Emmet County Veteran Services

2 Free Detroit Tiger Tickets available for a veteran and their guest on Saturday August 3, 2024 @ 6 pm. Interested? Inbox me 🇺🇸✌🏾🙏🏾🙌🏾

Attention Emmet County Veterans and family members. Our office will be CLOSED this Thursday, July 18th & Friday, July 19th.

Veterans Coffee Hour this Friday, July 19th will still be happening at the Petoskey American Legion from 9 am to 10 am.

We will be back in the office on Monday, July 22nd. Please feel free to email us while we are away at [email protected]. 🇺🇸

🚨 VETERANS 🚨

Last Chance Resale is looking for Veterans to ride in their float this 4th of July in Harbor Springs. If interested, please wear a hat, shirt, or sweatshirt designating your branch of service. Please RSVP to Jessie at (231) 348-1780 or [email protected].

Lady Vets 🇺🇸

Women of the Wild + Outdoor Driven have set up a pretty awesome fishing trip for our female warriors. Interested in signing up? Visit Women of the Wild’s website and scroll towards the bottom of the home page. Must upload a copy of your DD-214.

A huge thank you to 4Front Credit Union, Sunset Premier Shuttle + the Traverse City Pit Spitters for a wonderful evening at Turtle Creek Stadium yesterday. Even though the Pit Spitters couldn’t secure a win against the Battle Creek Battle Jacks we still had a great time!

We even had one of our own, Matt Blythe, Emergency Manager for Emmet County, throw out the first pitch.

Thank you to all the Veterans and their family members who came out and enjoyed the game with us. 🇺🇸⚾️

Have a happy and safe 4th of July everybody!

We have 4 extra tickets to the Pit Spitters game today in Traverses City! Bus availability, come get them before 2:30 today at the veterans office. (Veterans and family members only please)

Those who have reserved tickets and bus seats to the PitSpitters game today the bus leaves at 2:30 from the M-119 veterans office!!

Attention Emmet County Veterans!

Our office will be closed tomorrow, June 25th, and Wednesday, June 26th for a county-wide exercise. We will return on Thursday, June 27th. Please feel free to send us an email at [email protected] in the meantime.

We are sorry for the inconvenience this has caused. See you on Thursday, June 27th.

Attention Vets,

The VA has extended presumptions of service connection for three new cancer types for post-9/11 veterans under the PACT Act.

The following three cancer types have been included in the list of presumptive diseases:

- Male breast cancer
- Urethral cancer
- Cancer of the paraurethral glands

For more information, call our office at (231) 348-1780.

VA extends presumptions of service-connection for three new cancer types Today, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is including three new cancer types in the list of presumed service-connected disabilities due to military environmental exposure under the PACT Act.

VETERANS!

Please join us at this year's Charlevoix Elks Lodge #2856 Veterans Benefit Fair on Saturday, August 10th from 10 am to 2 pm.

Refreshments and Lunch will be provided.

Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/northwest-michigan-veterans-benefit-fair-tickets-906885989407.

See you there!

This Saturday - Harbor Springs Airport Community Aviation Day from 9 to noon. ✈️🇺🇸

Today, we pause to remember and honor the brave men who made the ultimate sacrifice on D-Day. Their courage and sacrifice will never be forgotten. May we always remember their heroism and strive to uphold the values they fought for. 🇺🇸

Our office will be closed tomorrow for walk-ins, but doors will be open tomorrow morning for Veterans Coffee Hour! ☕️🍩🇺🇸

‼️ ATTENTION VETERANS ‼️

While our office is still operating via email and phone, our physical office will be closed today, tomorrow, and tentatively on Friday for walk-ins. We are very sorry for the inconvenience this has caused.

Please call Jess at (231) 330-8725 or email her at [email protected].

Vets ‼️

There is a one-day CPL class being offered at Belay My Last Barracks (22 2 NONE) in South Boardman on Sunday, July 7th.

Here is another CPL class for those who have been waiting.

THANK YOU to those who helped make Cpl. Michael B. Lindemuth’s Memorial Garden look marvelous before Memorial Day. 🇺🇸

This Friday's coffee hour is canceled due to unforeseen events. We will be back next week with coffee and donuts!

As Memorial Day approaches, it is essential to reflect on the significance of the solemn occasion and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. 🇺🇸

Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal’s episode of “Toughest Forces on Earth” premiered on Netflix today - the episode is called “Dive to Survive”. Gather your buddies and watch to be absolutely blown away by our special operators demonstrating a wide range of capabilities that make us one of the toughest forces on Earth. 🌎💣💥🤿

U.S. Navy Navy Expeditionary Combat Command U.S. Fleet Forces Command

NEXT MONDAY
Here is our 2024 Memorial Day Schedule for Petoskey and
Petoskey’s American Legion Post:

7:00 AM - Rifle Salute/Honors Team meet at Post. (Uniform is black pants, black shoes, and either short or long--sleeved white dress shirt with Legion Uniform Cap. We provide gold scarves and gloves.)

7:30 AM - Set up the POW/MIA Table at Pennsylvania Park.
The display will remain up until after the program.

8:30 AM - Honors Ceremony at Greenwood Cemetery
At the Veterans Honor Garden. Enter through the Sheridan Street gate.

9:30 AM - Honors Ceremony by the Festival Place Shelter. We are moving our "Lost at Sea" remembrance to the lakefront behind the Petoskey Fire Department.

10:30 AM - Parade to Pennsylvania Park
The Legion Color Guard will lead the high school bands from the corner of Mitchell and Emmet Streets up Mitchell to Pennsylvania Park. We will have rides available for veterans who want to participate but have mobility issues.

11:00 AM - Program at Pennsylvania Park
Once everyone is in place, our Commander and Chaplain will lead a program of remembrance from the stage near the Gazebo.

11:30 AM - Open House at the Post, 455 Bay St., Petoskey
Light snacks and soft drinks for any veteran and their family members.

This is amazing! Way to go, EJ!

Honor and Service Book - In Their Own Words To buy your copy today, visit: https://shoeclub.org/honor-service-project

The first annual Boots on the Ground Heroes Memorial at Camp Grayling will have an opening ceremony on July 13th at 11 a.m. Boots will be displayed from July 13-26, 2024, and Survivor Outreach Services will supply the flag and one name tag per boot. This is open to all branches of the military and the boots can be decorated as you would like.

RSVP by July 1st by contacting Beth Amy at 989-372-4313 or by visiting https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/bootsonground4heroes/2024-boots-on-the-ground-for-heroes-memorial

Attention Emmet County Veterans and family members. Our office will be CLOSED from Monday, May 13th to Friday, May 17th, for our annual National Association of County Veterans Service Officers training.

Veterans Coffee Hour on Friday, May 17th will still be going on at the Petoskey American Legion from 9 am to 10 am. ☕🍩

We will be back in the office on Monday, May 20th. Please feel free to email us while we are at training at [email protected]. 🇺🇸

Vets, the National VA in DC came down saying that any Veteran who currently smokes, will no longer be issued home oxygen tanks as it's deemed a safety hazard.

"Smoking while oxygen is in use will result in discharge from your local VA Home Oxygen program and all equipment will have to be picked up by the contracted Home Oxygen supplier."

Veterans, do you have your information available for your spouse, children, or friends to help them settle your affairs after you pass?

Check out "The Paper Safe." It is intended for you to easily contain all of the information that your family will need in a stressful time. Even if you already have a Will or Trust, the Paper Safe can allow you to put all of that information, along with all of the other details that someone would need, in one simple to find place. From the link below, you can read it over and get ideas, or you can print it right from your computer for your immediate use. ⤵️🇺🇸

https://www.avva.org/papersafe.html

Michigan Operation Freedom Outdoors is hosting their first-ever "Michigan Iced Over" ice fishing event on February 10th on Otsego Lake. Follow their page and stay tuned for more information.

Many thanks to our new friends and co host of the first annual Michigan iced over!
Veterans Education, Training & Support, Inc. Thanks for stepping up!
Registration live this Saturday!

📣 Disabled Veterans/Un-Remarried Surviving Spouses that qualify for the Property Tax Exemption 📣

See below for the new and updated Form 5107. The "One-and-Done" clause will not go into effect until 2025 (FY26). Disabled Veterans/Un-Remarried surviving Spouses will have to file their 5107 now for FY24, and again in 2024 for FY25.

Any changes to living situations, etc. will need to be addressed with the disabled veterans or surviving spouses township assessor, and a Form 6054 will need to be submitted as well.

For more information or to access the forms, please visit https://www.michigan.gov/treasury/local/stc/ppe/detail/disabled-veterans-exemption-information.

Do you know a Purple Heart Recipient? 💜🇺🇸

Check out the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor located in New York. Hop on their website to see if your service member is listed, if not, fill out a short enrollment form with supporting documentation and get the service member honored. See the link to their website below. ⤵️

https://www.thepurpleheart.com/roll-of-honor/

🎄Calling on the Spirit of Giving for our Veteran Families! 🎁

As we approach the festive season, let's come together to make this Christmas extra special for a veteran family in need. 🌟 Emmet County Veterans Affairs is on a heartfelt mission to identify a veteran family that could use a little extra support and holiday cheer.

If you know of a veteran family facing challenges or could benefit from some extra love this Christmas, please reach out to us. Your confidential recommendations will play a vital role in ensuring that we extend a helping hand to those who have sacrificed so much for our freedom.

Let's make this holiday season one to remember for a veteran family in our community! 🎅🏽✨

📞 Contact us at 231-348-1780 or send a private message. Your compassion can make a world of difference.

Together, we can create a brighter and warmer Christmas for those who have served our nation with honor. 🤝🎁

Thank you for spreading the love and joy of the season!
🎅🏽🌲