DAV WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT DISPATCH

Serving Those Who Served

July 2025

UNITED IN PURPOSE: A MESSAGE FROM OUR TEAM

At DAV Wisconsin, we remain driven by a clear mission: empowering veterans to live with dignity and respect. Our unity draws strength from the incredible diversity among us—our branches of service, life journeys, and generations served. Whether you stood watch on a remote outpost or served at sea, you are part of a proud legacy that continues to shape who we are.

Our shared experiences and values—Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage—are not just memories from our time in uniform; they’re principles that define how we continue to serve today.

Let us remember: Even now—we serve.

CONGRATULATIONS, SARA LAZARZ!

2025 DAV National Award Recipient: Outstanding LVER

We are thrilled to recognize Sara Lazarz, recipient of the 2025 Local Veterans Employment Representative (LVER) Award! This prestigious national honor reflects Sara’s unwavering advocacy for our nation’s heroes and her exceptional efforts to help veterans transition into meaningful careers.

Her work is more than a job, it’s a mission. Sara has shown an extraordinary commitment to uplifting those who served by recognizing their unique talents and ensuring their value is acknowledged in today’s workforce.

Her award will be formally announced this August at the 2025 DAV and Auxiliary National Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, where she will receive a commemorative plaque. A formal letter has also been mailed to her.

Ms. Lazarz, your work inspires us all. We’re proud to support your continued efforts and stand ready to help you in your mission.

MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER

As we look ahead, let us lead with compassion, courage, and clarity. There are still so many veterans, family members, and survivors who count on us. Let’s continue to:

• Support one another and stand united
• Build strength through our differences
• Carry the torch of service proudly

Together, we are DAV Wisconsin. Together, we serve.

With gratitude,

Commander Koehler

I would like to thank everyone who supported me in my run for Higher Officer. I am excited to have retained my position and assure you I will carry out the duties of my position to the best of my abilities.

As we are about to close out this membership year, we are 229 members short of our goal. We have seven Chapters making goal. And eight Chapters needing five or less to make goal. I will continue my weekly reports in the new fiscal year and hope to see more Chapters make goal. This past year we recruited 258 new members. Our goals for next year will be to beat this year’s numbers. I would love to have one of the four Districts become a 100% District. We were so close with District 1 needing 38 members, District 2 needing 61 members, District 3 needing 68 members, and District 4 needing 64 members. As soon as I see the new numbers posted I will start the membership reports for the new fiscal year. Happy recruiting.

Here is the membership program details for 2025-2026

DAV Wisconsin 2025-2026 MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM

As usual, in the new 2025-2026 membership year, we'll have several sub-parts of awards for both individuals and chapters. There will only be one Chapter award; one District Commander award; and the remaining incentives are paid directly to the individual and to their chapters. Goals can be reached or exceeded more than once.

Unless otherwise stated, all awards are based on the May 1, 2026, National Membership Department (Population Summary and Recruitment Report).

1. National is waiting to send updated Hot Lists to your chapters. Chapters will receive $25.00 when they document receipt of a new Prospect Hot List No Later Than (NLT) December 31, 2025. We have a budgeted amount of $250.00. So do not delay requesting your Hot List only the first 10 Chapters will receive this award.
2. Each Chapter will be eligible for up to $500.00 in reimbursement for their Prospect Hot List mailings. This money comes from a fund of $3,000.00. Send your requests early and get busy on recruitment, as the $500 reimbursement offer only lasts until the money runs out. Mailing receipts need to be dated NLT December 31, 2025. You will also be required to send a copy of the letter or postcard you send to the Hot List members to the Department.
3. Each DAV Chapter Member will be awarded the following for their recruitment efforts:

-Recruit 5-9 members - a Convention Banquet Ticket and $50.00

-Recruit 10-19 members - a Convention Banquet Ticket and $100.00

-Recruit 20+ members - a Convention Banquet Ticket and $200.00

In addition, to encourage some friendly competition, there will be the following awards:

a) The "Made Goal" Raffle Winner will receive $500.00 at the Department's Fall Conference. The prize is based on the October 1, 2025, National Membership Department (Population Summary and Recruitment Report).

Dept Convention Division 1 (501+) Made Goal Highest Percentage $500.00

Dept Convention Division 2 (251-500) Made Goal Highest Percentage $500.00

Dept Convention Division 3 (25-250) Made Goal Highest Percentage $500.00

b)  At the end of the year, at the 2025 State convention, we will give out the Top Recruiter Awards:

a. DAV, Dept of WI, Chapter Member Top Recruiter will receive $250.00 plus a Recruiter Of The Year Plaque

b. DAV, WI-based National Service Officer (NSO) Top Recruiter - a Convention Banquet Ticket and $100.00 plus a Certificate of Appreciation.

We will also encourage a District Competition, the first District Executive Committee Member to reach 100% will earn a Convention Banquet Ticket and $500.00.

Everyone that is reading this has served/or is serving in the military and many have served in the front lines of past conflicts and/or current conflicts. With the current state of affairs around the world, I thought this writing should focus on something I think we would all like to see in our lifetime – Peace.

My wife and I look for words of peace, serenity, consolation and try to share them with our family and friends as often as we can. Recent searching brought the following prayer to us and I would like to share this prayer with you:

Prayer for Peace—Pope Francis

Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!

We have tried so many times and over so many years to resolve our conflicts by our own powers and by the force of our arms. How many moments of hostility and darkness have we experienced; how much blood has been shed; how many lives have been shattered; how many hopes have been buried… But our efforts have been in vain.

Now, Lord, come to our aid! Grant us peace, teach us peace; guide our steps in the way of peace. Open our eyes and our hearts, and give us the courage to say: “Never again war!”; “With war everything is lost”. Instill in our hearts the courage to take concrete steps to achieve peace.

Lord, God of Abraham, God of the Prophets, God of Love, you created us and you call us to live as brothers and sisters. Give us the strength daily to be instruments of peace; enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our brother or sister. Make us sensitive to the plea of our citizens who entreat us to turn our weapons of war into implements of peace, our trepidation into confident trust, and our quarreling into forgiveness.

Keep alive within us the flame of hope, so that with patience and perseverance we may opt for dialogue and reconciliation. In this way may peace triumph at last, and may the words “division”, “hatred” and “war” be banished from the heart of every man and woman. Lord, defuse the violence of our tongues and our hands. Renew our hearts and minds, so that the word which always brings us together will be “brother”, and our way of life will always be that of: Shalom, Peace, Salaam!

Amen.

Greetings! I want to start off by saying how disappointed I was that I couldn’t make it to DAV’s annual Convention last month in Green Bay. I had to cancel at the very last minute and regret not having had the opportunity to further strengthen the relationship between WDVA and DAV. Strengthening relationships with WDVA’s partners has been my number one priority since Governor Evers appointed me to serve as Secretary a little over two years ago.  

If I had been able to address you in Green Bay, I would have told you that none of us can do this alone, that we are stronger together. I say those word often. But they are the key to understanding how I approach my duties as Secretary. WDVA’s effectiveness is directly tied to the success of our partners like DAV. Wisconsin veterans and their families are better off when we work together. Thank you for everything you’ve done over those two years to help WDVA help veterans. We’ve made tremendous progress, but there’s more to do. And I’m excited to have the opportunity to work with your newly elected Department Commander, Tiffany Koehler. 

As I’m writing this, the biennial budget is making its way through the Joint Finance Committee. I will provide another update when the budget is final, but I must acknowledge all the hard work and advocacy DAV has provided on behalf of Wisconsin veterans. Demonstrating to the legislature the value of WDVA programs and fighting for things to improve the lives of former servicemembers and their families has been invaluable.

Some of you may have noticed we rolled out our newly updated website. We are thankful for our state’s veteran service organizations, county and tribal veteran service offices, and other veteran advocates for input in the redesign process. It’s now mobile-device friendly and designed with the veteran-end-user experience in mind. It also meets WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility standards, including features like higher contrast for easier reading, enhanced keyboard navigation, and compatibility with screen readers.  I encourage you to check it out by visiting wisvets.com.

We’ve also made updates to our Veterans Benefit Application Tracking System, VBATS 2.0, the tool that helps connect veterans to benefits through CVSOs and TVSOs statewide. And we've improved internal processes at WDVA’s Veteran Benefit Resource Center. We’re now processing applications faster and reducing backlogs, meaning veterans and their families get the help they need sooner.

As I look forward to celebrating our nation's 249th birthday on July 4th, I am reminded of what we can accomplish as a nation and a people when we are unified with one purpose. Thank you for dedicating your lives, day in and day out, to serving veterans. We’re right there beside you. 

Yours in Service,

James Bond

Secretary, WDVA

Department convention has now passed, and with it came some changes. We have a new commander, and her name is Tiffany Koehler. Commander Koehler has started her year on the go, already going to three events. We all look forward to the great things she has planned for DAV Wisconsin. I have been speaking with the commander almost every day since she was elected. Commander Koelher has so many amazing ideas and plans in her vision for DAV Wisconsin. I look forward to her starting to implement them.

The department convention featured numerous guest speakers and provided a wealth of information. We hope that your chapter representatives bring back this information and share it with your chapters.

We would also like to announce that our Office Manager, has decided it was time to step away and enjoy life, and her last day will be July 3^rd. Our office manager has been outstanding in their duties for the Department, and they will be severely missed. We will have a job posting for the position available soon. However, until the position is filled, office hours will be limited and will be posted on our website as quickly as possible. Commander Koehler and I will still be available to our membership.

Commander Koehler, Senior Vice Belmont, and I will be heading to the Commanders and Adjutants training in Erlanger, Kentucky, from June 29th to July 2nd.

If a chapter has an event that they would like the Department to attend or participate in, please reach out to me or Commander Koehler so we can arrange for someone to be present.

Happy 4^th of July

Matt Kempainen

Adjutant