Vietnam Veterans of America,
Charles S. Kettles Chapter 310
Regular Membership Meeting Minutes
12 February 2026
Call to Order by President Vance McCrumb at 1900
Pledge of Allegiance: Vance McCrumb
Opening Prayer: Bob Bull
Moment of Silence for POW/MIA’s, their families and those who are serving in hazardous places around the world.
Roll call: A quorum was established. Welcome Home Everyone!
Introduction of New Members: None
Introduction of Guests: Prospective Member Berry Muller served as a medical officer in the middle of the Mekong Delta in 1964&5. He also worked with a Vietnamese doctor helping indigenous people.
Motion by Budd Frye/Brian Bayha to Approve the January Minutes published on the VVA310.org website.
Adjourned to Nominations
President: Bob Kiewicinski declined
Vice President: Stan Harrison, accepted
Treasurer: Berry Bourne, accepted
Secretary: Jon Luker, accepted
Sergeant at Arms: Eric Downie, accepted
Two-year board members moving to 1-year positions are:
Marv Rivers, Dale Throneberry, Budd Frye
Two-year board nominees (Need at least three)
Absent: Bob Bull, Tim Driscoll
Accepting: Ed Scruggs
Declining:
State Council Delegates: (We are authorized up to 5) Driscoll, Wilson, Luker.
Metting Resumed
Officer Reports:
President’s Report: See report on VVA310.org/newsletter website in The 310 Dispatch in the Nov/Dec issue
Treasurer’s Report: Reports were emailed to the board. Reports are also available to members via email upon request.
Non-restricted Fund Revenue
a. $508 merchandise sales and $18 donations at Ann Arbor VA with $224 cost of goods sold for a 56% profit margin on merchandise sales before a $102 fee at 20% to Ann Arbor VA
b. Nothing else significant
Non-restricted Fund Expenses:
Nothing significant
Restricted Funds Revenue:
a. $400 donation to Ann Arbor VA Patients Restricted Fund
b. $100 donation to Vietnam Memorial Long-term Landscaping Plan Restricted Fund:
c. $100 donation to Vietnam Memorial Maintenance Fund
Restricted Funds Expenses:
a. $3,161 for three steak upgrade dinners for Ann Arbor VA patients
b. $370 cost for Vietnam Memorial maintenance
AVVA Report: Please see the AVVA report published on our website https://www.vva310.org/newsletter. Kathy Driscoll gave a brief report.
National Meetings Report: See website for full report. Topics included:
- Mission 75 Plan
- AVVA and VVA merger
- Mission POW-MIA
- Legacy Task Force
- Role of Council of State Council Presidents
- Whether there should be a Leadership Conference, and, if so, what do we use the time for
- Training new officers or
- Discussing the new long term strategic plan
- National Budget and officer raises.
- Presentation by Under Secretary of VHA, John Bartrum focusing on three of four levels of care:
- Not doing anything with 139 healthcare centers we already have.
- VHA level should state policy and get out of the way
- Replace all the bureaucracy between hospitals and VHA with a medical operations center – the G2 for VHA
- Reduce 18 VISN’s to 5 whose sole focus will be healthcare outcomes. They will report directly to the secretary
- Should we move the national office?
- Motion to make one last revenue share with chapters and state councils
Committee Reports:
Merchandise: Stan Harrison – We had $508 gross sales at the VA. The next sale is tomorrow from 0830 to 1300 on the third floor. Inventory will be done here on Sunday at 1300. All the pins have been counted. I have challenge coins here if you want to buy one. We have free $5 gift cards that are good at the Applebee’s on Carpenter and in Belleville. Please use only one at a time.
Washtenaw County Council of Veterans: Bob Bull – The next meeting is on Monday.
Michigan State Council: Sandie Wilson – The next meeting is here at 1000 on 14 March. It would be good if many members showed up.
Memorial Maintenance: Luker, show of hands for volunteers for next season – 3. We need more volunteers.
Website: We have had 512,311hits since the website was late rebuilt.
Membership: 227
Newsletter: We reduced the November/December issue to 10 pages. We did not include pictures of our KIA’s because there were so many. Check the patron page to see if you are up to date with your subscription. Expired subscriptions will be removed from the postage mailing list and added to the email list if we have an email address.
Health Care: Sandie Wilson
- The VA is converting to a new computer system and the new computer medical record.
- Dr. Lawrence, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, was in Ann Arbor to meet with some of us. The meeting was well attended by younger veterans and by people that live in the area. Several issues came up including:
- Lack of 988 information in the VA
- The VA no longer does PSA tests
- The rumor about 35,000 layoffs coming up – turns out to be false
There have been many cuts in the recent past, but the VA is now hiring nurses and other healthcare professionals.
LTCCSKMC: Wilson – It is unlikely you will see a counselor in person for PTS who knows what to do. I now have phone appointments. The VA is transferring patients from counselors to peer support specialists. The only staff psychologist is limited to five-minute appointments, which is just enough time to renew prescriptions. There are social workers, but they are not trained for military pts work, nor are they permitted to go beyond 13 weeks with the same patient. For now, your best bet for mental healthcare is whatever Medicare will pay for outside the VA.
Old Business: None
New Business: None
Good of the Order:
Sandie Wilson –
- I saw some of the proposed budget two days before the meeting. We have enough money to pay our bills for 16 months. The household goods and car donations were our primary funding source. Then the tax laws were changed to encourage people to take the standard deduction. Once people started doing that, our income dropped considerably. Since other nonprofits also suffered, the law was changed to allow individuals to deduct up to $1,000 of their cash donations, but donations of cars or household goods no longer count.
- The board did take $1,000,000 out of restricted funds to have something to give state councils and chapters.
- Rent in Silver Springs is over a half million dollars. There was discussion about moving national offices. The new president wanted a 30% increase for the top four national officers. It was presented with no opportunity for discussion, debate or amendment. The president withdrew that item from the budget before the board voted.
- I’ve been put on the committee of 5 AVVA members and 5 VVA members to study a merger of the two organizations and to come up with a new name.
- 9 years ago, law was passed that required the VA to research the effects on children of veterans who were exposed to toxins. A committee was formed to outline what the study should accomplish. Their report says that the VA needs to study the effects on children of veterans who have experienced toxic exposure. The VA has decided that it is not required to comply with the law. The VA says that the research is not economically feasible. VVA is now ready to push VA to obey the law and do the research.
McCrumb: Breakfast on Friday will be at 0900 at Sinbad's Coney Island Restaurant, 2563 Ellsworth Rd, Ypsilanti, MI 48197, (734) 528-5800.
Hall: We had the memorial service for my brother Eugene on 31 January. There was a great showing. The family was really impressed. 15 members of the Washtenaw County Honor Guard attended in uniform as well. Thank you all for showing up and supporting the family.
Closing prayer: Bob Bull
Salute the Flag
Adjourned 2012
Meeting to adjourn NLT 2030
8 January 2026
Call to Order by President Vance McCrumb at 1900
Pledge of Allegiance: Vance McCrumb
Opening Prayer: Bob Bull
Moment of Silence for POW/MIA’s, their families and those who are serving in hazardous places around the world.
Roll call: A quorum was established. Welcome Home Everyone!
Introduction of New Members: None
Introduction of Guests: None
Motion by Tim Driscoll/Budd Frye to Approve the December Minutes published on the VVA310.org website.
Officer Reports:
President’s Report: See report on VVA310.org/newsletter website in The 310 Dispatch in the Nov/Dec issue
Treasurer’s Report: Reports were emailed to the board. Reports are also available to members via email upon request.
Non-restricted Fund Revenue:
- $625 merchandise sales and $10 donation at Ann Arbor VA with $292 cost of goods sold for a 55% profit margin on merchandise sales before a $130 fee at 20% to Ann Arbor VA
- Three donations totaling $200 were received
Non-restricted Fund Expenses: Nothing significant
Restricted Funds Revenue:
- $5,980 Christmas Program Fund
- $1,000 donation to Vietnam Memorial Maintenance Fund
Restricted Funds Expenses:
- $4,371 for Ann Arbor VA patients for the Christmas Program
- Other
AVVA Report: Please see the AVVA report published on our website https://www.vva310.org/newsletter. Kathy Driscoll gave a brief report.
Committee Reports:
Merchandise: Stan Harrison – $625 merchandise sales at Ann Arbor VA in December. Next sales will be held at VA on 16 Jan beginning at 0800 to 1330. Physical inventory at VFW on 15 Feb 2026 beginning at 1300. I have Chapter Challenge Coins for sale with me here.
Washtenaw County Council of Veterans: Bob Bull - Saline American Legion Post will be closed the month of March for limited remodeling.
Michigan State Council: Sandie Wilson - Tom Burke, President VVA National,
attended the meeting. He stressed that VVA will not go away but he hopes to merge
with another organization
Memorial Maintenance: Vance McCrumb - Water has been turned off. VVA 310 will only mow the interior grass and Ypsilanti Township will move the other grass areas at the Memorial.
Website: We have had 507,400 hits since the website was late rebuilt.
Membership: 227
Newsletter: On website
Health Care: Sandie Wilson - Congress determines what services veterans receive and how to fund them. We need to educate and inform our elected representatives of our constituent views. Following extensive research, the CDC has declared a medical diagnostic code for Gulf War Illness. It is related to an escape of Sarin gas in Iraq from the chemical warfare storage facility and will affect the genes for 14 generations. University of Michigan and Wayne State University have developed filters to removed PFAS (fire suppression chemicals) from drinking water. This was funded by EPA research budget. Since then, EPA has been downsized and medical research budgets have been drastically cut. The “Ranch Hand” data and specimens are now in research facilities in California. University of Michigan researchers have identified 156 genes related to Alzheimer disease. Government direct funding is required to fund gene therapy and other modern research to find a cure or relief. Medicare does not fund care. VA health care has a hiring freeze of direct care providers. Ann Arbor VA has not filled psychologist position in mental health for years. I would suggest anyone on PTSD disability consider using individual Medicare for outside care.
LTCCSKMC: Berry Bourne - $4,473 was incurred for Embroidered wear and incidentals for Ann Arbor VA patients for Christmas Party on 16 Dec. In addition, The VA was reimbursed $4,034 for four steak dinners (July 4th, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas) upgrades during the year.
Old Business: None
New Business: Motion by Berry Bourne/Tim Driscoll to approve 2026-2027 proposed operating budget as presented. After discussion, motion was unanimously approved.
Good of the Order:
Roy Hall – Celebration of life for Neugene Hall, fellow VVA310 chapter member and
Roy Hall’s brother, will be held at the VFW Post 423 on 31 Jan 2026 beginning at
1200
Bob Bull – complimentary breakfast at Harvest Moon Café 13 Jan 2026 beginning
at 0830
Vance McCrumb: Breakfast tomorrow will be at 0900 at The Bomber Restaurant,
306 E Michigan Ave, Ypsilanti, MI 48198, (734) 482-0550
Closing prayer: Bob Bull
Salute the Flag
Adjourned 1931
Meeting to adjourn NLT 2030