Meeting Minutes 29JUL09

Meeting Minutes 28JUL09

Bowling night will be held this Sat at AMF Marti Gras Lanes at 5:30pm.

We had five people in attendance at this meeting and decided that we will continue to meet through the summer.

Veterans Day: Christian (Vice-pres) bought up the idea of using a JROTC platoon that he knows to do the Color Guard for that day. He also said that they can throw rifles too! Christian is going to take the lead in setting that up. We also talked about the possibility of having someone sing the National Anthem and doing a flag raising ceremony at 8am. Those two things still need to be worked on.

Joe (Treasurer) visited the local recruiting offices to see what they had to offer to spice up our fund raisers. The big rock wall was one of the main attractions mentioned. We needed to find out what type of access they would need to bring it in, insurance issues, and whether or not having recruiters at our functions would be appropriate. We decided that we were ok with having recruiters around due to the fact that there are always people asking us about or actually joining the military during our fundraisers. In addition, since our club is open to active duty also, recruiters seemed to be ok. Finally, we talked about trying to get the Marines Hummer.

We also did a lot of talking about events for the Fall. Joe has set up a fantasy football league through yahoo and Jess is looking into getting us free tickets to the Rivercats – hopefully coordinating with the CSUS vet club so we can go together. There was also discussion about setting up a softball team to play at Fair Oaks Park and doing an opening day football party on Sept 13 at a local sports viewing pub. The exact dates and times are TBA.

Finally, we discussed T-shirts. Joe will follow up with the veteran here on campus that does printing and such about prices, colors, and options. Barb Westre (co-advisor) will also be doing a quote for us using the people she has used for the TABIS group.

Bowling Night Sat 1AUG at 5:30pm

Bowling night at AMF Marti Gras Lanes in Citrus Heights. The fun will start at 5:30pm so show up early for refreshments. We have two lanes reserved and will bowl for as long as we want to. Rates for games are 4.75 per person and 4.25 for shoes. There are group discounts available however. The bowling ally is located at 4800 Madison Ave right by ARC (916) 332-7150. Hope to see you there!

Job Fair at Mather Hospital 18Aug

I just got word of a job fair at Mather Hospital 18AUG09. This particular job fair is for those that are interested in learning about the opportunities available through the Department of Veterans Affairs. At this job fair you can learn how to find VA jobs, apply for them, and what VA jobs you may qualify for. The event will be from 1230-430 on the first floor of the main hospital at Mather - room 650. I encourage all veterans to take a look at what the VA has to offer. In my experience these jobs can be well paying and suited to make the most of you military experience.

Fliers are posted at the Veterans Service counter and the veterans bulletin board in Student Services.

Meeting Minutes

Hello all!

The Association of Student Veterans is ready for action this fall. We have finalized the first official logo and soon we will have business cards and stationary that our advisor Kolin can communicate with. How exciting!

We voted to amend our constitution to change the membership qualifications for the club. . Previously to become a member with voting privileges, you must attend 2 meetings and 1 event. Now it is either attending 2 meetings and 1 event OR attending 4 meetings in one semester. Their will be a sign in sheet from now on at every meeting as we will be keeping a data base of the attendees.

We discussed reestablishing connections with the Sac State Veteran’s Club. Hopefully their new officers and members will join us August 1st for bowling at the Mardi Gras Bowling Alley, at 4800 Madison Ave
Sacramento, CA 95841-2519 - (916) 332-7150 Time: TBA soon!

One of our valued members has transferred to San Jose State this fall. Amy R is majoring in Forensic Science. We will really miss her because she was instrumental in making the first year of the club a success, as she solicited donations for the barbeque fund raisers. Thank you for your efforts and congratulations on your success Amy. Keep checking the Yahoo group and the blog!

The majority of the meeting that occurred on the 22^nd was devoted to the future plans of the next web site for the club. It will be ready by our next upcoming event, which is The Welcome Day on September 9^th. We do need your help though. Any member who have pictures - - - PLEASE up load them to the Yahoo Groups asap. We need them for the next website.

Oh and don’t forget about the Veteran’s Day Info Fair in November!

Former ARC Veteran Saves Woman!

 

Veterans eligible for cell phone discounts

The Arizona Republic newspaper reports that military veterans and active-duty personnel are eligible for significant discounts on cell phone plans - if they know to ask. Most veterans are unaware of the potential savings on their monthly cell phone bills. Monthly military discounts range from 15 percent on Verizon Wireless plans to 10 percent off - and no activation fee - on T-Mobile agreements. Alltel, Sprint and AT&T offer similar discounts. While not everyone knows about the discounts, those who do say that getting the companies to register them for the cheaper plans is no easy task. Most services require a military identification card, veteran identification card or military discharge papers as proof of veteran status. Some companies require online registration to get the discount. Many companies, including Verizon, also offer discounted plans for customers 65 and older.

Many Activated Guard Members are left out of new GI Bill

Source: fra.org

By Tom Philpott

Because Sgt. 1^st Class Tom Simpson of the Maryland Army National Guard has served on active duty almost continually since the 9/11 attacks, he believed he had earned Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits and would be able to transfer them to his 18-year-old daughter who is attending college this fall.

But when full details of the new GI Bill were released in early May, Simpson got a jolt. He isn’t eligible. So his daughter has had to pass on her first choice, New York University, for a college costing $20,000 less a year.

Air National Guard Chief Master Sgt. Bill Scully believed until just two weeks ago that his final two years on active duty, before he retired in November 2003, qualified him for 80 percent of the new GI Bill benefit.

Scully too was mistaken, and he has cancelled plans to continue to pursue a degree in religious studies online through Liberty University.

Like Simpson and Scully, thousands of National Guard members will soon discover, if they haven’t already, that they are the victims, at least temporarily, of a flaw in the new GI Bill. It limits eligibility to Guard members based on what federal law was used to order them to active duty.

Those activated under Title 10 to serve under the command and control of the president for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are eligible for the new GI Bill after 90 days’ deployed. If they serve 36 month cumulative months under Title 10, after Sept. 11, 2001, they get full GI bill benefits.

But the time that Guard members have spent activated under Title 32, -- responding to domestic emergencies or to homeland security missions, or serving fulltime under the Active Guard and Reserve (AGR) program -- will not be count toward Post-9/11 GI Bill eligibility.

Excluded are Guard members called up to protect the homeland during Operation Noble Eagle after the 9/11 attacks, as well as Guard members activated to respond to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and 6000 called up for Operation Jump Start to bolster border security with Mexico in 2007-2008.

“Title 32 active duty status means they are on active duty, paid by the federal government but they still technically come under the command and control of the governor,” said Peter Duffy, deputy legislative director of the National Guard Association of the United States. “Much of what the Guard does domestically and even some overseas tours are done on Title 32 status. And although it takes members away from families, and it involves some risk, and it has them doing what counterparts in the active force are doing domestically, it still doesn’t give them [GI Bill] benefits. It’s a big, big gap.”

The original draft of a proposed GI Bill last year excluded all reserve components members. During hurried negotiations to find a more acceptable bill, Congress left out Title 32 Guard members. A Defense official confirmed that the department plans to offer a legislative fix with its 2011 budget.

Data from the Army National Guard and Air National Guard show that 75,098 Army Guard members and 2,460 Air Guard members will not be entitled to the new GI Bill without a legislative fix, says the Government Accountability Office in a July 6 letter report detailing recent gains in Reserve and Guard compensation.

Duffy said his association has been told by the staff of Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.), who led last year’s push to enact a Post-9/11 GI Bill, that Webb is aware of the glitch and how it impacts Title 32 Guard members. He intends to lead the push for corrective language sometime after Aug. 1 when the new GI Bill takes effect. Duffy said he would expect any move to eliminate this inequity for Guard members to be applied retroactively back to 9/11.

Webb and other lawmakers appear to be heeding a plea from VA officials not to make any changes to the enormously complex education benefit this year that might interfere with the program’s start in August.

Guardsman Simpson, 45, said “the beauty of Title 32 active duty is that it’s federally funded but it leaves the Guard under the control of governors. That’s how they get around the Posse Comitatus Act” which otherwise prohibits military involvement in domestic law enforcement.

After 9/11, Simpson said, he was among “large numbers of the Guard put on active duty under Title 32 to provide security in airports, power stations, bus terminals -- wherever governors deemed there to be critical infrastructure or important public safety concerns.”

And, for the past four years, he has remained on active duty under Title 32 in a fulltime AGR position.

“I’ve got soldiers who have worked here [at the Maryland Guard’s Joint Force Headquarters in Reisterstown] four or five years on Title 32, and perhaps spent a year on Title 10 orders,” Simpson said. “Yes, they have some eligibility [for new GI Bill benefits] but it’s a sliding scale, with 36 months needed to be the full ride. So, except for what I believe is the inequity of the GI Bill, they should be entitled to far more for their time.”

Scully, 53, spent his last years in the Air National Guard with the 126^th Air Refueling Wing at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. Having 80 percent of the new GI Bill, he said, “would have made continuing my education affordable.” It was “a huge disappointment” to learn in late June that his final two years in the AGR after 9/11 did not make him eligible.

Getting his degree “wasn’t something I needed to do,” Scully added. “However, at my pay grade you become accustomed to being concerned with other folks. And I know there are a lot of folks out there who were counting on this GI Bill for future employment and [Guard] promotion opportunities.”

“If this GI Bill had been written only for those who served in combat, or for those who served overseas, I would have no issue with it whatsoever. But Title 10 folks who never left the United States are getting this benefit, and the Title 32 guy, doing that same job, isn’t.”

To comment, e-mail milupdate@aol.com, write to Military Update, P.O. Box 231111, Centreville, VA, 20120-1111 or visit: www.militaryupdate.com

Meeting Minutes for July 8, 2009

We are growing! This week we had seven people at the meeting.

Items discussed:

Logo - We are almost there folks!!! We have a basic prototype and should be ready for business cards and stationary by the end of the Summer semester.

Looking for chair people to:

Organize fundraisers – Melisa we need you!!!!

Activities – social events like rafting, bowling, partying, a concert etc….

ICC Representative – Fred Olivas is seriously considering this position

Organize Out Processing events for our returning soldiers.

Qualifications of membership are being reconsidered. Presently, to become a member with voting privileges, you must attend 2 meetings and 1 event. Next meeting we are going to be creating an amendment to our constitution to change that to either attending 2 meetings and 1 event or attending 4 meetings in one semester. The Secretary will have a sign in sheet from now on at every meeting and will be keeping a data base of the attendees.

We continued discussions on the need for a One-Stop Veteran’s Office. We read the power point presentation from the first meeting to the President of the college. We discussed the possibility of the new officers preparing for another meeting with the President in the fall semester.

Congratulations to Joe Chacon for being elected to the Treasurer’s position. Joe was nominated by President Jessica Waskow and the motion was seconded by Vice President Christian Reynoso. First day in office he is already signing paperwork that officializes our status as a club on campus!

Joe has some great ideas. He stated that we really need to firm up our relationship with Sac State and stream line the process of transferring there from ARC. We also need to swap links with their site.

Website update: 60% of traffic to our site is first time visitors! Help increase our site rating by searching for ARCVETSCLUB all one word and no spaces. Then click one of the links on the results page.

Upcoming events – September 9^th BBQ and Veteran’s Day Info Fair in the Rose Marks Quad

VETERANS COMPENSATION COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENT LEGISLATION SENT TO WHITE HOUSE

Press Release

VETERANS COMPENSATION COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENT LEGISLATION SENT TO WHITE HOUSE

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following unanimous approval by the House and Senate,

Congress is sending S. 407, the Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment

Act of 2009 to the White House.

If approved by President Barack Obama, S. 407 would protect the value of

compensation for veterans and their survivors from potential inflation.

“Millions of disabled veterans and their survivors rely on monthly compensation,

and the value of their payments should be protected from potential inflation,”

said Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI), author

of the bill.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics uses the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to measure

inflation. In the event that the CPI increases, S. 407 would direct the

Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase, as of December 1, 2009, the rates of:

• Veterans’ disability compensation,

• Dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children, and

• Additional related benefits. The cost of living adjustment (COLA) is designed

to offset inflation. If the CPI increases, COLA for the above-mentioned

benefits would match the annual increase provided to Social Security recipients.

This year’s COLA rate has not been determined, and some predict that the CPI

will decrease this year.

In the event of a decrease in the CPI, veteran and survivor compensation will

remain at last year’s rate. For more information on the Consumer Price Index,

visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ website,

www.bls.gov/cpi http://www.bls.gov/cpi

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=s111-407

http://veterans.senate.gov/press-releases.cfm?action=release.display&release_id=380f700a-6f69-45d0-8c80-72158ebd9285

http://www.veteransadvantage.com/news/VeteransCompensationCost-of-LivingAdjustmentAct2009.html

On Thu, 9 Jul 2009 08:02:22 -0400, YNCS Don Harribine, USN(ret)

Employment Pilot Matches Employers and Veterans with TBI and/or PTSD

A pilot program is being implemented in Washington, D.C. to assist veterans with TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) or PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). The goal of the pilot is to help coordinate successful employment experiences for these veterans. Department of Labor (DOL) is managing this "learning lab" concept with support from others. Through the pilot, DOL will study, validate and disseminate best practices related to helping employees with TBI and/or PTSD succeed on the job. Workforce development professionals on the team will consult with organizations interested in employing veterans with TBI/PTSD, to match them with qualified veteran workers, provide ongoing support; and monitor experiences and track best practices.

For more information, visit the America’s Heroes at Work web site at http://www.myarmyonesource.com/news/2009/07/EmployPilot.

Seminar Helps Wounded Vets Start Businesses

“Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities” is being offered to disabled veterans at five universities across the country. The privately funded program offers a week of in-person study with professors and business people and also includes a three-week online course and 12-month follow-up mentoring along with other support.

For further information, go to http://www.myarmyonesource.com/news/2009/07/Bootcamp.

Many Colleges Sign on to GI Bill “Yellow Ribbon” Program

More than 500 private colleges signed on to the “Yellow Ribbon” agreements under the new Post 9/11 GI Bill benefit, making these higher priced schools more affordable to veterans who qualify for admission. Many big name schools nationwide have decided not to enter Yellow Ribbon deals or offer special discounts to veterans, at least for the 2009-2010 school year, citing the complexity of Yellow Ribbon and GI Bill rules, administrative challenges faced by the school trying to keep pace with VA’s “fast tracking” plan and the current economic crisis, as reasons for not signing.

To learn more, go to http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/07/YellowRibbon.

DoD Announces Rules for Post-9/11 GI Bill Transferability

DoD Announces Rules for Post-9/11 GI Bill Transferability With the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) now accepting sign-ups for the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the Department of Defense (DoD) is working to inform Service Members on its proposed policy regarding the bill's transferability provisions to help them decide if the new benefit is right for them. The DoD rules for Post-9/11 GI Bill transferability are as follows: Any enlisted or commissioned member of the armed forces serving on active duty or in the Selected Reserve on or after August 1, 2009 will be eligible to transfer their benefits - as long as they qualify for the Post-9/11 GI Bill in the first place and meet specific service requirements. Anyone who has retired or separated from the service before that date will not be entitled to transfer their benefits. Excluded reservists include members of the Individual Ready Reserve and Fleet Reserve. For more details regarding the Post-9/11 GI Bill, visit the Defense Department website at: http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/07/DefenseLink or the Department of Veterans Affairs website at http://www.myarmyonesource.com/news/2009/07/Post911.

Anonymous Survey on OIF/OEF Integration

Hi OIF/OEF veteran,

I have been asked to forward this email on to our OIF/OEF veterans. Civic Enterprises, an independent, non-partisan, public policy firm that is conducting a survey of OIF/OEF veterans as a part of a project aimed at ensuring OIF/OEF veterans have the necessary support and opportunities within their communities. This survey is intended to provide an in-depth understanding of the perspectives of veterans in relation to their integration into community and civic life. It is completely anonymous and they do not ask for any personal or contact information whatsoever. This survey only takes about 8 minutes and the questions are aimed at gauging the existing level of civic interest and opportunities among veterans. From veteran to another, I would ask that you take the time to fully and honestly complete this survey as it will benefit us and veterans across the nation.To access the survey simply click on the link below or enter it into the URL of your internet browser.http://www.questionpro.com/akira/TakeSurvey?id=1278764Have a great summer!

Sincerely,
Catherine Morris
Veterans Counselor

SVA Chapter Highight: Mesa College San Diego

The Student Veterans Union at Mesa College San Diego has begun to set up student veterans unions at the other schools in the San Diego Community College District, meeting with faculty and veterans officials at all three schools. They recently received the $100,000 grant from Wal-Mart and are working on forming focus groups of veteran students and faculty to discuss the proper uses of the grant.Mesa College, where the Student Veterans Union is headquartered has had four members elected to Associated Student Government Senate seats in our most recent elections. The four seats represent a third of the senate, a body which represents the interests of the 35,000 students which attend Mesa College each year. The SVU also was awarded " Most Improved Club of the Year", an award which encompasses all upstart clubs as well as all established clubs, as this was their first semester in existence. The SVU now has now formed a President's Advisory Committee in which three of its members meet with the President of Mesa College monthly to discuss items pertaining to veterans, active duty personnel and their families. Also, the newly formed Veterans Advisory Committee, now consists of a Representative of SVU, who is the only non-faculty member of the committee. The SVU will have tables at several veterans functions over the summer and is continuing to meet with the faculty, while simultaneously keeping the veteran students in the district informed of issues pertaining to them. -->

Be sure that the Post-9/11 GI Bill is the best for you!!

Be sure that the Post-9/11 GI Bill is the best for you!!

The new GI Bill is a great piece of legislation, and is truly a breakthrough in veterans' educational benefits. However, not every veteran that has served since 9/11 is going to be best served by switching to the new program. It is very important to take a close look at what your total cost of attendance is (tuition, books, fees, housing, etc) and work with your VA Certifying Official to ensure that you are selecting the proper chapter for you. Remember that this is an irrevocable decision, and one that should only be made with the most current information.For example, Steven Neshkoff, a rising sophomore at Ferris State University, said he would save $8,000 by remaining under the old GI Bill for another two years, instead of claiming aid under the new bill. Once he exhausts those benefits, he will qualify for 12 additional months' worth of educational benefits offered under the Post-9/11 GI Bill-aid that he plans to take advantage of later on.

Meeting Minutes for July 1, 2009

Wow! We had 10 people at our last meeting. We also had Nancy White, a licensed clinical Social Worker, from the Returning Veterans Outreach Education and Care Branch come by and spoke to our group. She is one of seven people who are committed to assisting the returning combat veterans readjust to civilian life. She gave us a very resourceful packet about Health Care Benefits that included an application for VA Health Care.

Other items she brought to our attention are that in the fall a new Vets Center is opening up in the Carmichael/Citrus Heights area. There is a Substance Abuse Program at Mather. Improvements are being made in the MST (Military Sexual Trauma) therapy groups. She also mentioned different classes that help combat veterans recover from the “Battle Mind Training” they received while in the military. Female Veterans who are in need of special assistance can contact Teresa Jones at 916-208-9791 who is the Woman’s Health Initiative Social Worker.

Nancy White knows how to help with changing your discharge status from “Other Than Honorable” to “Honorable”. Her contact number is 366-5455.

Honestly, there was so much information covered that you will have to stop by Kolin’s office and get the packet of information that was given out. It is worth the read.

Tom Barnwell spoke and announced that he was appointed as a Civilian Liaison for the US Army Reserve out of Roseville. He is responsible for organizing the Vietnam Veterans Recognition Day at ARC last semester. He intends on organizing the same kind of event in the fall and in the spring of 2010. He will keep us informed about his plans.

We discovered that there is a non-profit organization called The Veteran’s Community Support Network who meets at the Sacramento County Veteran’s Service Office on 19th Street. They meet every second Tuesday of the month from 2 pm to 4 pm at 2007 19th Street, Sacramento, 95818. You can call them at 874-6811 and ask for Jan Wold she is the President of the VCSN. They help veterans with special needs. Just call and find out what their criteria is.

We re-discussed the upcoming Welcome Day BBQ on September 9th and the Veteran’s Day Info Fair in November.

We are still figuring out an official logo. We may need to hire a professional.

Website update – we are in Google and Yahoo search engines now. 47% of the people who stop at our site are new visitors and stay an average of three minutes. We had two visits that came from Facebook. Not sure who is managing that, but keep up the good work. Our Web Ring is growing!

WEBSITE - associationofstudentveterans.com

BLOG - arcvetsclub.info