The Alaska Veterans Affairs Healthcare System announced Thursday that it will hold five "Veterans' Listening Sessions" in November to facilitate conversations between veterans and staff in response to a federal mandate that requires VA facilities nationwide to organize quarterly public meetings.
Susan Yeager, director of the Alaska VA Healthcare System, will host the first town hall in Anchorage on Nov. 10 before traveling to Soldotna, Wasilla, Juneau and Fairbanks for similar meetings.
In September, the Alaska VA Healthcare System held a town hall at Loussac Library in Anchorage, following an order from VA Secretary Bob McDonald. McDonald was unanimously confirmed as the new VA secretary in July after Eric Shinseki was forced to step down from the position amid allegations of patient backlogs, records falsification and mismanagement within the department.
Samuel Hudson, a spokesman for the Alaska VA Healthcare System, said he hopes more veterans attend the November meetings than were at the September town hall, which drew about 50 veterans. Hudson said the Alaska VA Healthcare System faced criticism in September from some veterans who said the town hall was not adequately publicized.
Hudson said he expects the November meetings to be run like the earlier town hall. In September, VA staff pulled tickets out of a box and the veteran with the corresponding number was handed a microphone.
Representatives from the Veterans Health Administration, the Veterans Benefits Administration and the National Cemetery Administration will also be in attendance to answer questions, he said.
Schedule for Veterans Listening Sessions:
Anchorage:
Monday, Nov. 10
5 to 6:30 p.m.
Alaska VA Muldoon Clinic Conference Center, 1201 N. Muldoon Road
Soldotna:
Wednesday, Nov. 12
5 to 6:30 p.m.
Kenai River Center, 514 Funny River Road
Wasilla:
Thursday, Nov. 13
5 to 6:30 p.m.
Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center, 1001 S. Mack Dr.
Juneau:
Tuesday, Nov. 18
6:30 to 8 p.m.
Mendenhall Library, 9105 Mendenhall Mall Rd. #134
Fairbanks:
Thursday, Nov. 20
5 to 6:30 pm.
Noel Wien Library, 1215 Cowles St.
Alaska Dispatch Publishing