chaptersinaction
members of the Capitol Area (Mich.) Chapter (
www.cacmoaa.org) at a monthly meeting. Soon after, chap- ter members began supporting the Eaton County VTC. Not only has the chapter contributed money, but President CW5 Thomas McBeath, ARNG (Ret), now is the VTC’s vol- unteer mentor coordinator. Three other chapter members also serve as volunteer mentors. All the officials who work with the Eaton County VTC received training from Justice for Vets (www.justicef
orvets.org), a nonprofit organization based in Alexandria, Va., which is working to establish a nationwide network of VTCs. McBeath used the training he received from Justice for Vets to train other mentors and pair the mentors with veterans. “Before court, everyone involved
in the veterans’ cases meets,” says McBeath. “This includes the men- tor coordinator who advocates for the veteran; the judge; a local VA housing official; a probation officer; a veterans’ outreach coordinator; the assistant prosecutor; and an addic- tion specialist or mental health coun- selor. We all discuss what needs to be done to help the veterans.” According to McBeath, the Eaton County VTC’s holistic approach fos- ters success. McBeath likes to share the story of one male veteran who frequently argued with his probation officer during the early stages of his treatment program. As the veteran progressed, he became less argumen- tative. At graduation, he thanked his probation officer and gave her a bou- quet of roses. “These veterans are hurting,”
says McBeath. “If we can make them healthy again, we’re doing good.”
PHOTO: SEAN SHANAHAN
Bridging a Widening Gap
As you read this, council and chapter leaders from across the country are pre- paring to travel to Alexandria, Va., to partici- pate in MOAA’s Storming the Hill event as part of the annual Council Presidents’ Semi- nar. Each year in early April, stormers travel to Capitol Hill to represent their individual home states and present MOAA’s legislative objectives to their legislators. As MOAA members storm, they once again will face a communication challenge. They will encounter a growing number of elected officials who have not served in the military. This lack of service has created a widen- ing communication gap among veterans, elected officials, and citizens. With less than 1 percent of the country’s population serving in uniform, this communication challenge will not diminish; if anything, it will con- tinue to grow. We need everyone’s help in bridging this communication gap. Many of
you might be part of the so-called silent majority that normally doesn’t speak up. If you recognize that you belong to this group, I’d like to invite you to step up to the challenge and participate in closing this gap. What can you do to address this growing chasm? The answer starts
with each of us and can be as simple as speaking up and having an in- formed conversation about how support from both citizens and politicians can make a positive difference in the military community. Regrettably, because most fellow citizens haven’t served in the mili-
tary, they don’t fully grasp what is asked and required of active duty ser- vicemembers and their families and what has been asked of all veterans who, in the past, have answered the call to serve. The challenge we face is to educate friends, neighbors, and elected officials. Many chapters and councils participate with veterans’ groups at the
local, state, and national levels in order to educate elected officials. I can tell you that after nine years, I have never met anyone who did not want to support veterans and currently serving military personnel. This month, council and chapter leaders once again will walk the halls
of Congress to meet with elected officials to discuss issues and provide fact sheets with only one goal in mind: to help educate the uninformed and articulate MOAA’s positions. Too many citizens are losing touch with servicemembers and their families. Storming happens once a year, but we need your help in educating your friends and acquaintances every day about military service and what it means to serve. I hope to see you in the future at a chapter meeting. — Col. Barry Wright, USA (Ret), Director, Council and Chapter Affairs
APRIL 2016 MILITARY OFFICER 43
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