1. Veteran Service Organization ‘Officers Day’ December 3, 2010 Voluntary Service

2. Vision of the Department of Veterans Affairs To provide veterans the world class benefits and services they have earned – and to do so by adhering to the highest standards of compassion, commitment, excellence, professionalism, integrity, accountability and stewardship.

3. Voluntary Service Mission of the Department of Veterans Affairs To fulfill President Lincoln’s promise “To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan” by serving and honoring the men and women who are America’s veterans.

4. What is Voluntary Service? VA Voluntary Service is responsible for recruiting, orientating and placing volunteers within the VA. Voluntary Service handles volunteer human resource issues, makes sure volunteer hours are logged in and holds award ceremonies. Coordinates group visits to inpatient veterans Accepts and records donations made to the VA Voluntary, Research and Chaplain Service are the only services authorized to accept donations to the VA

5. Voluntary Service VA Voluntary Service was founded in 1946 to provide for our nation’s veterans while they are cared for by a VA health care facility One of the largest centralized volunteer programs in the Federal Government Over 350 organizations support VA Voluntary Service VA Volunteers have provided over 688 million hours of service since 1946

6. Voluntary Service Goals To place, train and utilize volunteers so that the VA may best contribute to the mission of the Voluntary Service and the Boise VA Medical Center Maintain a patient focused approach to operations Seek ways to improve the delivery of services at the VA Maintain and expand current volunteer roster through aggressive recruitment Support the overall vision of the Boise VA Medical Center

7. Types of Volunteers Regularly Scheduled (RS) Volunteers who participate in the VA Voluntary Service Program on a regularly scheduled assignment under VA supervision Occasional Volunteers (OS) Volunteers serving under the VA Voluntary Service Program who do not meet the requirements of RS volunteers Youth Volunteers (YV) Volunteers under the age of 18

8. Benefits of Volunteering Scholarship for college Job experience Health care career possibilities Providing assistance to hospitalized veterans Community involvement Personal satisfaction helping those who served the US Free on-site training opportunities Improved health Recognition and award opportunities Opportunity to learn new marketable skills Free lunch when volunteering 4 hours or more in a day

9. Scholarships Jesse Brown Scholarship Secretary of Veterans Affairs 21 or younger and has volunteered for a minimum of 100 hours at a VA Medical Center during the previous calendar year First Place scholarship of $15,000

10. Scholarships Continued James H. Parke Memorial Scholarship First Director of Voluntary Service Established in 1976 to serve as the non-profit source of funds for a VA Voluntary Service Youth Scholarship 100 hours of regularly scheduled VA voluntary service 10 th Grade or above 19 years old or younger

11. Scholarships Continued Daughter of the American Revolution (DAR) www.dar.org/natsociety/edout_sholar.cfm#general The American Legion The Legacy Scholarship Fund Eagle Scout of the Year Samsung American Legion Scholarship American Legion Baseball Scholarship www.legion.org/scholarships

12. 2010 Highlights Over 683 Volunteers Over 59,000 hours donated Escort/Messenger Service Answered over 12,000 calls DAV/VA Transportation Program Over 230,000 miles traveled Over 5,600 veterans taken to VA appointments

13. Summary To paraphrase Quincy Jones who once said “Just imagine what a wonderful world it would be if everyone, both young and old, volunteered a little of what he/she is good at doing.” We love our volunteers! The Boise VA Medical Center would not be the same without them. To volunteer stop by the Voluntary Service office or by phone at (208) 422-1176