Previous Story
Veterans to voice out concerns, suggestions at today’s town hall
Two representatives of the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs will be hosting a town hall meeting today, Dec. 4, to listen to the concerns and suggestions of CNMI veterans.
VA Pacific Islands Health Care System director Wayne Pfeffer and VA’s Veteran Benefit Administration Regional Office director Tracey Betts will be meeting with veterans at the American Memorial Park’s Visitor’s Center Theater from 5:30pm to 6:30pm.
According to Saipan VA Outreach Clinic coordinator Ruth Coleman, the two officials are from Honolulu, Hawaii and will give veterans here the opportunity to voice their concerns, suggestions, and learn about the VA’s many programs.
“This will bring them up-to-date on the services they can avail of from the VA, for services on both health and benefits,” Coleman said.
In an email yesterday, Patricia Teran-Matthews, VA Pacific Islands Health Care System public affairs officer, said the VA wants to hear directly from the veterans.
“Leadership wants to make sure that Saipan veterans are aware of this meeting and afforded the opportunity to voice any suggestion or concerns they may have about VA,” Matthews stated.
Among the concerns veterans can inquire about are quality of or access to healthcare, benefits such as disability compensation, vocational rehabilitation, and others.
“The two representatives are travelling there [Saipan] to be present to listen to concerns and share some updates,” Matthews said.
She noted that VA Pacific Islands Healthcare System has been traveling to different sites across the 2.6 million square miles of area it services and supports. Both Guam and Saipan trips are part of these efforts to reach out to veterans.
“This is a VA-wide initiative to conduct town halls in the community to hear what the veterans have to say and, hopefully, also reach people who have served in the military who are unfamiliar with VA and inform or educate them about benefits they may be unaware of or have not yet used,” she said.
Coleman is encouraging everybody to attend the town hall meeting today so that they could learn from VA and be heard.
