Remember In Memory of Bill Wolf |
Chapter Board Meeting: 1st Tuesday, 7:00 PM
Chapter Membership Meeting: 3rd Tuesday, 7:00 PM ***May Peace, Joy and Love be with you for the holidays and the coming year!!! ROSEVILLE MEMORIAL HALL, Royer Park ***AWARD WINNING NEWSLETTER*** |
CAPITOL CITY
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Newsletter for Sacramento Valley's Chapter 500 of the Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc. |
"We remember!" December, 2002 "Be Proud" |
President's Message
By: Dennis "Doc"
Kauffman, Sr.
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Current News and Announcements
CHRISTMAS
PARTY
This year we will be celebrating Christmas together with the United Veterans of Roseville. All members are invited to attend and bring your guests. Children are also welcome. Bring one gift for each small child and Santa will pass them out. Food provided at the party will be turkeys, hams, pies, rolls, cranberries, stuffing, gravy and sodas. Please bring a potluck dish to add to the feast. You may bring your own adult beverages.
Please RSVP to the Chapter Number:
>
481-6020
<
by
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THE
CAPITOL VETERAN.........December,
2002....
Page 2
BENEFITS
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LEGISLATION and GOVERNMENT ISSUES
Bills passed and signed or vetoed by the Governor concerning veterans: AB2559 - Wesson - Concerns sale of bonds for construction or renovation of veterans homes in Lancaster, Saticoy, West Los Angeles. SB1251 - Johannessen - Makes changes in the veterans' farm and home purchase program having to do with eligibility, preference categories, excess of applications over funds in the program. SB1234 - Johannessen - Concerns sales of bonds, notes, etc. to finance construction, renovation, expansion of veterans' homes in Yountville, Barstow, Chula Vista, Fresno County and Shasta County . AB748 - Chavez - Enrolled, would have instructed the Bureau of State Audits to conduct an analysis of the effectiveness of the Cal-Vet program and required the Bureau of State Audits to report to the Governor and Legislature the fiscal status. This was vetoed by the Governor with this message, "I do not think, however, that it is appropriate for the Department of Veterans Affairs to pay for a study by the Bureau of State Audits. In keeping with the intent of this measure, I am instead directing the Inspector General, within existing resources, to undertake an analysis of the Cal-Vet program, using the same criteria described by this bill, and report his findings to me by January 1, 2004." Note: Interesting how this bill started out asking for surplus funds to provide housing for homeless veterans, and instead an audit ends up not due until 2004. Veterans Day Proclamation from the White House (Excerpts from his Veterans Day Speech) "In recognition of the contributions our service men and women have made to the cause of peace and freedom around the world, the Congress has provided (5 U.S.C. 6103(a)) that November 11 of each year shall be set aside as a legal public holiday to honor veterans. NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim November 11, 2002, as Veterans Day and urge all Americans to observe November 10 through November 16, 2002, as National Veterans Awareness Week. I urge all Americans to recognize the valor and sacrifice of our veterans through appropriate public ceremonies and private prayers. I call upon Federal, State, and local officials to display the flag of the United States and to encourage and participate in patriotic activities in their communities. I invite civic and fraternal organizations, places of worship, schools, businesses, unions, and the media to support this national observance with suitable commemorative expressions and programs." VVA500 Note : Perhaps we should pass this message along to Mayor Heather Fargo and the city of Sacramento. The city has consistently refused to bear the cost of veteran functions, such as a downtown parade on Veterans Day. Veterans organizations (VAC) have had to bear these costs if they choose to have a parade. |
THE
CAPITOL VETERAN............December,
2002.........
Page 3
ANNOUNCEMENTS CONTINUED
HELP SUPPORT OUR SCHOLARSHIP FUND ********
CHAPTER INFORMATION
PLEASE GET THOSE DUES IN!!!
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PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS
HELP YOUR BUSINESS AND SUPPORT THE
VVA
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THE
CAPITOL
VETERAN................November,
2002........
Page 4
DECEMBER - 2002
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CALENDARED EVENT DETAILS
2nd - Roseville Veterans Memorial Hall Meeting - 10:00AM - held at
the hall - Gerard Fields representing VVA500.
3rd - VVA Chapter 500 Board Meeting - held at the Roseville Veterans Memorial
Hall - Board members please attend.
4th - UVOR Christmas Party/Dinner Planning Meeting - held at hall - Gregory
McNeill representing VVA500.
6th - Monthly dance held at the Roseville Veterans Memorial Hall.
11th - Veterans Affiliated Council Christmas Meeting/Party - VVA delegates are
urged to attend. President Dennis
Kauffman
represents VVA500 as Secretary of VAC.
13th - UVOR Annual Christmas/Party Dinner - All VVA members and families urged
to attend. Prep and Cleanup help
would be
appreciated on the 12th and 14th.
18th - Regular UVOR meeting held at the Hall - Representative Gregory McNeill
25th - Christmas Day and family time.
31st - New Years Eve - Appoint a designated driver and bring them all home safe.
VVA Chapter 500 wishes to thank Jim Santiana who was the speaker for our General Meeting in November. He is a Veteran Representative for EDD and is a Vietnam Veteran. All attending agreed that Mr. Santiana is much more than just an EDD representative. He explained many of the programs available to veterans and left us with extensive resource materials. Mr. Santiana provides one on one counseling services for veterans. Any veteran who is seeking employment, needs rehabilitation for a career change should consult with Jim. You can reach him at 916-774-4026 or e-mail JSantian@edd.ca.gov . And good news for Chapter 500, Jim will be transferring his VVA membership to our Chapter. We look forward to seeing Jim on a regular basis. He will be a great addition to our membership.
THE
CAPITOL
VETERAN................DECEMBER,
2002........
Page 5
RECENT ACTIVITIES OF VVA CHAPTER 500
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Members also marched in the 2nd Annual Veterans Day Parade held in Elk Grove. Pictures will be available in the next newsletter. Members Gerard Fields, Dino Gomez, and Bill Wagner performed our Speakers' Bureau services to several classes of eighth grade students at the Leroy Green Middle School. E. D. Mary Lou McNeill attended a seminar held by the Library of Congress staff regarding the Veterans History Project.
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THE
CAPITOL
VETERAN................DECEMBER,
2002........
Page 6
OTHER MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
VVA500 will be awarding three scholarships to deserving high school students that will attend college in 2003. The scholarships will be awarded in honor of three VVA members who have passed away, B.T. Collins, Gil Murray, and Bill Wolf. Gerard Fields is the chair of the Scholarship Committee. In the next newsletter, we will publish all of the criteria for receiving a scholarship. Library of Congress Veterans History Project - This project was created on October 27, 2000, by a unanimous vote of Congress and seeks to collect and preserve recorded memories of America's wartime veterans. The project and its many Official Partners across the country collect audio and video recorded interviews, as well as letter, diaries, photographs, and other personal documents, from those who served in WWI, WWII, and the Korean, Vietnam and Persian Gulf wars. Eligible are all participants in those wars, and also the civilian volunteers, support staff, war industry workers, as well as the experiences of military personnel from all ranks and all branches of service.........VVA500 has signed up to be an official partner of this project. This will enable us to have a direct link to our Chapter website and record the stories of all of our members as well as others we are able to visit and interview. |
You will find
this story
both amazing and disgusting.... from: COURT OVERTURNS RULING ON
VETS' FREE LIFETIME HEALTH CARE - from Terry Frieden, CNN
WASHINGTON (CNN) - A federal appeals court Tuesday ruled that the U.S. government does not owe free lifetime medical care to World War II and Korean War veterans (1941-56) who agreed to serve 20 years in exchange, despite promises made to them when they were in the armed forces. The ruling represents a victory for the federal government, which had argued the veterans were not entitled to the benefits. The ruling will potentially save the government billions of dollars in health care costs. The 9-4 ruling by the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C. overturns a ruling by a three-judge appeals panel in February, 2001, which ruled that the veterans were entitled to the lifetime health care based on the military's promises. In the opinion issued Tuesday the Court said that action taken this year allows for free care in the future, but that the government is not obligated to pick up the medical expenses incurred from 1995-2001. "Because (the law) at most authorizes space available treatment and not free health insurance for life, we hold that the Air Force Secretary lacked the authority in the 1950's when plaintiffs joined to promise free and full medical care," the Court majority said. |
Vi
etnam
Veterans of America, Inc.
Chapter 500
P.O. Box 255484
Sacramento, CA 95865
916-481-6020
vva@accessbee.com