Veterans
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SAN ANTONIO – Air Force Airman Giovanni Bautista Perez graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio, Texas.
The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.
Airmen who complete basic training earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.
Bautista Perez is the son of Edith Espinoza of Upper Lake, Calif.
He is a 2013 graduate of Upper Lake High School.
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Thousands of California veterans are now receiving financial compensation and health care benefits due to the effective collaboration between the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA) Joint Claims Initiative.
Veterans’ benefits claims which have been filed with the USDVA – some stuck in the federal system for more than two years – are now being expedited.
As of Jan. 30, with 21 members of the 36 approved staff hired, vetted and authorized to review claims, the “Strike Teams” at the CalVet District Offices in Oakland, Los Angeles and San Diego have collectively reviewed 5,822 claims since September of 2013.
The compensation awarded to veterans through these efforts is substantial: $1,865,139 in lump sum payments (meaning retroactive payments based on the time the claim has been sitting at the USDVA).
Monthly award payments totaling $181,961 have been awarded to those same veterans. That means more than $2,183,532 in payments will be going to those California veterans every year for the rest of their lives. That is also money that comes right back in to California’s economy.
“CalVet is proud of its efforts thus far and elated for the veterans and their families that are now receiving compensation for their service-connected injuries, however there will be no celebrating until the backlog is gone,” said Keith Boylan, CalVet deputy secretary for Veterans Services. “Ensuring veterans effectively access the compensation and health care earned through their service to our country is our priority as it is a critical step in their successful transition home.”
The California Budget Act of 2013 authorized $3 million and 36 limited-term positions to create the CalVet/USDVA Joint Claims Initiative.
The Initiative allows CalVet Veterans Claims Representatives access to claims currently pending over 125 day within the USDVA system which they then fully develop and package for rating.
In FY 2012, veterans benefits brought more than $10 billion in federal benefits into California in the form of compensation, pension, health care, education, vocational rehabilitation, employment and other services.
For a copy of the full Joint Claims Initiative status report, contact CalVet at http://www.calvet.ca.gov/ .
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In preparation for the opening of the skilled nursing facilities at Redding and Fresno the Veterans Homes of California are launching a hiring blitz.
Redding and Fresno veterans homes opened in October 2013 as residential care facilities and have veteran residents and are now proceeding to open their skilled nursing facilities units.
To operate skilled nursing facilities requires more nurses, more LVNs, more CNAs and supervising nurses to manage the high levels of care CalVet demands for veterans.
“To open these facilities, we need employees at every level including a deputy secretary, administrators, nursing home administrators, dieticians, therapist, all degrees of nurses, and support staff,” states CalVet Veterans Homes Undersecretary Diane Vanderpot. “It would be wonderful if we could find eligible veterans.”
CalVet operates skilled nursing facilities for veterans at Barstow, Chula Vista, West Los Angeles and Yountville and recruits regularly in those areas.
For this special recruitment effort CalVet has been reaching out to other state agencies such as EDD, professional and senior care associations and the community.
Employees in all of the required positions must be in place prior to the skilled nursing facilities being allowed to open by the California Department of Public Health, the licensing body for nursing homes in the state.
Jobs are also available at the headquarters in Sacramento and at the veterans’ homes in Barstow, Chula Vista, West Los Angeles, Ventura, Lancaster and Yountville.
CalVet is encouraging veterans to apply. The CalVet Exam and Job Available postings can be found at www.calvet.ca.gov/AboutUs/Jobs .
The state hiring process is a two-step process which requires applicants to first pass and exam and be placed on an exam list. Applicants at that point can begin to apply for job openings.
Because the state hiring process may be a bit confusing, CalVet is offering assistance through online videos at www.calhr.ca.gov/Pages/job-seekers-video-tutorials.aspx and with workshops at the homes on “”How to get a State Job!”
The first Veterans Home in California was established in Yountville in1884 for Civil War veterans and will celebrate its 130 year of operation this year.
It is the mission of the CalVet Homes is “to provide the state's aged or disabled veterans with rehabilitative, residential, and medical care and services in a home-like environment.”
This mission acknowledges the tremendous sacrifice California veterans have made and recognizes them for their noble service to our nation.
The Homes range in size from 60 residents on a 20 acre site to over 1,000 residents on 500 acres. When all eight Homes are at capacity, they will house and care for approximately 3,000 veterans.
Veterans who are age 55 and above and discharged from active military service under honorable conditions, are eligible to apply for admission. The age requirement is waived for disabled or homeless veterans needing long-term care.
Information regarding the veterans’ homes can be found online at http://www.calvet.ca.gov/VetHomes .
The site includes an application for residence, levels of care, and information and pictures of the individual homes.
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SACRAMENTO – On Thursday, Assemblymember Mariko Yamada (D-Davis) introduced AB 1580, legislation to establish new oversight processes for the appropriation of funds in the State’s Veterans Homes.
Specifically, this bill addresses issues identified in an October 2013 California State Auditor’s report regarding the mismanagement of the Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) fund which helps support programs and activities for Veterans Home residents.
“The State Auditor’s report highlighted the absence of oversight leading to wasteful spending of funds meant to support the well-being of Veterans Home residents,” Yamada said. “Over half a million dollars were spent on projects that had virtually no tangible benefit to residents and which violated the state’s contracting practices. This legislation will create appropriate oversight processes and ensure the integrity of MWR funds.”
AB 1580 would require the Secretary of the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) to approve all proposed MWR fund expenditures that reach a specified monetary threshold.
This legislation would ensure all proposed expenses exceeding the established limit are reviewed by qualified legal counsel and Veterans Home residents before approval.
The audit report found that an administrator of the Yountville Veterans Home entered into contracts using MWR funds without consultation with CalVet, legal counsel or residents of the Veterans Home.
These agreements authorized operating a tavern on-site and building a zip line adventure park for use by the public and residents of the home.
Vaguely defined mechanisms governing how monies within the MWR fund are spent ultimately allowed the home administrator to execute the contracts without oversight from CalVet.
CalVet operates eight veterans homes in California which provide veterans with rehabilitative, residential, and medical care in a home-like environment.
The MWR Fund is sustained by proceeds of the Veterans’ Home Exchange, revenue from prisoner-of-war special license plates, funds from golf course green fees and range ball fees, interest earned on invested funds, recovered cost of care, moneys and properties received by the home from residents’ estate assets and any donations from the public.
AB 1580 is expected to be heard in a policy committee in February. Yamada represents the Fourth Assembly District which includes the Veterans Home of Yountville in Napa County.
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This week the eight Veterans Homes of California began implementing water conservation measures in compliance with Gov. Brown’s directive to cut water usage and prepare for the ongoing drought conditions in California.
The homes have been directed to cut back on watering landscaping and washing vehicles and to explore every option for cutting the amount of water needed to operate the homes safely and efficiently.
None of the actions taken to reduce water use will impact the residents of the homes at this time.
“We will do everything that we can to conserve water at our homes while ensuring the safety and quality of care that our veteran residents expect and need,” said Diane Vanderpot, CalVet undersecretary for Veterans Home.
CalVet operates eight veterans homes throughout California.
The largest facility is Yountville, located in the Napa Valley. The other homes are located in Chula Vista (San Diego County), Barstow (Riverside County), West Los Angeles, Lancaster, Ventura, Fresno and Redding.
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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – the Veterans Home of California-Redding is accepting applications for residency.
The admissions application is available at http://www.calvet.ca.gov/Files/VetHomes/vhcapp.pdf .
The Veterans Home of California-Redding is located on 27 acres in the heart of the beautiful Northern Sacramento Valley.
The majestic countryside setting of the home offers spectacular views of Mt. Shasta to the north and Mt. Lassen to the east and gorgeous mountains surrounding the region.
The VHC-Redding has 155 beds and offers a residential care facility for the elderly, also known as assisted living.
This spring the home also will begin offering skilled nursing. The two levels of care will provide continuity in the lives of residents in a homelike atmosphere of dignity and respect.
All health care needs, meals, transportation and activities are provided by the Veterans Home of California-Redding.
Residents in the assisted living care area are required to need minimal assistance and supervision with most activities of daily living. Licensed nurses are available at the home for necessary care.
Skilled nursing care is provided to residents on a 24-hour basis by licensed nurses and certified nursing assistants. Skilled nursing residents have greater access to rehabilitation therapies, nursing care, pharmacy management, structured activities and clinical dietary services.
A memory care program with this level of care provides a supervised environment for veterans with symptoms of confusion, memory loss, difficulty making decisions, solving problems or participating in conversations.
The veteran’s home provides California veterans with a living environment that protects their dignity and contributes to their feeling of self-reliance and self-worth.
The city of Redding offers wonderful tourist attractions like Shasta and Whiskeytown lakes, Shasta Dam and the world famous Sundial Bridge.
Veterans considering assisted living are encouraged to apply.
To qualify, you must be a resident of California, age 55 or older (or younger if disabled), and have served honorably. Spouses also are eligible to apply with the veterans.
The facility is located at 3440 Knighton Road.
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U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson’s (CA-5) legislative language that holds the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) accountable for ending the backlog of claims at the Veterans Benefits Administration was passed by the House and Senate and will be signed into law.
The language was included with H.R. 3547, the Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 omnibus appropriations bill.
“This law will help hold the VA accountable for making sure our veterans and their families receive the benefits they have earned,” said Thompson. “No one who has served our nation in the Armed Forces should be forced to wait nearly a year for care and benefits because their local VA is backlogged. With this law in place, we will be able to make sure the VA continues to do everything possible to get this problem fixed.”
In a meeting last week with VA Undersecretary for Benefits Allison Hickey, Thompson spoke about this legislation and the need to substantially reduce the backlog at the Oakland Regional VA.
Currently, new claims by veterans can take almost 300 days to process, delaying access to care and benefits. Many California veterans in the 5th Congressional District are serviced by the Oakland Regional Office which has one of the longest claims backlog in the country.
Thompson has called on President Obama to personally intervene and address this issue. He has also visited the Oakland Regional Office with senior officials from the VA, held regular meetings on the status of efforts to reduce the claims backlog, and helped pass legislation to speed up the transfer of electronic service records from the Department of Defense to the VA to help speed up the claims processing process.
The language included in H.R. 3547 will require a monthly report from each regional office and the national VA office detailing the current backlog of claims. Additional reporting will be required from offices with backlogs averaging more than 200 days.
Thompson represents California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.
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The California Department of Veterans Affairs Executive Team was on hand Wednesday evening for the awarding of a Latino Spirit Award to Deputy Secretary Mirtha Villarreal-Younger by the Latino Journal and Café de California.
The “Latino Spirit” Award recognizes individuals for statewide exemplary work to strengthen California’s democracy and advance the representation of Latino’s in public service.
Mirtha Villarreal-Younger was appointed by Gov. Brown as deputy secretary for Minority Veterans Affairs at the California Department of Veterans Affairs last July 31.
As deputy secretary her charge is to assure minority and LGBT veterans have knowledge of and access to the veteran benefits they have earned. Villarreal-Younger also is heading up the CalVet effort to complete the Beautification of the California Mexican American Veterans Memorial at the Capitol.
“I am honored to be acknowledged for my efforts on behalf of veterans. It is a pleasure to serve the men and women that have served in the military,” said Villarreal-Younger. “I thank Café and the Latino Journal for continuing the effort to honor those in our community and I am proud to be included in this group.”
A native Californian, Villarreal-Younger is a 22-year military veteran, 11 years with the United States Army and 11 years with the National Guard. She has served several overseas tours, including a combat tour in Afghanistan.
At the California National Guard she served as the first Latina officer candidate school commander and public information officer.
As public information officer, she was responsible for outreach to the Hispanic community. Her work in public affairs included highlighting the many current and past accomplishments of Hispanic service members.
Deputy Secretary Villarreal-Younger is a first generation Mexican American and the first woman in her family to graduate from college.
“I am delighted that the CalVet staff is acknowledged for the efforts that they make every day on behalf of veterans,” said CalVet Secretary Peter Gravett. “It was wonderful that so many of the staff took time to share the honor with the Mirtha.”
Also joining the secretary were Undersecretary Diane Vanderpot, Undersecretary Michael Wells, Deputy Secretary Deborah Harper, Assistant Deputy Secretary Alicia Bugarin, a member of the Latina Advisory Committee and past recipient of the “Latino Spirit” Award, and Villarreal’s husband National Guard Major Michael Younger.
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California veterans can proudly display their status with veteran license plates which are again available.
A new law brought the California specialty license plates back at the request of veterans who were disappointed when license plates stating “Veteran” – which had been available – were replaced by an “Honoring Veterans” version.
“Honoring Veterans” license plates are still available, so both veteran and nonveteran drivers can honor military service.
Veteran license plates can be customized with the distinctive military branch or veterans service organization logo of choice.
Proceeds from the sale of these plates help support efforts of CalVet and 56 county veteran service offices to connect veterans and their families with the benefits and services they have earned through military service.
Veteran plates can be reserved now, but they are not immediately available.
According to the new law, CalVet must collect and hold prepaid veteran license plate applications until 7,500 are received before the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will actually produce the plates.
Once that threshold is crossed, DMV will produce the plates and take responsibility for processing future applications.
That same “hold and wait” process applies to all new specialty license plates approved in California.
For more information or to reserve your VETERAN license plates, go to http://www.calvet.ca.gov/VetServices/VeteransPlate.aspx to download the application.
You also may call CalVet at 877-741-8532 toll free to request a veteran license plate application be mailed to you. “Honoring Veterans” license plates can be ordered by following that same link.
The veteran license plate program is a partnership between the California Department of Veterans Affairs the California Department of Motor Vehicles, and the California Association of County Veterans Services Officers Inc.
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