The Maryland Veterans Commission advises the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on all issues relating to veterans and is authorized 30 commissioners.  Twenty nine positions are filled with one remaining as a member at large.  Commissioners are appointed to five-year terms by the Governor and the Governor names the Chair. Maj Jim Shiffrin, USAF (Ret), currently represents the Maryland Council of Chapters on this Commission (through 2027). For more details, click HERE.

Here is a summary of the 18 July 2023 Commission meeting:

Sec Woods reported:

• The Trust Fund is fully staffed. It gave out $246,000 in CY 2022, and $90,000 in April/May 2023. The current balance is $704,000. With the Income Tax checkoff starting next year, donationa should grow.
• Pruitt Health is now running the Charlotte Hall Veterans Home. They have hired 12 new permanent nurses (the previous contractor was working with parttime, temporary nurses).
• The Board of Public Works approved the 2nd Veterans’ Home, but not at the requested amount. Work continues on that. Meanwhile the MdVA is looking at a State Hospital is Salisbury to provide temporary housing for veterans and working with the VA at Piney Point.
• The State Cemeteries have conducted over 3,000 burials this year. Burials for dependents will be free after 1 Oct (they cost $800 now).

Mallary Lass of the Steven A Cohen Military Family Clinic at Easter Seals (our hostess for the meeting) briefed on their offerings:

• They support veterans in MD, VA, DC, and WV, providing mental health support to active duty (including Guard and Reserve) personnel and their families.
• The term “family member” is defined by the veteran, not by any Government agency, and they will serve any veteran, regardless of discharge status.
• They will work with children over age 4.
• They can help treat depression, PTSD, etc.
• She gave us a flyer describing their services. It is at this link.

Dr David A Crum of the Maryland Department of Health gave a COVID update:

• At the National level, hospitalizations and deaths are down, but not yet zero.
• In our region, the testing positivity rate is about 2.7%.
• The number of cases is much lower in Maryland.

There will be a Retiree Appreciation Day at Ft Meade on 27 Oct 2023.

The next meeting of the Maryland Veterans’ Commission will be on 17 Oct 2023.

Here are recent minutes from the Commission: