Pictured, from left, are DAVA Unit #63 Commander Shirley Plahovinsak (Clermont County), Disabled American Veteran (DAV) Chapter #63 (Clermont County) John Plahovinsak, Congressman Greg Landsman (of the 1st Congressional District), and DAV Member and First Junior Vice Commander James Crawford. Photo provided by Alexa Helwig.
Congressman Greg Landsman (of the 1st Congressional District), on left, listens intently as Disabled American Veteran (DAV) Chapter #63 (Clermont County) John Plahovinsak, on right, briefs him on the DAV’s 2025 Critical Policy Goals at our Nation’s Capitol. Representative Landsman was the recipient of the DAV’s Department of Ohio’s 2024 Legislator of the Year Award and has established a Veterans’ Advisory Committee within his District to keep him aware of veteran-related issues. Photo provided by Alexa Helwig.
Two (2) Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Chapter/Auxiliary members traveled to Washington D.C. to participate in the DAV 2025 Mid-Winter Conference recently. Their task was to brief leaders on veteran-related Legislative Goals for the 119th Congressional Session.
DAV Past Ohio Department Commander John Plahovinsak, Adjutant of Chapter #63 (Clermont County) and DAV Auxiliary Unit #63 Commander Shirley Plahovinsak were part of a ten (10) person DAV Legislative team.
The goal of the team was to brief fifteen (15) Ohio Representatives; two (2) Ohio Senators and four (4) Representatives from the U.S. Territories. The Ohio Delegation has been briefing Representatives from American Samoa; Guam, Northern Marianas; and Virgin Islands since 2018.
Two (2) of the thirty-five (35) members assigned to the 119th Session House of Representatives Veterans Affairs Committee are from U.S. Territories. They are: Northern Marianas and American Samoa. There are no Representatives from the State of Ohio on the House Committee.
All proposed veteran-related legislation must be first introduced and approved by the Veterans Affairs Committee, before any subsequent action is taken.
The DAV Delegation briefed eight (8) Critical Policy Goals ranging from veterans’ suicide prevention to expanding veterans’ dental care to modernizing and strengthening benefits for caregivers and their survivors.
Congressman James Moylan (of the District of Guam) Legislative Assistant Michael Sciacca discussed the importance of the VA Health Connect Clinical Contact Center which can address veterans’ emergent needs for pharmacy services; tele-emergency care and clinical nurse triage.
The Clinical Contact Center’s option is now available throughout the Hawaiian Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas.
Legislative Assistant Sciacca appreciated the visitation of the DAV Delegation and would look forward to working with them to improve the benefits and medical services of the veterans residing in Guam.
Congressman David Taylor (representing the 2nd Congressional District) and Legislative Assistant Evan Marquardt expressed a sincere interest in the disabled veterans in his district. He acknowledged that he aided in obtaining the helicopter that is located at Veterans Park in Union Township.
Copies of the DAV Reports on Women Veterans: The Journey to Mental Wellness and Ending the Wait for Toxic-Exposed Veterans were provided to the Congressman, who was interested in the DAV’s series of Women Veterans’ events that were conducted in his District.
The Congressman was made aware of the outstanding success of the Save A Warrior Program, which prevents veteran’s suicides. The Program’s facility is located within the 2nd Congressional District.
By chance, the Director of Development of the Save A Warrior Program, Suzette Heller, who was also a member of DAV Chapter #63, was also in Washington, D.C. After hearing of the Congressman’s interest, she visited his office to provide information.
Congresswoman Kimberlyn King-Hinds, replaced former Congressman Gregorio Sablan, representing the Northern Marianas. Legislative Director Herb Yamada and Representative King-Hinds met with the DAV Delegation and discussed the distances that disabled veterans must travel for specialized care.
Japan (1,510 miles away at U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka) is closer to a disabled veteran in the Northern Marianas for specialized medical care than Guam (1,619 miles away at U.S. Naval Hospital Guam) or Hawaii (at 4,117 miles).
The DAV had developed an excellent working relationship with former Congressman Salban and Legislative Director Yamada in the past and would continue to assist the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas whenever possible.
Congressman Greg Landsman (representing the 1st Congressional District) was the recipient of the DAV Department of Ohio’s 2024 Legislator of the Year Award at their June Annual Convention.
He received the award because of his sponsoring or co-sponsoring forty-one (41) veteran-related bills during the 118th Congressional Session; establishing a Veterans Advisory Committee for the 1st District; and for starting a Veteran of the Year Award for Hamilton and Warren Counties.
Many of DAV’s 2025 Critical Policy Goals corresponded directly with legislative bills that Congressman Landsman sponsored or cosponsored during the last Congressional Session.
For example, Landsman cosponsored the GUARD VA Benefits Act; the Major Richard Star Act; the Not Just a Number Act and the Love Lives on Act of 2023. He sponsored and introduced the What Works for Preventing Veteran Suicide Act.
All of these proposed bills directly relate to the DAV’s 2025 Critical Policy Goals.
The DAV Ohio’s Legislative Delegation accomplished its briefing goals as they continue to fight for the rights and benefits of disabled veterans on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C.