 For the past six months, Members at the Grand Rapids Home
for Veterans and D.J. Jacobetti Home for Veterans in Marquette have had a new
advocate amongst their ranks - Kellie Cody, Jr.
As ombudsman, Cody is responsible for investigating complaints
regarding Michigan Veterans’ Facilities filed by legislators, veterans home
Members or their family and MVAA staff. The ombudsman office reports directly to the Michigan Legislative Council, making it independent of MVAA.
An Army veteran, Cody joined the military in 1969, the height of the Vietnam War. When the orders for his first overseas assignment came, Cody thought combat duty in Southeast Asia was inevitable. Instead, the Army sent him to Germany. He transitioned out of the military in 1972 and returned to Michigan.
Although his long, white beard, wire-rimmed glasses and
full-hearted smile bestow a Santa Claus aura, behind the warm smile is a man
passionate about learning. With degrees in business administration and social work, and a Ph.D. in interdisciplinary health sciences, Cody has a keen interest in evidence-based
practices like cognitive behavioral therapy. This type of therapy helps individuals cope with feelings
such as anger, guilt and fear. Research shows it is one of the most effective
types of counseling for post-traumatic stress disorder.
Cody began working with veterans shortly after his son's Michigan National Guard unit deployed to Iraq. While volunteering his time with Buddy-to-Buddy, a program in Ann Arbor that trains veterans to provide peer support to other veterans, he realized PTSD was affecting a growing number of veterans.
The issue then hit even closer to home when his son suffered a traumatic brain injury during his tour in Afghanistan and returned home with PTSD. Cody soon began providing counseling to
veterans and soldiers with PTSD through a counseling center in West Michigan.
His interests then took him to the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans, where he caught the ear of state legislators. They
wanted to ensure veterans’ concerns were heard and resolved. He wanted to make
sure concerns were documented, analyzed and resolved in the best way possible.
So he applied for the ombudsman position and officially “took office” just before Veterans Day.
As ombudsman, Cody seeks to obtain the facts surrounding
an allegation and complete a comparative analysis of the complaint, facts and
relevant policies, procedures and laws. Under Act 198, he is given full access
to the state veterans homes and their records. His goal is to resolve concerns
at the lowest level possible and to identify and recommend corrective action.
Cody has spent his time since November laying the groundwork
to address Member concerns. He attends Member Advisory Councils at both Homes
and the Board of Managers meetings. In addition, he has been getting to know the Members
by occasionally “breaking bread” with them during meals.
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