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For
Planning Purposes Contact: Betsy Hart
July 24, 2008 (202) 226-8555
HERSETH
SANDLIN TO HOST VETERANS’ AFFAIRS SUBCOMMITTEE
FIELD HEARING IN RAPID CITY
Will
Include Testimony from South Dakota Military Officials on Transition
to Civilian Life
Rapid City,
S.D., July 28, 2008 – Chair
of the U.S. House of Representatives Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee
on Economic Opportunity Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD) has announced
that her Subcommittee will conduct a field hearing in Rapid City next
week. The hearing, which will focus on the Transitional Assistance Program
(TAP), will take place on Monday, July 28th at Central High School,
433 North Mount Rushmore Road, Rapid City.
Herseth Sandlin will be joined at the hearing by Rep. John Boozman (R-AK),
the Ranking Member, or leading Republican, on the Subcommittee.
Chairwoman Herseth Sandlin and Ranking Member Boozman will be
available to speak to the media at 9:30 AM MDT in front of the main
office across from the entrance to the auditorium in Central High School.
Members of the media are encouraged to arrive at 9:20 AM MDT to allow
enough time to set up prior to the Chairwoman and Ranking Member’s formal
comments. The full hearing which is open to the public begins at 10:00am.
This field hearing will allow the Subcommittee to hear from servicemembers
from Ellsworth AFB and the South Dakota National Guard and their families
about their experiences regarding deployment(s), including post-deployment
services for members of the National Guard and the Tranistion Assistance
Program (TAP) for those leaving military service. This hearing will
provide the Subcommittee an opportunity to assess whether the TAP is
providing the assistance that is needed to cope with the deployment
and readjustment needs of servicemembers and their families.
Confirmed Witnesses that will provide testimony include:
- Sgt Ole Lassergard,
National Guard Member
- Yvette Lassegard,
Spouse of SD National Guard Member
- Sgt Roxanne Krebs,
Ellsworth Air Force Base
- Major General
Doohen, Adjutant General of the South Dakota National Guard
- accompanied
by:
- Captain
Martin Yost, Program Manager, South Dakota Family Support
- Cynthia
Porter, Advisor, South Dakota Tranistion Assistance
- Shane Oliver,
Education Program Specialist, South Dakota Division of Veterans Affairs
- accompanied
by:
- George
Summerside, Acting Director, South Dakota Division of Veterans
Affairs
- Susan Machetta,
Community Readiness Consultant, Tranistion Assistance Program, Ellsworth
Air Force Base
- Todd Kolden,
Veterans Services State Coordinator, South Dakota Dept of Labor
- Don Kelpin, South
Dakota Chairman, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, U.S. Department
of Defense
- Luverne Boes,
District 13 Commander, South Dakota, The American Legion
- Sherry Woltjer,
Department President, South Dakota, American Legion Auxiliary
- Diane Hickenbotham,
President, South Dakota, Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary
- John McWilliams,
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Veterans' Employment and Training Service,
U.S. Department of Labor
- accompanied
by:
- Earl
Schultz, Director, Veterans' Employment and Training, South
Dakota, U.S. Department of Labor
- William Fillman,
Veterans Benefits Administration, Central Area Director, U.S. Department
of Veterans' Affairs
- accompanied
by:
- John
Smith, Director, Dakota Regional Office, U.S. Department of
Veterans' Affairs
WHO: Chair of the
House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity Stephanie
Herseth Sandlin (D-SD) and Ranking Member John Boozman (R-AR), members
of the Armed Services and their families, representatives of Veterans
Service Organizations, federal and state agency representatives.
WHAT: Media Availability to Discuss Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on
Economic Opportunity Field Hearing on Transition Assistance Program
WHERE: Outside of the Main Lobby, Central High School, 433 North Mount
Rushmore Road, Rapid City
WHEN: Media Set Up - Monday, July 28th, 2008, 9:20 A.M. MDT
Media Availability: 9:30 – 10:00am
Hearing begins: 10:00am
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