At the September meeting of Disabled American Veterans, group members focused on what they do best: Looking out for the interests of their fellow disabled veterans.

Local chapter president John Callahan called the Sept. 1 meeting at Whidbey Coffee to order at 7 p.m., and read some statistics for the past month.

“We answered telephone inquiries, helped 68 clients complete paperwork, and gave 90 people rides in our van to the VA medical center,” said Callahan.

Allen Barney updated members on a public forum held by U.S. Representative Rick Larsen at the American Legion in Oak Harbor.

“A lot of the questions from those in attendance at the forum dealt with budget issues,” he said.

Closer to home, one of the ongoing projects of the local DAV chapter has been to make the chapter service officers guide more user-friendly, said Callahan. In response to that discussion, Barney said he felt the need to assess how well DAV is doing its job was even more important.

“I’ve observed that many CSO’s need to realize that the DAV ought to be the first line of defense for the disabled veteran,” he said. “We shouldn’t be directing them to other agencies, we need to step up and take the responsibility that rests with us.

“Maybe it’s just a matter of holding more CSO training, so that officers know how to accurately, and directly, answer calls for help,” he continued.

Other members agreed, and some mentioned the satisfaction they hold in knowing that they’ve assisted veterans and their families who had no place left to turn.

The DAV assists clients with paperwork and with rides to medical appointments. It also tries to maintain a public profile that encourages veterans to seek them out, while soliciting qualified volunteers.

Some of the closing business of the evening addressed the group’s plan to sponsor a table at a retirement seminar slated for Sept. 17 at the Nor’wester on Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.

The October meeting of the DAV will take place the first Thursday of the month at the Oak Harbor Library.