Remember In Memory of Bill Wolf

CAPITOL CITY
VETERAN

Newsletter for Sacramento Valley's Chapter 500 of the Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc.

OUTGOING PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
by: Dennis "Doc" Kaufmann

It has been my pleasure to serve these last few years as President. We have made a number of changes...hopefully more for the good of the Chapter and all it's members. We have been sporadic with meeting attendance; but must admit, it was difficult to make every one of them myself.
It is more difficult for us since we work daily, and weekends as well. We aren't the retired individuals and we have to make that additional time to participate semi-regularly. We are a viable group of comrades that have purpose. We help other veterans that occasionally need guidance. We show our presence to the community with community events, affairs and projects.
We can all be proud that we served our country...and we can be certain our country will continue to honor our servitude and it's responsibilities to us...It does take time, persistence , and sometimes a good lawyer; but where would this country be without it's armed forces, Veterans and our families?
I personally recommended that Greg McNeill take over the leadership. He is the most active veteran member that is qualified, knowledgeable, dedicated to action (Semper Fi), and is the only one that can take the Chapter's Executive Director home after meetings. Ha! He shall lead us well, and the new Board should be just as dedicated.
Le us all do our parts and it won't be a burden of a task to continue; but a pleasant, rewarding endeavor

INCOMING PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
by: Gregory C. McNeill

I feel honored to accept the challenges of our Sacramento VVA Chapter 500. I hope to be able to keep things as organized as well as my brothers did who have held this position before me, to keep our Chapter going in the direction of our goals, "Veterans for all Veterans", and to remember "That one generation of veterans will never abandon another."
One thing I would like to ask of all our our members is to consciously make an effort to reach out and shake the hand and thank any service person that you see in your world and show them that we care.

Current News and Announcements

Our speaker for the May 20th General Meeting will be our new Legislative Chair, Don Harper. Don is President of the California Association of Veteran Services Agencies and one of the founders of the Vet Resource Center. He will speak to us on the importance of supporting or objecting to legislation regarding veterans.

ELECTION RESULTS

The Chapter 500 Annual Meeting and elections were held on April 15, 2003. Results are as follows:

OFFICERS
President: Gregory C. McNeill
Vice-President: Stan Bollinger
Secretary: Robert Jordan
Treasurer: Dennis "Doc" Kauffman
AVVA Representative: (Yet to be determined)
CSC Delegate: Dino Gomez
National Convention Delegates: (Need two)
BOARD MEMBERS
George Bouchard
Dino Gomez
Bill Wagner
COMMITTEE CHAIRS APPOINTED
Membership Affairs: Bob Jordan
Veterans Benefits: (Yet to be determined)
Public Affairs: Gregory C. McNeill
Women Veterans: (Yet to be determined)
Government Affairs: Don Harper
Veteran Affairs: (Yet to be determined)
Community Services: Gregory C. McNeill
Employment, Training & Bus. Opp.: James Santianna
Minority Affairs: Dino Gomez
Constitution: Joe Cavanagh, Bill Wagner
Finance: Dennis "Doc" Kauffman
Nominating: Dennis "Doc" Kauffman (need two more)
Helping Hands: Dennis "Doc" Kauffman
Veterans Services: Jesus Garcia
Scholarship: (Yet to be determined)

Election results continued on Page 2.....

BACK TO TOP

BACK TO VVA500

GO TO PAGE 2 OF 6

BENEFITS

Last month we discussed Agent Orange Testing for Vietnam Veterans. This month we will tell you how to get that testing.
Although the federal manual states that you do not have to be enrolled in the VA Health System in order to get the Agent Orange testing, it actually depends on the area you live in. In the Sacramento area, you do have to be enrolled. What this boils down to is more paperwork. The process is: 1. Have your DD214 ready. If you are already enrolled in the system, have your information handy.
2. Call McClellan at: 916-561-7453. (The Agent Orange testing is done at McClellan, not Mather) Tell them you want to make an appointment for an Agent Orange test.
3. If you are already enrolled, it should be no problem to just make the appointment. If additional paperwork is needed, to be completed for the test, tell them to mail it to you, so you don't have to make an extra trip.
4. When the paperwork comes, fill it out, attach whatever necessary and either mail or you can fax back at 916-561-7453.
5. If you do not want to enroll in the system, but only want the test, you can just fill out the basic information and specify that you only want the A6 test.
6. After they process your paperwork, they will call you for an appointment. After the testing, they will call you for a review of your test. You will then be put into the Agent Orange Registry. Depending on the results, you may be referred to your personal doctor or if you are enrolled and need attention to the VA doctors.
It is advisable to enroll whether you will qualify for VA Health Benefits or not. If anything comes up that qualifies you or your health insurance or job status changes and you need medical attention quickly, that part of the process is finished.
Chapter 500 is interested in how the requests are being received when you attempt to make your appointments. Please let the office know if you have any problems or sense reluctance on the part of the individual in helping you. Also let the office know the time factor between applying for the test and getting your appointment and results.

CHAPTER 31 WORKS!!!

A few meetings back, Jim Santianna described for us a VA program called Chapter 31. This is a rehabilitation program which allows a veteran that is rated 20% disabled or have a severe employment handicap to receive education in a field they are able to work in. The education is paid for, plus the veteran may receive a stipend during schooling. Well, it WORKS! One of new members Thelma Warren, has passed the in school portion of the program at the California Culinary Institute in San Francisco and is now doing his six month internship in the Virgin Islands. He now is known otherwise as Chef Thelma. Congrats Thelma!
If you can, or if you know of any veterans that could benefit from a new start in a new job and are rated at 20% or more, give Jim Santianna, our Employment and Training Comm. Chair a call at 916-774-4026

LEGISLATION and GOVERNMENT ISSUES

Legislative Chair, Don Harper will be discussing state legislation regarding veterans at the General Meeting. However, one important bill AB 1594 recently passed the House Veterans and Housing Committee. This bill will help to secure special funding for formerly homeless veterans that need transitional and permanent housing.

ELECTION RESULTS, continued

There are still openings for committee chairs in a few areas. These are standing committees required by VVA national, so they must be filled. Open and description are as follows:
1. Veterans Benefits - Shall provide oversight, as directed by the Board of Directors of the Corporation, for the Corporation's Veterans Benefits Program and shall recommend to the Board, policies to govern that program. (These benefits relate to health insurance, etc. that is provided by National VVA)
2. Women Veterans - Shall identify issues and needs relevant to women veterans, develop strategies to address and resolve them, and serve as a resource or liaison to and between all other communities. The Committee will maintain communication, advocacy, and outreach on behalf of women veterans at all levels of the organization.
3. Veteran Affairs - Shall present programs related to a variety of subjects and special interests. The Committee should coordinate its activities closely with the President, other Officers and committee chairpersons.
4. Nominating - Will handle the mechanics and phases of elections for the Chapter. Need two more for this one.
5. Scholarship - (This is our own committee) Shall determine criteria of scholarships the Chapter will award, review the entries and select the winners.
These are not tough committees and you will receive help in carrying out the duties. How about a few of you stepping up to the plate to help. Call the office to volunteer.

SPEAKERS BUREAU

Not all members may be aware of Chapter 500's "Speaker's Bureau". As part of our service to the community through education regarding the Vietnam War, the chapter is called frequently by schools to speak to students. Anyone who is interested in taking part in this project, please call the office.
This month, Joe Cavanagh, Jesus Garcia, Frank Soto, and Gregory McNeill will be speaking at the Sacramento Country Day School. There will be a few more speakers, we will acknowledge them next month.
This is a wonderful program that gives young students the Vietnam Veterans' point of view and their experiences regarding the war. Normally, the students first study the Vietnam War as part of their history lessons and at the end of the lessons, many of the teachers invite the Veterans to speak or to be interviewed.

BACK TO TOP

BACK TO VVA 500

GO TO PAGE 3 OF 6

BACK TO TOP

BACK TO VVA500

GO TO PAGE 4

BACK TO TOP

BACK TO VVA500

GO TO PAGE 5 OF 6

BACK TO TOP

BACK TO VVA500

GO TO PAGE 6 OF 6

BACK TO TOP

BACK TO VVA 500