| NEWS RELEASE - EDUCATION COMPACT |
VIRGINIA JOINS EDUCATION COMPACT – MILITARY CHILDREN
4 April 2009
Governor Tim Kaine signed legislation making Virginia the 14th state to join the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunities for Military Children. Colonel Sam Wilder, USA, Ret, Legislative Chairman of the Virginia Council of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) noted “Virginia has the largest population of military children of active duty parents in the United States (over 75,000), the Interstate Compact on Education for Military Children will be a tremendous help to our stressed military families. By easing their transition to new schools because of the many moves required of military families, Virginia has made a significant contribution to boost the morale of our military families.”
Virginia passage of this educational compact was the result of considerable support by Virginia’s Joint Leadership Council of Veterans Service Organizations (JLC) and cooperation with the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense. One of the JLC large Veterans Service Organizations is MOAA which includes 16 chapters in Virginia and the state council. Insert brief local chapter info here. Include President’s name and town of residence, and your chapter website. You may also include the VCOC website (VirginiaMOAA.com) referencing the state Legislative section).
MOAA’s Virginia Council of Chapters (VCOC) President, LTC J. Pat Green, USA, Ret, considers himself a military “brat” who attended many different public schools as a youngster and teen and experienced first hand the inconsistencies in admission and transfer requirements among states. Green was thrilled to see Virginia join the Interstate Compact. “This Compact is about military “brats” and their Families. When Soldiers transfer from place to place the family has to transfer also. This has created a hardship on the school children when they go from one school system to another. With the passage of the Interstate Compact, Virginia will make sure the military “brat” will not be a hardship case. I am a brat who says thank you, Virginia!”
Veteran School Liaison, Charles French, of the Joint Military Services School Liaison Committee (JMSSLC) of Hampton Roads is also pleased. “The frequent relocation of military children, punctuated by the stress of separations from a deployed parent, can culminate in difficult challenges and a confusing range of opportunities. The inconsistencies in state standards and assessments, requirements to access programs, extracurricular activities, program accessibility, and social emotional factors, can make a military child’s path to college and work readiness difficult. The compact allows for the uniform treatment, at the state and local district level, of military children transferring between school districts and states.”
Photo is of Governor Kaine between COL Sam Wilder, Virginia MOAA Legislative Chair on left and LTC Pat Green, Virginia MOAA President, on right. Both are retired Army. Photo was taken by Melva Mallison, VCOC PAO, at the 26 January 2009 Virginia MOAA Day at the General Assembly (affectionately known to participants as "storming Richmond")
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| Governor Tim Kaine standing between COL Sam Wilder and LTC J. Pat Green of the Virginia Council of Chapters (VCOC) Military Officers Association of America (MOAA). Photo by M. Mallison, VCOC PAO, at 26 Jan 2009 VCOC MOAA Day a tthe General Assembly, affectionately known as "Storming Richmond". An annual event for the VCOC and 16 Virginia Chapters of MOAA. |
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News Release Template - Budget Success - Word Document. Starts with PAO Lead-in/Instructions |
VIRGINIA BUDGET HELPS MILITARY FAMILIES
SAYS OFFICERS ASSOCIATION
as of March 2009
Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) leaders from Virginia chapters are pleased with results of last week’s budget negotiations in the General Assembly, according to COL Sam Wilder, USA, Ret, Legislative Chair of MOAA Virginia Council of Chapters. Officers from 16 Virginia MOAA chapters, including name of local chapter, champion 2009 Legislative priorities of Virginia’s Joint Leadership Council of Veterans Services Organizations (JLC). MOAA is one of 23 organizations represented by the JLC, with a combined JLC membership exceeding 250,000.
The JLC’s highest priority this year is an automated veterans claims system. Delegate Kirk Cox persuaded the House and Senate to restore a $50,000 cut from the budget by the Governor and obtain an additional $100,000. The funds will be used to develop a new system to cut Veterans’ claims backlog, and improve efficiency. “I was very pleased,” Cox said, “that even in tough economic times, the members came together to fully support our veterans who have suffered wounds and injuries in the service of our nation. With our armed forces fighting in two wars and serving in other locations around the world, the veterans claim processing system cannot keep up with the growing number of disability claims.”
The second priority, Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, received $200,000 in funding for Del. Cole’s legislation that removes educational barriers for children of military families. The Compact was a JLC priority the last two years. Retired Army Colonel Don Kaiserman, a MOAA Representative on the JLC, attended committee hearings to support this legislation. He stressed, “The Compact eliminates another stress factor upon active duty families, while addressing the potential loss of key military personnel caused by a life-style unlike that of non-military families. The Commonwealth, with the nation’s largest number of active duty children, now joins 11 other states as a member of the DOD Educational Opportunity Compact.”
Funding was secured for two of last year’s highest priorities, Wounded Warrior and Virginia War Memorial Education Center. Cox was also pleased to get $200,000 restored to the Wounded Warrior Program to ensure adequate care for Virginians returning home with signature wounds from the War on Terror—traumatic brain injuries, combat stress and post-traumatic stress disorders. Funds will support a program to bridge gaps in federal medical treatment and provide services. Cox also completed action on funding for the Virginia War Memorial’s Paul and Phyllis Galanti Education Center and a Wall of Honor to recognize Virginians who lost their lives in the War on Terror. Tentative funding was approved last year pending the Foundation raising $2 million in private funding. With the passage of this budget, an additional $6.5 million in funding is available to fund the project. “The Education Center,” Cox noted, “will ensure our citizens, especially our young, will know that freedom is not free. The Wall will remind us of the most recent sacrifices made by Virginians to keep us free and safe.”
Said COL Wilder, “As in the past, the budget negotiator that helped us the most was Delegate Kirk Cox. Another very strong ally for our veterans’ issues this year was Delegate Phil Hamilton, the Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman.
Include something about support from your local Delegate and Senators too – Preferably a quote from a chapter officer.
Said COL Wilder, “This was an extremely tough year for all legislation. Yet, thanks to the hard work of MOAA and other Veteran Services Organizations, and their supporters in the General Assembly, we have done extremely well for military families.”
Information about Virginia MOAA legislative issues and local chapters, such as the name of local chapter, is available on line at VirginiaMOAA.com Also list your chapter’s web and/or email address.
PHOTO. Preferably a local chapter photo. Storming Richmond photos are available at http://www.virginiamoaa.com/statelegislative/stormrichmond2009.html
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News Release Template - Budget Success - PDF. Starts with PAO Lead-in/Instructions |
SEE ALSO - News Release about Storming State Capitol
Point Curser to "State Legislative", then select the page "Storm Richmond 2009" and scroll down for the news release at bottom of that page.
/ Melva Mallison, Maj, USAF, Ret, VCOC PAO
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