Veterans Employment Committee of San Mateo County Inc.
Business Meeting Minutes: 06/18/07, Monday
Held at the PeninsulaWorks San Carlos Facility, Winter Conference Room
Recorder: Sheryl Shaffer and Rose Sutton
Meeting called to order: Sheryl Shaffer led Pledge of Allegiance and welcome. Roll called.
Roll call of officers:
Chairperson Sheryl Shaffer Present AMVETS Post 34
1st Vice Chair/Treasurer Helen Wong Present AMVETS Post 34
2nd Vice Chair/Correspondence Phil Kurokawa - Present - Veteran
3rd Vice Chair/Special Projects Joseph Cody - Present World of Veterans
Recorder Rose Sutton - Excused - Next Step Center
Others:
Frank and Susan Sherr Present AMVETS Post 53
Michael Taylor Present EDD San Carlos
Jim Kenney Present SMC Vets Ser Officer
Michael Taylor Present EDD San Carlos
Minutes of last meeting: Sheryl reminded everyone that all the minutes are posted on the web site. All 2006 and 2007 minutes are available for reading on our web site www.vecsamnt.org. Just click on the Minutes link on the home page to view the minutes.
Correspondence: We received the minutes from the SCVEC.
Secretary/Treasurer Report: Helen Wong reported account balances and submitted transaction reports. Bills for the refreshments for Hometown Days were presented, as well as travel costs for the Chairwoman, TV show taping and food for the volunteer crew.
Next Step Center: Not present.
World of Vets Report: Joseph Cody was present after an absence of a year. They are still at the airport. The USO has been remodeled, made it bigger, with TV’s and beds and service vets who have missed flights. Members of W.oV., have seen a lot of combat veterans and get first hand accounts of their experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan. He said the Next Step Center has put in an application to do fund raising at SFO airport. Joseph can no longer go out to the airport due to health reasons. The current address for World of Veterans is P.O. Box 25326, San Mateo, CA94402. E-mail is colt45cody@yahoo.com
County Veterans Service Officers Report: Jim Kenney spoke about a new computer program, “VetPro” that he can now access. Every 6 months, the data can be updated and a report submitted for subvention (subsidy) to the Calif. Dept. of Veteran Affairs. These statistics are important as they are used to fund the position for County Veteran Service Officer. The old program was just a demo and did not have all the features of the newest version so it was purchased by the County of San Mateo. He also received a laptop that helps him keep track of the clients he sees, as well as keeping track of forms and money. In a year’s period of time, the have received a couple of million dollars of service connected disability payments for veterans of SM County. Jim discussed a seminar he attended in Conacti Harbor, in Lake County, where he received great training on the bi-lateral factor. Example: 2 injuries on right side of the body will result in a little bit more added to a Service Connected Disability payment. Jim stated he could register D214’s within his office but maybe not a good idea for veterans to register their DD214’s at the County Hall of Records because they contain social security numbers.
E.E.D. Staff: Michael Taylor told us about a VA collaboration meeting where the EDD Vet Reps from San Francisco and San Mateo County met with the County Veterans Services Officers of SF, Cheryl Cook and SM, Jim Kenney. They met with Federal Vocational and Rehabilitation Rehab Counselors from the Dept. of Veteran Affairs and a representative from Swords to Plowshares. It was a forum to network, discuss the services they provide to veterans and to meet each other and have points of contact.
Michael stated it has been an exciting several months because of the Hometown Days Parade and the County Board of Supervisors who highlighted Jim Kenney and Mike Taylor’s work with veterans. Mike showed us photos taken at both events. At the parade the Navy had a corvette, the Marines had a HumVee and the Army recruiter had a Porshe Boxster. Michael said it was the best parade he has been to. He also told us about the Federal Job Fair that will be held at AT&T Stadium on June 28 from 11am to 3pm. This huge event is being sponsored by Military.com. Michael said there is an upcoming Stand Down at Boulder Creek.
TV Show: Sheryl Shaffer said the guests for the TV show for the next night, 6/19 were 2 Vietnam Veterans Joe Diaz and John Kasterman and from Mather VA, Joanne Pinnotti, a combat veteran Case Manager. They will discuss the impact of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome on Vietnam combat Veterans and their outreach to the newer generation of veterans; “P.T.S.D. from Vietnam to Iraq.”
FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER: Helen Wong mentioned that her AMVETS Post 34 is working with the California Beverage Company that sells drinks at various NASCAR raceways in No. Calif. and split the proceeds with non profit groups. Phil Kurokawa, Frank Sherr and Michael Taylor went to the Vets Job Fair at Ft. Mason in SF.
Please note that we meet once a quarter and that the meeting dates are September 17, 2007 and December 17, 20067. We encourage you to join us and participate as we would like to keep our VECSM going but we need you to help us. Please mark your calendar. The meeting was adjourned at 4:50 p.m.
Next Meeting: Monday – September 17, 2007 at 3:30 P.M. at EDD-PeninsulaWorks, 550 Quarry Road, Winter Room, San Carlos.
BUGLE CALL: Volume 15, Issue 4, 5 & 6.
P.O. Box 25540