<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)">
<!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Wingdings;
panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Aptos;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book";
panose-1:2 11 5 3 2 1 2 2 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Franklin Gothic Medium";
panose-1:2 11 6 3 2 1 2 2 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#467886;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph
{mso-style-priority:34;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;}
span.EmailStyle20
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ligatures:none;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:2122022712;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:-728598866 -1753874356 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\2022;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:.75in;
text-indent:-.5in;
font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:Aptos;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1027" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang="EN-US" link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" style="word-wrap:break-word">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal">Hello WSSC,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The following has been shared with WACTC-<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt:10.55pt;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Medium",sans-serif;color:#003764;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt:10.55pt;text-autospace:none"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter" />
<v:formulas>
<v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0" />
<v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0" />
<v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1" />
<v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2" />
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth" />
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight" />
<v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1" />
<v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2" />
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth" />
<v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0" />
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight" />
<v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0" />
</v:formulas>
<v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" />
<o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t" />
</v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_1" o:spid="_x0000_s1026" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="""" style='position:absolute;margin-left:0;margin-top:0;width:45pt;height:84.3pt;z-index:251661312;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:absolute;mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:text;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-width-relative:page;mso-height-relative:page'>
<v:imagedata src="cid:image009.jpg@01DABD93.FB985E80" o:title="""" />
<w:wrap type="square"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><img width="60" height="112" style="width:.625in;height:1.1666in" src="cid:image011.jpg@01DABD93.FB985E80" align="left" hspace="12" alt="" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_1"><![endif]><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Medium",sans-serif;color:#003764;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Jamie
Traugott<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt:10.55pt;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Medium",sans-serif;color:#003764;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Director of Student Services and K12 Alignment</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Medium",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt:10.55pt;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;color:#003764;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt:10.55pt;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><a href="mailto:jtraugott@sbctc.edu"><span style="color:blue">jtraugott@sbctc.edu</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;color:#003561;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">
</span><span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;color:#003764;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">• o: 360-704-3929
</span><span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><a href="https://www.sbctc.edu/"><span style="color:blue">sbctc.edu</span></a><span style="color:#003561">
</span><span style="color:#003764">• Facebook: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/wasbctc/"><span style="color:blue">@WASBCTC</span></a>
<span style="color:#003764">•</span></span><span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;color:#003764;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;color:#003764;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">LinkedIn:
</span><span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/washington-state-board-for-community-and-technical-colleges"><span style="color:blue">@washington-state-board-for-community-and-technical-colleges</span></a><span style="color:#003764"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> Audette, Heidi (DVA) <<a href="mailto:HeidiA@DVA.WA.GOV">HeidiA@DVA.WA.GOV</a>>
<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, June 6, 2024 1:17 PM<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Updates to Washington State's Definition of Veteran<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div style="border:solid #C00000 1.5pt;padding:2.0pt 2.0pt 2.0pt 2.0pt" id="footer">
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;background:white"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#C00000">[Sent from outside SBCTC]
</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#C00000"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Good afternoon fellow liaisons!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Now that many of the provisions of HB 2014, Definition of a Veteran for the purpose of state veterans benefits, are in effect, your WDVA wants to describe our plan to share information with your agencies and the Veterans Community.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As you know, the bill expands the state’s definition of Veteran to include:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.5in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span style="mso-list:Ignore">•<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><![endif]>Any veteran who is already eligible for federal Department of Veterans Affairs monetary benefits (non-service connected pension and disability compensation).
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.5in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span style="mso-list:Ignore">•<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><![endif]>Veterans who were separated with less than honorable characterizations of service (discharges) due solely to sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression or actions or statements related to sexual orientation, gender identity,
or gender expression, regardless of characterization of service.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">WDVA is working to hire a communications team member to assist with sharing information and developing an outreach campaign. In addition, we will update our website, brochures, and publications that specifically speak to character of discharge
for program eligibility. Within our Veterans Services and Counseling and Wellness Program, we will create education and training opportunities for resource providers, service officers, state agency partners, and others who receive questions about benefits
in Washington State. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Understanding that implementation and interpretation of the new law will be up to each individual agency, I would also like to schedule a meeting between our agencies to discuss how we can support you and your programs, and what specific
education or training requirements you have. If you’re interested in participating, just let me know!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Additional information, including a list of RCWs affected by HB 2014 is available on our website:
<a href="https://www.dva.wa.gov/about-wdva/laws-legislation/definition-veteran">https://www.dva.wa.gov/about-wdva/laws-legislation/definition-veteran</a>. We’ll continue to update this website to include a Q&A section, so feel free to share your thoughts on
what you’d like to see included here.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Please let me know if you have questions or concerns and thank you!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#2C2828;background:white;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Heidi Audette
</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#2C2828;background:white;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">(she/her)</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#2C2828;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><br>
<span style="background:white">Communications and Legislative Director<br>
Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs<br>
"Serving Those Who Served" <br>
(360) 485-1812<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#2C2828;background:white;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">(360) 791-8966 - cell<br>
<a href="mailto:heidia@dva.wa.gov"><span style="color:blue">heidia@dva.wa.gov</span></a>| <a href="https://vnet.dva.wa.gov/node/dva.wa.gov"><span style="color:#1A7DEF">dva.wa.gov </span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#2C2828;background:white;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><br>
</span><a href="https://dva.wa.gov/"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="43" height="33" style="width:.4479in;height:.3437in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01DAB813.D8626F30"></span></a><a href="https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/WADVA/subscriber/new"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="36" height="37" style="width:.375in;height:.3854in" id="Picture_x0020_3" src="cid:image002.png@01DAB813.D8626F30"></span></a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/wsdva"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="36" height="37" style="width:.375in;height:.3854in" id="Picture_x0020_4" src="cid:image003.png@01DAB813.D8626F30"></span></a><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/98326753@N03/"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="37" height="37" style="width:.3854in;height:.3854in" id="Picture_x0020_5" src="cid:image004.png@01DAB813.D8626F30"></span></a><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/washington-state-department-of-veterans-affairs-recruiting/"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="32" height="32" style="width:.3333in;height:.3333in" id="Picture_x0020_6" src="cid:image005.png@01DAB813.D8626F30"></span></a><a href="https://twitter.com/wdva"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="35" height="34" style="width:.3645in;height:.3541in" id="Picture_x0020_7" src="cid:image006.png@01DAB813.D8626F30"></span></a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@WAVeteransAffairs"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="37" height="37" style="width:.3854in;height:.3854in" id="Picture_x0020_10" src="cid:image007.png@01DAB813.D8626F30"></span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>