The Veterans Medical Leadership Council (VMLC) is a nonprofit organization composed of veterans who volunteer to help comrades who have fallen on hard times. Founded in 1999, the VMLC continues to stand firm in its mission to assist veterans in crises, encourage initiatives that honor our heroes, and endorse quality medical and mental health care. Unfortunately, with the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are many more veterans who need assistance with housing, utilities, and car repair.
“VMLC has provided in excess of $3 million to help veterans ‘on the verge’... on the verge of becoming homeless, on the verge of becoming financially destitute, on the verge of being unemployed, and in some cases, on the verge of suicide,” says VMLC President Tom Eisiminger. “This equates to approximately 400 veterans and family members yearly.”
Eisiminger, who has a special place in his heart for veterans, became president of the VMLC at the end of 2020. He comes from a long line of soldiers. In fact, he can trace 12 revolutionary war soldiers in his direct lineage. His son currently serves in the Army at Ft. Bliss, Texas; his father was a Vietnam veteran; and his grandfather was killed in action while liberating Europe during WWII. Eisiminger himself enlisted in the Army Reserves while still in high school, eventually gaining an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. He later served 20 years of active duty, including deployments during Desert Storm, and to Albania, Macedonia (now Nova Macedonia), and Kosovo.
“I admire the fact that everyone on our Council is a volunteer—there are no paid positions and our uniqueness is in the ability to immediately disperse funds to resolve issues for veterans who find themselves in crisis, typically through no fault of their own,” says Eisiminger.
The VMLC is currently helping with a large number of housing cases. Post COVID-19 conditions combined with a hot real estate market in Phoenix has resulted in landlords increasing rents. Veterans, in many cases, are on limited incomes and are forced to find alternative living, and finding first and last month’s rent is a challenge.
“The VMLC quickly disburses funds to the landlord, the vehicle repair shop, or to the business on behalf of the veteran in crisis,” says Eisiminger. “While there are other social programs to assist those in crisis, they typically have a process that sometimes isn’t quick enough to resolve the issue. We allow the Veterans Administration Social Workers to identify the immediate and emergent needs. Many times, the quick response is what is needed to keep the veteran in a good place.”
More recently the VMLC helped veterans within the Navajo Nation with COVID-related relief, providing 300-gallon water tanks so that veterans in remote areas have water for bathing and cooking. The organization also agreed to sponsor the first group of Maricopa County veterans with post-traumatic stress to attend Warrior PATHH training, a transformative, lifelong, post traumatic growth-based training program for combat veterans and first responders.
Eisiminger oversees operations and policies of VMLC Charities including fundraising, distributions, and celebratory events. He also directs grant proposals, builds and maintains community relationships (especially with VA leadership groups), manages the distribution of funds, and ensures the success of the annual veteran’s celebratory luncheon.
In regard to gatherings, the VMLC welcomes all patriots to join them for the 19th Annual VMLC Heroes Patriotic Luncheon, presented by GlobalMed. The celebration, chaired by GlobalMed Founder and CEO Joel Barthelemy takes place on Nov. 10 at 10:45 a.m. at the Arizona Biltmore. The event provides the opportunity to honor and celebrate the veterans and military service members who have, and continue to, “Stand in the Gap” to defend liberty and freedom. For more information on the VMLC, the Heroes Patriotic Luncheon, and donations, visit ArizonaVMLC.org.