MAG Update

MAG Meeting Notes 26 Feb 09, 1200-1240 hrs, State Office Bldg, Rm
500N, Chip Laingen presided.

Short meeting, only about seven people in attendance. No talk of
National Guard issues directly, but indirectly through discussion of
veterans issues.

- Hiring of veterans for state jobs is decreasing by about 16%
overall since 2004 (see attachment)

o Why? Are there fewer veterans overall? But there should be
more National Guard veterans and they tend to stay in the state.

o Veterans coming off of active duty often go to school to use
their education benefits - do state educational institutions give
preferential tuition pricing to veterans like other students do? No.
Are we losing veterans to other states because of that?

o Anecdotally, someone asked the question of employers about
hiring veterans and at least one employer said, "where are they? We'd
hire them if they applied."

- There are currently two bills in the system to give veterans
preference in state contracts, HF 557 (Severson) and HF 715 (Newton).
HF 557 is the "good" bill because it gives preference to all veterans,
not just disabled veterans, and uses existing federal databases to
determine eligibility, eliminating the need for the State to set up
its own administrative process to do the same thing. Sponsors of the
two bills have been talking. It is likely that the wording of HF 557
will win out, but under the HF 715 label.

- Rep Dettmer is introducing a bill that will allow all disabled
veterans, not just MN citizens, to free entrance into MN State Parks.
Opposition is expected to be light, if any.

- There is a "Special Forces" training meeting Friday, Feb 27th
at 1000 hrs, Rm 300N, State Office Bldg

- UVLC meeting minutes are attached (and I think they're also on
their website - http://www.mnuvlc.org)

Scott Chambers

scottchambers@bigfoot.com
UVLC-Meeting-MInutes.pdf
Veteran-Employment-in-State-of-MN-Jobs.pdf