Woods Historic Vets Land

Press Release – July 10, 2007
for immediate publication

Senators Kohl, Feingold, and Congresswoman Moore in support of the veterans’ community, on Tuesday July 10, 2007
released a joint letter calling upon VA Secretary Nicholson to postpone their planned release of Request For Proposal (RFP) on
buildings in the historic district of the Zablocki Medical Center in Milwaukee stating "we have concerns about the Enhanced Use
Lease (EUL) advancing at this time." The letter noted that the upcoming change in the Medical Center Administrator did not allow
for a smooth transition at this time. They continued "a large coalition of veterans groups recently met with staff in our offices to again raise
their concerns and pose questions about the future of the Milwaukee VA Grounds and Wood Cemetery. In an effort to properly review
their concerns and answer their questions, we believe it is necessary to postpone this process."

The Coalition of Veterans groups dedicated to opposing any commercial development of Zablocki VA grounds would like to thank
Senators Kohl, Feingold, and Congresswoman Moore, and their staffs for taking the time to understand the issues of the veterans community
committed to the care of those veterans coming back from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as all those who came before, and those who will follow.
We ask the entire Wisconsin Congressional Delegation to join us in our goal of seeking the best treatment possible for our fellow veterans.

The VA Medical System is already overwhelmed by the medical problems of those veterans returning home. We are extremely concerned
over the high level of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) affecting these new veterans. A number of suicides
in this community and throughout the country have occurred by veterans who have been unable to obtain care from this VA. We call
upon the VA to meet with the veteran’s community and the Congressional Delegation to review our plans calling for the reopening of
Wood National Cemetery and establishing the Soldiers Home on the Zablocki grounds as a National War Trauma Treatment Center.

For more information contact: David A. Kurtz 414-332-8400 or Greg Jacobs 414-902-5729

"Visit the site for all the info"

OUR GOAL
Remove commercial EUL, or Enhanced Use Leasing from Woods

Residents of Wisconsin are represented in Congress by 2 Senators and 8 Representatives.
Member Name DC Phone DC FAX Email

Please contact your representative and tell them you
want the EUL lease agreement removed for
the Zablocki VA Woods land and buildings.

Senator Herb Kohl (D- WI)
202-224-5653 202-224-9787 http://kohl.senate.gov/gen_contact.html
Local Mailing Address: 310 W. Wisconsin Ave Suite 950
Milwaukee, WI 53203
Senator Russell D. Feingold (D- WI)
202-224-5323 202-224-2725 http://feingold.senate.gov/contact_opinion.html
Local Mailing Address: 517 E. Wisconsin Ave Room 408
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Representative Paul Ryan (R - 01)
202-225-3031 202-225-3393 http://www.house.gov/ryan/email.htm
Local Mailing Address: 216 6th St, Racine, WI 53403
Representative Tammy Baldwin (D - 02)
202-225-2906 202-225-6942 http://www.house.gov/formbaldwin/IMA/get_address.htm
Local Mailing Address: 10 E Doty, Suite 405,
Madison WI 53703
Representative Ron Kind (D - 03)
202-225-5506 202-225-5739 http://www.house.gov/kind/contact.shtml
Local Mailing Address: 205 5th Ave South, Suite 226
LaCrosse, WI 54601
Representative Gwen Moore (D - 04)
202-225-4572 202-225-8135 http://www.house.gov/gwenmoore/contact.shtml
Local Mailing Address: 219 N. Milwaukee St Suite 3A
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Representative F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (R - 05)
202-225-5101 202-225-3190 http://sensenbrenner.house.gov/ContactForm/
Local Mailing Address: 120 Bishops Way, Room 154,
Brookfield, WI 53005
Representative Thomas E. Petri (R - 06)
202-225-2476 202-225-2356 http://www.house.gov/writerep/
Local Mailing Address: 2390 STH 44, Suite B
Oshkosh, WI 54904
Representative David R. Obey (D - 07)
202-225-3365 202-225-3190 http://obey.house.gov/HoR/WI07/Miscellaneous+Information/
email+sign+up+form.htm
Local Mailing Address: First Star Plaza, Suite 406A,
401 5th Street, Wausau, WI 54403

Representative Steve Kagen (D - 08)
202-225-5665 202-225-5729 http://kagen.house.gov/IMA/issue_subscribe.htm
Local Mailing Address: 700 E. Walnut St,
Green Bay, WI 54301

A Loss By the City for Vets
March 1, 2007
In the past weeks we have read of the decrepit and squalid conditions
that our soldiers and veterans returning from our wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan were forced to live in at Walter Reed Hospital in our
nations capital. This week we watched Bob Woodruff's return to ABC
News after barely surviving a bombing in Iraq, report on the
inadequate medical facilities for our returning veterans.

These stories are embryonic of problems in the care of those who we
ask to go in harms way across the VA system. And while proper funding
of the VA is a battle far away in our capital, we have recently seen
this fight occur in our own community. Here we watched the Zablocki VA
trying for years to sell off its legacy of lands and buildings placed
in its trust for veterans. All in return for replacing some heating
pipes and relieving it of its obligations to care for the facilities
given it by this community after the Civil War.

As our brothers and sisters continue to return from Iraq and Afghanistan
looking for treatment and peace, the City of Milwaukee and the
Milwaukee VA kept missing the point on their mission to squeeze money
out of land put aside for the treatment of its veterans. And the
recent Milwaukee Journal editorial supporting this plan gives the
public a biased view on what this "battle" was really about.

"Emotional," the Journal says of Veterans? Well yes, we watched these
grounds and buildings fall in disrepair over decades of neglect by the
VA now attempting to sell them off at a fire sale for cents on thedollar.

This battle was never about the Journals argument of "growing the
economy". There is ample amount of undeveloped land in Milwaukee for
economic development. Unemployed and underemployed citizens in
depressed pockets of Milwaukee have been calling for this type of
development for decades in their neighborhoods. In the meantime,
families cannot bury their sons and daughters at Wood Cemetery because
there is no room. No room, yet these plans called for over a million
square feet of new office buildings and another roadway to speed fans
to and from Miller Park?

The Journal stated many of the Veterans positions were based more on
"emotion and hearsay than facts." Yet, why was the City's plan they
had developed for over 2 years with private developers never given to
the over 30 Veterans groups who had continually requested them? Why
was an open records request by these organizations ignored by the
city? Why were these "facts" denied the veterans?

What about requests of the Veterans community never considered? A
nonprofit Fisher House to house the families of injured soldiers and
veterans while they received treatment here? Why the need to build a
million square foot new building for a nonexistent Freedoms Center
when the Wisconsin Department of Veteran Affairs Museum, the State
Historical Museum, and the VA National Museum is looking for new
space; space readily available in newly restored historic buildings?
What about space for the care of our Female Veterans now making up 15%
of our forces, homeless veterans, onsite facilities for PTSD and AODA,
geriatric daycare for our veterans? What about adequate daycare
facilities for the hospital staff that care for our veterans, space
that was taken from them years ago? These "facts" were never
considered by the VA or the City who barely strayed from a plan that
only considered the "needs" of a very select number of private
partners the City held close.

There was ample opportunity for an open discussion of the best use of
these lands by the VA, the City, and the Veterans. This was also an
opportunity missed to include the State Department of Veteran Affairs,
the County, and Preservationists into a discussion that could have
created a viable proposal embraced by everyone.

Unfortunately, this opportunity was missed by the VA and City whose
blinders maintained focus on the million square feet of office
buildings and roadways.

More importantly, it was missed by the Milwaukee Journal who could
have offered the community a public forum on the potential to rebuild
a historic community asset, and chose to ignore it. Perhaps they will
give proper press to the Veterans Community's call now for an open
dialogue on how best to rehabilitate these facilities for the care of
our current veterans and of our soldiers returning home from war today
and those in the future. What the Journal called "wishful thinking" a
soldier calls "can do."
-------------

No Business Park at VA-Woods

Wisconsin Veterans Survive this Battle to keep Precious Land/Historic buildings for future generations of Veterans!

We will keep a watchful eye out for any future attempts to be made to Commercialize what belongs solely to all Veterans.............

Subject: Mayor Withdraws from EUL at VA
(Enhanced Use Lease) Milwaukee,Wisconsin

TUESDAY, Feb. 27, 2007
By Tom Daykin:

Mayor Tom Barrett's administration is dropping plans to create a high-tech
Business Park and Veterans housing at Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center,
with city officials saying today that opposition from Veterans groups killed the proposal.

________________________________________

February 2007 - The City of Milwaukee has released their plan for the development
of the 100 acres of the VA grounds in Milwaukee. They include:

New Road through the green space to hurry traffic in and out of Miller Park!
Office Buildings!
No additional burial space in Wood for our fallen!
No room in their plan for services for our wounded!
No room in their plan for facilities & counseling for the families of our wounded and fallen!

Submit your ideas & suggestions for veteran services that can be utilized
on the grounds/buildings at the VA Medical Center in Milwaukee WI.
Your Name: Jeff Doc Dentice
Title: Fighting For Our Veterans

Please write your suggestion here:
Building or Area Affected All Buildings available-All Green Space
Proposed Organization Military & Veterans
Brief Concept VA Grounds-Our Military-Our Veterans
Detailed Use New phase of Burial space allocations, repair and utilization of our Historic buildings by and for Veterans
organizations or Orgs that support our Veterans/Military, and or for Military use.
Construction of a "Fischer House" for our returning Troops and their Families to stay.
A New Spinal Cord/Amputee building with state of the art technology. God knows they deserve it..
A New "Zablocki Vets Rec Center" be built in proximity to the hospital, for easy access, that will allow our hospitalized men and
women an opportunity to enjoy activiites that are limited if non existant at all having to use Room 312 at Zablocki which is small and needs updating.
A "Homeless Veterans Center" to house-treat and give our Veterans an opportunity to become gainfully
employed and once again become an important part of the community.
Permanent Green space for our wounded soldiers to walk on and to heal form their mental and physical scars, has to remain.
That space is essential to all those hospitalized, and to those that are residing in the Dom's and other buildings on the grounds to
allow them their Freedom to get outside and breathe some fresh air and see the beauty that is all around the VA grounds.
Our active Military using the buildings for Recruitment offices.
An all Branches "Enlistment Center Depot".
Military Reserve's offices
One of the Buildings to be utilized to provide a 1-Stop "Welcome Home Center" location for all our Returning Troops
to provide for their needs and placement back into their jobs and into the community.
Create a "Military Families Center" for the families of those serving our country, staffed with personal able to provide
them with information and contacts and help.A place where they all all can come together for support.

A PROPOSAL FOR THE CLEMENT J. ZABLOCKI MEDICAL CENTER CAMPUS
BY THE COLLECTIVE VOICE OF THE VETERANS COMMUNITY

Overview – In Response to the City of Milwaukee Plan of January 10th, 2007

The Clement J. Zablocki Veterans Grounds is a unique and sacred place for veterans, their families, and the
citizens of Milwaukee and beyond. The oldest portion of these grounds dates back to the Civil War and represents 140
years of connections between veterans and the community who honors them. Milwaukee women raised the funds and
built the Soldiers Home to care for those returning from battle during the Civil War. The grounds continued to expand
and a group of beautiful historic buildings rose to form the historical district of these grounds. These grounds offer
not only a medical facility for the care of its veterans, but a tranquil place for healing and reflection.

In addition, the Wood National Cemetery, the second oldest Military Cemetery in the country is a final resting place to
over 37,000 veterans. It was closed to burials even though land still exits for expansion, and other available land
was turned over to Milwaukee County for a private baseball stadium.

There is GREAT concern amongst veterans about the future of these grounds and building that lapsed into disrepair
over the years by the stewards of this trust, the Veterans Administration. Now this same Veterans Administration
had proposed selling off these veteran lands in exchange for a pharmacy upgrade and removal of several steam pipelines.
A VA that is willing to sell the veterans grounds put in trust by the Women of Milwaukee over a century ago for the care
of its veterans. It is only another example of a VA concerned with providing healthcare at the expense of the very veterans they serve.

And now we find the City of Milwaukee, with a bevy of private developers ready to pounce on this opportunity and profit
at the cost of veterans without care, while families are faced with no local burial space for their members who sacrificed
their lives for this country, this city. For the developers who can carry on and flourish because of the sacrifice of these very
veterans. Despite numerous public meeting held state wide, the City has prepared a plan for calls for removal of land for
streets to carry traffic to Miller Park and the Industrial Valley. They propose an office building instead of letting
families burying those who gave their life for this country. And they propose private apartment
communities in buildings built by this community to care for veterans.

The City & the VA are ready to sell out the historical buildings built for veteran care, the buildings allowed
to descend into disrepair by this Veterans Administration, and then sold for penitence so companies can profit.
And profit by utilizing other government funds for citizen care that could easily be handled in numerous locations throughout the city.

A city ready to gice green space to the American Freedoms Center to rip up for parking and
a unnecessary new building. Again, to profit the non-veteran management of this non-profit” organization.

The following is a proposal for the grounds of the Milwaukee VA grounds:
PROPOSAL FOR 35-Acre Undeveloped Parcel

The veteran’s community proposes that these undeveloped grounds be SOLEY used for:

1. Expansion of the current Wood VA Cemetery for ground burial & Columbarium
2. Construction of a healing park for veterans and their families visiting the graves of their loved one
3. Park like settings for peace & tranquilly as originally envisioned.
4. SPECIFICALLY NO ROADWAY THROUGH THE GROUNDS TO ALLIVATE TRAFFIC FOR MILLER PARK OR THE INDUSTRIAL PARK.

Uses for Soldiers Home Historic District Property

Bldg 6 (Veterans Helping Veterans, Inc)…(Combined operations by VFW, AL, MOPH, etc –
Organization site for Hospital volunteers, Day Center/Shelter for Homeless Veterans,
Transitional Living Facility, hospice – Relocation of Service Officers)
United Veterans Center
Office space for posts w/o organic offices/clubhouses
Shared common spaces
Large hall for community activities
Library (on-going at Bldg 3)
(Old Main)
1. Site for Wisconsin Veterans Museum
2. Coffee shop (Dryhootch) / Meeting site for veterans
3. Housing for Families Visiting those in care at VA Medical Ctr
4. Display of Milwaukee Public Museum artifacts
5. Extensive weapons collection
6. Offices for Soldiers Home Inc/Poppy Seed Folks/Vet Organizations
On-going in Bldg 1
• Transitional Veterans w/families Living Facility
• Female-specific treatment/health facilities
• Native American Sweat Lodge / Meditation Site in Wooded Area
• Current VA Operations in Historic District continue
• USO (move from WMC to Bldg 1 or Bldg 2)
• Ward Theater – rehabilitation and use for live theater/public meetings
o Public Debates
o Reenactors – Lincoln/Douglas Debates, etc

Also space for child daycare of VA medical employees who space was taken
away by the VA and never replaced despite promises.

That the district be managed by a non profit veterans organization who will aplly for funding
from federal programs for the renovation of these buildings.

Zablocki VA Rally
August 9, 2006
Photo's courtesy of Nancy Aycock

Leave Soldiers Home District intact

Wood National Cemetery (Wood Wisconsin)
Milwaukee Wisconsin

Save the Historic District
Of the VA Grounds!!

City of Milwaukee’s plans to commercialize the
“Hallowed Grounds” of the Historic District.
We will not allow the politicians and the developers to
desecrate this national treasure!
But the threat is real and must be vigorously opposed:
Commercial Offices? Condominiums? In Old Main???? No Way, Mayor Barrett!!!
Sponsored by Voice of the Veterans Community, an association of local veterans organizations united to save the
Soldiers Home Historic District for veterans and the community.