Tag Archive for: Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs

MDVA Update: Veteran Care Programs and Veterans Day on the Hill

MDVA Update: Veteran Care Programs and Veterans Day on the Hill

 

This week on Minnesota Military Radio, we get an in‑depth update from the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, focusing on Veteran care, advocacy, and support services available to Veterans and their families across Minnesota. Commissioner Brad Lindsay joins the show to discuss current priorities, statewide initiatives, and how the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs continues to serve Minnesota Veterans through healthcare, benefits, outreach, and community partnerships.

Featured Guests

The conversation highlights critical Veteran care programs, including the Minneapolis Adult Day Center, also known as the Vets Club, where Veterans receive supportive, social, and medical care while providing much‑needed relief for caregivers. Ann Rostratter and Emily Miene share how the Vets Club improves quality of life for Veterans, supports families, and helps aging Veterans remain engaged, active, and connected to their community.

The show also focuses on Veterans Day on the Hill, taking place on April 23rd, an annual advocacy event that brings together hundreds of Minnesota Veterans, Veterans service organizations, and community leaders at the State Capitol. Barry Henriksen and Janet Lorenzo discuss the role of the Commanders’ Task Force and how Veterans service organizations work together to advocate for key legislative priorities impacting Minnesota Veterans, including benefits, property tax relief, and long‑term Veteran support.

Learn more about Veterans Day on the Hill and how to get involved here:

👉 https://mnctf.org/veterans-day-on-the-hill-2026/

Listen Now:

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Honoring Service: Tribute, Veterans Homes Update, and 2026 Legislative Outlook

Honoring Service: Tribute, Veterans Homes Update, and 2026 Legislative Outlook
This week on Minnesota Military Radio: Honoring Service: Tribute, Veterans Homes Update, and 2026 Legislative Outlook.
We open with a tribute to Sergeant First Class Nicole Amor of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, and reflect on the sacrifices made by our service members and their families every day.
The program features an in-depth conversation with Diane Lynch-deCombs, Assistant Commissioner of the Health Care Division at the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs. She oversees the state’s eight veterans homes and discusses supporting administrators, workforce challenges in long-term care, attracting younger workers, adapting to evolving veteran health care models like community care and choice options, and ensuring these facilities remain strong and sustainable for the future.
Next, Jon Kelly, Director of Government Affairs at the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, provides an update on the department’s 2026 legislative priorities. Topics include policy bills, bonding requests for veterans homes and cemeteries, ongoing progress in ending veterans homelessness and suicide prevention, and efforts to recognize and provide benefits to Special Guerrilla Unit (SGU) veterans from Laos.
Hosted by Retired Command Sergeant Major Doug Wortham, Minnesota Military Radio is a production of iHeartMedia, the Minnesota National Guard, the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, the Minneapolis VA Health Care System, and Beyond the Yellow Ribbon.
For more information on Minnesota’s veterans homes, visit: https://www.mn.gov/mdva/homes/ To learn about legislative updates and resources, check the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs website: https://www.mn.gov/mdva/
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Supporting Minnesota Veterans: VFW Updates and the New Health Navigator Program

Supporting Minnesota Veterans VFW Updates and the New Health Navigator Program

This week on Minnesota Military Radio, host Retired Command Sergeant Major Doug Wortham welcomes two knowledgeable guests who are deeply committed to supporting Minnesota’s veterans and their families. Through advocacy, community action, and innovative new programs, they share practical ways the state is honoring and assisting those who have served.

Barry Hendrickson, Adjutant Quartermaster and Legislative Chairman for the Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Minnesota, shares updates on VFW advocacy, community donations (including a $100,000 gift to veterans homes and VA facilities), legislative priorities like property tax relief and the Major Richard Starr Act, membership efforts, and the VFW’s first female National Commander-in-Chief.

For more info: www.vfwmn.org (Minnesota) and www.VFW.org (national)

Raeann Murray, Veteran Health Navigator Supervisor and licensed social worker with the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA), introduces the new Veteran Health Navigator Program launching in 2026. The program partners with healthcare systems statewide to close gaps in care and benefits through the “Ask the Question” initiative, care coordination, and connections to resources.

For more info: www.minnesotaveteran.org and www.linkvet.org

 

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Commander’s Task Force: 2025 Year in Review & 2026 Outlook

Commander's Task Force: 2025 Year in Review & 2026 Outlook

In this special Year in Review episode of Minnesota Military Radio, host Retired Command Sergeant Major Doug Wortham sits down with leaders from the Minnesota Commanders Task Force (CTF) — a coalition of congressionally chartered veterans service organizations working together on legislative priorities and support for Minnesota’s veterans.

The episode features discussions with CTF Chair Stewart Mednick (Jewish War Veterans of Minnesota), Vice Chair John Walker (Disabled American Veterans), Willie Pargo (Military Order of the Purple Heart), Barry Henriksen (Veterans of Foreign Wars), Andrew McCormick (Marine Corps League), Linda Dvorak (American Legion), and Todd Kemery (Minnesota Paralyzed Veterans of America).

Key Highlights from 2025

  • CTF Leadership and Advocacy — Stewart Mednick reflects on his new role as Chair (elected in June 2025), emphasizing collaboration on issues like property tax credits for Gold Star families, reduced hunting/fishing licenses for veterans, and veteran organization license plates. The group prepares for Veterans Day on the Hill, connecting with state and federal legislators.
  • Jewish War Veterans → Focused on rebuilding relationships between Jewish and veteran communities, providing direct assistance to veterans in need.
  • Disabled American Veterans (DAV) → Celebrated their 100-year centennial, including a time capsule burial and ongoing transportation programs. Expanded efforts to combat food insecurity in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs.
  • Military Order of the Purple Heart → Worked on membership growth despite challenges with an aging population; offered affiliate memberships for supporters.
  • Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) → Achieved “All American” status for meeting membership and program goals; highlighted community impact through donations to schools, sports, and food shelves.
  • Marine Corps League → Supported hundreds of color guards, funerals, scholarships, and toy drives (providing toys for over 10,000 families); raised funds for children’s hospitals.
  • American Legion → Hosted blood drives, disabled veteran hunts, and collected thousands of items for stand-down events.
  • Paralyzed Veterans of America → Restarted in-person programs at the VA Spinal Cord Injury Center and maintained community visibility.

Looking ahead to 2026

Commanders Task Force leaders are optimistic about growing membership, expanding community outreach and legislative advocacy, and hosting key events like the VFW’s Voice of Democracy program, Marine Corps League toy drives, and American Legion celebrations for its 107th birthday and the nation’s 250th anniversary. The episode ends with heartfelt holiday messages emphasizing buddy checks, support for isolated veterans, and remembrance of active-duty members and fallen heroes.

 

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Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs: 2025 Year in Review & Vision for 2026

Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs: 2025 Year in Review & Vision for 2026

This week we kick off our annual series of Year-in-Review shows with the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs. In a full-hour conversation, the Commissioner, Brad Lindsey walks us through the major accomplishments of 2025 and lays out priorities for 2026, including:

  • Three new State Veterans Homes now open and serving residents in Preston, Montevideo, and Bemidji
  • Minnesota reaching functional zero on veteran homelessness in nine of ten continuums of care (only Ramsey County remains)
  • Community Health Navigators deployed to hospitals statewide as part of expanded suicide-prevention efforts
  • Launch of a new veteran food-insecurity program in partnership with Disabled American Veterans and the Minnesota Veterans Food Pantry
  • Continued aggressive hiring and in-house training for healthcare staff at all eight veterans homes. Click here to learn more
  • The official State Veterans Day ceremony now rotating to different regions of Minnesota each year
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