An Overview of the Lake County Veterans’ Services

Recommendations 9

• R1

  Page 15
  The CVSO should promote the idea of frequent visits by a Mobile clinic to reduce Veteran travel for basic medical services. (F-1)
• R2

  Page 15
  The CVSO should seek a grant to provide promotional materials and advertising to Lake County Veterans. (F-2)
• R3

  Page 15
  The CVSO should remain open on Fridays. (F-3)
• R4

  Page 15
  The CVSO should spend more time doing outreach to our local communities and organizations. (F-4)
• R5

  Page 15
  The CVSO should ensure that all calls are answered promptly and with correct information. (F-5)
• R6

  Page 15
  The County should consider providing a venue for a permanent Veterans Hall and Museum. (F-7)
• R7

  Page 15
  County facilities should install improved signage for the CVSO building. (F-4)
• R8

  Page 15
  The CVSO should ensure that the Wall of Honor is updated and organized. (F-8)
• R9

  Page 15
  The CVSO should ensure that their web site information is correct. (F-9) Request for Responses: Pursuant to Penal Codes sec.933(c), the following response(s) are required:  Lake County Board of Supervisors (R3,R6, R7) (90 days) The following response(s) are invited:  Lake County Facilities Department (R7) (60 days)  Lake County Veterans Services Officer (R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R8, R9) (60 days) 2018-2019 Lake County, California Civil Grand Jury Final Report 14 Exhibit 1 LAKE COUNTY VETERANS SERVICES OFFICER Section 970 of the California Military and Veterans Code authorizes the Board of Supervisors of each county to appoint a VSO, provides that the VSO must be a veteran, and continues: “It shall be the duty of the county veterans service officer to administer the aid provided for in this chapter, to investigate all claims, applications, or requests for aid made pursuant to the terms of this chapter, and to perform any other veteran related services as requested by the county board of supervisors.” As specified by state law, VSOs are veterans; they are trained in claims processing; they receive certifications from the VA and the CDVA. LAKE COUNTY VETERANS SERVICES OFFICES Main Lakeport Office Phone: (707) 263-2384 Fax: (707) 262-1861 Hours: Monday - Friday 8am - 5pm Map: 285 North Main Street Lakeport, CA 95453 Mail To: 255 North Forbes Street Lakeport, CA 95453 Email: Saul.Sanabria@lakecountyca.gov Clearlake Office Located at the Clearlake VA Outpatient Clinic Phone: (707) 995-7233 Hours: Monday and Wednesday 8am - 12pm and 1pm - 4pm Map: 15145 Lakeshore Dr. Clearlake, CA 95422 Mail 255 North Forbes Street Lakeport, To: CA 95453 2018-2019 Lake County, California Civil Grand Jury Final Report 15 Exhibit 2 The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) VA History "The United States has the most comprehensive system of assistance for Veterans of any nation in the world, with roots that can be traced back to 1636 when the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony were at war with the Pequot Indians. The Pilgrims passed a law that stated that disabled soldiers would be supported by the colony." The first consolidation of federal Veterans programs took place August 9, 1921 when Congress combined all World War 1 Veterans programs to create the Veterans Bureau. Public Health Service Veteran hospitals were transferred to the bureau, and an ambitious hospital program for World War 1 Veterans commenced. The second consolidation of federal Veterans programs took place July 21, 1930 when President Herbert Hoover signed Executive Order 5398 and elevated the Veterans Bureau to a federal administration- creating the Veterans Administration-to "consolidate and coordinate Government activities affecting war veterans." Following World War ll, there was a vast increase in the Veteran population, and Congress enacted large numbers of new benefits for war veterans-the most significant of which was the World War ll GI BILL, signed into law June 22, 1944. It is said the GI Bill had more impact on the American way of life than any law since the Homestead Act of 1862. The VA Home Loan Guaranty Program is the only provision of the original GI Bill that is still in force. At that time, only a portion of Veterans were paid the maximum amount available. Less than one-fifth of the potential benefits were claimed, and only one out of 19 Veterans exhausted the full 52 weeks of checks. In 1945, General Omar G. Bradley took the reins at VA and steered its transformation into a modern organization. The VA was elevated to a cabinet-level executive department by President Ronald Reagan in October, 1988. Veterans Health Administration (VHA) VHA evolved from the first federal soldiers' facility established for Civil War Veterans of the Union Army. On March 3, 1865, President Lincoln signed a law to establish a national soldiers and sailors asylum. Renamed as the National Home for Disable Volunteer Soldiers in 1873. 2018-2019 Lake County, California Civil Grand Jury Final Report 16 But it was World War l that brought about the establishment of the second largest system of Veterans' hospitals. In 1918 Congress tasked two treasury agencies- the Bureau of War Risk Insurance and Public Health Service-with operating hospitals specifically for returning World War l Veterans. By 1929, the federal system of national homes had grown to 11 institutions that spanned the country and accepted Veterans of all American wars. Today's VHA-the largest of the three administrations that comprise VA-continues to meet Veteran's changing medical, surgical and quality-of- life needs with new and ongoing programs. VHA operates one of the largest health care systems in the world. And provides education for medical, nursing and allied professional training. National Cemetery Administration (NCA) On July 17, 1862, Congress enacted legislation that authorized the president to purchase 'cemetery grounds' to be used as national cemeteries "for soldiers who shall have died in the service of the country." The national cemetery system has evolved slowly since the initial period of great challenge associated with the Civil War. All honorably discharged Veterans became eligible for burial in 1873. Today there are 135 cemeteries in all, with new cemeteries in development throughout the nation. Exhibit 3 2018-2019 Lake County, California Civil Grand Jury Final Report 17 Veterans Resource Directory American Legion 5002- 2nd Street Kelseyville, CA, (707) 279-1349, Roy Pearson, Principal, e-mail parkerhouse@mchsi.com American Legion- 14770 Austin Road, Clearlake, CA 95422 (707) 994-6115 California Department of Veterans Affairs (Calvet) (800) 952-5626 (Toll free) www.calvet.ca.gov Clearlake Outpatient Clinic -15145Lakeshore Drive Clearlake, CA 95422 Disabled American Veterans (DAV) contact American Red Cross 290 Main Street Lakeport (707) 262-7116 or VA Regional Office in Oakland at 1301 Clay Street Oakland, CA 94612-5209 (510)834-2921 Dept. of Veteran Affairs 15145 Lakeshore Drive Clearlake, CA (707) 995-7200 Joy Madeiros Museum –is located across from Round Table Pizza in the Safeway Shopping Center on 11th Street in Lakeport. The address is 857- 11th Street, Lakeport. The hours are Friday and Saturday 10 A.M to 2 P.M. This is a small but impressive display of military items over the years dedicated to the first Native American casualty of World War I- Joy Madeiros who resided in Upper Lake. Among other things, the museum contains uniforms of each branch of the service, flags, pictures, books, maps and more all the way back to the Civil War. It took several years to put together but it is well-done and worth seeing. Lake-Mendocino Homeless Veterans Stand Down Events https://lakecounty.com>events Lake County Veterans Service Office 285 N. Main Street Lakeport CA 95453 (707) 263-2384 Lake County Vet Connect Committee Chairman Frank Parker (707) 274-9512 Moose Lodge 2284 Clearlake Oaks, CA Serving complimentary dinners to honor our veterans on the 1st Monday of every month from 5 P.M. to 6 P.M. 2018-2019 Lake County, California Civil Grand Jury Final Report 18 Tango Mike – for more information, contact Ginny Craven at (707) 349-2838 or on- line at operationtangomike@mchsi.com The group provides 100 packages per month to soldiers in battle zones. They meet at the Umqua Bank located at 805 -11th Street in Lakeport every 3rd Thursday of the month. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA) (800)827-1000 (Toll free) www.va.gov United Veterans Council of Lake County VFW Post 2337, 3980 Veterans Way Clearlake, CA www.uvclc.org Veterans of Foreign War (VFW) 3980 Lane Avenue, Clearlake, CA 95422 Veterans of Foreign Wars P.O. Box 744 Lakeport, CA 95453 (707) 263-1009 Veterans Suicide Prevention Hotline (800) 273-8255 Toll Free Veterans press 1 ***The California Veterans Resource Book 7th edition is available on-line at www.calvet.ca.gov It provides a wide range of information including information about education, health care, disability benefits, employment, housing or emergency assistance. In addition, in person assistance on these subjects and more is available at the local branch of the Lake County Veterans Service Office in Lakeport. (See listing above) ***Please note: Every attempt has been made to include as many local and relevant veterans organizations as possible. If your organization was omitted in error, please accept our sincere apologies. 2018-2019 Lake County, California Civil Grand Jury Final Report 19