Legislature(2015 - 2016)CAPITOL 120
03/17/2015 01:00 PM House MILITARY & VETERANS' AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Presentation: Joint Alaska State Legislative Veterans Caucus | |
| SJR7 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| + | SJR 7 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SJR 7-NATIVE AMERICAN VETERANS' MONUMENT
2:07:51 PM
CHAIR HERRON announced that the final order of business would be
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 7, Supporting the construction by
American Indian Veterans Memorial, Inc., of an Alaska Native,
American Indian, and Native Hawaiian veterans' monument in the
nation's capital.
2:08:04 PM
SENATOR BILL WIELECHOWSKI, Alaska State Legislature, concurred
with the suggestion that the solution to the high suicide rate
for veterans is to show appreciation to those who have served.
In that regard, SJR 7 supports the construction of an Alaska
Native, American Indian, and Native Hawaiian veterans' monument
in Washington, D.C. Senator Wielechowski said several years ago
he met with a Native American organization that wanted to honor
Native Americans who fought for the U.S. by building a monument,
and he suggested that they contact the Alaska Federation of
Natives (AFN); subsequently, AFN passed a resolution in support
of this effort, a copy of which can be found in the committee
packet. The effort to construct a monument is also supported by
the National Congress of American Indians and Vietnam Veterans
of America, and no federal or public funds will be used. To
those who question the need to honor this group of veterans,
Senator Wielechowski relayed that Native Americans, Alaska
Natives, and Hawaiian Natives have some of the highest rates of
service per capita, and have served in every conflict since the
Revolutionary War - saving lives - even when denied American
citizenship. He noted that many Americans have heard of the
Native American code talkers, but are unaware of the service by
the Tlingit code talkers. Senator Wielechowski said SJR 7
passed unanimously in the Senate and urged for the committee's
support.
REPRESENTATIVE HUGHES asked whether construction of the monument
is on schedule and where it will be located.
2:11:35 PM
KALYSSA MAILE, Staff, Senator Bill Wielechowski, Alaska State
Legislature, answered that the monument is in the fundraising
and planning stages. Although there is no official design at
this time, in 1994, Congress passed a resolution - which was
reaffirmed in 2013 - to allow the monument to be built on the
National Mall.
REPRESENTATIVE HUGHES said it was very appropriate to honor
Native Americans who have volunteered for service in high
numbers during times of peace and war.
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI restated that Native Americans have served
in every conflict; 42,000 served in the Vietnam conflict and
many who volunteered were from Alaska.
REPRESENTATIVE HUGHES expressed her support for the resolution.
CHAIR HERRON recalled that the first Alaskan killed in the
Vietnam conflict was a Yupik Eskimo from Bethel in 1967.
2:14:43 PM
CHAIR HERRON opened public testimony on SJR 7.
2:15:13 PM
ELIZABETH BATES said she and her husband have been leading an
effort since 2011 to garner recognition for American Indians,
Alaska Natives, and Pacific Islanders on the National Mall in
Washington D.C. The statute will be placed at the National
Museum of the American Indian as authorized by a bill passed in
2013; however, members of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund are
planning to build an education center and suggested that an
American Indian, Alaska Native, and Pacific Islander exhibit
should be part of the center. The exhibit will narrate the
entire history of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Pacific
Islander involvement in all wars and conflicts, and she
expressed her appreciation for the support of the Alaska State
Legislature.
2:18:04 PM
STEPHEN BOWERS stated it is very important to Indian tribes,
Alaska Natives, and Pacific Islanders to have an opportunity to
show their rich legacy and history in helping to defend the
country. (Further testimony indisc.).
2:22:12 PM
MARCELO QUINTO, President, Alaska Native Brotherhood Camp 70,
said Alaska Native Brotherhood Camp 70 is the oldest Native
organization in the U.S. Mr. Quinto informed the committee he
served four years in the Navy. His organization is in full
support of SJR 7, and many of its present members have served in
conflicts from the Korean War forward.
2:24:19 PM
OZZIE SHEAKLEY, Commander, Southeast Alaska Native Veterans,
said his organization was formed in 1995 in order to work with
veterans in all of the communities in a manner similar to that
of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, and the
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). He expressed his
organization's support for the resolution, noting that at the
start of WWII many members volunteered to join the military
services and in 1944, enemy forces landed in Alaska and everyone
that was able went to serve in the Aleutian Islands. Mr.
Sheakley displayed a copy of a Tlingit Warrior code talkers'
Congressional Medal of Honor and described the story of the
Navajo and Tlingit code talkers, noting that Indian languages of
32 other tribes were also used for code, and none of the codes
were broken. He restated his organization's support for SJR 7.
REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX advised that in Old Harbor fisherman today
use their Native language to conceal information about the
location of fish.
MR. SHEAKLEY said the medalists are gone now and most were from
one clan. He described the medal.
2:30:03 PM
MARY A. BROWN, Executive Committee, Alaska Native Sisterhood,
said she is the daughter of a veteran, the sister of four
veterans, and the mother of a Desert Storm veteran. She shared
a story of her personal family experience as the mom of a
veteran after he returned home. During his service, she phoned
for information and was transferred to the casualty line in
error. As a member of the executive committee of the Alaska
Native Sisterhood, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary in
Wrangell, she thanked Alaska Native veterans, and said the
resolution is very important to Alaska Native and American
Indian veterans.
2:34:07 PM
IRVING LANGMAID, President, Alaska Native Brotherhood Camp 9,
said he was adopted into the Eagle/Wolf/Sockeye clan. As a non-
Native veteran, he said he supported his brothers and would like
to see a monument honoring Native Americans, Alaska Natives,
Hawaiians, and the Indian tribes of the Lower 48. A monument
such as this would distinguish the military service of Indians.
Mr. Langmaid turned to the subject of post-traumatic stress
syndrome (PTSD) and opined everyone who has served suffers some
form of PTSD. He spoke of his service in Germany, in the U.S.,
and in Korea, and of the lingering symptoms of stress. Mr.
Langmaid said he puts his military training to good use today in
his work and as a volunteer. He said a memorial would be
appreciated.
2:38:55 PM
CHAIR HERRON, after ascertaining that no one else wished to
testify, closed public testimony on SJR 7.
2:39:03 PM
REPRESENTATIVE COLVER moved to report SJR 7 out of committee
with individual recommendations and the accompanying zero fiscal
note. There being no objection, SJR 7 was reported out of the
House Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SJR7 - Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HMLV 3/17/2015 1:00:00 PM |
SJR 7 |
| SJR7 - Supporting Doc - AFN Resolution.pdf |
HMLV 3/17/2015 1:00:00 PM |
SJR 7 |
| SJR7 - Supporting Doc - NCAI Resolution.pdf |
HMLV 3/17/2015 1:00:00 PM |
SJR 7 |
| SJR7 - Supporting Doc - VVA Resolution.pdf |
HMLV 3/17/2015 1:00:00 PM |
SJR 7 |
| SJR7 - Fiscal Note - LEG-SESS-02-16-15.pdf |
HMLV 3/17/2015 1:00:00 PM |
SJR 7 |
| SJR7 - Legislation - Native Americans Veterans' Monument.pdf |
HMLV 3/17/2015 1:00:00 PM |
SJR 7 |
| HMVA Presentation 3.17.15 - Veterans' Suicide Rates and PTSD.pdf |
HMLV 3/17/2015 1:00:00 PM |