1. Veteran Outreach, Services & Advocacy
Introduction
Hi from Dave,
After tonight I can actually say I heard voices!
My Vision
By doing this project I hope to develop my Outreach & Advocacy skills to best assist
Veterans well beyond the day when my name is a statistic with the National Cemetery
Administration.
My Intent
To become familiar with as much of what I regard as the VETERAN SERVICES
SYSTEM so as to DO NO HARM when I assist A VETERAN.
Any Where Any Time Any Place
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2. Veteran Outreach, Services & Advocacy
Road Map to
My Three Goals
Goal-1
Increase my knowledge base of the myriad of veteran needs.
Goal-2
Become as familiar as possible with the Department of Veteran Affairs services.
Goal-3
Develop a flexible plan on how best to use this knowledge as an advocate for veterans in the near
term & for life!
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3. Veteran Outreach, Services & Advocacy
How did I Get Here?
• Three generations and 70 years (+) of service too the USA!
• ESC, Veteran Outreach, Services & Advocacy and beyond.
Ernest T. Stringer Jim Shultz
Explore and understand the situation. Must want to make a difference.
Collaboration can repudiate misconception. Promote the general welfare.
Understand how things are happening. Know the importance of the KNOT.
Be a resource person (share don’t guard). Define want, need, what & then ACT.
Relationships + Communication + Participation Build objectives, audience, message &
& Inclusion = Action Research. (TQM & Comer) messenger before action.
Tool: Why, What, How, Who, Where, & When. Common cause is key to social change.
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4. Veteran Outreach, Services & Advocacy
Goal-1 Increase my knowledge base of the myriad of veteran needs.
Veteran Outreach, Services & Advocacy
Goal-1 Increase my knowledge base of the myriad of veteran needs.
Each Individual Veteran prepared to
Succeed
in
Life…….
Feedback/Collection
Transportation
Task
Each Veteran
an individual not
a number
Pensions
Disability Compensation
Education
GI Bill, Vocational
Rehabilitation
Life Insurance,
Burial Services
Respect, Empathy
Safety, Friends
Medical, Dental,
Mental Care,
Prescriptions…
VA
Know the lay of
the land!
Shelter,
home loans
4
A Problem
$$$$ = Compensation
Benefits?
Entitlements?
Hand Out?
Charity?
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5. Veteran Outreach, Services & Advocacy
Goal-2
Become as familiar as possible with the Department of Veteran Affairs services.
BACKGROUND
Over 22,000,000 living veterans and even a greater number of dependents & survivors.
Nearly four centuries of veteran services on this continent.
Countless programs and agencies all trying to help.
If this sounds complicated and confusing,
then be afraid, very afraid as you look at the next two slides…
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6. 6
??????
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7. DAVDAV
County VeteransOffice
American Legion
Dept of Veterans Affairs
AMVETS
Government, Non-profit & Profit Organizations here for the
Veteran
Issues
When does redundancy stop
the show?
Same sheet of music or
bumping into each other?
$$$ better spent?
State
Dept of Veteran Affairs
State
Dept of Veteran Affairs
And……….
VFWVFW
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8. Veteran Outreach, Services & Advocacy
How Well is it Going?
Goal 1: Increase my knowledge base of the myriad of veteran needs. (And share)!
• My weekly volunteering at the VAMC continues to provide insight on the everyday
operations of the Center.
• The volunteers are a bigger benefit to the Center than I realized.
• Each visit is an opportunity to meet with the NYS Veterans Office and the DAV office.
• DAV service officer training will take place next month.
• My cross referencing of the Guidebook and Federal Hand book continues.
Goal 2: Become as familiar as possible with the Department of Veteran Affairs services.
• Information sharing has been very successful at the VAMC, DAV meetings, and with
other Veterans.
• I have been able to refer them to the source rather than speculative conversations.
• Reality has set in that the research will go on well after this class.
Goal 3: Develop a flexible plan on how best to use this knowledge as an advocate for
veterans in the near term & for life!
• I’ve continued to explore establishing a viable coalition in the Albany area. This is well
beyond my initial expectations for the project.
• As I did anticipate, I have identified some quality control issues that have short term
requirements that may have significant impact.
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9. Veteran Outreach, Services & Advocacy
Success & Challenge
Success
• At the VAMC employees & Veterans are stopping me to ask questions.
• Confirmed that DAV will soon consolidate at least two of the three local chapters.
• Casual conversations at the VAMC has provided two speaking invitations.
Challenge
• Sustain the energy beyond the ESC Veterans Service program.
• Be mindful of fragile turf.
• Choose the right causes.
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10. Veteran Outreach, Services & Advocacy
Lessons Learned & Actions to be Done
Lessons Learned Actions to be Done
Reading journals save time. Find the best door to Gillibrand.
You can’t judge a book by the cover. Push NYSDVA hard for coalition.
Not new - just confirmed that Work harder at knowing the inner
participatory leadership is a winner. workings of the VAMC.
BPS is a must. Look deeper on my technique of
helping Veterans in Self Advocacy.
This project has many sequels.
Synchronize my understanding
of Stringer, Comer and TQM.
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11. ..to care for..to care for [her] him[her] him who shall have bornewho shall have borne
the battle and forthe battle and for [her] his[her] his widowwidow
andand [her] his[her] his orphan…orphan…
Questions?
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