From the Executive Director's Desk,

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, veterans, and elected officials testified at the hearings to convey the message to Secretary Jim Nicholson that we must keep the New York Harbor Healthcare System operating for the veterans of New York City! The Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES) Hearing for the Brooklyn and Manhattan Campuses was held Monday, September 19th at the New York Sheraton Hotel and Towers. Please link to the Mayor's testimony and see additional information on this process listed below. The next step is for Secretary Nicholson to accept, or reject, the recommendations of the LAP members. There are two more hearings scheduled on this very important issue. One will take place later in 2005, the other tentatively scheduled for 2006. Information on future hearings can be found on the VA CARES website www.va.gov/cares.

Welcome Home Fighting 69th! The soldiers of the 69th Infantry Regiment are finally home after their service in Iraq. We look forward to seeing you at this year's Veterans' Day Parade.

Planning is underway for the 2005 Veterans Day Parade-The Nations Parade. The Nations Parade will be commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the end of World War II and honoring our World War II veterans. MOVA and the United War Veterans' Council need a few good men and women to volunteer for the parade effort. Please go to www.volunteernyc.org to sign up. Also, if your organization is interested in marching in this year's parade, please see the link below for the United War Veterans' Council Parade Application.

There are several upcoming issues and events of interest in the veteran and military community. Please read the information below. Also, please remember our men and women in uniform fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq. Send them a letter, e-mail, or postcard just to say "hi" and let them know they're in your thoughts. For now, take care, and . . .

Semper Fi,

Clarice Joynes
Executive Director & Military Liaison
Mayor's Office of Veterans' Affairs

The Local Advisory Panel (LAP) of the Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES) Commission Project of the Department of Veterans' Affairs, for studying the feasibility of consolidating the Brooklyn and Manhattan campuses conducted its second public hearing on Monday, September 19, 2005. The panel voted for Business Plan Options #6 and #7 (see below) at the hearings. The outcome of the vote will go to Secretary Nicholson and the panel will get word on whether the Secretary accepts or rejects the vote. Veterans are encouraged to submit comments to the CARES commission at www.va.gov/cares. Please click on the links below to read Mayor Bloomberg's testimony before the panel or to learn more about the Business Plan Options for the Brooklyn and Manhattan campuses.

• Mayor Bloomberg's Testimony before the LAP
  
  
• Brooklyn-New York Business Plan Options (BPOs)

For more information, please contact John Mazzulla by e-mail at john.mazzulla@med.va.gov or by phone at (718) 630-3658.

The New York Police Department's 60th Precinct is hosting a Domestic Violence Awareness Walk from noon to 5 p.m., Saturday, October 8, 2005 starting at Riegelman Boardwalk and Coney Island Avenue in Brooklyn. To register, or for more information, please contact Sgt. Torres, 60th Precinct, at (718) 946-3362.

The New York City Department of Correction is seeking women and men who are interested in becoming Correction Officers to apply for the next multiple choice examination scheduled for Saturday, January 7, 2006. Interested applicants have until Friday, October 14, 2005 to file for this exam. Veterans with two years of honorable service are able to waive the requirement that an applicant successfully complete 60 college credits by the end of Academy training. Please visit the Department of Correction's Web site at www.nyc.gov/html/doc or call (877) 691-2653 for more information. Please click on the link below to read the full notice of examination for the Correction Officer multiple choice exam:

• Correction Officer - Notice of Examination

In support of Mayor Bloomberg's $3 billion housing plan, New York City Housing Preservation and Development's Housing Education Services (HES) is offering a variety of training courses for owners, property managers, housing professionals, superintendents and tenants. For a complete list of housing education classes and to register, please visit www.nyc.gov/hpd or call 311.

The New York City Department of Small Business Services' Division of Economic and Financial Opportunity is offering a free Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) Certification Workshop from 6 to 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, October 26, 2005 at 110 William Street, 2nd Floor, between Fulton and John Streets. Please reserve your seat by calling 311 and asking for the Department of Small Business Services. For more information, please visit the M/WBE Web site at www.nyc.gov/sbs.

Staten Island Borough President James P. Molinaro is presenting an October Beach Party, at 7:30 p.m., Friday, October 21, 2005 at Wolfe's Pond Park in Staten Island. The party will feature music by Happy Tones and 52nd Street, and fireworks at 9 p.m. For more information, please contact Joanne Nuzzo at (718) 816-2133.

Staten Island Borough President James P. Molinaro is hosting the 16th annual Semper Fi Run at 9:30 a.m., Sunday, October 23, 2005 starting at Father Capodanno Boulevard and Jefferson Avenue in Staten Island. This year's five mile race is dedicated to armed services personnel currently serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Please download the application below or call Joanne Nuzzo at (718) 816-2133 for information.

• 5-Mile Semper Fi Run Application

New York State Governor George E. Pataki recently signed legislation establishing Patriot Plan III which expands benefits to New York's military personnel and their families. Please visit www.dmna.state.ny.us for more information on the provisions of this new legislation.

The VA New York Harbor Healthcare System, in partnership with local veterans' organizations and government agencies is offering workshops and individual counseling sessions on resume writing and job readiness preparation during the month of October. To register for the Put Your Best Foot Forward program, please call (888) 762-0132 or e-mail recruitahero@med.va.gov.

The Department of Veterans' Affairs has created a new Internet Web site for the surviving spouses and dependents of military personnel who died on active duty and for the survivors and dependents of veterans who died after leaving the military. The new Web site can be found at www.vba.va.gov/survivors or by clicking the "Survivors Benefits" button on the left panel of www.vba.va.gov.

The Department of Veterans' Affairs recently announced its increased educational assistance allowance for Fiscal Year 2006. The basic payment rates will increase on October 1, 2005 for all GI Bill benefit programs. Please visit www.gibill.va.gov/education for more information.

The Department of Veterans' Affairs provides cost-free health care services and nursing home care for conditions possibly related to military service to veterans with combat service after November 11, 1998 for a period of 2 years beginning on the date of their separation from active duty. The veteran must have served on active duty in a theatre of combat and have been discharged under other than dishonorable conditions to be eligible for this benefit. Please contact the Health Benefit Service Center at (877) 222-8387 or visit the center's Web site at www.va.gov/healtheligibility/ for more information.

The Department of Defense recently announced increases in the Death Gratuity and Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI) coverage for service members deployed to designated combat zones. The Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense increases the death gratuity from $12,420 to $100,000 for survivors of those whose death is as a result of hostile fire actions in a designated combat operation or zone. The SGLI coverage increased from $250,000 to $400,000 for all service members effective September 1, 2005. Please visit www.defenselink.mil for more information.

The Nam Knights of America M/C Tri-Boro Chapter will host its New York City Salute To Veterans at 9 a.m., Sunday, October 2, 2005 at Midland Beach, Staten Island. The motorcade will depart Midland Beach at 11 a.m. and conclude at Manhattan's Vietnam Veterans' Memorial Plaza at 55 Water Street. The parade will proceed through several boroughs with scheduled stops at the Bronx Veterans' Administration Hospital, the Borden Avenue Veterans' Residence and the USS Intrepid. For more information, please contact Joe "T" (718) 389-3962 (Brooklyn & Staten Island), Phil (718) 830-0733 (Queens & Manhattan), Richie (516) 375-4083, or e-mail Tmannk@aol.com. Please visit the Chapter's Web site at www.nationalalliance.org for more information and directions.

United Spinal Association's Women Without Limits is presenting Body, Mind & Health, an educational series on health and wellness for women with spinal cord injury or disease, this fall. There are two remaining discussions left for 2005. The first, entitled Can We Talk, will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Thursday, October 6, 2005. The second, entitled Our Bodies, Our Selves, will take place from 2 to 4 p.m., Thursday, October 20, 2005. Both discussions will take place at the Manhattan Veterans' Administration Hospital, 423 East 23rd Street, New York, NY 10010. To register, please call the event's registration line at (212) 584-2517. For more information please visit United Spinal Association's Web site at www.unitedspinal.org, e-mail them at info@unitedspinal.org or call them at (718) 803-3782.

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) is sponsoring the workshop, How To Obtain a GSA Federal Supply Schedule Contract from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Wednesday, October 12, 2005 at 26 Federal Plaza, Duane Street entrance, Room 3037A, 30th Floor. Admission is free but seating is limited. To register, please e-mail R2.SBUC@gsa.gov or call (212) 264-8265.

The Autumn 2005 issue of the General Services Administration's Small Business News is now available online. Please visit www.gsa.gov/region2 to access the newsletter. If you have any questions about the GSA procurement process or about the newsletter please call the GSA Small Business Utilization Center (SBUC) at (212) 264-1234.

The Fort Hamilton Retiree Services Office is hosting a Military Retiree Appreciation Day from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 29, 2005 at the Fort Hamilton Theater. Retirees from all military services are invited to attend this event. Please call Fort Hamilton's Retirement Service Officer at (718) 630-4552 or (718) 630-4930 or click on the flyer below, for more information.

• Fort Hamilton Military Retiree Appreciation Day Flyer

The American Legion Riders Association, Bronx Chapter, is hosting its 3rd Annual Support Our Troops & Veterans Motorcycle Run. The run begins at 11 a.m., Sunday, October 30, 2005 at Veterans Memorial Park in Throggs Neck. An after run party will be sponsored by Red Rock West Saloon, 457 West 17th Street, in Manhattan. The American Legion Riders Association is asking for a $20 donation for each rider and a $10 for each passenger. For more information, please call Joe at (718) 822-4242, e-mail legionriders@msn.com or click on the flyer below:

• Support our Troops & Veterans Motorcycle Run Flyer

The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Proctor-Hopson Post #1896, Queens, New York, and its Ladies' Auxiliary announces the national kick-off of the Voice of Democracy scholarship competition. This annual audio essay competition gives high school students across the country an opportunity to win scholarship money, a trip to Washington D.C. and numerous other awards. Because students begin by competing at the local VFW Post level, all interested students and teachers from Queens are encouraged to contact the Queens VFW Voice of Democracy Chairman at (718) 523-1357 or (718) 527-6532 for more information. The deadline for entries to Proctor-Hopson Post #1896 is November 1, 2005. For more information on the national Voice of Democracy competition, please visit the VFW's Web site at www.vfw.org.

The New York Times is sponsoring Salute our Heroes, a veterans' job fair and career expo from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday, November 3, 2005 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan. More than 200 local and national employers will have exhibits to recruit veterans and showcase employment opportunities at this event. To register and to see a list of participating companies, please visit the event's Web site at www.nytimes.com/saluteourheroes. Pre-registration, a resume and proof of military service are required for admission.

Plans are underway to produce the 2005 Veterans' Day Parade: The Nation's Parade. The United War Veterans' Council is urging veterans from all eras and current members of the armed services to participate in this year's event commemorating the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II. The November 11, 2005 commemoration is expected to start at 10 a.m. with the Eternal Light Monument Ceremony in Manhattan's Madison Square Park. After the bells toll at 11 a.m., the parade will commence up 5th Avenue. For more information, please call the Veterans' Day Parade Hotline at (212) 693-0157 or visit the parade's Web site at www.nationsparade.org. To register to participate in this year's parade, please download the application at the link below:

• Nation's Parade Application Form

The USS Intrepid will host a Veterans' Service Fair for all veterans following this year's Veterans' Day - Nation's Parade. The fair will take place from noon to 6 p.m. Friday, November 11, 2005 at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum and will feature live music, entertainment, and information for veterans, members of the military and their families. For more information, please call the Intrepid at (212) 957-7020 or visit their Web site at www.intrepidmuseum.org.

The Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust is offering free admission to all veterans and active military personnel on Veterans' Day. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is located at 36 Battery Place, New York, NY 10280. Visitors to the museum on Veterans' Day will have an opportunity to view the exhibition: Ours to Fight For: American Jews in the Second World War. Please call Abby Spilka at (646) 437-4333 or visit the museum's Web site at www.mjhnyc.org for more information.

The United States Army Band Pershing's Own will perform two special concerts in New York during the Veterans' Day Weekend. At 1 p.m., Friday, November 11, 2005, a free concert will be at Trinity Church Wall Street, located on Broadway at Wall Street, New York. No tickets are required. For more information call the Trinity Church Wall Street concert hotline at (212) 602-0747.

The United States Army Band, Pershing's Own, will present A Salute to America at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center at 2 p.m., Saturday, November 12, 2005. The concert is free but tickets are required. Get your free tickets on a first-come, first served basis by calling Army Public Affairs New York at (212) 784-0115 or the U.S. Army Military District of Washington Public Affairs at (202) 685-2888. Learn more about the Military District of Washington and the Army Band by visiting their Web sites at www.mdw.army.mil or www.usarmyband.com.

The Montford Point Marine Association New York Metropolitan Chapter cordially invites all veterans to its Annual Dinner Dance, from 4 - 9 p.m., Sunday, November 13, 2005 at Antun's Caterers, 96-43 Springfield Boulevard, Queens Village, New York. The association will recognize Major General Cornell Wilson, United States Marine Corps, during the event. The Association is asking for a donation of $70 per person for this semi-formal event. For more information, please call the Montford Point Marines at (212) 267-3318, Joe Davis at (718) 978-7631, or Kenneth Rollock at (201) 569-7113.

Norampac Inc., the 7th largest producer of containerboard products in North America, is seeking a Plant Maintenance Mechanic for its New York City operation. Interested applicants should forward their resume to Melanie McMaster, Human Resources Manager, 55-15 Grand Avenue, Maspeth, NY 11378. For more information please call (718) 386-3200 or e-mail melanie_mcmaster@norampac.com.