Commander Reaches Out to Key Elected Officials

 

The following is the test of a letter new DAV State Commander Kevin “K.C.” Johnson sent to Governor Walker this week.

Commander Johnson sent similar letters to key legislators.

--Anthony Hardie, Madison, Wis.

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June 12, 2011

Dear Governor Walker,

Yesterday, I was honored to have been elected to serve as the Disabled American Veterans Department of Wisconsin State Commander for 2011-12. As the new DAV state commander, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and to reintroduce DAV to you.

As you may know, DAV is the largest organization of service-disabled wartime veterans in the world. Made up of well over one million men and women disabled in our nation’s defense, DAV is dedicated to a single purpose: building better lives for our entire nation’s disabled veterans and their families.

Fully non-partisan, DAV extends its mission of hope into communities where these veterans and their families live through a network of direct assistance-providing national service offices. As a major national commitment, DAV also provides an extensive transportation program to our veterans get to their often far-flung VA medical appointments. As part of this key national DAV program, we operated 35 volunteer-driven vans that crisscross the state. DAV also maintains state-level department like here in Wisconsin and more than 2,400 local chapters, including 55 here in our state.

Like our other members, I’m a service-disabled wartime veteran. But as I’m sure you would agree, this is really about the disabled veterans we serve.

For my year as Commander, I have assembled and appointed a staff of high quality, knowledgeable, experienced and dedicated service-disabled men and women who, I anticipate, will help make my year as DAV State Commander one filled with shared accomplishments to further benefit Wisconsin’s disabled and other veterans and their families.

To that end, I have directed key members of my staff – most of them volunteers – to work closely with you and your staff, our State Legislature, and our Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs. Those DAV staff members include: State State Legislative Director Al Labelle of Marshfield; State Special Assistant and State Council on Veterans Programs Representative Anthony Hardie of Madison; State Adjutant Ken Kuehnl of Union Grove; and, State Deputy Adjutant Dick Marbes of Green Bay.

DAV is fully prepared to continue to actively assist the continuing influx of our newest disabled veterans returning to our state from active duty in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the globe. While DAV’s financial and staffing requirements are both large and demanding, we keep up with those demands through countless volunteers and donors who see the need for DAV’s assistance programs. There are many sick and disabled veterans who need to be transported to their medical appointments at the myriad of VA facilities around the state and DAV will always be there for them.

We have seen your immediate efforts on behalf of Wisconsin’s veterans that began shortly after you had been elected as Governor, even before you officially took office. Those ongoing efforts and your first successes on behalf of our service-disabled and other veterans are noted and greatly appreciated.

On behalf of DAV and the more than 53,500 service-disabled Wisconsin veterans whose interests we represent, I look forward to working with you and your staff for the betterment of our disabled, wartime and other Wisconsin veterans. If we or I can ever be of assistance to your or your staff in our shared goals of aiding and assisting our veterans, please do not hesitate to contact any one of us.

Sincerely,

DAV DEPARTMENT OF WISCONSIN

Kevin C. “K.C.” Johnson

COMMANDER

Improvement of Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Allowances Needed Take Action!

DAV National:  Please Contact Your Representative Today!

We have been working with both chambers of Congress to improve the Post 9/11 GI Bill, particularly in making a housing stipend available to Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) participants. As a result of our efforts, the U.S. Senate passed S. 3447, the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010.

Disabled veterans need your help to get this legislation passed into law this year. DAV has testified in support of certain provisions of this bill. Resolutions adopted by our membership emphasize the need to provide veterans greater assistance under the VR&E program in Chapter 31 as contrasted to those participating in the post-9/11 educational assistance program under chapter 33. Section 205 of S. 3447 would allow veterans with service-connected disabilities that participate in a program of vocational rehabilitation under chapter 31 of title 38, United States Code, who are also entitled to Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefits, to choose whether to receive the monthly housing stipend payable under the Post-9/11 GI Bill or a monthly subsistence allowance.

DAV urges you to call on your Representative and request they take up the provisions of S. 3447 before Congress adjourns later this week, most likely on December 18. Please call your Representative or send a prepared e-mail today. Please emphasize the urgency of these provisions for disabled veterans.

As always, DAV thanks you for your advocacy on behalf of sick and disabled veterans.

Commander’s Letter to Governor Doyle on Wisconsin G.I. Bill Tuition Remission

TO:  Governor Jim Doyle, State Capitol 115 East, P.O. Box 7863, Madison, WI  53707

RE: Assembly Bill 781

Dear Governor Doyle,

Thank you for your previous and continued support for the Wisconsin G.I. Bill tuition remission, a program that is a premier State of Wisconsin state-level economic development, educational investment, veterans readjustment and veterans benefits program worthy of emulation by all the States.

On behalf of the members of the Department of Wisconsin Disabled Veterans, I am writing you to formally request that you use your power as Governor to request a special session of the Wisconsin State Legislature to consider Assembly Bill 781, a bill introduced by Rep. Steve Hilgenberg to make full restoration to the Wisconsin G.I. Bill tuition remission. You may be aware that the University of Wisconsin System has interpreted statutory language in the last state budget act, signed into law by you, to make substantial cuts to the original benefits under this veterans’ remission.

As you may know, the DAV is the authoritative voice for our nation’s service-connected disabled veterans, including the young men and women wounded or injured as a result of the current wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. And, the spirit of our members in support of our legislative initiatives is essential to our efforts to secure and enhance the programs that benefit veterans, particularly disabled veterans.

You may also be aware the U.S. Department of Labor reported in March 2010 that one in three veterans under age 24 is unemployed; that the unemployment rate for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans has jumped to 14.7%, half again as high as the national employment rate of 9.7%; that the March unemployment rate of 30.2 percent for veterans aged 18 to 24 is a big increase from February’s figure of 21.7 percent; and, that this data shows that veterans are bearing the brunt of the economic downturn.

You may also be aware of veteran suicide rates that have now reached an average of 950 suicide attempts per month among veterans receiving some sort of treatment from the VA and an average of 18 veteran suicides per day. According to one study, “specifically, the risk for suicide appears highest among younger veterans -- the reverse of what's seen in the general population.”

We have learned that studied risk factors for suicide have been stated to include military service (double the suicide rate of those without military service), diminished social environment support, and loss of security. We have also learned that many studies have found an association between unemployment and suicide, and that a report from the CDC states that suicide rates are inversely related to the level of education, meaning higher education is associated with lower risk of suicide. Of course, there are many other risk factors for veterans’ suicide, particularly mental health and physical impairment issues, no strangers to many of our disabled veterans.

It is our position that the Wisconsin G.I. Bill tuition remission program provides an exceptional opportunity for reintegration for veterans returning from military service before entering the full-time workforce as better prepared citizens.

As disabled veterans ourselves, we believe that the opportunity to pursue higher educational goals under the Wisconsin G.I. Bill – restored to its full benefit, which never should have been allowed to be cut in the first place – and on the socially and intellectually engaging campuses of Wisconsin’s UW and technical college campuses is good not just for veterans, particularly newly returning and reintegrating veterans, but it is good for Wisconsin, particularly Wisconsin’s economy. The program clearly leads to a better educated workforce, very likely able to take Wisconsin’s economy to new heights.

Again, thank you for your continued support for the Wisconsin G.I. Bill tuition remission program, a critically important, cost-effective investment in the future of our state and our veterans.

Please let me know if you need additional information or want to discuss this request. On behalf of DAV-WI, I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Holly Hoppe, Commander

DAV Department of Wisconsin