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President Levin called the meeting to order at 6:09PM, a quorum being present. President Levin asked American Legion District #8 ALWMC (American Legion War Memorial Commission) Chairman Michael Gerold to lead the Pledge of Allegiance.
ATTENDANCE – ROLL CALL
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present
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absent
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excused
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Wallace Levin
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x
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Robert Varni
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x
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Elbert “Bud” Wilson
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x
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Regalado Baldonado
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x
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Jill Buck
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x
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John Caldera
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x
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Veronika Cauley
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x
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Renie Champagne
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x
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George Gibbs
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x
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Chris Gruwell
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x
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James Guglielmoni
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x
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Michael Thompson
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x
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Edwin Wilkerson
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x
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Raymond Wong
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x
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Dara Wong
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x
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Twelve (12) commissioners present, three (3) commissioners excused, eight (8) commissioners required for quorum. Deputy City Attorney Wayne Snodgrass, Margaret Champagne, Keith Phillips, Mario Benfield, and Michael Gerold were also present.
MEETING proceeded:
Acceptance for approval of February 2nd, 2009 agenda. Motion by Commissioner Caldera, 2nd by Commissioner Wilson. Motion passed.
Acceptance for approval of January 5th, 2009 minutes. Motion by Commissioner Wilson, 2nd by Commissioner Caldera. Motion passed.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Keith Phillips, former marketing executive from Mill Valley, founded the nonprofit “Project Homecoming” to help locate 88,000 plus troops missing from World War II, Korean, Vietnam wars, and other oversea conflicts. In 2008, he has assisted five (5) veterans’ families, to find military wreckage sites, reported findings to Joint POW-MIA Accounting Command in Honolulu, HI. Who are responsible for tracking down the missing from past conflicts. He had circulated “a cost effective proposal for parity in our efforts to return the missing”, to ask the commissioners for (1) support legislation to maximize efforts, sustain legal action; (2) to galvanize the veterans’ service organizations to locate missing remains of over 700 MIA from California.
Mario Benfield, Alexander Hamilton AL Post #448 Adjutant made an appeal for commissioners to recruit members for the AL auxiliary squadron, Sons of American Legion.
Michael Gerold, AL Post #911, reported that their van is parked at the rear of the veterans building parking area, he asked for the commissions’ support, to get the War Memorial trustees to allow overnight parking for 24 hours. President Levin reminded everyone presently, there is no 24 hours parking, for any vehicles in that parking area. Wayne Snodgrass reminded the commissioners that no action could be taken, since this request is not an agenda item, to defer for the March 2nd, 2009 meeting.
The following committee reports were submitted:
ACTION ITEM #1
On January 8th, 2009, the U.S. Army sent “John Doe” form letters to 7,000 bereaved family members of those Americans who were killed in Iraq/Afghanistan. The letters should have been addressed to a specific family member. This added to the trauma to families that suffered.
ACTION ITEM #2
Motion by Commissioner Guglielmoni, 2nd by Commissioner Caldera. Motion passed to support the national effort to name the U.S. 80 coast-to-coast highway in honor of Korean War veterans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces, other states have joined this effort with only Texas and California to complete the link.
ACTION ITEM #3
President Levin requests the commissions’ support of turning the United States Postal Service Purple Heart stamp into a forever stamp. Letters to support action items to be sent to the Mayor and Board of Supervisors. Motion by Commissioner Wilkerson, 2nd by Commissioner Caldera. Motion passed to support the national project to turn the United States Postal Service Purple Heart stamp into a forever stamp. Every time that the stamp is used, it is a tribute to those killed and wounded while serving in armed forces of the United States.
VICE PRESIDENT VARNI
Commissioner Varni (Aide to the Secretary of the Army) reported on his combat stress project. And the March 24, 2009 meeting at the Marines’ Memorial Club. Commissioner Varni discussed traumatic brain injury (TBI) among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, an ongoing project of outreach to pursue. 20% TBI patients coming back from multiple deployments from Iraq. U.S. Army is leaving TBI problems to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
COMMISSION GOALS AND PLANS
President Levin reported ongoing bylaws review.
VETERANS EMPLOYMENT
Commissioner Wilkerson announced February 2009 planning meeting at the SFVAMC Downtown Clinic, 1,600 applications/invitations/flyers sent to employers, event will be held on:
May 13th, 2009 10:00AM thru 2:00PM
18th annual San Francisco Job Fair
Fort Mason Conference Center
Commissioner Guglielmoni asked fellow commissioners to promote a future event RecruitMilitary Career Fair, Thursday, March 19, 2009 11:00AM – 3:00PM, AT&T Park
http://careerfairs.recruitmilitary.com/cf/183-San-Francisco/candidates/information
Motion of support by Commissioner Guglielmoni to support the RecruitMilitary Career Fair, 2nd by Commissioner Wilson. Motion passed.
LEGISLATION
Commissioner R. Wong circulated “The Partnership for Veterans Health Care Budget Reform S3527, HR6939” reported on reforming veterans’ health care funding, which is supported by American Legion, American Veterans, Blinded Veterans Association, Disabled American Veterans, Jewish War Veterans of the USA, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and the Vietnam Veterans of America, with support from Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Akaka (D-HI), and House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Filner (D-CA).
NATIONAL VETERANS GROUPS
Commissioner R. Wong reported on the Veterans of Foreign Wars along with American Veterans, Disabled American Veterans, and the Paralyzed Veterans of America, offered 7 priorities for the Department of Veterans Affairs:
· increasing VA’s budget
· improving Iraq/Afghanistan veterans’ medical care
· upgrading VA medical facility maintenance
· improving the benefits claims process
· easing the transition from the military to VA’s health care system
· recruiting more and keeping high-quality VA employees
· expanding VA’s cemetery system
Commissioner R. Wong also reported that VA to open 4 more California outpatient clinics in 2010.
Commissioner D. Wong mentioned Joseph P. McQuaide LAVFW #1205 members were honored to participate at the January 20th, 2009 inaugural activities, as members of the San Francisco Girls Chorus.
Commissioner Caldera reported on his personal activities with the Bob Basker AL Post #315, and that his complaint against this commission with the city’s Ethics Commission has been withdrawn.
OLD BUSINESS
Commissioner Champagne mentioned Tuskegee airmen were honored to witness the inaugural ceremony.
President Levin reported on the brown Museum of Performance & Design banner that the War Memorial trustees allowed to be placed in the lobby of the War Memorial Veterans Building. This ugly banner takes away from the beauty of the lobby, and makes the lobby out of balance. Motion by Commissioner Guglielmoni, 2nd by Commissioner Wilson. Motion passed to request for the War Memorial trustees to remove this eyesore.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Commissioner Guglielmoni reported the DAV memorial February 23rd, 2009 dedication during the DAV mid-winter conference, Washington DC.
Commissioner Caldera mentioned the AL Four Chaplains’ remembrance ceremony February 7th, 2009, St. Mary’s Cathedral, observing the February 3rd, 1943 anniversary of the sinking troops transport USAT Dorchester
HONORS REPORT and ADJOURNMENT – Meeting adjourned in memory of the 4,865+ Americans killed in Iraq/Afghanistan, the homeless veterans that died in San Francisco and the veterans that died because of suicide during the month of January, and DAV/MOPH veteran SFPD Donald Joseph Van Tricht.
The meeting adjourned at 7:45PM
