To ensure that the Arizona veteran community is kept “up to date” on what is happening with the Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services, we are inaugurating this monthly update that we will send out to our veteran email list.

Please forward and share with any interested veterans.

MILITARY FAMILY RELIEF FUND

• So far in 2012, the Fund has awarded more than $463,000 to 144 military families in financial need. Total amount of assistance awarded in Calendar Year 2012 has now exceeded that awarded in CY 2011. Based on current trends, we project the Fund will award $650,000 in CY 2012.

• Total awards since Fund established in 2008 exceeds $1.2 million.

VETERAN DONATION FUND

• So far this year, we have awarded $33,000 in grants under five-thousand dollars from our Veteran Donation Fund.

• This money went to organization such as the American Legion, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, to help out with the Mesa Veterans Day parade and other organizations designed to benefit Arizona veterans.

• We have just announced another Veteran Donation Fund grant cycle for requests for grants of five-thousand dollars and more.

· All Requests for Grant Proposals of five-thousand dollars or more must be submitted through the State of Arizona’s procurement system at www.procure.az.gov

· Your organization must first register in ProcureAZ before you can submit your grant request. For information contact Katherine Harding at (602) 234-8415, or e-mail LGgrants@azdvs.gov or 1-800-367-8939 (TDD).

ARIZONA STATE VETERAN HOME-TUCSON

• Have opened a second of the four 30-bed resident wings and continue to bring in veterans and staff. Current census is 41 veteran/residents.

• Anticipate opening a third resident wing in early December.

• Plans are to build a fence between the Home and the VA Medical Center. This project is being funded with the $431,000 Federal dollars remaining in the project. The fence will help with traffic control from the VA Medical Center.

• Local Veteran Service Organizations are using the home’s conference room for monthly meetings.

ARIZONA STATE VETERAN HOME-PHOENIX

• Phoenix Home has made two-million dollars worth of improvements and renovations in the past five years and the Phoenix home is in an outstanding condition.

• Next major project will be to provide covered parking at the Phoenix Veteran Home.

STATE VETERAN CEMETERY-SIERRA VISTA

• Construction on some upgrades began on Tuesday, 18 September at our cemetery in Sierra Vista.

• We are adding an additional four columbarium walls for an additional 2600 niche sites for cremation interments.

• We are receiving an additional $50,000 in federal VA grants to repair and enhance curbing and irrigation lines.

• All additions and enhancements will cost approximately $1,700,000. The Department is responsible for coming up with 10% which will be reimbursed to us by the feds on completion.

CAMP NAVAJO PROJECT

• We have received notification from the Federal V-A that they will fund the construction of a second State veteran cemetery on the 60 acres of land being turned over to us by DEMA and the Army on Camp Navajo west of Flagstaff.

• Transfer of the 60 acres still pending action by the U.S. Corps of Engineers but they promise it will be done soon.

VETERAN FRIENDLY CAMPUSES

• In the last legislative session, the Arizona Legislature passed a bill that requires the Department to spearhead a program to develop and track Veteran Friendly Campuses at our three major universities and the many community colleges spread around the state.

• We continue to move forward on this operation. The three State universities have created some great veterans centers since we have been involved in this plan.

• Some of the community colleges, Pima Community College, Glendale, Scottsdale, Gateway have all made great strides in becoming “veteran friendly”.

• I am appointing Travis Schulte, who currently administers the Military Family Relief Fund and works on our homeless veterans program to spearhead and be the point of contact for our Veterans Friendly Campuses program.

VETERANS OUTREACH

• On 10 October, the Director is met with the Director of the V-A Medical Center in Phoenix to discuss issues that affect our Valley veterans. It was a good, productive meeting.

• On 13 October, the Director, the deputy director and Mike Klier are going up to Prescott to meet with the new director of the V-A Medical Center there, Donna Jacobs to talk about concerns of veterans in Northern Arizona, including concerns about a new veterans clinic in the Kingman area.

• Last month, the Director had a very productive meeting with Director John Gardner of the Tucson V-A Medical Center.

• The Department continues to support the Wounded Warrior Program which in turn is supporting various programs for our wounded warriors who have returned home.

• The Director, Deputy Director Barnes, and PIO/Legislative Liaison Dave Hampton participated in the POW/MIA Observances at the State Capitol with the Governor. The event was hosted by the Patriot Guard Riders.

As you can tell, we have a lot going on at the Arizona Department of Veterans Services. We look forward to our continued good relationship with our many partner veterans’ service organizations and with the Unified Arizona Veterans, the United Veterans Council in Southern Arizona, and the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame in our continuing effort to complete our one big mission: Supporting Arizona’s Veterans.

Joey Strickland

Director

Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services

“Arizona Proud”