TAA Best Practices
June 2009
ARIZONA. Title of best practice: 30/60 day Yellow Ribbon event for the Air Force Reserves
Point of contact: MSG Linda Flores, (623) 523-3017
Concise description of event: To brief the service members and their families on the benefits and services available to them within the community.
List coalition groups who assisted in the event or participated: Military One Source, TAA, TRICARE, United Concordia, VA Regional Office, VA Health Care Services, DES, Luke AFB Family Programs, VFW, American Legion, Chaplains, Vet Center representatives and Military Life Consultants.
Total number of service/family members who benefitted from this best practice: 225
After action items: The event was well organized with briefings for both 30-day and 60-day participants. The event coordinator felt there wasn’t much to be added to make for a success.
Lessons learned? Having a committee to organize the event paid off greatly.
FLORIDA (Jarriel). Title of best practice: Improving Incarcerated Veterans Program ( IVP).
Points of contact: Tom Griffin, Tina Jaekle, Katherine Betancourt, Eugene Murphy, Katie Johnson and Roger Jarriel
Concise description of event: Numerous phone conversations and several telephone meetings with Florida, New York and Pennsylvania TAAs were conducted in an attempt to get different points of view to identify what is needed for this IVP program to be successful without reinventing the wheel.
Listing of specific coalition groups who assisted in the event or participated:
Roger Jarriel, FL TAA, Gainesville VA Local Crisis Intervention Team, Transition House personnel, and TAAs from NY and PA
Total number of service/ family members who benefited from this practice: N/A
After action items:
What went well: It was a plus to gain knowledge about this type of program from other agencies as well as other TAAs.
What improvements are needed: We need to continue the research phase to identify our resources.
Lessons learned? Hard work pays off.
FLORIDA (Cononie). Title of best practice: VISN 8, VA Sunshine Healthcare Network’s Continuum of Care Forum
Points of contact: Patricia Ryan, VISN 8 Program Director, Betty Dameron, OEF/OIF Program Manager, Scott Turner, VISN 8, Hector Francoramos, Kevin Farrell, Kim Sisco, Rafael Chaves, Deborah Amdur, and Jayne Blacklin
Concise description of event: The VISN 8, VA Sunshine Healthcare Network’s Continuum of Care Forum held their second conference, bringing together an enormous amount of knowledge and information to all attendees. The key note speaker, Karen Malebranche, MSN, Office of Legislative, Regulatory, Intergovernmental Affairs discussed the programs in place and caring for our OEF/OIF Veterans. The forum was set-up with panels where speakers presented their programs and discussions were incited on many subjects.
List coalition groups who assisted in the event or participated: VHA Women’s Veteran Program, WHA Mental Health/PTSD, Suicide Prevention, Incarcerated Veterans, Miami Post Deployment Clinic, VHA OEF/OIF Case Management and PolyTrauma Case Management, DoD Case Management/AF Family Readiness, Recovery Care Coordinator, Federal Recovery Coordination Program, Community Based Warrior Transition Unit, AW2 Wounded Warrior.
Total number of service/family members who benefited from this best practice: N/A
After action items:
What went well? The forum was a great success and the awareness of what each person/program brings to the Service Member/Veteran for their healing process was inspiring.
What improvements are needed? To make sure patients/family members have the opportunity to be educated on benefits they may be eligible for.
Lessons learned? A VA healthcare employee may not be aware of all benefits that the Service Member/Veteran may be entitled to and they are not required to inform the patient and/or process benefit paperwork.
MAINE. Title of best practice: Enlisting community resources to provide support to service members and their families
Points of contact: Wendy Moody, 207-430-5778, Dr. Laurie Sloan, Chaplain Andrew Gibson, Maine Military Community Network members
Concise description of event: The Maine Military Community Network aided by Dr. Laurie Sloan (has a grant to research and assist community aid to SM) put together an event to encourage community resources to get involved in regional groups throughout the state whose goal is to support service members and their family members pre/during/post deployment. We opened the day with a service member and his family describing the challenges and isolation they faced during deployment (the SM was from the USAR). The teen’s testimony touched the whole audience and set the tone for “Let’s reach out.” Dr. Matt Freidman, VA National Center for PTSD, spoke on deployment stress and resilience. Chaplain Gibson spoke on Battlemind: The Military Mindset at War and at Home. The local college provided a working lunch during which attendees broke out into regions to set a day for their groups next meeting. We continued the day with breakout sessions which considered the emotional cycle of deployment through different lenses: children, relationships, mental health treatment and community impact. The day ended with a Community Impact Panel who discussed ideas and ways help can be offered. Current providers had information booths set up.
List coalition groups who assisted in the event or participated: TAG, Director of the Togus VA Medical Center, Gov John Baldacci, Family Program Coordinator, USAA, VFW member, Vet Center, schools, behavioral health agencies, law enforcement, civic organizations, Tricare/USFHP-Martin’s Point, clergy, VA, State Veterans Affairs Officer, Youth Programs/4-H to name just a few
Total number of service/family members who benefited from this best practice: Yet to be determined
After action items:
What went well? The event was well attended by community assets, military, media. Coverage of the event made the evening news and the front pages of area papers. We have received numerous phone calls and e-mails asking for more information as a result of the conference.
What improvements are needed? More vendor space
Lessons learned? After action meeting is schedule for early July
MICHIGAN. Title of best practice: Systems of Care
Points of contact: ATAG of MI, Dr Liza Gorman, and Yellow Ribbon Team
Concise description of event: Educate the communities and the Guard and Reserves as to what services each can offer one another.
List coalition groups who assisted in the event or participated: Yellow Ribbon Team, VFW, Great Wolf Lodge, American Legion
Total number of service/family members who benefited from this best practice: For just starting this program, we don’t have number to compare with as of yet
After action items:
What went well? Number of participants in each event
What improvements are needed? Make the community more aware of our returning veterans and what they and their families need, before, during, and after a deployment.
Lessons learned? The need for assistance is greater than what we were aware of.
NORTH DAKOTA. Title of best practice: TAA Station during KFOR-12 SRP
Point of contact: Marilyn Rohrer, 701-333-4816
Concise description of event: In August, some seven hundred North Dakota National Guard soldiers will head for the Balkans to participate in the Kosovo Force (KFOR) peacekeeping efforts. From June 1 - 9, they spent their days in Bismarck at the Raymond J. Bohn Armory making final preparations during their Soldier Readiness Processing (SRP). Full story at http://www.ndguard.com/news/detail.asp?newsID=399.
List coalition groups who assisted in the event or participated: TAA, Fargo VA OEF/OIF Program
Total number of service/family members who benefited from this best practice:
600 soldiers
After action items:
What went well? Because of the large number of soldiers being mobilized, I enlisted the assistance of the Fargo VA Health Administration OEF/OIF Program in initiating the VA Form 10-10 EZs to be completed upon demob. This exposure to the VA caseworkers who would be providing services after demob afforded valuable face time they would otherwise not have had. After the mobilizing soldiers completed the 10-10 EZs, they were required to stop at the TAA station, where I briefed them on what they could do while on active duty to facilitate pursuit of their veterans’ benefits when released from active duty. I also coordinated with the Fargo VBA office’s guidance to have those soldiers who were in receipt of VA disability compensation. Fifty-one soldiers who were in receipt completed VA Form 21-4138, which I compiled and sent to the VBA office to suspend their comp payments while they are on active duty. The KFOR-12 SRP was well-planned and executed. Minor glitches and bottlenecks that occurred during the first two days were remedied and the remaining seven days flowed smoothly.
What improvements are needed? KFOR-12 is a Multi-National Task Force headquartered by the NDNG and composed of approximately 700 NDNG soldiers. An additional 700 National Guard soldiers will be sourced from other states, including Arizona, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, Virgin Islands, West Virginia, and Kansas, as well as 74 soldiers from the U.S. Army Reserve. I have no eyes on how soldiers from the sourced states were briefed during their SRPs. However, I will coordinate with the KFOR Rear Det during deployment to procure an alpha roster of soldiers from sourced states. I will then coordinate with the TAAs from those states to ensure that their soldiers are connected to their veterans’ benefits upon their return. During KFOR-12, the Multi-National Task Force will conduct peace operations in order to maintain a safe and secure environment which will ensure freedom of movement within our area of operations while monitoring and enforcing the Military Technical Agreement and United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1244 in order to promote the transition to civil authorities.
Lessons learned? Communication, cooperation, and collaboration are vital for smooth operation.
NEBRASKA. Title of best practice: Ordering of VA Materials for units in your State
Points of contact: Bonnie Bessler, TAA (402) 309-1543, Barry Warken, VA OIF/OEF Outreach Office,
Concise description of event: I wanted to order the 2009 Federal Benefits booklets and have them delivered to all armories and organizations across Nebraska. I provided a spreadsheet with all armories and air guard locations to include mailing address, POC and quantity of booklets required for each location. I sent an email to each location POC letting them know that they needed to distribute the materials to other units in their armory or location. All materials arrived within 2 weeks from my initial date of order. Don’t forget to order a box or two for yourself.
List coalition groups who assisted in the event or participated: TAA and VA OIF/OEF Outreach Office
Total number of service/family members who benefited from this best practice: 6,000
After action items:
What went well? This practice took the burden off of me to ensure these materials were distributed across our state.
What improvements are needed? Ensure you have good location POC’s.
Lessons learned? Remind the location POC’s that the materials have been shipped.
NEW MEXICO. Title of best practice: Working with our university veterans outreach centers and agencies, Work Force Solutions and state of New Mexico Veterans Service Office to assist our student veterans and families to find jobs
Points of contact: Chris Zafra, Workforce Solutions, 505-841-9529; Lee J Levba, Veteran Service Officer, 505-841-5575; Silva Vigil, VBA Rep, 505-346-4797; Therese G Sanchez, NM Family Program Director, 505-853-5668
Concise description of event: The University of New Mexico Veterans Affairs Outreach Center was created to help New Mexico's veterans overcome the barriers that stand between them and their goals. As the TAA, I reach out to and network with the
center. I connect veterans with all the resources available to them, and with the Outreach Center, help them navigate through the bureaucracies of government and higher education. Most of our veterans need some kind of part-time job to assist them in their education goals! Through Workforce Solutions and the New Mexico Veterans Service Office, we connect for their employment support.
List coalition groups who assisted in the event or participated: Vet Center Rep, State of NM Dept of Veterans Services
Total number of service/family members who benefited from this best practice: Approximately 25 student veterans, 30 family members and school administration personnel
After action items:
What went well? Follow up with our OEF/OIF soldiers’ VA claims, and strong communications with the OEF/OIF VBA rep and VA Medical Center
What improvements are needed? Make sure to follow up with soldiers you are assisting with their claims.
Lessons learned? Follow up with your community agencies that support your mission and thank them for helping out our soldiers and families.
PENNSYLVANIA( Dachille). Title of best practice: Visiting individual units with soldiers deployed overseas
Points of contact: Various Unit Readiness NCOs, Recruiting/Retention NCOs and FACs
Concise description of event: Pennsylvania currently has 5,000 troops overseas, and all of those soldiers are coming home this fall. Many of the soldiers are returning to unemployment in geographically diverse areas where service providers and resources are often several hours away. I assumed that the soldiers would first report their issues to their unit Readiness NCO, unit career counselor or county veterans affairs director, so I made an appointment to visit with each of these unit’s HR personnel to let them know that I was a readily available resource for their troops. The appointment was held at their unit on their time and I briefed them on veterans benefits and entitlements from the VA, state, DoD and the Guard. I covered education, employment/unemployment, VA and TRICARE healthcare, counseling, home loans, Voc Rehab and homeless veterans’ services (among others). As I had hoped, the units loved it. I let them know that even though they were out in the middle of nowhere, there were resources that could reach them, that would drive out to see them on their time and that were out in the boonies alongside them. Furthermore, the soldiers’ first line point of contact and experts on their issues got a one-on-one benefits counseling session with an in-depth introduction into what their TAA can do to assist them.
List coalition groups who assisted in the event or participated: The Family Assistance Center Specialists, Linda Adams and Denise Todero, provided me with the unit Readiness NCO’s name and information who had soldiers deployed overseas.
Total number of service/family members who benefited from this best practice: I consider this preventative maintenance. By educating the educator and forming a working relationship with the unit, I hope to indirectly help hundreds of my western PA soldiers and their families find the resources they need to achieve their goals.