Legislature(1993 - 1994)

01/28/1993 10:00 AM House MLV

Audio Topic
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
txt
              HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE                                          
            MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS                                      
                  January 28, 1993                                             
                     10:00 a.m.                                                
                                                                               
                                                                               
   MEMBERS PRESENT                                                             
                                                                               
   Rep. Richard Foster, Co-Chair                                               
   Rep. Eldon Mulder, Co-Chair                                                 
   Rep. Mike Navarre                                                           
   Rep. Ed Willis                                                              
   Rep. Pete Kott                                                              
                                                                               
   MEMBERS ABSENT                                                              
                                                                               
   None                                                                        
                                                                               
   COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                          
                                                                               
   Informal meeting with the Veterans of Foreign Wars.                         
                                                                               
   Committee organizational meeting.                                           
                                                                               
   WITNESS REGISTER                                                            
                                                                               
   LARRY PATCH, Commander                                                      
   Veterans of Foreign Wars                                                    
   HC32, Box 6518                                                              
   Wasilla, AK  99654                                                          
   Phone:  (907)257-4746                                                       
   Position Statement:  Addressed the committee                                
                                                                               
   SGT. GEORGE PAUL                                                            
   Alaska National Guard                                                       
   P.O. Box 22515                                                              
   Juneau, AK  99802                                                           
   Phone:  (907)463-4562                                                       
   Position Statement:  Addressed the committee                                
                                                                               
   GARY KURPIUS                                                                
   State Service Officer                                                       
   Veterans of Foreign Wars                                                    
   VA Regional Office                                                          
   2925 DeBarr Road, Suite 3106                                                
   Anchorage, AK  99508-2989                                                   
   Phone:  (907)276-8213                                                       
   Position Statement:  Observer                                               
                                                                               
   RICHARD CORNELIUS                                                           
   Veterans of Foreign Wars                                                    
   P.O. Box 5364                                                               
   Ketchikan, AK  99901                                                        
   Phone:  (907)225-1000                                                       
   Position Statement:  Observer                                               
   LEE LEWIS                                                                   
   Veterans of Foreign Wars                                                    
   P.O. Box 20011                                                              
   Juneau, AK  99802                                                           
   Phone:  (907)586-1950                                                       
   Position Statement:  Observer                                               
                                                                               
   GERALD DORSHER                                                              
   Veterans of Foreign Wars                                                    
   P.O. Box 240003                                                             
   Douglas, AK  99824                                                          
   Phone:  (907)364-3346                                                       
   Position Statement:  Observer                                               
                                                                               
                                                                               
   ACTION NARRATIVE                                                            
                                                                               
   TAPE 93-1, SIDE A                                                           
   Number 000                                                                  
                                                                               
   CO-CHAIR RICHARD FOSTER called the first meeting of the                     
   House Military and Veterans Affairs Committee to order at                   
   10:02 a.m.  All members were present.                                       
                                                                               
   CHAIR FOSTER announced the purpose of the meeting and                       
   introduced the Veterans of Foreign Wars delegation.                         
   Members of the delegation in attendance were:                               
                                                                               
  Larry Patch, Commander, Juneau                                               
  Gary Kurpius, Service Officer, Anchorage                                     
  Richard Cornelius, Ketchikan                                                 
  Lee Lewis, Juneau                                                            
  Gerald Dorscher, Juneau                                                      
  Sgt. George Paul, National Guard, Juneau.                                    
                                                                               
   Number 131                                                                  
                                                                               
   COMMANDER LARRY PATCH stated that General Cox was looking                   
   at cutting the burial program from the budget and putting                   
   these funds into services offices.  He said the Veterans of                 
   Foreign Wars (VFW) supports the General's proposal.                         
                                                                               
   COMMANDER PATCH listed the VFW's proposal:                                  
                                                                               
   a.  Support the proposal of General Cox to cut the death                    
 gratuity.                                                                     
                                                                               
   b.  Support the flag desecration bill introduced by the                     
 Senate.                                                                       
                                                                               
   c.  Veterans Home.  A need for a full skilled nursing home.                 
                                                                               
   Number 372                                                                  
                                                                               
   REP. MULDER introduced SGT. GEORGE PAUL from the NATIONAL                   
   GUARD in Juneau.                                                            
                                                                               
   SGT. PAUL addressed the committee by thanking them for                      
   funding an appropriation for renovation of the armory                       
   located in Juneau.  An invitation was extended to the                       
   committee to view the new gym floor at the armory.  Sgt.                    
   Paul stated the gym is utilized by the community of Juneau                  
   for various functions, such as youth and adult basketball,                  
   fundraising bazaars by various organizations, U. S. Coast                   
   Guard functions, and this last year it housed the Boy                       
   Scouts visiting for a week from another state.                              
                                                                               
   SGT. PAUL mentioned the policy for using the facility.  He                  
   said there is a fee, set by the Anchorage office, if there                  
   is no volunteer from the Guards to be responsible during a                  
   function; and if there is a Guard or active military                        
   personnel, then there is no fee.                                            
                                                                               
   SGT. PAUL announced that February 8 was the date for their                  
   Expo, which was a show of the equipment used by the                         
   National Guard.                                                             
                                                                               
   Number 419                                                                  
                                                                               
   COMMANDER PATCH stated that there are no requirements for                   
   the various services they provide, and there is no need to                  
   be a member of the VFW because they provide services to all                 
   eligible veterans and family members.                                       
                                                                               
   Number 537                                                                  
                                                                               
   COMMANDER PATCH stated he discussed with the staff of                       
   Senator Murkowski the idea of obtaining the Best Western to                 
   be turned over to the state.  He said they were looking at                  
   having the nursing home located in Mat-Su away from the                     
   Anchorage area.                                                             
                                                                               
   Number 653                                                                  
                                                                               
   CHAIRMAN FOSTER announced there would be an informal                        
   meeting of the committee at the armory on February 8 to                     
   coincide with the Expo.  He asked Sgt. Paul to coordinate                   
   the meeting with Liz Walters, a member of Chairman Foster's                 
   staff.                                                                      
                                                                               
   Number 754                                                                  
                                                                               
   CHAIRMAN FOSTER announced that the following bills had been                 
   assigned to the committee:  HB 59, HB 75 and HJR 18.                        
                                                                               
   Number 767                                                                  
                                                                               
   CHAIRMAN FOSTER informed the committee that General Cox's                   
   mother was terminally ill and would not be available for a                  
   meeting until February 10 or later.  Chairman Foster asked                  
   that a card signed by the committee be sent to General Cox.                 
                                                                               
   Number 769                                                                  
                                                                               
   CHAIRMAN FOSTER announced the next regular meeting, which                   
   was scheduled for March 8.  He said Lt. General Ralston                     
   would address the committee.  He asked that the Governor's                  
   conference be reserved and that an invitation be extended                   
   to all the legislators.                                                     
                                                                               
   Number 780                                                                  
                                                                               
   REP. WILLIS asked that the committee sponsor the flag bill.                 
                                                                               
   CHAIRMAN FOSTER asked that Bill Stolz, staff person for                     
   Rep. Willis, and Liz Walters, staff person for Rep. Foster,                 
   draft the bill for the committee to review and input.                       
                                                                               
   Number 806                                                                  
                                                                               
   CHAIRMAN FOSTER adjourned the meeting at 10:47 a.m.                         
                                                                               

Document Name Date/Time Subjects