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Background Information From my Great- Great Grandfather Henry Brown serving in the Civil War, to my Grandfather Walter Brown's heroic service in France during WWI, to my Father, Robert Brown's, harrowing experiences in the Battle of Leyte in the South Pacific in WWII, there is no question that when family members have served in the military, and especially in harm's way, this has a unique and personal affect on that family's life for generations. I have always kept that in perspective when I have met with veterans and family members of veterans over the last thirty six years of public service. I have personally conducted thousands of interviews with WWI veterans, WWII veterans, Korean War veterans, Vietnam veterans, Persian Gulf veterans and veterans from our current War in Iraq over the last twenty six years. I have been to District Court on multiple occasions to testify on behalf of many veterans at the request of the presiding Judge. I have worked directly with Vets Centers and VA health care facilities in their process of therapy for PTSD vets and their families as well as most known conditions known to man. I have coordinated and personally transported hundreds of veterans on commitments, surgeries, home care, County Nursing Coordination. I have visited hundreds of veterans in state and federal prisons, conducted field visits to Indian Reservations, and met with groups of ex-POWs and many times their widows. I have written, produced, directed and participated in both radio and television programming regarding veterans' benefits, spoken to hundreds of gatherings in regard to veterans' benefit programs. I have worked with the current Director of the VA Medical Center in Minneapolis on a number of occasions, personally helped plan and participated in Senate Congressional Investigations regarding Undiagnosed Illness, personally helped plan and participated in a forum with a former Secretary of Veterans Affairs regarding veterans health care and personally helped plan and participated in a Health Forum regarding Undiagnosed Illness for Veterans at the VA Medical Center in Minneapolis. My personal pledge from the beginning of my public career has been and will continue to be that I will always provide the most respectable and quality service I am able to provide on behalf of any veteran or family member, with no prejudice or pre-adjudication, knowing that veteran has honorably served the nation. SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
RELEVANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS VETERAN RELATED Honorably Discharged Navy Veteran - 1968-1969 - Vietnam Campaign & Service Medal
ADMINISTRATION
PUBLIC RELATIONS
WORK HISTORY VETERANS SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE-RATING SPECIALIST - Six Years DECISION REVIEW OFFICER - Two Years December 2001- September 2009 Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office St. Paul, MN 55111 Decision making as a Rating Specialist working in the St. Paul DVA Regional Office, Ratings have included the spectrum of DVA programs including service connected disability; non service connected disability; survivor and burial benefits; as well as special ratings involved with aid and attendance/housebound; educational; and special adaptive housing. I have served on the Appeals Team; worked as special JSRRC PTSD alternate coordinator; and special adaptive housing coordinator. As a member of the Rating Board, I have presented multiple VA training subjects to national veterans' representatives, County Veterans Service Representatives, as well as to our own Decision Review Officers, Rating Specialists, and Veterans' Service Representatives. DeNovo Review as a Decision Review Officer has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. The ability to review all evidence in a claims file on behalf of an honored veteran or family member and understanding the VA's rules and regulations, always looking for a way to grant benefits under the law, has been a privilege few citizens are allowed. Working directly with the National Service Organizations and their representatives and our mutual advocacy on behalf of veterans has been a true honor. MINNESOTA COUNTY VETERANS SERVICE OFFICER - Sixteen + years September 1985-December 2001 Courthouse Carlton MN 55718 Initiate, develop, document, and appeal claims filed with the Federal Department of Veterans Affairs. Obtain evidence by personal interview with veterans, family members and medical professionals in case management of claims. Advised veterans and their dependents regarding health care, employment, drug abuse, education and other issues that affect veterans and their families. Educated veterans regarding their potential eligibility regarding compensation, pension, survivor, burial, insurance, medical, home loan and other related federal and state veterans' programs. Appointed by duly elected County Commissioners as department head responsible on the internal professional County Management Team. Perform outreach services in the community with veterans' organizations and other community groups. Supervisory responsibility included the guidance and training of a Deputy Service Officer and supervision and coordination of five volunteer drivers who transported veterans to and from the VA Medical Center. Outreach efforts included speaking engagements at veterans' posts, prisons, Native American reservations, and all media outlets in NE Minnesota. Produced and directed veterans' cable television programming. SOCIAL INSURANCE REPRESENTATIVE - Twelve + years June 1973-August 1985 Social Security Administration Duluth MN 55802 (and Hibbing) Interview, document and adjudicate applications for retirement, survivors, disability and Medicare claims within the realm of Social Security laws and regulation. Responsibility related to personal adjudication and authorization of millions of dollars per year for both SSI/SSA clients. Investigate, document and prepare special determinations with respect to wages and self employment coverage in conjunction with IRS/SS law. Field investigate disability/earnings test violations. Determine and audit overpayments for SSI clients and hold personal conferences and reconcile and author special determinations of waiver and/or liability. Travel to multiple cities and towns regarding contact station personal interviews within the service area and make personal visits to homes. Personally interviewed twelve thousand + clients related to Social Security benefits. Radio and media presentations on behalf of the Social Security Administration and multiple presentations to community organizations regarding SSA/SSI laws. PRESIDENT MOOSE LAKE REGIONAL TREATMENT CENTER COALTION - Six years 1986-Summer of 1992 Non-Profit Corporation Direct a non profit regional coalition; as President, it was my responsibility and duty to work with multiple state agencies, Minnesota Legislature, Governor's office, numerous unions and special interest groups involved with State policy and the deinstitutionalization of the severely mentally ill, developmentally disabled and chemically dependent clients who were committed to the State Hospital system in Minnesota. The negotiated positions represented community interests for Northeastern Minnesota. Produced and presented testimony and discussion with two Governors and multiple legislative committees over a six year period. I lobbied regularly with the State Commissioners of Human Services and Corrections as well as the State Legislative Chairs for Finance, Human Services and the Judiciary. The final outcome of negotiations resulted in the conversion of a State Hospital to a correctional and psychopathic treatment facility with over $50 million dollars in construction bonding and an annual payroll over $35 million dollars (five hundred + government positions inclusive of state operated community services) COMMUNITY SERVICE Council Member, City of Moose Lake MN - 1980-1984; 1992-2000 Chairman, Moose Lake Planning Commission - 1982-1984; 1992-1998 Coach, Little League, VFW, and American Legion baseball - six years Co-chair Inter-Governmental Work Group - four years Minnesota American Legion Rehabilitation Veterans Affairs Committee - two years Co-chair local school improvement bonding projects proposal - two years President - Class of 1967 - Moose Lake High School SPECIAL RECOGNITION AND AWARDS Special Contribution Incentive Awards - VA -2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Proclamation - City of Moose Lake - September 2006 Certificate of Appreciation - Minneapolis VA Medical Center - Dec 2001 Commendation - Department of Veterans Affairs, St. Paul, MN - September 1990 Civic and Community Service Award - Citizen of the Year - Jaycees 1988 Commendation - Governor, State of Minnesota - September 1988 Outstanding Public Service Award -Social Security Administration - 1984 Field Work Award, Social Security Administration - 1983 Outstanding Performance Award, Social Security Administration - 1974 American Legion High School Citizenship Award - 1967 EDUCATION AND TRAINING Challenge 2002 Centralized Training, Veterans Benefit Academy, Baltimore, Maryland Annual certification training, Minnesota County Veterans Service Officer Two years of liberal arts, University of Minnesota, Duluth Service Representative Social Security Training, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Claims Representative Social Security Training, Chicago, Illinois Supplemental Security Instructor Training, Social Security Administration, St. Paul, Minnesota Disability Instructor Training, Social Security Administration, St. Paul, Minnesota Communications Seminar, Northfield, Minnesota Leadership Carlton County and Personal Time Management Seminar, University of Minnesota |
