NCAI Booth at the National Congress of American Indians 80th Annual Convention and Marketplace on November 12-17, 2023, in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Tsalagiyi Nvdagi Tribal Citizen Jim Kuiken represented our Tribe and the Military Veterans Advocacy (MVA) at the National Congress of American Indians 80th Annual Convention and Marketplace on November 12-17, 2023, in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Jim and John Wells, Chairman of the Board of Military Veterans Advocacy, set up a booth in the NCAI Marketplace, and talked to attendees, members and Delegates as they came by explaining their efforts to support and advocate for Veterans and their families on Capitol Hill through Legislation (bills that MVA crafted and supported), Litigation (through court cases that MVA filed against the Service Secretaries, the Secretary of Defense, and especially against the Secretary of Veterans Affairs), and through Education by providing Continuing Legal Education (CLE’s) on Veterans Law to Attorneys, as well as educating current or prospective Veteran Service Officers.
In addition to manning the booth, Jim and John also gave a presentation to the NCAI Veterans Affairs Committee on MVA’s new developing program of working with the Tribes and Nations on a new outreach program to provide CLE to Tribal Attorneys and members to certify the Tribal Attorneys to practice Veterans Law, and Tribal members as Veteran Service Officers. This presentation was well received, and they had a large number of the Veteran Committee Representatives stop by and ask to be sure to connect with their Tribe/Nation when this new program becomes available.
Jim Kuiken has recently stepped down from his position as the Vice Chairman of the MVA Board of Directors to serve as the Director of a newly created supporting Division of MVA known as the Native American/Indigenous Veteran Outreach. This arm of MVA will be attempting to connect with each Nation and Tribe regardless of Federal, or State Recognition status, or lack thereof, in support of the Veteran Law Education Program.
With the help of John Wells, Jim was able to connect with Joey Strickland, the former State Director of Veterans Affairs for Louisiana, who was one of the leaders of the National American Indian Veterans Association, which had been fighting on Capitol Hill for decades to create a Congressionally chartered Veteran Service Organization (VSO), much like the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Vietnam Veterans of America, and several others. VSO’s have a unique legal standing to process and submit Veteran disability claims and other actions before the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Tsalagiyi Nvdagi Tribal Citizen Jim Kuiken represented our Tribe and the Military Veterans Advocacy (MVA) at the Presentation Charter Ceremony for NAIV at the National Congress of American Indians 80th Annual Convention and Marketplace on November 12-17, 2023, in New Orleans, Louisiana.
After over 20 years, they were finally granted a Charter by Congress, signed by the President of the United States, and are now an official Veteran Service Organization of Native/Indigenous Citizens, for Native/Indigenous Citizens, the National American Indians Veterans (NAIV), and Joey Strickland will be the National Commander.
Jim Kuiken and John Wells were both invited to attend the Presentation of Charter Ceremony, and were honored to attend, with John representing MVA, and Jim representing the Tsalagiyi Nvdagi Tribe as well as being introduced as the Outreach Director for MVA and its Native American/Indigenous Veteran Outreach Program. There were dignitaries from many Tribes and Nations, as well U.S. Senators and other Congressional Representatives who attended. There was a Flag Ceremony, drummers and singers, and a very historical Charter ceremony and presentation.
Jim said “I was proud to represent our Tribe, as well as the MVA and it’s program to educate Tribal Attorneys and Veteran Service Officers.”
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