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.