HomeMy WebLinkAboutVeterans Minutes July 2014
VETERAN SERVICE COMMISSION AND COMMITTEE
Summer Meeting
Thursday, July 01, 2014
Lancaster Park
Lancaster, WI
Committee and Commission Members Present: Louis Kaiser, Lester Jantzen, Gary Erickson, Robert Scallon.
Absent: John DuCharme excused.
Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by Committee Chairman, Lester Jantzen at 3:53 p.m.
Meeting Notice: County Veteran Service Officer, Tim Murphy noted that the meeting had been properly noticed and
within compliance with the open meeting requirements.
Adoption of Agenda: A motion was made by Louis Kaiser and seconded by Gary Erickson to adopt the agenda as written.
Motion Carried.
Minutes: A motion was made by Gary Erickson and seconded by Robert Scallon to approve the minutes of January 30,
2014. Motion Carried.
OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC OUTPUT
There were no audience comments.
ACTION ITEMS
Election of Committee Chairman – Lester Jantzen’s four year term is expired. Robert Scallon was nominated by
Lester Jantzen. Gary Erickson moved and Louis Kaiser seconded a motion for nominations to cease and Robert
Scallon unanimously was elected Committee Chairman. Motion Carried. At this point, Robert Scallon took over
the duties of Chairman.
Tim Murphy, CVSO would like to purchase an “Embassy Flag Set” for the Board Conference Room. There is extra
money in the budget, since Tim did not take the county health insurance. Lester Jantzen suggested that Tim
take it to Bob Kinney, County Chairman, and explain it to the board. The set contains seven 3’x5’ flags for
$189.95. Tim would like to be more involved in Service Organizations.
Tim Murphy would like to donate $500 to the National CVSO Conference in Appleton (May 30-June 5, 2015) to
defray costs. Gary Erickson moved and Lester Jantzen seconded to donate $500 to the National Convention.
Motion Carried.
Staffing Update – Kerry Tester was an Independent Corpsman in the Navy, which is like a Physician Assistant and
is very helpful, especially in the hard cases in going through the medical records and cross referencing with the
CFR to get the veteran benefits. She is not fully accredited at this time. She will be doing her National
Accreditation Training next year.
There will be no Spring Conference because of the National Conference being in Appleton. Motion was made by
Gary Erickson and seconded by Louis Kaiser to send Kerry to the Fall Conference in Oshkosh, WI.
The VA is moving to go paperless in filing claims, etc.
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS
We have Korea Reborn books left for any Korean veterans who were in the country of Korea during the war.
CVSO can authorize the veteran for the identifier on the Wisconsin Driver’s license for only active duty veterans.
Veterans who served in the National Guard or Reserves are not eligible. Cost for putting Veteran on a driver’s
license is $15.00 if driver’s license has not expired. A new form has been formulated.
Tim Murphy attended the Platteville Benefit Fair on June 21, 2014. In partnership with Wisconsin Department
of Veterans Affairs our Veteran service office hosted a Veterans Benefit fair in Platteville on Saturday, June 21,
2014. Every service branch from the Milwaukee Regional Office, (WDVA, VFW, American Legion, DAV), and a
number of employment agencies were involved in this fair. Veterans Affairs asked for veterans and addresses to
attend the benefit fair. Since there were a high number of veterans, they decided to only mail to Platteville
veterans.
After July 7, 2014, New burial regulations will now allow the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to
automatically pay the maximum amount allowable under law to most eligible surviving spouses more quickly
and efficiently, without the need for a written application.
Appeals for claims are sent to Veteran Service Organizations and they are scrubbed and sent to Washington, DC.
The VSO’s have been holding them for two years. A congressperson went to the VBA after this information was
found.
John Margowski Veterans Assistance Foundation Board Member will be presenting on Agent Orange and its ill
affects at a Town Hall Meeting at Richland Center, October 23, 2014.
County policy has changed on reclassification on employees and this has to be noted by May 1, 2015.
Elimination of the means test has been implemented, for they check with Social Security and the IRS for
information. If there is a change in medical expenses that information has to be submitted by the veteran.
The Veteran’s Office has ordered a display wall rack for the brochures and pamphlets.
MISCELLANEOUS
July 25, 2014 Southwest Area CVSO Training
September 22, 2014 Congressional Representatives/CVSO quarterly meeting.
September 25-26, 2014 Fall VSO Conference (Juneau County) Oshkosh, WI
ADJOURN
There being no further business to conduct motion was made by Lester Jantzen and seconded by Gary Erickson to
adjourn the meeting. Motion Carried. The meeting ended at 4:50 p.m.
No date was set for the next meeting.
Respectively submitted,
Tim Murphy
Recorded by Nora Schauer