(March 3, 2006)
In order to further improve the lines of communication and to respond to the concerns between the National VA Council and you our members, I have established a National VA Council Briefing. This NVAC Briefing will bring you the latest news and developments within DVA and provide you with the current status of issues this Council is currently addressing. I believe that this NVAC Briefing will greatly enhance the way in which we communicate and the way in which we share new information, keeping you better informed.

Alma L. Lee

President

National Veterans Affairs Council, #53

American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In This Briefing: Important Information for New Orleans Employees

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Attached you will find a letter and an application form, from Dr. Robert Lynch, VISN 16 Network Director, for a Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments (VSIP), commonly referred to as a buyout for New Orleans employees only, with two options. It is very important that the New Orleans employees read the attached letter. Let me remind everyone that this program is strictly voluntary.

If you have any New Orleans employees at your facility, please make sure they receive this information as soon as possible.

Also, be sure to inform the New Orleans employees that an individual copy of this letter and form with their name on it will be sent to the address that the VISN has on file for them. If they do not get a letter (which is scheduled to go out on Monday, March 6, 2006), from the VISN, they should call the number on the attached letter and they will fax a letter to them, as well as answer any questions or concerns, that they may have.

Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments (VSIP),

Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments (VSIP)Application,