"This is the wrong message to send to veterans. We're willing to work with cuts, but we can't work with zero."

NOTE from Larry Scott, VA Watchdog dot Org ... Michigan veterans are not happy about budget cuts that will cost them service officers.  Previous story here.  All Sign of the Times articles here.

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Veterans to march on Lansing

By Matt Whetstone

LANSING - State budget cuts are not sitting well with veterans across Michigan.

To express their displeasure, veterans from across the state are heading to Lansing to march on the state Capitol.

As part of Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s executive order, Veteran Service Organization funding took a 25 percent cut, which equates to $187,200. Given that the state’s fiscal year ends Sept. 30, VSO funding is pretty much gone for the rest of the year.

"This is the wrong message to send to veterans," said Disabled American Veterans’ Vice Commander John Lamphere, who resides in Cadillac. "We’re willing to work with (cuts), but we can’t work with zero."

Lamphere is encouraging all veterans, family members and friends to head to Lansing on May 21 to take part in the rally. The rally begins at 3 p.m. on the east side of the Capitol building.

The problem with the cuts is the loss of service officers. The officers work with veterans groups, such as American Legion, and AMVETS to provide advice, guidance and help to veterans in navigating the complex maze of benefits. Lamphere said without funding to pay the officers, veterans could find themselves isolated or traveling long distances to obtain help.

The cut is especially troubling because every dollar that comes to service organizations returns about $75 in spending for a veteran, Lamphere explained. By getting help in finding benefits, he said veterans can often find more resources than they realized.

It’s also a poor message to send to troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan that the state doesn’t appreciate their service enough to make sure they have help when they return home, Lamphere said.

Lamphere said if anyone wants to organize a group to head to Lansing, he can help get them started. Anyone interested in taking part can reach Lamphere at (231) 876-0446.

March on Lansing

• What: Veterans will march on the state Capitol at 3 p.m. on May 21

• Why: Veterans are protesting cuts to the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs; more specifically, the march will be to protest a 25 percent cut to all Veteran Service Organization funding for the remaining quarter of the state’s fiscal year

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TOPICS: veterans, veterans' benefits, VA, Department of Veterans' Affairs, Michigan, budget cuts, veterans' service officer