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NEWSLETTER “Working to Make North Carolina the Most Veteran Friendly State in America”

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NEWSLETTER “Working to Make North Carolina the Most Veteran Friendly State in America” NORTH CAROLINA DIVISION OF VETERANS AFFAIRS GET SOCIAL NEWSLETTER “Working to Make North Carolina the Most Veteran Friendly State in America” June 15, 2015 VOLUME 2, ISSUE 9 Page 1: Guide Offers Local Veterans a Way to Find Guide Offers Local Veterans a Way to Find Services Services find out how to treat his hearing disability in Page 2-3: Asheville Center Rated Best in US 2008. Page 4-5: Second Round Quarterly Training Supports 20 Counties in Veterans Affairs “I have a hearing problem, and I had to wander Page 5: Improved Access Drives Positive Change through wherever I did,” Memmel said. “With in Salisbury VA PTSD Pgm. this, if you have a problem, you can go to one Page 6: Panel Exploring Army Restructuring source and not have all this running around and Hears Comments in Fayetteville fiddling around.” Page 7: Governor McCrory Signs House Bill 595 Memmel also said the guide is well-designed - Cheryl Poyner Retires from Veterans Affairs to help younger veterans find ways to continue Page 8: VSO’s Attend First Training on New Duke-Epic Project their education and find employment. Page 10: American Legion Post 265 Hosts Morganton, N.C. - Local veterans have a new “I’m playing in a totally different ball game Successful Job Fair for Veterans and Transition- resource guide available to help navigate the than the guys and girls now,” Memmel said. ing Military. intricacies of government services. “Lifestyles have changed, and people have Page 11: Lejeune Marine Awarded Bronze Star for changed and needs have changed.” Heroism The new NC4VETS guide came out on Page 12: VA Debt Letters and How to Respond Memorial Day, and details resources for Veterans can get copies of the guide at any N.C. Page 16: VA Regional Office Policy Changes veterans regarding employment, health care, Division of Veterans Affairs office or by visiting Veterans Administration benefits, housing, their local County Veteran Service Office. For personal services and education. This is the a list of locations or to download a PDF version of the guide, visit www.nc4vets.com or call 844. Veterans Homes Update (May. 2015 ) second version of the guide since its inception. NC4.VETS (844.624-8387). -Black Mountain- “We really push for North Carolina to be the 97 residents most veteran-friendly state in America,” said 8 admissions Janene McGee, regional manager for the N.C. -Fayetteville- Division of Veterans Affairs. “This is one of the 141 residents ways we’re trying to reach out to veterans who 14 admissions are coming back here to N.C. to live.” -Kinston- There are 7,215 veterans in Burke County, 98 residents 5 admissions McGee said. While they may have some idea about the services to which they’re entitled, -Salisbury- 99 residents many don’t know specifics — or where to find 4 admissions specifics. “I think they may be vaguely aware,” McGee Veterans Cemeteries UPDATE (May. 2015) said. “That’s the hardest part — every day we see May Our Brothers and Sisters Rest in Peace someone who didn’t realize they were entitled to -Black Mountain- something. A lot of times I think it takes them 33 burials going to a doctor and developing an illness, or -Jacksonville- having an illness they’ve just been diagnosed 20 burials with and having their doctors refer them.” -Spring Lake- For Morganton resident and World War II 32 burials Army veteran Carl Memmel, such a resource would have been helpful when he was trying to NCDVA Newsletter Editor: -Daniel Hackley- North Carolina Division of Veterans Affairs - NCDVA Director: Ilario Pantano [email protected] www.nc4vets.com / 844.NC4.VETS (624-8387) REGION 1 www.NC4VETS.com REGIONAL NEWS MOUNTAIN REGION a Community Living Center with 120 beds, and 18 beds in its residential substance abuse treatment program. Teamwork Director Cynthia Breyfogle attributes the success to a team effort. “In the midst of all the negative stories, I’m really proud of our staff here in Asheville ... (they) are very committed to the mission of serving America’s heroes,” she said. “A n d our veterans appreciate being treated with respect,” she said. “It’s our honor to take care of them and provide them the care Asheville Center Rated Best in US they have earned and deserve.” ASHEVILLE, N.C. - There hasn’t been much good news lately Taking veterans’ concerns to heart also plays a role, she said. “We for the Department of Veterans Affairs. have a lot of different forums ... where we sit around and talk and Rocked by a scandal last year involving reports that thousands can hear directly what their issues are,” she said. “We get a lot of of veterans around the country endured painfully long waits to compliments. But they also tell us where they run into issues.” get medical care — some dying while they waited — as agency That information is used to improve services, she said. employees falsified wait times, public outrage eventually led to For example, Breyfogle said, veterans have expressed frustration the resignation of VA Secretary Eric Shinseki and legislation to with the facility’s phone system. “We get about 45,000 calls a reform the beleaguered agency. month into the medical center through the main switchboard,” But amid all that darkness, there is a ray of sunshine for veter- she said. “Every morning, we monitor what percentage of calls ans of Western North Carolina: Asheville’s Charles George VA are dropped and the average wait time. That’s helped us identify if Medical Center. we’re having a problem in a certain clinic, and we place additional staff there.” Of all VA medical centers in the nation, the facility ranked No. 1 for patient satisfaction. And it was recently awarded a 5-Star Making progress Quality rating — the highest possible in the VA — putting it in Mary Dickson, a master of divinity student at Gardner-Webb the top 10 percent of all VA medical centers for quality of care University who served four years in the U.S. Air Force, said she’s and efficiency. seen a lot of improvements at the Asheville VA in the 20 years she’s been going there. “The folks who work there are really committed to the veteran,” said Louis Kirchhoff of Weaverville. “The staff has a lot to do “The VA has grown, expanded in a lot of different ways in ser- with the fact that this little hospital keeps scoring at the top,” he vices and facilities,” said the 46-year-old Fletcher woman. said. “The veterans here are really fortunate.” “They actually have a women’s health clinic now ... so there’s more “The people I see, I have really good confidence in them. They privacy. It used to be more of a man’s center,” she added. “And bend over backward to help you,” said Tom Davis, a Webster man mental health care’s come a long way.” who spent more than 30 years in the U.S. Army, including in the Dickson said she suffered post traumatic stress disorder because Special Forces in Vietnam, Bosnia and Iraq, before retiring as a of military sexual trauma in addition to pain from injuries she full colonel in 1999. suffered on her air evacuations job that resulted in a medical “They are professional, caring, respectful,” he added. “It’s just a joy discharge and her coming home to WNC. to go there.” “When I first got out, if they’d had half the things they do now, Rich history I wouldn’t have had the long haul I did in between,” she said. Some 38,500 veterans from 20 counties in Western North Caroli- “The changes have really helped. The staff is so much better than na receive care at the Charles George VA Medical Center. it used to be. They’re more sincere; working there for the right reasons. The center encompasses a 119-bed acute care hospital, including a 16-bed inpatient psychiatric unit and two intensive care units, “Overall,” she said, “I’m pleased with the care I get there.” (Continued on pg. 3) 2 VISIT US @ NC4VETS.COM 844 NC4 VETS 844.NC4.VETS REGION 1 REGIONAL NEWS MOUNTAIN REGION In recent years, the center has been more mindful in its hiring practices, Breyfogle said, emphasizing its core values of integrity, commitment, advocacy, respect and excellence. “I meet with every new employee and talk to hem about the importance of those values to us,” she said, “about the importance of our patients and their responsibility to speak up when they see NC VETERANS at WORK things not working so we can continuously improve.” There are more than 80,000 individuals projected to Timely care separate from the military in North Carolina from While long waits can be the rule rather than the exception at some 2015–2018. New veterans will bring a range of skills and VA health centers, Breyfogle said for the past two years or so, at experiences to the civilian labor force, but they may be least 98 percent of veterans have been able to get an appointment unsure about which jobs will be in demand and for which with a provider within the required 30 days. they may have relevant skills. Here is a look at some of the Davis, 69, said he’s been going to the center monthly since 2011 for hottest projected jobs in the state, and how some common a variety of conditions that left him 100 percent disabled, and he’s military occupations may translate to them. never experienced a long wait.
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