EDITOR:

Members of the old Dickinson Council Veterans Council met in January on forming a new organization, the Dickinson County Veterans Alliance. As envisioned, it will be made up of veterans, area service organization representatives, and neighbors who are not veterans, but who want to support area vets.

The new Dickinson County Office of Veterans Affairs, funded by property taxes as approved in the November elections, is under Dickinson County Board control. They have appointed a five-member board that has met three times.

The office at the YMCA building will remain open and still offer services to county veterans. Michael Miller continues as the director. Switching from one title to another should mean no interruption in services. Assistance with benefits for deceased veterans’ survivors, establishing VA claims and appeals, and all of the other connected paperwork will be as before.

Since it is now part of the county government, this new OVA organization will not be able to raise funds for veteran activities such as “Share Your Christmas,” the county veterans’ banquet, and various memorial services. It will not meet monthly as a forum for area military service organizations.

As one person who attended the meeting suggested, the alliance could function something like a high school athletic or music boosters club.

It would still be an opportunity for area service representatives to meet and discuss their posts’ needs and voice concerns. Hopefully, representatives from the Oscar Johnson Veterans Hospital will still come to update on their operations and pass along information to take back to the vets’ groups. Representatives from the new OVA would also be able to provide updates.

Regular meetings are planned for 7 p.m. the last Monday of each month at American Legion Post 50.

Dennis Lynch

Norway