CHAIRMAN'S REPORT
Rod Smith

I would like to thank the membership of the Council for their confidence in me by electing me Chairman of the council. I hope that with the support of the new officers and the membership, we will be able to bring to completion some of the ongoing projects from Rod's chairmanship, such as: non-skid tile in the Hall of Honor, acquisition of one or two helicopters to place on exhibit in the park.

Now that we have a 25 year lease on the center property, we should be able to move faster on the project to expand the Museum.

I want to thank the outgoing officers for their contributions and by working together, we should have a very good year.

PLEASE NOTE

• Don't for get the Veterans Picnic on Saturday, August 15th, 11 AM - 3 PM. Please bring a covered dish to share. Also featuring a military model contest and entertainment by the Golden Tones around 12:30 PM

• Those that took the trip to the Bahamas had a good time. Hopefully more will be interested in the next one.

• The DAV Van which takes veterans to the VA Clinic in Orlando on Wednesdays and Thursdays needs additional drivers. Please volunteer if only to be a stand-by in case a driver can't be found for a day. To volunteer, call 690-0805.

• Anyone interested in Double Pinochle on either Tuesday or Thursday night at the Center, please call Ed Barnett at 632-4555, or Rod Smith at 632-6702; the game could start as early as July.

KHOBAR TOWERS MEMORIAL FUND

The Air Force Association, Chapter #309, is seeking funds for the memorial at Patrick AFB. $90,000 is needed to complete the memorial dedicated to Capt. Christopher Adams, Capt. Leland Haun, Master Sgt. Michael Heiser, Staff Sgt. Kevin Johnson, and Airman Justin Wood who were among the 19 USAF personnel that lost their lives in the Khobar Towers Military housing facility in Saudi Arabia. That was 25 June 1996 when 5,000 pounds of explosives planted in a truck by terrorist exploded killing 19 and wounding hundred of other at the housing facility.

All are encouraged to support their fund raising effort. Donations can be made directly to :

The Khobar Towers Memorial Fund
Barnett Bank
1364 South Patrick Drive
Patrick AFB, Florida 32925

Please reference Account No. 2835726655 on the memo line of your check

JERRY O'BRIEN VA CLINIC MEMORIAL FUND

The fund set up by the Veterans Memorial Center now has $2,513 and those funds will be used to purchase needed items for the new VA Clinic. Veteran Organizations are encouraged to make a donation. Also send in a letter or resolution in support of naming the new clinic in Memory of Captain Jerry O'Brien, USN Retired. Send a copy of your letter to the Center and a copy to Congressman Weldon's office. We would like to present several letters to Congressman Weldon and Dr. Roswell on July 9th for the 2:00 PM meeting here at the Center. Questions submitted in advance have already been sent to their offices concerning the new clinic and veterans health care.

VETERANS OUTREACH

Best wishes and hopes of a speedy recovery go out to Lou Rossi on his upcoming eye surgery July 16th. Best wishes to Paul Koontz, now in a nursing home. Our sympathy to Mrs. Pennington and family on the loss of her husband Jim, who was the National President of the National Association for Uniformed Services. Also please keep the fire fighters in your prayers. They have been working 12-20 hour days and desperately need a break. All are wished our very best. Our hearts also go out to those that have lost their homes. Please keep them all in your prayers. If you know of anyone in sickness or distress, contact Chaplain Nevin Snyder at 253-6511 or the Center.

INSTALLATION & AWARDS

Congratulations to all newly elected Officers and Directors for both the Brevard Veterans Council and the Veterans Memorial Center. We will have a brief meeting on Wednesday, 8 July 1998 at 9:30 AM. Officers & Directors will then be formally installed, followed by the presentation of awards to our many volunteers and supporters. Lunch will be served around 11:30 AM. Special thanks to Kay Brown of Fat Boys Bar-B-Q of Merritt Island for catering this special event and to BellSouth for their generous donation of $500. Several other businesses have donated gift certificates to purchase needed items for the luncheon or to be used as prizes. A complete list of contributors will b available following the event and will be recognized in the next newsletter.

BREVARD VETERANS COUNCIL 98-99 OFFICERS

BREVARD VETERANS COUNCIL 98-99 DIRECTORS

VETERANS MEMORIAL CENTER EXECUTIVE BOARD

JULY SPOTLIGHT - LOUIS ROSSI

Lou was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in march 1931. At the completion of school, he enlisted into the Navy in march 1948. He was stationed at the submarine base at New London, Connecticut and served as a machinist doing submarine repair. After a year, he was assigned to PT boats operating in the North Atlantic. His next duty was on a submarine rescue vessel for his last two years of enlistment.

After his discharge, he was employed by General Dynamics Corporation Electric Boat Division as a machinist installing the deck hatches, periscope and radio mast on the atomic submarine Nautilus. Lou was on the pier when the words were spoken, "Under Way On Nuclear Power."

After the completion of the Nautilus, he was employed at the submarine base as a boiler operator, working and scholling himself up to high pressure controlman. Due to an illness in the family, he could not longer work rotating shifts and transferred to the refrigeration department. He studied refrigeration and air-conditioning service engineering for three years in ight school and was then promoted to supervisor of the refrigeration department. After 4 years, he transferred to the Veterans Hospital in Miami, Florida. After a year he transferred to the Federal Aviation Administration. Lou spent more than two years going to school at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City. He retired from the FAA as an Engineering Techinician in 1980. He then moved to Brevard County and was employed by Brevard County as an Air Conditioning Mechanical/Building Inspector and retired after 12 years of service. Lou then ran for State Representative District 31 and then ran for County Commissioner District 4. He did not succeed in either race.

Lou joined the Brevard Veterans Council in 1984 and worked 5 years on the planning committee for the construction of the Veterans Memorial Park. After the completion of the building, Lou was the first Executive Director for the Center. He now serves on the Board of Directors, Executive Board, Public Relations Director, Advisory Board representing Charles Bronson and is also the Photographer for the Center.

Lou is a member of the National Historic Society, National Rifle Assoication, a founding member of the Cousteau Society, Experimental Aircraft Association, Refrigeration Service Engineers Society, Air Force Association, Brevard Veterans Council, VVB, NAUS and as Commander of AMVETS Post 77.

Lou has a US Merchant Marine License for Seaman, Fireman, Water Tender, Oiler, Refrigeration Engineer, and a Brevard County Licnese for Air Consditioning Contractor, and also a licnense for Solar Contractor.

Lou has 4 children, 10 grandchildren and one great grand child. He has been married to his wife Sue for the past 26 years, and as an Air Force Veteran, she is also a member of the Brevard Veterans Cuncil.

Lou has been a big part of the Council and Center, and we appreciate all he does.

CENTER REPORT

Now that the Council has signed a 25 year lease with the county for the Center, efforts on the museum expansion are underway. Grant proposals will go out soon in an effort to raise the necessary funding. We are currently working on getting a helicopter for out front and it would be great if we could also get a PT Boat or a PBR, something around that size to put out at the dock. This month, we will be replacing the carpet in the Hall of Honor and the office with nonskid tile. Replacing the ceiling in the auditorium is another project coming up. The Center Library has close to 2500 books, plus a great selection of videos and magazines. The material covers all wars, but there is a fantastics collection on the Civil War. All are cataloged and can be checked out.

Donation are essential to the continued operation and maintenance of the Center and are tax deductible. The Hall of Honor provides a space for display of memorial photogrpahs of veterans for a donation of $200 or more. Also on the park grounds, one can request a tree or bench be dedicated in memory of a loved one. You can also support the Center by renting the auditorium or a meeting room for a wedding, birthday party or even a memorial service. However, all plans must be coordinated with the Center. John Howard is in charge of scheduling. Please call John, Dan Osburn or one of the officers. The Center is open Monday-Friday, 8:300 AM - 4:30 PM and 10:00 Am to 4:00 Pm on Saturdays, except for scheduled activities. Dan and our many dedicated volunters do a great job coordinating the activities of the Center. Come on out and get involved. If you have never been here, next month's Veterans Picnic and Model contest on August 15 is a great time to check it out

OPERATION HELPING HAND

The 45th Security Forces Squadron is promoting community relations through an organized program that utilizes volunteeers to complete generalized tasks and servics. The community support project is dedicated to provide generalized services to those personnel within the local community who are unable to complete tasks due to an impariment or disability. Security Forces personnel are willing to contribute one Saturday a month in support of this project. Volunteers will provide generalized landscaping and maintenance details; i.e. painting, yard work, etc.

They have asked the Council to idenitfy those in need of assistance. Please contact the Center if you know of a veteran or widow in nned of asistance so that a list of needy personnel and tasks to be accomplished can be forwarded to them for review. They will identify and send confirmation of the dates and times they will be able to provide services along with the tasks they will be able to accomodate. The personnel assigned to the Security Forces Squadron are dedicated to assist the veterans of the community.

VETERAN SERVICE OFFICE REPORT

NICOTINE DEPENDENCE CLAIMS UP IN SMOKE
One June 9, 1998, a new law took effect that effectively stops the VA from being able to approve service connected disabilities caused by use of tobacco products. The VA is uncertain if this new law will preclude them from finalizing claims they received prior to June 9, 1998. A VA General Counsel legal opinion is being worked on to decide what to do with these existing claims.

OTHER RECENT CHANGES IN THE LAW
Effective 1 October 1998, education benefits for the G.I. Bill and VA Vocational Rehabilitation will be increased; the automobile grant for certain service connected disabled veterans will increased to $8,000, adaptive housing grant to $43,000 and the Aid & Attendance rate for non-service connected VA Pension will be increased by $600 monthly. Finally, widows(ers) who received DIC due to to the service connected death of their veteran spouse who subsequently remarried and the remarriage terminated by divorce or death, have been precluded from applying and receiving DIC from the first marriage. Effective 1 October 1998, widow(ers) who were in receipt of DIC due to service connected death of a previous veteran spouse who have the subsequent marriage terminated by death or spouse or divorce can reapply for DIC and have it reinstated.

OUR NEW BREVARD VA CLINIC
Construction contiues on schedule with a projectd opening date in April 1999. Mr. Rick Pugh, a 17 year VA employee, has been hired to be the Clinic's top administraive officer. The VA is currently recruiting for "clinical staff" only, e.g. Doctors, Nurses, Physician Assistant's, Pharmacists, etc. Interested applicants can call Frank Cassada at the orland VA Clinic at 1-800-922-7521, x1363. Please note recruitment for other clinic staff "is not" going to start until early next year. Doctor Tom Howard from the local area has been selected as the chief Medical Officier and is due to come on board in July or August.

OUR INTERIM VA CLINIC IN PALM BAY
In July or August, the VA will rent additional space and plan to hire a Psychiatrist and a Physician Assistant. We certainly applaud these VA efforts to expand health care services available at the clinic while our new full service clinic is being built. The test project for local hospital in-patient care on a pre-approval basis for veterans enrolled and receiving health care at the Palm Bay VA Clinic is underway and during the first three weeks, 15 admissions were accomplished with 13 being for life threatening emergencies. Please remember, if eligible, you must obtain VA approval for use fo this national test program either from the VA clinic at 956-3177 during normal duty hours or 1-888-752-4564 at night, weekends and holidays to insure VA will be able to pay the bills.

CONTACT NUMBERS FOR V.A. FACILITIES
Orlando V.A. Outpatient Clinic (1-800-922-7251)
V.A. Hospital Tampa (1-800-747-9017)
Mini Clinic (956-3177)
V.A. Regional (1-800-827-1000)
V.A. Insurance Center (1-800-669-8477)
Brevard Veteran Services Team (633-2012)

THE CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT

First of all, we would like to recognize and thank our Golf Committee (Frank Alverson, Ray Norman, Frank Kunze, Ed Walsh and Bob Holloway) for orgainizing the event; they did a great job. Thanks also to all volunteers that came out to work the day of the event. The tournament made a profit of $2,545.13, whihc will be donated to the Veterans Transitional Facility for homeless veterans run by the Vietnam Veterans of Brevard.

Special thanks to the many sponsers; we couldn't have done it without you. Thanks goes to:

Mike Erdman's Sutherland Oldsmobile, Cadilac, Nissan-Isuzu
First union Bank
Al's Trophy Shop
Clay Stephens Interiors
Dale Perdue, P.A.
Island Lincoln Mercury
Sign-A-Rama
USPA & IRA-Sid Wise
Vietnam Veterans of Brevard
DAV 50
Nick's New York Deli
W.E. Conner Realty
Bill Bumper's, P.A., CPA
Cabot Vermont Chees
Malcom Baird, CMA
Triangle Auto & Tire Aervice
Atlas Fence
Curtis L, Myers (State Farm Insurance)
Home Depot Store #0234
James Harting, P.A.
Mobile World of Brevard
NASA Alumin League
Randy's Pit Stop
Rod Smith Insurance
Brevard Zoo

CALENDAR OF ACTIVITES

*Contact Randall Hess at 452-8990 for information
**Contact Ed Barnett at 632-4555 for information

If you organization has an activity that you would like to have published here, call Pati Baker at 632-4928 with the details. If your organization would like to insert a flier of a special event that is open to all veterans, just proivde us with 450 copies.

MEETING TIMES

*3rd Monday of each month at 9:30 AM
**2nd Wednesday of each month at 9:00 AM
***1st Wednesday of each month at 9:00 AM

Top of Page or Home

DISCLAIMER

The Council Courier is the monthly publication of the Brevard Veterans Council, Inc. and theVeterans Memorial Center, Inc. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily that of the organization. News items, poems and letters of interest to veterans are encouraged. We reserve the right to edit anything submitted. The Council is not responsibile for content of fliers inserted by our members. This Newsletter is bulk mailed; the Post Office will not formward it. Please give any changes to your address to: Pati Baker at 632-4928 or mail to: 400 S. Sykes Creek Parkway, Merritt Island, Florida 32952.

Back to Table of Contents