1. What is VBA? One part of the US Department of Veterans Affairs.

2. US DVA Veterans Health Administration –200,000 employees –< 50% of total US DVA budget Veterans Benefits Administration 13,000 employees >50% of total US DVA budget National Cemetery Administration < 2500 employees < 5% of total US DVA budget

3. VBA Regional Office Portland, OR One of 58 regional offices across the country Approx 190 employees 30,000 Claims decisions each year Over $½ Billion distributed to 45,000 vets and dependents in Oregon last year

4. VBA Benefits Compensation – Live and Death Pension – Live and Death administered out of Pension Maintenance Center in St. Paul, MN Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Education (GI Bill) administered out of Muskogee, OK Loan Guaranty administered out of Denver, Co. (Oregon State Home Loan Program is better in today’s market)

5. Critical Partners with VBA in Oregon ODVA and County Service Officers National Service Organizations – DAV, American Legion, Amvets, VFW, PVA, MOPH, etc. Reintegration Team Homeless Programs VHA Anyone, anywhere who wants to help vets

6. Are these gaps in service? 350,000+ vets in Oregon only 45,000 receive benefits? Limited access to VA computer network for accredited ODVA and County Veteran Service Officers Vets/widows/widowers entitled to benefits while in nursing homes are underserved, misled or misinformed regarding benefits entitlement? Iraq/Afghanistan (recently released) vets represent about 10% of claims filed? Timeliness of claims processing? Appeals processing (procedures and timeliness)?

7. Ok, now it is your turn Define more clearly known gaps, or identify other gaps in service that relate to VBA’s work in Oregon. Present questions that I can deliver to the Regional Office before the visit on June 4. Ask questions during the visit on June 4. Bring questions from Town Hall meetings to me or to the Regional Office for their response.

8. What is a veteran? Name the 7 uniformed services whose former members are considered veterans as defined by Title 38. I will give you the first 5 Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard.

9. The other two Public Health Service National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration