August / September 2023 Edition of the Forward March Veterans' Newsletter

Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs sent this bulletin at 09/22/2023 03:24 PM EDT

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August / September 2023

Welcome to the combined August - September edition of the Forward March Veterans’ Newsletter. ‎We ‎‎appreciate the more than 51,000 subscribers who look to us for the latest news ‎impacting our State’s 1.5 million Veterans, their families and survivors.‎

It’s been a busy two months since we last connected with you via this newsletter. The movements of Hurricane Idalia in the Gulf of Mexico and subsequent landfall of the Category 3 Hurricane on Aug. 30 in Taylor County led to an all-hands-on-deck approach for our agency. We first addressed the safety of residents and staff in our nine State Veterans’ Homes. With hardened facilities and available in-house generator power, our time-tested staff prepared to shelter in place and provide continuity of care to the residents in our homes.

In close partnership with our U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs counterparts, our Alwyn C. Cashe State Veterans’ Nursing Home in Orlando also became a temporary home to 16 Florida Veterans and their health care providers who were evacuated from the Bay Pines VA Health Care System. I had the opportunity to meet with these Veterans during their stay with us and thank them for their service to our country. They were happy with their care and stay with us and we were honored to provide them with a loving and safe environment during their brief time away from Bay Pines.

All nine of our State Veterans’ Homes were spared the impact of the hurricane and quickly resumed a normal routine. The State of Florida then established Disaster Recovery Centers in those heavily impacted areas to link residents with available State and Federal support. (You’ll see an article in this issue on our Veteran outreach efforts, which continue to this day.) I had the honor of visiting eight of the centers in the first two weeks following the storm.

With storm recovery in full swing, we’re also commemorating other events.

Last Saturday, I had the honor to attend a POW/MIA Recognition Day ceremony at the National POW-MIA Memorial and Museum in Jacksonville. We had a great turnout for a deeply moving ceremony.

We also saluted our Air Force Veterans on Sept. 18 as they observed their 76th Anniversary.

As we approach the fall, we’re gearing up for the Florida Legislative Session, which begins Jan 9. A series of interim committee weeks are scheduled in the coming months to begin the process of crafting legislation for consideration. We’ll highlight potential Veteran-related legislation and activities in the coming months. You can also follow the status of Veteran-related legislation on our website at www.FloridaVets.org.

We encourage you to learn more about your earned services, benefits and support. Follow us online and on our many social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. You may also download our new Mobile App by visiting https://floridavets.org/download-the-fdva-app/.

If you need advice or counsel regarding earned services, benefits and support, ‎please ‎‎contact one of our Veterans’ Claims Examiners ‎at (727) ‎‎‎319-‎‎7440 or via email at FDVA.VSO@FDVA.FL.GOV. ‎All services are at no charge. ‎

In closing, I ask that you take a moment and recognize the heartfelt sacrifices of our Gold Star Family members this Sunday on Gold Star Family Day in Florida. These families are true American heroes, and we salute them.

FDVA Connects Veterans with Services at Disaster Recovery Centers

TALLAHASSEE – Following landfall of Hurricane Idalia in rural north Florida on Aug. 30, the State of Florida established several Disaster Recovery Centers in hard-hit counties to provide local residents with information from Florida state agencies, FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration. Veterans’ Claims Examiners and Hope Navigators from the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs responded to the sites, connecting more than 275 Veterans in 16 Disaster Recovery Centers with information and earned services. Attorney General Ashley Moody caught up with FDVA Veterans’ Claims Examiner Supervisor Chuck Foster at the Madison County DRC, Sept. 7 (left), while FDVA Executive Director James S. “Hammer” Hartsell and staff provided services at the Citrus County DRC, Sept. 13.

Sixteen Florida Veterans from the Bay Pines VA Health Care System were safely transported to the Alwyn C. Cashe State Veterans’ Nursing Home in Orlando in preparation of landfall of Hurricane Idalia, Aug. 29. Eighteen VA health care providers also deployed to the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs skilled nursing facility to augment FDVA direct care staff. The 16 Veterans and their VA providers safely returned home on Aug. 31, following the hurricane’s landfall.

Celebrating Two Year Anniversary of Hope Florida, First Lady Casey DeSantis Announces Initiative Expansions

Hope Florida Will Now Support Floridians with Unique Abilities and Has Garnered the Support of Major Corporate Partners

ORLANDO, Fla. - On Sept. 5, First Lady Casey DeSantis launched Hope Florida – A Pathway to Possibilities, an expansion of the Hope Florida Program, in cooperation with private sector partners, to assist Floridians with unique abilities in reaching their potential. Floridians with unique abilities will be able to work with dedicated Hope Navigators to connect them with the resources and opportunities within their communities exterior of government that they need to thrive, such as stable jobs with large companies that have consistently supported employees with unique abilities.

In a panel focused on honoring and serving older Floridians, FDVA Executive Director James S. “Hammer” Hartsell spoke of outreach avenues to connect Florida’s aging Veterans with earned services and support, and the care available in his agency’s nine State Veterans’ Homes.

Hope Florida, created by First Lady DeSantis and implemented by the Florida Department of Children and Families and other agencies, utilizes ‘Hope Navigators’ to guide Floridians on an individualized path to prosperity and economic self-sufficiency by focusing on community collaboration between the private sector, faith-based community, non-profits, and government entities to break down traditional community silos to maximize support and uncover opportunities.

At the event, the First Lady announced 13 companies have committed to joining Hope Florida. To view more on the story, read here.

Holly Bernardo, director of Hope Navigators for the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs, addresses the audience at The Hope Solution symposium in Orlando, Sept. 5. Commemorating the two-year anniversary of First Lady Casey DeSantis’ Hope Florida initiative, Bernardo spoke of her background running a non-profit organization serving Florida’s Veteran community.

PACT Act Deadline: Health Care Enrollment for Veterans who deployed to Combat Zones

FDVA Executive Director James S. “Hammer” Hartsell presented 100-year-old Florida Veteran Alvin Corenblum with a Veteran Service Medal on Sept. 13 for his many years of volunteer work in The Villages and with the Florida National Cemetery. The presentation took place at the Trinity Springs senior living community in Oxford.

Tracy Schaner, president of the National Association of State Veterans Homes (NASVH) and National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs (NASDVA) President James S. “Hammer” Hartsell sign a memorandum of agreement Aug. 15 in Buffalo, New York at the annual NASDVA training conference. Hartsell is executive director of the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs and is serving an elected term as NASDVA president.

Space Florida Directors Selects Colonel Robert Long as President and Chief Executive Officer

TALLAHASSEE - Space Florida has announced the selection of retired U.S. Space Force Col. Robert Long as its new President and Chief Executive Officer. With an extensive background in the military and space industry, Colonel Long will further drive Space Florida's mission to advance the aerospace industry and solidify Florida as the global hub for aerospace. The vote to select Colonel Long took place during a Space Florida Board of Directors meeting on Sept. 19, 2023. To read more, click here.

VA Launches Mobile Medical Units to Increase Access to Health Care for Homeless Veterans

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced that it will deploy 25 mobile medical units across the country during the next six months to provide health care and support to homeless and at-risk Veterans. The first MMU arrived on Aug. 3, at the VA Orlando Healthcare System. Mobile medical units are vans or trucks that provide a private space for eligible Veterans to meet with medical providers, including mental health clinicians, social workers, and other staff that provide primary care, women’s health, audiology, laboratory, and telehealth services to those who may not have access to a local VA medical center. To read more, click here.

FDVA Veterans’ Claims Examiners stand ready to support Florida Veterans and their families in a time of need. As our state continues to recover from Hurricane Idalia, FDVA is here to help! To reach a Veterans’ Claim Examiner, call 727-319-7440 or email FDVA.VSO@FDVA.FL.GOV

Serve our nation’s heroes by joining our team today. With a recent pay raise for all state employees and a new competitive pay structure with sign-on bonuses for our direct care staff, working in one of Florida’s nine state veterans’ homes can be rewarding. Click on the graphic above to visit our position openings or visit https://bit.ly/3AuWCED.