Government Center 2100 3rd Avenue, Suite 216 Anoka, MN 55303 (763) 323-5290 VETERANS ADVOCATE Spring 2014

ANOKA COUNTY HIRES NEW ident of Wounded Warriors Guide Service, a Minne- sota based non-profit that takes disabled veterans on VETERAN SERVICE OFFICERS hunting and fishing trips at no cost to the veteran. We are excited to introduce two new County Veteran Service Officers to our team, Tim Nelson and Tony Tengwall. ANOKA COUNTY CVSO’S WILL Tim Nelson comes to our office from the Depart- ATTEND NATIONAL TRAINING The Anoka County Veteran Services Office will be ment of Veterans Affairs where closed from June 9 through 13, 2014 while our Veter- he worked as a veteran’s claims an Service Officers attend our national training con- and outreach representative. Tim ference. Our office will return to normal operations served on active duty in the U.S. at 8:00AM on Monday, June 16. We appreciate your Army from 2000-2004 as an infan- patience during this time. tryman with the U.S. 3rd Infantry where he was a part of presidential arrivals at the White House, Pentagon and Tomb of SEEKING OUTREACH the Unknown Soldier. Upon leaving active duty Tim OPPORTUNITIES joined the where he spent Our office is always looking for new opportunities to four years, serving on a 22 month deployment to meet with Veterans and their families to assist them Fallujah, Iraq. For his service he has been awarded the in obtaining benefits they have earned through their Purple Heart Medal, Bronze Star Medal and Combat military service. Infantryman Badge among others. If you are hosting or know of an event that will have a Tony Tengwall comes to our office from the Min- large number of Veterans where our CVSOs can be of nesota Department of Veterans assistance in discussing benefits, please call us at 763- Affairs Higher Education Veterans 323-5290 or email us at [email protected] and Program. Tony served for eleven provide us with the details. We will attempt to acco- years as a supply sergeant in the modate as many requests as possible. Minnesota with the 1-151 Field Artillery out of Montevideo, Minnesota, and VA MEDICAL deployed to Baghdad, Iraq in sup- CENTER OPENS NEW PARKING port of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004-2005. In 2010, he received a psychiatric ser- RAMP vice dog, Fitz, who has helped him and other veterans Months ahead of schedule, the Minneapolis VA Vet- he worked with to deal with PTSD and anxiety asso- erans Parking Ramp opened Monday, March 17. The ciated to deployment. Tony is currently the Vice-Pres- 520-space ramp is open to patients during normal work hours Monday-Friday. In addition to 100 spaces designated for handicapped accessible vehicles, there activities, there will be a catered lunch and live enter- are spaces for 11 tainment. vans and 14 mo- torcycles. The $10 WHAT IS A VETERAN HEALTH million four-story structure was built IDENTIFICATION CARD (VHIC) by Division 21, a AND HOW DO I GET ONE? veteran-owned St. The Department of Veterans Affairs provides a Vet- Paul based company. eran Health Identification Card (formerly VIC) for Construction began in April 2013 and was scheduled veterans to use at VA medical facilities. The VHIC is for completion in July of this year. issued only to veterans who are eligible for VA medi- cal benefits and only for the purpose of identification SHE SERVED, NOW LET THE and check-in for VA medical appointments.

ST. CLOUD VA SERVE HER To receive a VHIC, a veteran must be enrolled in the It’s time to expand the definition of Veteran. Many VA Health Net- women who served in the military don’t identify work and visit themselves as Veterans. But just like their male coun- their VA Medical terparts, if they served, they are Veterans. The defini- Center to have tion of Veteran hasn’t changed but the population has: their photo taken it’s younger, increasingly female, and with different and apply for health care needs. The St. Cloud VA Health Care Sys- the card. The VA tem is working to enhance care, improve services, and will then mail the card to the veteran’s home address. change the culture to serve the growing population of NOTE: Anoka County Veteran Services DOES NOT women Veterans. issue Veteran Health Identification Cards. In support of their health care, women Veterans are Service Connected Disabled Veterans are able to ride invited to attend the VA Women’s Wellness Fair on the Metro Transit Buses for free with a valid Veteran May 17, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the River’s Edge Health Identification Card issued by a VA Medical Convention Center in St. Cloud. Center with the words “Service Connected” or the The VA Women’s Wellness Fair will feature a variety initials “SC” below the photo. By presenting this card to bus operators, disabled Veterans can use any fixed- route service in the state. This includes Metro Transit and suburban transit providers in the Minneapolis/ St. Paul area as well as Northstar Commuter Rail and regular-route services in Duluth, St. Cloud, Rochester, Moorhead, East Grand Forks and Mankato.

VETERANS EMPLOYMENT REPRESENTATIVES Current or former military members, no matter your era of service, receive priority services in all Work- Force Centers across the state. WFC staff provide the of health and wellness presentations and activities, fastest, most effective service possible – in person or including those provided by the VA and also by local online. health vendors. Specially trained Veterans Employment Represen- Women Veterans are encouraged to bring a friend tatives can assist you if you have been discharged or for the daylong event. In addition to all of the health left active duty in the last three years; have significant challenges finding or keeping a job; or have a ser- Our hours of operation are: vice-connected disability. Monday - 8:00am - 4:00pm Veterans employment representatives work one-on- Tuesday - 8:00am - 4:00pm one with veterans to provide services custom-tailored Wednesday - 8:00am - 4:00pm to meet individual needs. Thursday - 8:00am - 4:00pm Friday - 8:00am - 3:00pm Anoka County (Blaine) WorkForce Center Closed on all Federal Holidays 1201 89th Avenue NE, Suite 235 Blaine, MN 55434 Phone: (763) 323-5290 (763) 783-4800 Fax: (763) 323-5296 Email: [email protected] ABOUT ANOKA COUNTY Website: www.anokacounty.us/veterans VETERAN SERVICES Anoka County Veteran Services provides professional, caring and quality assistance to veterans and their de- pendents in obtaining benefits through county, state and federal programs. As advocates, we work with the US Department of Veterans Affairs, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs and nationally char- tered Veteran Service Organizations to ensure that our veterans and their dependents receive the benefits they have earned through military service.

When visiting the Anoka County Veteran Services Office you will be referred to a service officer for assistance. Our County Veteran Service Officers (CVSO’s) are highly trained, professional advocates that share an understanding of the challenges our veter- ans and their dependents face. Our CVSO’s attend the most current training on the extent, the meaning and the application of laws that have been passed by the U.S, Congress in the interests of veterans and their dependents. They also know the rules and regulations adopted by the Department of Veterans Affairs to clarify and implement those laws. Our CVSO’s will apply specialized knowledge in the best way suited to the needs of every individual veteran or other benefi- ciary who visit our office for assistance.

We are located in Downtown Anoka on the 2nd floor of the Anoka County Government Center in Room 216. We are a walk-in office and do not accept appointments.