Project/Outreach

By: Dan Meyer

The office hours for the Big Stone County Veterans Service Office are 7:30 am – 4:00 pm Monday through Friday. My office phone number is (320) 839-6398.

I was asked by a veteran last week about this “Outreach” thing I keep talking about. So, I figure it’s time to define the “Outreach Program” and some of the planned events.

The “Outreach Program” is basically spreading the word on what veterans benefits are available, who is eligible for the benefits, and how do we apply for these benefits.

Let me state that I have a computer based program that allows us, together, to complete all the associated forms needed to apply for these benefits. Together, we’ll sit down and discuss all the benefits you may be eligible for, and discuss our plans on what steps are necessary to achieve the desired outcome.

Here are some of the planned Outreach events. A weekly radio show, weekly newspaper article, future quarterly newsletter, National POW/MIA Recognition booth, Vietnam Veterans benefits booth, Ortonville Corn Festival benefits booth, Big Stone County Fair benefits booth, sporting event(s) benefits booth, and various county/city parade float entries. More Outreach events will be planned as required.

If any county organization, military or other, or anyone wanting to have a Veterans’ Benefit Booth at an event, please call me and let’s see what we can do. It should be noted that events on Saturdays and Sundays can also be discussed.

In other news. Veterans and active-duty military not in uniform can now render the military-style hand salute during the playing of the National Anthem, thanks to changes in federal law.

The new provision improves upon a little known change in federal law that authorized veterans to render the military-style hand salute during the raising, lowering or passing of the Flag, but it did not address salutes during the National Anthem. The provision also applied to members of the armed forces while not in uniform.

Traditionally, members of the nation’s veterans service organizations have rendered the hand-salute during the National Anthem and at events involving the national Flag while wearing their organization’s official head-gear.

The change, authorizing hand-salutes during the National Anthem by veterans and out-of-uniform military personnel, was sponsored by Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, an Army veteran. It was included in the Defense Authorization Act of 2009, which President Bush signed on October 14, 2008.

The earlier provision authorizing hand-salutes for veterans and out-of-uniform military personnel during the raising, lowering or passing of the Flag, was contained in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2008, which took effect January 28, 2008.

Until next week, take care and “Fair Winds and Following Seas!”