VETERAN RURAL HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE: 

Secretary of Veterans Affairs
>> Dr. James B. Peake has appointed 13 people to a new Veterans Rural Health
>> Advisory Committee, which will advise him on health care issues affecting
>> veterans in rural areas. The 13-member group will examine ways to enhance
>> Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care services for veterans in
>> rural areas by evaluating current programs and identifying barriers to
>> health care. The committee, chaired by James F. Ahrens, former head of
>> the
>> Montana Hospital Association, includes affected veterans, rural health
>> experts in academia, state and federal professionals who focus on rural
>> health, state-level veterans' affairs officials, and leaders of veterans
>> service organizations. Members appointed are:
>>
>> . James F. Ahrens of Cascade MT - Former member of Montana governor's
>> task
>> force on health care.
>> . Dr. Robert Moser of Tribune KS -  Physician who practices in rural
>> Kansas and Colorado.
>> . Cynthia Barrigan of Centreville VA -   Veteran, now acting executive
>> director of Virginia Telehealth Network.
>> . Charles Abramson of Missoula MT - Air Force veteran who served on the
>> medical staff ethics committee of St. Patrick Hospital.
>> . Maj. Gen. John W. Libby of Sidney ME -  Adjutant general of the Maine
>> National Guard.
>> . Hilda Heady of Morgantown WV -  Social worker and associate vice
>> president for West Virginia Rural Health Association.
>> . Dr. Ronald Franks of Theodore AL -  Psychiatrist and vice president of
>> the College of Medicine at the University of South  Alabama.
>> . Bruce Behringer of Johnson City TN -  Assistant vice president at East
>> Tennessee State University for Rural and Community Health.
>> . Rachel Gonzales Hanson of Uvalde TX -  Member of National Association
>> of
>> Community Health Centers.
>> . Tom Ricketts, Ph.D., of Chapel Hill NC -  Director of North Carolina
>> Rural Health Research Program.
>> . Michael Dobmeier of South Grand Forks ND -  National Judge Advocate of
>> the DAV and president of the North Dakota Veterans Home Foundation.
>> . Terry Schow of Ogden UT - Veteran and executive director of the Utah
>> Division of VA.
>> . James Floyd of Salt Lake City UT -  Native American and director of the
>> Salt Lake City VA Medical Center.
>> [Source: VA News Release 5 Jun 08 ++]
>>
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