At a Glance

• There are approximately 440,000 veterans in Minnesota. MN DAV membership is approximately 20,000 and there are approximately 45,000 disabled veterans in MN.

• In FY 2009, DAV representation before the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs resulted in over $61 million in new benefits to Minnesota veterans.
    
• Over 2,300 MN Veterans received new benefits. Over 1,900 veterans had their claims maintained ($29 Million) and 1,000 veterans had claims increased through our MN DAV Service Officers representation ($12 Million).

• In addition, 114 widows and families were awarded over $1.2M in claims. Overall, this is over 8% increase in compensation year to year.
    
• In FY 2009, the Transportation Network provided over 32,000 individual rides to VA medical appointments, comprising over 2.3 million miles traveled by volunteer drivers.
    
• Volunteer efforts by DAV chapters, county veteran service officers, and other veteran service organizations resulted in over 99,000 volunteer hours donated in the DAV transportation program.

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MN DAV provided major funding for transportation vans for the Mpls and St. Cloud VA medical clinics as well as replacement of TVs at all five MN veterans homes.

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Agency Purpose

The purpose of the DAV: To provide support, encouragement and a better life for the noble men and women who became disabled while upholding world peace and freedom of the United States of America. The purpose and mission of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) is accomplished by:

• representing the interests of disabled veterans, their families, their widowed spouses, and their orphans before Congress, the White House, the Judicial Branch, as well as state and local government;
    
• providing free professional service to veterans and their families in obtaining benefits and services earned through military service provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and other agencies of government;
    
• extending the DAV’s mission of hope into the communities where these veterans and their families live through a network of the department and chapter outreach service programs;
   
• and providing a structure through which disabled veterans can express compassion for their fellow veterans through a variety of volunteer programs, including active participation in the re-integration events for returning veterans.

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Letters

RON
I wanted to personally thank you as well as the DAV and Midwest Outdoors Unlimited for inviting us to participate in the Pheasant Hunt this year!
Our Veterans were so thrilled to be able to do the same things that they have enjoyed throughout their life.
The chance to be able to do a European Hunt was the first time for all of our hunters and they really had a great time with it.
From the birds to the food to the hospitality, everything was a 10 ++!! The guys haven’t stopped smiling about it.
We took some great photos.
Again, please thank everyone involved as it’s the donors and volunteers that make this happen for our Veterans.

All the best,

Shirlee and Thor Prosser

Shirlee Peterson
Director Of Recreation Therapy
Minnesota Veterans Home-Minneapolis
5101 Minnehaha Ave. South
Minneapolis, MN 55417
612-721-0687


Ron,

I wanted to personally thank you and all the volunteers for the absolutely amazing event you did for veterans on Saturday. All three of the veterans I brought said that it was the best day they’d had a in a very long time. One of them said that it is something that we as a veterans home need to participate in regularly so that others can have the opportunity. As a recreation therapist, I feel confident in saying that you and the volunteers provide an unparalleled therapeutic experience for our service men and women. The benefits you provide for the hunters lasts far beyond the day’s event. As I’m sure you’re aware, during their times in service, they frequently encountered situations that that have negative long-lasting events. What I saw on Saturday was not only a break from the monotony of the every-day dealings of their troubles, but a normalizing activity that in addition to reminding them of the fun times of times past, taught them of what they are still capable of. You were able to do in one afternoon, what it has frequently taken me years to do. You put a very big smile on at least three veterans faces that will last a very long time. Please share my sentiments with others who helped to put on the event and let them know how very, very much it is appreciated. <

Katie Wrich, CTRS
Recreation Therapist
MN Veterans Home - Hastings

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Core Functions

The DAV service officers serve as representatives for veterans and their families in obtaining benefits to which they are entitled. The DAV also provides informational seminars and publishes articles to bring about an awareness concerning potential entitlements to benefits and services available through the DAV and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The DAV provides direct assistance to veterans through its Older Veterans Assistance Program, its Thrift Store Gift Certificate program, its DAV Transportation Network program, and Veterans Service programs, all of which are of direct aid to veterans and their families in Minnesota.

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Operations

The DAV has a Veteran National Service Office at Fort Snelling, staffed by five service officers and two secretaries. Services are rendered to individual veterans and are represented before the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to obtain entitled benefits. The Minnesota DAV department office is located in the Veteran Service Building in St. Paul with three personnel and has two other offices located at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) in Minneapolis and the VAMC in St. Cloud. All services are coordinated with the department and rendered to individual veterans and families. We have nearly 20,000 members of the DAV in 33 Chapters and 24 Auxiliary units across the State of MN. Please visit our website to learn more.. www.davmn.org/