Legislature(2023 - 2024)GRUENBERG 120
04/18/2023 01:00 PM House MILITARY & VETERANS' AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Presentation(s): Overview of the Department of Military & Veterans Affairs by Verdie Bowen, Director | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS
April 18, 2023
1:02 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Stanley Wright, Chair
Representative Laddie Shaw
Representative Cliff Groh
Representative Andrew Gray
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Ben Carpenter
Representative George Rauscher
Representative Dan Saddler
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION(S): OVERVIEW OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY &
VETERANS AFFAIRS
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
VERDIE BOWEN, Director
Office of Veterans Affairs
Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Gave the Overview of the Department of
Military and Veterans Affairs presentation.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:02:55 PM
CHAIR STANLEY WRIGHT called the House Special Committee on
Military and Veterans' Affairs meeting to order at 1:03 p.m.
Representatives Shaw, Groh, Gray, and Wright were present at the
call to order.
^PRESENTATION(S): Overview of the Department of Military &
Veterans Affairs by Verdie Bowen, Director
PRESENTATION(S): Overview of the Department of Military &
Veterans Affairs by Verdie Bowen, Director
1:03:43 PM
CHAIR WRIGHT announced that the only order of business would be
the Overview of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
presentation.
1:04:01 PM
VERDIE BOWEN, Director, Office of Veterans Affairs, Department
of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA), began the PowerPoint
presentation titled, "Overview Office of Veterans Affairs"
[hardcopy included in committee packet] on slide 2, which read
as follows [original punctuation provided]:
Office of Veterans Affairs
Our Core Values
We hold ourselves personally and professionally
accountable to deliver on America's promise to all
eligible members we serve through courage, conviction,
and a belief in our core values of Integrity,
Compassion, Commitment, Selflessness, and Teamwork.
Our Motto
"Serving Alaska one Veteran at a Time"
MR. BOWEN moved to slide 3, which read as follows [original
punctuation provided]:
Alaska Veteran Demographics
64,388 veterans plus 141,653 dependents
War Time Veterans: 57,010
Peace Time Veterans: 7,398
Gulf War Service: 39,027
Vietnam Era: 19,023
Korean Conflict: 1,711
World War II: 275
Male Veterans: 48,083
Female Veterans: 10,305
Under age 65: 48,999
Over Age 65: 15,389
1:08:58 PM
MR. BOWEN advanced to slide 4, which read as follows [original
punctuation provided]:
Office of Veteran Affairs Staffing
• 4 full time-state employee + 17 grant funded Veteran
Service Officers (VSO's)
o Serve Veterans, Active Duty, Reserve Components, and
all dependents/survivors
o Serve as a conduit to assist in navigating every
aspect of the State and Federal systems to secure all
earned benefits to include discharge upgrade reviews
and disability research and missing awards/lost medals
o Publish and distribute the Veterans Benefits booklet
o Staff and VSO's serve over 60,000 clients in 2023 and
traveled to over 100 communities
MR. BOWEN moved to slide 5, which read as follows [original
punctuation provided]:
Major Accomplishments
• Renamed the Alaska VA Healthcare campus the Colonel
Mary Louise Rasmuson Campus 1stVA Campus named after
a noted female Veteran
• Held the first connecting female Veterans event with
over 150 participants
• Traveled to Gambell, Alaska and presented 16 Alaska
st
Heroism Medals to the 1 Scouts who served in 1955
• Honored our Vietnam Helicopter Pilots through a day of
events that culminated in the naming of the Vietnam
Helicopter Pilot bridges
1:15:14 PM
MR. BOWEN transitioned to slide 6, which read as follows
[original punctuation provided]:
Major Accomplishments
• Receipt of a $250,000 federal transportation grant,
allowing over 1,173 Veterans funded travel for
healthcare Alaska is the only state in the nation
selected for this program
• Veterans Memorial Endowment Grant provided the funds
needed to complete the Wasilla Veterans Wall of Honor
Memorial Day 2022 was enhanced greatly by this new
Honor facility
• Partnered with Fairbanks and Anchorage Stand Down
committees services using an appointment system for
Veterans in need during the COVID-19 crisis
MR. BOWEN moved to slide 7, which read as follows [original
punctuation provided]:
Major Accomplishments
• Created & produced informative and resourceful Veteran
Benefits Book -includes important contacts and
extensive veterans benefit guidance -distribute
several thousand copies annually to veterans & their
dependents
1:18:00 PM
MR. BOWEN advanced to slide 8, which read as follows [original
punctuation provided]:
Major Accomplishments
• Successfully navigated the USDVA Appeal boards and
returned $113M in single one time payments
• Partnered with the Archivist from the VFW completed
an additional 1300 Alaska Territorial Guard discharges
• Co-sponsors with the US Department of Veterans Affairs
developing our Tribal Veterans Representatives (TVR)
corps receiving VA 101 training -increasing the state-
wide volunteer pool to over 500 -the largest Veteran's
volunteer corps in the nation plus awarded the VA's
Abraham Lincoln Pillar of Excellence Award
MR. BOWEN moved to slide 9, which read as follows [original
punctuation provided]:
Major Accomplishments
• Co-sponsored moving Veterans Museum to a new larger
location doubled their Honor display capacity
• Co-sponsored 12 virtual state wide town halls directly
reaching over 11,000 veterans and their families
• Partnered with State Dept. of Labor to support the
localized job fairs and recruitment efforts directed
towards veterans & their families offering support &
guidance for veterans in search of stable careers &
encouraging professional development
1:21:55 PM
MR. BOWEN concluded the PowerPoint presentation on slide 10. He
added that DMVA receives many requests to investigate certain
matters. He relayed a story about Private First-Class George
Fox, who was the only Aleut killed during World War Two. He
stated that nobody knew that he was buried by his mother in an
unmarked grave in Unalaska. He said DMVA was able to place a
headstone on his grave in the last year.
1:24:03 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GRAY stated that he has been tracking an
investigation regarding an African American veteran's claim of
racism concerning a disability benefit. He offered his
understanding that these veterans would be less likely to get
100 percent service connection than white veterans. He asked
for the status of the investigation.
MR. BOWEN answered that DMVA is tracking the investigation;
however, any comments will be left to after the court's
decision. He said that race is not marked on a DMVA claim.
REPRESENTATIVE GRAY suggested that when a veteran undergoes a
physical exam, his/her race may become known then.
MR. BOWEN responded that there have been problems with the
physical exams. He continued that issues of military sexual
trauma would be brought to the secretary.
1:27:39 PM
The committee took a brief at-ease.
1:27:52 PM
CHAIR WRIGHT asked about the [Interior of Alaska] Veterans
Cemetery.
MR. BOWEN explained that a plot of land was purchased in Salcha,
Alaska, last year; it has passed environmental checks and was
deemed acceptable by DMVA. He said $16 million is required to
build the cemetery.
1:30:28 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SHAW asked whether the cemetery would be
federally recognized.
MR. BOWEN answered yes. In response to how many spaces there
would be, he said there will be 500 column bearings, 500 crypts,
and 500 niches. He noted that the crypts have three placements
within them.
1:31:22 PM
CHAIR WRIGHT asked about the Veterans Treatment Court program.
MR. BOWEN answered that the program was opened in Fairbanks, and
currently there are three individuals going through the
treatment. He said once a person completes the wellness
process, his/her records are expunged.
1:32:33 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SHAW complemented Mr. Bowen on the work he has
done for veterans of Alaska.
1:33:21 PM
CHAIR WRIGHT thanked Mr. Bowen.
1:33:47 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GRAY thanked Mr. Bowen, and he commented that he
does not hear many complaints about DMVA.
1:34:27 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Military and Veteran's Affairs Special Committee meeting was
adjourned at 1:34 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| OVA Slides for 2023 Legislative Session 4.18.23.pdf |
HMLV 4/18/2023 1:00:00 PM |