Veterans Service Commissioners

President—Robert Corbin            Danny Hamilton

V. President—James Richard(VVA) Grafton S. Payne

Secretary—Jim Knowles (amvets) Stephen Rice

William Harshaw  (VFW)               William Tully

Thomas Hagel(DAV)                     Carl Schafer

Mark E. Landers (AL)                   Al Dunn-Director

Veteran’s Voice

Paul Lawrence Dunbar’s Father Honored in Ceremony

Editor -  Jill Fox

Montgomery County Veterans Service Commission is located@ 627 Edwin C. Moses

4th Floor East Medical Plaza.

If you would like to meet with a Veterans Service Officer or a Financial Intake Specialist please call 225-4801 to schedule an appointment.

Sergeant  Joshua Dunbar, father of Paul Laurence Dunbar, was honored on November 26, 2004 as a Medal of Honor recipient with a permanent exhibit in a ceremony at his gravesite at the VA’s cemetery.

     Joshua Dunbar was born into slavery in Kentucky, his exact date of birth is unclear.  He escaped from slavery in Kentucky  through the Underground Railroad and went to Canada where he was a free man. 

· Educational Military Leave of Absence and Tuition Relief: Requires colleges and universities to provide educational military leave of absence for students called to active duty.  The provisions require that the institution restore the student to his/her previous educational status upon return from the military service without loss of credits earned, scholarships or grants or other fees paid prior to commencement of military duty.  In addition, colleges and universities would be required to provide a tuition refund or credit to students who are forced to suspend their studies because of military leave of absence before or on the institutional date of withdrawal.  Also includes an enforcement mechanism providing an opportunity for students to file a civil claim if the institution  does not comply.

· School Stability: Children of overseas deployed parents will be permitted to remain in school without disruption for the period of deployment.  

· Evictions: Prohibits evictions of a financially dependant family member in residence with a soldier during period of active duty military service.  The service member must be on the lease. (Cont. page 3)

The Ohio Patriot Plan

The “Patriot Plan” is a bi-partisan comprehensive package of new benefits and enhanced protections for Ohio Military personnel and their families.  It was introduced with fifty-one co-sponsors and has passed the Ohio House of Representatives by a unanimous vote on May 26, 2004 and passed  the Ohio Senate by a unanimous vote on December 8, 2004.  Sub. House Bill 426 is currently awaiting the Governor’s signature.

The provisions of the Plan include:

· Termination of Vehicle Leases: Permits military personnel to terminate without penalty a car lease if he/she is called to active duty.

· Interest Rate Cap on Installment Loans: Caps rates of interest on installment loans at 6% while the individual is on state active duty.

· Health Insurance Benefits: Directs the Insurance Department to protect the rights of military personnel to continue, suspend or convert health insurance benefits during periods of active duty.

· Life Insurance policies: cannot lapse during period of active deployment or 2 years after end of insured’s active duty.