Message from the Director – August 2021

August will kick off a flurry of activities that will continue through the fall of this year. If you haven’t been engaged, you will have a lot of opportunities to get involved in the weeks ahead. I encourage you to check out the events section in this edition of Veterans Voice and join us at an upcoming event. Make sure to check local and state health authority guidelines regarding protection against COVID-19 before participating in public events.

We are planning for an August “in person” Veteran of the Month/Veteran Supporter of the Month (VOM/VSM) ceremony, the first since the onset of the pandemic, at the State Capitol to recognize and honor Northern Nevada VOM/VSM awardees over the past year and a half who missed out on a ceremony due to COVID-19.  A second ceremony will be conducted in November at the Grant Sawyer State Office Building in Las Vegas during our planned Veterans Day event!  We will be announcing the dates and times soon. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter and visit our website at https://veterans.nv.gov/ for those announcements.

And on that subject, congratulations to Sandra Valdezate, our August 2021 Veteran of the Month, and to Greg Weeks and Steve Custer who were named the August 2021 Veteran Supporter of the Month. All three are very deserving of the honor and recognition for their selfless service in support of Veterans, those still serving, and their families. Read more about their achievements under Honoring Our Heroes in this e-newsletter.

On July 31, 2021, the extension of the national eviction moratorium — temporary ban on evictions implemented during the coronavirus pandemic by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — ended. If you are a veteran facing eviction, or know of a veteran facing this situation, I urge you to read the article that provides key information you need to know! It is the first story, “New Information on the Eviction Moratorium” under Health and Wellness!

This month, NDVS is hosting three virtual workshops on Military Sexual Trauma. Look under Programs and Services for registration, dates, times, and other details. Under News You Can Use, you will find information on many important topics to include: (1) information on assistance for veterans with home repairs or handicapped modifications, (2) what you need to know if you are facing eviction and news from the VA on assistance regarding home foreclosure, (3) registration information for an upcoming resume writing workshop, and (4) opportunities to join the Veterans K-9 Corps in Reno, teaching you to train your K-9 companion while in the supportive company of other veterans.

This month, I have the pleasure to introduce three new NDVS team members. Savannah Aseoche is our new Women Veterans Service Officer. She is the NDVS primary point of contact for women veterans programming and support. Our two other new team members are Sarah Houge, our Suicide Prevention Program Manager and Helena Otero, our Education and Employment Program Manager. Sarah will support our “Governor’s and Mayor’s Challenges to Prevent Suicide among Veterans and Family Members” teams while Helena will oversee a new NDVS initiative, our Nevada Transition Assistance Program (NVTAP). Next month you will hear more about NVTAP as we begin rolling out this online assistance program that will help transitioning military members as they return or relocate to Nevada.

Finally, in August there are many dates of significance to the Veterans and Military community. Purple Heart Day is August 7th, Navajo Code Talkers Day is August 14th, and the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve celebrates its birthday on August 29th. And, on August 2, 1990, Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait prompting then President, George Herbert Walker Bush to respond with Operation Desert Shield, just a few days later. When Saddam Hussein, former President of Iraq, failed to withdraw his troops by January 15, 1991, Operation Desert Storm began, ending his reign. If you are a Gulf War veteran, I urge you to take advantage of the “thank you” gift from the government of Kuwait. It is a free book and DVD set “The Liberation of Kuwait, Honoring the Veterans of Desert Storm.” Look under Honoring Our Heroes for details on how to obtain your copy.

Thank you for your service and thank you for your continued support of Nevada’s veterans, military members, and their families! I hope to see you at an upcoming NDVS event soon.

Respectfully,
Kat Miller