TAA Best Practices
November 2009
ALASKA - Title of best practice: Celebrating Women Veterans in Alaska
Points of contact: Brigadier General Deborah McManus, Alaska Air National Guard ATAG, Lt Colonel Judith Mathewson, POC/Coordinator for event, Mirta Adams, TAA, Alaska National Guard, Shannon Morgan, Army Veteran, Team Lioness member
Concise description of event: Events were scheduled at eight locations throughout the state where Women Veterans were honored. Shannon Morgan, a member of the Lioness Team and a featured member of the Lioness Team documentary traveled with us. The Lioness movie was shown to the audiences; then BG McManus took the time to introduce VSOs, Vet Center staff, and the TAA for veterans to connect with. It was truly an honor to have the General explaining our programs and knowing what the TAA program is all about.
List coalition groups who assisted in the event or participated: The Alaska National Guard, Team Lioness member, VA, Vet Center Staff, VSO’s from the DAV and The Military Order of the Purple Heart, Alaska National Guard organizations, American Legion of Kenai, Wasilla Veterans Group and DMVA staff.
Total number of service/family members who benefited from this best practice: Between all the events there was over 200 attendees benefited from these events
After action items:
What went well?
The events provided all veterans who attended an insight on the roles women are fulfilling in today’s conflicts.
What improvements are needed?
Veterans should be provided the care necessary without the hurdles these women veterans have and continue to face.
We as TAA’s should be prepared to assist and guide women veterans who are seeing combat action, but are not having any success getting their benefits started.
Lessons learned?
Our Women Veterans needing post deployment care will most likely not seek the care.
The hurdles female veterans have faced compared to our male veterans can be a little more challenging. TAA’s should watch the Lioness documentary and get the chance to ask questions of one of the team members to have a better understanding of both the roles they are filling and the post challenges they faced.
CONNECTICUT -Title of best practice: Military Support Program (MSP)
Concise description of event: Connecticut’s Military support Program is a network of 300 + Clinicians that are contracted by the State Dept. of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) to support the Military Community. Currently Serving and Veterans along with there family members, significant others, etc can take advantage of the clinical services at no coasts. The Program Directors, Jim Tackett and Fran Simcic are members of our original MOU and “Core Group/Coalition” and have been very successful helping our Military Community.
Listing of specific coalition groups who assisted in the event or participated: DMHAS, DPH, Kathleen Saucier, Chaplin Nutt, TAA, Vet Center Leadership, and basically our Coalition of 34 providers.
Total number of service/family members who benefited from this best practice:See attached for Stats.
After action items: This is a continuous Program and is well received by all involved and the community it serves. It has the Governor’s backing and blessing. Every unit (Guard) has at least two embedded Clinicians and we are rolling it out to the Reserves also.
FLORIDA (Jarriel) -Title of best practice: Yellow Ribbon events (pre-and post deployment)
Points of contact: Roger Jarriel (FLTAA), COL Ward, (53rd Infantry Brigade Commander and his command staff), COL Perry Hagaman (State Aviation Safety Officer)
Concise description of event:These events continue to give me a chance to let SMs and their families know what type of support is there for them before, during and after their deployment. In addition to this, I have been able to continue to build a professional relationship with numerous agencies. This is an event that affords the TAAs to assist SMs and their families in promoting our program and what we can offer.
List coalition groups who assisted in the event or participated: TAA, Military Life Consultants, Military One-Source, USAA, numerous other agencies
Total number of service/family members who benefited from this best practice:
Approximately 1000 combined SMs and their families. The entire Guard community will benefit from this program.
What went well? As stated before, this event continues to be a success which is a testimony
What improvements are needed? N/A
Lessons learned? This event is very much appreciated, especially by family members of the SMs deploying for their first time.
IOWA-Title of best practice: Meeting to Discuss Time allocated for Veterans Affairs briefings at the Yellow Ribbon Events.
Points of contact: LTC Kevin Kruse, Iowa Army National Guard, Family Programs Director, 515-252-4416 and Billy Foley, Iowa TAA, 515-252-4150
Concise description of event: This event was a follow on to the State Coalition Meeting that was held in October 2009. The State Coalition Meeting discussion came out of briefings that time allotted VA Providers to brief and when allowed to brief needed to be revisited. LTC Kevin Kruse, had TAA put out a message the specific VA Providers need to assemble with Yellow Ribbon Team leadership to discuss time allocation. The Family Reunion Briefings about two years ago added the VA Providers and allotted fifteen minutes. Discussion was that time was enough, with VA Medical Center Briefers and County VA, along with TAA when possible. Now for Yellow Ribbon Event No 1, VA Briefings, the discussion that VET Center had enough time of the hour allotted along with State VA and County VA and TAA. What came out of the meeting that VBA GWOT Outreach Specialist was travelling all over Iowa, get only fifteen minutes and that was not enough, poor use of him as a resource, and he did not reach all of the Veterans. He wanted to be switched to the PDHRA events so that he was in front of each Veterans one on one, and would not have to travel to all the events outside of Des Moines. He does travel and will continue travel to the CBWTU-Rock Island, IL once a quarter, and does brief all, and gets one on one time with all the Wounded Warriors from the six states that participate. The PDHRA in Iowa will still continue to be supported by VA Hospitals for the unit’s locations which include VA Medical Centers from Sioux Falls, SD, Omaha, NE, Iowa City, IA and Des Moines, IA; VET Centers; and now the VBA from Des Moines VA Regional Office.
List coalition groups who assisted in the event or participated:State VA. Des Moines VA Medical Center;Des Moines VET Center Staff Member;Iowa Army National Guard Family Programs Director,NCOIC of Yellow Ribbon Team, and a Yellow Ribbon Staff Member; VBA GWOT Outreach Specialist and TAA.
Total number of service/family members who benefited from this best practice: All the Iowa Army National Guard Soldiers/Veterans and their Family Members.
After action items:
What went well? Discussion on the amounts of time and those Veterans Providers briefing at which Yellow Ribbon Event.
What improvements are needed? None
Lessons learned: That since Yellow Ribbon Teams had came on board, the time allotted had changed and needed to be revisited.
INDIANA - Title of best practice: Launching Transforming: Developing Supportive Programs and Policies to Promote Academic Success of Students Members and Veterans. (Operation Diploma)
Points of contact: Stacie F. Hitt, Ph.D., Director, Operation Diploma, Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University, Shelly MacDermid Wadsworth, MBA, Ph.D., Director Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University, Roger Peterman, transition Assistance Advisor
Concise description of event: The launching Transforming conference was hosted by the Military Research Institute, Operation Diploma on 2 & 3 November. The conference provided an opportunity for higher education institutions to learn from experts, collaborate with colleagues and plan for transforming Indiana into a benchmark state for promoting academic success for student service members and veterans and their families. Support from the Lilly Endowment to fully underwrite conference fees and meals allowed the meeting to be inclusive and open to all 2- and 4-year, public, private, for profit and not for profit institutions in the state.
List coalition groups who assisted in the event or participated: Representatives of 35, 2- and 4-year higher education institutions in the state of Indiana participated in the 2-day conference. The following individuals presented during the conference:
James Selbe, American Council on Education
John Powers, Vets to Vets and formerly Student Veterans of America
Douglas Gibbens, Indiana Employer Support of Guard and Reserve
Douglas Herrmann, College Educators for Veterans Higher Education
John Myers, Indiana Regional Office, U.S. Veterans Affairs, Dept of Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment
Roger Peterman, Transition Assistance Advisor, Indiana National Guard
Total number of service/family members who benefited from this best practice:
The goals of Operation Diploma include involving institutions of higher education in Indiana in learning about the needs of student service members and veterans on their campus, engaging them in discussion of promising practices and generating new knowledge. The full impact of the 2-day conference is not likely to be realized until enrollment, retention and graduation data are collected and analyzed, but participants in the conference received substantial information from peer institutions, colleagues in similar functional areas and state expects with the expectation that they would return to their campuses with new ideas and strategies to address the needs of the students service members and veterans.
After action items:
Quantitative and anecdotal evaluation data indicate the conference fulfilled unmet needs for:
-Networking among concerned colleagues and motivated institutions
-Information about statewide resources for students and families
-Briefing on national trends in higher education
-Opportunities to collaborate and partner among institutions with shared interests, students demographics or regional opportunities and challenges
-Discussion of promising academic practices
Many unmet needs remain and further work is needed on many of the initiatives launched during the conference. The following is a partial list of issues requiring further attention:
-Experiences of female students service members and veterans on campus
-Challenges of students with physical and mental injuries
-Promoting resilience, persistence and successful degree completion
-Defining the term ‘veteran friendly’
-Mapping academic options to regional economic/workforce opportunities
The conference achieved the stated objectives, which included learning more about available resources and participating in focused discussions of promising practices. Evaluation data indicates a need for further networking and sharing among colleagues, collaboration on initiates of interest to specific institutions and ongoing exchange of ideas and sharing of best practices. As a result, Operation Diploma is taking steps to establish virtual and actual forums for continued exchange among institutions and with Operation Diploma. These initiatives include, but limited to a listserv, social media, webinar and regional meetings.
MISSISSIPPI -Title of best practice: Monthly meetings with the VARO
Points of contact: Craig Moore, Director, Jackson, MS Regional Office, Gail Berry – VARO Service Center Director, Jack Stevens – VARO Public Contact Coach, Linda Cote – VARO OIF/OEF Coordinator, Ed Tudor – TAA, Jeffery Bennett – Transition Patient Advocate, Jackson VA Medical Center OIF/OEF Clinic, Suzanne Gordy – Army Wounded Warrior Project, Other coalition partners at some meetings
Concise description of event: Monthly meetings with the VARO to discuss seriously injured service members who have a claim filed with the VA. We go over the status of each service member as to what claims are pending, status in Vocational Rehabilitation program and what can be done by members of the group to help speed the process.
List coalition groups who assisted in the event or participated:TAA, VARO, VA Medical Center, Wounded Warrior Project, others on occasion.
Total number of service/family members who benefited from this best practice: All seriously injured service members who file claims with the Jackson, MS Regional Office.
After action items:
What went well? All participants are made aware of injured service members and share information concerning them.
What improvements are needed? NA
Lessons learned?These meetings help keep coalition partners from duplicating services while making sure all services available are provided.
NORTH DAKOTA: Title of best practice: Release of Stop Loss Special Pay info and veteran access to required documents and scanner
Point of contact: Marilyn Rohrer, ND TAA
Concise description of event: I sent a mass email to veterans’ resource coalition informing them of the SLSP, and asking them to inform their client base. Provided websites and addresses for all branches of the military. I also provided a release of information for them to give ND Army National Guard veterans if they needed access to some of the documents needed from their permed files, as well as a scanner to upload documents and a computer to make online application.
List coalition groups who assisted in the event or participated: County VSOs, ND DVA, Fargo VHA and VBA, Vet Center, NSO, Job Service ND, DOL-VETS
Total number of service/family members who benefited from this best practice: 5 so far, ongoing
After action items:
What went well? The five veterans that I personally assisted responded within a week. Good coordination with State PSNCO for documents that were not in iPERMS.
What improvements are needed? Three NDARNG veterans, not included in the five, achieved their 20 years while in Iraq, however, because their contracts did not expire for another year, they were not afforded the opportunity to retire as they would have been if they were in a Title 32 status. They are not considered Stop Loss, do not have the supporting documents, and are not entitled to SLSP.
Lessons learned? Still learning. One of the five submitted received an email claiming dates conflict and assigned a case worker. Review pending.
OKLAHOMA: Title of best practice - Warriors Transition
Points of contact: Lamar H Wilson,TAA405-228-5083, OETA Public Television; 405-848-8501
Concise description of event: TAA, Lamar H Wilson and OEF/OIF Manager, Ms Edwina Luker Veterans Hospital Oklahoma City, was interviewed on Nov. 10,2009 and televised on Nov. 15,2009 by an OETA spokesperson on Benefits and Resources that are available for Veterans and Service Members in the state of Oklahoma.
Listing of specific coalition groups who asssisted in the event or participated:(e.g., State DOL, Family Program Coordinator, VBA staff, TRICARE advisor, VFW member, Vet Center staff)
Total number of service / family members who benefited from this best practice: At this point, numbers are unknown. Between myself and Ms. Luker, we have received, e-mails, phones and people walking up to us, asking about benefits and possibly service connected issues.
After action items:
What went well? The response from the military community.
What improvements are needed? Keep focused on the mission.
Lessons learned?
PUERTO RICO - Title of best practice: 1st Veterans Congress at the Puerto Rico Capitol Building
Point of contact: Capitol Senator Mrs. Luz C. Arce (Author of the Senate Resolution 188)
Concise description of event: The 1st Veterans Congress activity took place at the Capitol of Puerto Rico during Nov 7, 2009 hosted by Senator Luz C. Arce. Hundreds of veterans gathered together with the Mayor of San Juan, Hon. Jorge Santini, The Adjutant General of Puerto Rico Major General Antonio J. Vicens and LTG Benjamin C. Freakley Commanding General U.S. Army Accessions Command at Fort Monroe, and the Puerto Rico Public Advocate for Veterans Affairs Mr. Jorge L. Mass among other distinguished guess speakers. The obligated matters discussed were; Veterans’ inquiries taken from a questionnaire submitted ahead of time for that purpose. One by one inquiry was discussed with the compromise of prompt attentions by our senate. The applauses and affirmative expressions given by all present attested the sincere intention of the event. One of the highlights of the activity was when Major General Antonio J. Vicens mentioned my name together with the TAA program as an alternative and resource for benefits and VA services for our veterans and active members of the Armed Forces in the island.
List coalition groups who assisted in the event or participated: