Statement
Of
Vietnam Veterans of America
Presented byJimmy Grissom
National Secretary
Before the
Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees
Field Hearing
Walla Walla Community College Conference Center
Walla Walla, Washington
RegardingRecommendations of the Department of Veterans Affairs
CARES Commission report and their impact upon veterans of
Washington StateApril 12, 2004
Senator Murray, Dr. Burger, Director King, and distinguished veterans and guests. My name is Jim Grissom and I am the national secretary for the Vietnam Veterans of America. I have also served as the Washington State President and the Northwest Regional Director for the Vietnam Veterans of America. Thank you for the invitation to provide testimony concerning CARES.
Let me start by reinforcing the meaning of CARES. My VSO colleagues have already stated and we will continue to appropriately focus on the “enhanced services” piece of this acronym. I can tell you for certain that veterans have only been hearing about the “Capital Assessment for Realignment” portion. We are not hearing or understanding the plan for “Enhanced Services.” Translated by my Vietnam Veteran brothers and sisters this means closing or shutting down our hospitals. Allow me to point out the obvious, that is exactly why we are here today. To express to you Senator Murray our concern that the VA seems to be telling us about the need to shut down Walla Walla, but not clearly articulating to us what their plan is to provide enhanced services.
I will admit my personal residence is in Idaho. I have the privilege of living by a beautiful lake and thanks to my Vietnam experience I need to be in a place that is private and less crowded. But I am a Washingtonian! I have lived here most of my life, I work here, and I spend most of my time in service to veterans in Washington State. My brothers and sisters, the Vietnam era veterans, is the largest segment of the population now residing in Washington State. Some 250,000 of us are now pressing at the door and are in increasing need for health care. Many studies have been made about us, our need for healthcare, and about the reality of us being physically and mentally older than our peers because of our combat experience. CARES does not adequately consider us and the access to health care we need now and into the future.
I will not restate what Director John King reinforced concerning the need for outreach and our low market penetration. I would, however like to restate the need for more CBOCs. I do realize that there are some plans for new ones, but these plans have not translated into action fast enough from my perspective. I would respectfully ask that the VA expedite plans to establish CBOCs to improve access to health care for our veterans.
With that, let me offer our support for the VA to modernize its healthcare system. Much must be done to reorganize, refocus, look to community and government partnerships, and yes, to close or tear down old, functionally obsolete buildings. The Vietnam Veterans of America would emphatically state that before the VA shuts or tears down any buildings that the “enhanced services” be planned, coordinated, and in place. That Senator Murray is the bottom line. Veterans are not opposed to the VA changing. In fact, change is essential. We are adamant, however, that our services be improved and access enhanced before the VA shuts anything down.
Again, thank you for this opportunity.
VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA
Funding Statement
April 12, 2004
A national organization, Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) is a non-profit veterans membership organization registered as a 501(c)(19) with the Internal Revenue Service. VVA is also appropriately registered with the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives in compliance with the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995.
VVA is not currently in receipt of any federal grant or contract, other than the routine allocation of office space and associated resources in VA Regional Offices for outreach and direct services through its Veterans Benefits Program (Service Representatives). This is also true for the previous two fiscal years.
For further information, contact:
Thomas H. Corey
National President
Vietnam Veterans of America
(301) 585-4000
Jim Grissom
Secretary
Jim Grissom currently serves as Secretary of Vietnam Veterans of America. He also is a member of the Board of Directors of the Vietnam Veterans Assistance Fund and chairs the Veterans Assistance Service Group for VVA’s Washington State Council.
Raised in Southern California, Grissom volunteered for the draft and was inducted into the U.S. Army. Sent to Vietnam in October 1971, he first served as a infantryman with 101st Airborne Division, 1/327th, and then with the 1st Cavalry Division, 2/5th. He completed his two-year tour with the "Big Red One'' in Ft. Riley, Kansas.
A member of VVA Chapter 686 in Moses Lake, Washington, Grissom became active at the state level in 1997, serving as Membership Chair. In 1998 he was elected Vice President of the Washington State Council. In 1999 he was elected President of the State Council; he was re-elected in 2000. In 2001 he was elected as Director of Region 8 (Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington). For four years he served on the National Benefits Committee of VVA, and continues to serve as a special advisor to the committee.
Even with the many duties of National Secretary, Grissom continues to assist veterans in the rural areas of Eastern Washington, Idaho, and Montana in obtaining health care and in the filing of claims for service-connected disabilities with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
E-mail us at govtrelations@vva.org