Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 25, Number 6, 1 May 2008 — Veterans meetings [ARTICLE]

Veterans meetings

The state House Coimnittee on Puhlie Safety and Military Affairs has announced a series of "Talk Story" sessions with the state's veterans to discuss issues including homelessness, job retraining and employment, post-traumatic stress syndrome, domestic abuse and disabled-veteran access to heahh care. The meetings are scheduled for: • Maui - Monday, May 5, 911 a.m. at I.W. Cameron Center, 95 Mahalani St. in Wailuku; and 4-6 p.m. at ī'ao Middle School, Classroom 1-204, in Wailuku (Maui lists tentative locations, eall 586-8510) • Hilo - Tuesday, May 6, 9-11 a.m. at the University of Hawai'iHilo, Room UCB-127 • Moloka'i - Wednesday, May 7, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at The Moloka'i Veterans Compound. • Kaua'i - Thursday, May 8, 5-7 p.m. at Kaua'i Veterans Center, 33367 Kūhiō Highway, Suite #101 • Kona - Tuesday, May 13, 9-11 a.m. at Kona Veterans Cemetery • Leeward O'ahu - Saturday, May 17,9-11 a.m. at Kapolei High School, 91-5007 Kapolei Parkway • Windward O'ahu - Saturday, May 17, 1:30-3:30 p.m. at Ko'olau Golf Club in Kāne'ohe. The series of meetings follow recent published reports of problems veterans are facing nationwide, including KWO' s April cover story, "Invisible Wounds:

Native Hawaiians and post-trau-matic stress disorder." "As Chair of the Puhlie Safety and Military Affairs Coimnittee in the House of Representatives I am concerned about the services provided by our different state agencies to our veterans," said state Rep. Cindy Evans (D-North Kona, South Kohala). "In particular when an American servicemember is discharged and returns to the Hawai'i 'ohana, they are now our neighbors and if they need any assistance I want to be sure these services are being provided." "Additionally," she said, "I think asking the question of whether the Office of Veteran Affairs might be better as a stand alone or under the umbrella of a different state agency is needed." For more information, eall the office of Rep. Cindy Evans at 586-8510.