New Members Appointed To VA Advisory Committee On Women Veterans
Submitted Via Merrill Vaughan
WASHINGTON – Four new members have been appointed
to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Advisory Committee on
Women Veterans, an expert panel that advises VA’s Secretary on
issues and programs impacting women Veterans. Established in 1983,
the committee makes recommendations to the Secretary for policy and
legislative changes.
“VA
values the transformational guidance the Committee has provided over
the past 33 years, and relies on to the members to utilize their
diverse perspectives in anticipating the emerging needs of women
Veterans,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert A. McDonald.
“The new appointees will provide unique insight, as VA strives to
gauge the evolving needs of women Veterans.”
New
Members VA Advisory Committee on Women Veterans
Lisa
Kirk Brown, Bellingham, WA. A retired Maryland Air National Guard
Lieutenant Colonel; currently serves as a member of the Washington
State Department of Veterans Affairs’ Women Veterans Advisory
Committee, a member of the Whatcom County Veterans Advisory Board,
and a Disabled American Veterans service officer.
Kate
Germano, Upper Marlboro, MD. A retired U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant
Colonel; currently serves as chief operating officer for Service
Women’s Action Network (SWAN), a non-profit organization solely
focused on supporting the needs of service women and women
Veterans.
Karen
O’Brien, University Place, WA. A retired U.S. Air Force Colonel,
with deployments in support of Operation Enduring Freedom; currently
serves as a compensation and pension physician for the Veterans
Benefits Administration in American Lake, WA.
Betty
Yarbrough, Springfield, VA. A retired U. S. Army Colonel, with
deployments in support of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm and
Operation Iraqi Freedom; immediate past military director of the
Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services, where she
served as the primary advisor to the Secretary of Defense for
Personnel and Readiness on all matters pertaining to women in the
armed forces.
Committee members Octavia Harris (Retired Command Master Chief Petty
Officer) San Antonio, and Shannon McLaughlin, Esq. (Major,
Massachusetts National Guard) Sharon, Mass. have been reappointed
for an additional term.
For
information about VA’s benefits and services for women Veterans,
visit
www.va.gov/womenvet, or contact the Women Veterans Call Center
at 1-855-829-6636. The Women Veterans Call Center is available to
address concerns of women Veterans, their families and caregivers,
Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., EST, and Saturday from
8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., EST.
Letter
To The Editor
Selectboard Meeting Review
After
review with my personal counsel (who assured me that I gave up NO
5th amendment rights when elected Selectman), I have decided to
resume my weekly review of the meetings. These letters are from me
personally, and are not sanctioned, endorsed or, going forward, will
not be reviewed by any other board member. The content will be the
bulk of the meeting, including whatever I deem to be important
enough to take up space in the letter while respecting Sun word
count policy.
ANY
discussion, motion, public input or comment is fair game and
disclosure is protected by ‘right to know’ laws. With the exception
of The Sun editor, my letter content will be uncensored, unfiltered
and occasionally uncomfortable (at least at the time it occurred),
but most importantly, factual and accurate. I personally take
ownership of every word that gets submitted for print. So, if you
want the REAL story about what happens at Select Board meetings,
from someone who was there, log out of Facebook and pick up The Sun,
and on that note- we’re off to the races!
The
January 3rd meeting was a short one, with the only agenda item being
a short discussion with the Economic Development Committee to try to
give their new membership some direction going forward. High on the
list is encouraging commercial development on Rt. 28. We also
encouraged them to consider proposing a rehab project of 37 Main St.
First thing they need to do is get in to see what should happen
there. I will be away, so real estate co-committeeman Jim Allard
promised to accommodate a walk through for them.
We
voted to go back to meeting the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month
and see if we can keep up.
Next
meeting is the 17th.
Carl
Anderson.
Tai Chi
Class For Seniors At The Pittsfield Senior Center
The
Pittsfield Senior Center is starting a Tai Chi class for seniors, on
Wednesday, January 18, from 1:00pm-2:00pm in the Bicentennial Room
of the Pittsfield Community Center located on 74 Main St. in
Pittsfield.
This
senior safe Tai Chi provides relaxation, concentration, flexibility,
balance, and strength through slow moving meditative forms. The cost
is $6.00 per visit or $20.00 for four weeks.
The
Mayo Clinic says that Tai Chi is a gentle art form, which the body
adapts to easily and does not cause sore muscles. The participants
will learn a modified Yang form, which is an expressive movement
that is soothing, easy, and powerful. The Oriental Healing Arts
Association in Plaistow, NH founded this particular Tai Chi. Many
scientific studies have proven that Tai Chi reduces pain, stiffness,
improves heart and lung function, and help people cope better with
stress and depression.
The
classes are an hour long, with Qi Gong warm-ups and cool downs, and
deeper more relaxed breathing. Tai Chi helps in maintenance,
prevention, and improvement of over-all health therefore improving
quality of life. All age groups are welcome to participate in this
class; it is a slightly more gentle form of Tai Chi, which is
excellent for individuals with health or physical concerns.
For
more information or if interested in the class, please call the
center at 435-8482.
Keene
State College Announces The Fall 2016 Dean’s List
Keene
State College announces that 1,400 students have been named to the
fall 2016 dean’s list, including the local students listed below.
Madison
Allen of Epsom (03234)
Justin
Banks of Chichester (03258)
Ashley
Chapman of Chichester (03258)
Colby
Clark of Pittsfield (03263)
Emma
Donzello-Jewett of Chichester (03258)
Denise
Grattage of Pittsfield (03263)
Heather
Hunt of Gilmanton (03237)
Anna
Leclere of Northwood (03261)
Ryan
Marquis of Pittsfield (03263)
Evan
Merrill of Epsom (03234)
Bailey
St.Laurent of Chichester (03258)
Keene
State College is a preeminent public liberal arts college that
ensures student access to world-class academic programs. Integrating
academics with real-world application and active community and civic
engagement, Keene State College prepares graduates to meet society’s
challenges by thinking critically, acting creatively, and serving
the greater good. To learn more about Keene State College, visit
www.keene.edu. Keene State College: Wisdom to make a difference.
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