New Montgomery-Area Organization: The River Region Veterans Coalition

The River Region Veterans Coalition (RRVC) is a new, diverse organization in Montgomery forming a regional non-profit/apolitical coalition of public and private sector organizations. Other such AL groups are the South AL Veterans Council (SAVC) in Mobile, the Central AL Veterans Collaborative (CAVC) in Birmingham and the North AL Veterans & Fraternal Organizations Coalition (NAVOC)) in Huntsville.

The River Region Veterans Coalition has already held meetings in February and March of this year with local posts/chapters of such veteran service organizations as the Air & Space Forces Association, the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, the Marine Corps League, the Military Officers Association of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Vietnam Veterans of America in attendance. In addition, government agencies such as the Alabama National Guard and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs have participated as well as such private sector organizations as Bondfire Ranch, the Council on Substance Abuse, Invisible Warriors, Medicare Salute, Operation Iron Ruck, American Red Cross, Sage Health, Veterans Education Training & Support and the Wounded Warrior Project.

Interim officers for the River Region Veterans Coalition are: (1) Keith Rudolph, President, (2) Rear Admiral Kent Davis, Vice President, (3) Amber Walker, Treasurer, (4) Carol Jahns, Secretary, (5) Chuck Cochran, Facilitator and Sergeant at Arms and (6) Major Norman, Chaplain and (7) Jason Hughes, Communications Director.

At the April 28th meeting, Mr. Amir Farroqi, Director of the Central AL Veterans Health Care System, was the featured speaker along with representatives from Sage Health, a health-care business. Meetings are held on the 4th Monday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at the Feast Buffet, 5831 Atlanta Highway, Montgomery, AL 36117. Meals may be obtained at the Buffet for $11.00. No reservation for meals is necessary. The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 26th.