04/27/1999 05:10 PM House MLV

             HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON                                                                                         
           MILITARY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS                                                                                       
                   April 27, 1999                                                                                               
                     5:10 p.m.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
OVERVIEW:  VETERANS' SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
TAPE(S)                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
99-9, SIDE(S) A & B                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CALL TO ORDER                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Representative Lisa Murkowski, Chair, convened the House Special                                                                
Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs meeting at 5:10 p.m.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
PRESENT                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Committee members present at the call to order were Representatives                                                             
Murkowski and Coghill.  Representatives Cissna, Croft and Kott                                                                  
arrived as the meeting progressed.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
PAT CAROTHERS, Chair, Alaska Veterans' Advisory Council, read the                                                               
council's mission statement, noting that he reports to the                                                                      
commissioner and the governor.  He pointed out projects that the                                                                
council has supported in the past.  In response to questions from                                                               
Chair Murkowski, he noted that the council contains from 18 to 20                                                               
people from all different industries.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CLIFF DEAN, Southeast Coordinator for the Veterans Administration,                                                              
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, explained how there have been                                                              
problems statewide regarding the Privacy Act and veterans                                                                       
hospitals.  The state needs to create one "veteran card," to be                                                                 
accepted by all agencies as proof of any disabilities, veterans'                                                                
status, and the like.  He touched on the "Afghan Telemedicine                                                                   
Project," an Alaska-federal health care partnership; in response to                                                             
questions from Representative Cissna, he didn't know the number of                                                              
villages that this project would impact but said he would provide                                                               
that number to the committee.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
FRED RUPPERT and HELEN BARKLEY, representatives from the Disabled                                                               
American Veterans, discussed their three-year contract with the                                                                 
state regarding assistance to disabled veterans statewide.  Mr.                                                                 
Ruppert noted that for every $1 invested, there is a $50 long-term                                                              
return.  Mr. Ruppert answered questions from Representatives Croft                                                              
and Murkowski regarding how disability status was established,                                                                  
estimating that approximately 2,000 Alaskans are 50 percent or more                                                             
disabled.  In response to questions from Representative Kott, Mr.                                                               
Ruppert noted that Alaska spends less per veteran than any other                                                                
state - approximately $7 per veteran per capita.  This is probably                                                              
due to the fact that Alaska has no veterans home.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
GERALD DORSIER, representative of the Veterans of Foreign Wars,                                                                 
testified very briefly, expressing appreciation for the committee's                                                             
coming together to listen to the different organizations.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
GARY BERRY, Department Vice Commander, American Legion, pointed out                                                             
the dire need for a veterans hospital.  He explained the role                                                                   
played in the community by American Legion posts, which sponsor                                                                 
many children's programs such as Girls State and Boys State, annual                                                             
summer debate programs.  In response to questions from                                                                          
Representative Kott, he noted that the joint organizations have put                                                             
in $20,000 for a veterans home; that has been matched by the state,                                                             
and there may be another $20,000 approved, for a total of $60,000                                                               
to do a feasibility study.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
The committee took no action.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
The meeting adjourned at 6:26 p.m.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
NOTE:                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
The meeting was recorded and handwritten log notes were taken.  A                                                               
copy of the tape(s) and log notes may be obtained by contacting the                                                             
House Records Office at 130 Seward Street, Suite 211, Juneau,                                                                   
Alaska  99801-1182, (907) 465-2214, and after adjournment of the                                                                
second session of the Twenty-first Alaska State Legislature, in the                                                             
Legislative Reference Library.