Bozho,

On 28 December 2014 the CPN Veterans Organization lost another valued member and former commander, Joe David Melott, walked on. He will be greatly missed by friends and family.

January was the month of officer elections for the CPN Veterans Organization. The results will be in the next veterans report. However, there are several bits of valuable information that I would like to pass on to veterans.

First, I received a form in the mail from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs concerning a Veterans Choice Card. It is a card issued to every veteran enrolled in VA health care as of Aug. 1, 2014 or eligible to enroll as a recently discharged combat veteran within five years of separation. The Choice Card allows veterans to elect to receive care outside of VA when they qualify for the new program based on their residence or when wait times for VA health care exceed the standards established in law.  You can submit your information by calling 877-222-8387 or online at www.ebenefits.va.gov and select the “Apply for VA Health Care” link under ‘Recommended Resources.’

Second, military families usually communicate with each other by cell phones. That is why most major cell phone service providers offer military discounts to active duty service members, and in some cases, veterans as well. Do some comparison-shopping to find the right cell phone plan for you and your family. Remember to take into consideration the many different plans offered for cellular use (talk and text) and data use (internet connection). The savings can be 15 percent or more. Some of these providers include AT&T, Boost Mobile, nTelos Wireless, Sprint, T-Mobile, US Cellular, Verizon, and Vonage. Check it out.

We are in the final stages of planning our Vietnam War Era Veterans Memorial Banquet for the fall of this year. It is to honor the Citizen Potawatomi Nation men and women who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during the Vietnam War Era (Aug. 5, 1964 to May 7, 1975). Members of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation who were in the military during that time and would like to attend this memorial banquet please contact:

Remember the CPN Veterans Organization meets every month on the fourth Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. (or as soon as you can get there) in the North Reunion Hall on the Potawatomi Powwow Grounds. All CPN veterans and their families are welcome. However, due to the ice and snow on 23 Febraury 2015, we have cancelled the 24 February 2015 meeting and will reconvene in March.

Migwetch!

Daryl Talbot, Commander