Veterans bulletin [Nov. 2008]

Sonny Perdue Governor

Georgia Department of Veterans Service
Veterans Bulletin

Pete Wheeler Commissioner

State kicks off Veterans Day in Georgia
Georgia Veterans ... guardians of liberty November 2008
IN this issue: 2008 Service officers' school a great success

Georgia Department of Veterans Service
Veterans Bulletin November 2008
Cover Story
Veterans Day in Georgia Pages 3-5
2008 Service Officers' School Page 6
2008 "Play It Again, Pete" Charity Golf Event Page 7
VA Clinic Changes Page 8
Top VA Headlines Page 8
SDVS News Page 8

Georgia Department of Veterans Service Floyd Veterans Memorial Building E-970 Atlanta, Georgia 30334-4800 (404) 656-2300 gavetsvc@vs.state.ga.us www.sdvs.georgia.gov

Georgia Veterans Bulletin
The Georgia Veterans Bulletin is published quarterly by the Georgia
Department of Veterans Service, Public Information Division, Floyd
Veterans Memorial Building, Room E-970, Atlanta, GA 30334-4800.

Pat Phillips

Chairman, Veterans Service Board

Pete Wheeler

Commissioner

Tom Cook

Assistant Commissioner, Claims and Field Operations

Len Glass

Assistant Commissioner, Administrative Service

Heldon (Bill) Jung

Director, Education & Training

Brian Zeringue

Public Information Manager

Jon Suggs

Editor, Veterans Bulletin

Georgia Veterans...guardians of liberty

A Note To Our Readers:
Welcome to the digital edition of the Georgia Veterans Bulletin. If you are already familiar with our publication, you will find the same valuable information that has always been in these pages, accompanied by a few additions and enhancements.
By bringing the Bulletin to you online, the Georgia Department of Veterans Service is saving valuable budget dollars, a necessary choice given our state's current fiscal status.
But this is more than a mere cost-saving change. There are many advantages to digital publication, and we aim to make use of much this medium has to offer.
Most notably, this issue marks a move from a quarterly to monthly publication schedule. We intend to bring you more news, more often, and that starts right now.
Remember, every hypertext link in this document is clickable. Wherever you see a website address, such as www.va.gov, you can click on the link and be taken to that site.
We would like to encourage you to subscribe to our news feed via RSS. You may do so here: http://sdvs.georgia.gov/rss/sdvs_ press_releases.xml. Whenever a new Bulletin is published, whenever the Department issues any news release, you will be among the first to know.
As always, thank you for your service to our country and do not hesitate to call upon us.


http://www1.va.gov/opa/vetsday/

Georgia Veterans...guardians of liberty































Georgia Veterans...guardians of liberty



Georgia Veterans...guardians of liberty



SDVS Service Officers' School 2008

The 2008 Service Officers' School was

held Oct. 7-10 at St. Simon's Island.

Commissioner Pete Wheeler presided

over the event, which featured

speakers Gordon Mansfield, Deputy

Secretary, VA; Patrick W. Dunne,

Acting Under Secretary for Benefits,

VA; Dr. Steven G. Scott, Chief of

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Services, James A. Haley Veterans

Hospital, Tampa, Fla.; and William P.

Greene, Jr., Chief Judge, U.S. Court

of Appeals for Veterans Claims.

Georgia Veterans...guardians of liberty



"Play it Again Pete" Golf Tournament Military Order of the Purple Heart Charity Golf Classic

The "Play It Again, Pete" Charity Golf Tournament, sponsored by the Military Order of the Purple Heart, was held Oct. 20 at the Fort McPherson golf course. The event raised over $74,000 to benefit homeless veterans.

Georgia Veterans...guardians of liberty



VA Clinic News: Openings, Changes

VA News Release
The Albany VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic, now operated by Sterling Medical Inc., has relocated. The clinic will maintain the same phone number, 229-446-9000; however, the office is now located at 526 W. Broad Ave.
The Grand Opening Ceremony for the new VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic in St. Mary's, GA was held Sept. 23. It is located at 205 Lakeshore Point, St. Marys, GA 31558. Phone: 912-510-3440 (VSO); 912-510-3442 (Clinic).

There is also a new VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) in Stockbridge. It is located at 175 Medical Blvd., Stockbridge, GA 30281. Phone: 404-728-5099.
Additional VA Outreach clinics are expected to open in Perry and Brunswick by the end of November.
The Perry Outreach Clinic will be located at 2370 S. Houston Lake Road, near the intersection with Ga. Highway 127, across from Houston Lake Country Club.
The clinic will open Monday, Nov. 17, and provide primary care, mental health, and pharmaceutical

counseling services. Optometry, podiatry, and dietetic counseling services will be available on a limited basis. Other services will be available through the use of Tele-Health.
Prior to Nov. 17, change primary care or mental health provider to a Perry provider or schedule an appointment at the new clinic by calling the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center, at 478-272-1210, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and noon. Press 8.
After Nov. 17, the Perry Outreach Clinic staff can be reached at 478-224-1309.

VA Headlines Of Interest To Veterans
New Law Authorizes Veterans' Salutes During National Anthem
http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=1609
Enhanced VA Mortgage Options Now Available
http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=1605
VA to Deploy Mobile Counseling Centers to Savannah, Macon
http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=1604
VA Tightens Protections for Veterans Paperwork
http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=1602

Highlights of ...

SDVS At Work For Georgia Veterans

Ms. Gerald Clayton, Assistant Manager, SDVS Waynesboro, retired effective November 1, 2008 with 34 years of creditable service.

Mrs. Carol Phagan, Manager, SDVS Cordele, retired effective November 1, 2008.

Mr. Jay Johnson, Manager, SDVS Canton, resigned effective November 1, 2008.
Ms. Vickie L. King transferred from Albany to Cordele and is the Manager for SDVS Cordele effective

November 1, 2008.
Ms. Sherri Cathcart-Whitfield was promoted to Manager 1 and

selected as the Manager for SDVS Albany effective November 1, 2008.
The Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) Travel Board will visit the Atlanta VA Regional Office November 17-21, 2008. Two judges will conduct hearings. SDVS has fifty-nine hearings scheduled.
Mr. George Canavaggio and Mr. Mile Noles, Claims Division, will represent SDVS at Georgia Power's Veterans Day Celebration for Employees on November 10, 2008.

Georgia Veterans...guardians of liberty



Georgia
November 22
2 0 0 8 9 am to 3 pm
Be a part of the First Annual Georgia Fishing for Vets Day - a program dedicated to all Georgia Veterans. This FREE event is open to all Veterans and is sponsored by Fly Fishing for Vets and your Georgia Fishing Guides and Services. So join us at Paces Mill Park located at the intersection of Cobb Parkway and Paces Mill Road. We will have extra waders, rods, and reels. No license is required for catch and release. For more information please visit our website at:
www. y shingforvets.com or call Ken Gri n at 678-993-9896.

Georgia Veterans...guardians of liberty



Supermarket of Veterans Benefits Thursday, December 4, 2008 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Columbus Civic Center 400 Fourth Street Columbus, Georgia Get Your Questions Answered by Veterans Benefits Experts
Establish eligibility for state veterans benefits Apply for VA health care benefits, disability compensation or pension Get help in obtaining military medals and records Find out about education and job training grants Find out about employment opportunities Get information on home mortgage and small business loans Find out about nursing home care and aging services Get information on burial in veterans cemeteries Get military retiree information Find out about veterans driver's license and car tags
FREE ADMISSION