City of Methuen Annual Report: 2012

C i t y o f M e t h u e n A n n u a l R e p o r t : 2 0 1 2Veterans ServicesThe Massachusetts Department of Veterans Affairs was established after World War II in 1946. TheDepartment is currently headed by Secretary Coleman Nee, a Marine Corps Veteran of OperationDesert Storm. Massachusetts is a leader in State Veterans Services and is the only state where eachcity or town in the Commonwealth has or has access to a Veterans Service Officer.The City of Methuen has over 5,000 Veterans. The City Veterans Affairs Department continues toprovide a wide range of services to our Veterans, their families and the community. We currentlyhave 77 recipients of direct financial aid through Massachusetts General Law Chapter 115. Theseexpenses are reimbursed to the city at the rate of 75%. An additional forty-nine (49) Veterans, seven(7) widows of Veterans who were 100% disabled and five (5) Gold Star parents receive the stateannuity each year. This is a total of 138 Methuen Veterans and/or family members who arereceiving financial assistance from the City and Commonwealth.We continue to assist Veterans and eligible family members with Federal Department of VeteransAffairs applications for both medical and financial benefits. The city currently has 462 Veteransand/or family members receiving Federal Disability and Pension benefits, which adds $398,399.00 inincome to our community members.Medical care is of great concern to our Veterans. We encourage and assist them with theirapplications to participate in the VA Health Care System, which assists our Veterans in meeting therequirements of the Massachusetts Universal Health Care Law.PROGRAMSPrograms administered by the City Department of Veterans Affairs include:122The Veterans Expo. Begun in 1998, we have adjusted the program to attract more Veterans andfamily members as we strive to provide information to our Veterans. Thanks to the SeniorCitizens Center for continuing to host this event and the Methuen Police Department HonorGuard who add a great deal to all of our events.The city places over 5,000 Flags on the graves of our fallen heroes in our nine (9) cemeterieseach May. This work done by volunteers include groups such as the Tenney School Peer Leaders,American Training, Scout troops and packs, school groups, American Legion, Veterans of ForeignWars (V.F.W.) and Disabled American Veterans (D.A.V.) Posts and individual citizens. Thanks tothe Methuen Cemetery Crew for their assistance and the many volunteers who perform thisspecial duty. The current Director worked with Farley and Cross, the Town of North Andoverand the City of Lawrence to reduce the cost of flags through bulk purchasing.The parades on Memorial Day and Veterans Day are well received and complimented by theplacement of approximately 150 Flags by the Eugene Voiland Memorial Flag Program (a specialthanks to the Methuen D.P.W. for the placement of the Flags each year).