BY JUSTIN LATINI

I am asking that members of Region 1 who will be delegates at the 2027 National Convention start thinking about solutions, not only criticism, about planning for VVA’s future. We need to have two votes at the 2027 and 2029 Conventions to approve a plan. Following these votes, it will take approximately 18–24 months to close the VVA National corporation.

Altogether, it will take six or seven years from today to close the corporation, and that is if all goes smoothly. Whether a plan includes merging, consolidating, changing our constitution to include other veterans, or earmarking assets to go into a revocable trust to further our legacy, the plan must be approved by the Convention delegates, and time is at a premium.

The reality is that inaction could mean that VVA would lose its ability to ensure our legacy. There will be plans presented for delegates to debate, and I am optimistic that we can come together and agree on our future. If delegates would like to send me ideas or thoughts, please do so by emailing me at Jlatini@vva.org.

I hope that chapters in Region 1 will continue to provide services in their communities and continue to hold ceremonies honoring the fallen, as well as participate in other ceremonies throughout the region. We are a small region but a strong one.

Chapter One in Vermont recently had struggled but now has become stronger and their story inspires me to believe that chapters and state councils can continue until each decides to close. I look forward to representing you during these challenging times.

BY TED WILKINSON

I want to send condolences to Delaware State Council President Paul Davis on the passing of his beloved wife. We in Region 2 are thinking of you.

As you well know, the winter weather has been brutal across the country and did take a toll on attendance for our January 29–31 meetings. There were many empty seats; however, the CSCP and BOD meetings were still able to have quorums. I was one of those who could not make it to Washington for the meetings because all our flights were canceled, with no planes in or out for more than a day.

Region 2 Alternate Director Carlton Rhodes took the train from New Jersey and represented Region 2 during the Board meeting and New Jersey at the Conference of State Council Presidents meeting. Thank you, Carlton, for your many years of service with VVA.

Even though I was not in attendance, I was able to see the meetings through VVA’s livestreaming. This was the first time I had seen it, and I was extremely impressed. Hats off to Elizabeth Porter and the Communications Department.

The fourth traveling wall through Region 2 this year — AVTT’s American Veterans Traveling Tribute replica of The Wall — will be in Scranton, Pa., October 2–4, at Nay Aug Park, 500 Arthur Ave., Scranton, Pa. 18510. I highly recommend visiting.

BY MARC GOODELL

Let me first apologize for not making the Georgia State Council meetings in January, as I was held off by the bad weather. I intend to try again soon.

The January National Board meeting was successful and eventful. After considerable debate, we approved a budget for the next fiscal year that will keep the doors open at VVA. However, because Household Goods receipts are declining, income projections are lower than in recent years. This, we hope, is only temporary.

Keep in mind that these are projections and not set in stone. Still, I urge members to stay aware of these issues. This is particularly important as revenue sharing is about to cease: the next disbursement will be the last for the foreseeable future. Local fundraising is going to become increasingly important.

I just got back from a great trip to Puerto Rico with Florida State Council Veterans Benefits Committee Chair Marc McCabe and Puerto Rico State Council President Jorge Pedroza. We met with Linda Parker, the new director of the San Juan VA Regional Office. She assured us that she’s focused on opening the office and increasing access to pre-pandemic levels. Unlike other VA facilities, the San Juan office has been under pandemic-era restrictions that often result in veterans spending hours waiting for consultations.

As Puerto Rican clinics reopen, we hope that waits will drop to 30 minutes, and that outreach programs expand on Puerto Rico and in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

We had a second productive meeting with San Juan VA Medical Center Director Dr. Antonio Sanchez and VA PAO/PIO Coralys Ruiz about the challenges facing the hospital with the current funding cuts. We came away with a strong sense of confidence that the staff is doing its best to look out for veterans in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. We offered them our unconditional support.

By the time you read this, a new Service Officer for our VVA office at the VA Center in San Juan should be settled in. Marc McCabe and Jorge Pedroza interviewed an outstanding candidate for the position. He’s a retired Army veteran and an experienced VSO.

As I write this, the April Board Foundation Meeting is just a month away. I guess the primary topic of conversation will be ideas for VVA’s future. The first reports of feasibility will be presented to the Board and the State Council Presidents. We will set up parameters for committees to consider and wait for a progress report in June. The results of those studies will be set out at the Leadership Conference in August in Jacksonville.

BY GARY ESTERMEYER

Though the cold winter months have slowed down my travels, I was able to attend the National VVA Board of Directors in Arlington, Va., at the end of January. A big winter storm hit just prior to our arriving and Arlington managed as best they could with a big accumulation of snow. However, extreme cold temperatures kept us inside most of the time and prevented us from exploring the neighborhood.

During the Conference of State Council Presidents meeting which preceded the BOD meeting, I learned about President Tom Burke’s Mission 75 proposal to allow veterans who served after 1975 to join VVA. I also, participated in VVA Leadership Conference discussions, and was able to observe many exciting updates and announcements from the 29 state council presidents who were present.

At the BOD meeting the following day, we had lengthy discussions about the National VVA budget. After some changes to the proposed budget, the Directors voted to approve it. We also approved holding the VVA National Leadership Conference in Jacksonville, Fla., from August 11–15.

We had a couple of speakers address us, including Tres C. Smith—Senior Advisor to the VA Under Secretary for Health—and Romel Nicholas from the National Flag Foundation. Smith, a retired marine, spoke about his new role advising the VA on restructuring for impact and sustainability effort. Nicholas spoke about the foundation’s Sojourn 250 Campaign, in which a flag is brought on a journey through overseas and domestic U.S. cemeteries. Details on the journey at www.nationalflagfoundation.org.

I was able to meet with all the Region 5 presidents, and we briefly discussed meeting schedules within our states.

I plan to visit Toledo, Ohio, Chapter 35 and South Bend, Indiana, Chapter 1027 in February or March to continue my outreach in Region 5. I also am encouraging chapters and SCs to organize or participate in local National Vietnam War Veterans Day ceremonies on March 29th. Let’s show the country we remain Standing Proud in Region 5.

BY JOHN MARGOWSKI

I represented Region 6 when VVA’s Finance Committee met January 29–30 to finalize the proposed budget that would be presented to the board on January 31. There was considerable and productive discussion on several points contained in the budget.

During the meetings, we had a presentation from Tres C. Smith, Senior Advisor to the VA’s Under Secretary for Health. He discussed plans to realign the VISNs for operational efficiency and enhance care delivery in the VA Healthcare system. The plan is to move employees into positions based on their skills.

On Saturday the 30th, the Proposed Budget was presented and passed by the Board. That budget contained an amendment to adjust the salaries of the officers. Another adjustment in the Budget was to take $1 million from the Legacy Task Force Fund, a restricted one, and use it for Membership Revenue Sharing to the state councils and chapters in FY2026. This payment will be the last one of this type.

During the Board of Directors meeting, I made two motions: first, that VVA consolidate with AVVA to ensure that the corporation is given time to develop a plan for the future; second, that the President appoint a five-person committee to develop this plan for VVA and AVVA. Both motions passed.

The Board also voted to hold the Leadership Conference in August in Jacksonville, Florida.

Before the end of the meeting, Tom Burke discussed his plan for the future of VVA, particularly his new plan, Mission 75. That plan would amend the VVA Constitution to allow veterans serving after 1975 to become members of VVA. More information about this plan and the other potential plans will be forthcoming.

BY CHUCK RENEVIER

Change is in the wind. I attended the Conference of State Council Presidents and Board of Directors meetings in January, where a lot of valuable information was shared. Rather than explain everything that you will read in other reports, I will focus on the big announcement from President Tom Burke.

He announced that he would be working on a new plan for VVA moving forward. His plan is a work in progress, and while nothing is set in stone, I think it is a promising first step the membership can be excited about.

I took part in a Zoom meeting with the Oregon State Council. Along with OSC President Bill Duncan, we gave a brief summary of the CSCP/BOD meetings.

Steve Carr, Oregon State Council Secretary, has agreed to be the Region 8 liaison to the Legacy Task Force. If you have any suggestions or concerns about VVA’s legacy, please share them with him so he can bring them to the committee.

Chapter 788 in Southwest Montana is putting together a Town Hall meeting on May 16 in Bozeman. It is in partnership with the Montana VA. It is open to all veterans, spouses, and family members, and we plan to stream it online.

Since this is an election year for State Councils and many chapters, I want to remind you to make sure to send your Election and Financial reports to National in a timely manner.

I’m honored to represent Region 8 and I thank you for your support. If you have any concerns or questions, please feel free to contact me.

Welcome Home and Thank You for Your Service.

BY DICK SOUTHERN

With approximately 11,400 VVA members in Region 9, it is challenging to stay in touch with state councils, chapters, and members in Region 9, but I make every effort to do so.

I will continue to advocate for Region 9 veterans and their families as I visit state council and chapter meetings throughout the region and attend National Board of Directors meetings and events. One of my goals for 2026 is to have each state council in Region 9 increase the number of chapters in their state. This can be accomplished by actively recruiting new members. You can do it.

I hope you all stay safe and well, and check on your buddies. Get back in the habit of attending meetings and renew efforts to recruit new members.

In the meantime, I am available by email. You can contact me at dick.southern@gmail.com with any questions or concerns.

AT-LARGE

BY STEVE WILLIAMS

As we face the question of VVA’s future, all members should consider two big questions. I want to use this column to think through those questions with the membership at-large.

First and most pressing: what if we dissolve? In my eyes, once we dissolve, we would abandon veterans who came after us by ignoring VVA’s Founding Principle, “Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another.”

Dissolving the organization would mean we have reached the finished line. This prompts more troubling questions such as “Why should I recruit when we are closing?” and “Who wants to join an organization that is closing?”

The more I think about it, the more dissolving feels like giving up. And, for me, that would mean giving up as the satisfaction of serving Vietnam Veterans of America, which has been unparallelled in my lifetime. I would not ever want to give up.

Why should we consider evolving? If we agree to evolve, VVA can help future generations, and with pride and strength ensure our mission stays active and relevant. We would remain Vietnam Veterans of America until we could no longer commit to operating the organization due to age or ability. We would continue to foster relationships, pass on our methods, continue to help veterans, and share our experiences.

We will pass on our knowledge to those who are willing to participate; we will gain additional financial resources from dues; and the shared revenue could provide purchase power to continue the valuable programs VVA has had for nearly 50 years.

I believe in the last-man-standing concept, but I also believe the best way to preserve our Legacy is to extend membership so that the last man will remain standing for much longer.

Let us keep our Founding Principle alive and evolve instead of dissolve.

AT-LARGE

BY CHARLES STEPLETON

Vietnam Veterans of America is a name and organization known and recognized throughout the nation. We are a powerful voice and advocate not just for Vietnam veterans, but for all veterans.

I have said before that, in my travels across the U.S., when a veteran realizes who I am with, they always say, “You guys rock!” If it was not for us, they would not have the benefits they have. It was mentioned at the board meeting that Congress and the Senate have said we cannot go away. We still have a lot of work to do, not just for ourselves and all veterans, but also in deciding what direction we take moving forward. In August of this year, we will have a leadership conference focusing mainly on where we go from here. If you have not attended a conference yet, this will be one you should make every effort to attend.

Last month, I watched a chronicle on nurses in Vietnam. There were four nurses from this area who told their stories and shared their experiences while serving there. It was a very powerful testimony, remembering and honoring those women who treated the soldiers there. Too often they are overlooked, but they deserve our utmost respect and gratitude. To the nurses, doctors, and women who served in Vietnam, I stand and salute you! If you would like to watch the chronicle, go to KMBC9 News. You should be able to find the link there.

If you would like me to attend a state council, chapter, or region meeting via Zoom, please let your state president know. I am always open to feedback, suggestions, and ideas on what your board needs to address.

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