1. VFW Veterans Advocacy Workshop

2. Current Crisis Access to Health Care Veterans off Waiting lists Veterans off Waiting lists – Timely, Quality health care Appointment Scheduling Appointment Scheduling – Culture of cover-up – Functional scheduling IT system

3. Current Crisis Accountability VA must hold those responsible accountable VA must hold those responsible accountable – Broken trust – Illnesses going untreated Prosecute to the full extent of the law Prosecute to the full extent of the law Restore confidence in the system Restore confidence in the system

4. A System Worth Saving VA Health Care System Provides care for unique health care needs Provides care for unique health care needs – Mental health – Prosthetics – War injuries and illnesses Veterans are generally satisfied with VA care Veterans are generally satisfied with VA care

5. Update on Capitol Hill Pass Legislation Access and Accountability Act Access and Accountability Act National Defense Authorization Act National Defense Authorization Act Appropriations Appropriations Confirm New Secretary Senate must hold hearing and vote Senate must hold hearing and vote Congressional Voting Accountability Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission February 2015 February 2015

6. November 2014 Election Open Posts to candidates and members Open Posts to candidates and members – Town hall meetings, debates, candidate forums – Insist Veterans and military quality of life issues are discussed Attend Candidate forums or town hall meetings Attend Candidate forums or town hall meetings Ask hard questions Ask hard questions – Where do you stand on military quality of life issues – What are you doing/ or will you do to ensure veterans are receiving timely, quality health care

7. What Makes a Good Advocate Understand the issues Understand the issues – Where to get up-to-date information Action Corps Weekly, blog, testimony Action Corps Weekly, blog, testimony – Not just your story Your story included in the big picture Your story included in the big picture Share that information Share that information – With Post, Auxiliary, family, other supporters – Build a network of advocates

8. Good Advocate Engage with you members of Congress Engage with you members of Congress – Receive and respond to Action Alerts Action alert numbers go here Action alert numbers go here – Contact district office staff They hear from constituents and work to solve local issues They hear from constituents and work to solve local issues – Keep your network informed – Follow-up on Action Alerts Hold them accountable Hold them accountable Let others know how they voted Let others know how they voted

9. Discussion