Welcome to a special Veterans Day edition of the Forward March Veterans’ Newsletter.
I look forward to speaking at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Hillsborough County Veterans Memorial Park and Rear Admiral LeRoy Collins Jr. Museum in Tampa for their annual Veterans Day program. I hope to see many of you from the Tampa Bay area there. I’ll also spend this week and next with veterans at outreach programs sponsored by Sen. Marco Rubio and Rep. Gus Bilirakis. Our team of Veterans’ Claims Examiners will also be in the field at Veterans Day events, helping to connect Veterans and their families with earned services, benefits and support. As always, if you want to connect with our Veterans’ Claims Examiners, call (727) 319-7440 or send them an e-mail at VSO@fdva.state.fl.us. All services are free to the Veteran.
Our state veterans’ homes are also hosting Veterans Day events for their residents and staff and my team and I look forward to visiting our homes and celebrating with our fellow veterans.
I started the month by attending the Health Care Workforce Coalition Media Roundtable, hosted by the Florida Health Care Association in Tallahassee. A coalition of Florida health care leaders is actively focusing on the workforce challenges we face in providing dedicated and loving care at all levels to our state’s aging population. The challenges, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, are felt by all of us who provide skilled nursing and assisted living care.
Late last month we completed the last of our four Women Veterans Town Hall Meetings. With a focus on Florida’s more than 160,000 Women Veterans, a report from our state women veterans’ coordinator and her team is being prepared with recommendations on addressing issues and expanding outreach. I look forward to sharing the results of the report at the beginning of next year.
On the legislative side, we continue to gear up for the 2022 Florida Legislative Session. I provided a veteran suicide prevention update to the Senate Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security, Nov. 2. We encourage Veterans in need to call the Florida Veterans Support Line at 1-844-MyFLVet (693-5838) or the National Veteran Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 (Press 1). You can find out more about Florida’s Veteran Suicide Prevention efforts by visiting www.SaveFLVets.org.
Our first attempt at dedicating the access road between Interstate 95 and Jacksonville National Cemetery in honor of Gold Star Families last month was rained out. On Nov. 30 at 1:30 p,m,, we’ll try again to dedicate the 3.4 mile parkway between Interstate 95 and the national cemetery as Gold Star Family Parkway.
Finally, I’m making the rounds by attending a number of Marine Corps Birthday Ball celebrations, hosted by our state’s Marine Corps League. To my Marine Corps brothers and sisters in arms observing tomorrow’s 246th birthday, I proudly say Semper Fi!
As we prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday, let us remember our deployed servicemembers who will not be home with their families this year. Their selfless service and sacrifice allow us to enjoy the freedoms we enjoy today.
Thanks for reading. Please share with a friend.
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The annual Veterans Day in Florida Proclamation by Gov. Ron DeSantis is available by clicking on the graphic above. FDVA Executive Director James S. “Hammer” Hartsell is one of several key FDVA leaders participating in Veterans Day activities this week throughout the state. He addresses Veterans in Hillsborough County on Nov. 11.
FDVA Executive Director Hammer Hartsell was honored to address the Florida Health Care Association Florida Leaders Class of 2022, Oct 28, on the challenges and rewards of leadership. In its 13th year, the program helps foster leaders within the long-term care profession and association.
DEP Announces Free Admission to Florida State Parks on Veterans Day
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is proud to continue a longstanding tradition of offering free admission to Florida State Parks for all visitors on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, in gratitude for the courageous men and women who served in the nation's armed forces. To read more, click here https://bit.ly/3odjgLx.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla - Attorney General Ashley Moody is highlighting nearly half a million dollars secured for nonprofits this year following a successful court action against an unlawful charity robocall scheme. Through a court action earlier this year, Associated Community Services, its sister companies and owners were ordered to pay almost $500,000 in charitable contributions. In Tampa, Attorney General Moody ceremoniously presented one of these payments to a veteran representing the Semper Fi & America’s Fund. For more information, click here, https://bit.ly/3wtDvbA.
Restaurants, retail stores and businesses across America show their gratitude by providing special deals for Veterans and their families. For a list of participating organizations click here: https://bit.ly/3ECyjVB.
The Veterans Florida Webinar will assist Veterans, transitioning servicemembers, military families, employers who want to bolster their workforce employment opportunities. To register for the Nov. 30 webinar, click here: https://bit.ly/3BWNffE.
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