Welcome to the Veterans And Friends of Puget Sound newsletter. We're here to be a voice and a presence for our veterans, to help them get the best quality care and other benefits they earned through their service to our nation. 

Feel free to share this newsletter by forwarding it to family and friends. You can also help your fellow veterans by telling us about your projects and events in support of veterans, so we can pass it on in our next issue.

 

Sincerely,

 

William L. Booker was one of the last of the Tuskegee Airmen living in our state. He was a very active and involved man, an engineer contributing to our nation's defense systems and a family man. You can learn more about him at this obituary and hear his community talk about him at his memorial service. 

In the past year, Mr. Booker and his family sought treatment from VA Puget Sound Health Care System. The staff at the Hospital in Seattle gave both him and his family top quality help in a difficult time, and the family has asked that we give them well-deserved recognition.

Mr. Booker's final illness was this December; he and his family came to the hospital for his last hours. Many staff members contributed to making his inevitable passing more peaceful; it is not possible to mention all of them, but they include the nurses Lomi and Rene, Dr. Murphy-Rose and Kimbley Kenebel, and the chaplain who ministered to Mr. Booker and his families throughout the dark of the night.

Veterans and Friends of Puget Sound were honored to work with the Booker family and the VA in the last year of his life. His family tells us they are very pleased with the care he received, and want to ensure that we all recognize the staff's good work.

• Your participation is voluntary.
• Purchasing a dental plan does not affect your eligibility for VA dental services and treatment.
• Coverage began January 1, 2014.
• You pay a fixed monthly premiums for coverage and any copayments required, depending on the type of plan selected.
• You may participate if you are a veteran or are in the CHAMPVA program.

• Where you live
• The insurance company you pick
• The plan ("standard" or otherwise) you pick
• The number of non-veteran dependents you include
• Whether you are enrolling as a veteran or under the CHAMPVA program.

• Delta Dental: $12.90
• Met Life:  $25.90.

January 28: Veterans Resource and Job Fair Planning Meeting

Federal Way Library

You are invited to a January 28, 2014 Veterans Resource and Job Fair Planning Committee meeting at the Federal Way library. This is NOT a project of Veterans and Friends of Puget Sound, but we know some of the organizers and hope that their project will help our veterans get the help they earned through their service to our country. 

The aim of this meeting will be to discuss and begin to coordinate for a veteran's event to take place at the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall on June 21, 2014. This event will be providing resources and service providers to all types of Veterans and their families including those typically found at a Stand-down (for homeless and those at risk).
Many veteran advocates believe that creating this type of large veteran's event at the Tacoma Dome will bring a large a population from both King and Pierce County's. At present, this event idea is not sponsored by any agency; a few veteran advocates that have a deep commitment to bettering the lives of their fellow veterans and citizens are orchestrating it. Please join us to bring a deeply needed platform to provide services to the community.
MEETING LOCATION: Federal Way Library - Meeting Room 1 - 34200 1st Way South, Federal Way, WA 98003. Tuesday, January 28, 2014, 1215pm - 215pm.
The event organizers were able to offer a similar event at Green River Community College in June of last year and are hoping to engage an even larger population between both counties and this new ideal location. For more information, contact  Alfredo "Tito" Medina at 206.802.5578 or TitoVeteransAdvocate@gmail.com.

About Veterans And Friends of Puget Sound

Veterans and Friends of Puget is a group of volunteers who are a voice and a presence helping our veterans get the help that they earned through their service. We concentrate on the VA Puget Sound Health System, where we assist veterans in getting access to the best. We advocate both for individual veterans who need help accessing the system, and for the system itself when it needs additional resources. For more information, write us vafpugetsound@gmail.com, call 206-446-4667 or write PO Box 46378, Seattle WA 98106.

Next?

There is a lot going on at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System, including major construction projects that impact the way you access the building. Next month we hope to have more information on this, news about new clinic hours, and much more. If you hear of news or rumors for us to check out, write the editor - because we're here to serve!