Read the December 2023 Newsletter from the Delaware Valley Veterans Consortium to stay informed about events and issues happening in the area. Do you have news to share or upcoming events for the January 2024 newsletter and beyond? Please share! This newsletter is published monthly as part of DVVC’s efforts to connect, collaborate, and communicate in service to Veterans throughout our region.
Send your updates and questions to dvvcinfo@gmail.com.
Member Organizations: To submit articles to the newsletter please email Collie Turner, collie@heroicgardens.org by the 25th of the month with your news.
To submit news to DVVC social media sites please email Lynne Williams at Director@greatcareersphl.org with “For DVVC Social Media” in the subject line.
Let us know how we can help!
NEWS FROM THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Dear DVVC members,
It is with a little touch of sadness that I write this last column as a member of the DVVC Executive Committee. You see, I am retiring from the VA after 18+ years as Congressional Liaison and Community Relations Coordinator. For these past years it has been my privilege and pleasure to immerse myself in the Veteran community, working with and for Veterans.
I’m not a Veteran myself, and I don’t come from a military family. While it is true that my uncle retired as a Lt. Colonel in the Air Force, we were never that close, and I rarely saw him growing up. It was kind of an accident of fate that I ended up at the VA, but I can’t imagine any place I would have rather worked.
I had the distinction of being one of the first people, so many years ago, to attend the Veterans outreach group that started at the Red Cross by Ryan McGoldrick. It was a simple idea – get as many providers of services to Veterans together in one room to meet each other, network, and help Veterans by sharing information about what services were available in the Philadelphia area. The group met regularly for a few years, and became the forerunner of what would become DVVC.
It was under the leadership of VA Secretary Bob McDonald in 2016-17 that the Community Veterans Engagement Board (CVEB) model was born. CVEBs, led by community leaders, and supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs, would be community-based, and unite Veteran advocates around a common mission to improve outcomes for Veterans, at the local level. The idea was that the CVEBs would be the best voice to identify their community goals, and work to resolve issues at the local level to improve service delivery for Veterans, families, caregivers, and survivors.
The bones of what was created at the Red Cross became the foundation for the Delaware Valley Veterans Consortium, our local CVEB. I am proud to have been a part of it and to watch it grow and become a voice in the Veteran community. Much work has been done over the years to get DVVC to where it is now, and much more work remains to be done.
Retirement brings many changes, but I’m not leaving the area, and want to stay involved in the Veteran space and DVVC. I just need some time to figure out what that will look like. Until then, thank you for letting me, a non-Veteran, be a part of this world. I have learned so much and made so many good friends.
Wishing everyone health, happiness, and all the best for the holidays and the new year.
Fern Billet
Congressional Liaison and Community Relations
Cpl. Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center
Veteran Community Healing Ceremony
Date: Thursday, Dec 7th, 2023
Time: 4:00pm to 6:00pm
The Community Healing Ceremony is a service of reconciliation for Veterans and non-Veterans led by VA chaplains, community clergy, and Veterans. The Ceremony provides a space to celebrate Veterans’ moral sensitivity and moral seriousness, share the truth of their military experience, and initiate them in a process of transformation. This ceremony will be held at –
Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center
7th Floor Community Hall 7A141, 3900 Woodland Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19104
More info click here.
Served in World War II? New law says you’re eligible for VA health care
If you served in the U.S. military between Dec. 7, 1941, and Dec. 31, 1946, a new law makes you eligible for VA health care benefits, but you have to apply because VA cannot automatically enroll you.
The Cleland-Dole Act was signed into law Dec. 29, 2022. Section 101 of this law expands eligibility for VA care for Veterans of World War II. If you served during World War II, now is the time to apply for VA health care, even if you applied before and were not approved due to your income level.
To learn more about eligibility click here.
SAVE THE DATE!
The DVVC quarterly meeting will take place on January 19, 2024 from 9am to 11 am at St. Joe’s University. This is our yearly planning meeting for the organization.
All interested DVVC participants are welcome and needed. Details to Follow.
L’Salle Harvey Veteran Scholarship
The University of Pennsylvania’s Veterans Upward Bound (VUB) program offers free virtual and in person college prep, access, and support services.
Veterans Upward Bound will be awarding three individual scholarships of $1,000 each for those attending college in the Fall semester of 2024. The award is made in honor of L’Salle Harvey, a former VUB participant and made possible through a generous donation from his family.
The application and full instructions can be found here.
LEARN TO GARDEN RIGHT AT HOME
“It’s a real sense of accomplishment. My purple thumb is green now!
It’s given me the tools to appreciate nature and relieve stress.”
-US Army Veteran
“It’s a real sense of accomplishment. My purple thumb is green now! It’s given me the tools to appreciate nature and relieve stress.”
-US Army Veteran
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR JANUARY 13th
Join Veterans from across the country for Heroic Gardens
FREE Virtual Gardening Class, the first Sunday of each month.
Learn more and Register
MORE VA NEWS
Protecting veterans and their families from predatory actors and scams. In 2022, veterans, military personnel, and their families reported 93,000 fraud complaints that cost them more than $414 million. Today, the President is launching the new Veteran Scam and Fraud Evasion (VSAFE) Initiative and Task Force to better protect veterans and their families against these scams. The Task Force brings together leaders from VA, the Department of Education, Federal Trade Commission, Social Security Administration, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Department of State, and Department of Defense to kick off an all-hands effort to safeguard veterans and their families. In the coming months, VSAFE will release a set of Do’s and Don’ts to get the word out to help veterans and their families.
Reducing veteran suicide. Since releasing a comprehensive public health strategy for reducing military and veteran suicide, the Biden-Harris Administration has continued to improve suicide prevention efforts. VA has provided no-cost life-saving care to more than 33,000 veterans at risk of suicide since January. VA awarded $105 million in grants for community-based organizations to deliver or coordinate suicide prevention programs and services for veterans and their family members. And, since launching the 988 Veterans Crisis Line, VA has fielded more than 1.1 million calls, texts, and chats to ensure access to confidential counseling to veterans in crisis.
Ending veteran homelessness. President Biden has called on Congress to triple the number of veterans who receive housing vouchers – a critical tool to help prevent veteran homelessness. In August, VA also issued $1 billion in funding to community organizations to help homeless and at-risk veterans through rapid rehousing, transitional housing and case management, and prevent housing loss. And, in 2023 alone, VA has permanently housed over 35,000 veterans and is on track to exceed its goal of 38,000 by the end of the year.
YOU CAN STAY UP TO DATE
Monthly Newsletters from Dept of Military and Veterans Affairs for News, Veteran Events and Opportunities in NJ and PA
In PA see: https://maestro.pa.gov/list/k3hdw2n4/230302C/8z6u9k2ia3mw.vib?test&a0=903
In NJ see: https://dmava.org/
Now is a great time to get your flu and COVID-19 vaccines
The updated vaccines are free of charge for Veterans receiving care at VA and also for VA employees. Check with your local VA medical facility to make an appointment. Some locations offer walk-in hours, too.
Eligible Veterans can also get these and other vaccines at no cost within the community from one of nearly 65,000 in-network pharmacies or urgent care locations. Learn more from this fact sheet. Use the online VA locator to find a location nearest you.
The DVVC Newsletter serves member organizations by sharing information with the Veterans they serve. In addition to the newsletter, the DVVC shares news and upcoming events on social media. Member organizations can follow our social media platforms to receive updates and share information about your organization’s news and events. Please engage on the posts and repost or share.
- LinkedIn Company Page – click on the bell at the top right and choose All New Posts
- LinkedIn Group
- LinkedIn Hashtag – in the search bar at the top left, type #dvvcorg and click follow
- Facebook Page
Personal LinkedIn Tips
- Optimize your LinkedIn profile. Take advantage of free online workshops that are available.
- Contact and connect with other LinkedIn users. LinkedIn enables you to network with people and professional organizations in your industry to stay updated with the latest developments and share information with others in your field.
- Give and receive recommendations and endorsements.
- Join other LinkedIn groups to discuss ideas and share industry news to develop professional networks.
- Create engaging content. Just as with other social networks, you can post simple text updates, images, and links to other sites, and you can share posts from other users. You can also record or upload videos directly to LinkedIn from your device to share your insights and experiences or to boost your organization’s brand identity.
Company Page LinkedIn Tips
Boost your organization’s profile to create followers and keep them up to date with what is going on inside your organization. Here are some step-by-step instructions from one of our member organizations if you want to create a business page.
It’s Open Season for Military Insurance:
November 13 – December 12, 2023 is when Retired Military, Active Duty Family members are able to make changes to their Health, Dental and Vision Insurance.
Medical
- If you have served more than 20 years, or were medically retired with a 30% or more rating from your branch of service, then you are entitled to Tricare Prime or Tricare Select at a very low cost. Tricare Prime is approx. $30 a month for single/ $60 a month for Family. Tricare Select is about $15 a month for a single plus a deductible of $150 for the year/ $30 a month for the family plus a deductible of $300 for the year. Prices do increase annually – but it is minimal.
- If you are an active duty family member (ADFM) you can also change your health care coverage at this time as well. As family members are automatically enrolled in Tricare Prime with Humana, they do have a choice to use Tricare Select. While Tricare Prime is 100% free for the ADFM, Tricare select has deductibles and cost shares.
- Those military members that are retired and have Medicare Part A and B, are entitled to Tricare For life, which covers your part C and D. For more information about Tricare benefits, visit www.Tricare.mil
Dental/Vision
- All Military retirees and their dependents are now eligible for Dental and Vision benefits through the FedVip program. In Pennsylvania, you have 11 choices for low cost Dental Insurance and 6 choices for Low cost vision. You must be enrolled in a Tricare Program in order to utilize this benefit. Go to Benefeds.com and follow the prompts to get enrolled.
If you have any questions concerning eligibility, or enrollment, please do not hesitate to contact Tammy Cartagena USAF (Ret.) 646-284-5736 or TCartagena@svcmcny.org. Text or call – the phone is a direct line.
Join in on the adult career online education topics and networking in December 2023 at the Great Careers Groups (GCG). Visit the EVENTS page to register for our Zoom and in-person events. Connect on social media and subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Topics include:
- Fri Dec 1 – 10 Tips & Strategies to Create Interview-Winning Resumes Recruiters Love
- Mon Dec 4 – Career Success Group Job Seeker Accountability & Networking
- Tue Dec 5 – Career Support for Immigrant Professionals: Job Search & Career Development from the Perspective of an Immigrant Professional Turned Recruiter
- Mon Dec 11 – Nosh & Network BYOB Holiday Social with Yummy Apps Sampler in Malvern
- Tue Dec 12 – LGBTQ+ OUTstanding Careers Group™
- Thu Dec 14 – Career Success Group Job Seeker Accountability & Networking
- Thu Dec 14 – Virtual Jobseeker Support Group
- Sat Dec 16 – LinkedIn Part 1 of 3
- Mon Dec 18 – Career Success Group Job Seeker Accountability & Networking
- Mon Dec 18 – Tips to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile
- Tues Dec 19 – Lehigh Valley Business Executives Networking Group (BENG) meeting
- Tues Dec 19 – Career Support for Immigrant Professionals: 2024 Tips to Build Your LinkedIn Brand
- Thu Dec 21 – Recruiter on Call with Jobs
Enjoy the holidays with family and friends! See you in 2024!
Any GCG meeting with a $5 fee is free for unemployed veterans by arranging in advance that you want to attend – director@greatcareersphl.org.
VA health care travels with you.
Are you traveling?
VA has resources across the states to provide you with easily accessible information about telehealth options, the closest VA location, and the Veterans Crisis Line.
How to Get Your Free Veteran ID Card
Your service can get you free event tickets and entry to national parks, discounts from retailers, restaurants, hotels, recreational activities and many other perks.
Learn how you can get your free official Veteran ID card and easily show your Veteran status.