From the Director's Desk

Nearly four years ago, the Veterans Corporation, a Congressionally chartered non-profit, sent two employees to Flint, Mi., to determine if this area/state would support a Veterans Business Resource Center.

An impromptu meeting of more than two dozen veterans and non-veterans alike was called to discuss the concept. It was unanimous that such a program was needed and would be embraced by the veteran community. After all, who could turn their backs on our nation’s veterans? What better place than Flint, Michigan to start an economic development program?

Thus began an effort to help veterans start and/or expand their business was born.

Now, four years later, the dream has died an agonizingly slow death. Also caught up in the fallout are two other centers in St. Louis and Boston.

Effective Aug. 31, VetBizCentral will officially close its state headquarters in Flint, Mich.

What happened? Good question.

Suffice it to say the Veterans Corporation, in my opinion, failed to follow its legislative mandate of establishing and supporting Veterans Business Resource Centers across the country. Earlier this year, TVC slashed funding to our Flint office by 52 percent from the previous year and about 67 percent from our funding request for the current year. St. Louis took a similar hit while Boston had its funding eliminated altogether.

Instead of supporting the three Centers, TVC opted to send money to non-veteran related organizations which are not solely dedicated to helping veterans.

That decision, and other factors, I’m sure, sparked a Senate investigation into TVC, a probe that continues. Also, the CEO at TVC resigned his post about a month after the investigation was launched.

In the meantime, Senators John Kerry and Olympia Snowe introduced an amendment to an emergency supplemental spending bill, calling for $600,000 in funding to Flint, St. Louis and Boston to keep the centers running through the fiscal year.

That amendment was attached to the Iraqi War spending bill and thus assured quick passage through both houses of Congress.

Early in June, the Senate approved the package with 77 affirmative votes. While in the House, however, the bill was stripped of our emergency funding. Despite urging from President George W. Bush to hold down domestic spending in the bill, the final version contained an additional $60 billion in spending to the $108 billion requested by the President. But, somewhere in the process, the $600,000 to help veteran entrepreneurs was yanked from the bill.

Nobody can say who pulled the funding. Nobody offered an explanation.

Senators Kerry and Snowe have proposed placing an $800,000 appropriation in next year’s budget for the centers. We truly appreciate their efforts but, unfortunately, that may be too late.

It is difficult to find the words to describe the frustration of the situation. This is a program that works, that helps a niche of veterans wanting to become entrepreneurs. From the Korean vet who, with the help of his energetic daughters, started a diner in Lansing, Mi., to the Michigan National Guard member returning from deployment who needs help rebuilding his business.

While not perfect, this program was designed to help those veterans and their families. Unfortunately, politics got in the way and, once again, the veteran takes a back seat.

Instead of grousing about failure, let’s close with some positive items.

While VetBizCentral will go into mothballs, some of our programs will continue. Our website will continue to exist and we’ll do our best to keep you abreast of various activities and news.

Our newly created Vets Night Out will also continue. The first Vets Night Out, held in Clarkston, was a rousing success. The next is in Lansing, July 23. Watch for details.

We will also work closely with our partners to insure the third Annual Veteran Entrepreneur Training Conference will go off without a hitch Nov. 7 in Flint, Mi.

And we will continue to be advocates for veterans, especially veteran entrepreneurs. Watch this space next month for more details on how you can stay in touch with us in coming months. We’re searching for ways of keeping this operation viable and we will keep everyone up to date the best we can.

In closing, I think back to that meeting with the Veterans Corporation nearly four years ago. There’s a lesson there.

Whenever non-veterans come to town and promise they want to help veterans, beware.

Edward L. Ronders,
VBC Director