Jim Monroe AVHOFS President Class of 2014

Fellow Society members, I certainly hope this finds each of you and yours safe, secure and fulfilled following the Thanksgiving holiday.  This is an opportunity for Joan and me to spend time with family and friends; we look forward to it each year.  We are now all gearing up for the Christmas holidays and another opportunity. 

Additionally, this time of year gives me cause to reflect on the many gifts I have here in the United States.  I often recall a brief quote of Thomas Jefferson: “How little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of, and which no other people on earth enjoy!”

On December 7th Pearl Harbor Day will be remembered by a presentation at Westley Bolin Memorial Plaza in front of the AZ State Capital.  This event is being organized by Paula Pedene and the Honoring America’s Veterans organization.  The ceremony begins at 1055 and will feature U.S. Navy Admiral Jim Simonds as the keynote speaker.  There will be several other speakers, a flyover of biplanes and the ceremonial raising of a 48- star flag.  Vice President Pat Little-Upah and I will be placing a wreath on behalf of the Society, and we hope many of you will join us for this auspicious event.  Please feel free to call me directly if you need more information.  480-363-0044.

For some time, we have been considering engaging with the Veterans Home to personally connect with their residents. Some of these veterans do not have family or friends close and this is a way we, as concerned Society members, can reach out to them. Christeen Verchot, class of 2021, has graciously stepped up to chair this event. She is well on her way of putting the first event together, scheduled for January 22 at AZ State Veterans Home – Phoenix. Please see Christeen’s post on this event further down in this newsletter.

Many of you are aware the Society schedules an Annual Business Meeting (ABM) each year, typically in January. We attempted to hold this meeting in person last year but were unsuccessful due to concerns over covid and other limitations. We are once again going to attempt to conduct an ABM in person this coming January. We have tentative arrangements to conduct the meeting at the new Phoenix 32nd Street VA Clinic located at 400 N. 32nd St. - Phoenix 85008. We have a target date of Wednesday, January 11th. The meeting will commence at 1000 and is anticipated to last approximately two hours. Reports will be made on current Society activates as well as those currently being considered for the future. Pat Little-Upah and I are meeting with the 32nd St. Clinic Director and staff on November 30 to further develop plans for the event. We are attempting to arrange tours of the facility and investigate the possibility of running the meeting in a hybrid fashion to allow in person as well as ZOOM participation. I will be sending a blanket email to all members in early December to update you on our plans as well as provide a tentative Agenda for the meeting. I hope many of you will make the effort to attend this important meeting and take the opportunity to see the new 32nd St. Clinic.

A new Director has been announced for Phoenix VA Healthcare System. Please see following notice offered by Michael Walsh, Interim Medical Center Director. I am sure we all wish to sincerely thank Mr. Walsh for his dedication to veterans and utmost professionalism in performing his duty. As the notice states, Mr. Bryan C. Matthews will assume the duties of Director on December 18, 2022. I look forward to meeting Mr. Matthews and the opportunity to work with him and his staff in the future.

VA Desert Pacific Health Care Network Announces Phoenix VA Health Care System Director

Brings Leadership, Proven Experience to Phoenix

LONG BEACH, CA — The Department of Veterans Affairs is pleased to announce the appointment of Bryan C. Matthews as the new director of the Phoenix VA Health Care System (PVAHCS) effective December 18, 2022.  Mr. Matthews will oversee delivery of health care to more than 120,000 Veterans.

“We are excited to bring Mr. Matthews on board as the new Director of the Phoenix VA Healthcare System,” said Michael Fisher, Veterans Integrated Service Network 22 Director.  “His sound leadership qualities and broad experience will be valuable assets for employees, volunteers, and most importantly, for the Veterans we are honored to serve.”

Bryan C. Matthews served as Medical Center Director, Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System since 2018.  Mr. Matthews began his career at Detroit’s John D. Dingell VA Medical Center as the Chief of Supply, Processing and Distribution. He has held leadership positions within the Veterans Healthcare Administration, which include Medical Center Director, Fayetteville, Arkansas, Associate Medical Center Director and Chief Operating Officer of the Washington D.C. and Jack C. Montgomery VA Medical Center, Muskogee, Oklahoma.  He has also held positions of authority at the VA Maryland Healthcare System, Baltimore, Maryland.  He is a retired Air Force Veteran who retired from Luke AFB, AZ with 22 years of service.

Mr. Matthews is a graduate of the University of Maryland and received his Master of Business Administration degree in Healthcare Management from the University of Phoenix.  He is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and a graduate of the 2010 Executive Career Field Career Development Program.

The main health care facility is in Phoenix, Arizona with 12 outpatient clinics in Gilbert, Globe, Mesa, Payson, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Show Low, and Surprise, AZ.

The VA Desert Pacific Network Healthcare is comprised of eight healthcare systems serving 1.5 million Veterans in Arizona, New Mexico, and Southern California. 

Michael Welsh, Interim Medical Center Director
Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care System

Jerry Wojtas AVHOFS Treasurer Class of 2011

Christmas is approaching and now would be a great time to make a gift to your Century Club.  Years ago, John Sentz, one of our past presidents, suggested to your Society board that a Century Club be formed.  No one knew how successful it would be.  My records show that 2013 was the first year of the Century Club.  That year 32 members gave a total of $3,300.  It took a while, but we have had a goal of $10,000 a year for the past 4 years.  With 5 months of our 12 gone we currently have a total of $3,476 toward our goal.  If you haven’t contributed yet, please consider doing so.

The Century Club is only one of the programs supported by your Society.  Another is our Veterans Court program.  Sam Young has been spearheading our Veterans Court program for over 8 years.  As more and more Veterans Courts open around our state, more and more financial support is provided by your Society.

Another very successful program is our Maternity Outreach for Veterans Families.  Joan Sisco is chairing this program and has devoted a lot of time and effort into making this program grow.  She works closely with the VA in both Phoenix and Prescott.

Below are listed the names of Century Club contributors as of going to press.  Please consider adding your name to this listing.

And remember to always use our COMPLETE address when mailing anything to us.  Here it is.

ARIZONA VETERANS HALL OF FAME SOCIETY
4980 S. ALMA SCHOOL ROAD
STE. A2-619
CHANDLER, AZ 85248-5545

CENTURY CLUB DONATIONS (FY Goal is $10,000. Total to date is $3,476)

BLACK- up to $100  GREEN - $101-$199   BLUE - $200-$299   RED - $300 and above GOLD - $400 and above

Listed below are those who have contributed so far in 2021.

From Pat Little-Upah, AVHOFS Vice-President:  Having worked in healthcare all of my life I know how underappreciated some of our healthcare workers are.  These are the workers day in and day out helping our Veterans on some of their worse days.  Individuals who through no fault of their own are dealing with pain, brain injuries or post traumatic stress and react differently under these stressors then they normally might.  The majority of the staff at our VA’s rise above all of this to help their patients. It is not just nursing staff but often the housekeepers or maintenance people who see a way to make a patient’s day a bit easier and just do it.  This is why the Society is starting a new program to annually recognize VA Employees who go above and beyond.  The Phoenix and Prescott VAMC’s are excited about this new outreach program and the Tucson VA will be joining our recognition program in 2024.  The AVHOFS will select one recipient from each medical center each year, with the awardee being selected in January from the VAMC’s previous twelve Employee of the Month recipients.  Awardees will receive tickets and recognition at the Patriotic Awards Luncheon, as well as being recognized in front of their peers at a hospital staff meeting.  The AVHOFS will also place a plaque in the medical center, adding the awardee’s name each year.  The Society’s Committee for this program is Karen Craig, Pat Little-Upah, Peter Kloeber, Ron Perkins and Jim Monroe. 

AWARD TO VETERANS FIRST, LTD

Upcoming Space Force Event >  Veteran Home Outreach Program

Come and join in the fun at the Arizona State Veterans Home – Phoenix on Sunday, January 22nd, 2023, 2-4pm when the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame Society Veteran Home Outreach Committee sponsors a Space Force Presentation by the dynamic Southwest Space Force Recruiter.  The afternoon will be complete with the showing/retiring of the colors by a local Scout Troop, handing out of Space Force memorabilia, and a great question and answer period following the Space Force Presentation. Due to Covid restrictions, this will be held outdoors, and masks will be required except for eating.
Light refreshments such as cake, coffee, tea, and punch will be available.  More to follow as we get closer to the Event. Anyone interested in becoming an active member of the AVHOFS Veteran Home Outreach Committee please contact: Christeen Verchot- class of 2021 @  C-(315) 272-9221 

Arizona State Veterans Home – Phoenix
4141 North Silvestre Herrera Way 
Phoenix, AZ  85012                                                                    
Email: Cverchot@veteransfirstltd.org

Eric Fowler (Class of 2020) was both the Sierra Vista Parade Grand Marshal and Veteran of the Year.  Here he is in his parade vehicle and at the cake cutting ceremony.  Accompanying him for the cutting was MG Christopher Eubank, CG U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command (NETCOM) and Mayor Rick Mueller.  Soon after the cake cutting event ended, children of all ages assembled to attack the cake.

Don Price (Class of 2017) is among the twelve veterans selected to be honored on the Veterans Wall at the Canyon Vista Medical Center in Sierra Vista.  The awards are annually presented by the Legacy Foundation of Southeast Arizona.

Request you let us know as soon as you know of an inductee’s passing. If available, we would like to know the inductee’s name, date of passing, funeral, and memorial service details, and a copy of the obituary. Send notices to Jim Monroe at j.c.monroe@cox.net.

Known members that passed in 2022.