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Note, these may not have been passed yet...Bruce

OKLAHOMA VETERANS COUNCIL
January 10, 2012
Meeting Minutes
Meeting was called to order by Chairman Peterson at 10:00am, Chaplin Dan Tucker gave the invocation and Sgt at Arms Divine led us in the pledge of allegiance.

Call of the House: A quorum was present.  Member organizations absent: American Legion. Excused: Blinded Veterans, Marine Corps League, and NAVITA. Lifetime members excused: American G.I. Forum, Korean War Veterans Association, and Pearl Harbor Survivors.

MOTION was made by Am Vets and seconded by TREA #37 to accept the agenda: Motion passed by voice vote. 

MOTION was made by VFW and seconded by DAV to accept the December 2011 Minutes. Motion passed by voice vote.

Recognition of Visitors and Guest Speaker: Guest Speaker: Carol Sanders, Certified Hypnotherapist, EFT Practitioner, DUI assessor & facilitator. What is EFT? Hundreds of thousands of US military personnel are returning from Iraq, Afghanistan, and other combat zones. An estimated 300,000 of them suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. MS. Sanders, offers returning vets free or low-cost sessions using Energy Psychology, a method which many therapists and coaches are using to help veterans with PTSD to get their lives back. Based on impressive new & ancient discoveries involving the body's subtle energies, "Energy Therapies" have proven clinically effective for trauma, abuse, stress, anxiety, fears, phobias, depression, grief, addictive cravings and hundreds of physical symptoms including headaches, body pains, breathing difficulties and even serious disease. It is a missing piece to the healing puzzle. These powerful and easy to use Energy techniques are wonderful adjunct to Hypnosis and medical treatments. The Iraq Vets Stress Project Testimony before Congress on Veterans and PTSD The House Veterans Affairs Committee held a roundtable hearing on Innovative Treatments for PTSD and TBI on July 20, 2010. Testifying on behalf of the Iraq Vets Stress Project were David Feinstein, PhD, Dawson Church, PhD, and Wayne Miller. They described how EFT is a huge breakthrough in the treatment of PTSD, the evidence-based research that has validated EFT, and their hope that this innovative approach will be rapidly implemented in the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense. It is Ms. Sander’s goal to get this technique implemented within the ranks of Oklahoma’s Veterans for improvement of quality of life of our Vets.

February Meeting location:
New View Oklahoma Headquarters
501 N. Douglas Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK 73106
Phone: 405.232.4644

Report from Oklahoma Department of Military Affairs:
Secretary Aragon: No Report.
Director Spear: Provided a handout on legislation. Spoke on the budget. $42,824,331.00 requested budget for next year. Request an additional 32 fte’s.  98% occupancy rate at the VA homes. Claremore Veterans Center, 10:00am, War Veterans Commission Meeting, open to the public.
Reports from Congressional Liaisons:
Sen. Coburn: Patrick Guinn: Was absent.
Sen. Inhofe: Karla Niemann: Senator Inhofe was in Afghanistan.
Rep. Boren: Phil Driskill: Was excused.
Rep. Cole: Johnny Sandman: New Deputy Chief of Staff is Marie Bowie.
Rep. Lankford: Joey Magana: Was absent.
Rep. Lucas: Sherri Gamel: Lynn Hill had no report.
Rep. Sullivan: George Wiland: No Report.

Reports from the Oklahoma Department of Military Affairs: Mr. Calhoun was absent.
Report from Danny Stewart, Director of State Accrediting Agency: No Report.

Reports from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs:
Report from VARO Muskogee: Jason McClellan spoke about Tim Clark is now running the benefits section. Agent Orange live claims are almost completed. Widow claims are now being worked on, apx. 400 claims are in Muskogee. Spoke on the transformation of the VA to a paperless system.
Report from VAMC Oklahoma City: Director Wood was excused. Travis Vilani spoke on the Healthy Vet Program and provided a handout.
Report from Jack C. Montgomery VAMC: Director Matthews spoke on the MRI services on site should be running by July of this year. Working on improving the tele-health services. Feb 14, 2012 is the Valentines program; the Temptations will be performing this year. The tickets are free. A new G.I. Doctor has been hired. Orthopedic Surgeon has been hired. New Director is James Floyd.

Reports from the Legislative Committees:
FEDERAL ISSUES: Report from Mr. Ellis spoke on New email for Vets Council: okvetscouncil@att.net, Facebook page: Oklahoma Veterans Council.
On November 30, the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittees on Oversight and Investigations and Economic Opportunity held a joint hearing to review the Department of Veterans Affairs Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) certification process.  In a previous hearing during the 111th Congress, the VA identified problems with the certification process and explained that it had accumulated a huge backlog of veteran owned businesses waiting to be certified.

In recent years, reports have indicated that businesses receiving VA contracts falsify the certification application in order to receive government contracts. This fraudulent procedure allows companies to receive contracts that are intended for SDVOSB and veteran-owned businesses. In some cases, after being disclosed, these fraudulent businesses continued to receive government contracts.  Several members of the Subcommittees were upset with these facts.

Thousands of companies previously doing business with the VA have chosen to self-certify as a SDVOSB in order to continue business with the VA while waiting for further certification.  This procedure has allowed non-veteran owned businesses to bid and receive contracts. Representative Bill Johnson (R-OH), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, explained, “We must ensure that the Veteran owned small businesses and service-disabled Veteran-owned small businesses are able to compete and receive appropriate contracts.  Otherwise there is no point in having these businesses in this set aside program if the VA is going to ignore them.”

The VA was complimented on recent data it produced that shows that contract awards to SDVOSB exceeded 20 percent of all VA contracts.  However, reaching that landmark has taken years of oversight by Congress, while the VA still requires much improvement to its purchasing policies. The VA must reduce the waiting list of Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses to be certified since many businesses struggle or fail to maintain financial control of their business while waiting for VA certification.  Continued oversight and investigation of veteran owned businesses will be required to insure fraudulent businesses are not “stealing” contracts from veteran-owned businesses. 

In recent years Congress has been clear that they expect the VA to assist and increase their contracting efforts with veteran owned businesses.  Information presented at the hearing indicated that the VA must direct more resources to this program to insure they are fulfilling the intentions of Congress.
OKLAHOMA ISSUES: Report from Mr. Riley:  was excused. Mr. Peterson spoke on the upcoming legislative session and new veterans organizations.
SB2439      Veterans Court System

SB2441      Oklahoma Driver’s License “Veteran” Identifier

SB2442      Veterans Foster Home Pilot Program

SB2444      Sales tax exemption for surviving spouse

SB2445      ODVA Headquarters Bond

Break: 11:15
Return: 11:26

Call of the House: A quorum was present.  Member organizations absent: American Legion. Excused: Blinded Veterans, Marine Corps League, and NAVITA. Lifetime members excused: American G.I. Forum, Korean War Veterans Association, and Pearl Harbor Survivors.

REPORTS OF OFFICERS:
Executive Committee: There was not a meeting last month.
Chairman Peterson: Spoke on TREA #125 resignation from the council.
Vice Chairman Davis: No report.
Treasurer Patrick: Account Balances: On hand: Checking account balance as of 31 December 2011: $2,634.76; Scholarship account balance: $3,517.04. Thank you to NAUS and PVA for generous donations to the scholarship fund.
Secretary Ellis: Need updates for the roster.
REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES:
Ethics: E’yvonne Runningwolfwoman King spoke on one issue.
Scholarship: No Report.
Memorial Ceremonies & Events: Memorial Day and Veterans Day program organization to host next year? Memorial Day is Gold Star Wives. Veterans Day is open for now.

OLD BUSINESS: None.

NEW BUSINESS: Dedra Blackwell, Motion by OK Military Heritage Foundation Seconded by Mayes County Veterans Council. Motion Passed by Voice Vote. Dan Tucker Special Award Motion by MAPVA Seconded by Comanche County Veterans Council. Motion Passed by Voice Vote.

GOOD OF THE ORDER:  Feb 22nd, 2012 will be Veteran’s Recognition Day at the capital. Starts at 1pm Joint Session in the House Chamber. POW/MIA JPAC efforts can be made at your organization, contact Dan Tucker for more information (580) 678-7419. U.S. Supreme Court will be hearing arguments on the Stolen Valor Act on Feb.22nd. February 28 the DAV will be laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier for Oklahoma Veterans.

NEXT MEETING: February 7, 2012.
CLOSING CEREMONIES: Conducted.  Meeting adjourned at 11:48 am.