2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 SAN FRANCISCO VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMISSION (554-6036)
MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 8, 2008 MEETING
President Levin called the meeting to order at 6:05 p.m.
Newly appointed Commissioner Dara Wong led the Pledge.
A Roll Call discussion was held on the importance of commission team work.
Commissioners present: Regalado Baldonado, John Caldera, Veronika Cauley, Renie Champagne, George Gibbs, Jim Guglielmoni, Wallace Levin, Michael Thompson, Bud Wilson, Edwin Wilkerson, Dara Wong & Raymond Wong. 12 present & 3 not present. Excused Comm. Jill Buck, Cris Gruwell & Robert Varni. Deputy City Attorney Wayne Snodgrass, Margaret Champagne, Michael Gerold &
Carita Ronin were also present. Comm. Cauley moved approval of Sept. Agenda, 2nd by Comm. Guglielmoni. Motion passed. Comm. Champagne moved approval of the August minutes, 2nd by Comm. Cauley. Motion passed.
PUBLIC COMMENTS - USF ROTC graduate, present ROTC instructor, Afghanistan War Veteran, American Legion Post 911 Founder & District 8 Commander Michael Gerold reported on what his new post & District 8 plan to do to help veterans & the American Legion.
PRESIDENTS REPORT - Comm. Levin reported on the American Legion War Memorial Commission & the War Memorial Veterans Building. That V.P. Varni was in Washington D.C. & that this week he will be appointed Aide to the Secretary
of the Army for Northern California.
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS - Comm. Gibbs reported that the August East Bay Stand Down for homeless veterans was a success, with hundreds of Bay Area veterans given aid & support.
VETERANS EMPLOYMENT - Comm. Thompson reported that Swords to Plowshares would conduct a Job Fair in the Veterans Building on Sept. 9th.
California EDD Office at 801 Turk St. is where Comm. Thompson & Comm.
Wilkerson have found 1000's of jobs for veterans during the past two decades.
HEALTH & WELFARE - Comm. Cauley reported that Project Homeless Connect would conduct a Homeless Connect Event this week in the Hunters Point Area. Former Commissioner Ralph Gipson is now at Fort Miley.
LEGISLATION EVALUATION - Comm. Raymond Wong reported on recently passed legislation, including the new G.I. Bill.
NATIONAL VETERANS GROUPS - Comm. Guglielmoni reported that the DAV funded Monterey Bay Sports Rehab Center held their annual Rock Cod Derby for 320 Disabled Veterans. Comm. Dara Wong reported that VFW District 14 sponsored a deployment party for the 1-164 Battalion. They are now in Iraq. Comm. Caldera reported that American Legion Post 315 would have their Awards Night at the Veterans Building on Sept. 23. Comm. Baldonado reported that the Filipino Veterans Federal Legislation was now before Congress.
HONORS REPORT & ADJOURNMENT - Meeting adjourned in memory of the 4,650+ Americans killed in Iraq/Afghanistan, the homeless veterans that died in San Francisco and those veterans that died of suicide during the month of August.
And Anthony Joseph Lane, 85, Navy, USS Helena, World War II. Alexander Stewart Blanc, 85, Army Air Corp C-47 Flight Engineer, World War II. Joseph Barbaria, 87, Navy, World War II. Gary Warren Zelles, M.D., 73, Navy, Vietnam.
