OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin today announced efforts to inform Oklahoma veterans about the Oklahoma Veterans Pilot Program, a private/public initiative to develop a comprehensive health care access and delivery system for the state’s veterans.
A comprehensive outreach program will be spearheaded by the Force 50 Brigade and its two subgroups, Victory Company and the County Chairpersons Leadership Team.
“The Oklahoma Veterans Pilot Program is an important effort to identify best practices in healthcare delivery to ensure we offer the highest quality of care to our veterans,” said Fallin. “Our veterans have made incredible sacrifices for our freedoms, and the least we owe them is superior healthcare that is easily accessible for all. I applaud the formation of the Force 50 Brigade and its subgroups, Victor Company and the County Chairperson Leadership Team, to spread the word about this critical initiative.”
The governor made the announcement as hundreds of veterans gathered at the state Capitol to take part in the annual Veterans Appreciation Day activities.
The Oklahoma Veterans Pilot Program, which was launched in September, is a private/public effort to develop a comprehensive transitional system of care designed to deliver accessible quality healthcare to veterans statewide. The system will cover healthcare services in mental health, home health, nursing care, rehabilitative services, and coordinated access to physician services, laboratory services, pharmacy services and tele-health capability.
The Force 50 Brigade, which is the primary public awareness organization of the Oklahoma Veterans Pilot Program, will consist of 50 well-known Oklahoma entertainers, sports figures and professionals from the film and music industries, as well as two critical subgroups, the County Chairperson Leadership Team and Victor Company. Victor Company is the Veterans Leadership Team and will consist of veterans organizations and leaders within the veterans community. As the most integral part of this effort, it has been mobilized first, and will be led by Pete Peterson and Scott Ellis, leaders of the Oklahoma Veterans Council.
“It is our hope that the outreach program being implemented under the Force 50 Brigade and led by the Oklahoma Veterans Leadership Team will encourage our Oklahoma veterans population to get involved with our efforts to improve healthcare opportunities to all veterans,” said Myles Deering, director of the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs. “The role of the Oklahoma veterans service organizations will be to assist in gathering comments, survey data and assist in publicizing the program efforts to all Oklahoma veterans.”
“Pete Peterson and Scott Ellis bring proven leadership skills to this initiative and we are excited to have them on our team,” said Pete Reed, a former director of the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs and coordinator of the Oklahoma Veterans Pilot Program. “The veterans service organizations that will be participating in the mission of Victor Company are critical to our success and we are deeply grateful for their support and guidance.”
The Victor Company members and organizations include:
- AmVets
- American Legion
- American Ex-POWs
- Disabled American Veterans (DAV)
- Fleet Reserve Association
- Marine Corps League
- Military Officers Assn. Of America
- Nat’l Assn. of Black Veterans
- Oklahoma Womens’ Veterans Organization
- Paralyzed Veterans of America
- Mid-America Chapter
- Rolling Thunder Oklahoma Chapter 1
- Special Forces Oklahoma Chapter 32-50
- U.S. Sub. Veterans, Inc., USS OKC Base
- Veterans of Foreign Wars
- Viet Nam Veterans of America
