DUTY ROSTER

 INVOCATOR~GREETER

LAST WEEK'S PROGRAM ~ Committees  

Guests: -- opps...sorry didn't collect names from sign in sheet.....do remember that visitor from Downtown Rotary...Oris of Boy Scouts..not sure who else.

PROGRAM--Charlene Cobb, Sheboygan County Veterans Service Officer opened with a thank you to all Rotarians who are veterans.  Charlene explained that she is retired Navy.   She talked about the numerous layers of Veterans Adminstration and the difficult of veterans navigating that to apply for benefits that may be due to them.  She explained how the various branches and their computer systems do not communicate with each other.   The position she holds is mandated by federal law, but funded by Sheboygan County.  Sheboygan County is one of the gems of counties around the state.  Charlene had previously worked for DMV.   She has an office of herself and one other person. She records all veteran deaths and locations of where they are buried and reports that to Madison. She is often called with complaints on display of the American Flag.  Annually her office spends $13,000 for placement of flags at graves.  Historically Sheboygan County was losing a WWII veteran every day.  Now that type of volume is beginning to be seen for Krean & Vietnam veterans.  Her office tries to assist families of veterans that are expected to survive on less than $8,000 annually.  She explained that donations to her office make it possible to purchase and give to those families fit cards for gas, food, etc.   She explained that their are 40 hubs in the country that do Honor Flights the State of Wiconsin has 5 of those locations.   She explained how those veterans are able to experience a 'mail call' on the flight how with mail from family.  She asked that Rotarians consider hiring veterans and helping them and their families as they come back in the US.