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