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Veterans Advisory Committee <br />Page 2 <br />February 16, 2012 <br /> <br /> <br />STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC <br />None. <br /> <br /> <br />PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES – June 16, 2011 <br />The minutes of the June 16, 2011 meeting were approved as submitted. <br /> <br /> <br />REPORT ON CEMETERIES – STATE VETERANS ADVISORY BOARD <br /> <br />Hawaii Island - East Hawaii Representative – Ms. Carolle Brulee-Wilson <br />Ms. Carolle Brulee-Wilson reported that former Department of Defense Director Greg <br />Jackson resigned his position recently to join a team of advisors in South Sudan. The <br />team will be assisting the South Sudan’s Ministry of Defense to normalize South <br />Sudanese People’s Liberation Army. <br /> <br />Ms. Brulee-Wilson said to save time the following reports were previously distributed to <br />members for their review: Department of Defense Engineering Report dated February 3, <br />2012 and the Office of Veterans’ Services Director’s Report to Governor’s Advisory <br />Board on Veterans Services dated November 4, 2011. <br /> <br /> <br />Hawaii Island - West Hawaii Representative - Mr. Herb Lum <br />Mr. Lum announced that Bronsten Kalei Kossow received his Eagle Scout Badge for the <br />very professional brochure he designed and printed for distribution which includes <br />information about the cemetery and plot locations. He announced that we are very proud <br />of his accomplishment. <br /> <br />Mr. Lum reported on several bills of interest at the Legislature. One is to eliminate the <br />residency requirements for burials in the cemetery. As it stands right now, veterans in the <br />Mainland are not eligible to be buried in the cemeteries here. This issue of residency <br />requirement came up awhile ago in regards to the Yukio Okutso State Veterans Home, <br />there was concern because on one side they said a Veteran is a Veteran and the other side <br />the home is largely funded by state funds and operated and maintained by a quasi state <br />organization, therefore, the taxpayers of this state have a big investment in this home, <br />people from the other states do not pay taxes in Hawaii, so therefore, are ineligible. To <br />compromise there is a minimal requirement for out of state veterans. <br /> <br />Juan Babiak, Liaison for the Yukio Okutso State Veterans Home said he spoke with <br />former YOSVO employee Keith Ribbentrop regarding the in-state residency requirement <br />for admission to the State Veterans Home. One of the things they found after the <br />requirements were in place, it’s something that would be difficult to defend if it’s legally <br />challenged. He said we should make allowances when we can. In other words, we <br />should give priority to veterans in Hawaii especially veterans who are residents here. <br />Next consider veterans who are here living with family members in Hawaii, then if there <br /> <br />