UNITED VETERANS COMMITTEE MINUTES 13 FEBRUARY, 2018 GENERAL MEETING 09:00

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1 UNITED VETERANS COMMITTEE MINUTES 13 FEBRUARY, 2018 GENERAL MEETING 09:00 Meetings at VFW Post W Hampden Ave Englewood, CO UNITEDVETERANSCOMMITTEE.COM 1. Call to order United Veterans Committee President Jim Craig 2. Invocation and Moment of Silence for Pow s and Mia s 1 st VP, Dennis Orr 3. Pledge of Allegiance 2 nd Vice President Leanne Wheeler 4. Welcome ten first-time attendees and visitors 5. Guest Speakers Michele Lapidoe; Homeless Program VAMC Michele spoke about levels of intervention and referrals to the Program; grant and per diem transitional housing. HUD provides Section 8 housing. I.D. barriers and day domicile, as well as services were mentioned. A Veterans Guide to the Denver VA Housing Programs brochure was available to membership for further explanation. A questionnaire is completed to determine vulnerability and qualification for bridge housing. She talked about a clinical model for substance abuse and transition from hospital to home. Outreach is in place to make sure qualified vets are safe until they are willing to seek help and make a transition. Transition In Place (TIP) is part of the program where qualified vets slowly pay rent and decrease the services required. A grant process is open to all agencies focused on Pueblo and Colorado Springs. The grant and per diem program has been quite successful 6. Roll Call and report Membership Chair Gary Force A motion was made and passed approving El Paso County VSO Services, Carl McDaniel, as a new UVC member. 7. Secretary Report Lori Derby Minutes from the January meeting were posted on the UVC website; motion for acceptance was made and approved. Lori is lead coordinator for the banquet Silent Auction and Karen Hone let membership know that the cutoff for all silent auction donations will be March 21, Members were asked to bring any and all donations to the March general meeting. 8. Treasurer Report Bernie Rogoff After all expenses the UVC budget balance is $11,183.40

2 UVC COMMITTEE REPORTS 9. State Legislative Committee Dick Young There are over 200 filed and pending bills, including tax exemption for retirees which is going to appropriation. Proposing $5.5 million for the first year. Need to show that vets bring dollars into state. The vet court hearing was February 13, The Vet caucus is February 26, Several items will be voted on for support: 1) Honor Seabus license plate, 2) teaching license must have 3 years continuous experience (voting to remove the continuous years,) Colorado Women s Veterans Act (SB18044) which approves businesses publicizing that they give preference to vets. The bill will ensure that Colorado women veterans have equitable access to federal and state veterans services and benefits. The bill also establishes the state women veterans steering committee. Motion was made and passed. Numerous other bills are being monitored. Jimmy Allen Senator Garcia Asking Congress to create a new energy office in Colorado Springs which will cover Southern Colorado and New Mexico. Steve Rylant Reported on Federal legislation. HR 4457 amends Title 38, to establish the Veterans Accountable Care Organization and to provide veterans access to private health insurance plans, and for other purposes. The goal is to oppose any effort for privatization. Jim Craig Will talk with DC policymakers. He addressed establishing a corporation to take over assisting the VA with privatization issues. Ralph Bozella We can improve VA care by working with them. There is a system we can work with. Suggested getting a letter signed by 24 VSOs in order to work with the system. There are parent organizations in Washington, D.C. we can approach regarding HR 4457 and getting care back to the VA so we can work with the community. It is essential that records get back to VA and costs are controlled. Copays will be charged to vets so a system to work with is needed to improve care and costs. 10.UVC Banquet Karen Hone Promoted ticket purchases and table sponsorship. 11.Membership report Gary Force American Legion Dept. of Colorado and Cohen Vets Network have reapplied for UVC membership. Membership admittance will be voted on at the March general meeting. 12.Area reps Shelly, Phil, Lou, Tim No report.

3 13.Colorado Board of Veterans Affairs Report given. 14.Dept. of Military and Veterans Affairs Ben Mestas No report. VSOs, ASSOCIATES AND AFFILIATES 15.Aleatha Hughes doterra International Veteran Wellness Advocate Each member was given a flyer which promoted a veteran education class to be held at the Golden Library on March 5, 2018 at 6:30p.m. essentiallyaleatha@gmail.com with questions. Chris Holls Assistant Director, Denver VARO Talked about Camp Lejeune Health and Disability Benefits and RAPID Appeals Modernization Program (RAMP.) George Daniels April 7, 2018 Run as One 5K vets race. Team Rubicon March 3, 2018, fire mitigation workshop. Concerned Vets of America Looking at reforms at the VA. David Francavilla POTUA seeks $12B increase in 2019 VA budget. This request, a $12.1B over 2018, will ensure the nation s Veterans receive high-quality healthcare and timely access to benefits and services. Other items in the handout were discussed, such as, discharge upgrade process, POTUS hotline and veteran I.D. cards. Vets can go to the vets.gov website to apply for an I.D. card. This I.D. card IS NOT a health I.D. card. David works for the vets experience office whose specific role is outreach to nongovernment organizations. The number one priority is suicide prevention. The crisis hot line number is This is a critical number to take immediate action for people in jeopardy of suicide. Glenn Johnson Chief of Healthcare Media VA office of Community Care Spoke about the Retail Immunization Program. Flu shots are still available. Joe Sleevi Chairman, Jefferson County Platoon Reunion and plaque at City of Lakewood offices, June 30, Donations are appreciated and checks made payable to Jefferson County Platoon can be mailed to Joe Sleevi at 1745 S. Allison St., #C, Lakewood, CO or Don Emmot at P.O. Box 2724, Denver, CO See more information at jeffcoplatoon.myevent.com, or contact Joe Sleevi at or Don Emmot at A flyer was given to membership noting all details about The Jefferson County Platoon. Bernie Rogoff Executive Director, Colorado National Guard Education Foundation Gave a progress report and let membership know that, as of March 17, Bernie will have raised $900,000 for the Education Foundation and 475 National Guard dependents and members have been awarded Scholarships. David Ortiz will replace Leanne Wheeler as chair for Vets4Energy.

4 16.GOVERNOR AND CONGRESSIONAL STAFFERS a. Congressman Ed Perlmutter Constituent Services Rep, Kathryn Wirkus A townhall is being held February 13, Certificate of Honor presented to family members of deceased Vietnam Veterans. A tuition fair was held in the early part of February, Academy Trip Day will be April 14, 2018 for anyone wanting to attend academy. b. Sen. Cory Gardner Regional Director, Annie Larson Spoke about Senator Gardner s bill, The Vets Improved Access+ Care Act of 2017, Academy nominations and Ambassador of Peace Awards for Korean vets and the Republic of China medal for vets who served in Taiwan from 1955 to c. Rep. Jared Polis Senior Constituent Advocate, Stuart Feinhor i. Along with Representative Fitzgerald of Wisconsin, Polis has co-founded a caucus in support of ALS. ALS affects many veterans so, we hope this caucus will bring dollars to ALS research and programs. ii. They currently have six service academy offers: two for USAFA, one for West Point and three for the Naval Academy. iii. HR 4843 was just introduced January 18, They will be looking into that. d. Rep. Mike Coffman Constituent Advocate, Burt Potwin Spoke about sexual assault prevention/response. Attended U.S. Air Force Academy SAPR briefing. Academy has very robust network for the reporting and prevention of sexual assault and follow-on response. ii. Coffman is a registered sponsor of the Vietnam 50 th Anniversary Commemoration Program. iii Problems are being experienced with the TRICARE change from United Health Care to Health Net. e. Rep. Lamborn Senior Veteran Liaison, Jim Tackett Dale Anderson, District Director i. 10 years ago Lamborn introduced his first bill. ii. Tackett spoke on HR 4457 saying the bill preserves the veteran health care system by improving and restructuring it into an efficient and modern organization. A VEA handout was given to membership which further explained responses to the bill. iii. Lamborn does not want VA privatized. A townhall to explain Bill will be held on February 21, 2018 at the Double Tree, Colorado Springs 6 to 7 p.m..

5 iv. A ceremony was held recognizing 40 nominees in a aircraft hangar. Lamborn and Bennett gave recognition to the nation s second museum of WWII aviation live aircraft (War Birds.) Collectors are permanently moving aircraft into museum. Ceremony, March 3, 2018, 10a.m. in Colorado Springs. National recognition was eight years in the making. Maria from Bennet s office was congratulated for her work. 17. State Veterans CLC Administration Aaron Termain 18. State Veterans CLC Commission No report 19. VISN 19, VA Regional Office, VA Cemetery, ECHCH VISN 19, no report VA Regional Office Camp Lejeune Health and Disability Benefits 15 conditions and eight presumptive conditions will be covered. A handout was available to membership for further explanation of benefits. ECHCS, Sally Houser-Hanfelder August 11, 2018 grand opening for Rocky Mountain regional VA Medical Center. 40,000 hours of training to be done in new hospital which houses state-of-the-art equipment. There will be tour of the new hospital on April 7 th at 10a.m.. ECHCS Khristie Barker, Public Affairs Community Outreach a group is in charge of decorating a one-quarter-mile concourse in the new VA Medical Center. There will be displays of veteran artwork, which will also be for sale. The goal is to entertain veterans as they walk down the concourse while they wait for appointments. Artifacts will, also, be displayed in a display case. VA Cemetery Executive Director, NCA Continental District Steve Best Ft. Logan January internments totaled 170 internments 87 caskets, 83 cremations. Mat Williams was selected as the new Director of Ft. Logan National Cemetery; Paul LaGrange will be Assistant Cemetery Director. Mat replaces Joe Turnbach. Randy Reeves will be the VA s new Under Secretary of Memorial Affairs; 21. Old Business No old Business. 22. New Business Steve Rylant moved to support bills 2168, 2193 (Caring for Vets Act,) HR 4843, HR 299 and S 422 and HR 4457 motions were made, seconded and carried. 23. UVC President s Comments and Announcements 24. Benediction UVC 2 nd Vice President Leanne Wheeler 25. Adjourn Next general meeting date March 13, 2018.