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Virginia Department of Veterans Services (VDVS)
Fall 2019 eNews, Volume 2
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Commissioner’s Corner

With Veterans Day fast approaching, and with the passing of our dear friend and World War II veteran Dr. E. Bruce Heilman this week, I am reminded of the importance of honoring all veterans, and especially those of the greatest generation, before they leave us to move on to their final duty assignment.
 
Dr. Heilman and 16 million of his fellow Americans answered the call to serve in WWII.  Before becoming president of the University of Richmond, Dr. Heilman served the nation as a Marine during World War II, including combat in the Pacific Theater. 
 
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (the VA) estimates that, nationwide, fewer than 400,000 of our World War II veterans are alive today.  That number is expected to drop to under 300,000 by this time next year.  In five years, that number is forecast to drop to fewer than 90,000, meaning that by 2024 we will have witnessed the passing of almost an entire generation who sacrificed so much of themselves.
 
In 2004, then-Governor Mark Warner presented a check, in the amount of $334,000, to the Chairman of the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) towards the construction of the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.  Each state had been asked to contribute $1 for each of its citizens who served.  Today, the VA estimates that only 9,000 of Virginia’s World War II veterans are still with us.   
 
It is sometimes said that our World War II veterans should be referred to as the "quietest generation", as many came home and rarely spoke of their time at war.  But I think this applies equally to veterans of all generations.  It’s not too late to thank all our veterans for their service and sacrifice.  Also make the time to ask them in which branch of the armed forces they served, about their unit and their favorite duty station, and about their fondest memory of military service. 
 
Honoring our veterans service and sacrifice is critical.  Part of honoring their legacy is to preserve veterans’ stories, their diaries and artifacts, and their memories.  Virginia is working hard to capture and preserve these stories with programs like the Virginia War Memorial’s Mighty Pen Project which generates, preserves, shares, and honors stories written by military veterans and those touched by their service.
 
In this edition of our Enews, you will learn more about the great contributions of fellow veteran Dr. Heilman. You will also be able to learn more about partners who help us serve veterans and their families everyday like the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and Dominion Energy.
 
This edition of the Enews also includes a link to a list of Veterans Day events across the Commonwealth.  I would like to thank all our readers who helped us compile this list, and would encourage you to attend an event in your community.  I invite you to join us at the Virginia War Memorial on November 11 at 11 a.m. for the Commonwealth’s Veterans Day Ceremony.  Virginia Governor Ralph Northam will be the keynote speaker. 
 
Our joint efforts aim to ensure all Veterans can experience as many Veterans Days as possible.

As always, we appreciate your interest in DVS and welcome your comments and suggestions. 
 
Sincerely,


Steven J. Combs, Acting Commissioner
Virginia Department of Veterans Services

The Commonwealth of Virginia's Veterans Day Ceremony, Richmond
Virginia War Memorial
November 11, 2019 

2019 Veterans Day Events in the Commonwealth
November 2 - November 12, 2019

Military Records Workshop, Richmond
Virginia War Memorial
November 13, 2019

Author Heath Hardage Lee Presents her book, The League of Wives , Richmond
Virginia War Memorial
November 14, 2019

Divergent Paths, Richmond
Virginia War Memorial
November 20, 2019

Mission Healthy Relationship Workshop Presented by the Virginia Veteran and Family Support Program, Williamsburg
The Williamsburg Lodge 
November 22, 2019

Horton Wreath Society Wreath Placement, Suffolk
Albert G. Horton, Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery
December 14, 2019

Free Holiday Pops Concert, Richmond
Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center
December 16, 2019

Click here to view upcoming V3 Veteran Employment Events.
 
Brandi Jancaitis
Military and Veterans Affairs Manager,
Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services
 


What is your role with the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS)
I serve as the Military and Veterans Affairs Manager.  My position became full-time in November 2018 to formalize DBHDS’s dedication to enhancing services for Military Service Members, Veterans, and their Families (SMVF).  Broadly speaking, I’m the agency lead for policy and projects that increase community-based behavioral health and supportive services access for SMVF.
 
The mission of DBHDS is to support individuals by promoting recovery, self-determination, and wellness in all aspects of life.  We want to ensure that military and veteran families have access to care and supports through the Federal system and in their home communities in the Commonwealth.
 
One of my key functions is to help create systemic partnerships between the 40 public mental health centers
(Community Services Boards), DVS, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and Military Treatment facilities.  Together, we work to increase military cultural competency among community services providers and effective cross-referrals for health, behavioral health, and supportive services. At the state level, DVS programs and services help bridge Federal and community access to care on a daily basis.
 
What is the Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide among Service Members, Veterans, and their Families (SMVF)? What role is Virginia playing?
The VA has partnered with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) through a call to action for state and local communities to implement the VA’s
2018-2028 National Strategy for the Prevention of Veteran Suicide.  The aim of the National Strategy is to prevent suicide among SMVF using a comprehensive public health approach. 
 
Virginia was one of seven states to accept this Federal call to action and embark on a statewide Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide Among SMVF.  Governor Ralph Northam is a physician and Army veteran who understands, first-hand, the challenges that service members may face while on active duty, in their transition to civilian life, and beyond.  He has made veterans’ health issues, particularly behavioral health, a top priority of his administration. 
 
The interagency Virginia Governor’s Challenge team is co-led by Virginia Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs Carlos Hopkins and Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources Dr. Daniel Carey. The team consists of federal agencies, including the VA and the Department of Defense; state agencies, including DVS, DBHDS, the Virginia National Guard, the Virginia Department of Health, the Virginia Department of Social Services, the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services, the Virginia State Police, and the Virginia Department of Education; local agencies, including the Richmond Behavioral Health Authority; and other health partners, including the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association and the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
 
The theme of the Virginia Governor’s Challenge is the “3Cs – Care, Connect, and Communicate”:
  • Care:  The provision of accessible and culturally competent behavioral health services.
  • Connect:  Bringing military/veteran specific and community services together; forming systemic partnerships.
  • Communicate:  Educating the SMVF population on resources and educating community services providers on military culture and suicide prevention best practices.
What does the Challenge taskforce hope to accomplish in Virginia?
The Virginia team seeks to end military and veteran suicide. Any suicide is tragic and complex and will require consistent and long-term efforts to promote community integration, accessible and culturally competent health, behavioral health, and supportive services at federal, state, and local levels for SMVF
 
The Challenge formally started in March 2019 and the Virginia team has received comprehensive assistance in strategic planning, best practice integration, initial implementation, and evaluation from the SAMHSA SMVF Technical Assistance Center.
 
The Virginia team will focus on the following initial strategies under each of the 3 C’s.
  • Care Strategy:  Identify and support SMVF at risk of suicide through Asking the Question – Have you or a family member served in the military? – and suicide risk screening in community settings.
  • Connect Strategy:  Increase engagement between VA's Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS), and partner organizations for SMVF referrals.
  • Communicate Strategy:  Expand lethal means safety (particularly firearm safety) training to community stakeholders.
 
This summer, the Virginia team hosted six Military Culture and Suicide Prevention Summits statewide that incorporated all of these strategies. Over 500 community services providers were trained in military culture (delivered by DVS Virginia Veteran and Family Support staff), lethal means safety planning (delivered by VHA Suicide Prevention Coordinators), and federal, state, and local resources (including Military OneSource, National Guard Family Programs, Community Services Boards and many others). DVS continues to host regional military culture and resource trainings after these initial Summits. Presentations and resources highlighted during the Summits can be found
here.

Why are community behavioral health resources so important for SMVF? How can SMVF learn more about behavioral health services offered In their communities?
Community behavioral health and supportive services are critical to ending military and veteran suicide. Of the 19.9 million veterans in the United States, only 30 percent use VA healthcare services; 70% of veterans utilize community settings for health and behavioral healthcare, or go without such care. On average, the VA estimates that 17 veterans die by suicide every day (2017); 11 were not connected with the VA for healthcare prior to their deaths.

Military Service Members may not be comfortable seeking behavioral health services in the military treatment system due to stigma, access, and/or eligibility concerns. For instance, National Guard Service members may not have access to Federal treatment systems due to geographic distance and/or duty status/eligibility.

Community services are key access to care points for SVMF that may never engage with Federal treatment systems. We can all partner to connect SMVF to Federal, State, and local resources early and often to prevent crises and suicide.

If you are a Military Service Member, or Veteran in a behavioral health crisis (experiencing suicidal thoughts, anxiety, depression, substance abuse and/or other concerns) please call the confidential Military and Veteran Crisis Line 24/7, 1-800-273-8255 (PRESS 1) to speak to a caring responder.

You can also text the Veteran Crisis Line at 838255 for help. Family members, Caregivers, or loved ones can also call on behalf of a Service Member or Veteran.

For assistance finding behavioral health services, peer and family support in Virginia, please contact the DVS
Virginia Veteran and Family Support Program at 877-285-1299 or 804-371-4675 (Monday – Friday; 8am – 5pm EST).

DBHDS is so thankful for our partnership with DVS and to the dedicated staff in both our agencies that help build healthy communities in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
;

 

Interview with Carol Cornman, President, and Ryan Eden, Program Manager, Veteran Employment, PRISM Inc., Reston, VA

 
Please tell us about your business. 
PRISM is devoted to modernization and innovation within the world of technology and cyber-security.  Providing IT services since 1994, PRISM has always been committed to meeting IT performance requirements and exceeding customer expectations. Performance capabilities include Security, Cloud, Application Development and Infrastructure.

Why is your business committed to hiring veterans?
We believe it is our duty to serve others and their families who have sacrificed to protect our freedom. PRISM is dedicated to creating job opportunities in the IT industry for US military veterans and their families.  From deployment to protect our nation to employment within the private sector.

What advantages has your company experienced in hiring veterans?
Loyalty and a strong work ethic given by our veteran hires has delivered reputable performance. Hiring veterans has helped us optimize value, reduce attrition and eliminate risk.

Can you tell us about the process of become a V3 Certified Partner? When did you become a V3 partner?
PRISM became a V3 partner in August of 2015.  The V3 team provides you with the resource and tools needed to help set your company up for certification success. Even after certification, they also provide continued education, information and guidance to help support best practices and program development.

What advice would you give to other employers seeking to hire and retain veterans?
Start your hiring mission with a general respect and appreciation for our veterans. As you want to hire veterans listen and treat each person individually to find out what their needs are.  Provide suggestions and assistance to help with their transition, as well as identify what their accomplishments have been. Then determine where their talents would be best suited for success.


PRISM  received the 2019 Virginia Values Veterans (V3) Program Impact Award. Click here to view Ryan Eden discussing the advantages of being a V3 partner.
Veterans Receive Business Attire, Resume Assistance for Job Interviews During Dominion Energy Charity Classic Military Appreciation Day

Boots to Suits Founder and Director Sue Farrell presents a transitioning service member with suit, ties and shirts to wear on his job interviews.
 

Helping transitioning service members and veterans find good jobs in the civilian world was the mission at the annual Military Appreciation Day, October 14, which kicked off the week long Dominion Energy Charity Classic Senior PGA golf tournament at the Country Club of Virginia’s James River Course in Richmond.
 
The DVS Veterans Transition Assistance Program (VTAP) team partnered with the non-profit organization Boots to Suits to help thirty-eight Virginia veterans put their best foot forward as they pursue new employment opportunities.
 
VTAP Program Manager Keta Fetters, Program Analyst Paul Daniels, and Regional Transition Coordinators Tim Bowden, Katie Spinazzola, and Alfredo Torres were on hand to greet the veterans and assist them one-on-one with tips on job searches, resume writing and prospective employers.
 

Sue Farrell, the founder of Boots to Suits, and her volunteer tailors then fitted each veteran with a business suit, dress shirts and ties to wear for job interviews. Once dressed in their new outfits, a photographer took a headshot of each veteran to attach to their resume and job applications.
 

Farrell founded Boots to Suits five years ago when her husband, a Richmond business executive and retired U.S. Navy officer, passed away. Realizing that veterans who had worn uniforms on active duty may not have suitable civilian attire to wear for job interviews, she decided to make her late husband’s business suits available. She encouraged others to donate their slightly used clothing to her organization and now dresses up to 500 transitioning male and female service members and veterans each year at no charge.
 
The Dominion Energy Charity Classic Military Appreciation Day Event was sponsored by WestRock, Participating V3 employers onsite included Dominion Energy, Genworth, and Hourigan Construction. Dominion Energy and the PGA also offered free passes and hospitality to all military veterans during the tournament which was played Friday through Monday, October 18-21. To learn more about Boots to Suits, please visit www.bootstosuits.org
Keta Fetters Named VTAP Program Manager  
 
 
Keta Fetters has been named Program Manager of the Virginia Transition Assistance Program (VTAP). 
 
Before joining DVS, Fetters worked most recently as a Policy Analyst for the U.S. Marine Corps and in the office of the U.S. Air Force Surgeon’s General. Prior to these assignments, she served as Special Staff to the Commanding General at Fort Bliss in Texas where she acted as an advisor on suicide prevention, alcohol and drug issues, sexual harassment and assault and response prevention. She served overseas in Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan as a Program Manager in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation New Dawn.
 
Fetters earned undergraduate degrees in criminal justice and political science and an MBA from American Intercontinental University and holds Master’s Certificates from Villanova University.
 
“We are very pleased to have Keta Fetters join our team to manage our VTAP program,” said Charlie Palumbo, DVS Director of Transition and Employment Programs. “With her extensive experience as an advisor, policy analyst and program manager working with our military service members, she will be a valuable resource in leading our efforts to assure that the men and women leaving active duty throughout Virginia have the resources they need for a smooth transition to the civilian world.”
 
VTAP offers peer-to-peer support to transitioning service members in Virginia. It provides connections to potential civilian employers, education and training opportunities and other resources through partnerships with the DVS Virginia Values Veterans (V3) program, the Virginia Chamber Foundation’s HIRE VETS NOW program, the U.S. Army’s Soldier for Life and other programs. For more information on VTAP, click here
Board of Veterans Services and Joint Leadership Council Elect New Leaders  
 


The Board of Veterans Services (BVS) and the Joint Leadership Council (JLC) have elected new leadership for 2019-20.
 
Michael Dick of Earlysville will serve as BVS chair and Tammi Lambert of Prince William County will serve as vice-chair.
 
Dick served on active duty as an infantry officer in the U.S. Marine Corps for 26 years achieving the rank of Colonel.  He is a graduate of the College of William & Mary Marshall Wythe School of Law and is the Associate Director for Policy Legislation and Multilateral Affairs in the Office of International Affairs, a component of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).
 
A U.S. Army combat veteran, Lambert earned an undergraduate degree in Business Administration and Masters in Public Administration.  She served as Executive Director of the Director of the District of Columbia Mayor’s Office of Veterans Affairs and is currently employed by the U.S. Department of Defense.
 
Frank G. Wickersham, III, of Fauquier County, was reelected JLC chair. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1966-1993 attaining the rank of Colonel.  He is a graduate of the University of Florida and earned a Master of Arts in International Affairs from The Catholic University of America.  He is the Vice President for Corporate Responsibility (Veterans Outreach) and Director of Recruiting for VSE Corporation in Alexandria. He is the JLC representative of the Virginia Council of Chapters (VCOC) of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA).
 
Elected as JLC Vice Chair is William B. “Bill” Ashton of Fairfax County. A graduate of St. Francis Prep, Ashton served in the U.S. Navy from 1976-1999 advancing from Seaman Recruit to Lieutenant Commander. In January 2018, he was named the first permanent Military Veteran Liaison for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) where he guides USDA efforts to support veteran employment in agriculture, agribusiness and rural communities.  Ashton is the JLC representative for the Fleet Reserve Association.
 
The Board of Veterans Services is responsible for monitoring the welfare of Virginia’s veterans and setting policies to enhance veterans services across the Commonwealth. Members of this Board are appointed by the Governor and General Assembly.
 
 The Joint Leadership Council is composed of representatives from qualified Veterans Services Organizations (VSOs) to provide advice and assistance to the Governor, General Assembly and Department of Veterans Services on matters of concern, policy and proposed and pending legislation regarding veteran issues. Council members are nominated by their respective VSO for appointment to the JLC.
In Memory of Dr. E. Bruce Heilman, Proud Member and Spokesman of “The Greatest Generation”

Dr. E. Bruce Heilman speaking in the Virginia War Memorial’s Shrine of Memory on May 25, 2016 during the “Welcome Home, Dr. Heilman” event.  Dr. Heilman had just returned to Richmond from a 7,000 mile cross country speaking tour on his motorcycle honoring World War II veterans.
 

Virginia has lost one of its most celebrated and inspiring veterans when Dr. E. Bruce Heilman passed away on October 19 in Richmond after a brief illness.
 
Dr. Heilman served on the board of the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, the Families of the Wounded Fund, and the Virginia War Memorial Foundation. His WWII uniform, and other memorabilia he graciously donated are on display at the Memorial.
 
He was poor farm boy in rural Kentucky when he joined the Marines at age 17. After returning from active duty, he took advantage of the then new GI Bill to attend college where he earned his bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees. He was a lifelong supporter of the GI Bill and liked to tell the story of how it allowed him to pursue an education he could not have otherwise afforded.
 
Dr. Heilman had a long and distinguished career as an educator, serving as president of Meredith College in Raleigh and as president and later chancellor at the University of Richmond. But he was most proud of his service in the U.S. Marine Corps and his service during World War II in the island hopping campaign in the Pacific.
 

At age 72, his late wife presented him with a Harley-Davidson Electric Guide motorcycle. He donned a leather jacket and rode his motorcycle to every state in America, including Alaska and Hawaii, serving as a spokesperson for the Greatest Generation Foundation and the Spirit of ’45 Foundation - organizations dedicated to honoring his fellow WWII veterans and America’s Gold Star Families. He also rode in the annual Rolling Thunder motorcycle rally and the National Memorial Day Parade in Washington for many years.
 
After he had traveled to every state in North America, Dr. Heilman found a way to visit Hawaii. The Harley-Davidson Company shipped his bike to Honolulu and back so he could fulfill his 50- state goal. He then left Hawaii to tour the islands where had fought during his wartime service. Dr. Heilman had returned from his native Kentucky to Richmond on his Harley only a few weeks before his death.

 
All of us at DVS extend our deepest sympathies to Dr. Heilman’s family and many friends and admirers. We join with his fellow Marines in a wishing him a final “Semper Fi!"
Celebrate and Support Virginia Veterans
A Message from Frank A. Finelli, Chairman of the Virginia Veterans Services Foundation


  
 
 
Dear Friends:
 
The Commonwealth is widely recognized as home to more than 700,000 Veterans. As Veterans Day 2019 draws near, the Virginia Veterans Services Foundation is asking for your help to Celebrate and Support Our Virginia Veterans. From July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019 resources provided by the Foundation reached 1,904 veterans and delivered 3,196 individual services. These needs may have gone unmet if not for the generosity of donors who have contributed to the foundation. Many of our services include assisting our most vulnerable homeless veterans, providing behavioral health needs, helping with transition to civilian life and providing items for residents in DVS’s long term care centers that improve their quality of life.
 
We need your support. To learn more about how you can help. Click here.
 
DVS Director of Finance Tammy Davidson Volunteers with Honor Air Flight


DVS Director of Finance Tammy Davidson surprised her father-in-law Robert Davidson at Reagan National Airport when his Honor Air flight from Knoxville arrived recently to tour Washington, D.C. The flight included 131 East Tennessee veterans who served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. Mr. Davidson served 26 years in the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Air Force and is a Korean and Vietnam War veteran. Tammy and her husband Jim not only welcomed the veterans to Virginia, they acted as tour guides on the buses as they visited the various memorials in the Capitol Region.
Click here to download the DVS Virginia Veterans Resource Guide
Click here to download the Virginia OAG Military & Veteran Legal Resource Guide
Click here to read the Re-entry Roadmap for Veterans Incarcerated in Virginia. 
Click here to download the DVS Agency brochure
Click here to evaluate your military experience for college credits and see how they apply to Virginia Community College System programs that support your career goals
Click here to learn how to obtain a veteran indicator on your Virginia license.
Click here to learn about the Veteran Employment Grant for V3 companies
Click here to learn about DMV 2 Go Mobile Military and Veteran Site Visits.
Click here to download a Virginia Resident Disabled Veteran’s Lifetime Hunting and Fishing License Application (DGIF)
Click here for a free service that can help you find the local resources you need. 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

www.dvs.virginia.gov
Governor of Virginia
Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs 
Virginia General Assembly
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The Virginia Veterans Services Foundation is pleased to report that donations over the past seven years have helped over 10,000 veterans and their families through over 30,000 services provided to them. Click here to learn more.