CVSO Article due 27 March 2009

By: Dan Meyer

The office hours for the Lac qui Parle County Veterans Service Office are 8:30 am - 4:30 pm Monday through Friday. My office phone number is (320) 598-3445.

Flash News. Forum on Depleted Uranium (DU) held to educate veterans.

In recent years, a large number of Minnesota Veterans, including those who serve in the National Guard and Reserves, have been deployed overseas where they may have worked with munitions and tanks that contained depleted uranium. DU is a dense metal the U.S. military uses in munitions for its armor-piercing properties and in tank armor for its ability to protect against standard munitions.

As part of the DU awareness campaign, the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs hosted a forum on January 30. The forum brought together leading scientists and medical professionals in this area of research to help Veterans understand DU use, potential health effects and the screening process.

The goal of the program was to ensure that Minnesota Veterans and those who have a stake in their well-being, including physicians, veteran service organizations and state legislators, have access to current scientific information on DU and screening and testing services for exposure. The forum was well attended by a variety of constituents, including many Veterans and their families, who were able to ask questions of the panelists after the presentation.

For more information about DU or to review video from the forum visit www.mdva.state.mn.us/du.

In other news. Project New Hope 2009 Retreat Dates.

Retreats provide Veterans and their families the education, training and skills necessary to manage their lives after service. The Retreats are held over weekends in a private, camp-like setting in McGregor, Minnesota. Cabins are located on a private lake. Meals are provided.

Upcoming retreat dates: May 22-24, July 3-5, August 21-23, October 16-18, and December 18-20.

To register for upcoming retreats contact Bruce Billington at infro@projectnewhope or visit www.projectnewhope.net.

Until next week, take care and "Fair winds and following seas!"