

2nd District Representative – John Kline – Chaz Johnson –

  • Congressman Kline is on the House Armed Services Committee, and they are currently marking up the National Defense Reauthorization Act for 2015
  • Items he is watching: making sure no increases to Tricare, and that funding for Beyond the Yellow Ribbon continues to get funding, supports MilCon budget
  • Speaking about our involvement in Afghanistan
  • Senior Affair at Rosemont Community Center
  • Excited about CBOC opening in Shakopee on June 2nd
    Congressman Kline will be in attendance for Grand Opening on June 16th
  • Jobs Fair in Eagan from 9-1 at Eagan Community Center
    75-80 businesses represented
  • Note: Comments about figuring our whether we will keep troops in Afghanistan or not

3rd District Representative – Eric Paulson – John Paul Yates

  • Final Update on Academy appointees: 15 appointments ( 2 students with 2 appointments)
    8 to Air Force, 3 to Navy, 1 to WestPoint, and 1 to Merchant Marine Academy
    Reception with them in 1st week of June
    Whole Delegation of House will be voting for Military Construction bill, there is increased funding to help with disability backlog for VA, as well as miscellaneous VA construction
    Note: We have to do something for National Guard Veterans: why are we treating them differently?
    Jerry Kyser
  • Announcements – www.facebook.com/pages/United-Veterans-Legislative-Council/305460522812395. We are also on Twitter
  • Note on Stadium Construction: Minority, Woman, and Veterans need to represent a percentage of businesses. Woman and Minorities are meeting their percentages, Veterans are not.
    Mortenson’s Construction has been working with Veterans to increase numbers
    Thank everyone involved with Honor Flights: 350 people at Airport for support Veterans
  • Note: working on allowing reservists to be buried in Fort Snelling
  • Note: Please consider volunteering at Armed Forces Service Center
  • Meeting in Recess for 10 minutes
  • Financial Report
    Balance as of April 1st was $5,202.69
    Deposits of: $150
    Expenses of : $29.75 for parking, $120 for transcription = $149.75
    End balance of: $5,202.94
    Difference of .24 cents from April to May
    2 more organizations paid dues (the Vietnam Veterans of America, and Vietnam Veterans Charity) so still have 9 organizations/individuals that need to pay
    Membership dues collected should total $2,350
    Motion made to accept
  • Idea to have an audit once a year
  • Old Business: None
  • New Business:
  • UVLC has given $3000 for Honor Flights
  • Stand down at MACV has grown so much, has started to raise enough money to do what they want to
    The more people in attendance, the more resources needed
  • Question: Are people who have donated donating less for Honor Flight?
    Event costs about 50-70 thousand dollars
    Rundown of costs: $4-6k for airplane busses, hats, clothes, etc.
  • Suggestion to give reimburse Ralph for mileage from Elk River to Minneapolis
  • Motion amended to make an annual standing stipend for travel
    Increase stipend up to $500
    Create documentation of travel ( such as mileage log)
    When to give award stipend? July
  • Need to obtain list of current Commander/Chairman for all organizations in attendance at meetings
  • Turmoil over Commander’s Taskforce representing MN
    There are organizations that belong to us, that do not belong to them
    Misinformation and miscommunication
    One of the problems is that groups that attend do not send our minutes out to everyone they belong to
    Goal is to get the information out
    Debates about electronic communication logistics/snail mail costs
  • Got a letter from VFW saying they no longer want to be members of UVLC
  • Women’s Marine Organization membership is dwindling
    At what point in time do they get so small that they do not pay any dues?
    Several organizations are in the same situation
    Motion to waive dues for Woman Marines
    Idea for another organization to ‘sponsor’ other organizations
    Motion carried to exempt Women Marines from dues

Adjournment/ Next Meeting 9:30 AM – Wednesday 4 June, 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