Joint Transportation,
Highways and Military Affairs
Interim Committee
Interim Study Topics
1
Version 8 May 2015
JOINT TRANSPORTATION, HIGHWAYS AND MILITARY
AFFAIRS INTERIM COMMITTEE
Priority #: 3 Veterans' Commission
1) Review statewide veterans' services that assist
veterans with VA disability and pension claims;
2) Review military and veteran specialty license plates,
including the authorizing statutes, eligibility criteria and
the approval process; and
3) Study private sector protections for hiring and giving
veterans' preference.
and 4) Utilization / benefit of veterans' service officers.
[Modified by Management Council] 2
With Your Permission….
Priority #: 3 Veterans' Commission
Combine 1) and 4)
1) Review statewide veterans' services that assist
veterans with VA disability and pension claims;
and 4) Utilization / benefit of veterans' service officers.
[Modified by Management Council]
As modified…
1) Review statewide veterans' services that assist
veterans with VA disability and pension claims; utilization
/ benefit of veterans' service officers.
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Wyoming Veterans Commission
VA Transformation Impact on Wyoming
Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA)
Electronic claims processed in real time to VA data systems from service
officers in the field
Data driven decisions and metrics – continuous improvement
National work cue – electronic files moved to least busy work centers
Work load managed at the national level
Veterans Health Administration (VHA)
Veteran centric “MyVA” processes being developed
Choice Act – live more than 40 road miles from a VA facility
Many other health care related initiatives
4
Wyoming Veterans Commission
Veterans Service Officers
Assist Veterans and their family members with:
State and Federal Veterans benefits
Applications for VA healthcare
Disability compensation and pension claims
Required to navigate the most complex process in the
federal government through local advocacy
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Wyoming Veterans Commission
Why a qualified Veterans Service Officer ?
National training at least once a year
VA accredited – written test
Ongoing quarterly professional development
Ongoing evaluation and appraisals
Trusted partner based on proficiency
A calling to serve Veterans
Most Veterans who go this alone…abandon the process
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Wyoming Veterans Commission
Personal Representation
VA considers them the…attorney in fact
Three organizations in Wyoming offer this service
The American Legion
The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
Disabled American Veterans (DAV)
They provide complete claims service to the Veteran
and the Wyoming Veterans Commission
Wyoming Veterans Commission cannot currently
provide complete claims service on its’ own
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Wyoming Veterans Commission
What Wyoming Agencies Have Service Officers?
Counties – Lincoln, Sublette, Sweetwater, Sublette
Started this work prior to the state
Funded by counties
Private / State – Johnson and Sheridan counties
Funded by private foundation
State – 17 remaining counties
7 service officers and program manager
State general funds
Non-Profit – The American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, The Veterans of Foreign Wars
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Wyoming Veterans Commission
Proven Success at the State Level
Based on federal fiscal year
Lag time of at least 6 months from submission to tracking award
2012 Total claims 383
2013 Total claims 608
2014 Total claims 966
2015 Total Claims to date - 797 claims (as of April 2015)
2015 total claims projected: 1,370
Federal dollars returned in Calendar Year 2014 - $4.8 Million
Federal Dollars (Year to Date) Calendar Year 2015 - $6.1 Million
Dollars directly to the Veteran’s back pocket!
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Wyoming Veterans Commission
County Level Operations
Uinta County
1) Desires to participate in joint operations at all levels
2) Standardize training, information sharing, quality control
3) Have adopted cloud based claim submission
4) Consultations needed to determine specific actions
5) WVC will require an MOU/MOA to proceed
6) Task Force recommendation to continue discussions with
Tri-County Veterans Services – possible joint operations?
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Wyoming Veterans Commission
County Level Operations
Tri-County Veterans Services
(Lincoln, Sublette, and Sweetwater Counties)
1) Interest in joint operations
2) Standardize training, cloud based claim submission,
information sharing, quality control
3) WVC will require an MOU/MOA to proceed
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Wyoming Veterans Commission
Supplementary Funding to Service Organizations
WVC provides supplemental funding to The American Legion, The Veterans
of Foreign Wars (VFW), and The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) to ensure
their service offices in Cheyenne remain viable.
Supplemental funding provided to ensure complete claims service and limits
the growth of state government. 3 full time state employees would be needed
if this funding did not exist.
$25,000 per organization per year contract supplemental funding began in
July 2012. $75,000 Total.
$35,000 per organization per year contract supplemental funding continued
in July 2013. $105,000 Total.
Amended The American Legion supplemental funding to $50,000 for
enhanced services.
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Wyoming Veterans Commission
Supplementary Funding to Service Organizations
Per the Joint Appropriations Committee guidance, performance based
contracting implemented in July 2014 based on 2013 performance.
$150,000 in Governor’s budget approved by legislature for this biennium,
supplemented by $75,000 from WVC budget
Current Funding for 2014
$50,000 per year for The American Legion
($15,000 of this for enhanced services)
$35,000 per year for the DAV
$13,500 per year for the VFW
($21,500 held in reserve pending improved performance)
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Wyoming Veterans Commission
Snapshot of Wyoming January 2015
Typical month is 180 – 220 total claims
233 Total claims for the month
124 Claims submitted by WVC
WVC responsible for 53% of all claims submitted
Typically 50 – 60% of total claims
These Veterans are now entitled to VA healthcare
Medicare costs avoided 14
Service
Organizations WVC In House VA Total
American Legion 55 20 75
DAV 55 22 77
VFW 14 7 21
VA 60 60
Total 124 49 60 233
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July 1, 2015
Post Service Officer
BVA
VBA
Service Organizations At VARO
Veteran VBA – Veterans Benefit Administration BVA – Board of Veteran’s Appeals
County Service Officer
State Presence at VARO
State Service Officer
Wyoming Veterans Commission
Supplementary Funding to Service Organizations
Funding for 2015
VFW – No supplemental funding
DAV – No supplemental funding
(National DAV model dictates they stand alone)
The American Legion – reduced funding back to $35,000 level
State contract employee at VA’s Regional Office
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Wyoming Veterans Commission
Biennium Budget Request
$200,000 (Increase of $50,000)
State contract employee at VA’s Regional Office
Supplementary funding for The American Legion
Potential Issues
Counties reduce funding their own programs
Service Organizations funding their Service Offices
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Wyoming Veterans Commission
Review of Military and Veteran Specialty License Plates
Interim Study Topic - Review military and veteran specialty license plates,
including the authorizing statutes, eligibility criteria and the approval process
Chart produced in 2013, updated as a result of 2015 Legislative Session
Joint application approved in 2013 by County Treasurers, WYDOT, WVC
Potential Courses of Action
No changes to current procedures
Consolidate application process in a single office
Allow approval in all offices
Factors Affecting Courses of Action
Assume no increase in personnel or funding
Assume Force Protection Condition will limit access to WVC offices
Recommendation
No changes to current procedures
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Wyoming Veterans Commission
Back-up Slides
National Level Issues
VA Transformation
Wyoming Statutory Requirements
VA Disability Compensation
Veterans Services Task Force
Veterans Service Officers in Wyoming
Process Review
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Wyoming Veterans Commission
National Level Issues
Backlog of disability and pension claims
Some Veterans waiting more than 2 years
Incomplete ratings and decisions
Veterans dying while awaiting decisions
Veterans Benefit Administration (VBA) making progress…
…much work to be done
Previously had minimal impact on Wyoming
Considerable impact on Wyoming moving forward 20
Veterans Benefit Administration’s (VBA) workload
has risen dramatically since 2009
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22
10.5
14.1
16.2
7.1
10.5
11.6
3.4 3.6
4.6
Total Issues
Growth in compensation recipients and medical issues claimed continues to rise
3.9 4.6
6.4
9.5
2.5 2.9
3.8
5.9
1.4 1.7
2.6
3.6
-
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Total Issues Service Connected Non-Service Connected
Gulf War 26.4%
Vietnam 20.2%
Korean 10.2%
WWII 11.7%
GWOT IDES 100%
GWOT 44.3%
Percent of Living Veterans Receiving Compensation by War Era
Average Issues Claimed
GWOT BDD 99%
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Wyoming Veterans Commission
Wyoming Statutory Requirement
19-14-107. Creation of veterans' commission; composition; terms.
(a) Creation, composition, terms...
(a) Frequency of meetings…
(c) The commission shall:
(i) Study all federal and state legislation affecting veterans, their spouses,
dependents and beneficiaries;
(ii) Establish liaison with agencies dealing with veteran's affairs;
(iii) Make recommendations to the legislature and to the governor concerning
veterans;
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Wyoming Veterans Commission
Wyoming Statutory Requirement
19-14-107. Creation of veterans' commission; composition; terms.
(v) Prepare, maintain and distribute information, by printed material or
otherwise, to educate Wyoming veterans and their families regarding
veterans' benefits, healthcare and disability claims, pension claims and other
matters relevant to veteran status;
(vi) Veteran’s Cemetery oversight…
(vii) Provide assistance to Wyoming veterans and their families for the filing
and processing of veterans' benefits, veterans' healthcare benefits and
United States Department of Veterans Affairs disability and pension claims; (viii) Vehicle licensing… (ix) Trust Fund… (x) Executive Director… (xi) Duties as assigned by the Legislature… 25
Wyoming Veterans Commission
VA Disability Compensation
Awarded to the Veteran, or their dependents, on the
basis of military service
Service connected injury or disease
Compensates the Veteran, and their dependents, for
loss of earning power
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Wyoming Veterans Commission
Statewide Veterans Services Task Force
Formed by Chairman Ellefson October 2014
Task force chaired by Commissioner Travis Deti
Kickoff meeting with MG Reiner, Vice Chairman Alley
November 19, 2014
Private, county, state, and federal representation on
task force
Meeting monthly, working groups meeting more
frequently
Final report pending
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Wyoming Veterans Commission
Veterans Services Task Force Mission
1) Review, analyze, and make recommendations regarding all
aspects of veterans services for service related disability and
pension claims from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA).
2) Bottom-up review will result in recommendations in
processing, standardization, finances, organizational
structure, and related matters.
3) Key focus of this effort will be improving veterans services for
Wyoming Veterans and their families through a transparent,
open, and consensus based process.
Continued on next page…
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Wyoming Veterans Commission
Veterans Services Task Force Mission
4) This work must complement the transformation of Veterans
Benefit Administration (VBA) efforts of the VA to ensure we
are synchronized with their efforts.
5) Efforts must ensure Wyoming is well positioned for the coming
years to ensure we are providing the best support possible for
Wyoming Veterans and their families.
6) Recommendations and a transformation plan should be
developed by June 2105.
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Wyoming Veterans Commission
Task Force Potential Courses of Action
1 – Continue with current funding model
2 – Contract for state presence at VA Regional Office
3 – Consolidate operations for a state and service
organization office
4 – Launch a state only office
5 – Develop a hybrid solution given the current situation
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Wyoming Veterans Commission
Task Force Recommendations
Potential for consolidated operations was thoroughly considered with input from all stakeholders, but was not achieved.
Strive for enhanced relations with Lincoln, Sweetwater, Sublette, and Uinta
Counties, and the Wyoming Department of Health (Johnson and Sheridan
Counties) for standardization of training, reporting, electronic claims
processing, information sharing.
Recommendation to have a WVC presence at the VA’s Regional Office to
ensure continuity, stability, and management of claims produced by state
employees. This effort includes a contract employee at the Cheyenne VARO
reporting to the WVC.
Furthermore, recommend the $200,000 be included in the Governor’s 2017-18
Biennium request and that it be moved to the standard budget.
This would support service organization supplemental funding and 2
contract employees. 31
Wyoming Veterans Commission
Task Force Recommendations
This will protect the state’s interests in how we initiate and process Wyoming
Veteran’s disability and pension claims.
This recommendation will best position Wyoming to meet the transformation
goals of the VA and serve Wyoming Veterans in the best possible manner.
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Wyoming Veteran Population by County (+/- X) Change from 2012
2010 – 55,851 2011 – 55,507 (-344) 2012 – 56,434 (+927) 2013 – 56,517 (+83) (Published July 2014)
Source: VA GDX 30 SEP 2013 (County boundaries are approximate)
15,056(+392)
2,533(-28)
1,661(-43) 3,952(-8)
1,494(+4)
1,215 (-17)
1,060 (-6)
1,296(+5) 6,691(-34)
3,567(-32) 641(-15)
1,385(-14)
742(-3)
251(-5)
3,774(+37)
848(-18)
3,138(-46)
811(-11)
611(-16)
2,823(-24)
1,097(-21)
1,202(-11)
669(-3)
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Number of Disabled Veterans in Wyoming
(As of September 30, 2014)
2013 – 9,496 Disabled Veterans
2014 – 10,108 Disabled Veterans
9.3% Increase
State: 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Total Total
Compensation ALL 10,844 828,770 455,183 400,270 365,317 261,224 348,226 340,122 295,482 204,167 439,461 3,949,066
Total
Compensation WY 32 2,446 1,405 1,100 975 670 901 713 591 358 917 10,108
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Service Officer County
Veteran
Population Total Area
Vet Pop
Brian Yeager (State) CAMPBELL 3,774
Brian Yeager (State) CROOK 669
Brian Yeager (State) WESTON 742
5,185
*Vicki Richards (State) ALBANY 2,533
*Vicki Richards (State) CARBON 1,661
4,194
*Bob Stall (State) GOSHEN 1,215
*Bob Stall (State) PLATTE 1,060
2,275
Alisa Cochrane/Dave Gopperton
(State) CONVERSE 1,296
Alisa Cochrane/Dave Gopperton
(State) NATRONA 6,691
Alisa Cochrane/Dave Gopperton
(State) NIOBRARA 251
8,238
Brad Cline (State) BIG HORN 1,097
Brad Cline (State) HOT SPRINGS 611
Brad Cline (State) PARK 2,823
Brad Cline (State) WASHAKIE 811
5,342
Lori McGee (State) FREMONT 3,567
Lori McGee (State) TETON 1,202
4,769
Lisa Griffith (Veterans Home) JOHNSON 848
Lisa Griffith (Veterans Home) SHERIDAN 3,138
3,986
Vacant (County) UINTA 1,494
1,494
Nancy Stafford(County) LINCOLN 1,385
Cheryl Allen (County) SUBLETTE 641
Sylvia "Sam" Esquibel (County) SWEETWATER 3,952
Hazel Koenig (County) 5,978
Veterans Service Organizations LARAMIE 15,056
(3 Service Officers - Private) 15,056
*Mr. Stall and Ms. Richards also
support Laramie County WYOMING (Totals) 56,517 56,517
The average work
load for
Veterans Service
Officers
around the
western states is
between 3,500 –
4,500 Veterans
Organization Code VSO Name Phone
Number
VSO Email
Veterans Commission
WVC - 1
Ms. Vicki Richards
Mr. Bob Stall
307-214-2112
307-274-7747
Veterans Commission
WVC – 2 Mr. David Gopperton
Ms. Alisa Cochrane
307-265-7372
307-472-0212
v
Veterans Commission
WVC – 3 Ms. Lori McGee 307-438-2101 [email protected]
Veterans Commission
WVC – 4 Mr. Brad Cline 307-250-3890 [email protected]
Veterans Commission
WVC – 5 Mr. Brian Yeager 307-687-5396 [email protected]
Veterans Home Vets
Home Ms. Lisa Griffith 307-620-0884 [email protected]
Sweetwater County County
Mr. Larry Levitt,
Director
Ms. Sam Esquibel
Ms. Hazel Koenig
307-922-5443
307-922-5442
307-922-5441
Lincoln County County Ms. Nancy Stafford 307-877-3110 [email protected]
Sublette County County Ms. Cheryl Allen 307-367-4877 [email protected]
Uinta County County Vacant 307-789-7194,
ext. 5 [email protected]
American Legion Cheyenne Mr. Dwight Null 307-433-2751 [email protected]
DAV Cheyenne Mr. Leroy Kenner 307-433-2752 [email protected]
VFW Cheyenne Ms. Cheryl Shannon 307-778-7340 [email protected]
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37
Strength of Each Link in a Chain
Fully Functional
Not as Strong as Needed
Exceeding Expectations
38
Links in a Chain
Post, County or State (Initial Claim)
BVA (Appeals)
VBA (Decisions)
Service Organizations Advocacy @ VARO
Veteran
VBA – Veterans Benefit Administration BVA – Board of Veteran’s Appeals
Typical Process Veteran on their own
Many abandon the process
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Current Process 2015
Post Service Officers
BVA
Cheyenne VBA
Service Organizations At VARO
Veteran VBA – Veterans Benefit Administration BVA – Board of Veteran’s Appeals
County Service Officers
State Service Officers
“To care for him who shall have
borne the battle and for his
widow, and his orphan,”
President Lincoln
Gettysburg 1865
“Serving Wyoming Veterans and
their Families”
Wyoming Veterans Commission
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