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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES for 2021-11-30 FINALVETERANS ADVISORY COMMITTEE Tuesday, November 30, 2021, 1:30 p.m. Zoom Video Conferencing and Kona Mayor's Office (Via Video conferencing) Present Members Michael Doolittle Isaac Nahakuelua Marcia Brinkley Debra Lewis George Sheridan John Hiduchick-Nakayama Kona Mayor's Office (Via Videoconferencing) Members Minoru Hanato Guests Antonio Gaspar (Veteran) Ray Welch (DAV) Ex-Officio (Hilo) Michelle Hiraishi, Deputy Director P&R Also Present (Hilo) J Yoshimoto, Deputy Corporation Counsel Absent Kelcie Figueira, Office of Veterans Services Call to Order Chair Michael Doolittle called the meeting to order at 1:31 pm. Quorum met with seven members present, (Mr. John Hiduchick-Nakayama was a few minutes late). STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC Chair Doolittle: Did we have any comments or statements from the public here? I don't want to pass that up. Do we have any members of the public here? Mr. Ray Welch. Raymond Welch: Mr. Doolittle, hi, my name is Raymond Welch, I am the State Director of the Disabled American Veterans. Chair Doolittle: Welcome. Welch: Before you continue, I need to ensure that the committee has received word from the Mayor's office or Mr. Messina's office as to the letter that we sent November 24th of this month. Chair Doolittle: And that letter stated what? Veterans Advisory Committee Minutes November 30, 2021 Page 2 Welch: If you want, I will read the letter to you. If you haven't received it then I need to state it to the committee right now. Deputy Director Hiraishi: May I interject at this point? So sorry, Mr. Welch, this is Michelle from Parks and Rec, and we did receive the letter and the situation is that we just received it on the 26th of November so it didn't make it on time to get onto this agenda, but we will have it on next month's agenda. Welch: Yeah, no problem. I hand carried it in and I need to state this immediately. Chair Doolittle: Ok, go ahead. Welch: Ok, this is dated November 24, 2021, to Mayor Mitch Roth, County of Hawaii, 25 Aupuni Street, Hilo Hawaii 96720. Regards removal of DAV as a voting member of the Mayor's Veteran Advisory Committee. Aloha Mayor Roth, this letter serves as our official notice that the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Organization cannot be a Voting Member of the Hawaii Mayor's Veterans Advisory Committee and that we must remove ourselves from the Committee effective immediately. Under the National DAV Bylaws, Article 17.3 Other Associations, "Absent the written approval of the National Adjutant, no subordinate unit or affiliated entity may take or permit any action that suggests or indicates that the subordinate unit or affiliated entity endorses, is endorsed by or is associated with any non-DAV organization." We cannot find any documentation that a request was submitted to the DAV National Adjutant for approval to represent DAV on the Hawaii Mayor's Veterans Advisory Committee, nor can we find an approval from the DAV National Adjutant allowing any DAV Member to Represent the DAV on the Hawaii County Mayor's Veterans Advisory Committee. Without this approval we must resign the DAV from the Committee. It goes on further but with regards to the recent changes in section, Bill 60, Chapter 15, Article 7-6, section 15-62 of the County Code and I'm quoting the section where you have made changes to the membership and tenure and I quote, section b seven or more of the members of the committee must have served in the United States uniformed services. We have a problem with that because under the definition of uniformed services we found in 31 Unites States Code 3701 A7, Uniformed Services means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service, and the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The definition of veteran is found in 38 USC 101 (2) the term "veteran" means a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable. Individuals who served under the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service are not veterans unless they also served in the US Military. Please consider while the DAV must withdraw as a voting member, it does not eliminate our membership from sitting on the committee as At -large members or concerned veterans and have their voice and opinion heard, of course this is as long as they do not claim to represent DAV. Lastly, I plan to attend all future meetings as a disabled american veteran and as a resident of Mountain View here on the Big Island. So, I must state to the three Veterans Advisory Committee Minutes November 30, 2021 Page 3 members that you have that are members of DAV, that would be Ms. Brinkley, Mr. Sheridan, and Mr. Hanato that you cannot claim to represent the DAV on this committee. Chair Doolittle: Let me make a little comment to you based on our committee's and what I understand. No one on the committee that is from VFW, American Legion, Disable American Veterans, Purple Heart, or any other organization actually represents that organization. They weren't voted on by that organization to be a member of this committee, nor do they claim to represent the organization itself, to my knowledge. So, it seems that your letter from DAV is a rather moot point. Welch: Well, Sir, we have other issues with this committee as well. We see conflicts of interests with some of the members in your committee. As such, the DAV National cannot be involved. There are only two representatives in DAV that's our National Commander and National Adjutant, period. I've looked into the VFW as well as the American Legions by laws as well as their charters, we are not a veteran's organization, we are a disabled veteran's organization. Because of that we are considered under IRS standards, 501(c)4, most veterans organizations are 501(c)19. That makes them able to partner with other groups like the boys' scouts, we are not able to partner with those kinds of groups because of our charitable status. Chair Doolittle: Let's ask our Corporation Counsel for some input. J, what do you have to say about this? Assistant Corporation Counsel J Yoshimoto: Mr. Chairman I think the public testimony portion is completed. I recommend we defer this to the next agenda when this is properly placed before the committee because it's not on the agenda, it is not something we should discuss in depth or in detail. I think accepting his testimony is sufficient and it sounds like we can move on. Chair Doolittle: Alright, thank you. Mr. Welch, did you hear that? Welch: Yes, I did. Chair Doolittle: Ok, we're going to table that till the next meeting. Welch: Again, my instructions to our membership is that they cannot represent the DAV. I have that authority over it. Chair Doolittle: Yeah, we're not going to discuss it any further, other than the fact that none of them have ever claimed to represent the DAV. We'll put that on the agenda if you want to discuss it next meeting, we'll do that, but we have to abide by the rules and standards of the Sunshine Law and the rest of that, which means we have to have it on the agenda for a certain amount of time so that the public can weigh in on it. Veterans Advisory Committee Minutes November 30, 2021 Page 4 Welch: Per my testimony, I have not sent letters to our National organization, I wanted to wait until this meeting to do that and now that I have, I'm going to go ahead and forward that to our national organizations. I'll send those letters out today to our National Adjutant and National Commander. I think they'll have something to say about this. Chair Doolittle: If the DAV doesn't want to be represented, that's fine. We're going to move on to the next subject. ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES Chair Doolittle asked if anyone read the minutes. I read them the other day as well, all 19 pages. I was going to make a copy so I could refer to it, but I didn't have enough paper left (laughter). Deputy Director Michelle Hiraishi: I also read through the minutes and commented to Brittany about how thorough she is. We have to remember that everything we say is being captured and I turn that to myself especially. Chair Doolittle: Yah, thank you very much for Brittany because she does keep us all in order. I'm appreciative of that. Are there any comments about the minutes? Do we have a motion to accept the minutes? Vice Chair Marcia Brinkley: I so move. Debra Lewis: I second. Chair Doolittle: Marcy moved. Deb second. All in favor? Six ayes. Minutes accepted. OLD BUSINESS Hidden Heroes Cities and Counties Chair Doolittle: Marcia, what's happening here? Vice Chair Brinkley: If everyone remembers, it must've been about three years ago we had a presentation at this committee by Jason Osbolt who was a Political Science student at UHH at the time about the Hidden Heroes program. It's just for people, to refresh your memories, if you don't remember, it's a project of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation which she founded, her husband was Walter Mead and supports caregivers all over the country. After the presentation he talked about the Hidden Heroes Counties and Cities program and everybody from this committee at the time signed off on a recommendation to the Mayor that Hawaii County consider being a part of the program. I just found out last week that in fact Mayor Roth has gone ahead and said yes, we do want to be a part of this program because of course lava came in between the presentation and now. The new fellow who is Ilihia Gionson, he is also the Tourism Authority, Public Affairs Officer, he Veterans Advisory Committee Minutes November 30, 2021 Page 5 is also a caregiver for his father who was a Vietnam Veteran said that he is hoping the whole state will sign on to this. We will probably be the first full state that is a part of this. I just wanted to let people know that it was moving forward, and it doesn't require anything on our parts from now. They'd very much appreciate our advocacy, but they ask that in the future whenever were planning programs, and when I say we I mean the veteran community, as a whole, consider including caregivers in their activities. He gave me some statistics that I've been wondering about for a long time, and I won't read them all, but I will send it to Brittany for the minutes. According to the Elizabeth Dole foundation this county has at least 13,817 veterans who are being cared for by a caregiver in some way and there are about 6,545 caregivers and I'm sure that's low because people just do this automatically to take care of their family member, so they don't necessarily identify that way. It's a fairly large group and I'm one of them and so are many of us and those of who aren't now will at some point need to be cared for. I just wanted to let you know about that progress that's been made. I'm sure there will be a ceremony at some point after a proclamation is signed. I'll let everyone know about that. Chair Doolittle: The Veterans administration also has a paid benefit that can be filed for caregivers. Vice Chair Brinkley: Yes, and that used to be just for post-911 injured servicemembers and their caregivers but it was expanded to pre-911 and their caregivers. Many of our older veterans and their spouses will be able to tap into that. It's a whole big application process, it's not like an automatic thing but it does allow them to stay at home and not have to have an outside job if they need to stay home with their veteran. Chair Doolittle: Does anyone have anything to add to that? Comments? Lewis: I think the only thing that I might add, as Marcie said it's very extensive, it's been around for a while cause I've been familiar with them from the Parade committee, we've had a number of people who are graduates and whatever we can do make sure this issue, Ilihia is a really good person to have as a part of that group. I am certain he will make sure whatever changes, maybe even invite him if we want to talk about it. Marcie did a great job of summarizing, but I think he's learn a lot just being a part of this group. It might be beneficial maybe in the next one, we invite him to speak and give some more thoughts about it. Vice Chair Brinkley: Yes, I did mention that to him that we might want to do that, and he was very happy to think that he'd be invited. I'll ask him to come to the next one if that's alright. Chair Doolittle: Yeah, we want to always encourage anyone that has anything to add to the benefit of veterans lives and this county, come to this committee and present any information they have. We want to be inclusive to everyone in our community that related to veterans. I want to take this time to welcome our new member, Laurie Soares. Veterans Advisory Committee Minutes November 30, 2021 Page 6 We haven't talked with her yet and I'd like to give her a couple minutes to introduce herself. Lewis; Is Laurie official? Chair Doolittle: Yes. Laurie Soares: Hello everybody, I'm looking forward to participating and serving this committee to the best of my ability. I have a lot to learn but I'm willing to serve and I'm excited to serve Big Island. Chair Doolittle: We thank you for your interest and applying. I'd like to see more people from a lot more diversified regional locations within our county to join the committee and expand this to represent the whole county. We seem to be centered on these two locations, both Hilo and Kona and we can't, we've never had a member from Honoka'a or Waimea or anyone from the southern part. George lives down in Orchidland but that's still kind of core within Hilo. In any event, we appreciate everybody that comes to the table that brings something here that adds to veterans' lives. Thank you very much. Lewis: Where does Laurie live? Chair Doolittle: She lives next door to John. Soares: Not literally (laughter), we're in the same neighborhood. Chair Doolittle: John called me, and he said he was just coming back from Oahu, and he was trying to get a place where he can get online. Update on Training for Veterans Cemeteries Chair Doolittle: introduces the topic. Deferred to Michelle. Deputy Hiraishi: Just briefly as an update, we did have a gentleman from Missouri named Artis Parker who is the Executive Director of Field Programs for the Veterans Cemeteries at the Federal level. He brought his team here for two days. What they did and we're still waiting for that final report. But during those two days they did some observations of our staff in action as they did an in -ground casket burial as well as an urn burial. Then they did some assessments of our cemeteries and what they found is, they did some training for our staff that really opened our staff's eyes on a few of the processes that we were doing as well as working to line up the graves as well as there are a few of the graves that are unmarked, we are changing that and Moe's directive is, there will no longer be any unmarked graves at any of our veterans' cemeteries. We've begun the process of identifying those burials that aren't marked, we've ordered the temporary markers and were getting those in line. Right now, we have 200 that we've ordered and any marker that is old or unreadable we'll be replacing. They came in they did two days of training with our staff, we did quite a bit and they're still finalizing their report. But their plan is Veterans Advisory Committee Minutes November 30, 2021 Page 7 to come back over the next year to continual training with our staff and continue assessing the grounds and next year they'll do administrative level training to make sure our records are being kept correctly. One of the biggest issues they had, that came out in the report is the bowing of the gravesites and if you look down the row it kind of goes up and down that way, so what we plan to do is work with a consultant to assess that completely and then hire a contractor to fix that completely and level it out. That's all the things we plan to do over the next year. Like I said, Artis and his team will be back training our guys as well as continuing with the assessments. We have not received their final feedback, final report. I know Maurice did speak with them and said, "please do not hold back on this report, if we're messing up on something put it in the report so we know and we know how to address that. We are anxiously awaiting that report, as soon as we get that, we'll pass it on. Chair Doolittle: Thank you very much. Does anybody have any comments on that? Minoru Hanato: I usually go to the veteran's cemetery for everything, and I asked to be at those two days of training, and I was refused because I'm not a county worker. But I just wanted to see what they were going to teach on the ground burial and stuff. I don't know if you guys know but Kona cemetery, I believe is the only cemetery that digs the hole nine feet long, five feet wide and nine feel deep and it's done with a backhoe then you get the truck an everything that goes over to get to the hole. What happens all this time is when they dig the hole, they do the burial, and they dig another hole it caves in. Well, we had meetings from way back to try remedy that but during that meeting, I hate to say it but the County was there, but they didn't represent the County like they should and they didn't try to help us out as to what we was trying to make them do. We were trying to make them make concrete vaults so that they didn't have to drive over the grave and the next grave with the backhoe or the trucks, that's what's been happening even after they built the new section. That's why they're digging every other gravesite and it's really terrible to see especially when the ground is wet to see the tracks of the machines going over all the graves to reach the end grave. I wanted to express my thoughts about that but being that I was told not to appear, I didn't go. But I really want to express my thoughts about how they should be done because it's not being done the way it was supposed to be done, not according to the way the designers in Honolulu Chair Doolittle: Are you saying that they equipment has to drive over the graves to get to the end of the row to dig a new grave? Hanato: Yes, and it's terrible to see a lot of the graves are sunk, it's almost 10 inches lower than the ground level. Chair Doolittle: You're saying that's from the heavy equipment driving over it. Hanato: Yes, that's why I wanted to express my opinion, but they didn't want me to be there. Veterans Advisory Committee Minutes November 30, 2021 Page 8 Chair Doolittle: Michelle, was anything noted on the inspection when they came around from the Missouri group, did they mention that? Deputy Hiraishi: Not to my knowledge but again where they were looking was in Hilo. They didn't go out to the West Hawaii Veterans Cemetery. But you know, I think the issue would be same same whether its East Hawaii Or West Hawaii. But that you for that note because we will certainly follow up on that. Hanato: I wanted to invite them to the Kona side so that they can come and see and remedy that. But that didn't happen. Deputy Hiraishi: Well, you know the intent, just so you know, once we train our staff up to standard on one cemetery, we can expand it to our other veterans' cemeteries. Chair Doolittle: This is an ongoing process to upgrade the standard at which were operating and the respect for the cemeteries themselves. Yeah, stay on top on that Minoru, and let's follow up on that in later meetings and if I get a chance I'd like to come over and look at that. I've been there a couple of times and I don't know that I ever noticed that. It'd be nice if I could meet you there and walk me around the cemetery. Hanato: That would be great. Lewis: If I can, Kelcie had hoped to make the meeting. I have her on the phone with me, she's been listening to the comments, and she didn't have anymore input from what Michelle had already shared and as far as the discussion had as far as the cemetery, but did anyone have a question for her? She has to duck into another meeting. Chair Doolittle: I think if she's been paying attention to the meeting, if she has any more to offer us, then please do. Lewis: Kelcie? Kelcie Figueira: Hi guys, I don't have anything more to offer at this time but if I do, I will forward it on through Brittany to share with the committee. Lewis: Alright, Kelcie, thank you. Figueira: Thanks, Deb. Chair Doolittle: Do we have anything to add about the cemetery? No more comments. Lewis: The only other comment I had is that way for us to get smart on it, Michelle, it would be nice to know kind of a write up really. We had an article in the paper, I talked to Maurice about how we talk to the points because we all are wanting to support out veterans at the cemetery. Because of an inquiry, I received a reply from Maricar about Veterans Advisory Committee Minutes November 30, 2021 Page 9 benefits rights because it has to take the full life cycle of the veterans and making sure that once a veteran has died, we can make sure that the family is aware of what's there, what's available, who's the point of contact, all that stuff, I think would help. We still need to make sure the graves are marked, and the records are straight, and that the cemetery looks sharp. Of course, the grounds people have been doing a great job, I just want to comment on that. We did our Memorial Day; I mean Veterans Day service and they were very helpful. We have someone who just retired, I don't know if we can provide a letter to that person but if you could provide me details, we could offer that because their work really is out of passion to support us. Yes, they all need to be adequately trained so they know what the proper procedure is. Baring that, they have done everything to make sure burials go unrestricted during COVID, they have done everything they can to support the families and we see that. Chair Doolittle: Well, you know that Parks & Rec and the entire staff does an amazing job with the resources they have. That's the largest department in the county government and it's always underfunded. We appreciate everything that happens at the cemetery and working to make it better is just adding a little bit more to it. Lewis: (inaudible) where do funds go? That was the other piece, where do funds go. There are designated projects and as far as I know Parks & Rec had nothing to do with the funds dedicated to do improvements and other things at the cemetery. Deputy Hiraishi: That is correct. Chair Doolittle: That's true, those came from the National Cemetery. Lewis: But when someone reports it in a certain way, it looks like you have funding when you don't have funding not for things that we're talking about. I just think keeping this committee well aware and then even doing some kind of informational thing, when you're ready somewhere publicly or even on our site, some kind of frequently asked questions. If we need to apply pressure in certain areas, we won't know that unless were informed on how does that happen, who are the people wo can make the change. Like Minoru, the idea of if something's not done properly, it may not be Parks & Recs place to say that. It may have to go through the VA channels, we just don't know who that touchstone is. Being educated will help up address these issues. Deputy Hiraishi: Understood. And then, another follow up too is just a reminder when Artis and his team come back part of the training over the next year will be for administrative staff. Making sure we have all those records, contact for family, all those things you were mentioning. Vice Chair Brinkley: Can I add something real quick? Chair Doolittle: Go ahead Marcia. Veterans Advisory Committee Minutes November 30, 2021 Page 10 Vice Chair Brinkley: There's the West Hawai'i Veterans Cemetery Association meets once a month, Mike if you'd maybe want to come to that, or anybody's invited, and they meet on the first Tuesday of the month at 9:30 in the morning for about an hour. Minoru is a very faithful attender, I'm an intermittent attender. But that might be a good chance, if you can get over there at that time to talk to people about issues, that would be a good time. Hanato: Mr. Chair? Chair Doolittle: Yes. Hanato: Just for thought, each burial we supposed to get funding from the federal government for each veteran and their spouse and the dependents. A while back, the federal government gives the state that money, the State used to give money to each county for this veteran's thing. But when Governor Lingle was governor, she cut that off so now the counties are not getting any funding for the burials. That's why the County Parks and Rec getting little bit rough time without any funding. That's where the County Finance Department has to make arrangements for the Parks and Rec to get little bit more funding to be able to do the job. You understand what I trying to say? Chair Doolittle: Yes, what you're saying is that the federal government provides funding for each veteran and each burial t the State but that the states not distributing that in a pro rata for the number of burials and what not that take place. If the County's not getting proper funding from the federal dollar because the State's hoarding it, what are they doing with it. Hanato: I don't know what they're doing with it. I talked to Maurice and said they not getting any funding and that I knew from when Governor Lingle was Governor. Chair Doolittle: That might be a good point of inquiry for someone, State Senate and House members to look into. If money is being paid by the federal government for cemeteries and for the services, whatever services those are designated for to the State and the counties aren't getting anything that would be their share based on numbers, you would think there's a breakdown and monies are going to something it's not supposed to. Hanato: I believe so. Thank you. Chair Doolittle: That's a good point. That's something I believe Parks and Recs and Kelcie should probably be involved in that discussion I imagine. Isaac Nahakuelua: May I say something in regard to that please? Chair Doolittle: yes, go ahead. Veterans Advisory Committee Minutes November 30, 2021 Page I I Nahakuelua: Yes, it makes me think of Kai Kahele, our congressman. Because I know, Medicare, each state has a package deal with the federal government to give a certain amount of monies to each state, for Medicare. So, I'm wondering if Kai, somehow or even the VA can allocate funds to each state in some kind of package deal to fund these county veteran cemeteries and stuff. Chair Doolittle: Well, something obviously needs to be done on a federal standard for any federal money that's being distributed down to states for veterans' cemeteries interment or whatever service they're designated for. A review of that so it's being properly distributed seems to be something that's really necessary to do. I can't even believe that that's not presently being done. It sounds like a severed pipeline of resources being drained into something it was intended to be. Either that or Oahu is hoarding it all for Oahu, which wouldn't surprise me either. Deb, you as the Commander of the VFW, I would think you would have some interest in what's going on. Lewis: Yes, absolutely. Chair Doolittle: I think this is something that needs to be put on the agenda to push forward and make a little more noise about and see if we can identify what's happening to funds that might be allocated for us. Lewis: At least to get answers. Chair Doolittle: Yes. At least to understand what that process is and why it was changed. If it was some change made by a previous governor, maybe we need to review that. Do we have any other comments about cemeteries or funding or the like? We'll table this and put this on the agenda for the next time. NEW BUSINESS Meeting Dates for 2022 Chair Doolittle: We need to establish those dates. (Introduces topic) Brittany Iyo: In the past our meeting shave been on the fourth Tuesday of every third month, it's kind of weird though, February, May, August, and November at 1:30 in the afternoon. I don't know if you guys want to continue with that or maybe change the day of the week, change the time to a morning time. Chair Doolittle: I got some suggestions. My Tuesdays seem to be my busiest day of the week and I always why Tuesday was when we did all of this. I'm hoping for that, but that should be a consensus with everybody. We need to kick that around for a little bit. Iyo: Does anyone want to propose another day of the week? Chair Doolittle: Yes, I'd like to propose Wednesdays. Veterans Advisory Committee Minutes November 30, 2021 Page 12 Iyo: Any objections. Lewis: That would be the last Wednesday of the month? Or something else? Chair Doolittle: That sounds good to me. John Hiduchick-Nakayama: This is Johnny, my Wednesday afternoons are pretty hectic, we have a leadership meeting every other Wednesday which will go to every Wednesday starting in January. I apologize. Lewis: We can meet in the morning though. I think it's a point to say do we need to meet at 1:30? Or do something else. If we do something in person, I know Marcy used to drive all the time coming over here, what time going that we might eventually be in person someday. Vice Chair Brinkley: 10:00 or after would be fine for me. Lewis: Johnny, would 10 interfere with that.' Hiduchick: No, 10 would be perfect. Chair Doolittle: I could go with that too. Lewis: So, the last Wednesday. Is there any other holiday that fits on the last Wednesday of the month? Hanato: I have a meeting every first Wednesday at 9. Chair Doolittle: That's the first Wednesday, we're talking about the last Wednesday. Lewis: So, the last Wednesday of the month at 10. So next month it'll be the 29th which, oh no it would be December. Chair Doolittle: Yeah, we won't be having another meeting until February. Lewis: So that would be the 23rd of February, that's one. The other one is May 25. And then August, the 31 sc Chair Doolittle: I think we can make that work. Lewis: Ok, 10 am for the last Wednesday of the month for the same months you said Michelle, February, May, August, November. November might be a problem just because of Thanksgiving. Chair Doolittle: Well, Thanksgiving changes every year. Veterans Advisory Committee Minutes November 30, 2021 Page 13 Deputy Hiraishi: Yes, and Thanksgiving is the week before, the Thursday before. Our last Wednesday would be the 30tn Chair Doolittle: We'd be good for at least a year. Iyo: We can always revisit that next year. Ok, that's it for the meeting dates for 2022. ANNODUNCEMENTS Lewis: I just want to thank everyone for their participation in the parade video. I don't know if you've had a chance to look at it but everyone who's in the meeting, you're on camera. Thanks for Brittany for going and making sure that I had the video. We were the first one, Michael kicked off the whole thing, the parade video. Chair Doolittle: That's part of our announcement here. Thank you very much, Deb for making that happen. I just don't know anyone in this community that does more for veterans than you do. Lewis: Well, thank you! Chair Doolittle: I also want to thank everyone that attended our Veterans Day ceremony, where we were able to accept on behalf of our housing project $145,000 donation from the national association of real estate investment trusts. That kind of opened the door for us for future donations from a 3 1/z trillion -dollar network. We're talking about one of the richest networks in the United States. They started a new community initiative, and they have an office in Honolulu. Specifically designated to looking for worthy places to donate money that helps the communities and societies better themselves. I'm really welcoming to that funding source for a lot of reasons and especially in housing, housing is critical. Everybody that does these things for the betterment of our community, I'm just overwhelmed with. Nobody does more for veterans in this community than you Deb, so I salute you. Do we have any other comments? Hanato: I do. Thank you, Deb. Lately, I'm on honor guard detail, west side and I got to almost every one because I take care of the weapons and everything else. A lot of times we have to run the service as far as honor guard part. Lately, the military hasn't been coming over and if they have been coming over, they send only two or there people. More so lately they haven't been coming over so National Guard has been jumping in from Hilo, in their place. But, for them to jump into another branch of service they have to get the ok from that branch of service they've been getting hard time. Last week we had a Navy burial at the cemetery, Navy was notified, and National Guard was notified, and National Guard was waiting for the Navy to give them the ok but that never happened. That already happened in Kona about three times already. We, the honor guard detail in Kona with consists of the Honor Guard in Kona and DAV have done all this from way back in 199 something when we first started until today. We really appreciate ethe National Guard for coming in and really would appreciate all the other branches of Veterans Advisory Committee Minutes November 30, 2021 Page 14 service to come in or give National Guard permission to stand in their place. Like our group we're getting kind of old and sometimes it's getting hard time to do this thing, we have guys on crutches or wheelchairs, its hard to do these things. Chair Doolittle: I would suggest we put it on as an agenda item to talk about along with the discussions of the cemeteries and funding and the like. To see if we can, as a committee, pass some kind of resolution to put those requests out there in a little bit more of an official way. I know the Navy League has an organization here. Lewis: Maybe we can do a Memorandum of Agreement. I think first, Minoru is saying they're not getting the permission because they have to say mother may I every time. So, Minoru you were saying you were able to step in at the cemetery for those funerals to make sure they didn't go without? Or what? Hanato: If the military don't come, we perform everything. Lewis: Same on our side with Geno and the Legion and other groups that join him. We could propose something, I don't know what office. It seems to be if we could have a draft on this topic next time and then approve something so were not waiting months and months to address this. Because if what Minoru is saying, if any funeral goes without because this hasn't been agreed upon, that's on all of us. We'll make it as easy as possible. Chair Doolittle: I think that needs to be a separate agenda item to be discussed. Lewis: I don't know who would do that, but we just need to do an inquiry to see who would generate this. It could come from the National Guard; they could do it and send it out to the different services. It doesn't have to be us doing it. Chair Doolittle: it sounds to me from what he was saying is that, when you have a different branch of service whether it's Navy or Air Force or Coast Guard you have to get permission from that service branch, in order to represent from another branch of service. Its another one of those catch 22 things that you can resolve by having, when you're talking about remote areas and you don't really have the funding to bring somebody in, you can deal with it in whatever military organization you have locally and that only makes sense, whether it's' American legion, VFW, or a composite honor guard as a local unit. Maybe that happens from the training area up there, active -duty folks. Antonio Gaspar: Can I interrupt you folks? Ok, before I retired from the Army National Guard, there was a job opening that it says they need 28 personnel to be on the honor guard, 21-gun salute in the pacific. I never take a chance, I never apply. They wanted 28 personnel regardless of Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard. If somebody pass away, you going to be ready or be a part of the 28 people. But you don't know if you will go or somebody else will go. Now, what you guys are saying, it is happening, regardless of what service, if they ask for 21-gun salute, if they call your name, you are going to go. However, I Veterans Advisory Committee Minutes November 30, 2021 Page 15 never take a chance, I don't want to apply for the jobs because there is no guarantee. The job I had until I retire in 2004, before I was working full time in the Hawaii Army national Guard. Before everyone was offered the job, they need 28 people in the pacific island. When they say Pacific Island, all over in the pacific. That's all I have to say. Chair Doolittle: We really need to put this on as a separate agenda item to talk about these issues, so the public has an opportunity to weigh in. We're kind of getting outside of the boundaries of where we ought to be, and I would couple this along with the discussion with Michelle relating to the inspection of the cemetery and how we make this function a little bit better. That is the first charge of this committee, that we modified from is making sure our cemeteries are well represented with processes and procedures and how we deal with the death of a veteran and the honoring of their life and service. I think that's something we really need to get into, a separate, long-term discussion and process where we can proof it. Do we have anything else? Announcement? I think we've kind of exhausted what's on our agenda. NEXT MEETING The next meeting is scheduled for February 23, 2022, at 10:00 am. Hanato motioned to adjourn. Nahakuelua seconded. Chair Doolittle: All in favor? Seven ayes, meeting adjourned at 2:24 p.m. Respectfully submitted, 3riwa,ny rya - Secretary