Tag Archive for: Minnesota Military Radio

Air Force Warrant Officers and DAV United in Service

Air Force Warrant Officers and DAV United in Service

On this week’s episode of Minnesota Military Radio, we look at the return of warrant officers to the Air Force and what that means for the Minnesota National Guard, then turn to a statewide tribute and claims effort from Disabled American Veterans of Minnesota.

Guests:

Across the first three segments, Chief Homme and Chief Volkmeier explain why the Air Force brought warrant officers back after ending the rank in 1959: to keep technical experts in place, beginning in cyber, and to steady sections that otherwise lose knowledge each time leaders rotate. Chief Volkmeier, recognized as Minnesota’s first Air Force warrant officer since the program returned, describes the path from enlisted network technician to Chief Warrant Officer 2 — ten years on active duty, service in the 210th Engineering Installation Squadron, an application encouraged by peers, and eight weeks of warrant officer training at Maxwell Air Force Base. Day to day, the work has shifted from pulling cable to project engineering: setting up jobs, ordering materials, and giving a commander technical options. The conversation also covers who the Air Guard looks for in applicants, the difference between enlisted, warrant, and commissioned responsibilities, and the misconceptions that a warrant officer is only a technician, or is rarely around. Both guests talk about growing the cohort so more warrant officers can be placed where they are needed, including the possibility of a future position with the 148th Fighter Wing in Duluth. Chief Homme, in his final months as the state’s senior warrant officer advisor, compares the new Air track with the Army warrant officer program and reflects on a career that began in 1986 and closes with his last day in uniform on November 30.

Later in the show, Adjutant Stephen “Butch” Whitehead and Angel Fields Mitchell preview United in Service, a traveling exhibit created by Disabled American Veterans of Minnesota. This year’s theme is that every Veteran has a story. From October 15–18, the experience is at the North End Event Center on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, with more than 12,000 square feet indoors, military vehicles outside, a Tribute Garden of personalized tags, and the recorded stories of 13 Veterans spanning 250 years of military history. Visitors can hear those stories in a theater or by QR code, and families who want a story captured for a future stop are encouraged to find a volunteer on site. On Friday, October 16, and Saturday, October 17, 9 am – 4 pm, a Rapid Claims Clinic brings Department of Veterans Affairs staff, DAV accredited service officers, and County Veterans Service Officers together so Veterans can file a new claim or revisit an older one. A decision may not be issued that day, but the clinic is built to move a packet as far as possible, with a dedicated team at the Federal Building at Fort Snelling continuing the work. A job and resource fair and state-benefit tables run alongside the clinic. Admission is free. Register for a claims appointment at unitedinservicemn.org or davmn.org.

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The SOAR Program: Helping Veterans Navigate SSI and SSDI

The SOAR Program: Helping Veterans Navigate SSI and SSDI

On this week’s episode of Minnesota Military Radio, we explore how the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA) and the SOAR program help eligible Veterans and family members navigate the Social Security disability process.

Guests:

SOAR—SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery—is a nationally recognized advocacy model adapted by MDVA for the Veteran experience. The program is free and available to eligible Minnesota Veterans and their families, including National Guard and Reserve members—even without a deployment. Eligibility may be based on Minnesota residency, military service, being a spouse or surviving spouse of someone who served, if you have a disability expected to last at least 12 months, or are experiencing or being at risk of homelessness. There are no barriers based on discharge status, and every eligible applicant receives the same offer of support.

SOAR advocates can assist Veterans at any stage, from an initial claim through reconsideration or a hearing before an administrative law judge. They help determine which benefits to pursue, gather medical and military records, and translate a person’s functional limitations—such as challenges with lifting, standing, concentration, pace, or attendance—into information relevant to Social Security’s review.

The episode also features a Marine Corps Veteran who connected with SOAR through a VA community outreach clinic after experiencing years of untreated needs, job loss, and homelessness. After an initial denial, SOAR provided representation through the hearing process and ultimately helped the Veteran secure their benefits that are being used to help cover household expenses and repay family members who provided support.

The message is simple: Don’t let fear of a denial keep you from applying.

Veterans can self-refer at MinnesotaVeteran.org/SOAR or connect through their County Veteran Service Officer or LinkVet at 1-888-546-5838. SOAR also works with partners including the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans, Homeless Veteran Registry, Every Third Saturday, Union Gospel Mission in St. Paul, and the St. Cloud VA.

Through patient, Veteran-to-Veteran advocacy, SOAR is helping Minnesota Veterans and their families pursue stable income while working toward housing and other support. It’s never too late to reach out.

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Suicide Prevention Awareness Month: Collaboration Across Minnesota

Suicide Prevention Awareness Month: Collaboration Across Minnesota

On this week’s episode of Minnesota Military Radio, we explore how collaboration strengthens Veteran suicide prevention across Minnesota and how the Veteran Suicide Mortality Review brings partners together to find opportunities for action. The conversation marks Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and Minnesota’s first state Veterans suicide prevention strategy.

Guests:

During the show, MACVSO and MDVA talk about why Veteran suicide prevention is shared work — County Veteran Service Officers, the federal VA, Veteran service organizations, the Minnesota National Guard, the Minnesota Department of Health, community partners, and families. Listeners will hear how that collaboration looks in rural communities, what still keeps some Veterans from asking for help, and why a trusted person willing to ask a direct question can change the path forward.

In the second half, MDVA, the Minnesota Department of Health, and the Minneapolis VA Health Care System explain the Veteran Suicide Mortality Review: a structured look at systems and circumstances around a death, not a search for blame. The goal is to spot missed connections and strengthen prevention for other Veterans and families.

If you or a Veteran you know needs support, call 988 and press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line, contact a County Veteran Service Officer, or start with LinkVet at 1-888-LinkVet (1-888-546-5838) or LinkVet.org.

Next week we learn how the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs SOAR program connects Veterans and people experiencing homelessness with essential benefits and services.

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VA Vet Centers and the Debt Management Center

VA Vet Centers and the Debt Management Center

On this week’s episode of Minnesota Military Radio, we start with a flu shot reminder from the Minneapolis VA Health Care System, then explore two Department of Veterans Affairs resources Veterans and families may not know well: Vet Centers and the VA Debt Management Center.

Guests:

During the show, the Minneapolis VA Health Care System encourages Veterans to get a flu shot at a regular appointment or walk in from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 22, October 29, and November 5 at the medical center and all community based outpatient clinics. The Director also introduces the Twin Cities Vet Center after its recent ribbon cutting in Eagan.

We also take a closer look at Vet Centers. Established in 1979 by Vietnam Veterans for Vietnam Veterans, they remain community-based clinics focused on connection, community, and camaraderie. Minnesota has three: Duluth, Anoka with a Saint Cloud outstation, and the Twin Cities Vet Center now in its permanent home at 2113 Cliff Drive, Suite 100, Eagan. Eligibility includes combat or deployment, support of combat missions, military sexual trauma, current use of VA education benefits, and current Reserve or National Guard members whose mental health is affecting duty. Once eligible, a Veteran remains eligible. Services include individual, group, couples, and family counseling, plus referrals and community activities. Call the local center, visit vetcenter.va.gov, or reach the 24/7 line at 1-877-WAR-VETS (1-877-927-8387). Twin Cities appointments: 612-243-7920.

The VA Debt Management Center works with Veterans, beneficiaries, caregivers, and family members when a change in compensation, pension, or education benefits results in money owed back to VA. The Center does not create the debt; it collects and manages the balance after VA has already established the overpayment. Common causes include a change in dependency, National Guard or Reserve pay that overlaps with VA compensation for the same days, or a dependent later using education benefits. Official notice comes by mail, and Veterans signed up for electronic notices can also see a debt on VA.gov. Unexpected callers asking for a credit card are not the Debt Management Center. Options include payment in full, a payment plan, an adjusted offset, or a hardship waiver. The fastest step after a letter arrives is to call or use Ask VA. Review balances at va.gov/manage-va-debt. Staff also refer callers in hardship to nearby Vet Centers and other community partners.

Next week we observe Suicide Prevention Month with the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs and learn about the steps the agency is taking to help prevent Veteran suicide.

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Military Appreciation Day Live from the Minnesota State Fair

Military Appreciation Day Live from the Minnesota State Fair

This week, we are recorded live from Dan Patch Park at the Minnesota State Fair for the first of two special shows from Military Appreciation Day. This episode highlights Veteran benefits through the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA), the grand opening of the new Minnesota Military and Veterans Museum, community support from Every Third Saturday, and care at Minnesota’s State Veterans Homes.

Guests:

During the show, MDVA outlines benefits available from the day of discharge, including education support, the State Soldier Assistance Program, eight Veterans Homes, adult day programs, and four state cemeteries. Listeners learn how to connect through a county Veteran Service Officer, LinkVet at 888-LINK-VET, MinnesotaVeteran.org, or the MDVA and Minnesota Association of County Veterans Service Officers (MACVSO) booth in the Education Building throughout the Fair. MDVA also shares details on a free construction apprenticeship preparatory program through Building Strong Communities, with recruiting underway now and classes starting in February at BuildingStrong.org.

The Minnesota Military and Veterans Museum previews its new 40,000-square-foot facility on 30 acres at Camp Ripley. The campus includes galleries from the Civil War through the Global War on Terror, outdoor exhibits such as the USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul sail and rudder, an F-16, tanks, a Veterans plaza, and a parade ground. Timed-entry gallery tickets should be reserved in advance at mnvetmuseum.org. The three-day grand opening runs September 11–13 and includes a September 11 ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of 9/11.

Every Third Saturday discusses community-based Veteran support near the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, including practical help, referrals, and its Stay in the Fight walk on September 26 at Vikings Lakes. More information is available at everythirdsaturday.org. The MDVA Health Care Division covers nationally recognized care at Minnesota’s eight State Veterans Homes, eligibility for Veterans and spouses, waitlist resources such as adult day programs, and open staff positions across the state.

Through these partnerships, Minnesota Veterans and families can find benefits, history, community, and quality care. Next week we air the second recorded live show from Military Appreciation Day at Dan Patch Park.

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