December 2024 Edition of the Forward March Veterans' Newsletter

Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs sent this bulletin at 12/13/2024 07:18 PM EST

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www.FloridaVets.org

December 2024

Welcome to the December edition of the Forward March Veterans’ Newsletter. ‎We ‎‎appreciate the more than 62,000 subscribers who look to us for the latest news ‎impacting our State’s 1.4 million Veterans, their families and survivors.‎ Operating as the premier point of entry for Florida Veterans, the ‎Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs ‎‎operates a ‎‎network of nine State Veterans’ ‎Homes and provides statewide outreach to connect our ‎‎Veterans ‎‎with their earned ‎services, benefits and support.

We begin and end the month with two key World War II anniversaries. On Dec. 7, we commemorated Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day in Florida and saluted our State’s 5,500 living World War II Veterans. In addition, on Dec. 16, we’ll commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge and reflect on that important battle that resulted in the ultimate German defeat in the European Theater.

One World War II Veteran from Clearwater is celebrating his 108th birthday on Dec. 17. William Edward Monfort is a Navy Veteran from the Pacific Theater in World War II. Monfort’s caregivers and loved ones are encouraging people to send birthday cards to help celebrate his special day. If you would like to drop him a card, please mail them to: Chief Petty Officer William Monfort, 3260 McMullen Booth Road, Clearwater, FL 33761

If you seek no-cost advice or counseling regarding Veterans’ issues during the holidays, please contact a State Veterans’ Service Officer ‎at (727) ‎‎‎319-‎‎7440 or via email at FDVA.VSO@FDVA.FL.GOV. Our team of Hope Navigators is also hard at work connecting Veterans and their families with information and resources to improve their quality of life. We just provided an early Christmas to an Army Veteran and his two children on the Treasure Coast to help them get back on their feet. Contact them via email at HopeNavigators@fdva.fl.gov or call (833) GET-HOPE.

You can also learn more about Veterans’ issues in Florida by following us on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and LinkedIn. A free Mobile App is also available by visiting https://app.floridavets.org.

Thank you for making Florida the most Veteran-friendly and sought after state in the Nation. We are honored to serve you.

Please share this newsletter with others and have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Be safe in your travels. We’ll see you in 2025.

Governor Awards Additional $2.1 Million to Florida’s Military-Supporting Infrastructure

TALLAHASSEE - Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Nov. 26 more than $2.1 million in additional funding for military-supporting infrastructure through the Defense Reinvestment Grant Program. The program provides grants to support infrastructure projects and economic growth in Florida’s military communities.

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Erin Hall, Director of Rehabilitation at Douglas T Jacobson State Veterans’ Nursing Home in Port Charlotte, received the Promising to Unite, Lead, and Spark Engagement (Pulse) Companionate Caregiver Of The Year Award 2024 for Region 6. The award is a national recognition program that honors healthcare professionals who demonstrate compassionate care and create healing environments for patients and families.

Retired Navy Commander Dennis O. Baker accepts the Lt. Gen. James B. Peake Award for his Veterans’ advocacy from Bay Area Legal Services during their annual Champions for Justice Donor Appreciation Event in Tampa, Nov. 20. Baker, a member of the Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame, is Chairman of the Florida Veterans Foundation.

VA and DOD announce updates to improve Veteran and caregiver access to installations

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense recently announced an improved installation access process for Veterans and eligible caregivers for medical appointments, shopping, and certain morale, welfare, and recreation (MWR) services. Veteran and caregiver eligibility will now be electronically verified during the installation access process.

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FDVA Deputy Executive Director Bob Asztalos speaks with retired Navy Capt. Roger Murray during the annual Honor Flight Tallahassee Reunion at Henry W. McMillan National Guard Armory, Dec. 7. Asztalos, a retired Navy Senior Chief, served as keynote speaker at the dinner honoring Veterans and their guardians who had flown on one of 10 Honor Flights to the memorials in Washington, D.C.

The 125th annual Army-Navy football game is scheduled for Dec. 14 at 3 p.m. Eastern time on CBS. Both teams will wear special uniforms to highlight their service’s heritage.

Veterans Florida formed a partnership with the University of Florida, resulting in nine Veterans graduating in November from a specialized hardware cybersecurity course. Veterans Florida will begin accepting applications early next year for the program, which will begin again in late spring 2025.

State and County Veterans’ Service Officers pose for their graduation photo, Dec. 12, following completion of their initial accreditation course provided by the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs in Largo. The course is required by statute for all new State Veterans' Service Officers to access VA systems for claims counseling.

The 2024 Florida Defense Industry Economic Impact Analysis is now available for viewing on the FloridaCommerce Office of Military and Defense webpage. FloridaCommerce established the Office of Military and Defense on July 1, 2023. Housed within the Division of Economic Development, the office enables FloridaCommerce to engage with Florida's military and defense communities to streamline business and economic development efforts, provide further support for Florida's military families, and protect military installations.

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State Veterans’ Service Officer Brandy Germer and FDVA Hope Navigator Aaron Pelone speak with local Veterans at the Career Source in Pasco-Hernando Paychecks for Patriots Career Fair at AmSkills in Holiday, Nov. 22.

Nominations for the Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame Class of 2025 are open through March 1, 2025. If you know a Veteran who has made a significant civic, business, or public service contribution to the state of Florida, nominate them today. For more information on guidelines and nomination forms, click here.

To contact FDVA from anywhere in the State, call (727) 319-7440 or send an email to FDVA.VSO@FDVA.FL.GOV. A reminder that all services provided by the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs are free to the client.

Hope Florida brings together the vast resources of our community to create a seamless network of support. When you call (833) GET HOPE, you’ll be connected to a caring Hope Navigator, ready to guide you on an individualized pathway to achieve prosperity, economic self-sufficiency and hope. Hope Florida serves our state’s Veterans among many others.

Serving our nation’s heroes in one of Florida’s nine state veterans’ homes can be very rewarding. Click on the graphic above to visit specific position openings in health care or support services or visit bit.ly/48g5lLy.